Blog

Words to the wise
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Author: Greg Byers

There are a bunch of challenges facing businesses at the moment. I want to share ideas and advice on how businesses can best operate in this difficult part in the trading cycle. I am trying to keep this at a bite size level, but out of each one of these ideas can spring a multitude of options. 

 The issues:

People are spending less
People are more savvy about how they spend
People are buying things online

The solution:

Understand and service your customers better

Be flexible, dynamic and embrace change

 1)     Understand and service your customers better

 -        Stop second guessing what you think your customers want – ask them!

-        Collect more meaningful information from your customers.

-        Provide unique offerings based on customer wants.

-        Reward loyalty, remember, everyone likes getting a bargain.

-        Be more approachable.

 

2)     Be flexible, dynamic and embrace change

-        You need a web presence, your customers will be looking for you online.

-        Embrace social media, facebook, twitter, linkedin.

-        Keep an eye on your competitors, avoid “not invented here” philosophy.

-        Don’t be complacent as Einstein said “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results”.

-        Stay up to date with trends in your industry, try to get ahead of the curve.