Penzance Chamber of Commerce

Your Unofficial Sales Force

Consider these three everyday occurrences. Two young women sit in a café discussing how much they hate work - and some customers in particular. A van driver, frustrated with a hesitant motorist in front of him and tired of leaning on his horn and flashing his lights overtakes a little recklessly, with just enough time to flash a hand gesture before cutting in. A sales executive drops a pile of brochures in a puddle as she steps from her car and, fearing the effect of muddy water on a smart suit, leaves them there.

Three common scenarios which most of us can picture. Now change the picture a little - the young women are dressed in your company's staff uniform: the van driver's vehicle is sign-written with your company name and details: the brochures which, windblown, now litter the street display your products, your messages and your corporate identity.

It's impossible to quantify how many sales or even major contracts have been lost through events such as these or a thousand other seemingly uncontrollable negative representations of business - impossible because, in most cases, businesses will never know why they have lost the confidence of customers.

Your staff are often a highly visible representation of your company. Maintaining their enthusiasm for your business is not about rah-rah sessions or singing the company hymn: it makes sound business sense. It's about stressing that every member of the organisation has a vested interest in promoting a positive image, even when off duty. It's about making success shared success and understanding that failures are shared failures. It's also about developing and valuing staff in ways that make them feel positive about work.

You can begin by impressing on everyone who works for you that making a positive impression of the business to the wider world is the part of their job that doesn't stop when they leave work. This process should be part of the initial orientation procedure - as much a part of the job as paperwork or finding the coffee machine. It should be reinforced by frequent repetition. On a pro-active note, do you offer incentives to all your staff to generate new business (not just those with "sales" in their job title. Simple incentives can be worth their weight in leads and help put everyone in the organisation on a "promotional" footing.

For each of the negative examples cited above, there are positive alternatives. The young women could have good things to say about their work, the driver could show exceptional consideration With a little care and thought and taking the time to get staff working with you, your employees can become your company's unofficial sales force.

Giving Visitors the Cleanest Experience

One of the most high profile tourism-related businesses in our district may have trouble convincing officialdom that it's in tourism at all even though that a vast proportion of the visitors to our part of the world come into very direct contact with its product. The Laundry, run by husband and wife (and Chamber of Commerce stalwarts) Dennis and Niki Dowrick, will be responsible for the clean, fresh and crisply pressed bed linen on which many visitors will sleep.

The Laundry began life in two converted garages at the back of St Mary's Terrace. Originally the business with which Dennis became involved was to have been a dry cleaners but the addition of a washing machine to handle duvets ("everyone brings duvets to a dry cleaner," says Dennis "but they have to be washed!") set a chain of events in motion that led to laundry becoming the core of the business. It became The Laundry when Niki and Dennis took over in partnership in 1991.

Today, The Laundry has approaching 1000 customers including hotels, guest-houses and self catering accommodation as well as bars, clubs, restaurants and domestic customers. When St Just Rugby Club turn out in pristine kit on a Saturday, that's thanks to The Laundry and after the game The Laundry will be charged with tackling the West Country mud once again.

It continues to expand. Whenever extra capacity has been needed, the company has added equipment, as with two new washing machines and a new dryer recently and a further two driers soon. Three full time staff work alongside Niki and Dennis all year round, with a further two in the height of the summer season. "One of our summer students, Prue, has been with us for seven years running," says Niki. The couple's children Jennifry and (to a lesser extent) Tristan are also involved in the family business.

The "secret" of their success is not really a secret at all. "Lots of hard work and long hours, the support of Lloyd's Bank in Penzance, a great deal of pitching in and help from friends" are cited as factors. The latter element was critical in maintaining the business a couple of years back when Niki was out of commission for six months following her double hip replacement operation. Customers are due thanks too - Niki describes most of them as "lovely".

The Laundry has had no help from any of the grants and schemes about, even though some assistance from this direction would have come in useful. The restrictions placed on who can receive the money have usually precluded this firm. The usual "tourism-only" stipulation apparently means only those places taking money directly from visitors and not those providing a vital service to the tourism industry.

That industry has undergone a lot of change in recent years, one measure being the rise of the self-catering sector. As a result of more people switching from hotels to cottages, expectations have shifted. "The days when visitors would bring their own bed linen are virtually over," reports Dennis. "People now expect to get clean and pressed sheets to the same standard they would get at a hotel. If they don't, they won't rebook."

The main competitor remains the linen hire giants but many of their customers will use The Laundry for duvets and coloureds. Being small enough to be flexible and adapting to whatever the client needs helps to keep them loyal.

One of the tools of the trade is an enormous bunch of keys which Dennis uses to gain access to a variety of outbuildings, sheds and utility rooms on his rounds - picking up soiled and delivering fresh laundry without even needing to see the customer. Dennis' journey is all the better for the recent upgrades in the firm's van fleet. "The new vans are about the best vehicles I've ever had!" quips Niki, who wants to thank Mercedez Benz of Truro for making the purchases so easy.

Another new addition to the business is the computer. Niki is using the machine to streamline billing and accounting procedures and it also means that their customers and potential customers have a new way to reach them - via e-mail.

Making a success of your business can be simple. Do what you do and do it well. The Laundry's promotional activity includes some local advertising, Find it Locally, intocornwall.com, Yellow Pages and occasionally direct mail. Yet by far the biggest component is what Niki describes as the "granite grapevine" - the word of mouth recommendation of a company with a rock-solid reputation.

The Laundry is at 7A Long Rock Industrial Estate, Penzance, TR20 8HX. Tel: Penzance 330500, e-mail:thelaundry@btopenworld.com.

Listen for the Difference

The first meeting of the Chamber in 2004 kicked off with a short address from Graham Gilbert, launch director of Kernow FM, who hopes that his proposed station, will take the second commercial radio licence for Cornwall. The bidding process is expected to be carried out later this year with the winner being declared by the new regulator, OFCOM, in October.

Mr Gilbert who has successfully launched other stations and was once a director at Plymouth Sound Radio began his talk by expounding the virtues of radio for the small business advertiser. Doing radio well, he argued, offers a number of advantages.

"Radio follows you wherever you are," he told the meeting, explaining that most of us have radios in our cars and that, unlike watching TV, we can listen while we do other things. "Radio is a trusted friend," he offered, and told the story of a lady who was so agoraphobic that she had not set foot from her house in years and yet who entered (and won) a radio competition for a trip to Australia - a prize which she was able to claim. "Radio stimulates the imagination," he said and illustrated this with audio examples. "It's possible to paint pictures in the imagination through audio that you could never achieve with visual media," he suggested.

As someone who has written many radio commercials, your present correspondent couldn't agree more but, like most things, the devil is in the details. Any advertising done badly is worse than no advertising at all. Most radio stations offer to produce your ad for you but many of their efforts are not worth hearing. If you want to be serious about broadcast advertising, use professionals, get something original and be prepared to pay both for production and to have it aired a good number of times. And on a matter of personal taste try to avoid setting your company name to "catchy" music.

The main purpose for the address was to solicit feedback from members about the kind of Radio station (for Cornwall only) they would like to see. Kernow FM aims to be a music station featuring fifty years of chart music, specialist slots and the output of local bands as well as solid local and national news coverage. As well as the usual lively suggestions from the floor which ranged from forties music to chat, Mr Gilbert would like to hear from all interested parties and has a questionnaire which you can request from their e-mail studio@kernowfm.com or view their website at www.kernowfm.com.

We await the outcome of the bidding process with interest and hope to have more guest speakers on a variety of subjects at many of this year's Chamber meetings.

January Meeting

Members at the January meeting heard that the introduction of automated meteorological station readings this summer should end the perennial problem of the blank spaces that follow Penzance's name in the national press.

The Chamber is awaiting a formal response from trustees that will allow the now defunct CCTV fund to be incorporated into its own coffers.

The proposed revival of the Penzance Horse Show scheduled for June 20th - the start of Golowan - is seeking commercial partners and sponsors. Interested members should contact John Smalley on 01736-368815.

The hydrographic survey required as an integral part of the harbour and town regeneration proposals is underway Mike Waters told the meeting. The proposals for the enhancements to Market Jew Street were to be presented to the Town Council on 12th January.

Here's something for next month's meeting on which you might like to have a say: a proposal that Penwith council tax payers should enjoy free parking in council car parks until 10am. The idea would be to allow locals to make use of the town in summer before the visitors rush out of their hotels/guesthouses/cottages. Let's debate and propose our thoughts to the powers that be.

Remember also that next month's regular meeting will be followed by the AGM. If you feel that the current council and officers are doing a great job, this is your chance to endorse them for a further year or, if you don't agree, sack them (including the press officer). Only attendees get to shape the Chamber so come along and contribute.

Write to Save Spaces

While coalition forces risk life and limb to "bring democracy to Iraq" we could do with some democracy here. News reached the meeting that the planning authority has decided "under delegated power" to resite the Bellair Clinic and ambulance station at the St Erbyn's car park.

Among the plans are sewage and services construction and the word "temporary" seems to have mysteriously vanished from the proposals. The Chamber is opposed to this move but Penwith District Council planning department sees our objection as a single representation.

Very well, lets multiply things. We urge all Chamber members to write to your elected Penwith District councillors - the people who are alleged to wield power in your name - and explain that the loss of several hundred car parking spaces and the re-siting of the recycling facility would be an unacceptable blow to our town. Suggest that they recall this decision back to council. Get your employees and anyone you know who's a Penwith business rate or council tax payer to do the same.

If the clinic and ambulance station move we believe it will be a permanent relocation and the St Erbyn's car park will be lost forever. Don't let it happen; write today.

Taking a Sickie

Writing this with a tissue in one hand and a bottle of decongestant in the other is challenge enough. Running a business with key staff absent is even more challenging. So it was one of those unsurprising seasonal statistics (a poll by Developing Patient Partnerships, with the Consumer Health Information Centre) that told us that thirteen percent of workers (34% among the 18-24 age group) regard sick days as a winter holiday and as many as 60% take time off for minor ailments like colds. Doctors are tired of writing sick notes, employers tired of having to cover. So what measures can you take to prevent staff abusing their sick-pay entitlement.

Most exasperated employers would, understandably, begin by reaching for the big stick. Threats, disciplinary action and the abolition of sick pay (after all, many of us don't get paid if we don't work) have been mooted. One employer a few years back resorted to hiring a firm of private detectives to check whether "sick" staff really were suffering.

Unfortunately, as in many employment issues, sanctions are likely to be counter productive. There is always the danger that those we single out for punishment are genuinely unwell and their unhappiness can have knock on effects. Who wants the reputation for being an uncaring employer? People can be very ingenious at avoiding work. Wouldn't you rather they set that ingenuity towards the success of your business?

As with so many employment issues the answers are a little boring, require some effort from managers and are effective across a whole range of issues. Staff will work through sniffles if they are engaged in their work, if they enjoy the working environment (if the work is boring, then the camaraderie can achieve this) and if they feel they have a stake in the success of the business. Most people will do more for others they care about than for themselves and if they are part of a team they won't want to be the one to let their team-mates down.

If your reputation as an employer is good, you'll attract a higher standard of job applicant and, in all employment issues, life is so much easier when you start with the right calibre of people. You could always just sack shirkers of course. Better, I'd suggest, to ask why your people wouldn't rather be at work.

Join the Chamber

The Chamber of Commerce represents the interests of local business with the County, District and Town Councils, Government agencies and public bodies. It actively campaigns on issues affecting the business community as well as issues affecting the community as a whole. This requires finances and direct involvement by committed people, and deserves the support of every business in the region.

Our Chairman is coordinator of the West Cornwall Group of Chambers and the Cornwall Business Partnership. He is a member of the Priority Management Group 3, which approves Objective One funding in the area of Learning and Skills development He is also a member of the Penzance Regeneration Steering Group that has worked on the submission of an Objective One bid to greatly enhance the prosperity of the town and its inhabitants. Other members represent the Chamber on such bodies as the Police Consultative Committee and Tourism Committee.

All businesses have problems from time to time, and it has been proved that representation from a Chamber Officer on behalf of the member concerned can greatly enhance the prospect of a satisfactory conclusion. With major issues, such as the Penzance Regeneration Project, West Cornwall Hospital, Objective One and so on needing input from the business community there has never been a better reason for all businesses to become Chamber members - the greater our membership, the bigger our voice. JOIN NOW!

We invite membership applications from individuals and businesses large or small. For further information, visit the Membership Enquiry or Membership Application pages on this site.

Forthcoming Meetings

The next monthly Chamber Meeting will be held on Tuesday, February 3rd at 7.30pm at the Pirates Rugby Club, Alexandra Road, Penzance.

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