Make it Easy for People to Do Business with You

Posted on April 13, 2012 by Paul Tyrrell

Today’s consumer is driven by convenience. While good customer service is important, having work completed quickly and efficiently seems to make more of an impact. To ensure repeat business from your customers, it’s vital that you make the experience as effortless as possible. For today’s pool maintenance business, that means providing a service and payment options tailored to the customer’s needs. There are a few things every modern-day consumer seeks in a pool maintenance business.

1. Reliability

Most pool maintenance services have regularly scheduled maintenance appointments. Choose a day of the week and time of day that is most convenient for each customer and keep that set appointment, whether it’s every Tuesday at 9 a.m. or every Friday at 4 p.m.

Once you have appointments set, do everything in your power to keep to your schedule. Don’t overbook your schedule and find yourself running behind. It’s better to take fewer appointments and have a few gaps in your day than to develop a reputation of always showing up late or not showing up at all.

2. Good Service

Reliability is only part of developing a professional reputation in your area. Your reputation hinges on the job your company does. Consistently providing quality, thorough service will keep your customers coming back.

3. Use Scheduling Software

Software solutions are now available that can do your administrative work for you. This has the dual benefit of letting you focus on the business of doing business and preventing  errors due to faulty bookkeeping. Plus, scheduling software can juggle multiple team member schedules and help keep up with invoicing.

4. Multiple Forms of Payment

If you’re still accepting cash and personal checks, you’re already behind the competition. If you’re cash only, you’re making things difficult for your customers. To truly give your customers a convenient experience, accept credit cards. PayPal Here and Square are two services that provide credit card readers that work with your smart phone.

5. Help Customers Find You

When homeowners need pool maintenance service, they no longer head to the yellow pages. Today’s customers are searching the Internet for reliable services, often relying on the recommendations and reviews of others. Set up a widespread online presence that includes social media pages, blogs, and your company website and stay active on all of them. The goal is to make sure a web search for pool maintenance businesses in your area pulls up your business as close to the top as possible. By maintaining an active online presence, you can help make that happen.

Few companies focus on making it easy for customers to do business with them. By thinking like today’s consumer, you can set up a business model that encourages customers to start doing business with you and continue coming back for many years to come.

Posted in Field Service Management Software, Field Services, field services software, Maintenance Scheduling Software, Sales Advice, Technology advice | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Franchising Tips for Business Owners: Structure a Franchise

Posted on April 10, 2012 by Paul Tyrrell

If you’ve founded a successful business and are interested in franchising, you may be wondering where to start. The legal and financial procedures may seem overwhelming at first, but by taking things one step at a time, you can conquer the process of preparing your business to franchise.

Create Procedures

So far you’ve run your business the way you wanted to, but when you franchise, you have to make decisions about what items you’ll keep and which ones you’ll leave up to the franchisees. A successful franchisor allows franchisees to customize the franchise to the market in which it is located. No one solution works for all parts of the country.

You’ll also need to decide how far you intend to expand. If you’d like to start locally, opening just a few franchises, you’ll only have to worry about your state laws. However, once you begin operating in different states, you’ll need to fully understand the rules that apply to operating a corporation in that particular state.

Develop your Contracts

Before you can begin to seek franchisees, you’ll need to outline all of the legalese that will apply to your franchise locations. It is highly advised that you consult a lawyer that specializes in business franchises for this part of the process. While there are boilerplate contracts that address every aspect of franchise law, you’ll want an attorney who is familiar with your needs to draw up contracts with your particular business needs in mind.

During this time, you’ll need to decide whether to license as an LLC, S corporation, or C corporation. This determines how much you’re franchisee will pay in taxes each year. An LLC protects you, the franchise owner, from any activities of your franchisees.

Set Up Fees

At this point, it will be time to draw up a fee structure. This will determine how much franchisees will have to pay to open a franchise in your business name. You’ll also need to address any fees that will be assessed if your franchisee decides to sell the location to someone else.

These fees will be tied to the way you license your business. While you’ll want to set your fees low enough to attract business, you’ll also need to be careful not to set them too low. If your fees aren’t high enough, you as the franchisor will be forced to absorb much of the cost.

Get the Help You Need

In addition to consulting a business attorney, it’s important you have the help of an accountant during this time. While your franchisees will be responsible for much of the tax burden, you’ll also need to ensure you’re paying correct taxes as a franchisor. An accountant can help you ensure your books are in order to avoid trouble from the IRS. An accountant can also help look over your fee structure.

Structuring a franchise is an important part of growing your business. Luckily, qualified professionals are available to help you get everything in order before you begin to look for buyers.

If you’ve founded a successful business and are interested in franchising, you may be wondering where to start. The legal and financial procedures may seem overwhelming at first, but by taking things one step at a time, you can conquer the process of preparing your business to franchise.

Create Procedures

So far you’ve run your business the way you wanted to, but when you franchise, you have to make decisions about what items you’ll keep and which ones you’ll leave up to the franchisees. A successful franchisor allows franchisees to customize the franchise to the market in which it is located. No one solution works for all parts of the country.

You’ll also need to decide how far you intend to expand. If you’d like to start locally, opening just a few franchises, you’ll only have to worry about your state laws. However, once you begin operating in different states, you’ll need to fully understand the rules that apply to operating a corporation in that particular state.

Develop your Contracts

Before you can begin to seek franchisees, you’ll need to outline all of the legalese that will apply to your franchise locations. It is highly advised that you consult a lawyer that specializes in business franchises for this part of the process. While there are boilerplate contracts that address every aspect of franchise law, you’ll want an attorney who is familiar with your needs to draw up contracts with your particular business needs in mind.

During this time, you’ll need to decide whether to license as an LLC, S corporation, or C corporation. This determines how much you’re franchisee will pay in taxes each year. An LLC protects you, the franchise owner, from any activities of your franchisees.

Set Up Fees

At this point, it will be time to draw up a fee structure. This will determine how much franchisees will have to pay to open a franchise in your business name. You’ll also need to address any fees that will be assessed if your franchisee decides to sell the location to someone else.

These fees will be tied to the way you license your business. While you’ll want to set your fees low enough to attract business, you’ll also need to be careful not to set them too low. If your fees aren’t high enough, you as the franchisor will be forced to absorb much of the cost.

Get the Help You Need

In addition to consulting a business attorney, it’s important you have the help of an accountant during this time. While your franchisees will be responsible for much of the tax burden, you’ll also need to ensure you’re paying correct taxes as a franchisor. An accountant can help you ensure your books are in order to avoid trouble from the IRS. An accountant can also help look over your fee structure.

Structuring a franchise is an important part of growing your business. Luckily, qualified professionals are available to help you get everything in order before you begin to look for buyers.

Posted in Franchises | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

Franchising Tips for Business Owners: Sell a Franchise

Posted on April 9, 2012 by Paul Tyrrell

If you’re looking to get out of your franchise agreement, selling may be the easiest and quickest way to get out. But many franchisees wonder if it’s even possible. Here are a few helpful tips if you’re interested in putting your franchise up for sale.

Know what you’re Selling

In some senses, franchises are easier to sell than individually owned businesses. Customers have no loyalty to the person who owns the franchises, and your potential buyers know that. Many franchises change owners several times over their lifespans and customers never realize it. If handled correctly, the sale can be handled so seamlessly, customers assume the same owner is still running things.

Before putting your franchise up for sale, consult with an attorney and learn all of the small details. Your prospective buyers will want to know if the franchise fees you paid are transferrable, as well as any other obstacles they might encounter along the way.

Work with your Franchisor

Selling your franchise will likely not be as simple as transferring those initial fees and moving on. Many franchise owners levy hefty fees for training new franchise owners if you choose to sell, and this will probably be outlined in full detail in your documentation.

Although many franchisors promise to help franchisees if they ever need to sell, many former franchisees say from experience that franchisors aren’t much help in this area. You may even find your franchisor is competing with you to find a new owner to open a franchise that will compete with your existing location.

Putting it up for Sale

Before you post your “franchise for sale” ad on Craigslist or in the newspaper, be aware that there is a smaller pool of business owners interested in purchasing a franchise. Many business owners prefer privately owned businesses to the complicated legalese involved in tying themselves up with a franchisor.

There are business brokers who will assist you in selling your franchise, but these can be costly and their effectiveness is questionable. Chances are, you’ll be able to do fine on your own. Before you put your franchise up for sale, put together an information packet about your particular franchise to give to interested buyers.

Since your buyer may very well come from your own community, network with other business owners in your area. You may find investors who are interested in taking on a new business among those you meet. Even if you are among people who would have no knowledge about running a business, these meetings can lead to an introduction to someone who knows someone who would be interested.

Also, talk to those who own franchise locations of the same business in your general area. Often franchisees take on more than one location, especially when they’ve been successful in their other locations. You may find that your biggest competitor is interested in taking over your location and making it their own.

If you’re trying to get out of your franchise, there’s still hope. Selling a franchise is doable with a little hard work and old-fashioned networking.

Posted in Field Service Management Software, field services software, Franchises | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Franchising Tips for Business Owners: Get Out of a Franchise

Posted on April 8, 2012 by Paul Tyrrell

When you opened your franchise, you had high hopes for your future as a business owner. You chose a good location, you had a business model you were sure would work for your particular market, and you had the business savvy to know how to open a business as a franchisee and be successful.

However, you’ve decided it’s time to leave. Whether your decision is based on the business’s lack of income or you’ve simply decided this isn’t the right fit for you, you may be wondering if it’s possible to get out of your agreement. Here are a few tips from the experts to help you gracefully exit your franchise agreement.

Review Your Contracts

Unfortunately, depending on how your original contracts were drawn up, it’s unlikely you’ll be able to get your initial investment back. Not only do your contracts likely say that you won’t receive a refund of those franchise fees, they probably state that you cannot leave the franchise if things don’t work out.

That means your next step should be to seek legal counsel. A qualified attorney may be able to find a loophole in your agreement that will allow you to get out of your agreement without having to take further steps.

There are situations where the franchise owner isn’t honoring his or her end of the agreement. In those cases, you may be able to get an attorney to assist you with getting out of your agreement based on that. In some cases, you may even be able to recoup your initial fees.

Sell the Franchise

Unless an attorney can find one of those loopholes, chances are this is the only way you’ll be able to get out of your agreement. The next step is to check with the franchise owner, if you’re still on good terms, and explain the situation. If the issue is simply that you aren’t able to perform well in your particular location, the franchise owner may agree on a relocation arrangement. Perhaps a shopping center in another part of town may be a better arrangement for both you and the franchise owner. Remember, if you aren’t making money, the owner isn’t making money, either. They will likely be happy to try to work with you to increase profits.

However, if saving the situation isn’t an option, the next step may be to try to sell the franchise. It’s possible that someone else in your area is looking for just the opportunity you’re trying to offload. If you can sell the franchise to that person, it’s a win for everyone.

Non-Compete Agreements

If you’re thinking about opening another business, you’ll have to proceed with caution. Many franchise agreements have built-in clauses prohibiting you from opening a similar type of business within a set period of time. Generally this is a competing business, but this can be tricky legal ground. For instance, if your franchise agreement was with a sandwich shop and you’re interesting in starting your own café that sells sandwiches, among other items, nearby, the franchise owner may take issue with the fact that you’re competing with the business you once ran.

The best course of action in every case is to seek legal counsel. An experienced attorney should be able to help you find the best route to take to get out of your franchise agreement with minimal obstacles.

Posted in Field Service Management Software, Field Services, field services software, Franchises, Sales Advice | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Franchising Tips for Business Owners: Start a Franchise

Posted on April 6, 2012 by Paul Tyrrell

You’ve made your dreams of owning a business come true, and now it’s time to expand. If you have a business you’d like to turn into a franchise, follow these tips to be successful while safeguarding your business and your personal assets.

Legal Protections

The first thing you’ll need if you intend to expand is an attorney. There are documents you’ll be legally required to provide and other documents you’ll need to have to protect yourself. One of these documents is a standard disclosure document called the Uniform Franchise Offering Circular (UFOC), required by the Federal Trade Commission of all franchise owners. You’ll have to provide this document to prospective franchisees to fully disclose all legal information they’ll need to know before signing up to operate a franchise with you.

If you intend to branch out to other states, you’ll need to know the laws that apply to businesses in those states, as well as yours. An experienced business attorney should be able to help with that.

Financials

One of the first things prospective franchisees will want to see is your financial statement. This is a full disclosure of your assets and debts—information any wise business person will want to know before investing. Expect that your prospective franchisee may take this information to an accountant or financial advisor and the information will also be used by banks in deciding whether or not to provide a loan to your prospective franchisee.

An accountant familiar with franchise businesses can best help you prepare your financials. You’ll also need an accountant to help you make decisions as to whether or not you want to franchise under your existing business or to create a separate business for the franchise part of your operation. Your legal counsel may also help advise you on this.

Devise Procedures

You may have built a successful operation on your own, but running your own shop is completely different from telling others how to operate theirs. Prior to announcing your intent to franchise, you’ll need to set up a clear business plan, deciding in the process which elements of your business philosophy you want to require your franchisees to follow.

In this instance, a business consultant with experience in franchising may be able to help you make these all-too-important decisions. Once you have them on paper, it’s time to begin the work of beginning to find potential franchisees.

Finding Franchisees

The most important thing when franchising your business is knowing your market. Whatever your business, there are some areas in which it will succeed and some areas in which it won’t. Knowing these and marketing to those areas are the keys to creating a successful franchise.

Once you’ve targeted your areas, it’s time to begin the work of attracting potential business owners. What makes your business unique? Why do you think it will be a success in that particular area? Highlight these areas in your sales pitch to ensure you have the widest range of potential franchisees to choose from.

Posted in Field Service Management Software, Field Services, field services software, Franchises | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Franchising Tips for Business Owners: Choose a Good Franchise

Posted on April 4, 2012 by Paul Tyrrell

Business owners have two major choices when starting a new business: start from scratch or franchise. While opening a franchise comes with a small built-in safety net, there are pitfalls to successful franchise ownership. One of the most important decisions you’ll make in starting a franchise of an existing business in your area happens before you even approach a company to ask about starting a location of your own. You must first determine the best type of business for your franchise. Below are a few criteria to use in making your decision.

Is the Franchise Opportunity Available?

Not all businesses are open to expansion. Even among those who are, successful franchises are cautious about accepting new franchisees. You will likely be expected to prove your track record, along with proving the viability of your planned location. In other words, what is it about your town that will support a new Subway or Pizza Hut? What void exists that this new location can fill?

Is the Franchise a Successful One?

Don’t get so focused on convincing the franchise you’re the right franchisee that you forget to investigate what the franchise can do for you. There are several criteria to use when trying to find the right franchise opportunity:

  • Does this franchise have a proven track record?
  • What percentage does the franchise take from your sales?
  • How much control does the franchise give the owner over day-to-day operations?

As an example, Subway, which was named best franchise opportunity by Fortune magazine fifteen times in twenty years, empowers its franchise owners by turning over daily operations to its franchisees. The thinking is that franchisees have a better idea of customers’ needs than the corporate office and therefore should feel free to make decisions based on that.

The result is that franchisees begin to feel like business owners, rather than managers. Franchisees are even encouraged to come up with one or two individual sandwich creations, with slots left open on the menu board for advertising them.

The Affordability Factor

One thing that will likely make or break your choice of franchise is cost. Any franchise you choose will require an initial investment and your choice may come down to what you can afford. The good news is, a local bank may front the cost for you, especially if you’ve chosen a good franchise opportunity for your area.

Prior to embarking on this new opportunity, it might also be wise to consult an accountant. Ask for financials and examine the projected revenues to see if they hold true. Meet with current franchisees and ask for their personal experiences with the company.

Lastly, review the company’s business model and make sure it matches your own business philosophy. This is important, as you will be expected to adhere to that business model in everything you do. By choosing a franchise that shares your goals and objectives, you can help ensure a long, mutually beneficial relationship.

 

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Market Your Driving School Business on Facebook

Posted on April 3, 2012 by Paul Tyrrell

If you run a driving school, your target market likely isn’t reading the newspaper. They may not even be visiting your website. As a driving school business, you have a prime opportunity to reach prospective customers in the exact place they are hanging out: on Facebook.

Your driving school may already be marketing to the students in your area who will benefit from your classes. But since much of your business will likely come from word-of-mouth, several tips and tricks can help you maximize your social media exposure, to make sure word of your business spreads throughout the community.

Set up an Informative Page

It all starts with the page. No matter what you do to market your driving school business, Facebookers will click over to read about your business before making the decision to sign up. Use a cover photo that incorporates your company logo and encompasses what you do. Add additional photos of your driving instructors at work to show that you are a busy, trustworthy company.

Make sure when potential customers visit your page, they’re able to find information about who you are and what you do. Consider that your primary audience will be parents, so put your emphasis on safety and experience.

Once you’ve built your page and begun to gather fans, post informative, useful content. Consider giving great driving tips and ask questions to engage your fans. If you continue to provide good content, your fans will keep coming back.

Encourage Likes

On Facebook, word of mouth spreads through likes. When someone likes your driving school, everyone on their newsfeed sees it. “Jessica likes Bob’s Driving School,” for example. The more you can do to encourage likes, the better.

Some businesses have found success by offering specials or freebies to those who like them on Facebook. “Like our page for one free driving lesson.” While giving away driving lessons might cost your driving school money, consider the cost of traditional advertising. Encouraging Facebook likes is free and can be just as effective in building your brand with your desired demographic as traditional advertising.

Give and You Shall Receive

As with any online arena, if you set up a page on Facebook and leave it at that, you’ll be speaking to an empty room. You need to network. Choose local sites that might attract those who are coming of driving age. Follow those sites and regularly comment on status updates posted by the site moderator. Other followers will see your comments and check out your page.

Facebook also has groups. Focus on local groups that support your ability to find people to follow your driving school business page and regularly interact.

Real Life Promotion

Don’t forget old-fashioned marketing, too. Print your Facebook page on every piece of material you have. Encourage Facebook likes among your current customers and urge new customers to check your page out, as well. Utilize the people you have on your personal Facebook account, asking them to like your driving school business page. You never know when a like from a friend may be seen by someone who will become a customer.

Facebook can be a valuable way to attract customers. By using the power of Facebook marketing, you can reach potential driving school customers who will tell their friends about your driving school.

Posted in Driving School Scheduling Software, Field Service Management Software, Field Services, field services software, Marketing for Field Services, Sales Advice | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Winning Sales Tips: How to Close the Deal for your Maintenance Business

Posted on April 1, 2012 by Paul Tyrrell

Maintenance is an important part of operations for many businesses, but convincing those businesses that good maintenance support is key to daily operations can be challenging. Whether you are a maintenance service business or you work in sales for one, below are a few useful tips for closing the sale.

Create a Win-Win Situation

While securing maintenance service business for a company is a win for you, it is also a win for the company. Whether you’re repairing light fixtures for a big box retail chain or keeping the HVAC system working for a small office complex, you want the person paying you to see your maintenance services as invaluable.

By contracting with you, a property manager knows he or she is turning an important part of daily operations over to you. Your response time, your abilities as a maintenance service provider, reflect well or poorly on that business owner and everyone is aware of that. When you’re speaking to a property manager about the services you provide, emphasize your reputation and experience and let them know that contracting with you will be a win for them as much as a win for you.

Do Your Research

Before you even meet with your prospective client, learn everything you can about the property, the service they provide, and the tenants you will be helping. By going into the meeting showing you’ve done this research, you’ll endear yourself to the property manager or owner while showing your attention to detail. This can help give you the edge over any competition.

During the meeting, listen to what the client is saying. Address any objections by explaining why your maintenance service business is the right one for the job. However, make sure these aren’t valid objections. While you likely want to land the job, the truth is, not all partnerships are mutually beneficial. Don’t spend so much time trying to impress your potential client that you don’t give that client a chance to impress you, as well. Remember, this is supposed to be a win for both sides.

Provide Documentation

Put together a professional presentation of the maintenance services you will provide, including a list of prices. Provide solid evidence of your performance as a company, complete with referrals from other customers, if available. Invite your prospect to contact former clients for a full briefing on the services you provide.

If you do not have good references and you are uncomfortable having them speak to prospective clients, it’s time to evaluate the maintenance service you provide. Make sure your employees are dedicated to your mission statement and your clients are happy with your services.

Follow Through

So you’ve won the job. Congratulations. Now the real work begins. As a maintenance service provider, your reputation hinges on the outcome of your work. Provide the same attention to detail you promised in your sales pitch. Be courteous and diligent and ensure your employees do the same.

Most importantly, check back regularly for feedback. Make improvements based on what your customers are saying about you. In time, word will spread that you are a great maintenance service provider and more business will roll in.v

Posted in Field Service Management Software, Field Services, field services software, Maintenance Scheduling Software, Marketing for Field Services, Sales Advice, Technology small mobile business, Uncategorized | Tagged , | 2 Comments

Pricing Tips for Your Locksmith Business

Posted on March 31, 2012 by Paul Tyrrell

As a locksmith, your prices are tied closely in with the services you provide. If your customers find your prices too high, they’ll simply go to one of your competitors. So it’s important before a locksmith even opens its doors that prices are set competitively. Here are a few tips to pricing your services in order to maximize your marketability with your customers.

Keep Your Prices Stable

While Customers realize occasional price hikes are part of overall inflation, if a business changes what it charges too often, it just might price itself out of business. Longtime customers are willing to pay a slightly higher price for good service, but as a locksmith, your bottom line grows when you’re able to attract new customers.

If a new customer is searching for a locksmith in an emergency, price isn’t always a consideration. Gone are the days when a customer would turn to the phone book to find a good locksmith. Today’s customer pulls out his or her smartphone and starts Googling. That’s why it’s important for you to a) have a good website with regularly updated, valuable content and b) have your pricing and services clearly listed on that website.

While it may seem that listing your prices on your website for the world to see might allow customers to quickly rule you out in favor of a locksmith that charges less, it actually is best to be up front about your pricing. Some customers will actually leave your site in favor of another if the prices for your services aren’t listed.

Do Market Research

Before you set your prices, research the local market. What are others charging for the same services? What are they providing that you aren’t? If your competitors promise to get to a location faster than you possibly can, you’ll need to give customers a reason to choose you instead.

If you’ve already set your prices and you’ve been doing business as a locksmith for a while, be careful not to alter your prices too often. Just as customers grow used to the services you provide, they also like to know what to expect when it comes to prices.

Offer Specials

Set up an online presence that encourages interaction. Set up a Facebook or Twitter page and provide followers online only deals in exchange for liking or retweeting your updates. When you aren’t offering discounts for duplicate keys or lock changes, provide useful locksmith tips. Follow local realtors and property management companies in an effort to network and hopefully drum up future business.

In everything you do, make sure to accentuate the special features unique to your locksmith business. Do you offer mobile services? Do you specialize in corporate accounts? Are your services faster or less expensive than the competition. Make sure the public knows.

Also make sure your customers know what they’re getting for their price. If they can get services cheaper at a department or hardware store, give them reasons your service is better. Don’t directly bad-mouth the competition, but mention problems they might encounter with using these services instead of yours.

Posted in Field Service Management Software, Field Services, field services software, Locksmith, Locksmiths Job Scheduling, Marketing for Field Services, Sales Advice, Technology small mobile business | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

The Importance of Keeping Your Floral Shop Customers Happy

Posted on March 30, 2012 by Paul Tyrrell

If you own a business, you likely know it’s not possible for floral shop customers to be happy one hundred percent of the time. But in marketing your shop, it’s important to understand that the work you do to restore a disappointed customer’s faith in your business is some of the most important work you’ll do as a customer.

Customers Walk Away

Most customers will never let you know they are dissatisfied. They’ll simply walk away. While there isn’t much you can do if you don’t realize there’s a problem, but this cold fact emphasizes the importance of requesting feedback from your customers. While a disgruntled customer may not go to the trouble of writing a letter or phoning you to tell you about the problem, that same customer might let you know if you ask in the form of a feedback request.

Another way to determine your customers’ happiness level is to pay attention. Experts advise business owners to interact with customers at the point of purchase. In the case of a florist, who usually has deliveries handled by someone else, it is important to train delivery personnel to make sure customers are happy before exiting the delivery.

Dealing with Dissatisfaction

While customers can sometimes be difficult—even unreasonable—experts stress the importance of listening. A floral shop owner should be empathetic and calm, even if the customer is anything but calm. While sometimes the customer may be in the wrong, the old saying “the customer is always right” simply iterates the fact that sometimes maintaining a reputation for giving good customer service means swallowing your pride and trying to make things right with the customer.

Word of Mouth

The biggest problem with dissatisfied customers is that they tell people. Sometimes many people. In fact, years could have passed since the bad experience and still, when the name of your business comes up, that customer will tell the story all over again. This kind of bad publicity could negate any attempts your floral shop makes to bring in new business, especially if your shop is in a small town.

Customer Service via Social Media

Social media complicates things further. Your floral shop may be maligned on Facebook or Twitter without you even knowing about it. You should maintain a presence on these sites so that you can work to make things right when this sort of negative publicity is posted. If someone tweets that your flowers arrived wilted, for instance, immediately reply to this tweet with an impassioned apology. Even if you believe this statement is untrue, apologize. And offer to make things right.

The important thing is to always let current and potential customers see that your floral shop is willing to work to resolve any problems. Imagine how you’d feel if you had a bad experience at a local retailer and posted about it. How would you want that retailer to respond? How would you feel if the retailer apologized and offered to give you a discount for a future purchase or even refund of some or all of the purchase price. Taking a loss on one purchase isn’t so bad if it saves you the loss of numerous future customers.

All the money and effort you spend to promote your floral business is useless if you aren’t pleasing your customers. By making customer satisfaction your number one priority, your floral shop can continue to thrive with or without your marketing efforts.

Posted in Field Service Management Software, Field Services, field services software, Florists Scheduling Software, Marketing for Field Services | Tagged , , | Leave a comment