This is a contributor’s blogpost …

 

One way to look at business, is to compare it to a finely tuned machine – a car for example. There are many individual components which work together in harmony, which allows the entire thing to function. However if one element goes wrong (even something seemingly small and insignificant), it can spell disaster for everything else. If something goes wrong in your business or one area isn’t performing the way it should, this will have a knock on effect on everything else. With this being said, here are a few mistakes you could be making which could grind your entire business to a halt.

 

Disorganisation

Are customers ordering items which are actually out of stock? Make sure that stock levels are carefully monitored, showing which items are and aren’t available- and replenish quickly. Are sales people turning up late, without the right materials and making a bad impression on potential clients? Ensure they are well groomed, organised and leaving for meetings in plenty of time. Is construction work coming to a halt due to machines and vehicles not being refuelled in time? This is something that needs to be kept tabs on, companies like Fuelbox can deliver to your site at regular intervals, so there’s no excuse. Whatever kind of business you run, sloppiness and lack of care will massively affect your reputation. Make sure that everyone is doing their job correctly, as silly mistakes can cost you customers.

 

Negative Customer Reviews

Speaking of unsatisfied customers, negative reviews can seriously harm your business. If for example, a potential customer is on the fence about placing an order with you, a number of negative reviews on sites like Reevoo and Trustpilot are sure to make up their mind and put them off. Making sure your products and services are up to scratch will help to prevent these from happening. If you implement a live chat feature on your website or are active on social media, customers will often come to you on there before leaving a bad review to see if a resolution can be made. They might not wait around for a reply to an email, so having instant communication options is a good idea. Ask for the chance to put any problems right, apologise and be sure to address their concerns, and you may save yourself from a negative review.

 

Photo courtesy of Visual Hunt via Pexels

 

Not Moving With The Times

Business is fast paced, and to keep up and for your company to thrive, you have to move with the times. For example, these days business software is essential to automate processes and make everything much quicker, more accurate and more efficient. If you’re still living in the stone age with paper documents and manually updating files, you have the element of human error as well as everything taking much longer. You need to be staying on par with your competitors. Ensuring you’re moving with the times and adapting as you go is a proactive step you can take to do this.