How to Maintain Quality While Expanding Your Lawn Care Business

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StrategyDriven Managing Your Business Article |Lawn Care|How to Maintain Quality While Expanding Your Lawn Care BusinessWhen your business is successful, it’s natural to want it to grow, and that’s no different in the lawn care business. After all, with so many happy customers under your belt, there’s no reason to deprive potential new clients of your skillfully manicured lawns and pristinely trimmed hedges. However, there are a lot of things to consider when it comes to expanding your business and maintaining excellent service as you do it.

With a growing customer list comes an increasingly complicated schedule. Scaling your business takes a lot of time, effort, and money. However, with the right resources and a little bit of advice, you can make sure to address every business growth necessity without putting a strain on your business operations- or your mental health.

There are plenty of ways to make sure your company stays on track as it grows. Take a look at some of our suggestions below and make sure expansion doesn’t come at the expense of quality.

Improve Communications

Staying in touch with customers and employees alike is vitally important to any business, but especially when it comes to the lawn care industry. With plenty of workers out in the field and clients spread out across a neighborhood, or even an entire city, being able to communicate effectively and efficiently is an absolute necessity.

With lawn care software, that’s exactly what you’ll be able to do. These handy platforms are designed to make it as easy as possible to get in touch with field workers, customers, and even new clients, so that your business will scale without any growing pains. Rescheduled appointment? Let the lawn care technician know in real-time. Employee running a bit late? Send a notification to the customer so they don’t call your business angry. It’s a win-win!

Keep Track with Care

There are a lot of moving parts when it comes to expanding your lawn care business, and there’s nothing worse than losing track of valuable assets, time, and even employees at any point during that process. After all, you don’t exactly have resources to spare when it comes to scaling, so every last bit can help a whole lot.

The right lawn care software platform will help you keep track of everything you can imagine when it comes to running your business. It allows you to schedule workers to a job, and track how far they are from arriving via GPS. Most even have route optimization capabilities so you can get them there as fast as possible. Plus, with advanced customer profiles, you’ll be able to keep track of how often a client utilizes your services and send reminders when they’re likely in need of another trim.

While not necessarily standard in all lawn care software, some of the more advanced iterations will even allow you to track chemical usage. This allows you to have an in-depth picture of what kind of equipment you need for a job and when you need to restock.

Focus on Customer Service

In any field service industry, you need to focus on customer service. Considering a negative review can take your business from customer favorite to neighborhood pariah, it’s important to make sure you’re keeping customers happy no matter how much you’re trying to handle your business expansion.

Again, a good lawn care software can help you do just that. You’ll not only be able to field customer complaints in an organized and efficient manner, but you’ll also have the communication tools at your fingertips to keep customers and employees in the know when they need to be.

Prioritize Efficiency

The final key to successfully expanding your business is efficiency. If you want to handle more clients without increasing your overhead along with it, you’re going to have to be as efficient as possible across your many departments.

We can’t overstate the value of lawn care software in this instance. It’s specifically designed to streamline business operations and improve productivity, whether it’s in servicing current clients or even marketing to new ones. Simply put, it’s 2020, and the best way to make an impact on your business is with lawn care software.

Which Mobile Operating System Is Best For Business?

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StrategyDriven Managing Your Business Article |Mobile Operating System|Which Mobile Operating System Is Best For Business?When running a business, you want to make sure that all your employees are working as productively as possible and are able to gain access to information and other employees if they need to. However, it is not impossible as this can benefit your business in the long-term. In this article, we will be providing you with insight into which mobile operating systems are right for your business.

The Importance Of Business Mobiles

When working remotely, it can be difficult to improve communication across the business as many choose to communicate over emails. However, by implementing the help of a business mobile phone service you can begin to ensure there is an open line of communication through the use of specific phone numbers. Though this can be costly to implement, this can benefit your business in the long-term as it encourages your employees to communicate openly at this time.

IOS Operating Systems

When asked about operating systems for mobile phones, there is a split of opinion between both IOS and Android operating systems. IOS is hugely popular with many business owners as the eco-system can benefit a business as everything is already connected. With each of these phones designed for business, this can be a huge benefit for businesses as it can link up calendars around the business as well as link up with computers in the office for the best possible business environment. The only downside to this is that the IOS running software can be quite expensive in terms of upfront costs.

Android Operating Systems

If you are looking for a reliable operating system that is slightly cheaper than IOS then you cannot go wrong with an android device. Not only are they slightly cheaper, but they can be completely customised in order to work for your business. By having android devices in your office, you can supply your employees with an easy to use handset that you can completely customise to make it work for your business and allow them to operate it with ease allowing them to maintain consistent communication with others across the business as well as their own team members.

Which Is Best For Your Business?

When deciding which of these are good for your business, it is a process of trial and error as to which work for your business. By having a trial period with both IOS and Android operating systems, you can then begin to determine which is best for your business. Though this can take time, this will prove profitable as it will ensure that everyone has a direct line of communication should they need it. This can work alongside other applications and can improve communication across the business to make it stand out as a result.

With this in mind, there are several running systems that you can benefit from when it comes to implementing business mobile phones within your business. Which of these mobile devices will you be implementing within your business in the new year.

How Your Business Can Become Christmas-Proof

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As we draw closer to the festive season, business owners need to be wary of the holiday rush. Just because the world has been in lockdown for so long, doesn’t mean that you can take your foot off the gas. All market indicators are showing that we will, in fact, see the same old surge around the festive season, despite most customers not shopping in-person. Online shopping dictates everything, and for the most part, has done so for the better part of a decade. But, with this comes new and old challenges, as every business needs to be sharp and ready in inventory management, sales, marketing, customer service, and invoices. This is how you can keep your business up and running, without backlogs and hiccups during the holiday rush.

StrategyDriven Managing Your Business Article | How Your Business Can Become Christmas-Proof

Conduct a health risk assessment

In a risk assessment, you’re not just calculating the health and safety risks, but also the threats to your business. Customers and staff are equally as important, don’t forget this! As the number of cases rises in the Coronavirus, the threat of spreading occurring in your business rises too. This is why whether you’re still working in the office or working from home, you should take the same precautions or have precautions in place. Here’s what you need to do safety-wise.

  • Determine whether any activities you have to do, could promote transmission? Do you work in the office alongside employees? How can everyone avoid getting the virus? Wear masks, have hand sanitizer bottles on the desks, and keep airflow strong in the office.
  • Your workers in warehouses and or production plants need to take similar precautions. They should also be wearing protective gloves if they can, and making sure that they are aware of tight spaces, gathering and a lack of airflow.
  • Determine how likely you can control a spread if it occurs. Do you have a track and trace system you can use? Can you give employees sick pay, to keep them at home? Can you ask them to work from home if they do strike positive for the virus?

Analyze the competition

Alongside your own desires as a business, you need to study and know your competition. For example, you should be keeping tabs on your rivals, seeing what kind of marketing ploys they have, what kind of sales, discounts and deals they are offering, as well as what kind of products they are going to be selling alongside yours. In the latter, you need to know the pricing, quality and branding efficacy, etc.

Some rivals will be pitching to your consumer base, comparing your prices and your products to their own, openly in ads. You must be wary of this. Many retail companies will literally show a product you sell and compare the price of the same or similar product they sell, in an ad. How do you fight back against this? You must be ready for your rivals to do this beforehand!

Increase your storage capacity

The only thing worse than being caught out by a rival, is catching yourself out. This occurs during the festive season more than any other time of year. Small businesses don’t plan ahead concerning their capacity for inventory management. What if you need to have a large storage capacity because sales are much higher than anticipated? You can carry on the Christmas rush over to New Year’s and beyond if you are wise.

That’s why you should consider building one of these custom industrial sheds. These metal structures can withstand any weather, they provide ample room for lots of stock storage, as well as being very easy and quick to erect. Such an industrial shed can be the perfect way to expand your business and reach. If you have export needs as well as domestic sales, but you need more storage space, this is the kind of affordable option entrepreneurs and small business owners should try.

Segment your base

Every single company in the world has a consumer base. These are people that love your brand, they keep coming back, they buy products you make and they will hold your brand in very high regard among your competitors. But you must know who they are, what kinds of individual groups there are and how to market to them.

Your base will have the following types of groups.

  • Veterans. These are consumers who have been with you for years and always check to see if you sell something they want, every other week or month.
  • Loyal consumers. These are people who will put you in their top 5 companies to buy from when they are looking for products in the categories you sell.
  • The new and enthused. The types of customers that have just found out about and are wondering what on earth took them so long. They will be excited to see what you have to offer as opposed to the companies they have always bought from.

Get ready for rules changes

We live in a Covid-19 world now, and the government can change the rules at any moment. Rather than wait for this to happen, you should have plans in place that give you leeway no matter what kind of changes occur.

This again, requires a risk assessment, because you need to know what your options are. Evaluate the following.

  • Tunnel sales. If your country goes into lockdown, can you still make export sales? Can you still make sales to other business clients?
  • Plan your most drastic sales and discount offers. If worst comes to worst and the market begins to freeze up again, consider what kind of sales you can offer to break even at the least and make a little profit at the most.
  • Work with governments. Engage with the representatives and respond to calls and emails. Accept invitations for consultancies and express your concerns to the elected officials.

The festive season is always a rush and hectic time for consumers as well as businesses. While you still have time, make as many positive changes as you can. With these measures, you should be able to proudly call your business Christmas-proof.

How To Choose The Perfect Outsourced Media Service Provider For Your Business

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StrategyDriven Managing Your Business Article | How To Choose The Perfect Outsourced Media Service Provider For Your BusinessRunning a business comes with many pressing responsibilities, and if firms are not careful, they can get buried under them all before long.

It’s also a difficult economic landscape out there, as businesses find themselves short on time and options both. That’s why it’s important to work the right way, with strong B2B relationships and effective outsourcing strategies. That way, your company can devote its attention elsewhere, focusing on the core processes that jettison you forward into a prosperous future.

For example, a media service provider can have an enormous positive influence over your operations. But how do you choose the right one? You can find out for yourself below.

Outline Your Needs

In the interests of both time and efficiency, start by acutely defining exactly what you want, because only then can you choose the right media service provider to outsource to.

Avoid vague terms and generalisations, and where possible leave no room for interpretation. Do you want access to intricate user analytics? Maybe you want somebody to focus on the laborious tech and logistics side of things, while you focus on getting creative with your content? B2B relationships can’t thrive on guessing games and constant back and forth questioning to get from point A to point B, so it’s important to define the level of collaboration you expect.

Remember, the primary purpose of outsourcing in any area is to reduce costs and boost efficiency, and only with clear and concise communication is that possible. The media service provider must actually provide, and if multiple parties are having difficulty understanding one another, then multiple roadblocks will start getting in the way. Know where you stand, and then you’ll know who you need.

Expert Service

If you know exactly what you want, then it becomes much easier to identify who can give you the service you crave.

Employing the services of the best in the business is a sure-fire way to make some quick progress. For example, it’s well worth considering the OTT services of Red Bee Media. On their secure white label OTT platform, they enable you to monetize your content to the fullest, all while providing you access to in-depth customer data so that you can more sensitively tailor your service. It’s an intricate outsourcing service that explores every avenue possible, omitting no details. The more thorough the service, the better.

Running a business can be incredibly stressful, but with expert help comes peace of mind. Recognising your limitations is not admitting defeat, but instead a critical management strategy that will impact everything else positively. It’s best that everything runs at maximum efficiency with specialist help than at half capacity without, so seize the opportunity!

Recommendations, Awards, Reviews

Researching the reputation of an outsourced business isn’t a genius idea, but you need to know what to look for to do it properly.

For media service providers, look to see if they’re accredited with awards from prestigious tech bodies, or if they have a prolific portfolio of other clients. If in doubt, check their social media pages, and see what waves they’re making there. A positive work history is required for those you’re outsourcing to, so make sure you authenticate their services any way you can.

Referrals and recommendations will undoubtedly help you choose the perfect outsourced media service provider for your business. Confide in your network of contacts, and ask for a referral or opinion on the provider you’re considering. In the end, those who amass negative reputations don’t stick around for long in any industry, so you should devote a considerable amount to ensure you’re working with those of repute. That way, there’s no nasty surprises, and a trusting working relationship can be created straight away.

Why You Should Invest in LED Lighting for Your Business

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StrategyDriven Managing Your Business Article |LED Lighting|Why You Should Invest in LED Lighting for Your BusinessWhether setting up a new business or running an existing one, lighting is probably not the most exciting thing on your agenda. In fact, there is a good chance it doesn’t feature at all. However, lighting is something that every single business needs, and therefore it is important to consider how something so simple can make an impact both on your business, and on the environment. The following information explains why LED lighting are a good investment for your business.

They Work Out Cheaper in the Long Run

Some people put off the switch to LED lights because they are more expensive. While it is true that the initial cost is higher than traditional light lights, they do save money in the long term. This is because LED lights last significantly longer than incandescent or CFL (old-style energy efficient) lights. The average LED light bulb lasts around 15 times longer than a traditional incandescent bulb and 4 times longer than a CFL bulb. Over the years, as LED technology has developed and become more popular, the cost of the lights has gone down so the price difference is not as great as it used to be.

They Are More Efficient and Environmentally Friendly

LED lighting uses less energy than other lights, yet produces more light. This efficiency makes them much more environmentally friendly than other options, which makes using them a simple way to do your bit for the planet. The reason they are more energy-efficient is that unlike traditional lights, which lose around 80% of their power as heat, LEDs only lose between 10% and 20%. They are also recyclable and do not contain toxic chemicals such as mercury, unlike fluorescent lights.

They Are More Durable

Traditional light lights are very fragile; too much switching on and off, or any damage to the filament will cause them to stop working. LED lights do not have this problem, and will not suddenly stop working. Eventually, they will dim but still work at around 70% of their brightness, which means they are still usable at least until you get a new bulb. Another advantage that LED lights to have over old-style energy-saving lights is that they switch on instantly – no waiting around for the bulb to warm up!

There are More Options

Selecting LED lights over traditional options can set the atmosphere of your office with the impressive amount of options available.

By looking into design options like those available at CDM2 Lightworks, you can set a tone of professionalism with smart solutions that show off the architecture of your building.

From strip lights to spotlights, you can create a focused environment with your placement and even get creative with your installation to create an engaging space to work in while still saving on electricity costs. There are more options than you think!

For every type of business, there is a suitable LED light fixture. From LED panels to LED tubes. If you have doubts do not hesitate to ask at the experts from any-lamp.co.uk.

Start saving cost in your energy bill, switching to LED lights will also cost you less to run and maintain, are better for the environment, and last longer. What more reason do you need to switch?