source
Tempted to buy my client some of this as he is obviously full of it. He would enjoy that as we do wind each other up.
I was with one of my bigger clients today and can gauge how business is by someone's stock holdings. It was perfect timing with about a week to go before month end. They are a wholesaler and their shelves were jam packed.
Last week they had been telling me how busy they were so I was getting some mixed signals. I know how quiet the market is right now so what I was being told was not adding up. Never ask the bosses but ask the workers if you want the truth so I did.
They know exactly what is going on as they receive and pull the stock for the "very busy" period they are supposedly having. They told me that some clients had closed and were waiting for business to come back up to speed and other clients are ordering less than normal. Exactly what I had originally thought and no bull dust either.
When I went upstairs to chat with everyone in the offices I always look at the whiteboards to see if there are any new developments as they can be a huge source of information. Top of the list was creditors which was a telling sign as that I had never seen before here. Normally it was a list of new clients and schedules for who was visiting who.
If clients are owing money and the warehouse is full of stock then they are just treading water like the rest of us. I didn't speak about business as I had all the answers I needed just from being vigilant. It was a courtesy call and nothing else today as they are still my client.
I do feel for the staff who are on the road and earning a salary based on commission though. Your expenses stay the same or actually increase yet your earnings are constantly under attack. They haven't given up though so I take my hat off to them for that.
Normally this time of the year the entire industry cranks up for the season that looks like it isn't going to materialise. Sad really as this is the period that companies rely on to make it through the quiet months of January and February next year. It looks like there will be more pain for many companies as surely many companies cannot survive this. Online is the only way and the only ones booming.
The family business involved with sporting equipment are having to work late and now weekends as sales have sky rocketed over this period. New clients that had an online presence already and were established have listed many of their products boosting sales and revenue. I am happy it is working out for them finally yet at the same time glad I am not involved like I used to be. Working with family members can suck the life out of you and it is far from enjoyable.
I haven't given up on this year just yet but we are now staring at November already and the writing is on the wall. Six weeks from now most businesses that are open will close for the festive period and how festive this year will be is anyone's guess. We will be celebrating but I can assure you it will be a tight budget affair celebrating kissing good riddance to 2020.
