CLIENT EXPERIENCE
Speed up Check-In
Looking to speed up check-in for boarding and grooming? And improve client experience? Follow the lead of Wag Hotels in California. Its large, easy-to-read price board hangs from the lobby ceiling, letting pet parents consider their options before approaching the front desk. The magnetic board features a color-coded list of services that proves easy to update; each item gets its own panel, which can be reprinted when the price changes. There are also blank panels staff can use for special promotions and events.
TRADE SHOWS
Spread Out
When you bring staff to a trade show, do you visit all your old suppliers and let your staff discover new ones? It should be the opposite. You’ve already got a relationship with the older suppliers, so it might be useful for them to meet new people within your business. Since you’ve got extra bodies, place current suppliers at the top of the “to-see” list for staff members. Not only can these exhibitors give valuable insights about current or new products, but your store will benefit from the strengthened relationship.
EVENTS
Slush Fun
Having a summer party? Then you absolutely need to be serving the drink of the moment: wine slushies. Fresh, fun and couldn’t-be-more-refreshing for a hot summer night. ppmag.us/7183
TIME MANAGEMENT
Become a Meeting Miser
Meetings are an invaluable part of any successful business, but they can also be tremendous time-wasters. And since time is money, well, you get the point. To get an idea of how much a one-hour meeting costs your business, use the meeting cost calculator at Meeting King (ppmag.us/7182). Multiply that number by the number of meetings you hold weekly, monthly or annually, and you’ll see quite a large number. Don’t get us wrong — meetings are absolutely essential. But they’re also filled with wasted time and effort. Having a firm grasp of what each meeting costs should inspire you to trim the fat.
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BRANDING
Every Message Is a Branding Message
“Oh, it’s just a ‘help wanted’ ad. The only people who are going to see it are people looking for jobs.” Wrong way to think. You need to view every type of business activity as a chance to engage people and seed your story. That means doing things like adding your company slogan and web address everywhere and making the extra effort to ensure that your company logo appears correctly. You might even spend a few extra dollars for the featured ad option. Make sure that every place your brand can be seen, no matter how small, sends a message of quality.
DECISION-MAKING
Mcdonald’s Theory
When faced with a dearth of good suggestions on how to tackle an issue, tech blogger Jon Bell suggests his McDonald’s Theory. When applied to eating, it goes like this: “When we’re trying to decide where to eat for lunch and no one has any ideas, I recommend McDonald’s. An interesting thing happens. Everyone unanimously agrees that we can’t possibly go to McDonald’s, and better lunch suggestions emerge. Magic!” Bell says the same strategy can be used for just about any issue, especially creative projects, where the first step (deciding) is harder than the second.
COMPLAINTS
A Good Whine
There can be some solid mental health benefits from having an occasional moan, says Guy Winch, a clinical psychologist and author of The Squeaky Wheel: Complaining the Right Way. The secret is don’t go on for too long and never let your words devolve into a whine. When it comes to criticizing employees, Winch recommends a “complaint sandwich” — placing your criticism between two positive statements. “The first positive statement will lower the other person’s defensiveness and make them more open to the complaint itself. The last will motivate them to resolve the issue,” Winch told New York magazine.