I don't really like the word proactive. It tends to be a corporate cliche for businesses that fail to meet their promises. However, I'm going to use the term in this post because I can't think of a better way to get the point across. I try to occasionally provide some business tips for you food truckers. No, I don't run a food truck, never have, but I talk with owners all day long, eat with them and see many succeed and fail, so I think you may be able to gain a nugget of information from these tips. Here are some thoughts on being proactive rather than reactive when running your food truck business.
PLANNING
Proactive food truck owners are already at least a week ahead. They have jobs lined up, have menus lined up and have customers lined up...
Reactive food truck owners scrabble the morning of trying to get food, rely too much on organizers to schedule their truck and then hope for customers.
BAD DAYS
Proactive owners spend their evening after a bad day figuring out where they went wrong and how to not let it happen again.
Reactive owners spend their evening complaining about a bad day and blaming others for the lack of sales.
EMPLOYEES
Proactive owners encourage their staff, promote them when deserved and fire them when deserved.
Reactive owners hold good staff back then complain when they move on. They also complain about bad employees, but never seem to fire them.
CUSTOMERS
Proactive owners engage their customers and make the dining experience one to remember. They track their mentions on social media, thank the customer for the comments and earn ten new customers through that social engagement.
Reactive owners don't say thank you, fight back on a bad review instead of fixing it, don't follow back and don't know why they didn't make it in the food truck business.
All day long your make choices to be proactive or reactive about your business. Sometimes it takes more effort and creates more stress if you take the reactive road. Running a food truck is not easy. If fact, it can be one of the most demanding professions around. However, if you make the right decisions, doors will open and you can turn your food truck business into your long term business dream of owning a restaurant, a restaurant franchise, a fleet of food truck or all of the above. It's really the little decisions you make that make you a proactive food truck owner. So get all cliche and tell yourself you are proactive and be proactive. Do great things!