Many people are now starting Web-based businesses which are completely virtual; they have no formal offices or even full-time staff. But there will always be a need for local services which require fixed premises, so I often meet entrepreneurs who aspire to run restaurants, shops and bars.
The current economic gloom has one key benefit - leases are much cheaper, and terms more flexible. But location is everything; you can be just one street away from that most highly desired commodity, "passing trade", and remain empty. Then, you need to out-execute the competition, which may already be operating a very similar establishment within walking distance. Finally, if you are successful you will want replicate your model and scale your business, which brings a whole new set of challenges.
Someone who recognised these challenges and successfully met them is Brendan Robinson, founder of the Village Vet. He arrived in the UK as a fresh-faced graduate of a top veterinary college in his native South Africa, and learnt his trade at the PDSA, the UK's leading animal charity.
Robinson loved this experience, and reckons he did more animal surgery in his eighteen months there than most vets do in a lifetime. He found a suitable practice in Hampstead run by a vet who had one eye on his impending retirement. Robinson became a partner, and soon bought out the rights to the practice.
He set about making the practice somewhere the local residents would feel comfortable in bringing their pets, so he furnished the place in the style of the homes in the area, with plenty of stripped pine and natural light. Then he removed the rather forbidding medical uniforms, replacing white coats with casual wear, and greeted all the customers and their pets with a friendly smile.
Robinson puts down his success to being genuinely passionate about people and animals. People picked up this natural empathy; business was booming and he was soon looking for a second premises.
A second location is always an important milestone for any premises-based business; recording artists also talk about the "difficult second album". Robinson sensibly found empty premises nearby in Highgate, which was actually closer for many of his customers, who were happy to switch.
His passion for providing the best possible veterinary care through innovation led to his installing a hydrotherapy pool for animals recovering from surgery and flying in an animal cardiologist from Belgium once a month.
Once the right systems are in place, the challenge is always finding people who are able and willing to deliver to this proven formula. They must have the right technical qualifications and expertise, but just as important are the people skills - subject-matter experts can often appear intimidating to customers. Being scolded for not bringing in your pet earlier is not the right way to treat a customer already deeply distressed by their animal's condition and suffering.
Robinson learned the hard way how to knock the rough edges off brilliant vets who lacked the right social and customer service skills. He achieved this through external training, backed up by regular internal discussions about best practice and shared experiences.
The writer is a best-selling author, keynote speaker and entrepreneur mentor, co-founder of Beermat.biz, an on-line resource for entrepreneurs.
By Mike Southon
© Gulf News 2009
