The National Purchasing Program (NPP) is designed for our nationwide restaurant clients of all sizes, enabling them to join a network and benefit from the purchasing power of each other. Providing prices lower than one sole operator can negotiate whether you are a single unit location or a growing franchise. The combination of the NPP multi million dollar purchasing and the constant and aggressive negotiating on behalf of the whole group benefit each and every member.

By being part of the program, your purchasings are automatically provided to NPP by your vendors electronically. This allows the program to maintain an active role in pricing and combo-purchasing deals to make the changes in the back of house, without impacting your purchasing managers.

Negotiate like the largest franchises and purchase like Costco WITHOUT the fulfillment house and using many of the same vendors.

http://www.nppsavings.com/

Bringing in an experienced restaurant consultant can save money, find money and create money.

Restaurant consultants have long argued that the food and beverage industry is overdue a major adjustment. Relentless growth over the last five years has led to over saturation in the food and beverage sector. In a buoyant market, anyone and everyone can take advantage of sustained high per capita spend on dining out and cover over the cracks of a flawed business model.

In a tougher climate, however, the laws of the jungle apply: only the strongest will survive. Food and beverage businesses are suffering and restaurant consulting services can help to find and ‘fix’ those fundamental flaws these business had previously been able to ignore because customers were spending money. Whether it is poorly thought out concepts, unsustainable leases or a lack of financial control, the recent economic downturn has provided the much needed catalyst that the sector needed to clean up its act and it is restaurant consultants who can provide the experience a management team needs to guide them through these murky waters.

OnSite Consulting expects the economic downturn to enable operators with strong concepts, consumer orientated focus and back of house diligence to survive and prosper and force those who do not, to take a serious look at their business – or suffer the consequences. The economic reality is inescapable and whilst economic doom and gloom has been the flavor of the month for some time, the outlook can be positive with assistance from OnSite.

Arguably, a recessionary environment can provide a platform for innovation and economic growth through entrepreneurialism and creative thinking. This climate provides an opportunity for lateral thinkers and those with entrepreneurial flair to excel. For those operators, a restaurant consultant provides an independent view on how the business can improve – because there are always improvements to be made.

Conversely, those businesses with flawed models who are struggling for any number of reasons can benefit from a detailed review of every element of their business and troubleshooting – indeed their survival may depend on it. How can a struggling venue justify paying a restaurant consultant when cash is tight? We advise our clients, whatever position they find themselves in, to stand back and look at their restaurant from a fresh perspective. We emphasize the need to go back to basics and evaluate each and every revenue stream or cost center from the bottom up. Through this exercise of intense scrutiny, we know that almost all of our clients have the ability to improve or achieve profitability from existing revenues, without reckless and short term promotions that their cash flow cannot sustain, and safeguard the future of their business.

All too often, we see companies implementing strategies with a ’shoot from the hip‘ mentality, without thinking of the repercussions of those strategies. Quick fixes to get customers through the door with too good to be true offers do not solve long term cash flow problems. Whilst labor is always the biggest overhead, getting rid of good staff to the detriment of customer service is also a short term solution which tends to lead to medium term problems.

With experience in dealing with struggling and often insolvent businesses, we are able to provide an emergency review of a business. During a first phase, we can identify immediate cost savings and reduce pressure on a cash flow. Whilst this is critical, equally critical is phase two of our review which entails creating the foundations for that business to run efficiently when we leave.

When we meet potential clients, we discuss ways to save money: vendor negotiations, procurement and inventory systems, dynamic labor recommendations. All too often, these customers simply go back to their business, slash costs and expect the business to right itself. The trouble for such companies is that slashing costs is not the answer. It is one of many benefits our services provide to immediately relieve the pressure however it is the ability to maintain this change and tighten up procedures that is a consultant’s value.

When we cross the road, we are taught to ‘stop, look and listen’ before we do so. Fixing a business should carry the very same message.  OnSite avoids short-termist strategies and focuses on the fundamentals of the business; a bespoke review of profitability, efficiency and sustainability.

This market is providing restaurant operators with an opportunity to revisit their business and conduct an audit from the ground up, identifying wasteful cost centers and untapped revenue opportunities. A good consultant is someone who walks in the door with information, teaches it to the client and leaves that wisdom behind. An experienced consultant can also save money, find money and create money and it is these benefits that OnSite’s clients capture by bringing us on site.

James Sinclair is the founder of OnSite Consulting, a nationwide restaurant consulting firm with a specific focus on insolvent or distressed locations, insolvency or concept repositioning.  OnSite’s work is across multiple fields including hotels, casinos, franchises, quick serve’s, casual dining and single unit operators. OnSite clients range from from celebrity chefs to up and comers all seeking to redefine their business model for profitability. Quarter 4 will mark the release of his debut book “How To Save A Restaurant In 10 Days”. For more information please visit www.onsiteconsult.com

Dear Friends,

Over the past two years the State Board Of Equalization has been conducting a “pilot program” to determine the lost, unreported or otherwise uncollected sales and use tax revenue. Upon completion of the pilot it was determined that over 3% of all CA businesses operate out of compliance and according to the “marketing collateral” as a result of this pilot, a “Compliance & Outreach Program has been created”.

Considering the financial position of this state it should really come as no great shock that such a “helpful” program is being created but what is more important is that the collateral and information provided does not seem to mention or preclude a sales tax audit. The follow up actions likely to be taken for each particular location are, therefore, probably based on the specialists findings of this pilot program. (i.e. we can assume these findings will determine any further investigation, audit or compliance requirements.)

The key phrase “they may ask for more information about your business operations” should answer almost all your questions. It is the view of many that this operation is intended to directly correlate a sellers permit with factual data regarding your business (number of seats / hours of operation etc) and therefore the intention is that based on their recent budget requests, the State will use heuristic technology to electronically identify sales and use tax fraud.

As of Q4 08, retailers have begun receiving notifications of an intended visit and its purpose. The current review team is organized via zip code and your particular locale may or may not be in the short vs long term list: no further guidance has been issued as to who will be reviewed and in what order. The intention, however, is to visit every non-residential property over an x year period so eventually, your business will be reviewed.

I would hope that all recipients of this email have their licenses, permits and other operating requirements up to date and in order – as the tax gap gets larger we can expect stronger enforcement (outreach) on a local level. For any liquor licensed location, please remember that the BoE is the one agency that can suspend your right to sell or consume liquor with barely any notice and in these difficult times, ignoring any obligations can create immediate and indeed negative ramifications.

Recent reports have shown that the delinquency period allowed by the BoE prior to enforcement and attempts to revoke your sellers permit or suspend your liquor license have halved. With so many businesses closing, the collections activity is increasingly improving in efficiency.

I have attached the official marketing kit for this program along with a recent article from a Huntington Beach magazine discussing same issues.

Many Thanks

James