Resources - Selling Services / Market Place
Demonstrating social responsibility in the marketplace is as crucial as the practices that you follow in the workplace. Developing relationships with consummers, suppliers and other stake holders is an excellent way of demonstrating CSR - and one which impacts positively on the bottom line.
Top Tips
Dealing with Customers:
Accessibility - In order to maximise your sales - and demonstrate your respect for your consummers - accessibility is key.
- Printed materials including brochures and fliers should be written in plain English, preferably using an accessible font like verdana, in an appropriate size. For exhibitions or conferences, you may also consider using a coloured background - even cream can be easier to read for some people with dyslexia.
- Websites should be checked for accessibility and expert guidance sought to address any uncertainties. Again, the font should be verdana; graphics should be explained in alt tags for those using speech software; and the language should be appropriate for the audience.
- Offices and shops. If customers frequently visit your premises, make sure that the signposting and directions are clear. Would a site layout support visitors in finding their way around? Are parking guidelines clear?
How you treat your customers is a direct reflection on your organisation and, whilst for most people, these practices will come naturally, it helps to be aware of their personal and professional significance:
- Avoid pressurising customers in order to make a sale. This can negatively impact on your business and can lead to consummers feeling cornered or reluctant to return.
- Acknowledge any problems and act responsibily. If the fault lies within your organisation, seek to rectify the situation.
- Be honest. Making unfounded claims about a product or service will come back to you! Remove this risk by being transparent and honest, and taking the customer's needs and interests into account.
Under-served markets: A joined up approach
Under-served markets provide an excellent opportunity for Corporate Social Responsibility activites and team building projects in deprived areas or with hard to reach groups can offer a meaningful contribution - and one that taps into a new consummer base.
- Identify a voluntary sector organisation that is involved in or has developed a relationship with marginalised groups or hard to reach areas.
- Identify a business that offers a good or service which this group demands, lacks or would benefit from.
- Learn about the community - and use these insights to inform your approach. Innovation: could your product or service be tailored to fit the community's needs? Would a cheaper version be possible for more deprived areas? Promotion: is the community aware of your business and your business' good or service? Access: will working in the community provide new contacts? Could a point of entry be established through this work?
Primary Purpose Trading and considerations for charities
Charities are permitted to trade comercially providing that this trade is in line with their primary aims. For example, a community centre can rent out rooms and an educational charity sell educational materials. Service delivery operates similarly as charities are often contracted by the public sector to deliver a service.
- Securing contracts or Service Level Agreements can support the financial development of charities and increase their sustainability, but the following factors should be taken into consideration:
- Does the service required match your organisation's objectives? Will your values be compromised at all?
- Does your organisation have the capacity and resources to deliver the contract?
- Does the contract include Full Recovery Costs (FRC) - i.e. will the costs of delivery be fully paid for through the contract?
- Have any tax implications been explored?
The Charities commission provides further documentation to support you.
Useful Links
NCVO Sustainable funding project
The Finance Hub : Making sense of funding and finance in the third sector
