Good eye for detail - business in this?

[Brewster]

Hi everyone,

I am a very organised person and a bit of a perfectionist.
When i walk into a room, esp a business. for example a cafe or massage therapists, beauty room etc. the first things I notice are what is good and bad about the space.
What I would change if it were mine and what those changes would do to make it a nicer and possibly more profitable business.

Do you think people would pay to have me come to their work and evaluate what areas could be improved from the view point of the customer?

Many thanks

Possibly, but I think you need to back it up with some kind of qualification. A course in this kind of thing would also give you the right kind of vocabulary to sell what you're offering. My friend did a degree in leisure and tourism and she learnt how to do table plans for restaurants etc. I guess you would need a course in something to do with retail.

Or get a good reputation. Perhaps offer your services for free and get some good testimonials. What's your background? Don't know if people would seek your services unless you had some kind of experience of the industry tbh.

You could be the Gordon Ramsay of the business world (referring to kitchen nightmares) needs a proper title tho and some qualifications will help

I think I can do this too. Doesn't everyone, though?

How on earth do you know you would make it nicer? Nicer to you maybe, but maybe not to the owner. And how do you know you could make it more profitable? I have 15 years of retail experience and could easily re merchandise a shop to make it more profitable once i had certain business information from them , but what do you have?

@Brewster sounds like a good idea.

Sometimes what is needed is exactly that, someone to look at it from the view point of the customer. The problem with the so called experts, e.g. Mary Portas, is that they come with a very fixed viewpoint, and that constrains their advice they can offer. Industries change very quickly, and dinosaurs get left behind.

@Realitybitesyourbum, whats your point? You could do it better? Go and do it, no need to shoot down someones idea, it just comes across as bitter.

I think you'd need a qualification in interior design, or some kind of business qualification.

Not too sure what you'd pick up on to make it more profitable- if that's a goal of the business anyway- might be doing really well!

Are you talking fixtures and fitting, colour schemes, where the brochures are stacked- or what?

I think what reality and a few others were saying is how do you know you can do this?
I appreciate you might think you can but unless you have done it and actually increased people's profits and have real proof of this how will you sell your services?
For people to employ you to do this I think you would need to be an established name in the field of retail or hospitality etc.

i think it could come across and being quiet rude if you don't have any other businesses that you have already taken on.

maybe a few pro bono jobs to start your portfolio first

Mrumble , my point someone saying they can do something doesn't mean they can! And just because i say that doesn't mean i want to, i don't . Doesn't the op realise that only the biggest businesses pay for this as they have the turnover and profits to pay for a business analyst or retail designer. Smaller businesses certainly don't have spare money for this, doesn't the op realise that margins are tight and any business who can spare the cash would use a qualified and experienced person or business to do it, not someone who has had an idea on the back of a fag packet as it were.

Businesses have very tight margins, and nowadays even retailers who used to employ visual merchandisers don't any more as they just train existing managers to do it. Its all a bit pie in the sky and it is kind to point that out to someone who is naive about it. Its not mean, but helpful so they don't waste their time and energy on it.
I think i could fly a plane, but i wouldn't ring up British airways and say, employ me , i think i can do it!

I think it's a good idea. Why not try?

You could initially offer your services for free to gain experience and a portfolio. Speak to shop owners locally or are there any MNers in your area who would like a business/shop free make over?

Get feedback from doing this and make a website with testimonials etc.

Try it. This time next year you could be telling us your success story!