Even with the best of intentions, good customer service can slip down the freelancer’s priority list.
Time is often the culprit and when combined with a little procrastination and a healthy measure of freelancing fear, we can soon land with a full inbox. Some of the most important lessons I’ve learned about running my web development business successfully have come from my own experiences as a customer. I recently moved house and I wanted to get my new place professionally cleaned before I moved in. I called quite a few local companies but ended up cleaning the place myself. My experiences weren’t great and made me think seriously about my own customer service. Be there I worked my way through the phone book. If there was no quick answer, I hung up and moved on to the next supplier. If possible, supply a landline as well as a mobile number, because it shows you have a permanent base, which can help to garner trust among clients. No black holesOne receptionist told me the service I was looking for would require a specialist quote (even though one-off cleans were specified in their ad) and that I would be called back by her manager. I never received the call. Advertise what you sell – no more and no less Another company didn’t cover our area, even though they said they did. It’s important to be clear and honest about the services you offer and know your boundaries. Don’t try and get business you can’t handle, whether it be location, timescales, scope or expertise – even if you are just trying to cast the net as wide as possible, the customer won’t thank you for wasting their time. It’s potential business… don’t play hard to get! No one I spoke to sounded remotely happy that I had called! When I hear from a new customer, there is always lots to think about: how will I plan the development of their site? What features might they need? What’s their brand? What are their expectations? It’s important to show enthusiasm as a part of building a business relationship. Even if it’s not the most exciting project, the paying client deserves to know that they have the benefit of your professional attention and efforts. While you may not want to seem too eager, in my experience, clients are far more responsive when communication is dynamic and upbeat. If you take a week to reply to each phone call or email, it’s hard to keep enthusiasm and momentum going. Be upfront and confident with pricing When I phoned every cleaner within a 10-mile radius, I wanted to know two things: could they do it and how much would it cost? I know that design is a different industry but, offensive it as may be to a designer’s sensibilities, cost is still likely to be a very important consideration for your customer. I found that many companies were cagey about pricing. In many cases, once I had battled through to an actual price, it wasn’t as high as the salesperson’s hesitancy had implied. Rather than being a good thing, I wondered if she thought her prices weren’t justifiable. If you aren’t being greedy, you shouldn’t need to hide behind vagaries. Keep in touch It sounds so obvious, but when speaking to new customers on the phone, spend time taking down phone numbers and email addresses carefully so that you can be proactive about getting back in touch if necessary. Ascertaining how they got your details can help you to find out which kinds of advertising and promotion are working best for you. If you have an ad that’s offering out-of-date services or pricing, it’s important to know that too. Crucially, we are all consumers as well as providers of products and services. If we feel entitled to gold standard customer service, we also ought to be providing it. Your turn to talk… Now it’s your turn to talk. How do you guarantee a good customer experience for your clients? What other tips would you add to the list? Leave a comment on this post and let us know. The start of a new business venture is an exciting and busy time, as well as a labor of love. All successful businesses begin as just an idea, but it takes the right mix of dedication and execution to bring them into the world. If you have an idea for a new business, following these 5 steps will help bring it to life.
1. Put the Concept on Paper Some might call this creating a “business plan” but that term can feel a bit off putting. I prefer to think of it as a big note taking session where you’ll list off all of your ideas for your new business and how you potentially see them coming to life. Seeing your idea spelled out on paper can give you a deeper sense of whether the timing is right or not, and if you are truly willing to put in the hard work required. Be sure to list off all the ideas you have, including the roles everyone involved will play, and who will be responsible for what. When we started Wholesome Chow, my business partner and I never wrote a business plan. We thought we knew what we wanted to offer, but after trial and error our business went on a completely new path then the one we had originally started on. This cost us a lot of time and wasted resources (buying a ton of equipment that we never ended up using - yikes!). If we had really thought through our business before investing so much we would have saved ourselves quite the hassle. 2. Research the Market Market research is the most important step when starting a business. How will you know what your potential customers will want or need if you don't get out there and start asking? If your business has a physical location or storefront, scope out the potential competition, customers, and traffic in the area. If your business is solely online, research the same basics through Google. Be sure to ask your friends, family, and acquaintances if they would use your service or product. Knowing why they would or would not, and how they would make any modifications, will help to guide you. If you research your competition and find there are many other businesses offering what you want to offer, consider modifying your plan to specialize in something more specific to your area of expertise. 3. Invest More Time, Not Money Money is a valuable resource when starting a business. Be sure to make purchases wisely and with thorough research before you pull out your wallet. It’s best to tap into all of your resources which do not require you to spend money before investing actual funds into your business idea. Once your concept has legs, and you feel confident in your idea, then invest finances into equipment, etc. Throwing money at a business does not guarantee success. Time, energy, and research are more sustainable resources for a long lasting and lucrative business. 4. Start with a Small Test Market Test your idea in a small market, preferably in your local area. This will help you work out any kinks before you commit to bigger endeavors. If your test market falters, consider modifying your plan and thinking outside the box to see where you could improve. Before expanding to other regions, it’s best to have a secure presence in a smaller market. Wholesome Chow started off by selling gourmet, organic food at several of our local farmer’s markets. It was at these markets where we noticed our Organic Gluten Free & Vegan Chocolate Cake was a big hit. Customers came weekly to grab a slice and it was here that we realized there was a big need for gluten free products, especially baked goods and baking mixes. Our entire baking mix line was created because of this accidental market research, which cost us nothing! 5. Work as Often as Possible The best time to start a business is when you are ready to fully commit to it. You are the only person who can make your business dreams come true -- no one will do it for you. Get out there and make it happen! Tell the world about your business, brand yourself and make your business one of your top priorities. The first few years after starting Wholesome Chow, my partner and I worked about 8-12 hours almost every single day to get our brand off the ground. This included website development, product research, sales calls, answering emails, finding new customers, talking to store managers, mixing and packaging products, and much, much more. Had we not put in this crucial time and energy, Wholesome Chow would not be as successful as it is today. If we are starting to go crazy in typography style, then let’s continue with typographic and smart logo designs, shall we? Here you’ll find 10 beautiful logos created by talented designers. This showcase just proves the point how much can one/two words, icons tell using correctly white, negative, positive spacing, colors, accents creating interesting associations.
Explore and get creative as I did! 1. The Codedesign Much like a photograph, architectural designs record details of specific moments in time. But unlike an photograph, physical structures go on to have a life of their own, becoming a central and functional part of countless people's lives for hundreds, if not thousands of years after they were built. Here we have picked 20 of the most famous building designs from around the world which you can find inspiration simply by visiting them and discovering their historical background. 01. One World Trade Center, New York The latest addition to New York's skyline, the One World Trade Center, is the tallest skyscraper in the Western Hemisphere. Construction began in April 2006 and the final component of the building's spire installed five years later in 2013, making it the fourth tallest skyscraper in the world. The One World Trade Center's design is no coincidence, standing at a symbolic height of 1,776 feet (541m) in a direct nod to the year of the US Declaration of Independence. Designed by David M Childs of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, the 104-story glass tower raises from a cube base before transforming from the 20th floor into eight sleek isoceles triangles. Stood adjacent to the city's beautiful 9/11 memorial, the One World Trade Center is a shining beacon for the city. 02. St Paul's Cathedral, London London's most iconic building St Paul's Cathedral was designed by English architect Sir Christopher Wren. Sitting at the top of Ludgate Hill, the highest point in the City of London, its famous dome is one of the world's largest, measuring nearly 112 metres high. The original church on the site was founded in the year 604AD. Work on the present English Baroque church began in the 17th Century by Christopher Wren as part of a major rebuilding program after the Great Fire of London. Wren started working on St Paul's in 1668, his designs for the cathedral taking a decade to complete and the actual construction taking a further 40 years. St Paul's has played an integral part of London life ever since - as a domineering element in the city's skyline, as a centre for tourism and religious worship, and most recently as a focal point for anticapitalist protests. 03. Petronas Towers, Kuala Lumpur Standing at 170 metres above ground, the Petronas Towers are twin skyscrapers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The buildings, which held the titled of tallest in the world between 1998-2004, are an iconic landmark of the capital city. The distinctive postmodern style was created by architectsCesar Pelli and Achmad Murdijat, engineer Deejay Cerico and designer Dominic Saibo under the consultancy of JC Guinto. 04. The White House, Washington Irish architect James Hoban was the man behind the design of the White House. In 1792 Hoban submitted a plan for the presidential mansion and subsequently got the commission to build the White House. Constructed began in 1793 through to completion in 1801. The mansion, which has been home to every US leader since the country's second president John Adams, is made from white-painted Aquia sandstone. 05. Leaning Tower of Pisa The Leaning Tower of Pisa is one of the most remarkable architectural structures in Europe. Most famous for its tilt, the tower began to lean during construction after soft ground on one side was unable to properly support the structure's weight. Building work on the tower began in 1173 and went on for over a whopping 300 years. There has been much controversy surrounding the true identity of the architect behind the tower – the design originally attributed to artist Bonnano Pisano but studies have also implicated architect Diotisalvi. 06. The Shard, London Also referred to as the shard of glass, The Shard is an 87-storey skyscraper, which sits in the heart of London. Construction began in 2009 and was completed three years later in 2012, making it Western Europe's tallest building. Designed by architect Renzo Piano, The Shard is the second tallest free standing structure in the UK. It's exterior boasts 11,000 glass panels – that's equivalent in area to eight football pitches or two-and-a-half Trafalgar Squares. The building was developed to have multiple uses, described on the website as a 'vertical city where people can live, work and relax'. This motto was clearly taken on board by a fox, nicknamed Romeo, that was found on the 72nd floor towards the end of construction. 07. St Basil's Cathedral, Moscow No, we haven't included a piece of Disneyland architecture on our list, although you'd be forgiven for thinking so. This garish, candy coloured cathedral is in fact Moscow's most visited tourist attraction. The famous landmark, shaped to resemble the flame of a bonfire rising into the sky, is located just outside the Kremlin gates and marks the geometric centre of the city. Built between 1554 and 1560, the cathedral was erected during the reign of Ivan IV (Ivan the Terrible). Little is known about the building's architect Postnik Yakovlev, but he was clearly a fan of onion domes, sharp spikes and polygonal towers. 08. Empire State Building, NYC We couldn't put together a list of world-famous buildings without including this grand Art Deco skyscraper. Once the tallest building in the world, construction began on the Empire State building on St Patrick's Day 1930 and was completed just 410 days later. The building was designed by William F Lamb of architectural firm Shreve, Lamb and Harmon. It was declared by the American Society of Civil Engineers to be one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World and is known around the world as an icon of New York City. 09. Lloyds Building, London This futuristic building looks like it belongs in a sci-fi movie rather than Lime Street in London. The award-winning Lloyds building (also known as the Inside-Out building) is an iconic architectural landmark and one of the most recognisable constructions on the London skyline. Architect Richard Rogers was the brains behind the innovative design, which has its services – including water pipes and staircases – on the outside. Built between 1978 and 1986, the building also features 12 exterior lifts, which were the first of their kind in the UK. 10. Colosseum, Rome This elliptical amphitheatre in the centre of Rome is considered as one of the greatest architectural feats achieved by the Ancient Romans. The stadium was capable of seating 50,000 spectators and used mainly for gladiatorial games. Built from concrete and stone, construction began on the Colosseum began around 72AD and finished in 80AD. The design and shape of the Colosseum has been the inspiration for many modern day stadiums. Today it is one of Rome's most popular tourist attractions, attracting thousands of visitors each year. 11. Taj Mahal, India Recognised as 'the jewel of Muslim art in India', the Taj Mahal was built by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan. Often mistaken as a palace, this famous landmark was actually built as a tomb for the Emperor's wife after she died giving birth to their 14th child. The Taj Mahal is regarded as one of the finest examples ofMughal architecture – an amalgamation of Persian, Turkish and Indian styles. Construction on the mausoleum began in 1632 and was completed in 1648. The surrounding buildings and gardens took a further five years to finish. 12. Chrysler Building, NYC In the early part of the 20th Century, people everywhere were in a race to build the tallest building. At the time, this gorgeous Art Deco skyscraper was almost outdone by the Bank of Manhattan but its spire (which was constructed in secret) enabled it to take the title of 'tallest building in the world' in 1930. It didn't last long though. Just a year later the Empire State Building was erected. Designed by architect William Van Alen, the skyscraper was commissioned by car manufacturer Walter P Chrysler, hence its name. 13. Sydney Opera House Sydney Opera House is widely regarded as one of the greatest architectural works of the 20th century. The innovative design came from architect Jørn Utzon, who was relatively unknown until January 29, 1957 when his entry to the 'International competition for a national opera house at Bennelong Point, Sydney' was announced the winner. The beautiful building comprises of three groups of interlocking shells, which roof two main performance halls and a restaurant. A masterpiece of modern architecture, the opera house has become an iconic symbol of both Sydney and the Australian nation. 14. Space Needle, Seattle The futuristic Space Needle in Seattle, Washington was built for the 1962 World's fair. The famous landmark stands at 184m high and 42m wide at its widest point. The design was a collaborative effort between architects Edward E Carlson and John Graham. Not only is the architecture a marvel to look at but the building's impressive design can survive wind velocities of 200mph and can escape serious structural damage during earthquakes of up to 9.1 magnitudes. 15. Hagia Sophia, Istanbul Once a church, later a mosque, and now a museum, Hagia Sophia is a architectural masterpiece. A perfect example of Byzantine architecture, Hagia Sophia is located in Instanbul, Turkey. The building was built for the first time by the emperor Constantine the Great (306-337). However, due to many factors, including being burned down in riots and earthquakes, the ancient cathedral has been rebuilt many times since. Despite this, Hagia Sophia is widely recognised as one of the great buildings of the world. And if that wasn't cool enough, the building also features in the opening scenes of the Bond film, Skyfall. 16. Buckingham Palace, London Originally known as Buckingham House, George III bought the property in 1735 when the mansion was little more than a red brick house. Since then, various architects have worked on the building to make it what it is today, including John Nash, Edmund Blore and Sir Aston Webb. The palace also had to undergo extensive work after being bombed no less than nine times during World War II. However, still very much in operation, it's one of the few working royal palaces remaining in the world today. 17. Fallingwater Designed by famous American architect Frank Lloyd Wright in 1934, Fallingwater is quite possibly the most famous private residence in the world. But why? Well, the unique design makes it look like the house stretches out over a 30ft waterfall, with no solid ground beneath it. This isn't the case, obviously, but the innovative design captured everyone's attention when it was finalised in 1939. It became famous instantly and is now a natural historic landmark. It's so cool you can even get a Lego version of the architectural masterpiece! 18. Pantheon, Rome Rome is home to many amazing buildings, and the Pantheon is no exception. And, like the city itself, it was not built in a day. Destroyed twice and rebuilt each time, the building started as a rectangular structure, which, over time, evolved into the gorgeous dome building seen today. An inspiration to architects all over the world over the last 2,000 years, the Pantheon roof remains the world's largest unreinforced concrete dome. There is much debate between historians over which emperor and architects were responsible for the Pantheon's design although it is known that this 'Temple of the Gods' was built around 126AD. 19. Guggenheim Museum, Bilbao The Guggenheim museum Bilbao is one of the most admired works of contemporary architecture. California-based Canadian-American architect Frank Gehry created the unique concept after winning an architectural competition to design the building. Since the museum doors opened in 1997, it has been hailed one of the most important buildings of the 20th century. Now with over a decade of success, the museum has homed over a hundred exhibitions and has welcomed more than 10 million visitors. 20. Flatiron building, New York The eye-catching Flatiron building in Manhattan was designed by Chicago architect Daniel Burnham and built in 1902. The distinctive triangular shape allowed the building to fill the space located at the intersection of Fifth Avenue and Broadway. Another of New York's skyscrapers, it was never the tallest but remains one of the most memorable and has been a source of inspiration for artists and architects for over a century now. 21. Villa Savoye, France Designed by Swiss architects Le Corbusier and his cousin, Pierre Jeanneret, Villa Savoye is an early and classic example of the International style – a major architectural style that emerged in the 1920s and '30s. The property was built in 1928 and, after surviving several demolition plans, was designated as an official French historical monument in 1965. 22. Burj Khalifa, Dubai Last on our list – but by no means the least – is the world's tallest building Burj Khalifa. The mammoth skyscraper and magnificent centerpiece of Downtown Dubai stands at a whopping 828.9 metres high.
Construction began on the 160-floor building in 2004 with its doors opening six years later in 2010. The task of creating the world's tallest manmade structure was awarded to the Chicago office of American architectural and engineering firm Skidmore, Owings and Merril LLP. Which of these architectural designs inspires you the most? Have we missed any famous buildings off the list? Tell us in the comments box below... |