Business can be cut throat. These days, no matter what you do or how niche your idea is, chances are there are a hundred other business out there doing a similar thing. So not only do you have to provide customers with products or services that they genuinely want and need, but you need to get ahead of your competitors too. Any industry you set up in will throw up difficulties, however when it comes to food it can be particularly tricky. Not only do you have strict health and safety laws to follow but everything has to be prepared to exact recipes and it’s not even like you can make lots of your foodstuffs way ahead of time. Here are some of the traits you’ll need to make it in the food industry.
Time management
You have a limited window between buying fresh ingredients, preparing them, cooking them and getting them to your customer. Whether you’re a baker, a caterer, you work on a food van or something else completely you’ll always have the same issue. You will need to know when to buy, when to prepare and also how much to prepare. Make too much and you risk wasting food, too little and you’ll run out. Planning and management are so important, more so in this kind of business than many others.
Computing skills
Running any kind of business in the modern world requires a knowledge of computing. You need the right tech and software to ensure you’re running tasks as efficiently as possible. From pos systems to help run your restaurant business to trax platforms for your catering business, there’s plenty out there that you should be taking advantage of. Do your research, find out what’s going to be best for your business and learn how to use it. Don’t be left in the dark.
Perfectionism
If you want your food to taste great every time and for each dish you create to work, you need to follow a recipe. These guidelines will ensure that your creations turn out the same way each time, and you’re not serving up anything that’s unpleasant (or risking something not working at all on the day). You need to spend time coming up with your dishes and recipes that work, and then following them to the letter when it comes to putting them out. You also need to be presenting things in the best possible way, this requires an eye for detail and a level of perfectionism. If you know you lack in this area, hire a team member to take over on certain tasks.
Customer service
In any hospitality industry, customer service is going to be crucial. When someone goes out for dinner, they’re not just going out for the food but for the whole experience. If you run a restaurant, you’ll need polite staff and a charming greeter. If you sell food items from a store or stall, again you’ll want to provide good customer service since it all comes in part of the package.
