With the New Year underway, too many of us have probably already broken our resolutions to get fit or abandon chocolate, but for businesses, this is the perfect opportunity to change up how you work and actually stick to it. The Christmas and New Year rush probably took a lot out of your business, so what better way to get back on your feet than with a few key goals? We’ve put together five New Year’s resolutions your business really should be making in 2019
Cut Out The Bad Stuff
Bad suppliers, bad partners, bad outsourcing – these are all things you should be shaking off as we progress through the months. Assess your current situation – do you find it difficult to communicate or contact your current supplier? Are you happy with the service they’re providing? Too many businesses are willing to put up with substandard communication in lieu of lower prices and substandard products, but 2019 is the year that this should change. Whether you have a bad relationship with your supplier, or they simply aren’t delivering what had been initially promised, there is no harm in searching for an alternative to help your business grow.
Nurture Existing Relationships
Relationships are everything in business and ensuring that you nurture them in 2019 could put you at the forefront of your market. Customer retention is the driving force behind the success of countless businesses so this year, start to pay attention to what your consumers want. Ask for their feedback and make sure you take out the time to listen to them. Send out simple surveys to get direct feedback about your service, or even consider using user testing websites to try out new products before you put them out on the market – all of this can help you nurture and improve your relationship with your customers and potentially even increase revenue over the course of the year.
Improve Your Digital Presence
In an age where over 4 billion people are using the internet, improving and maintaining your online presence is a crucial step to take. Having a website is a good starting point, but set yourself a resolution this year to improve its functionality. Bring it up to speed and ensure that there is relevant, high quality and fresh content available at all times. From here, you can develop a strong social media presence by linking back to landing pages that are likely to lead to conversions and even use these platforms to improve your customer relationships.
Visit Your Supplier
If you have a supplier you’re happy with, why not set yourself a resolution to pay them a visit during the year? If you’re feeling a little out of touch with your supplier or simply haven’t had good contact with them in some time, travelling to see their facility, connecting with important contacts and getting a genuine understanding of where your products are coming from could prove beneficial in the long run. You could discuss potential product developments, work through any ongoing issues and even set yourself up as a valuable customer in your supplier’s eyes.
Take A New Approach To Your Quality Control Process
Too often, our quality control processes can become substandard or lacklustre, simply because they haven’t changed in some time. Whether you’ve had the same process in place for a few years, or even longer than that, now is the time to take a fresh look at it and make adjustments and changes where they’re needed. Whether it’s switching up the documentation to cover new ideals or you simply take your customer’s feedback into consideration when coming up with new criteria, giving yourself a fresh start could be all your business needs to succeed in a brand new year.
Whether you choose to take on any of the resolutions listed or come up with some of your own, switching up your business plan in 2019 could be a beneficial fresh start. If you’re looking for a new freight forwarder in the New Year, our online quote form makes it easy to get a bespoke price. Simply fill in the form or enquire to find out more, today.
