Today, more people than ever are accessing the internet. Not only does this allow people to remain connected to one another through social media, but it also influences their buying decisions. Consider information from Hubspot that says 97 percent of individuals search online to find a local business.
As a small business owner, it’s critical that your company is “up with the times.” Improving your online profile could not only increase the amount of business you receive, but it could also make life easier for your employees. Below, we’ll outline some of the problems with today’s construction contractors and how they could improve.
Make Sure You’re Listed On Local Online Search Directories
One of the first things small business owners should do is ensure that they’re listed on the top online search engines. Consider these examples:
• Google Places/Google Business
• Yellow Pages
• Yelp
• Angie’s List
Ensure that your contact information is listed correctly and clearly on these sites. Your contact information should include things such as your website, a telephone number where potential customers can reach you, and an email address. When searching for construction companies, many customers want nothing more than someone reliable and trustworthy. Making it easy to get in contact with you is an excellent first step.
Have A Strong Website
Studies from the Nielsen Norman Group found that most users leave a website within ten seconds. With this in mind, you should invest in the development of a quality website that will grab your customer’s attention and keep them on your page. Be sure to include information that is easy to find and consider adding a contact form that allows potential customers to easily reach out with inquiries.
Make It Easy For People To Connect
One problem that many construction contractors face is that they are often working at a job site when they get a phone call from a potential customer. This means possibly screening the call and sending it to voicemail as not to disrupt your current job. A constant flood of phone calls can fill a voicemail box quickly, leaving you with many potential customers to get back to in a short timeframe. This can lead to losing out on business before you ever even talk to the prospective customer.
To avoid this, consider investing in a hosted phone system such as Grasshopper or Virtual PBX. These services will send you a text message whenever you receive a new call. You can also set up spreadsheets to remind you to return phone calls and who needs to be followed up with.
Simplify The Payment Process
Another area where contractors tend to fall behind is in the payment process. When a construction owner finishes a job, it may be easy to submit an invoice and move on to the next project. Sometimes an error can be made on the invoice and trying to rectify this issue could become a nightmare.
Consider updating your payment processes with modern apps like QuickBooks Payments or Square. These platforms allow customers to pay immediately with a credit card, as you process the payment on your cellphone or tablet. The days of pink copy and checkbooks are over.
Don’t Forget About Your Employees
Employees who enjoy coming to work every day will be motivated to work hard. One of the easiest ways for you to improve employee morale is by simplifying their timecard and payment processes with a time clock app. Time clock apps eliminate the need for employees to manually log their hours and for someone on your team to enter the hours online.
Employees can login to the app from their home and receive real-time information about how many hours they’ve worked. Additionally, time clock apps provide employees with directions to job sites so that they are never lost and can show up on time. This can leave both you and your customers happy, increasing the likelihood of completing a project on time.
