Business people shaking hands together
Especially for your first few years, it can be a tremendous success just to break even or make a small profit in your small business industry. That being said, it’s always important to be thinking about how you can continue to grow your business.
It seems like once you’ve made it a few years as a small business owner, you’re immediately beginning to think about how to grow and become larger, so that you can become a more sustainable outfit. When thinking about growing your business, remember J.C. Penney founder James Cash Penney’s quote that “growth is never by mere chance; it is the result of forces working together.” With that in mind, here are a few tips to help you grow your business.
Hire the right people
The people you work with are the lifeblood of your company. Especially in industries like restaurants and retail, it’s important to remember that many new customers will be comparing you to other dining and shopping experiences they have had. This includes larger, big-box competitors and chains who have formalized customer service. Because of this, the people who represent your brand are thus vital to growing your business.
When interviewing candidates, consider an article on hiring from the New York Times business section which advises to think outside the box when it comes to interview locations, ask some unusual questions, and push for diversity. By finding employees who provide different perspectives than your own and getting to know them beyond the typical interview responses, you’ll be able to see weak points in your current business model and shore them up, ultimately strengthening your business as a whole.
Invest in technologies that help you
It’s 2019, so if you aren’t using technologies that help your business, you’re making a big mistake. Technology can play a huge role in how you scale your business. It can also help your employees work harder and more efficiently while saving you money and maximizing your profits. There’s probably no better example of this than investing in oracle cloud call center software.
Far more than just a telephone-based system, a cloud call center that integrates with your CRM system can be a great way to provide better customer support, combining an omnichannel approach that offers you the ability to chat with customers through a variety of mediums. With a cloud center approach, you’re also leveraging your existing customer database to provide high-quality customer experiences.
Having such a dedicated approach to providing your customers a consistently excellent experience can be the difference between a repeat customer or someone who writes a negative review about your business online. This means that protecting your small business with call center technologies can be an excellent way to continue your business’ growth by eliminating potential stumbling blocks, too.
Create a company culture that works
Having a positive company culture is another way to retain both employees and customers. Brand Quarterly outlines a specific approach to building a culture of customer service, which features several important takeaways.
It’s vital that you make sure everyone on your team thoroughly understands who you are as a business and what you’re trying to do. From there, it’s up to you to be an example for how your business operates. If you see that someone isn’t quite measuring up, it’s also your responsibility to provide feedback to them so that they can improve. Ultimately, your goal is to create a company culture where employees are so invested that they become models of good behavior, too.
James Penney’s quote about growth is a great way to frame the entire idea of building your small business. Each action that you take plays a role in how your business continues to grow and evolve. By finding the right people to work with, investing in technologies that help you work smarter, and creating a company culture with strong vision, you’re sure to succeed in the world of business.