Bruce's Business tips for Trades Businesses
Bruce Ahchow, our co-founder, has been blogging madly for over a month now. He's excavating his brain for everything that could be of use to another trades business, and writes about anything from sick days to subcontracting to suppliers.
Blogging is the kind of therapy that no one really has the luxury of time for - but I've always intended to start a blog. So a couple of months ago I sat down with no big plans and started writing.
I'm thinking as I go, remembering scenarios and conversations that I've had with our trades business owners, or recollecting experience that I've gathered as a business owner myself - not only as co-owner of Service Central but other businesses too.
Having the unique pleasure of spitballing with many of the highest quality trades business owners in the country has been a great privilege - we've talked about everything from being in the trenches against nightmare customers to huge issues like skills shortages.
This blog has become a ritual. An opportunity to reflect on the past and the future, and to share my hopefully useful thoughts with other businesses. I'm enjoying blogging, not only is it time to sit down and reflect but it's also often accompanied by a glass of wine (just to make the process a little more productive and pleasurable!).
I've loosely grouped my blogs into themes like these, but you can be sure there wil be new themes in the future...
Tips for success
General business advice, including time management structures, customer service discussions, ideas for reducing the impact of downtime caused by sick days, etc.
Increasing the win ratio
These blogs share ways to make each quote count - and are commercially focused: About making more money, more often by winning more of the work that you quote.
Case studies
Real life stories of businesses with specific challenges where sharing their story could help other businesses that might be going through the same. I'm always on the look out for new stories so feel free to send me yours or chat to your Account Manager about writing one up.
Marketing
These blogs are probably the most fun to write. They talk about everything to do with marketing a trades business.Marketing isn't just about new customers, it's also about keeping customers, customer service, portraying your business in the best light possible, and being active at a local level as well as newer challenges like Facebook etc.
Tools of the Trade
Although I don't usually write these ones, our team also blogs and has also put together a series of blog articles that look at new ideas and tools you can use to make your business more efficient - saving you time or money.
Comments are welcome!
If you read a blog that I've written, and have an opinion about the topic, why not leave a comment? I do read them and I'm always there to discuss things or consider new ideas.
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Your blog is good so far.
over a year ago by Frank Smalls -
Thanks Frank,
over a year ago by ba_sales
Please feel free to contribute. I'm sure you will have some stories / experiences that will be of interest to others.
Cheers
Bruce -
Great article, like the look and feel, what theme is it. Looking at changing ours to something similar, check out ours at blog.diaoseal.com.au, anyway keep up the great work!
over a year ago by Diaoseal
