11 Oct 6 TASKS YOUR TRADES BUSINESS SHOULD DIGITISE
These days, no matter what kind of trade you’re in, there is an expectation from your customers that your business will be predominantly digitised, including being accessible online and active on social media.
While there are tools to help you do this, how do you know which parts of your business to focus on? And how do you find time to implement the changes when you’re caught up in the day-to-day running of your business?
In the following, we break down exactly what tasks you should digitise and offer a simple solution for going about it.
Appointment Scheduling
As customers increasingly tend towards online booking, it’s essential your business provides the option of doing everything through an app or through your website. This means your customers should be able to:
- Communicate with you through your website or an app
- Schedule appointments easily, with minimal steps
- Schedule appointments 24/7, regardless of your set business hours
Appointment Reminders
You know how busy your life is, so it’s safe to assume your customers’ lives are equally busy. This is why sending them an appointment reminder is not only good business but shows your customers that they are a priority.
It’s also a good idea to send multiple reminders – a text or email confirmation on making the appointment, then a follow-up reminder just before the appointment, to ensure no one is left hanging.
While this sounds like a lot of work, automating the process both nurtures your customer relationships and frees up valuable time for you to focus on your job.
Thank you messages and review requests
Following up with a ‘thank you’ message after a job is complete or a payment made is a great way to build customer loyalty but, again, it’s time-consuming. Similarly, asking for a review via text or email – so important to growing your business’ reputation online – can also get lost in the day-to-day.
But it doesn’t have to be that way. You can grow your loyal customer base and manage your online reputation by automating your follow-ups and review requests with an app designed for trades businesses like yours.
Payments
In the same way customers want to be able to book online, many also prefer having a digitised payment option. It’s not only easier for them but means you’re more likely to get paid on time, which is obviously a good thing.
Offering your customers a complete digital payment experience, including the options of credit cards and online payment platforms as well, assures them that your business is committed to meeting their needs and to the added security that digitised payments represent.
Ongoing Marketing
While word-of-mouth is the gold standard in marketing your Trades business, in the current climate, relying on referrals is simply not enough to attract new customers.
With over 80% of consumers now searching online for a product or service, how do you make sure your business is appearing where customers are looking?
To achieve this, your business needs to:
- Stand out on social media and on the most popular online listing sites
- Earn trust with more reviews, more often
- Stay relevant by communicating with your customers regularly through social media and email marketing.
Sound daunting? Well, it doesn’t have to be when there’s a dedicated app designed to streamline your ongoing marketing and help you reach new customers..
Document Sharing and Storage
From proposals to invoices, to contracts, project documentation and receipts, there’s always a mound of paperwork to get through on a daily basis. On top of this, your customers now expect documents to be digitalised, easily accessible and, above all, secure.
This might appear onerous, but it doesn’t mean you have to go out and hire an administrator. Rather, take advantage of a sophisticated software that allows you to:
- Create, share and track documents for internal and external use
- Add or request documents whenever you need them and choose how they get shared
- Track changes to documents and store documents privately to protect customer data.
Still feeling overwhelmed at what’s required to digitise your business? For more insights on how to go about it, read the full article here.
No Comments