SAN FRANCISCO — For most of you, summer represents a seasonal downturn in business. For those whose summer is a busy time, you may apply the following suggestions to your slowest period of the year. Either way, there are opportunities in the entire range of business components.
PEOPLE
Regardless of seasonal sales volume, the first thing on your calendar for this June should be the Clean Show 2019, for all the reasons that have been covered in detail in previous articles including: Networking, education, and rewarding your team for their accomplishments.
VACATIONS
Your slowest sales period is the best time to plan vacations for everyone in the company including you, for:
- The rejuvenation everybody needs to be top performers;
- Perspective on why customers find your service so valuable;
- A chance to experience new approaches to customer service, comfort and interaction;
- Time to think and dream about personal and business ideas.
It also avoids the need for paying overtime if vacations are taken during other busy stretches during the year.
TRAINING
Everyone in the company benefits from continual training that lifts their performance to a higher level. That benefit is directly passed through to the P&L. The higher level of performance afforded by training, and improved efficiency, provides a win to the employee, the company and the customer.
It is easier to schedule training and attain maximum participation when traffic is lower.
SALES & MARKETING
Keeping the plant and stores productive during seasonal downturns takes imagination, plus sales and marketing effort. Advance planning and implementation of that plan can keep your operation as busy as you want it to be.
RETAIL CUSTOMERS
In addition to obvious wardrobe care, your retail customers have many textile items that need periodic cleaning like rugs (indoor and out), curtains and drapes, pillows, cushions, shades, heirloom garments, wall hangings, quilts, blankets, throws, door and car mats, patio umbrellas and shades, stuffed animals, pet beds, horse blankets, boots, slippers and shoes, and more. Summer is a good time to clean these and many more seasonal items.
Keeping a record of cleaning dates provides you a tickler file to remind the customer when those items are next due for a cleaning. Your customer will appreciate this!
Seasonal cleaning projects provide a good way to introduce your wide range of services to new customers that don’t automatically think you can do this work for them.
Check back Thursday for the conclusion.
Have a question or comment? E-mail our editor Dave Davis at [email protected].