Glass and mirror businesses don’t capture much media attention, but are a necessary part of today’s economy. From homes to businesses, everyone sometimes needs good glass work. How can you establish yourself as the local leader in glass repair and mirror work?

Establish a Workable Pricing Structure 

Unfortunately, glass and mirrors are sometimes ordered by customers who later change their minds. Hence, it’s important to set a policy of collecting a deposit upfront for your work. The deposit should be enough to cover your materials, so that if the customer backs out you aren’t out the money for the glass. Plus, this policy will cut down on the number of people who change their minds about the order or go somewhere else for the work.

Manage Inventory Wisely 

Too much inventory is just money sitting around doing nothing for your business, while too little inventory risks your losing business because you don’t have the materials to do the job. Keep track of what you use during the course of a month and keep enough on hand to manage regular customers. If a large order comes in unexpectedly, notify the customer that the materials have to be ordered. Be sure to charge the customer for any fees associated with rush delivery.

Enlist Help for Jobs You Can’t Do Yourself 

Busy phones, keeping the books, and marketing often take too much time away from production work, which can harm your bottom line. Consider hiring phone answering services and a bookkeeper, and enlist the help of a local marketing or advertising agent so that these jobs are done professionally and regularly without hurting the flow of business.

A well-run shop is sure to take the lion’s share of your home market.