www . refrigerationandaircon . co . za RACA Journal I August 2023 25
Business are even easier to create and maintain . Have a look and see what competitors or companies in other industries are doing to find inspiration .
Remember that your website or social media page is your chance to make a good first impression on your prospective customers . While you might not want to over-invest , make sure that what customers see represents the quality and value of your brand so you don ’ t sell yourself short . If in doubt , get started and ask for help as you go .
4 . Get involved in business networks The saying “ It ’ s who you know , not what you know ” rings true across all businesses . HVAC installation and repairs are often locally oriented , and jobs will often be linked to larger projects with different service providers .
Communities like Business Network International ( bni . co . za ) and BBN ( bbnbusinessnetwork . co . za ) exist to support members to help each other grow their businesses by providing regular and focused interactions . Religious , cultural or social communities can also add huge value when nurtured over time .
Relationships take time to build , and trust and reputation need to be earned . Investing in building networks today will help you reap rewards tomorrow . It ’ s also good to know you ’ re not alone and share the journey with other business owners .
5 . Gear for growth So let ’ s say you do these things and suddenly you get 50 % more leads than last month . Can you actually deliver the work well ? Or do you risk either leaving opportunities on the table or underwhelming your customers ? Taking time to think forward , plan and invest in the people , processes and technology that will power your growth is as important as getting more leads . This doesn ’ t mean hiring an army or building the Starship Enterprise to run your business . It might mean having a pipeline of partners , technicians or apprentices ready in case you need help with the volume or want to upgrade from paper and Excel to a job-management tool to make sure nothing falls through the cracks and you can spend less time on admin .
Change is hard . But if you ’ re not prepared to change how you ’ re spending your time , don ’ t expect a different outcome . You ’ re the only person that can grow your business – and it starts by thinking about how you ’ re spending your time . Remember that something is better than nothing , and in business , momentum beats perfection every time . RACA
Charles Freedman is the CEO of ServCraft ( www . servcraft . co . za ), a South African-designed and -built job management software for HVAC installation and repairs and other field service businesses .
www . refrigerationandaircon . co . za RACA Journal I August 2023 25