Turning down new business.
Discussion
So I was taken on to do a bit of marketing and basic seo for a company. Anyway, in short from my efforts they now have way more business than they can cope with...
Which in most cases would be awesome, however It's a labour/time intensive venture and there's a limit (and they are at it) of how many jobs they can take on.
When I chatted to the owner they said they just ignored the requests for jobs they couldn't or didn't want to handle.
I said maybe they should be responding to the jobs they don't take on along the lines of "sorry, we are just so popular we can't take further clients at this time".
Was that a good suggestion or not?
(Thinking it doesnt hurt to have a service that is in high demand)
Which in most cases would be awesome, however It's a labour/time intensive venture and there's a limit (and they are at it) of how many jobs they can take on.
When I chatted to the owner they said they just ignored the requests for jobs they couldn't or didn't want to handle.
I said maybe they should be responding to the jobs they don't take on along the lines of "sorry, we are just so popular we can't take further clients at this time".
Was that a good suggestion or not?
(Thinking it doesnt hurt to have a service that is in high demand)
Looks very amateurish
Either:
1. Hike the price (to pay for more machines or staff).
2. Diarise the work for many weeks / months down the line (some carmakers have 3-year wait-times).
3. Invent new processes or machines to reduce the production time and raise productivity.
4. Take on more rented machines / computers or non-perm staff or outsource more.
5. Work evenings, nights and weekends.
6. Politely say no (this should only be a very last resort, not a first choice).
Never ignore customers. They spread bad vibes by word of mouth or Web.
Either:
1. Hike the price (to pay for more machines or staff).
2. Diarise the work for many weeks / months down the line (some carmakers have 3-year wait-times).
3. Invent new processes or machines to reduce the production time and raise productivity.
4. Take on more rented machines / computers or non-perm staff or outsource more.
5. Work evenings, nights and weekends.
6. Politely say no (this should only be a very last resort, not a first choice).
Never ignore customers. They spread bad vibes by word of mouth or Web.
Why, if the business is so popular can't it expand up? I understand it takes time to train people but you say they are at a limit that can't be upped?
Any business that refuses to grow will just see someone else start up to take those excess customers away...eventually that start-up will take the existing ones away too.
Hire more staff, train them on the simple stuff to start, use the existing staff then to cover the harder/bespoke elements whilst training new staff to also do this. New staff, become staff that can do all, rinse and repeat.
In the meantime, advance book jobs where possible, make the service look worth the wait with a bit of hype and shout-outs from people you have already done jobs for to retain the waiting customers. Also, hire someone that knows how to deal with customers...quickly.
Any business that refuses to grow will just see someone else start up to take those excess customers away...eventually that start-up will take the existing ones away too.
Hire more staff, train them on the simple stuff to start, use the existing staff then to cover the harder/bespoke elements whilst training new staff to also do this. New staff, become staff that can do all, rinse and repeat.
In the meantime, advance book jobs where possible, make the service look worth the wait with a bit of hype and shout-outs from people you have already done jobs for to retain the waiting customers. Also, hire someone that knows how to deal with customers...quickly.
Nothing boils my piss more (OK relative term) than companies that don't respond to queries.
If you don't want to publish an email address that's fine.
If you don't want a contact form on the website that's fine.
If you don't publish a phone number that's fine (but a bit weird) but doing all of those and then simply not answering is f
ked up.
I'm sure I'm not alone in that I'd respond far better to a polite "Sorry we're really busy but thanks anyway" than simply getting nothing at all in response.
If you don't want to publish an email address that's fine.
If you don't want a contact form on the website that's fine.
If you don't publish a phone number that's fine (but a bit weird) but doing all of those and then simply not answering is f
ked up.I'm sure I'm not alone in that I'd respond far better to a polite "Sorry we're really busy but thanks anyway" than simply getting nothing at all in response.
I recently done some competitor research
The amount of companies that didn't respond was shocking, some replying back calling me 'mate' and other just blanket 'please phone us'
In all honesty only 2 had decent response's but took a while and/or where crap.
We operate a waiting list for clients, and they are generally told anything up to 3 months time.
It's a good idea, and more professional, but as others have side, price hikes and expand!
The amount of companies that didn't respond was shocking, some replying back calling me 'mate' and other just blanket 'please phone us'
In all honesty only 2 had decent response's but took a while and/or where crap.
We operate a waiting list for clients, and they are generally told anything up to 3 months time.
It's a good idea, and more professional, but as others have side, price hikes and expand!
bhstewie said:
hstewie said: Nothing boils my piss more (OK relative term) than companies that don't respond to queries.
If you don't want to publish an email address that's fine.
If you don't want a contact form on the website that's fine.
If you don't publish a phone number that's fine (but a bit weird) but doing all of those and then simply not answering is fked up.
I'm sure I'm not alone in that I'd respond far better to a polite "Sorry we're really busy but thanks anyway" than simply getting nothing at all in response.
I quite agree. Depending on the market they're in, this kind of stuff always comes back to bite. Don't put a contact form on the site if you're not going to respond to it. I figure that if they don't respond when they're trying to get my money, they're certainly not going to be any better once they've got it.If you don't want to publish an email address that's fine.
If you don't want a contact form on the website that's fine.
If you don't publish a phone number that's fine (but a bit weird) but doing all of those and then simply not answering is f
ked up.I'm sure I'm not alone in that I'd respond far better to a polite "Sorry we're really busy but thanks anyway" than simply getting nothing at all in response.
OPs client is hoping that the current glut of work will continue, where they should be responding to the enquiries and queueing up the work ready for when they've finished what they have on now.
droopsnoot said:
OPs client is hoping that the current glut of work will continue, where they should be responding to the inquiries and queueing up the work ready for when they've finished what they have on now.
Very similar to a lot of contractors when they first start off. finish their first big contract...then go looking for work which could take months leaving them with no cash in the bank. Unless of course, you're a PH contractor...then you charge such high rates that you have 12 months holiday on your earnings for every week you work 
If they are really busy and small the problem is taking time to reply and say that makes you even busier...
Needs a canned reply or similar so that it can be done without wasting time.
Sometimes you do see an enquiry that you know from day one is going to be a problem. If you are busy how much priority do you give it?
Needs a canned reply or similar so that it can be done without wasting time.
Sometimes you do see an enquiry that you know from day one is going to be a problem. If you are busy how much priority do you give it?
surveyor said:
If they are really busy and small the problem is taking time to reply and say that makes you even busier...
Needs a canned reply or similar so that it can be done without wasting time.
Sometimes you do see an enquiry that you know from day one is going to be a problem. If you are busy how much priority do you give it?
Problems just attract a higher quote?Needs a canned reply or similar so that it can be done without wasting time.
Sometimes you do see an enquiry that you know from day one is going to be a problem. If you are busy how much priority do you give it?
ymwoods said:
surveyor said:
If they are really busy and small the problem is taking time to reply and say that makes you even busier...
Needs a canned reply or similar so that it can be done without wasting time.
Sometimes you do see an enquiry that you know from day one is going to be a problem. If you are busy how much priority do you give it?
Problems just attract a higher quote?Needs a canned reply or similar so that it can be done without wasting time.
Sometimes you do see an enquiry that you know from day one is going to be a problem. If you are busy how much priority do you give it?
They need to respond - I am a 'one man band' management consultant and can still remember the first time I had to say 'sorry' to a potential piece of work.
Led to a load of other opportunities from the same client a little later when other things had quietened down - rationale being that if I was too busy on other projects then I must be in demand and good, and they wanted to use me more than their competitors.
Led to a load of other opportunities from the same client a little later when other things had quietened down - rationale being that if I was too busy on other projects then I must be in demand and good, and they wanted to use me more than their competitors.
boyse7en said:
surveyor said:
Some do... Some problems are the clients themselves and not worth it...
So just have a standard "Thanks for your enquiry but we are currently not taking on new clients due to workload" type emailsleepezy said:
They need to respond - I am a 'one man band' management consultant and can still remember the first time I had to say 'sorry' to a potential piece of work.
Led to a load of other opportunities from the same client a little later when other things had quietened down - rationale being that if I was too busy on other projects then I must be in demand and good, and they wanted to use me more than their competitors.
Yeah I think this is what I'll suggest to them, and the advantages of doing that. Led to a load of other opportunities from the same client a little later when other things had quietened down - rationale being that if I was too busy on other projects then I must be in demand and good, and they wanted to use me more than their competitors.
ymwoods said:
Why, if the business is so popular can't it expand up? I understand it takes time to train people but you say they are at a limit that can't be upped?
Any business that refuses to grow will just see someone else start up to take those excess customers away...eventually that start-up will take the existing ones away too.
Hire more staff, train them on the simple stuff to start, use the existing staff then to cover the harder/bespoke elements whilst training new staff to also do this. New staff, become staff that can do all, rinse and repeat.
In the meantime, advance book jobs where possible, make the service look worth the wait with a bit of hype and shout-outs from people you have already done jobs for to retain the waiting customers. Also, hire someone that knows how to deal with customers...quickly.
I see perfectly where you are coming from, I think the problem is probably two-fold - Standard issue of company owner doesn't want to release full control to managers/assistants, and secondly it seems to take on more work would than they have would require a huge step up in costs in the short term, (new buildings/locations/vehicles and staff), and it may be they don't have the cash flow (and/or time) to achieve that. Any business that refuses to grow will just see someone else start up to take those excess customers away...eventually that start-up will take the existing ones away too.
Hire more staff, train them on the simple stuff to start, use the existing staff then to cover the harder/bespoke elements whilst training new staff to also do this. New staff, become staff that can do all, rinse and repeat.
In the meantime, advance book jobs where possible, make the service look worth the wait with a bit of hype and shout-outs from people you have already done jobs for to retain the waiting customers. Also, hire someone that knows how to deal with customers...quickly.
Brother D said:
So I was taken on to do a bit of marketing and basic seo for a company. Anyway, in short from my efforts they now have way more business than they can cope with...
Which in most cases would be awesome, however It's a labour/time intensive venture and there's a limit (and they are at it) of how many jobs they can take on.
When I chatted to the owner they said they just ignored the requests for jobs they couldn't or didn't want to handle.
I said maybe they should be responding to the jobs they don't take on along the lines of "sorry, we are just so popular we can't take further clients at this time".
Was that a good suggestion or not?
(Thinking it doesnt hurt to have a service that is in high demand)
What do they do?Which in most cases would be awesome, however It's a labour/time intensive venture and there's a limit (and they are at it) of how many jobs they can take on.
When I chatted to the owner they said they just ignored the requests for jobs they couldn't or didn't want to handle.
I said maybe they should be responding to the jobs they don't take on along the lines of "sorry, we are just so popular we can't take further clients at this time".
Was that a good suggestion or not?
(Thinking it doesnt hurt to have a service that is in high demand)
I have to admit that when times are busy I don’t bother contacting new enquiries either. I have auto-responders setup for web/email enquiries but it’s just too time consuming to play telephone tennis if they’re ultimately not going to go anywhere. Experience also tells me that new enquiries in my line of work are very time sensitive too, so they won’t wait long before trying someone else (if they haven’t already) From my own experience in trying to get a few home improvements done most busy tradespeople also operate this way.
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