It is important for your business to ensure happy employees. One of the ways to do this is to ensure that employees feel safe and cared for in the work environment, and that stress is reduced in as many ways as possible. Stress has an immense effect on the way people work, and it is important for the company to provide support in order to reduce stress wherever possible. Additionally, stress, even in low doses, can cause dire medical consequences such as increased blood pressure, tension migranes and anxiety. All of these things contribute to less work days, and in the long run less productivity and output from your company. Therefore it is necessary to reduce stress in the workplace wherever possible.

One of the ways that I try to do this in any size of company I own is to ensure that medical and dental problems are taken care of by the company. Medical expenses can be drastic, and are a major cause for stress amongst families. Especially here in the United States, medical expenses are drastically high and actually cause the majority of personal bankruptcies in the States. Funding basic preventative care is not a possibility for many families, and thus they may miss warning signs of a more serious sickness that may develop later on.

It is also important to include dental in the package, as I believe dental care is an important part of your medical care. Regular check ups are a necessary thing in order to prevent larger problems later on, similar to regular check ups with your doctor. A small cavity now is an inexpensive thing to fix, but if left unattended it can abscess and can cause a much larger and more invasive problem. Additionally, the cost of dental implants

is significant, and it is extremely stressful to undergo such major surgery!

By providing medical and dental packages for employees in your business, employees will feel cared for and therefore more comfortable in their work environment. Additionally, should they or a family member be sick, it will not be a major life event resulting in bankruptcy, as is the reality for many of our fellow Americans! Additionally, as I mentioned, by allowing people allowance for regular doctor visits, they can catch warning signs early on and prevent a much larger and more invasive disease. Healthier employees = comfort, happiness, and overall well being, as well as less work days missed and higher productivity!

Financing your business is a hurdle that every service industry owner must jump. Capital can be very difficult to find, as people are often hesitant to put down a lot of money on unreliable investments such as a small business may be. This is especially the case in today’s economy, when spending is tight and there are many other opportunities for one to invest their money in a safer fashion. However, if you provide an innovative idea that shows promise, you may have hope in collecting capital to start off your business. It may help to do some prototypes and market research to determine how much success your company may have, and use the data to draw capital investment. Allow your potential investors to try your product, you may be able to seduce them with a creative idea and good presentation! In the business world, anything is possible.

However, sometimes business owners must turn to loans in order to start up their business. Normally I would advise against large loans, due to the fact that interest rates tend to be high, and the truth of the matter is that small business ownership is volatile and may not work out favorably. Additionally, because of the interest rates, you will have to pay back a much larger amount than you originally borrowed. Be sure to do ample research into various companies in order to discover what loan will be right for you. If you are in a hurry to finance a small project, there are many options for cash loans today. However be wary of these, often the interest rate is very high and the date at which the payment of the loan is due is often not far in the future. There are also similar options called payday loans UK same day in which you are paid your loan that day, with the idea that your next paycheck will cover the cost of the loan. Lastly, an option is text loans UK in which you can text a company and receive your loan. As I said, all of these options usually require you to pay back the loan in a very short manner and therefore should be used to finance small projects rather than your start-up as a whole.

Bank loans often will loan you a significant amount of money with a lower interest rate. However, they will do an assessment and ensure you have a substantial amount of collateral before loaning you the money. Make sure to explore all your options so as to collect capital in a way that will do the least amount of damage to you and your company should you not have immediate success.

In the service industry, the appearance of you and your employees may be equally as

important as the actual service that you provide. A professional appearance is necessary to create a good first impression – that critical first moment when a potential customer walks into the store. In an industry where it is necessary to draw in and hold customers long enough to hold their interest to buy something, professional appearance is absolutely necessary in order to make customers feel comfortable and that they are in an environment where they can trust the service you will provide.

One option for professional appearance is to have uniforms. Uniforms are extremely beneficial for service industries where you want your employees to be easily recognizable, and should be bright so that they are noticeable in the store. The easier it is for consumers to find help, the longer they will spend in your store and it is much less likely that they will become frustrated. Frustration is the bane of the service industry – our job is to make sure that the interaction between customer and provider goes smoothly, even if a problem does arise.

Uniforms are also useful for establishments serving food. They allow you to control what employees are wearing to ensure good hygiene within your restaurant. For example, if a hairnet or cap is part of the uniform, the likelihood of hair getting in food is significantly decreased. Additionally, they serve the purpose to create a streamlined look to your employees, which in itself is professional. As I mentioned before, first impressions are important. If you are a consumer and you walk into an establishment, having a streamlined set of employees in uniform is a quick and easy way to display a professional and put-together impression, instantly.

That being said, there are some types of service industries where the uniform is not necessary, or may not work as well for the business. For example, if you own a funky café, sometimes it is beneficial to have staff with a bit of their own personal style. If you are concerned about their appearance, you can always suggest websites to them like Retro Fashion News in order to stay up-to-date. In a more professional atmosphere, it is good to give your employees some freedom to choose what they will wear, so long as it is of course in a professional manner. In this case, refer them to outlet malls and websites where you can get new designer clothes so that they are always looking stylish!

In the past, I have mentioned two things that I feel are very important for the success of a good start-up business. The first pointer of note was to align the company with a charity. This is a great way to build community support, as well as build partnerships and give back to the community that you reside in. Secondly, create an organized and attractive online profile so as to globalize your business and expand your consumer base. By moving the seat of your business online, you are making your product or service quickly and easily accessible by any computer with Internet access (a significant portion of todays’ consumers, of course).

Efficiency in a business is always an asset, especially in small businesses where small tricks of efficiency can make a huge difference. Therefore, whenever I see opportunity for such efficiency I strive to share it with you! So therefore, here is my idea: use your online base as a vehicle to align your company with international charities, such as charities in Australia. This will allow you to seamlessly combine the two aspects I mentioned above, in order to glean all possible benefits from both.

Charity events in the community where you work are a great way to connect with customers in your vicinity. However, in todays’

technical world we must strive to generalize this connection across the Internet. By simply hosting charity events in your neighborhood, you fail to reach all of your online customers who are just as important. That being said, be sure to include photos and information on all of your charitable events on your website so as to publicize your activity in the community.

For some ideas of where to start, consult this list of charities in Australia as a starting point. Australia is a wealthy, English speaking country where there are many possible customers. By showing your online community that you are reaching out, you will draw attention to your company from around the world. Additionally, all of the positive feelings and effects that come with giving to charity go without saying. There have been recent studies on happiness that actually prove that by giving money away, as opposed to spending it on yourself, you become happier. This has even been demonstrated in work groups, who pool their bonuses and give money to charities. Subsequently, these work groups were more productive, when compared to work groups who were told to use the money on themselves! By donating money across the world, not only are you generating good feelings within your business, you are giving back to the world market in which you operate!

Work can be stressful at the best of times. All throughout my professional career, there have been a variety of major stressful events that I have had to work past. The nature varies, of course, from when you are just starting your career to when you have moved up to be the head office. Regardless of the nature and severity of the stress, all along the road something that has truly helped me maintain peace and reduce stress has been yoga. Yoga provides the perfect balance of strengthening and stretching, as well as breathing exercises to relax the mind and improve circulation and breathing. By training your body to function healthily and normally, even when you are just sitting at a desk you may practice these exercises to calm the body and focus your mind. All of these characteristics of practicing yoga will greatly benefit your concentration and productivity both at work and in your personal life!

The great thing about yoga is that you don’t need a lot of space to do it. Just simply a mat, some cleared space in an office and some stretchy clothing. In any business, I try to organize a time, either at lunch or a morning break, for people to get together and have a short class. It is not so structured as to hire a teacher, but coworkers can take turns leading classes. It creates trust and camaraderie between coworkers, as well as an opportunity to them to learn from each other in a field other than the one in which your business is focused around. Regardless of the level of proficiency, anyone can benefit from getting some stretching and strengthening. Additionally, physical activity invigorates the mind and body and boosts productivity significantly!

If you don’t have a mat, there is a great new product called Yoga Paws which allow you to practice yoga anywhere. They can be great for the office, because they allow you to practice yoga in a very limited space, and use props so that if you are not quite so flexible, you may create a set-up that is altered to fit your ability. Additionally, lots of yoga poses for beginners are available online for you to get started. Like I said, any amount of yoga can be extremely beneficial, even if you have never done it before! Additionally, if you make a habit of interspersing yoga into your daily morning or lunch break, you will quickly notice an improvement.

There are a number of different business models by which you may wish to set up your company – sole proprietorship, partnership, corporations, limited liability companies, and more.  However there are pros and cons to each set-up, all of which are worth considering and all of which have different legal ramifications that must be taken into consideration.  While making use of private investigation services may seem like an exaggerated procedure for some, I feel as if it is often necessary in order to get a fully objective picture of what is going on in your business model. That being said, I will first discuss the most common type of start-up business, for which private investigation is usually not necessary: the sole proprietorship.

In a sole proprietorship, the company is both owned and operated by a single person.  Often it is a single entrepreneur who makes an innovative idea tangible and is able to come up with enough capital to make it happen.  Advantages of sole proprietorships are they can quickly grow and change due to the fact that no compromises need to be made in order for action to occur – it is solely driven by one person.  The major disadvantage of a sole proprietorship though is the liability incurred by the owner of the business.  Often, liability in a sole proprietorship is not protected and should business debt be incurred, all of the personal assets of the owner will come under scrutiny in order to settle the debt.

Another type of business model is the partnership.  The partnership is where private investigator services may be of great use.  This is especially the case in limited partnerships, where one partner (usually the capital investor) has limited liability to only the assets that they have invested in the business, whereas the other investor (who is usually in charge of management and daily operations of the business) has no liability protection.  More common currently is the limited liability partnership (LLP) where both partners are involved in the daily management of the company, and are both equally liable should the business fall into debt.

The last commonly used business model is the corporation. Once a business stabilizes, shares of the company may be offered for public sale.   This poses no risk to the public as they stand to lose nothing other than what they have invested in the company.  That being said, often shareholders will invest a significant amount in companies that they feel will do well.  A board of directors usually acts on the shareholders’ behalf when conducting operations with the company. Again, a corporate public investigator may be very useful in obtaining an objective observation of how the company is doing, and to ensure they are conducting business with integrity.

Of the many demanding fields of the service industry, few are as demanding as the wedding industry.  The term bride-zilla is certainly not unfounded, as each couple strives for the ‘perfect marriage’. Organizing that many people, for a milestone event in peoples lives can be extremely stressful, made even more so when your clients are constantly striving for perfection in every single aspect of the ceremony.

Today I am honored to give you some snippets of a brief interview I had with Thomas DeLaurier, a leader in service industry excellence, to discuss his passion for one of the most difficult services in the whole industry – wedding planning!  I hope you are able to pick up on some tips of his success!

Maura Silvester: How do you deal with stressed out customers? Your clients are relying on you to make their big events perfect!

Thomas DeLaurier: Customers are often the most stressed when they feel that they are not being kept in the loop.  The absolute best way to deal with difficult customers is to constantly keep them updated.  Often service providers go about their business as usual, forgetting that customers are not used to the process. If you really spell out all of your procedures, and assure them that you are keeping on schedule, it assures them that you are a professional and it almost always suffices to keep customers happy and relaxed.  I think this could be applied to almost all service industries, not just catering services!

MS: How do you deal with different wedding locations? Do you travel for clients?

TD: We have a number of different clients that we occasionally make exceptions for as they have been grateful for our services in the past and with whom we have done some very successful events.  Once we have built a relationship with clients, we feel that we can reach a place where we will go the extra mile (literally) to provide them the best service possible.  Additionally, they have been understanding when we deal with difficult venues, such as beach weddings and any venues with no kitchen. Currently, we have a number of regular venues that provide ample space of up to 550 people per room where we can provide the best service possible. In order to be the best company possible, from there we do make exceptions for valued customers, as any successful business should!

MS: When providing service to such a large number of people at once, what do you think is the most important aspect of how you run your service team?

DL: Empowering my employees! We have an extensive training program to allow employees to feel prepared to deal with any problems that may arise immediately and efficiently. In a huge dining hall, I can’t have my employees running around and looking for me at every small problem.  With adequate training, employees can deal with problems politely and quickly so that tension is quickly released!

In today’s technological world, having a website for your business is imperative, reagardless of your size of business or the industry you operate in.  Specific to the service industry, a website is a MUST in order for your potential customers to glean any information they may need about your business.  I know some baby boomers are extraordinarily resistant to becoming tech-savvy due to their general unfamiliarity with computers.  It is necessary for this to change in order to remain competitive within the current market. And if setting up your own ecommerce website design seems daunting for you, simply follow the link to one of many companies that assist others in their wordpress website development.

Just to prove my point, I’ll offer a few arguments as to why I think it is so necessary to have your company’s information online, even for service industries where you feel your customers know what they are getting.

First of all, in the growing cities of today, people are resistant to get in their cars and travel to your specific store in order to get what they need. Depending on the city you live in and the degree of urban sprawl, in order for them to make the trip they must pay for the gas to fill their car, gas being an additional cost that is constantly getting more expensive and will continue to do so in the future. In order for them to make the trip, they will not only have to determine whether your store is open, but perhaps verify the exact location or to check if the product they are looking for is in stock.

Phonebooks are outdated! Now that everyone is constantly connected with a smartphone, if you don’t have your businesses phone number available online you are already significantly decreasing the ability for customers to access a service person in your company.

Therefore, start with this. Necessary information to include in an online site would be the locations and phone numbers of all of your business locations, along with a link to the location on Google Maps.  Additionally, offer customer service numbers to call where people can call for advice on how to deal with your products, or to communicate any useful feedback they may have for your business. From there, the rest is up to you! A well designed website is an asset for any type of service.  Clearly state everything that you offer and keep stock up to date.  Allow online orders so that you can get an idea of demand for your product.  Additionally allow a comment forum for people to spread the good word. From there, the website is your oyster!

The service industry is a complex industry that involves much more than just providing the best possible service to each customer.  In order for companies to remain competitive, they must continually work to improve themselves and increase on returns on investments into the company.  One of the best ways to do this is putting some of your business resources toward big, community events.

As a business in the service industry, take advantage of the fact that you have goods and services to offer the community. Whether tangible or intangible, your services can be used either to make the event itself more of a success, or to be put towards prizes in the events.  Community events are a great way not only to show community support, but also to align your business with charitable organizations operating in your business.  Not only will you be donating to a good cause, but you will be able to use this as a means to relate to customers who are also in favor of such causes.

Additionally, lending your name and products to events are a great way to get samples of your product out to the public. For example, offer your catering services to a neighborhood block party, or donate gift vouchers for prizes at a fun-run for charity such as the Relay for Life, a run dedicated to raising funds for cancer cures.  Big events like this allow you to canvas your product in an environment where you are reaching a lot of people. Not only that, it is in an environment where you are actively showing support for good causes, as well as community support in general.

I understand that it is extremely difficult to organize massive charity events yourself. Therefore, you can either take part in longstanding events that have been part of the community for years already.  Additionally, EMP is an event production company that is extremely professional and organized company designed to make your event ideas happen. Sound expensive? Team up with other businesses in your area to make it happen! Not only will you be able to split the cost of the event production, but you will gain partnerships with other businesses in the area and perhaps make your idea into an annual event!

We business owners are constantly looking for comparative advantage; ways to make ourselves stand out and stay one step ahead of the competition. Lending your goods and services to events like this is an easy way to get your product out there! For many businesses in other industries it is not so easy to demonstrate what they’ve got, so take advantage!

The service industry is one full of stiff competition and the constant need to differentiate yourself from your competitors. Whether you are offering services or goods, it is imperative to set oneself apart in some way and be easily recognized by the consumer.  One aspect of differentiation may seem obvious, but the number of businesses who make terrible choices regarding their business sign would surprise you!

The sign in front of your business is critical to catch the eyes of customers.  Again, you are probably thinking that this advice is obvious, but the number of terrible signs I see out on the streets proves me right.  Businesses that have recently opened are especially guilty – in my neighborhood in Boston, MA, some stores go months before they replace their cheap, plastic banner for something more appropriate.  I understand that starting up new businesses is a hectic time, but having a polished indicator of your business and what you are offering presents a professional image from the outset that primes your customer for what to expect from you.  The sign may be made of a number of different materials, as long as it is clear and easy to read. Again, don’t try and mess with fancy fonts! A sign is something that customers merely glance at, so if it is slightly difficult to read it will be easily ignored.  Take a look at some signs offered by one of my favorite companies, CFS, for inspiration.  Additionally, if you have other signs to put up within your business, their Artworks San Antonio branch is especially skilled at reproducing pieces for the interior of your business.  The inside of your service store is equally as important as the outside!

So now that I have discussed the important of having a professionally made sign, I will offer some basic pointers based on marketing research for effective store signs.

Color – research into the psychological effects of each color and ensure that the one you choose matches your business. Some classic examples of colour effects are:
Red: Some research has shown that it makes people hungry. Typically very attention grabbing as it has the longest wavelength and thus tends to appear nearer to us than other colours, and invokes a physical response.  If using in a sign, avoid too much red (possibly use it for text rather than the background) and make sure your background is appropriately contrasting, but not so much that it is difficult for eyes to process.
Green: calming, peaceful. Could be suitable for a spa.
Black: Typically used for text only. Sophisticated and clear, and therefore effective for businesses that offer professional services.

Pattern: avoid patterns in signs at all costs. It distracts from text and makes it much harder to read. Although some people find patterns appealing, they can be very aversive for some customers.