There is a time to work and there is a time to rest and grow. This is one of the most basic concepts of life as we know it. In fact, these two paths are intertwined and cannot function without the other. Work too hard without a break and you end up making mistakes that can ruin you. Rest too much and you can never achieve what you originally set out to do. And so, with this life truth in mind and the end of moving season for this year, what is there for moving businesses to do? Today, we look at some of the choices you have while you prepare for next year and the hardships it might carry.
Is there really an end of moving season?
The simple answer – no, there is not. People will always have a need the relocate, for one reason or the other. However, the key difference is that they will choose less to do so in the cold winter months to come. And this is fine, as it presents movers with the chance to develop in the period to come.
So, if you’ve had a good summer season with plenty of projects, now is the perfect time to take a step back. Look at the bigger picture. Analyze the mistakes you or your staff made and consider how to avoid them in the future. And after that, start working on the growth of your business. How? Simple – we did some brainstorming and came up with several ideas you can explore:
#1: Gather essential data about the work you did
Information can play a key role in the analysis and development of any company, no matter the nature of the business. The moving and logistics industry is no different. So, if you wish to make an impact, you first have to gather the facts. Think of this as laying out pieces of a larger puzzle that you will then put together. Consider the following questions:
- Which channel did my leads come from most and least?
- What were the overall highs and lows from the perspective of my clients?
- How many leads did I get during the course of the last six months?
- What was my conversion rate given the total number of leads?
These are just some of the questions to ask yourself. It is the mindset of top business owners to always re-examine gaps and space for improving their business. Once you’ve gathered and gone through the information, time to move on.
#2: Make a long-term plan and projection for next year
So, you have the relevant data to officiate the end of moving season – time to plan for the future. Do a cross-comparison of your annual growth in different areas and consider which departments over-performed and which ones did not. Then start thinking about potential ways to boost the performance of those departments from a development perspective. Consider the following steps:
- Growing the team and bringing in someone with a fresh set of eyes and perspective.
- Investing in the tools and equipment that you might be lacking in comparison to the competition.
- Introducing new procedures and innovative changes of doing things.
- Consider the potential for expansion in new markets.
- Research new options in terms of target groups of customers.
- Finally, think about where you can cut your losses.
Expanding your team for the business season to come
If there are under-performance issues within a certain team, then perhaps the time has come to change something. You can either cut and replace certain “rotten” parts of the team or add something new to the mix. Sometimes, all it takes for a team to become more efficient is a fresh wave of energy and ambition. And since it is the end of moving season, there will be plenty of free agents out there, looking for the chance to contribute.
Renewing your company from a material point of view
After a certain time, we all have to renew ourselves in one way or another. For companies, this moment comes with the amortization of their equipment. And this is a completely normal process to invest in. If you truly want to stay ahead of the competition, you have to make sure that you have modern tools. So, consider the hardware and software your company currently has at its disposal and make room for new solutions.
The introduction of change
Adaption is something all companies are forced to go through nowadays. Those who refuse to adapt end up being left behind in the past. However, those who go with the times and embrace new ways of doing things find it very beneficial. So, consider the better ways of organizing your company culture and the work it does.
Introduce a reward system to give your teams incentive to go that step further. Provide education and training for your employees to bring them closer to your long-term goals and their potential role in it etc.
Consider expansion
Expansion and development is something we all strive for as businesses. The better you perform, the more you can expand and grow as a company. So, take this end of moving season to consider the potential markets you could expand to. There are many ways to achieve this, one of the current favorites being professional digital marketing services.
Look into new customers and their needs
Researching new markets also means looking into new types of customers. If you’ve limited yourself to only local moving services, perhaps the time has come to explore long distance/interstate options. Perhaps there is a need for storage services in your part of the nation, which is an opportunity for you. All in all, there are plenty of ways to expand, especially with the end of the moving season and the promise of the next one on the horizon.
#3: Stay informed about industry news and trends
As we mentioned earlier – information is currency and a powerful one at that. Keeping track of moving industry news and updates can be that push you need to grow your business. What some might consider as irrelevant gossip or a waste of investment, you might find essential for your company. So, make sure to learn all you can, and invite your staff to do the same. Sometimes, an idea no matter how seemingly absurd can end up making all the difference.
