The pizza enterprise is at present drifting in unchartered waters. The previous mannequin of constructing, baking and serving a praiseworthy pizza with a smile simply isn’t sufficient to pay the payments anymore. What are we to do to prosper sooner or later? I’ve heard this query a thousand occasions at Worldwide Pizza Expo and different occasions this yr. Right here is my tackle how one can cope with the “new” regular method of thriving within the pizza enterprise.
I’m going to make an enormous assumption right here. Your pizza, salads, sandwiches and different menu choices are completely the most effective. If in case you have any doubts in your merchandise, you’d higher be engaged on elevating the bar. I’ll make one other huge assumption your total employees is on their recreation. They’ve emotionally purchased in to your method of doing enterprise, have the service mentality DNA gene and have been skilled to over ship service.
Praiseworthy pizza in addition to memorable service are the brand new watermarks for being recession proof.
The overwhelming majority of operators I go to and work intently with are on the prime of their recreation in product and repair. The massive roadblock that retains them within the “simply getting by” life-style is, in my humble opinion, accountability.
To whom do you reply when your profitability tanks? Have you learnt the place to search for and how one can comply with the cash path? Or do you play the blame recreation? I can’t let you know what number of occasions I’ve requested the query, “What are you doing completely different to alter your established order?” Nicely, what are you doing completely different? Have you ever developed an iron grip on portion management? Are you getting well timed correct financials from an actual accountant that basically understands your enterprise? Do you perceive accounting? Does this particular person ever problem your monetary choices and percentages? I predict that sooner or later, solely the enterprise savvy entrepreneurs will thrive.
No one ever instructed me that I would want a depth of data that will rival a lawyer and accountant after I opened the primary Large Dave’s Pizza in 1972. Again then at the hours of darkness ages, all you wanted was praiseworthy pies and repair with a smile. You additionally needed to enroll within the College of Onerous Knocks. My private tuition invoice bumped into six figures with all of the dangerous choices I made. I do know I’ve an MBA and doubtless a PhD if I ever quantified the cash I misplaced, left on the desk and simply plain had stolen from me in my profession. Then once more, there was nobody to ask and nowhere to go for solutions. Now, there’s. See you on the Pizza At this time Bulletin Boards. ?
Large Dave Ostrander owned a extremely profitable impartial pizzeria earlier than turning into a marketing consultant, speaker and internationally sought-after coach. He’s a month-to-month contributor to Pizza At this time and leads seminars on operational matters for the household of Pizza Expo tradeshows.
