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When the Kent Invicta Chamber of Commerce wanted to interview little old me for their most recent issue of Thinking Business, I had two thoughts.
One, it's about time, and two, how can I get across how great we are at Flowbird to help businesses build value and enable our clients to develop and grow their existing customer base?
I guess by starting at the beginning…
Flowbird is a customer relationship management (CRM) and marketing automation agency founded in 2013 and is one of the fastest-growing firms of its kind.
We were born out of a realisation that many companies, despite investing in CRM and marketing automation software, do not know how to utilise these technologies to their full potential, thereby improving their processes, sales, and profitability.
And it's no wonder; managers' days are full, so it's easy to overlook fundamentals, such as whether they have a good customer retention strategy. They already know that acquiring new customers is more expensive than retaining the ones they already have. Yet, little effort is often put into customer retention, even though the research shows that two-thirds of customers will switch to a competitor if they don't feel valued.
Customers are the heart of your business.
The customer will always be your most valuable asset, which is why you need a CRM system. This technology enables managers and staff to track their interactions with every customer, identifying who said what and when.
Let's say you want to sell up - is your business in good enough shape to tempt a buyer? At Flowbird, we also look at our client's company from a prospective buyer's perspective. This is where our Value Builder tool comes in handy, enabling you to address issues such as delegating confidently and ensuring you have all the necessary processes in place.
The Value Builder Process
Value Builder is a 12-point assessment that enables businesses to evaluate their effectiveness. Customers receive a score on eight key indicators that drive their company's value, along with a detailed plan of action for improving that score. Businesses can also identify potential threats that detract from their value, gain insight into how a potential buyer would evaluate the company, and pinpoint the most valuable aspects.
Flowbird wants you to start loving your business again, enjoy running it, and see its value - and that's where we come in.
I knew I'd be asked the inevitable 'How has COVID-19 affected business?' question, and I knew my answer might be the typical response expected. That's because the pandemic helped us (business-wise). After all, companies suddenly had the time to streamline their internal processes. It hasn't all been plain sailing for us. Brexit has significantly impacted customer supply chains, and as a result, buying and selling have become much more challenging. We have had to adapt accordingly. We've achieved this by increasing our focus on the British market, where we don't face the same challenges with buying and selling, and we're expanding into niche markets such as furniture and leisure. Companies that operate businesses like this require a robust CRM to monitor and manage their orders effectively.
So, what does the future look like for Flowbird? We hope to win more local business, and becoming a member of the Kent Invicta Chamber of Commerce will help!
Read the full interview here.