How to Solve Boutique Problems

Solve boutique problems because starting and running a boutique business is a profitable venture but there are some practical challenges you must pay attention before these are too big. 

1.SPACE TO WORK 

• The first and foremost requirement of starting a work is space.

• An address, your clients can find you in. It can be from home, a rented shop, a spare building or premises,which can be peacefully used.

• Please don’t use a disputed property because it will give you unwarranted attention.

• When I started, I rented a shop in a nearby market for my boutique and got the fixtures and fittings done on my own.

• I spent a good amount of money to make the shop workable.Though, I started on a rented premises and made profit out it but I strongly advise to either start small from a part of your home with a piece rate tailor/worker or get into an agreement with your shop owner to avoid the troubles, when your work starts picking up.

• You can start from home in your flexible hours. I give you a brilliant idea, which I implemented and earned by literally doing nothing other than explaining designs, sketching and coordinating for my clients.

• I had good contacts with my tailors and I used to give them work on piece rate basis. If I charged Rs.500/- from a client, my worker used to charge me about Rs.150/-.

• Sometimes, I used to make my tailors sit at my place to complete the work, which used to increase the volume of work and profits, too. You may also try this. It is a win win formula with very little investments, if your tailors are reliably good.

2.RESOURCES

• Starting a boutique is not difficult, if you want to start small. You just need a few sewing machines, an interlock machine, cutting & stitching tools, cutting and ironing table,hangers, a trial room, iron,some ready samples, some fashion books, a good chief cutter (an all-rounder, who can stitch is a better worker), stitching workers, hem worker cum cleaner/helper is enough to start a very basic unit of fashion boutique.

• A trial room with mirror, hanging rods,publicity hoardings and handouts, electric fittings are some of the basic things to start a boutique.
• It helps tremendously if you know the technicalities but even if you don’t know then it’s okay if you are willing to learn on work.

3.FINANCES FOR FIXED ASSETS AND WORKING CAPITAL

• Fixed assets are your fittings, fixtures and machine, which are one time investment. Working capital is the money you will need to run your show on daily basis.

• Keep your personal and business finances separate.

• Keep a daily register, in which you write down all your incoming collections and expenses.

• For initial six months, don’t expect the profits (though, there are exceptions depending on your good work and efforts) and keep a pool of six months’ calculated rent,electricity and incidental expenses,buying raw material etc.

• As soon as you start receiving money, start a current account and start depositing everyday collections in it. If you make it a rule, then you won’t have to worry about bad times.

4.MANPOWER

• There is an acute shortage of skilled workers in labor intensive industry like fashion stitching. You may consider having your skilled workers by hiring trainees and having a contract with them to stick with you for a stipulated time period.

• While hiring, make it a rule to cross check the back ground of the worker. I learned a few things the hard way. Once I hired a very good worker through a reference of my chief cutter, who ran with money after a few months. Later on probing, I got to know that worker was an absconding criminal and he worked with me just to have a hiding.

• Secondly, always check the work capabilities of a worker, If possible, take a trial test. Even then, keep an eye on the work of new recruits and if required give counseling or training.

• Trusting too much is not a very good thing in business. I put myself into trouble because of trusting too much.

• Maintain a diary of standard operating systems or To-Do List of work to be delivered. Work must be completed two days prior to delivery date.

5.CUSTOMER RELATIONS

• Have defined work responsibilities for your workers. Having a multi-tasking staff is a boon but making them run here and there will make them habitual to make excuses. It’ll also reduce their productivity and increase burn out rate.
• Assign the work of customer dealings to skilled person/s only or do it yourself, if you can handle it. If your workers do it on regular basis then they get this false idea that the shop is running because of them only. If they don’t work, you won’t be able to survive.
• They also notice money transactions and start blackmailing without understanding that you have to take care of the expenditures of running the shop other than their salaries.
• Don’t make the mistake of keeping all your staff on salary basis. Keep some expert workers on salary basis, some of them on salary + incentive basis and some workers on purely piece rate basis. This will increase the productivity and in case of shortage of staff, you’ll be able to survive.

6.OUTSOURCE THE LABORIOUS WORK