|
Q.
I would like information on starting a pizzeria. Can you give me some suggestions?
Q.
Is there a method to finding the most efficient ways of purchasing? Or is it better to have dry supplies
manufactured myself?
Q.
Do you have any suggestions on handling not so nice customers?
Q. I would like information on starting a pizzeria here in Northern California. There is only one restaurant were I live and the closest Pizza is a one hour drive. I see a need for this type of business in the growing community that I live in and I am very serious about starting tis business can you give me some suggestions? -Wesley Gregg, Gregg's Lost Coast, Redway, CA A. Where do I start? I'd like to connect you to my brain and download 30+ years of experience. That would take care of it. Seriously, you must learn the art of pizza making as well as all of the business savvy that goes along with being successful. It seems like your town is really ready for a pizza shop. My friend and fellow consultant, Jim Laube, CPA, says "It's been said that the restaurant industry is an industry of amateurs. If that was ever the case (and I suspect there's some truth to it), it's changing." The first thing you'll need to do is do a self evaluation. Are you passionate about pizza, people & promotion? Two out of three won't do. Secondly are you capitalized? Can you live for six months to a year with little or no income? Do you have any business experience, have you taken any formal classes on accounting, business law, employee management, marketing, advertising, construction or health department codes or psychology? I dropped out of college and didn't return for 20 years. I learned all of the above skills from the school of hard knocks. Very expensive tuition. Luckily I didn't run out of money before I ran out of luck. I have to admit that I have stood on the cliff and looked down. On one side was bankruptcy and the other insanity. As far as I know their are no encompassing resources available to assist wannabe Independent Pizza Operators get into the business. Several magazines are devoted to the industry. Check out Pizza Marketing Quarterly or Pizza Today. Finally, my client RapidFire is committed to the success of pizza operators. They reinvest a lot of time and cash to the industry to help operators become and remain successful. When you contact them ask for a free copy of Big Bucks with Big Dave. After all, if we all disappeared they wouldn't have a customer base. The pizza industry is similar but very different from the restaurant industry. The daily issues we operators deal with are in a niche all of their own. If I were you, (and in
1969 I was) I'd first learn how make the world's best pizza. This
will require you to hire in at a successful operation. This will
give you the operational knowledge you'll need to be successful. The
rest you'll have to wing. The other option is to buy a franchise and
have the owners steer you through the minefields, for a forever fee.
The third option is to hire a pizza expert (consultant) to ramp you
up to speed quickly. A pretty good one can be reached at
888.BIG-DAVE or (http://www.bigdaveostrander.com/) There are a
handful of us in the country. I would also strongly encourage you to
attend a Pizza Convention. The next one is coming up in October
11-12, 2000 in Atlantic City, NJ. I hope to see you there. Keep in
touch. BD
Q.
In first getting involved in the pizza
industry, I find it difficult to get what would seem to be the
simplest questions answered. Such as the going rate to pay for
supplies such as boxes. Is there a method to finding the most
efficient ways of purchasing? Or is it better to have dry supplies
manufactured myself? A.
I wished I had a little more information on where
you lived. I am shocked by your dilemma. My biggest
corporate client, Gordon Food Service, has a philosophy of answer
every question truthfully. If you don't know the answer say so.
The answer is out there. That's where I fit in. I'm a end
user expert. They hired me ten years ago to answer pizza
specific questions. I interact with pizza people, sales
reps, suppliers and buyers almost daily. It has been and continues
to be one of the most rewarding relationships in my career. Do
you think this may be one of the reasons that they are the largest,
privately held, family owned distributor in the world? There are
many great distributors in the country. I apologize for your
bewilderment. It's not supposed to be that way. If you e-mail me
back with your city and state. I'll do my best to connect you with a
super supplier. By all means, you make the pizza and forget
about distribution.
Q. My employees and I have a bad attitude
towards stupid customers. We are trying to change our attitudes and
make this a very friendly place, but we need help! Do you have any
suggestions on handling not so nice customers so this isn't
projected towards others? A.
I can really empathize with you and your crew. Are
we talking Forrest Gump? Stupid is as stupid does. Or are we
talking nasty, mean mouthed, demanding & rude? If it's
just plain stupid, I suggest you apply patience and try to teach
them the answers to their stupid questions. I find that place mats
with crayons work the best. On the other hand if you are dealing
with the latter let me set you straight. Take these people seriously
but never take them personally. I hate to stereotype, but in all of
my years of consulting and traveling I've only been attacked
verbally once. I took it very personally. It made me lose sleep. I
was doubting myself. We must never forget that our customers are our paycheck. No
customers = No paycheck. Every time you lose a customer your kids eat less. Take a picture
of your kids eating and post them everywhere. You'll stay focused.
Now the solutions. You're human, and your first urge is to defend yourself and
strike out. You have contemplated firing some of the worst
offenders. It's good for your ego and morale but bad for the bottom
line. May I suggest you do a customerectomy the following way. You
must allow them to keep their dignity or they will bad mouth your
restaurant to every one they know forever. After doing your best to
satisfy them, and failing again, tell them that you can't seem to
get it right. You don't know who's at fault, but their satisfaction
is too important to you to let this continue. You'll fill the
current order this time and strongly suggest that they try one of
your competitors next time. Have a typewritten memo with all of your
competitors names addresses and phone numbers along with the
managers name and give that to the unhappy stupid person. Tell them
that you are sorry, that try as you may you just couldn't make them
happy. Tell them you have contacted all of the competitors on the
list and made them aware that they might be hearing from you. You
have asked your competitors to treat you very special, because you
are a special person and your only wish is that they have a great
experience, where ever they decide to go. Wish them all the best and
a sincere farewell and smile when they leave. How can they possibly
bad mouth you now? You acted professional and survived to fight
another day. Your new reputation will get around and hopefully
reduce your stress level immensely. The cool thing is that after
they shop around with the competition they usually come back a
changed humble person. A pleasure to do business with and they will
show you the respect that you show them. Finally, never set a bad
example to your crew. They can grumble in their ranks but managers
can not complain down to the ranks. We can only complain up the
chain of command. I'm honored you asked for help on this subject. It
has plagued everyone of us at some time. Only the brave ask for
help. Suggested Reading
|
Products & Services
