Safety First: Securing Your Home and Business

Whether you own a business or home, keeping it safe is critical. But sometimes even the most vigilant safety measures aren't enough to keep out intruders. I own a small food store in my neighborhood. I didn't use a security system or camera to monitor my store. Instead, I relied on my employees and other businesses to keep an eye out for crime. But one night after closing time, someone broke into my store and stole money and many other items. Because I didn't have a security camera or alarm in place, the police couldn't take immediate action to apprehend the thief. I learned a valuable lesson that night. I took action and had a security system installed on the premises. It was the best decision I ever made. My blog offers tips on how to keep your company or home safe. Remember, safety should always be first.

Three Ways Small Businesses Can Get A Leg Up On Their Online Competition

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With over 543,000 new small businesses starting up every month, many of them will encounter fierce competition with online businesses. Online businesses do not have the overhead that brick and mortar businesses do. This allows them to profit more off their earnings since they do not have to pay for a building. Many of the small businesses that start up will not make it and have to close up shop. For the ones that do make it, they have to ensure they are supplying their customers with quality service. This is where a brick and mortar business can make huge gains on their online competition. In an effort to help small businesses, here are some tips to help you excel in customer service. 

Stick With a Minimal Design

A lot of clutter can be very unappealing when a customer walks into your store. Unlike an online business, you have to make sure you give the customers a great first impression not only by your personality but with the look of your shop too. To keep the clutter in check, make sure you keep the layout and design of your store to a minimum. This will help keep the flow of traffic simpler and makes it easy for your customers to get to your products. 

Give Them a Chance to Ask Questions

With an online store, customers may get the chance to send in a request for more information, but there is no telling when they will get a response. When you are doing business in person, a customer has the opportunity to ask questions before they decide to make a purchase. Make sure you give them plenty of opportunities and time to ask all the questions they have when dealing with them. Acting impatient or pushy can only deter them from purchasing anything from you. By listening to their concerns, you can address issues that could keep them from buying your products. 

Let Them Touch the Products

One of the best things about going to an actual brick and mortar store instead of doing business online is that you get to actually see and feel the merchandise. It is important that you put the most popular items out so that they do not have to request a salesperson to retrieve it. By being able to actually touch the item they are interested in, they will have a better experience in your store and will be more likely to purchase it there instead of online. 

Allow Constant Communication

Customers want to be able to talk to someone. With an online business, you don't have to worry about interaction with the customers quite as much as you do with a brick and mortar store. Since a regular brick and mortar store has limited hours, your customers could easily turn to an online company if you are closed. One way to combat this is to have someone available 24 hours a day to help your customers. This can be done with a live answering service like Security Services Northwest, Inc. This allows your customers the ability to get in touch with someone anytime of the day. 

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26 May 2016