ImagesMagUK-July-2020

www.images-magazine.com JULY 2020 images 23 BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT In terms of social commerce, it promises to be a game- changer with more ecommerce features and functionality than any other platform offers. The platform was released in May and is being rolled out gradually to customers globally. If your business receives a notification that it is eligible to use this platform, it’s worth checking it out. To find out if it is available for your business, check your Facebook For Business Account or your Facebook Commerce Manager for more information. T he response to Covid-19 has seen retail businesses and the high street slow down rapidly to a standstill. Even after re-opening,footfall has remained reduced with extensive social distancing measures in place. Taking your garment decoration business online is key to safeguarding its short-term future. There are a plethora of options available for businesses looking to sell online, including building a bespoke website or getting an off-the- shelf package, but this could present challenges with regard to resources and finances. Social commerce is proving to be hugely popular, however, and following on from Instagram’s introduction of a checkout, Facebook has started rolling out its new Shops feature to users. Facebook Shops has the goal of making it easy for users to create simple online stores linked to their social media accounts. The store itself is free of charge and allows businesses to choose the products they wish to upload, customise their store area, and personalise it to their business accordingly. The store itself also integrates with Messenger, WhatsApp and Instagram direct messaging to allow potential customers to engage directly with your business. Introducing Facebook Shops Andrew Langridge is from ETrader, one of the industry’s leading suppliers of websites to garment decorators across the UK. www.etraderwebsites.co.uk A n unexpected side effect of the coronavirus pandemic has been the spike in dog ownership. Pet rehoming charities have seen a surge in enquiries since March and there are reports of dogs costing twice as much after lockdown than before, and waiting lists for puppies are said to have increased fourfold (fur-fold?). If you’re one of the many who’ve added a four-legged friend to your household over the past couple of months, then you may be considering taking them to work now that lockdown is easing. After 20 years of being accompanied to the office every day by one or more Jack Russell terriers, I know that a properly managed at-work pet programme will reduce stress and contribute to a more productive workplace. Some bigger companies in recent years have issued policies and procedures to govern pets at work – while that might seem too bureaucratic for the taste of most small businesses, discretion still has to be exercised. Some visitors will be afraid of dogs, some won’t like cats and others will be allergic to certain animals. Few people can conduct business with a dog slobbering all over them. The company pet isn’t going to exercise discretion around visitors; you have to do it. You also need to take your employees’ preferences into consideration. It’s difficult enough to find and retain good staff without losing them because of poor company pet management. The first step is to be completely open about your company pet policy at the recruiting stage. State up front: “We have a pet-friendly work environment.” (I don’t believe we had one prospective employee decline a position because of our dogs-at-work policy.) The second (and ongoing) step is to make sure that once you hire an employee, you don’t overtax his or her tolerance of the company pet. Company pets: how to reduce stress and increase productivity As long as it is properly managed, then having a pet at work can be hugely positive. Just reaching out to pat a furry head or scratch a floppy ear is calming and stress-relieving. And since stress is part of small business management – it comes with the territory – an effective drug-free antidote to stress at work is the at-work pet. There is a proviso, of course, that they must be well trained – a poorly trained, rambunctious animal could induce stress rather than relieve it. They can also contribute to a happier workplace. It takes a very determined grump to perpetuate a bad mood in the presence of an upbeat, happy, tail- wagging member of staff. And, as is often said, a happier workplace is a more productive workplace. Michael Best is a print industry veteran, accountant and author of Characters Who Can Make Or Break Your Small Business . Through 39 characters, Michael covers all aspects most small business owners can expect to encounter in the life of a business from inception to disposition. It is available from Amazon and www.smallbusinesscharacters.com .