Neglecting These 4 Elements Will Tank Any Business

You’ve worked hard to build your business, but the work never ends when you run a business; it just changes form. Once you establish your business, you have to figure out how to stay in business and grow your company at the same time. Maintenance and repairs will be some of your biggest challenges along the way.

 Are you prepared to tackle all the repairs that come with being a business owner? Hopefully, you’re ready because you’ll need to keep the following elements in good repair to thrive.

1. Safety hazards

Keeping your business looking good is critical for your long-term success. Not only do bad aesthetics create a negative customer perception, but you could get sued if something is more than just an eyesore. For example, if your sidewalk is cracked from tree roots growing underneath, it’s an ugly sight, but it’s also a trip hazard.

Nothing will tank a business quite like a personal injury lawsuit. Your business is probably liable for more than you think, and it only takes one accident to get sued. If you have the money (or insurance policy) to pay for damages, your business still might not survive long.

The most common safety hazards around a business property include:

• Broken and uneven concrete
• Potholes in the parking lot that can pop a tire or cause a fall
• Uneven sidewalks
• Unstable ramps or textured ramps can cause a wheelchair to get stuck

 Promptly repair anything in or around your business that can potentially be a safety hazard. You can’t afford to get sued.

2. Your interior and exterior paint jobs

Although it’s important to maintain your sidewalks, parking lots, and landscaping, it’s equally important to maintain a good paint job. With a professional paint job, your customers will enjoy their time doing business with you, and they’ll hold a better image of your brand in their mind. This will lead to more sales and more recommendations.

You probably need to upgrade your exterior paint job, but don’t forget about the inside. You can find commercial painters who will do both. For example, PLE painters in North Vancouver routinely paint business interiors along with exteriors. If you’re going to revamp the outside of your business, it makes sense to handle the inside, too.

3. Your plumbing

Do you have a public restroom or a private restroom just for staff? Make sure your plumbing is kept in good repair. If you let plumbing problems go unrepaired, you could end up with a disaster. For instance, a leak can turn into a flood quickly.

Also, busted pipes can continue to break and cause more damage. If you wait until the damage is noticeable through the walls, it’s already too late.

Plumbing repairs aren’t cheap to start with, but they’ll be more expensive if you have to also repair additional damage that could have been prevented.

Customers judge businesses on their restrooms

Plumbing problems will directly affect your customers if you have a public restroom. If your customers find it difficult to use your restroom, or if it’s dirty or in disrepair, they’ll talk. You’ll probably get a bad review online at some point. According to USA Today, 50% of people will talk about a dirty bathroom, and 1 in 3 customers will never return.

In a worst-case scenario, a customer might come into your store just to use the restroom, and they’ll be upset when they learn it’s closed for major repairs. While customers should be understanding and not expect to have unrestricted access to your restroom, it’s still a major disappointment. 

4. Your cash register and POS system

Your point-of-sale system needs to be fully functional and industry-appropriate. It’s tempting to use a program you had a friend write while they were studying programming in college, but that’s never a good idea. In fact, bad POS software programs are one of the top frustrations for employees.

If you want to stay in business, you need smooth transactions. To get those smooth transactions, you need a professional POS application specifically designed for your industry. You also need the option to accept mobile payments from your customers.

If you’re still looking for a good POS system, check out NerdWallet’s review of the best POS systems for businesses and inventory management.

Building a thriving business requires continual hard work

If you’re going to build a thriving business, you can expect to put in some hard work consistently over a long period of time. However, you’ll achieve your business goals as long as you can keep up with your responsibilities as a business owner.