Is the Future of Mobile Businesses in the Hands of the Coronavirus?

Hard times for mobile businesses - or is there a boom on the horizon?

The last month and a half has shown some serious negative side effects for small businesses due to the Coronavirus pandemic, but mobile businesses are showing they can thrive even as the virus sweeps the nation. As brick and mortars close, city/county codes loosen up, and landlords allow mobile units to park long term in areas they wouldn’t normally be allowed to.

Mobile businesses are known for their ability to travel and conduct business. Whether it be in a food truck or a mobile retail pop up shop (both of which were allowed to stay open with restrictions during this epidemic), can shift gears quickly to accommodate their business. The food truck industry saw a climb in sales due to restaurant closures (with the exception to take out/delivery orders). Where many brick and mortar locations closed -whether it be restaurants or retail, due to the cost to operate business during this time -inventory, rent/mortgage, employee payroll, insurance, and the list goes on, was/is difficult, the mobile business industry benefited. 

Mobile business units are notorious for having low overhead, for the most part can be operated by oneself or an additional employee, little inventory, and may even have the ability to accommodate online business or deliver/curbside pickup -making mobile vessels an obvious choice for patrons, especially in the midst of a pandemic.

As mobile industry workers in the service field, we have heard all sorts of great news from our client base. The biggest complaint from our food truck customers is trying to keep food stocked since people have been stockpiling and clearing out the stores! Otherwise, they have been able to sustain or have even been busier than before the Coronavirus quarantine.

One thing we can learn from this small business shut down is that mobile businesses are flexible and have the ability to adapt to unorthodox situations, making them a great choice for starting/sustaining a business during the good times and the hardships. Projections show this industry to boom, especially once the quarantine is lifted as businesses will need an affordable business model, and going mobile offers that and more.

To learn more about getting your business mobile, check out  8 Ways A Custom Mobile Vessel Works For Your Business or give us a call today at 541.728.3511!

Top Benefits For Buying a Custom Food Truck

Buying a used food truck has few benefits, whereas buying a tailor made custom food vessel has many. Below we have listed the top benefits of purchasing a custom food truck, though there are many more perks that come along with it!

1. Tailored Layout + Flow
   An important and most adored feature of a custom food truck is the tailored layout and flow. Every truck owner has a layout in mind and a workflow that works best for them -it is one of our favorite parts to sit down with a customer to come up with theirs. We have a motto and it’s, “No Nuts to Butts” -there is nothing more exciting than a busy food rush for a food truck owner, there is also nothing more frustrating than a busy food rush with multiple chefs in the kitchen and bumping into each other while trying to prep, cook, assemble and run food -something we often see when hobby builders build trucks or people are looking at used food trucks. So save the headache and the shoulder checks, tailor made is the way to go. 
   
   

2. Minimize Issues and Maximize Functionality
   When going with the custom build option you minimize your chances of equipment and utility malfunction and maximize your opportunities of functionality. We recently had a new customer call us because her used truck only had a 2 space breaker and she needed much more power as a mobile food unit. We ended up placing a 12 space breaker, running new outlets and lighting to make her truck more efficient and functional for her operation. Remember that your vessel will make or break your business, if you are constantly having issues, shutting down for repairs because things are breaking, then you may notice a break in your business. Customers get frustrated with the lack of consistency, and will not be continuous patrons as they once were -something we have seen as well.
   
   

3. Equipment + Warranties
   Yes, that used food truck looks pretty nice and the equipment looks to be in good shape, price doesn’t look so bad either...but what about a couple months from now? One rule of thumb is never buy refrigeration equipment used. Why?  You never know how or if it was maintained, the life of that specific equipment is about 7-10 years before problems occur or become obsolete, so it’s better to play it safe than sorry. That’s just one “for instance”. We have a good friend and customer of ours who always says, “Buy it nice, or buy it twice” -a good motto to live by. When building custom, you have the opportunity to get the equipment you need and want and also have more warranty options available to cover your equipment if something were to happen like a break during transport, faulty item upon use, factory defects, etc.
   
   

4. So Fresh So Clean
   Used food trucks have lots of wear and tear, and even though someone may have cleaned it up real nice it still may have underlying issues like mold, water leaks, electrical issues, grease build up and unnecessary health risks. Instead of finding a used truck that was utilized for someone else’s previous business venture, you will have a fresh and clean truck that is ready for you to utilize it towards its’ specific purpose, and no scary surprises down the road.
   
   

5. Saving in the Longrun
   Some may think it is cheaper to buy a used food truck/trailer/cart, but purchasing a custom truck will actually save you more money in the longrun. We have worked with people who purchased $50,000 food trucks, just to turn around and dump another $5-15k into them because they either were not functional for what they were needing, were poorly constructed, or did not follow city/county codes, and it can be completely devastating for a new business owner. So do yourself a favor and don’t take the cheap way out!
   
   

6. Broader Palatte
   When looking for a used food truck/trailer/cart, it can be very limiting. You will only come across certain layouts, vessel sizes, and equipment which may not even work for what your food truck’s flow needs to be -forcing you to settle for what’s available. When opting for a custom vessel, you don’t have to settle, you have the ability to create exactly what you need/want tailored for your business.
   

We hope that this information can be helpful when making the final decision about purchasing a used vs. a new custom food truck. Still need more convincing? Check out some of our work or give us a call at 541.728.3511 to learn more about making your food truck dreams come true today!

Top 5 Ingredients for A Successful Mobile Business

Thinking about creating a mobile business? We’ve got the top 5 ingredients to ensure a successful mobile business to jump start your dreams! This list is nowhere near daunting, but requires vision, proper planning, and following through to execute the recipe of a successful mobile business venture.

1. A clear and concise vision
   One of the most crucial ingredients to a successful business (mobile or not) is having a clear vision. It’s important to spend time strategizing and putting in the hours of effort to ensure a successful operation. Set and review goals, figure out funding, research demographics, establish a niche, search for storage options if needed, lay a solid foundation to set yourself up for success from the start!
   

2. Business plan
   -Finances
   -Inventory and restocking costs
   -If taking on an employee(s), calculate pay
   -Your salary
   -Insurance for your business and your mobile vessel
   -Licensing and permits
   -Your food truck build and equipment
   -Gas for transportation or finding a location to park
   

3. Licensing/County/City Codes
   Research what is required to get started and become fully sustained. Every state, county and city have different qualifications and codes. Find out if your offerings are eligible for a mobile business as well as city/county codes for the mobile vessel itself. For example, food trucks will have different requirements than a mobile barbershop, and a mobile barbershop will have different requirements than a mobile healthcare provider.
   

4. Recipes, Services, Offerings
   Establish your niche and create a list of your offerings tailored to that, then fine tune them! Take polls from friends and family, ask around your community for feedback.
   

5. A Badass Vessel
   Last, but not least, a mobile vessel. Research and meet with builders, see if they can execute your vision. The builder needs to be experienced and knowledgeable to be certain your vessel will be safe, up to code, and stand out. It’s important to find the right truck/trailer/bus/cart (you name it!) fit for your mobile business -it should be functional, contain the space and equipment you need, offer the necessary power, plumbing, propane/natural gas (if applicable),and of course -look how you’ve been envisioning it!

A short, yet info packed ingredient list to get you started on crafting the perfect mobile business recipe. If you have already followed the first 4 ingredients on this list, but are still searching for number 5, give our work a look. We specialize and successfully build many custom mobile business vessels / renovate existing to meet customers requirements and needs, maintain and fix operating trucks, trailers, carts, kiosks, etc., and follow up on our customers county/city codes for a 100% guarantee pass -it’s assured to bring you peace of mind when embarking on this mobile business journey! Drop us a line or give us a call at 541.728.3511 today to learn more about our mobile business services!