(Marketing) Choosing the Correct Supplier for Your Business
No commentsBy Kelly Church
In the food service industry there are several things a small business owner should consider in order to make that business a success. One of the most important things a business owner must consider is where he or she will get the stock required to run a business in the food industry. There are several places that you can obtain supplies such as food and other supplies such as plasticware, to-go containers, napkins, etc. Also, cooking equipment can be purchased at different places as well. The places that are available for these supplies are wholesale warehouses, specialty shops, restaurant supply stores, and local grocery stores. You can also purchase food for delivery from big suppliers like SYSCO. There are three things you should consider when choosing where to order from. These considerations include time, money, and location.
One of the first things you should consider when choosing a supplies is time and storage space available. For example, if you have enough storage space that you can receive equipment and supplies once per week, you might need to have a bigger supplier fill your needs depending on how much inventory you need. Many times smaller companies can not supply you with the same large quantities as larger companies. If you dont have the storage capacity to store a weeks worth of supplies and food, a smaller supplier may be right for you.
Another thing you must consider when choosing a supplier is what type of money you have to spend on your supplies. Most of the time, with the expensive restaurant supply stores you are paying for the name. Smaller suppliers also tend to be slightly more expensive because they can not stock the amount of supplies that bigger companies do; this means that they do not receive the discounts for buying because they do not buy in the same huge quantities. Some business owners stock up on supplies from their local grocery store, however, this is not usually recommended because the mark up for the items is so high that you can not charge high enough prices for your products to make your profit yet still satisfy the customers desire for cheap food. They also do not generally offer quantities that can, in the long run, save you money. Buying in larger quantities can help to defray cost.
One final thing to be aware of when you are deciding where to buy supplies is location. If you have a permanent location, you may be able to receive deliveries. This can save you time as you do not have to pick up the supplies yourself. If your location is local, this is even better for receiving deliveries. The more rural the location, the more likely it is that you will have to pick up your own supplies. With temporary locations such as concession trailers, it could be difficult to get a supplier to deliver. Location is also important in the case of being near a large wholesaler. If you are, you may choose to pick up your own supplies to cut down on the cost of delivery. If you are only a few miles away from this type of wholesaler, it can help to forego the minimum orders and delivery fees that are associated with other suppliers.
For more resources on small business be sure to visit the authors website. It contains a wealth of information and tips to get your business running and keep it running smooth along with listings for new food concession trailers and used concession trailers.
Attract Return Customers in the Food Service Industry
By Kelly Church
When starting a business in the food industry, there are many things to consider. Some of the most important things that need to be done to get established including choosing the type of product you will sell and getting the proper licensing required to do business in your area. While these are all very important things that must be done to get started in the food service industry, sometimes things are overlooked when thinking about issues that arise when the business is up and running. For example, one of the things that a restaurant owner should ask him or herself is how to get customers to return to your establishment once they have visited it. Three of the most important things include keeping product prices reasonable, having great customer service, and having a great product.
Keeping product prices reasonable is one of the most crucial things that can be done to entice a customer to come back to your business. A customer will not come back if he or she feels like the restaurant is trying to rip them off. Ways to keep prices of the products low include buying in large quantities to keep your costs low, not overcharging, and choosing cheap menu items. Doing all you can to offer special deals can be a great way to get repeat customers as well. Best bang for your buck is almost a sure way to keep your customers coming back for more.
Another way to keep people returning to your eating establishment is to have great customer service. One of the best things you can do that will help you achieve great customer service is to hire great employees. Quality employees possess several attributes including honesty, trustworthiness, friendliness, and great attitude. With employees that possess these qualities, it should be very easy to instill in them a desire to satisfy your customers. Finding employees that care about the way the customers are treated is difficult, but when you find one, it is well worth the effort.
Finally another key to getting customers to come back to eat at your restaurant is having a great product. You really cant beat when the customer comes back because you cook the best burger he or she has ever tasted. Having great quality ingredients will make the final product turn out great too. Just as news about a bad restaurant spreads like wildfire among potential customers, news about great food also spreads like wildfire. Making sure your food is delicious and consistent will make it where you can count on return customers.
Having one out of three of these is not enough to stand out in the restaurant business. It is very rare these days, however, for many restaurants to possess and display all of these qualities. If you can master the three important keys of keeping reasonable prices, having great customer service, and having a great product, you can stand out as the best among those around you that are mediocre in the industry. Being an exceptional restaurant is the best way to make lasting loyal customers.
Entry level concession trailers have become a means to entry in the high dollar food service industry. Visit the authors website for more information on starting and running a successful concession business and for food concession ideas such as starting a mobile fudge kitchen.
Marketing Techniques For Your Success In Business
Monday, July 28th, 2008 at 3:10 pm and is filed under business. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
