Putting Slow Times to Good Use
We’re pleased to have a guest bloggers. The message below was written by Ernest Wertheim and Jack Klemeyer, the principals of firm of WERTHEIM VAN DER PLOEG & KLEMEYER Architecture, Landscape Architecture, & Planning. If you are in the retail side of the plant biz, you may know them as they are one of the leading garden center design firms in the world. If you aren’t retailing, their message is still valuable to consider, as it discusses a basic element of business survival: planning ahead to thrive. You can view their website by following this link. Good reading! Jim Rearden
It’s a “catch 22″: when you’re busy it’s hard to find time to plan, and when you’re not busy it’s hard to justify planning projects due to lower profits. But when business is slow, that’s exactly the opportunity you have to be thinking ahead about what can be done to improve your facility when the funds become available. Not every project has to be expensive; it might be something as simple as painting a wall to provide a better focal point for a special display, or moving a checkout station to a better location to reduce congestion. Think about the opportunities — and never forget the total picture, too many “bandages” can in the long run be very expensive.
The parts of the process:
The most important part of any solution is to define the problem correctly in the first place. This is not always easy when you’re close to a given situation, and may need some professional help, but you can start by making a list of how the problem manifests itself: is there congestion at the entrance and exit? Is there a lack of a Wow! factor when customers enter your facility? Are sales unusually slow in a particular part of the store? Are there portions of your outdoor sales area that customers never seem to get to? Are parts of your facility looking “tired”? Are there disabled access issues that need to be corrected? Seek input from your staff, encourage people to share their thoughts with regard to problems they have noticed. You can also assemble a focus group of some of your more valued customers to determine whether they have pet peeves they would enjoy seeing corrected — ideas to improve your facility or customer service.
Once the problem is identified, then we need to find a solution; this may be simple, or it may be complex, but whichever it is, think about ways to solve the problem with minimal disruption to your business. There may be some trade-offs — but there is usually more than one way to resolve a problem.
Even if all the parts of the solution are not totally identified, estimate the cost, either on your own or with the help of a professional (painter, contractor, architect, engineer, etc.); keep this cost estimate current — as more details become available, update the cost estimate. If the solution involves permits, be sure to include the expenses associated with obtaining them.
Think about the timing of executing the solution. What sort of preparation is needed? If you are improving your restroom facilities as a result of the customer focus group feedback noted above, what sorts of interim solutions will be needed while the new restrooms are being built? Can they be built one at a time, such that one “unisex” restroom will be available while the other is being renovated or expanded? How will access be maintained during the construction period?
If, as in the example of the restrooms above, the solution involves construction, be sure to carefully investigate the following, potentially with the help of a professional who is familiar with the local regulations:
- What approvals are needed, and how long will they take to obtain? Will design review approvals be needed before proceeding with the documentation needed to obtain a building permit?
- What is the cost of these approvals, and for what period will they remain valid? In many jurisdictions, building permits expire after 90 days if construction has not been started, and can be renewed only once, for an additional 90 days. So in general, it is best not to have a building permit approved until you know you are ready to begin construction. Planning approvals generally remain valid for a longer period of time.
- Do you have adequate documentation regarding the existing conditions prior to starting the planning process, including non-physical items such as the location of easements? Is accurate topographic information available, and current?
- Prior to even thinking about solutions, familiarize yourself with the basic zoning regulations affecting your property. Is the present facility considered a legal but non-conforming use, due to it having been in existence prior to zoning ordinances having been passed? Will this prevent any significant additions or improvements? Will variances be required (which take time to get approved)?
- Will storm water retention requirements affect what you want to do, and if so, to what extent? Is there adequate space for a retention pond without affecting other activities on the property, and is the location one that storm water can be drained to without the use of pumps?
- Identify any professional help you want to involve at an early stage, and verify their availability and the timing of the total work; even on small projects, there is a big value in including an experienced professional on the planning team.
- Think about the space that will be required for secure storage of materials, the contractor’s employee parking, a job office, and preventing conflicts with customer traffic.
- Will sustainability be a part of the solution? Do you want to become a community example for recycling, renewable energy sources, composting, and the like?
- With regard to financing, are investment tax credits available, and if so, will they make the project more financially viable?
So how do I start?
As noted above, the first step is to identify the problems. If there are several, list them, and then think about prioritizing — which are the most important to solve? Thinking doesn’t cost very much — rank the problems in their order of importance, and then think about potential solutions. Will some problems require less time and money to fix than others? If there are good solutions to important problems but the solutions are expensive, make the solutions part of the overall budgeting process. Start a “solutions” fund, investigate financing, and start planning for the future.
Conclusion
We’re all facing some difficult economic times right now, but that doesn’t mean this is not the time to be thinking about how to improve your facility. It is easy to stand still, but a fresh look — even in the simplest of terms — keeps customers’ interest, so it is important to make sure you don’t fall into the trap of having a “tired” facility that suddenly needs a major facelift. Making small improvements each year is a lot easier on the pocket book, and much less disruptive to your business. Keep the business growing!