-
How is business at the moment?
With reports ‘finally’ emerging about ‘green shoots’ in the economy, how are we all doing and how have we been over the last year?
I will quite happily state that the months of Oct – Nov were very hard for me and my business. December was also quite bad as the month ends about the 17th as Christmas approaches and does not start again until the New Year.
I have had a very busy time since New Year and all the fears that I had in Oct-Nov have now disappeared (though you still need to compensate for the lack of earnings in these months) On the whole for me things are looking as they are returning to normal!
How about you?
-
7 Replies
-
Craig, I think you guys in the UK are doing it tougher than us, but having said that, I’m normally doing record figures this time of year. The financial year ends in a fortnight, and I’m battling to meet last months figures…. traditionally one of my worst months of the year.
I may still get busy, as the last two weeks are usually hectic as businesses realise that they have budgets to spend so they can get the same or bigger marketing budgets next year, but I’m not too confident that things will improve here yet.
On the other hand, the work I’m getting is new stuff, but getting people to pay their accounts is harder than ever. Even my clients that always pay well are getting behind. I’ve had several clients ask for longer credit terms this month too, which is unusual.
I’ve noticed a few Tendors going up recently that, as part of the process, require a 90 credit term.
I think that says it all really.
Pleased you can see the light at the end of the tunnel though.
-
Were small so I guess the effects of the economy are a lot smaller on people like us. I guess this also means were able to adapt and change a lot easier. We’ve outperformed the first 6 months of this financial year with the last 6 months.
We see it as a real opportunity. The barriers of entry have increased dramatically with the increased prices on equipment etc. Competition is decreasing with companies closing or reducing their staff and marketing budgets.
I also think clients will shop around for better deals or better service where as before hand they were complacent because their own companies were in cruise control. This opens up a lot of opportunity for a relative new company like us and also established companies to increase their customer base.
-
I have not have a slump since January 2007.
I’ve noticed material prices have gone up, so I’ve raised my prices as well.
This week was slightly slower but I needed the break.
Then yesterday a guy came in out of the clear blue needing three vehicles done up. I usually get them one at a time.
Love….Jill -
When you are at the bottom, the only way is up!!
Our local economy is very tourist oriented, especially German and UK visitors. Fortunately the bulk of my business is from the uranium mining industry (I currently have jobs of 5 different uranium mines on my desk !) so I’m largely unaffected. I also notice a lot of guest houses, adventure activity companies etc. are stepping up their branding – must be because they are fighting over a diminishing cake! So, all in all, were very busy. Turnover grows by 10 – 20% per month, and the SP540 now has to run 12 hrs a day, 6 days a week to keep up.
We’ve only been open for 6 months, yet the turnover over the last 3 months was double that of the first 3 months. Hope this trend continues for a while to come!
-
Last October was our busiest month ever and May just past beat that by 25%. We too are in a tourist area in the Highlands and tourism business is booming with record number of tourists and this has a knock on effect throughout all businesses in the area.
We also 200% up on last year with our accommodation bookings (we also let luxury apartments to tourists)
The boom in tourist numbers is down to the weak pound – makes it cheap for mainland Europeans to visit and too expensive for Brits to go abroad so they travel within the UK.
– Its an ill wind……………….
-
I’m sure this is the jinx for me but…..
…I hope the next recession is as busy as this one…
In January I was thinking ‘oh well we had nearly 4 years, not bad, ho hum’, but here we are 6 months on still pumping signs out at a furious a rate as ever. Work is coming from all sorts of different places as well as the regulars who are all as demanding as ever.
What IS going on?
-
Have to agree with Gert; customers seem to be “stepping up their branding – must be because they are fighting over a diminishing cake!”. We noticed over the last year that the number of one-off jobs has dropped but our regular customers want bigger banners and signs this year for their (never ending) spring-super-sale campaigns. On balance we are not as busy this year but taking in a bit more cash per job. 😕
Log in to reply.