Being in business with the current economic climate is no easy task. Everyday seems to be a fight to stay afloat. So many businesses go under each day and with start ups now harder than ever to get moving, few new businesses are taking the places of old & it seems that as the smaller businesses go under one of the larger firms eats up there business. No where is this more noticeable than with supermarket chains. What where once busy high streets are now streets filled with fast food restaurants and closed shop fronts.
There is no doubt that supermarkets have damaged the traditional high street in a big way, but its not all bad news especially for the consumer who is now on average paying far less for there weekly shop. So can you combat the larger firms, can you make a space in the market for your business?. The answer is yes absolutely you can. Now where larger firms may be able to provide goods and services cheaper they often suffer in the customer service department a key area in which to win over new customers even the largest of supermarkets lose and gain first time customers each week.
The truth is not everyone shops with loyalty and not everyone shops with savings in mind in fact it is becoming more popular for the consumer to complain about service and goods, this is part of the knock on effect of being able to buy goods or services in a hugely competitive market. The consumer now knows that if you can not provide the best possible service they can always move on quite easily and spend there money else where. I think people are becoming more savvy about how and where they spend not just there money but there time as well.
A typical weekly shop lasts around 1 hour for the average family, now that is a long time to keep a customer happy with your service & generally the more products you have the more problems that have the potential to occur within the time frame. I cannot stress enough that top quality customer service is still the No1 priority that a shopper expects above saving a few quid. Most people have a favorite shop or favorite service that will religiously stick to no matter what. A perfect example; I have a guy that delivers tea to my house weekly aside from the fact this particular brand of tea is very hard to find in shops it is actually in my opinion the best tea, given the service is regular always on time and the price barely fluctuates I never buy tea anywhere else.
I am a savvy shopper, savvy enough to know that not all businesses are honest, recently I had a fault with my heating I always get 3 quotes for this type of work but my decision to use one firm over another is not just based on price. The first plumber gave me not just a quote but told me I needed a whole new heating system, the second gave me a over inflated price and just did not strike me as professional where as the 3rd told me in detail the fault with my heating, what he would have to do to repair it, how long it would take and finally the price including a full breakdown of what I was paying for. Again this was not the cheapest quote but I was so taken by the guys honesty and attention to detail that I gave him the job.
I do appreciate some people will just not think to give you such detail when quoting for a job but this is certainly something you as a business should be looking at. Imagine a A4 sheet of paper, kind of like a survey now on this sheet you have check boxes, think of what boxes your business is ticking and more importantly which boxes you are not. It easy to get into a routine of work and miss out what really matters to your customers. The best part is once you have identified your companies flaws you can then start to rectify them, this is free and will only cost you your time and effort. If you think this exercise is a waste of time then it speaks volumes about how you yourself see your business.
Its wake up time: making money to keep you going through a recession is one of the most difficult things for any business new or established, take a look around some of the biggest best known businesses have gone under during this recession. More notably look at those businesses that have now expanded and filled these new voids left by broken business. This is your target market your second chance if you like.
Advertising: most people will be thinking quite simply and honestly I really cannot afford to advertise and for the most part this is true newspapers, billboards, leaflets etc are all expensive and at times end up costing more than they will bring in. This does not mean do not advertise but find new and inventive ways in which to do so. Shoestring: yes the dreaded shoestring something you would rather not talk about but we are here now so lets continue, advertising on a budget means you really have to know your business and its target market there is people out there right now looking for the service you provide, No1 where are they, you must find where people are looking for you. are they reading newspapers, checking ads in shop windows or are they using Google to find a local firm.
Company branding should never be underestimated having a brand for your company from day one can be hugely beneficial in the long run. Get your name out there get your brand seen.
Here is some advice: It does not cost you to list your company on Google and you do not even need a website to do so, imagine Google as your local directory but with a huge advantage over traditional directories. Example: people searching for plumbers in Cambridgeshire, now that is a bit broad so lets say Peterborough, again still a large place so lets whittle right down to and area lets say Fengate. A customer is now looking on a search engine for a local plumber in Fengate. Google offer this local option so that not only big firms have a chance but so the smaller firms do to, the more detail you add to your free listing the better, you can even add pictures, telephone numbers, opening hours etc etc.
Now because of this your firm has gone from being one in a million possible choice to one in 100 or even fewer, this facility knows the exact location of your business so will offer your business as a top search result the closer you are to the customer who is searching the more likely you are to be sat at the top of this list of companies. In Today’s business world this is a must and its free. For full information on this go to Google and type in Google places the rest is very easy to follow.
OK so far you have spent 0 pounds and now people know where you are & what you do. Now when this customer does call you need to be ready. Image: Looking the part should most definitely be high on your agenda, once you arrive at a customers house it is important that they get that first impression and see it as a good one, in that I mean you must look professional even if your just cleaning the windows a simple uniform says to people that you care about your work and more importantly you care about how your company looks to its customers. Don not get me wrong if your wearing a uniform of some description many people will simply fail to notice but on the other hand if your wearing scruffy jeans and an old t-shirt they most definitely will notice.
Ask yourself the question would you recommend a cowboy looking window cleaner to your neighbours? I think not. You do not have to wear a uniform but work wear is cheaper than ever and it is a great way of getting yourself seen, you can add personalised a logo, company name and even your own name to your work wear this is a very cost effective way of advertising, remember you only get one chance at that first impression and most customers will know what you and your company are about before you even have chance to greet them. A lot of this is not what you are doing right but what you are doing wrong. These are the wrongs that lose you money and give your competitors the edge to survive.
Know your stuff: Right your in the door and looking smart you have pretty much got this job what happens from here is entirely on how you conduct yourself you must be confident to show you are confident in your work but not over confident a simple gesture like “whats seems to be the problem” can help break the ice and get the conversation moving. Do not be afraid to answer questions that a customer may have any prolonged delays in answering or a confused look will not help your cause. Answer questions quickly and concisely but above all be completely honest. Remember this might be the first time you have met this person but it may not be the last if you play your cards right.
Repeat Custom: The best kind of customer is one who returns again and again if you have come across as a confident, well presented, polite and a honest human being then you should be in with a real chance of success. Word of mouth is perhaps the best form of advertising and there is nothing more satisfying than meeting a new customer and having them tell you a friend recommended you, no doubt if your not stressed by your current financial situation you might even pull off a friendly smile while your working.
Time for a joke: Yes there is always time for humor adding to your now emphatic personality, charm and honesty squeezing in a quick light hearted joke about the weather which we all know can be a joke here in the UK will only strengthen your position as a company to remember. Joking aside times are tough so you really have to pull out all the stops and put in 110% all of the time which is hard work, you may have to change a few things about yourself and your business but thank your self lucky your still working when so many are not..
Becoming as it is, a long article I think you have waited long enough for the ” 5 Reasons Your Business Is Losing Money ” so to summarize:
1. Ensure you have a system in place to be able to offer your customers a complete breakdown of costs they will incur such as parts, labour and anything else relevant. Honestly is a major part of why a new customer can become a lifelong customer, do not hide any fees from people this will just infuriate them later.
2. Detail any faults you think your company may have, this is never easy so take your time and run through in your head everything you do from first point of contact to a completed job. make notes and try and criticize your self as often as possible until you are comfortable there is nothing left to criticize, take a note book with you and at any point in the day or week you think something you have said or done has had a negative impact on a potential or new customer jot it down and come back to it later. Try to view yourself from a customers point of view at all times.
3. Identify your target market, find out where people are looking for your service or goods and get yourself a presence within that space. It does not hurt to have business cards on you or in the company van, “very cheap and effective” opportunities can occur at anytime and you should be ready to pounce on everyone.
4. Advertising no doubt can be expensive but there are steps you can take that will cost you very little or nothing at all. If you have a shop front its time to put it in lights so to speak, have a look at your existing signs and ask yourself what do they say about my service or goods, even a dirty sign is a poor sign. Professional embroidered work wear, get you and your staff some new work clothes make sure you look the part and people can visually see you are a company that cares again its not expensive and you could even buy one set at a time until everyone looks the same. If you have company vehicles then consider getting them sign written with your company details and phone number, how many times have you been behind a van that offers a service you are looking for?. There are many options with this but I will advise a slogan, catchphrase or a attention grabbing logo will often be easily remembered. Get yourself an online presence as detailed earlier in the article you do not need a website and I would advise anyone thinking about getting a website that this market is hugely competitive and also has many scam artists who will overcharge for a sub standard service. Keep it simple to start with and weigh up which type of advertising is most profitable for you this way you can invest more of your efforts on a working campaign, ask your customers how they heard about you, this feedback is invaluable in identifying future leads.
5. And finally we have reached the end and the final point, if you work from a fixed location or have to travel around to make your living then always make sure that your work area is tidy this includes company vehicles, offices, doorways, toilets any work area that a customer may see. This is not always possible with some trades but even so there should be a minimum requirement on how clean your place should stay. It is often said that a cluttered workspace leads to a cluttered mind you know the type of thing when you can not find your car keys, this applies here to. Having good access to all your tools and equipment will make your day much easier and stress free, it will make your work quicker and more profitable to boot. Forget your old routines its time for action, clean up and keep it clean and presentable at all times.
All these steps can be carried out by any business it is how you apply them that will ultimately make the difference. Presentation and honesty go a long way but you must also carry out jobs or provide goods to an acceptable level to start with. Once you can do that you can do anything. Best of Luck.