What has always surprised me is that despite a constantly connected world where news and social networks keep us instantly updated, the double glazing industry really does go to sleep at the weekends! You can tell on Twitter, the double glazing world seems to just turn it off until Monday morning and I just don’t know why! Twitter is so easy to use and totally mobile, why not use it at the weekend?
I know some showrooms stay open, but only for limited hours. This I can understand because people have their own lives to lead outside the work place. But with all the technological advances now integrated into the double glazing industry, it confuses me why the industry isn’t as mobile as it really should.
There are still many showrooms not open at the weekends. And some companies still have appalling websites or non at all. When people are becoming ever more mobile, companies need to make sure they are accessible in some way 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You don’t have to open your offices in order to bring customers in.
Being open or accessible in some way, shape or form at a weekend can help bring extra custom in. But there are others ways to help improve business out of hours. One of the biggest areas of a double glazing business is the remedial/after-sales department. Taking care of your customer’s products when something goes wrong. Sometimes something might not be that wrong and maybe it could be something that a customer could sort out at home when your service engineer isn’t available to work. One idea could be an out of hours online hints and tips guy. Maybe a door hinge is a little tight or just needs some lubrication. A guy could be ‘on call’ in a weekend to respond to a customer’s text message on a work handset to help resolve that minor issue. Members of staff could take it in turns to answer online questions from customers sent via email or text message. They can be at home, but still being useful to the company and their customers.
Anyway, that’s just one idea. The overall point is that the industry should be totally accessible at the weekend. There’s no other industry like this one. Everything else seems to be seven days a week, I don’t see a reason why this one can’t be.
I think the main reason why the industry switches off at the weekends is because it is a weekend! People like to leave work at work and have some time to themselves. However, you are totally right with the fact that the industry isn’t up to date with the internet. As a consumer, you don’t want something to break on a Saturday night and panic that you won’t be able to sort it out until Monday. I may be wrong to think that most companies won’t be able to sort this out quickly, but that is what I’d be afraid… Read more »
This is a good point. Our showroom is open seven days a week and then when we are closed you can call any of our mobiles to contact us in an emergency. As you say just for advice and peace of mind. There is nothing worse than being ignored. Every company should have a website, like Sophii Maria says a simple one is fine as long as it has your contact details on it. We generate most of our leads on weekends and being closed is not an option with the current economical climate.
some of us have a life , you obviously dont !!
Neil – not the first time I’ve been accused of not having a life!
Yeah not sure I have one either so might as well be at work!