Anyone else quiet?

[4xfun]

Is it just me, or is it p'raps because it's January and everyone is getting the credit card statements in that business has simply just not taken off again this year yet?

My main job (presently while I'm building 4xfun up) is dealing with the motor trade doing trim repair work, and I've never known it so quiet.
Been going into the garages, and with one or two exceptions, they are all reporting stagnation.
Asking everyone else who's in business too, plumbers, builders, printers, wedding organisers, taxis, even the local off licence, and they are all reporting very poor trading.
General concensus of opinion is that everyone is worrying about mortgage payments, and as a consequence, they're all tightening their belts.

Is this general nationwide in most forms of industry etc, and hopefully just a seasonal trend, or is there something more sisnister to be getting concerned about, like the dreaded................. R word.

P'raps not such a good time to be starting up a new business after all?

 

[Desticado]

This week i've discovered 3 different people I know that are selling or shutting their businesses (myself not included). Two of them seem set on emigrating to New Zealand.

 

[estwig]

We is flat out!!!

 

[JoyDivision]

I've had a busy month so far, but a lightening strike in my area is a big cause of that as it caused several £1000's of damage and me being one of the best known IT companies in the area means I get a nice slice of that.

If it wasn't for the strike then this month would have been very average, and even then only due to a client who has a major hard drive failure on their central business machine so I have done a lot of work for them.

I live in a well of area where education is the biggest employment sector so I am hoping the effects may not be too bad long term, however with mortages and food rising the outlook is bleak.

Thankfully SME's which forms the bulk of my income will also require my services .

 

[Matt1959]

10 weeks work in hand for me but I am a bit nervous about this year and so far the phone hasn't rung much

 

[4xfun]

1 big main dealership in Chester just gone into receivership this week apparently...not one of my customers thankfully...and another one has trimmed back by closing one of its branches.
Scary.

My phone has only rung on 3 out of the last 8 working days.
Shall we ring each other up ey Matt?!

 

[JoyDivision]

The media are making the situation far worse by making people believe they have no money.

 

[4xfun]

The media are making the situation far worse by making people believe they have no money.

Exactly what I've been thinking. Flamin' press hypin' everyone up.
Gloom and doom makes for good headlines sadly, but it does have a knock on effect.
Bit like when they said...DON'T PANIC, there's plenty of fuel for everyone.
That reads to joe public, PANIC PANIC PANIC, we're all doomed!

 

[estwig]

Talk about glasses half full.....

What's the matter with you bunch of big girls blouses......'ave it!!!

 

[An Oasis]

Mixed for us

Small scale clients very quiet but then it is at this time of year
Corporate clients up massively, huge volume orders for hiring plants and on a UK wide basis, which is new for us most of our orders are mid scale.

 

[4xfun]

Talk about glasses half full.....

What's the matter with you bunch of big girls blouses......'ave it!!!

Take it that you're up the wall with punters then, having their houses extended cus they can't afford to move?
Out of every negative, someone gains a positive.

 

[maxine]

We is flat out!!!

us too twice as busy as this time last year!

 

[4xfun]

I had the usual poor Decemeber, but the best one ever. :|

 

[estwig]

Take it that you're up the wall with punters then, having their houses extended cus they can't afford to move?
Out of every negative, someone gains a positive.

No mate, not at all, there is always a positive for everyone and always has been.

It is all about your perspective.

 

[JoyDivision]

Take it that you're up the wall with punters then, having their houses extended cus they can't afford to move?
Out of every negative, someone gains a positive.

I am hoping if things do get bad my cheap PC repair service may become very popular, where as when times are good people will spend £300 on a new PC rather than £50 on a repair now people may be desperate and are forced into repair. It has got to a stage where so many computers I don't repair but tell them to buy a new one and just make money from the advice.

 

[redwall]

best january on record for us 20% up on orders ( just need to be paid for them )

 

[estwig]

I am hoping if things do get bad my cheap PC repair service may become very popular, where as when times are good people will spend £300 on a new PC rather than £50 on a repair now people may be desperate and are forced into repair. It has got to a stage where so many computers I don't repair but tell them to buy a new one and just make money from the advice.

What is the matter with people this evening???

Don't hope, if it is what you want make it happen, make them see the benefit in the £50 repair, how much money people have is irrelevant!!

People are always looking to save money, whether rich or poor.

 

[Joyous]

We is flat out!!!

Same here, absolutely up to my eyes in it. Can't think why.

Regards

Joy

 

[JoyDivision]

best january on record for us 20% up on orders ( just need to be paid for them )

There is a moral in that some where, not sure what it is though. But everytime I say this is my best month ever something happens to change that. Don't jinx things .

 

[4xfun]

No mate, not at all, there is always a positive for everyone and always has been.

It is all about your perspective.

Tell that to some of the miserable gits I have to listen to every day then will you?
Must be rubbing off on me now too.

Been through all this quiet stuff before. It'll pick up, it always does, but it does get a bit unnerving when things go quiet.
Something i've never managed to get me 'ed 'round for some reason.:|

 

[Loansite]

Picking up - it always does after Christmas when everyone gets their credit card statements It'll hopefully improve more with another quarter point off the base rate...

 

[Dizzydiza]

I had a few more phone calls last year.... but I'm not worried as visitor rate to my website is up as there has been a wee bit of advertising gone out for the exhibition I am attending on Sunday which hopefully will get me a few orders as I have also had to do an early bird offer. Its already paid off as I am working at the moment with about half a dozen orders

 

[Write My Site]

I've had a few potential clients ask me to contact them again in a couple of months because they're strapped for cash.

 

[elite123]

been busy for us this month.

I think you'll find its because people are skint this month. Last weekend was the "most skint" weekend of the month.

 

[CKG]

I'd love to be quite for a week at least - would give me a chance to re-organise our stores, get the vans washed at least once this year and weigh in or scrap copper mountain with the scrappy.

Unfortunately I dont have a day spare for 3 months..which is unusual for this time of year.

 

[billhilton]

I was flat out busy for the first two weeks of Jan - much busier than last year, in fact. This week is quieter (I've got time to blog and post to the forum again!) but still busier than usual.

Most of it's UK custom, though - very little coming out of the States.

 

[RayB]

Asking everyone else who's in business too, plumbers, builders, printers, wedding organisers, taxis, even the local off licence, and they are all reporting very poor trading.

This printer is flat out - but that is because we are following our business plan, part of which deals with making our business as immune as possible from economic slowdowns and the like.

The main thing is - we looked at how printers do business - and then did the opposite

 

[PICNAKS GRAPHICS]

Just ticking over but that gives us chance to do other things.

 

[4xfun]

As is always the case in this job of mine, everyone has rung me at the same time. :|
Currently stacked to the raffters with work again now. Does my head right in.

 

[MH1]

Currently stacked to the raffters with work again now. Does my head right in.

Some people are never happy

 

[adventurelife]

All this doom and gloom bouncing about is an opportunity for those that are proactive. I am in the events industry and that is one of the first areas to be hit when the economy turns south.

I suspected back in Sept things were going to be this way so have spent more time on marketing.

Jan 2007 = 202 enquires representing 1864 clients
Jan 2008 with 4 days to go 240 enquires representing 2699 clients

Our other several perfomance indicators are also all up . If I can maintain our enquiry close rate we will have over 100% revenue growth over Jan 2007.

I point these things out as I am in an industry that has convinced itself that things are going to be bad , very bad.

I decided not to listen. My advice is increase your marketing spend as their is profitable market share to be won when these downturns happen.

 

[4xfun]

Slightly different catergory and size to my 'new little business venture', but I dare say I could learn from you from a marketing point of view then?

My general feedback....and I know I'm dealing in a slightly different market to you granted, is that demand is actually rising for leisure activities.
Parents around here are constantly whinging that they can't find anything different for their kids to do for birthday treats, and holiday activities, and that is exactly the market I'm targeting.
The coming few months will prove one way or the other.

 

All this doom and gloom bouncing about is an opportunity for those that are proactive. I am in the events industry and that is one of the first areas to be hit when the economy turns south.

I suspected back in Sept things were going to be this way so have spent more time on marketing.

Jan 2007 = 202 enquires representing 1864 clients
Jan 2008 with 4 days to go 240 enquires representing 2699 clients

Our other several perfomance indicators are also all up . If I can maintain our enquiry close rate we will have over 100% revenue growth over Jan 2007.

I point these things out as I am in an industry that has convinced itself that things are going to be bad , very bad.

I decided not to listen. My advice is increase your marketing spend as their is profitable market share to be won when these downturns happen.

Interesting our jet ski business is very dependant on the weather,last years weather was terrible for us,but we still managed to do quite well selling parts around the world.

It will be interesting to see how things go if we have a decent summer.

I may be wrong but I suspect there is maybe more need for recreational activities during times of financial stress.?


Earl

 

[adventurelife]

Interesting our jet ski business is very dependant on the weather,last years weather was terrible for us,but we still managed to do quite well selling parts around the world.

It will be interesting to see how things go if we have a decent summer.

I may be wrong but I suspect there is maybe more need for recreational activities during times of financial stress.?


Earl

A bit the same for us, last July normally our 2nd best month of the year was terrible. Pre booked was good but last minute bookings and walk ins were way down. Reason was the huge amount of rain. Great for the rivers and what we do but people like the sun to shine to encourage them to go out.

Hoping for much more sun this summer