Uncertainty can be a scary thing and the only way to not barely survive but thrive during such times is getting your business and your teams ready for the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead.
As a Trades Business Coach, here are a few things I believe your business should start looking into to get ready for the new world.
1. Meet the new consumer demands for security and transparency
Let’s admit it. The pandemic has changed the world. It might be the same consumers that you used to serve 2 years ago, but how these consumers collect and process information when hiring a Tradie has changed entirely.
As consumer anxiety increases, businesses need to deliver peace of mind at every step from providing credentials like licenses and insurance certificates, to employee identity checks, real-time work progress updates, detailed invoicing and cashless payment options for a seamless, secure and transparent experience.
Technology has been a game changer in this regard with Field Service Management apps delivering just want your consumers need in the post-COVID era.
2. Be where the customers are to generate new leads
COVID has shown us that merely having a web presence and being on social media is not enough!
With the traditional methods of securing leads being dried out during the pandemic, in order to prepare for the rainy days, Tradies need to diversify the platforms they are leveraging to keep work coming in.
With word-of-mouth still being a popular way to hire Tradies, it’s time you showcase your best work and benefit from the ratings customers leave on your profile.
Consumers are already using Hire-a-Tradie sites such as i4Tradies to instantly find and connect with certified professionals. If you have not listed your business already, you might be missing out on an opportunity of being where your customers are and showcasing your business in the best light.
3. Make customer experience your point of difference
When the going gets tough, you don’t want to make things harder for yourself by missing simple things like delayed response to quotes, arriving late on the site, having bottlenecks in the field, miscommunication with the staff or simply being held up by the paperwork.
Remember, if you are not making the experience simpler and faster for your customers they might go to someone who does!
Quotes that go out within the first 60 minutes have a greater chance of winning the work for you. Similarly, make customers feel in charge of their jobs by providing them with real-time updates on the job as it progresses from one stage to the next. Invoice promptly and make it simpler for customers to pay online.
All of this can be made a breeze with the right technology at your disposal.
4. Future proof your business by putting the right processes in place
Cash flows is the life-blood of small businesses. You don’t want another crisis to result in losing your dedicated staff just because you didn’t have money to pay their salaries.
Make sure you are maximising profit on every job during the sunny days so you have enough saved up for the rainy ones.
Automating your tasks with Field Management Software can help you schedule your time efficiently so you are not losing money managing your teams in the field or tracking their progress while you still have lots on your plate.
Regularly review your profit reports to understand which jobs are making you the most money and which are just burning a hole in the pocket. Put an end to the endless paperwork, so you have everything in one place and can store, track and revisit records or minimise human error.
Stepping up your game for the post-COVID era
COVID has already shown us what a crisis situation and lockdowns can do to your business. As you enter the New Year, step up your game by introducing the right systems and processes into your business not just to meet the changing needs of consumers in this transformed world, add more hours in your day and increase your profits, but also to become less reliant on traditional ways of growing your business to being where your customers are.
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