Spring break is a common time for consumers to change their foodservice shopping habits. So now is the time to gain some more loyal customers.
It's an arduous task. Consumers' choices for foodservice are endless; meanwhile, they are time-starved and demand convenience along with value. But with a solid operational plan and controls in place to execute that plan, you can seize this opportunity to increase foodservice sales.
Following Parts One and Two of this series, here are two final best practices to help you effectively increase your sales and profits.
Best Practice No. 9: Execute Effective Marketing Programs
When you plan this season's marketing and promotional campaigns, make sure you upgrade your menu firstbefore the competition downgrades you. You must constantly give customers reasons to shop more often and spend more money. This starts with a strong value proposition, followed by driving sales through enticing variety and visual appeal. If you can make your menu look great and sell during slow sales periods, you are halfway there.
From there, spice up the menu variety with daily specials, which can provide great feedback on new menu items and drive sales into double-digit growth.
Best Practice No. 10: Execute Consistent Standards of Excellence
Simply stated, you need to establish performance benchmarks high above your minimum standards. Never let the customer see the foodservice operation at substandard levels. By reviewing performance opportunity gaps, such as comparing sales rankings to margin rankings by store, you can begin to identify new profit opportunities in less obvious places.
The key is to have accountability systems in place that trigger your company to react and correct the problem, before the customer notices and begins to re-evaluate their loyalty.
From the b2b Solutions team, we hope you have enjoyed this three-part series and gained new insights. To recap, here are the Top 10 Best Practices for Profitable Foodservice:
- Solid Strategic Plan
- Strong Value Proposition
- High Variety, Low Complexity Menus
- Engineer Profitable Menu Items
- Measure What You Treasure
- Develop Efficient Menu Models
- Manage Par Levels Daily
- Implement Daily Control Systems
- Execute Effective Marketing Programs
- Execute Consistent Standards of Excellence
If you are ready to implement these Top 10 Best Practices and would like to print our Pocket Guide, please visit us at www.b2bsolutionsllc.com for your free download today. For questions or comments, you can e-mail me at DHoland@b2bSolutionsLLC.com or call (972) 896-0190.
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