South Africa’s entrepreneurs haven’t had it easy. The current political landscape coupled with global uncertainty has brought with it significant business instability.
This is evidenced in Xero’s 2017 State of SA Small Business Report which found that 68% of small businesses view economic instability as their number one challenge, while 38% are concerned about their cash flow.
Within the small business community, the report also highlights a growing frustration with the government’s lack of support to help keep them afloat. Despite being set up to do just that, 89% of small businesses don’t feel that The Department of Small Business provides the right support.
This lack of support extends across government: 48% of entrepreneurs would like to see more funding, 44% want less red tape, 43% call for more tax breaks, and 36% want better access to finance. While these requests are perfectly reasonable, they’ll only take effect if the government gives them the go-ahead.
Implementing more measures to support small businesses will take time. This means 2018 is going to be just as challenging as 2017 – if not more so.
Here are three things you can do to overcome these economic challenges.
1Be agile
Smaller businesses are typically more agile than their larger competitors. This is a huge advantage when navigating an unpredictable market. Macro-economic challenges are, for the most part, beyond your control. Rather than try and ‘fix’ the situation, move with the market and adapt to its changing nature.
The best way to maintain customer relevancy is to review your offer regularly and look for ways to improve it. You could consider lowering your prices – as long as it doesn’t upset the books. Or think about investing money back into the business to yield greater returns.
There’s no one-size-fits all approach, so just make sure you do what is right for your business. Part of this is ensuring you stay fresh in the eyes of your customers by continuing to respond to their evolving needs.
2Invest in new technologies
Investing in the most up-to-date technology will pay off in the long run. For South Africa’s small businesses, technology is only growing in importance: where 19% said it was essential last year, that number has increased to 49% in 2017.
Cloud accounting software, for example, can help you understand your company finances and track budgetary health in real-time. Knowing exactly where your funds are and how they’re being allocated, enables a much faster response time – this is critical during unstable economic times.
Technology can also help you build a more competitive business by reducing wasteful expenses, automating time-consuming data entry tasks and streamlining processes for greater efficiency.
The more knowledge you have, the easier it is to put measures in place that will enhance your company’s operations.
3Deliver superior customer service
Purse strings might get tightened during tough economic times, but there will always be demand for certain products. Ensure you give your customers a superior user experience when they engage with you, and they’ll return.
It’s not always possible to compete on price. Bigger, more established companies generally have the capital reserves to undercut their rivals. But, small businesses can always compete on value. If you can offer a superior customer service, then you’ll receive customer loyalty in return – this is priceless in a volatile economy.
The past year has been incredibly challenging – and it’s unlikely to get easier as we move into 2018. But, the most successful entrepreneurs don’t let the economy thwart their ambitions – they equip their business to weather any storm. The sooner you innovate and adapt your business, the better your chances of success.
