It’s been a challenging couple of years for many businesses and so it’s even more important to have a good think about your plans for the coming year and beyond. There have certainly been a fair few stumbling blocks which may have derailed your plans slightly so now is the time to get back on track and, if needed, re-focus your strategy to suit the new ‘post (ish) pandemic’ world we live in. 

 

Do you ask for reviews from your customers, do you ever send them a survey to see what they like and dislike about your product or service? 

This sort of feedback is a great place to start when assessing your business and making sure your goals are aligned with the ‘wants’ of your customer. 

Set up a Survey Monkey and Trustpilot account and also don’t forget Google Reviews. 

 

Do you have a dedicated process/system for customer support? We all know how frustrating it can be when you have an issue or even just a query and you can’t contact someone. Set up a dedicated email address and make sure it’s manned. Also make sure you respond to every enquiry in a timely manner. 

 

Is it time to check your product or service is still the ‘hero’? Keep your focus on your product/services uniqueness and make sure that feeds through into your marketing strategy with key words, blogs and advertising. 

 

The best thing you can achieve in a business is happy customers. Look at your processes and evaluate every ‘touch point’ to make sure every communication you have with them is first class. This is the best way to encourage customer loyalty and retention. 

 

As your business grows it’s sometimes hard to wear all the ‘hats’ at once and sometimes this is when cracks in customer service appear. You only have so many hours in the day so work out where your time is best spent and get help for the rest. Outsourcing to a virtual PA is a great way to ensure your standards don’t slip. 

 

When you start a business, you may have some basic systems and processes in place but as you grow, you may find you need something more efficient. There are tonnes of software packages, apps and platforms out there to help you streamline your business and if you need help working out what’s best for you, a virtual PA would be a good place to start as they work with a variety of systems and have a wealth of knowledge to share. 

 

There’s no doubt you will eat, sleep and breathe your business but it’s also good to remember to take a break. There’s only so long you can dedicated all hours to it without it eventually taking a toll. 

Take some time out for some fresh air, gentle exercise and remember to switch off. You may need to formalize this and have a rule not to check emails on a weekend or at night or stop taking your laptop on holiday! 

 

It’s always a good idea to keep a respectful eye on your competitors. Take a look at their social media, website and general products and communication. Even better, get someone to help you with a spot of mystery shopping. 

 

A tidy desk = a tidy mind – this is so true and we believe being super organised is key to success. From your filing to your office layout and laptop home screen, give everything it’s own home. Master this and you’re half way there. 

 

It’s hard to do everything at once as a small business and it’s much better to do a few things well than lots of things badly. Decide what you want to focus on and go for it. Use this advice for all aspects of your business and think about your Marketing, Customer Service and Product/Service offering and nail it. 

 

 

If you’d like to know more about how we can help you grow your business, Click Here to contact us now.