You’ll encounter a number of personalities as a business owner. Most are pleasant but some are downright rude. Others might be quirky, yet fun. Still, others can be flat-out nightmares. Then, there are those clients who demand too much, want to pay too little, and brag about their importance, yet still, have high praise for you. Of course, there are also niche personalities, people who possess less-than-desirable traits, such as individuals who take up way too much of your precious time, completely oblivious to the fact you must also take care of others. Fortunately, there are a few ways to cope with customers who tend to monopolize your time. Time-Wasting Customers Take a Big Toll It’s not just the boring, pointless conversations that are problematic. It’s the fact that you’re having to take time away from true priorities. Obviously, this can be very frustrating and even detrimental to your business. After all, if you can’t attend to matters as needed, it causes you to rush and that leads to mistakes. But, it also has other negative consequences. For instance, draining you mentally and straining your patience thin. Good salespeople understand how to walk a fine line between ignoring a client and spending too much time on him. As a sales professional, you need to learn how to use your time to maximum advantage. If a client or customer is monopolizing your time with no intention of buying anything, the ability to disengage without causing offense is vital. —Houston Chronicle Small Busienss When you experience such feelings, it can easily put you in a bad mood. A foul state of mind could also cause you to unfairly snap at your own team. Or, just ruin a good portion of your day. At the very least, you’ll probably become preoccupied and ruminate on your misfortune, which might lead you to become apathetic for the rest of the afternoon. How to Deal with Customers who Monopolize Your Time The thing is, a good percentage of time-monopolizers aren’t really conscious of their own behavior. (Unless it’s such an annoying trait, other people have made them aware.) Even if he or she knows their tendency, it’s a very difficult behavior to change. Which means it’s largely on you. Here are a few effective strategies for dealing with customers who monopolize your time: Redirect his or her attention. Instead of cutting off the conversation entirely, steer it in another direction. Ask about his or her specific interests in relation to your mutual business and give them a few options to consider. This creates a bit of a diversion and puts the onus on him or her to move the interaction along in a constructive manner rather than meandering from one thing to another. Reschedule and restructure. You can also reschedule a day and time to meet, with certain parameters so it isn’t open-ended. For example, excuse yourself with the caveat you’ll meet again soon. Set a time and also set a structure or an agenda so that he or she knows it’s all about getting things accomplished in a cooperative, timely manner. Get him or her to focus. If you sense he or she is about to go off on a tangent, grab his or her attention with a point or fact that moves the conversation toward a conclusion. This could be about a timeframe, price, quantity, or something else. It should serve as a way to complete the transaction at hand. Regardless of what strategy you choose, or even if you use a combination, always express your appreciation and let them know how valuable they are to your business. Don’t rush and take time to listen to his or her feedback so you don’t accidentally cause an unnecessary rift that could result in unexpected repercussions. What other suggestions would you give entrepreneurs who experience time monopolizers? Please take a moment to share your thoughts; it could be a big help to others when they need it most! Interested in learning more about business? Then just visit Waters Business Consulting Group.

Small businesses often struggle with the decision of whether or not to build a mobile app. On one hand, there are many advantages to having an app – it can help increase brand credibility, engage customers, provide a personalized experience, act as a direct marketing channel, and let businesses create a loyalty program. However, on the other hand, there are also several disadvantages to consider – such as the cost of developing and maintaining an app, complying with Apple and Google’s store security and performance policies, the phenomenon of consumer app fatigue, and lack of customer use. In this article, we will explore both sides of the argument so that you can make an informed decision about whether or not to develop an app for your small business. Biggest Advantages of Building a Mobile App for a Business Another advantage of having a mobile app is customer engagement. A study by Forrester found that 78% of smartphone users check their phone within 15 minutes of waking up, while 60% check their phone within 15 minutes of going to bed (Forrester, 2014). This constant connection gives businesses a unique opportunity to engage with their customers throughout the day. Creating a loyalty program or sending push notifications about sales and promotions can help increase customer engagement and keep your business top of mind. As consumers become increasingly connected with businesses on their smartphones and devices, many businesses develop mobile apps to connect with their customers. If your company is going the app route, you want to be sure it’s worth your time and money. While a mobile app can be an invaluable tool for many companies, certain company types may not necessarily need one. —Forbes.com Building a mobile app can also provide a more personalized experience for your customers. With an app, you can collect data about your customer’s usage patterns and preferences which can then be used to customize the experience for each individual. This is much harder to do with a website because there is less data available about how users interact with it. For example, if you own a clothing store, you could use the data collected from your app to show each user relevant products based on their previous purchases and browsing history. This personalized experience can help increase customer satisfaction and loyalty. Finally, having a mobile app gives businesses a direct marketing channel to reach their customers. With over 90% of Americans owning a cellphone (Pew Research Center, 2019), businesses have a unique opportunity to reach a large audience with targeted messages. You can use push notifications to send special offers and announcements directly to your customer’s phones. This is an effective way to increase sales and improve customer retention. Common Disadvantages of Building an App for a Business While there are many advantages to building a mobile app for your small business, there are also some disadvantages that you should be aware of before making the decision. One of the main disadvantages is cost. Developing and maintaining an app can be expensive, especially if you hire a professional company to do it for you. In addition, you will also need to pay Apple and Google a yearly fee to keep your app in their respective app stores. Another disadvantage of having a mobile app is that you have to comply with the security and performance policies of both Apple and Google. This can be difficult and time-consuming, especially if you are not familiar with the technical aspects of building an app. If your app does not meet these standards, it could be removed from the store which would damage your business’s reputation. Despite the disadvantages, there are still many advantages to building a mobile app for your small business. These include increased brand credibility, improved customer engagement, and a more personalized experience for your customers. In addition, an app can act as a direct marketing channel and provide you with valuable feedback about your products and services. If you do your research and assess the needs of your target market, you can decide if a mobile app is right for your small business. What are some other pros and cons of building a mobile app for a small business? Please take a moment to share your thoughts and experiences so others can benefit from your input! Interested in learning more about business? Then just visit Waters Business Consulting Group.