how is everyones business coping with the recession? moral support thread

COOLTRIKERCHICK

i thought i would start a thread.... ( hope you lot dont mind)

with these uncertain times and the recession it is hard for the big businesses, and people seem to forget in the news how the little businesses feel this recession more ...

we dont get the government 'bailing' us out.

I thought it might be a good idea to swop ideas.. or just generally give moral support to each other... at this time. as you never know maybe someone could suggest an idea in a passing comment in a thread.. which could be an ideal solution for you..

I know a local cafe has been hit hard by the local redundancies.. as they used to get a lot of take out orders etc.... to these firms... and with eveyone tightening their belts... they are now taking their own lunches to work etc.....

A local fashion shop which used to take on average... £800 per day, is now lucky to take £400 on a very good day....

save-a-lot

Well my sideline business.. (I work full time as an employee too) has been hit. I do aerial photography for properties, and at the moment nobody wants my service... to many people it is a "nice to have". Before these times I had work from some estate agents... all that has gone. But, this was not my main income, so I guess I am lucky there.

Currently setting up a recession proof online business.. whereby the user performs an action and gets cash.. sounds dodgy, but totally legit - sorry that description is vague, but the site is to be delivered in the next 2 weeks and I want to protect my idea.

vivatifosi

Great idea cool, and good luck with the new business save-a-lot.

I've found business very tough since about last July. I am a business researcher and work in two particular fields. The first area, which is related to commercial property, has fallen off a cliff. The second area is doing fine, but I'm taking way longer to get paid due to the credit crunch. I'm currently looking for a little part time job to ensure that I can pay my bills each month without worrying what work I'm getting in, but potential employers seem very suspicious of my motives.

As part of the support group, if I can offer anyone any help with ideas on how to research or find info on B2B businesses I'd be happy to help.

save-a-lot

All the time I go to my day-job I am thankful it is still there, I have dodged redundancy over the last 2 years, but the job for life employer I work for is no longer that. So, with foresight I have planned sidelines that could become full-time if the need ever arose. However, the main chosen sideline could not support a whole family in these times and I feel I would have to really fight for business.

thebaldwindowfitter

watch the film or read the book called the secret.read positive books from self help section and stop watching the news and reading newspapers .dont let this talk of recession grind you down i know its hard but think positive

fguk

I am with a6windows on this one.....

A window salesman a few months back tried to tell me that buying a conservatory off him would stop the recession happening. Whilst he was being slightly tongue in cheek, he had a point.

I know things are bad for some, and not great for most others, but with a little more of a positive outlook from everyone, then things will hopefully pick up sooner. Its a cliche, but thinking positive really can help.

I am not naive enough to believe we can "think" our way out of the recession, but it wont hurt!

DKLS

So far so good, I am in medical education, and things are looking very positive, and if a big deal comes off I will be expanding and taking on 5 staff.

fguk

Thats the stuff we need to hear.....just like Asda and Sky creating more jobs which was yesterdays news.

jake78

I think the best thing to do is to forget the fact we are in a recession abit!!! Think what you would do if you had a downturn in business normally otherwise it becomes very easy to get negative and almost give up and blame it all on the credit crunch.
Try to be positive and look after the customers you have like each one is royalty and hope that this whole bad period soon passes!
Our Business is a Catering Company and most our big companys like the banks and councils have stopped spenidng but our trade from SME is still very good so overallwe are okay.

Murphy_The_Cat

I'd say that we all must work harder than we have ever done before, to give the best possible service to the customers that we have.

Also, there are still an awful lot of businesses out there who are still doing very nicely indeed -- not everyone is in the sh*t. It can be quite soul destroying, but if you are in a business that is able to, hit the phones, go door knocking, do a leaflet drop, check up on ex-clients, contact people who you have even a tenuous relationship with -- in other words, try and make things happen.

COOLTRIKERCHICK

i sooo agree ... as chico says positive mental attitude...lol..

it does work.....honestly..

i went for a meeting with a large company which has 4 sites within our area, .... the gentleman who i had the meeting with laughed when he seen our little transit van.. and said that is no way big enough.... so as you could imagine when i left the meeting.. i automatically dismmissed even being considered for the 4 sites....a week later i had a phone call saying that i could start on the monday...:eek: 4 days to arrange new transport... use of a weighbridge .... etc... this all started on monday.... and so far.... with a little bit of .panicking.. a few ooo sh*t words coming from my mouth, a few sleepless nights etc... but it all came together...and no hitches..

so it just goes to show.... never think that that you are too small to tender along with the big boys....

what hte gentleman told me.. is that they were changing their contact for this particular product etc as they wanted someone local, so if there was any problems, there would be more likely to have it sorted quickly etc.. plus they wanted to support local, and the main thing was the carbon footprint..

so my suggestion... is never htink you are too small to approach big companies.. think positive.. and believe you can do it and offer a better service/product.. this will bef come across to your potentially new customer...

my first contact with this firm was about 6 months ago, so if you dont hear anything, dont dismiss that you will never get anything in the future...as obviously the initial contact all that time ago.. made the company aware of us...

dont get me wrong we are on a VERY tight margin to be competive, but as long as we make sure we think things through and plan things so we get max productivity etc... it will all work well...

so spend time promoting yuor business and targetting your potential market.. you might not get instand results.. but its all about promoting and getting yuor company name on the market place....even if you have to send a few letters over a period of a few months.... all worded differently, but targetting your company strengths and sevices etc...

dont take your customers for granted.. go the extra mile.... maybe you could add free delivery or a free additional service etc... to make your customers feel as though they are getting their money's worth... etc..

I strongly believe that with practically every news reported being about the reccession or job loses.. dont help the matter, as its sort of brainwashing people who do have money, not to spend... so now we have a downward sprial effect.. we just need to encourage people start spending a few more pennies here and there, to start to slow down this downward spiral...( Yes i know... easy to say..lol..) but if we can encourage a customer to buy or spend.. on more little thing etc.. its a start...