With the world preparing itself for the post-pandemic deluge of work that’s on the horizon, everybody is going to need at least one extra pair of helping hands. It will probably feel to many that everyone has all been moving in slow motion over the past year, and then over the course of a month, it will speed up to feel like people have passed straight from normal and into overdrive.
You only have to look at the number of stores, hairdressers, and bars that may have been closed for most (if not all) of the last 12 months. Then, when they have the opportunity to open, they find that they are so totally overwhelmed with the sheer number of customers trying to get through their doors.
So, while thinking of the coming rush for your business, it may be time to put some measures in place to help ease your workload and that of your team, giving you more time to spend doing what you need to be doing and providing that all-important service your customers require of you.
To help get your business back on track and ready for your busiest period in a long while, here are some tips on how to free up a bit more time in your working day.
Outsource your website design
Hire a website design company to design your website if you don’t already have one, or if you do, get a professional to spruce it up a bit and make it look new and exciting as well as up-to-date.
Having a web design company take over your website may help it run better and possibly even faster. The last thing your customer wants to be faced with is a complicated website or one that loads too slowly. Having a good clear website with easy-to-follow instructions for the viewer is a must-have. So, don’t spend a lot of your time designing a beautiful-looking website only to find that because you haven’t drawn enough attention to the ‘next’ or ‘buy here’ or ‘click here’ buttons that your visitor clicks away and any potential sale is lost.
Next on the list is to outsource the data upkeep and SEO, so you don’t have to worry about keeping the information within your website new and relevant. SEO is vital for your company as good SEO, which is regularly updated and kept current, will improve your Google rankings, making it easier for your potential customers to find your site.
Hire a virtual assistant
Taking the front office end out of your working day will certainly add time to your busy schedule. When phone calls come in, they will be diverted to an external source, and you will be contacted via text or email so you can see your messages at your leisure.
You will find a professional answering service will give your business a boost and may even give you a leading edge over your competitors. It will also sound so much better to your customers than being faced with the regular default answering message. Let’s face it, nobody likes leaving messages on them or having one of the people without any telephone manner at all answer the call.
With most websites just offering web chat rather than a real human voice on the end of a phone, you could be offering a more personal touch to your customers and an improved level of customer service.
Outsource your social media content
Keeping your social media profile up-to-date keeps your customers and potential customers informed of your business and what is going on, as well as any offers you may have in place. This can be a time-consuming affair, and it may be a much better idea to outsource this part of your business via a social media agency. A social media agency will run regular updates for you and keep everyone informed. It will also know about all the social media platforms on which to post and may even be able to provide you with some guidance as to which is the best.
A few final thoughts
Keep one eye on your website. It has become apparent that the internet now plays a much more significant role in customers’ decisions when picking a product or service provider. By keeping your website looking current and easy to navigate, you will probably get many more sales and leads.
By moving your front-end office out of your business and hiring a virtual receptionist, you may find that you save on wages and you will save on time. It’ll make your business seem a lot more professional and everyone likes to speak to a fellow human rather than a machine.
Having an up-to-date social media profile is also very beneficial as many customers like to go through this route when deciding which company to go for. It can also help build a relationship between your company and its customers.
