Help! ideas needed. ..

[lordandbilk]

Recently at work we have been asked to come up with money saving/making ideas or just general ideas we could put in to practice that will help move the business forward. Each week in our meeting we have to say what our idea is and at the end of the year there will be a bonus for the best one! (This is where I need your help!)

I work in a finance company (small loans, cashing cheques, money transfer & pawn broking that kind of thing) & we also run a property letting company from the same office so the ideas need to be along those lines.

so far ideas have been things like making sure lights are off in rooms that aren’t used, turning off PC's at the end of the day (this was something we never did), buying tea and coffee in bulk, giving out leaflets that offer money back on the first loan that you take out or a 0% commission rate on the first cheque you cash & working late one night a week to work on debt collection (we get a morning off for this so it wasn’t just offering to work for free!)

So I need any ideas that may help widen our customer base or any ideas you have for promotions or offers we could do, or any ideas that would be good for a small office in general!

come on guys. . . help!

[Media Jems]

I would recommend implementing a targeted media relations programme - perhaps providing advice on getting credit, loans, bad debts bla bla bla - the idea is that you get feature placements in relative media where people will take note of your brand and associate it with credible information and advice. I placed a number of Q&A style columns in local media for an Accountacy franchise and it worked wondered for their brand reputation and new business enquiries!

If this idea is a winner with your company then give me a shout and we can talk some more!

Jenna x

[aiminghigh]

I would recommend your company phone and energy costs are reviewed and see how much cheaper the Utility Warehouse can do them for you.

I work for UWDC and have recently signed a small guest house in Camberley and have saved them nearly £1,000 a year on phone bills and BT Highway and \Internet costs alone.
I am now tackling their energy costs!!!!!!!!
You never know you may also be interested in becoming a distributor and then sign the company up and earn from them every month yourself!!!!!!!!

chris

good luck with your ideas

[ebonybailey]

go to the enviroment agency website I would imagine they have loads of ideas for business's to save on energy costs etc

Michael

[profitxchange]

Invite you local business link to come in and give the business a once over. What you are asking for is exactly what I did as an adviser with BL. (I have now retired) It was amazing what we found and all my clients were delighted. Though BL's can be very variable - just persist.

[einstein]

Are all the properties on your books let?

Have you advertised locally in newsagents windows for more property on your books, so that you can attract more customers.

Increasing revenue

Free advice, woulsd bring people in.

Think about complementary businesses that you could do, along the lines that you do, so that you can sell to your existing clients.

I think the things that you ahve put into place are good.

When I was in business i concentrated on reducing costs, while my partner concentrated on increasing revenue.

Both are important.