Read online at www.proinstaller.co.uk
SEPTEMBER 2020 | 43
Business
web site you have more control
over what the web says about
you. Despite word of mouth,
plenty of work comes via Google.
A web site gives you a chance to
compete.
Of course, you can add any
number of other experiments to
all of this. That’s because the key
to success in marketing is to try
different ideas and stick with the
winners. Some things you might
try are doing local advertising on
Google. Other things to look at
are Checkatrade, Rated People,
My Builder or Bark.
Implement a
specialist system
The lockdown has accelerated
all things online. People who had
never used video conferencing
have started for the first time.
People who had never ordered
their groceries on the web have
tried doing so. The number of
people still wanting paper not
‘
the ability to put quotes together
quickly, invoice from the van right after
you’ve done a job and automatically
send reminders for annual services
and CP12’s every year means you can
generate new work while you are asleep
’
email quotes is not only declining,
the downward trend is
accelerating.
At the same time, most installers
hate paperwork. All of
this, together with the challenge
to be more efficient, presents a
big opportunity to finally take
the plunge to computerise your
business, if you haven’t done so
already.
A computer system can really
help. Easy to use apps that run
on tablets and mobiles, like
those provided by my company
Powered Now and others should
simplify things. Information can
be entered from the job and
everything is faster and more
efficient.
The field trade industry is one
of the least computerised in the
world but the main reason, lack
of mobility, has gone. So now
installers have a chance to get the
benefits other businesses have
been enjoying for years.
More importantly, the ability
to put quotes together quickly,
invoice from the van right after
you’ve done a job and automatically
send reminders for annual
services and CP12’s every year
means you can generate new
work while you are asleep.
What’s not to like?
Motivate staff
If you have staff, getting them
working to their full potential is
an important part of achieving
success. Some ideas on good staff
management are as follows:
• Always praise in public and
rebuke in private. Publicly
humiliating people is always
a bad idea as it is totally
demotivating and will make
the rest of the staff respect
you less
• Treat people as you would
want to be treated yourself
• Do the things that encourage
people to feel that you are all
part of the same team. That’s
why perks should be kept
for your private life and you
should be seen to be working
as hard as everyone else
• Try to say yes to any requests
from staff unless they are
really unreasonable. Staff
remember kindness and it
really builds loyalty
Seize the opportunities
There are always opportunities
in business. Being optimistic is
always good, as long as it doesn’t
turn into blind hope. I hope that
you find some of the ideas make
sense and that you try some of
them out. I hope even more that
you can gain a business benefit
from them. All of the best.
About the author
Benjamin Dyer is CEO and
co-founder of Powered Now.
Powered Now’s mobile app aims
to make it easier for installers,
electricians, builders and other
trades to run their businesses.
www.powerednow.com