Being an upstart business isn’t easy. It’s a bit like balancing a giant stack of plates on your head then attempting to run the London Marathon. No matter how skilled you are at multitasking, pretty soon your balance will falter and you’ll fall face-first into the thing that every businessperson dreads – bankruptcy.
Your bank manager will be looking at you like an unwanted guest; your backers will be sharpening their knives whenever you turn your back; and your employees will be looking glummer than a sad clown who specialises in funeral processions.
But your balancing act doesn’t have to be more precarious than a trapeze act on a cliff-face. As the Beatles kind-of said, all you need to get by is a little help from your friends.
In this case, your ‘friends’ are your ‘business partners and associates’ – and they can really get you out of a jam.
Basically, a business leader can’t be all things for everyone. And there are plenty of ways to make up for your shortcomings. Here are just a couple:
The feedback loop.
Many bosses deal with their customers in the same way creepy guys treat women late at night in bars. They’ll be completely clueless about the appropriate behaviour then, in a fit of desperation, say entirely the wrong thing.
Moving on from strange analogies about creeps in pubs, loads of businesses simply don’t know how to deal with their customers. It’s how PR disasters are started, and how companies fall into a downward spiral.
This largely comes down to a problem with communication between company and client. That’s why it’s a good idea to invest in managed services that will survey customers to ensure you’re providing the best service you possibly can.
In this age where customer complaints are amplified by social media, feedback services are vital – so give them a look.
The right staff.
Have you ever entered a shop and been treated like you were a piece of dirt on an employee’s shoe? Of course you have. Everyone has, but no one aspires to that level of service.
Much of this belligerence stems from poor staff training or underwhelming working conditions, and can be easily stamped out.
Hire experts in staff training (a quick Google should help you find pros in your local area) and consult with them to create excellent starter packages for each of your employees.
With properly trained staff, you’ll enjoy an upturn in profits and leave with happier, more satisfied customers.
Both of these methods will give you the helping hand you need to keep your business ticking over. If you’ve got any ideas of your own we’d love to hear them – so let us know in the comments below.
