We have seen a growing demand for online food ordering during the past couple of years. With Covid-19 being the most important parameter, we have now established a new business industry in Pakistan. Ever heard of FoodPanda? The company serves more than 10 thousand orders per day. I don’t see any reason why you don’t take your share out of it. Then there is Cheetay, lunch app and many more to work with. I have previously elaborated on the homemade food delivery business in another article, this time around, I have a list of five steps to a successful homemade food delivery business for you.
1- Pick the Food Type Carefully
Is this something new for you? I hope not. We have heard countless times for multiple successful business owners that “Product is the KEY“, which in your case is the Food Item. There are some general recommendations like selling what sells the most, not selling candies to the grown-ups, etc. I believe you know these already. I have a few recommendations that might help you choose the right food item for a successful homemade food delivery business.
- Never go for the sumptuous suggestions. All that glitters is not gold.
- Choose what you cook the best, this will outrank your competitors.
- If you’re not the chef, make sure you find the right person for the right job. Do not hire based on recommendations only, test them first.
- Always keep the operational costs and cooking complications in mind. Do not choose an item that is difficult to cook or has ingredients that are not easily available. This kind of product is only for experienced sellers.
If you are looking for other useful business ideas in Pakistan, read this: Business Ideas in Pakistan 2021: Complete Roadmap
2- Packing – If it looks good, It tastes better
How many times have you heard from your friends “Yaar ye dhabe see 60 rupe me mil jana tha!“? Sorry for the roman Urdu, it was required. The point is, these guys are not wrong. We can get many items from a variety of different food spots at different prices. A lavish cuisine charges 1200 for DAAL and a DHABA charges 60 rupees for the same. Why is that? Ambiance matters. Presentation matters.
Now, in your case, the packing will reveal many things to the customers. If it is clean, looks hygienic, preserves odor, you are going to get more recommendations. For a Homemade Food Delivery Business to be successful, these small steps are ultra-important.
3- Adding Value | Homemade Food Delivery Business
We have seen restaurants charging 100 rupees for a small quantity of Raita or Salad. Please, don’t do that. I know that the whole point of running a business is making a living for yourself. However, if you don’t value your customer’s money, they would stop buying from you. If you’re a beginner, you can add these small sides as a bonus. Make 13 for a dozen. Deliver with a surprise. You will see your sales growing by the day.
4- Accept Feedback
I took a brief online survey in which about 1000 food bloggers revealed that 80% of the time, a restaurant’s customer support makes them angry. Everyone makes mistakes, you can too. It is possible that you did not deliver as per a customer’s expectations. It is also possible that the customer is complaining about an absolute non-issue. However, if you are good at taking criticism and giving value to a customer’s feedback, you will make loyal customers.
For example, if you are delivering 20 orders a day and you get 3 complaints, try and calculate the amount that you will have to spend to either refund or resend the same order to those 3 angry customers. If you can, go for the most acceptable option. A customer who receives either a refund or a resend of the order becomes your ambassador.
5- Use Multiple Channels to Sell | Homemade Food Delivery Business
You can’t trust one channel to do the same thing over and over again without any problem. If you are selling your food on five different channels, you will have more sales and better profits. You will also have a backup if one of them throws unexpected parameters at you. I would suggest selling on the following platforms
- FoodPanda for Sure
- Cheetay is another useful portal
- Lunch.pk is specifically for the homemade food delivery businesses
- Social media such as Facebook and Instagram.
- Your own website perhaps.
If you are a female and are thinking about starting a successful homemade food delivery business, do not forget to read this post: Food Delivery Business for Females – Start Your Own Business in Pakistan
