According to some studies conducted in 2015, the worth of the food truck industry was estimated to be about 856 million dollars and expected to grow further. While running a food truck has become a popular trend in many cities, there are some pitfalls that can raise challenges for your business.
While not every business meets success, understanding the way the industry works can certainly help you beat the odds and establish a full-fledged business model. With that in mind, let us take a look at some common mistakes that you should avoid when starting a food truck business.
Size of the Truck
When you are planning to start a food truck business, it goes without saying that there will be many decisions that will impact the daily running of your business. One of them is finding a truck that can accommodate your equipment and staff optimally. If you are working in a constricted place, it will be challenging for you and your employees to conduct your duties in cramped quarters.
On the other side, if you buy a truck that is too big in size, you may face hardships in maintaining and keeping the place clean. Besides being expensive, bigger food trucks will also require ample parking space and fuel to stay on the road. It is highly advised to take these factors into consideration when planning to start a food truck business.
Plan Your Territory
One of the biggest challenges food trucks face is when they have to find an appropriate location to set shop. This includes finding a territory that overlaps with your target audience and is also easy to drive to. A well-thought marketing strategy will help you in identifying potential customers and targeting them in appropriate ways.
Whether you are planning to sell on street corners or a busy college campus, you need to have a plan in place that maps out your move everyday. Simply driving around to find customers may not work for you and can quickly exhaust your resources and motivation.
Taking a Part-time Approach
The food truck industry is like any other that needs constant attention and planning to become successful. If you are taking a part-time approach in order to avoid the 9 to 5 trap of conventional office jobs, you may not get expected results from your business venture.
Food truck owners work very hard, often 24/7 to ensure that they have taken care of everything from raw materials to servicing the truck and equipment. Besides shopping, advertising, and paperwork for licenses, there are many responsibilities that you will need to undertake daily to run a successful food truck business.
Customer Service
Ensuring that everyone who comes to your food truck is subjected to quality customer service should be your top priority. Returning customers play a vital role in spreading awareness about your brand and products. When you go out your way to appreciate customers, it shows them that they have much more to look forward to than delicious food.
Clean and Organized Workplace
A clean and well organized workplace can go a long way to build your brand name and bring in new customers. A hygienic workplace is not only required by the state but it will also boost the self-esteem of your employees. When you take care of hygiene and all the paperwork, you can safely avoid the risk of something falling through the cracks.
Choose Sizemore Food Trucks
If you are ready to start your food truck business and are looking for a reliable source to help you build the truck, Sizemore Food Trucks can help you. All our trucks are 100% made in the U.S. in record turn turnaround times, regardless of the complexity of your design. Each process of building your truck will be carried out in-house, so you can rest assured knowing we will build a truck that caters to your specific needs. To get your quote, call our amazing team today!