Michael Levitt's Blog, page 116

Important Ideas to Help You Achieve Long-Term Business Brilliance

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There are a lot of things that you can do to take your business to the next level, and this is something you need to think about. You have plenty of things you should be doing that are going to allow you to make the most of this, and achieve long-term business success as a company. You need to do as much as you can to work on this, and it is important to make the most of the business long-term. 

You should try to focus on doing as much as you can to make the right choices for your business in a crowded marketplace. It is something you need to work on as much as possible, and this is going to play a massive role in helping your company improve and get better. Here are some of the key hacks that you are going to need to consider when you want to achieve business success right now.

Have a Strong Business Plan

Making the most of your business moving forward is really important, and this is something you are going to need to make the most of right now. There are a lot of things that play a part in this, and having a strong business plan to follow is going to have a major impact on the company. It is also really important to make sure you work on this as much as you can. There are a lot of ideas you can use to help with this, and there are a lot of things to consider with this. Preparing and planning to help your business thrive in the future is something you need to work on right now moving forward. 

Market as Much as Possible

You are going to need to work on doing as much as possible to market the company in the right way. This is something that plays a massive part in the process of running a strong business, and there are so many ideas you are going to have to work on as much as possible. You are going to need to do as much as possible when it comes to improving this, and there are so many ideas that will help you market your company. You have to make sure you focus on having a strong and diverse marketing strategy as much as possible, and this is something you are going to need to make the most of moving forward. 

Get the Right Materials

You also need to make sure you have the right materials when it comes to improving the business and making the most of this. Depending upon the job you are needing to carry out and the kind of business you run, you might need specific materials to work with. For instance, things like carbon fiber tubes can be really important for a lot of businesses. Having the right materials to work with is something you are going to need to focus on as much as possible, and this is a great way of being able to help with this. 

Try to do as much as possible to come up with ideas that will help you to improve your business moving forward. There are a lot of factors that play a role in allowing you to take your company to the next level, and you have to do as much as you can to try to achieve this.

Go Back to College and Change Your Future

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College has always been a privilege to many people. Education is power, and power costs a lot of money, which puts college out of reach to most people. However, if you are an adult and you are looking to do better for your future, you might consider heading back a little to spring forward once again. 

A degree doesn't have to be out of reach for you, and it’s important that you know that college has so much more than a degree if you are looking for something better. You may already have a degree, but you want a post-grad certificate or an accountant certification to boost your current knowledge. No matter what, you should consider going back to college and giving yourself the chance to change your future. Let’s take a look at how college will improve your prospects:

You’ll Get Ahead. Working on your education in your adult life will put you ahead of the curve. You will be able to learn new skills and put yourself in a position to advance your career. College could change your outcome, giving you better prospects and a better salary later on.

The Sense Of Achievement. You will get an enormous sense of pride for putting yourself through a new certification. Studying isn't easy, and if you go back to school, you’re going to challenge yourself beyond anything you think an office will. It’s not always straightforward in college, but you will be able to do good things for yourself when you come out of the other side of your certification.

Do It For The Kids. If you have children around at home, you have little people watching your every movement and watching how you handle things. If you have to weigh the pros and cons of going to school, this should be the top of your pros list. With children watching you, you get to be inspired to be something amazing.

Be Desirable To Employers. When it comes to your resume, you’re going to up your skills and be desirable to employers. Every job you apply for, you’re going to be on top of the list for every single one - all because you went through the years of achieving something amazing.

You’re Not Too Old. Adult learners often feel like college is beyond their reach, that they can’t study anymore - and they don’t remember how to. The thing is, it’s not true. You relearn all of that; you will also find college full of other mature learners like you that will be there for the same reasons!

You Can Do It Online. Can’t get away to college because of work shifts? Do it all online! You can do pretty much any degree via an online portal now, and you don't have to have it interrupt your day to day life - not when you can make time for it after work and in your personal hours. 

Going back to school can completely change your life - what are you waiting for?

Building A New Business Narrative After Covid 19

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Almost everything about a business exists at a specific time and location. It could be objects (such as raw materials, products, facilities), people (such as employees, agents, customers) or even events (such as the delivery of a parcel, the purchase, the production). By understanding how these elements relate to each other through site analytics, companies can make more informed decisions and thus improve efficiency and effectiveness. Site analytics help a business to understand its customers, to address the specific needs of each individual and to optimize business processes. For example if you work within the gas industry, you may need to extract and analyse data to see if things need to change, companies such as https://www.petrobase.io/explorer/ assist with this.

Improving the return on investment

Site analytics can quickly provide an accurate picture of business performance and opportunities. By linking the right information (anything from store sales data to service customer feedback) to very specific location information, you can see exactly where businesses will benefit most from your scarce capital. Through techniques such as heat mapping, businesses can locate investment "centers" at a glance, saving endless time that would otherwise be spent on spreadsheets.

Enhancing customer satisfaction

In order to build a strong relationship between the company and the customers and to have as much loyalty as possible, it is necessary to adapt the products, services and communications to departments and individuals. Detailed location information helps to better serve customers, fulfill their expectations and fulfill all promises, as they help to easily locate customers and their location. By using location-based data, businesses can very quickly isolate the root cause that makes customer service difficult. They can also identify if there are any problems with customer service departments in a geographical area. The advantages that this data can offer to a business are numerous. They can help you see exactly how many stores will be open and in which locations, where they are permanently closed and where they are down, how efficiently each stage of the supply chain works, etc. By finding all this information, a business can be more efficient. 

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Analyse finances to put the money into other areas 

Getting on top of your finances is key to sink money into other areas such as marketing. Such detailed data can provide a forecast for the profitability of each customer, the efficiency of each product in order to help the company make optimal decisions of its inventories.  You can outsource this skill if needed. Detailed cash flows - In the same way the analytical cash flows can check the health condition of the company. The better the analysis of the cash flow situation, the better it is understood how the business operates. A financial analysis can further improve the efficiency of products and customers. Detailed based on value - Value-based analytics can provide a picture of the "what if" situation for better decision-making in the future. Even value can help us see what will change and the result of a decision before implementation. The future can be bright with some attention to detail. 

Marketing your business well 

A marketing consultant provides guidance to marketing and sales development companies. That is, how they can create products or services, place them on the market and promote (and / or sell) them successfully.

Here are 7 quick tips to start your marketing strategy against the impact of COVID-19

Do not panic. Invest time and effort to plan your strategy to ensure the survival of your business.

Make sure you take precautions and safety precautions recommended by the Authorities, such as increasing cleaning procedures and training your team.

Inform your followers and customers about the company's new strategy against COVID-19, as well as the measures you follow.

Reconsider a new operating strategy, consider whether you can deliver or cover another service that you can manage.

Keep in touch with your followers on social media. You try to provide as much advice as possible to the local community, even when your doors are temporarily closed to the public.

Follow the advice of the local authority and the new rules to help as much as possible in the situation.

Be positive as the crisis will pass sooner or later. And show your customers that you support them in this situation as well as for the period that follows of course.

Offer free products or services.

Not all sales opportunities are the same. From a business perspective, categorizing sales opportunities according to their expected value may make sense, but - as a strategy - it does not always offer the best customer experience. Instead, invest in a strategy that prioritizes the customer by providing free content and services. Such a tactic encourages your potential customers to reciprocate by buying your services. In psychology, this strategy is known as the "principle of reciprocity":  People tend to do something good for someone who has treated them well. The only things that can limit your value proposition are: a) your budget, and b) your imagination. Good choices are the contests, the surveys, the discounts with the first purchase of the product, the free trials, the free products and the invitations to events that you organize.  Integrate your discount coupons and offers into your automated email system to get more feedback from your buying audience.

Personalize beyond the name.

How many "personalized" emails have you received, in which the only difference is the address? If you check your inbox, you will discover a lot. And yet, there are dozens of ways to become more creative by personalizing the emails you send to your customers. The Adidas, for example, paints and adjusts the emails, according to the sex of the recipient. Nissan send personalized car maintenance reminders to its customers. The Spotify shared by users of what he calls "time machine" with songs that are heard through the platform in the past. Think about how much information you collect from consumers: Age, gender, location, occupation, and more. Use them to personalize as much as you can your communication with each of your potential or existing customers.

Why Good Employees Leave Their Jobs...And How to Prevent It

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If you’re running a business, then you’ll know just how challenging it can be to find great employees. It is, however, an essential process, because ultimately, the more talent you have at your company, then the more you’ll be able to achieve. It’s worth remembering, though, that bringing talent on board is just one half of the job. The other half is ensuring that your employees have no reason or motivation to leave. Businesses can really struggle when they lose key players, in much the same ways that sports teams struggle when they lose their talent. 

In this blog, we’re going to take a look at a few reasons why good employees leave, and what you can do to prevent it.

They’re Offered More Money

Great employees are motivated by an intrinsic passion for what they do. That’ll be the driving force behind their career. However, it would be wrong to think that the financial aspect plays no role: it absolutely does. The best employees know how much they’re worth and if you’re not paying them that amount, then it’s understandable that they’ll consider looking elsewhere. The solution? Pay them what they’re worth.

And More Freedom

The working world is changing. In certain industries and positions, it’s the employees who hold the chips. One of the biggest shifts in recent years is that more and more companies are allowing their employees to work from home. While this is great if you work for one of those companies, if you don’t, then it’s normal to feel a little bit of jealousy. Of course, if an employee is talented enough where they can easily get another job, then they’ll bypass jealousy entirely, and instead, just take action. You don’t necessarily need to offer flexible working conditions, but if an employee asks, it’s worth considering, especially since they’re easier to incorporate than you might realize. 

Caring Companies

There are certain things that employees look for from their employers. These can be considered “the essentials.” One of these is safety. If your company is cutting corners when it comes to the safety of your employees, then your staff will rightly think about finding other work. How do you make things safe for your team? By analyzing the risks, and taking action. If your workplace is overly messy, and thus hazardous, then you should work on getting things organized. If you work in an inherently dangerous environment, then you should see site, and invest in hazard-resistant shirts. Ultimately, this is about more than keeping your employees; it’s about being a responsible employer.

Career Progression

Everyone wants to achieve all that they can achieve in this world. Some people achieve their goals; others don’t. The best employees usually do. They’ll have their sights on reaching the top of their industry, and if they can’t do it with your company, then they’ll do it with another company. So take a look at your structural setup. Do you offer opportunities to move forward? If not, then you can’t complain if your best employees move on. 

Keep Missing Business Calls?

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Missed business calls could be missed chances at gaining more revenue. It’s possible that you may be too busy with other tasks or that you may be out of the office frequently, preventing you from getting to the phone. Whatever the case, you needn’t have to keep missing calls. Here are a few ways in which you can reduce missed calls.

Switch to a VoIP number

If you often work out of the office but don’t want to give out your mobile number to clients, you could consider looking into VoIP solutions. A VoIP number relies on an internet connection and can be answered on a range of devices allowing you to answer calls on the same number from your PC, smartphone and any other devices. This could allow you to answer calls on the go. VoIP costs can vary - it’s worth shopping around to find the best price.

Use a Bluetooth headset

If you spend a lot of time driving or doing tasks with your hands that make it hard to answer calls, you could consider buying a hand free headset for answering calls. Bluetooth headsets are a popular hands-free option for taking calls on the go - there are many of these devices on the market. Another alternative could be to use your phone on speaker and to use voice command to answer it (you may be able to use your car’s bluetooth system to take calls through the stereo).

Hire a personal receptionist

Hiring a personal receptionist could be useful if you’re regularly inundated by calls to the point that it becomes a major interruption. By having an employee to answer the phone for you, you can ensure that no call goes unanswered. The receptionist can then relay any important information or transfer any urgent calls to you, filtering out the non-important calls. On top of answering calls, a receptionist could also help to handle other admin tasks acting as a personal assistant. Make sure to put in place a thorough recruitment process in order to hire the right person for the job.

Outsource a phone answering company

A cheaper option to hiring a personal receptionist could be to outsource a phone answering company. These are companies with teams of staff dedicated to answering phone calls. Some are even able to provide a 24/7 point of call so that you’re able to answer enquiries any time of the day at any time of the week. It’s worth researching phone answering companies to find one that is reputable and within your budget.

Promote other forms of communication

You may be able to reduce missed calls by reducing unscheduled phone calls altogether. Many businesses promote the use of contact forms on their website, which allows business owners to then schedule phone appointments to work around their schedule. There are form-building software tools that you can look into to create these forms. You may also be able to encourage customers to email you directly to help schedule appointments.

 

How To Become A Better Employee

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Being a better employee can offer you a lot of benefits and opportunities within your career. If you’re someone who is causing a lot of hassle in the workplace, the chances of you remaining in your job are going to decrease. Here are some helpful tips on how to become a better employee to ensure you keep your job and thrive within the company you’re in.

Offer Your Help Where It’s Needed

It’s always good to be that employee to rely on. When you’re boss is looking for help, it should be your hand that goes up or your voice that speaks first. Being able to offer your help in any way, whatever that may be is going to help you get places within your career. It shows passion and drive to work hard. It shows commitment, and that’s something every business owner or manager likes to see in their staff. Look at what you could do when it comes to helping other members of staff. It’s all about showing your ability to adapt and if something needs your assistance, but you’re not quite sure if it’s something you can do, do your best to try. 

Be Nice To Everyone

It takes a lot of energy to be rude to someone, and no matter how much they might rub you up the wrong way, it’s always better that you don’t stoop down to their level. Being nice to everyone gets you noticed around the work environment, and it shows your employer that you’re not going to cause drama where it’s simply not needed. Of course, if someone is bullying you or is being unprofessional, it’s only right to call them out on it and report them in a necessary manner. However, being courteous to people you work with, whether it’s clients or other staff members, is good for business. 

Ask For Feedback

Asking for feedback can be beneficial when you’re trying to improve yourself in your role. For example, your manager might suggest that training or further education is needed for you to make progress in your role and to perhaps get that promotion or raise that you’re after. There are plenty of opportunities out there, whether it’s studying in Suffolk or trying out an online course. There’s always a benefit that comes from providing yourself with more education.

Always Give Your Best To Everything

It’s always important to remember to do your best. That’s all we ever can do when it comes to anything in life. When you’re in the workspace, make it your time to shine. Do everything you can to the best of your ability and always give 100%, even on those days where you might not be feeling yourself. It’s important to do whatever you can to make a lasting impression to those around you.

Being a better employee is something that can help you improve your career prospects. So when it comes to doing better, use these tips to help build yourself up.

How A Lack of Accountability Leads To Burnout

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Burnout is a lack of self accountability.  Sounds harsh, but let's dig deeper.

You work longer hours because you fear losing your job.

You fear losing your job because you fear losing the ability to pay your rent/mortgage, buy food, pay for all of the things and experiences you currently have.

So these fears keep you imprisoned in a situation that isn't the best for you.  This continues to spiral as unaddressed, prolonged stress over time builds into burnout. I know this, because it happened to me, and nearly cost me everything, including my life.

Because of your fears, your behaviors are creating the stress and situations you are facing.

Your fears, thoughts, and behaviors have created your environment.

We can dig even deeper if you're willing. 

Work

Why did you choose to work where you work?  If your employer is asking you to work longer hours than you're comfortable with, ask yourself why do you work there?  Was it because of the compensation package?  The location?  The benefits? Think about this for a moment.  Reconnect with that initial excitement you had when that employer offered you your role.

Live

Why do you live where you live?  Is it because of the location?  The affordable (hopefully) rent/mortgage payment?  The style of home?  The amenities in the neighborhood? 

Choose Your Ideal Location

Now let's dream a little.  If you could live anywhere, where would that be?  Why?  What about that city/town energizes you?  Why don't you live there now?  What choices/situations/circumstances are preventing you from living where you dream to live?  Write those down.

Take that list of current circumstances and see if there's anything that you could change, to create the scenario of you living where you want to live.

Before you go too deep into this exercise, don't forget to prioritize your self care first.  What would make YOU happy?  Not your kids, not your parents, not your spouse/partner, not your friends, but YOU.

Career Choice

Let's dive into your career.  What opportunities are there in your dream city/town?  With the COVID-19 pandemic, remote work is now acceptable, and hopefully (from my viewpoint), it will continue to be a viable option long after this pandemic is over.  Being anchored to a cubicle in order to complete work is not necessary. 

What work would you LIKE to do?  Yes you have skills that you've picked up along the way, but guess what?  You didn't originally have those skills.  You learned how to do things.  You still can.  So just because you don't know how to perform (insert type of job here) now, that doesn't mean you can't learn how to.  There's countless online courses to learn new skills, and even how to prevent burnout (shameless plug.)

Summary

By choosing to work where you ultimately don't like to work, just to pay the bills and live where you don't ultimately want to live, you are creating your circumstances and stress.  Prioritizing your self care and designing your life where you want to live and work sounds much better, doesn't it?

Now don't up and quit your job right now.  Don't put yourself into a deep financial hole, that will only cause you more stress, anxiety, etc.  Design your ideal life, and then as Steve Jobs told us, work backwards to build the road map of how to get from your current life, to your ideal one.

Burnout proofing your life isn’t as hard as you think. Enroll in my Burnout Proof Your Life online course, and enter the code NINETY at checkout, to save 90% off.

How Outsourcing Can Help A Small Business

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As a small business owner, you know you have to wear a lot of hats and have a lot of varied skills in order to help your business grow. Whether you’re an entrepreneur still working from the spare bedroom, or you’re running a small business from an office, it can be very easy to lose all your time to juggling things like the admin, and no time left to actually run your business. You can free up some time and get some control back by outsourcing some things to a third-party vendor or a freelancer. But which tasks should you think about outsourcing?

Reception

If your business gets a lot of phone calls, you can lose the whole day to answering the phone. Answering the phone yourself also shows that you’re a small business, which can make some clients worried about your ability to perform the service they need. Get back some time by hiring a virtual receptionist. They can answer your phones from a remote location, and then forward calls to the relevant people. This makes you seem more professional and frees up time for you. 

A virtual receptionist can also do things like take messages, manage your schedule, check emails, and more. Some will also offer a live chat service, so you have another way to respond to customers. However customers get in touch with you, they’ll be greeted by a professional receptionist. These services are often provided by freelance specialists, which can be very affordable. 

Managed IT Services

One of the most common things to outsource is your IT. Managed IT services are a popular option to save both time and money. You can, of course, manage your IT in-house, but this will mean you have to pay to hire and for the salary of a staff member. This is less than ideal when your business and budget are still small, especially as in the early days, this team member might not have much to do at first. Outsourcing means you can get specialist help that you need when you need it and avoid coughing up for a member of staff who you don’t need all the time. 

Graphic Design

Graphic design is an important part of your marketing campaigns. The right design will make your website, adverts, and print items look a lot more appealing and professional. There are a lot of very skilled graphic designers who work freelance, so you can outsource design very easily, and get great skills at your disposal without paying a full-time salary for them. There are lots of lists of graphic designers online so you can find the right person to take on this kind of work for you. 

Taking on graphic design yourself when you don’t have the skills as a risk, as your marketing won’t look as professional and won’t impress potential customers and clients. Bad design is off-putting, so don’t risk it. 

Bookkeeping

Bookkeeping, payroll services for small businesses, and other accounting services are among the most common tasks for start-ups and larger businesses to outsource. It’s essential for your business to get the accounts right, and if you’re not an accountant yourself, managing the finances can be a major challenge. If you get it wrong, you can get into a real mess or even into legal trouble.  

Look for a company that can also help you to get your tax return ready for you so tax season is a lot less stressful and you have peace of mind that the accounts are right. 

Web Design

Your website is one of the first things that make an impression on potential customers, so it’s important that your site is designed to be functional, on-brand, and simple to use. You should have a website that is responsive so it will be functional on mobile devices, in order to generate more conversions. 

If you aren’t sure where to start, you can outsource web design to agencies or freelancers to make sure you have a website that does what it needs to. 

Customer Support

If you don’t have the time to properly manage your customer service needs, then you can outsource this to someone who has the skills to do it for you. Effective customer support options are very important if you want to keep customers loyal. 

You can hire a freelancer to manage customer service, but an agency or other professional company is usually a better choice, as they will have more staff to manage each customer. 

A Busy Entrepreneur's Guide to Achieving More in Less Time

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When you are an entrepreneur, it can feel like there is never enough time each day to achieve all the tasks on your to-do list. While there are many things that you can change, the fact that there are only 24 hours in a day isn’t one of them. Changing how much physical time you have to work each day may be impossible, but it is possible to adjust the way that you use that time and use it to your advantage. 

Life as an entrepreneur is always busy; that’s the nature of running businesses. However, making some adjustments to your day can make all the difference and enable you to be more productive than ever before. Here is how you can overhaul your workday, to achieve more in the same amount of time:

Choose the Best Time to Work

Did you know that your productivity levels can peak at certain times of the day, but drop at other times? Studies show that mornings are the most productive time of day for many people and that by late afternoon productivity shows a significant slump. To work out the time of day that you are most productive, try paying attention to the times when it feels like you are getting more done without it feeling like a struggle. Once you have identified the times that you work best, you can then use these times to tackle your most challenging tasks. 

Ditch the Distractions

Don’t you hate it when you are getting stuck into a task when your concentration is broken by the sound of the phone ringing, or notifications popping up on your screen? Actively reducing distractions is a wise idea to help you get more done each day. Even if you switch off the phone and go offline for just an hour, you will find it so much easier to focus your attention on your task without any disruptions.

Don’t be Afraid to Ask for Help

Doing everything yourself may come naturally to you, but that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t ask for help. Hiring in some help for time-consuming tasks is an excellent way to take control of your to-do list and cut down on the amount you need to do. Using Snupit will help you to find all kinds of helpful services such as accountants and information technology professionals that can use their skills to handle tasks on your behalf.

Take a Break

When you are busy, you may find yourself slumped at your desk for hours without a break. But, not taking a break could reduce the amount of work you get done rather than increase it. Not taking breaks can leave you feeling stressed out and frustrated. Taking regular breaks and stepping outside to get some air and recharge your batteries enables you to return to your work with fresh eyes and a clear mind. Something as simple as stepping outside and taking a break can help you to achieve so much more in less time.

Increase Retail Sales with These Expert-Backed Tips

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If you know that your sales are not the best that they could be, then this is the guide for you. Here you can find out everything you need to know about making more sales while also getting the advice you need to solidify the customer base you have now.

Online Search Results

It’s important, now more than ever for you to try and show up in the online search results. More and more customers are turning to Google to try and find more products. It’s vital that you try and show up where possible, and this is especially the case when it comes to local SEO. If you want to make sure that your business is not being overlooked in the SERPS, then you need to try and set up a business listing in Google, Yelp or any other platform. When you do this, you will soon find that it is easier than ever for you to create your profile and that you can also add on other details as well. Your name, phone number and address should all be listed as well, so keep this in mind.

Accurate Business Hours

Lots of visual content is always a good thing. You need to try and make sure that you include recent photos or even a virtual tour of your shop if you can. This will take a bit of extra time but at the end of the day, it will make your business listing far more attractive and you may even find that you can drive way more traffic to your location or site as a result.

Local Inventory

If you want to take your listing to that next level, then it would be wise for you to try and display your inventory in Maps or even in Google Search> Leverage solutions such as Pointy, as this will help you to display any in-store products you have without having to manually enter your data every single time. If you want to get more sales, then this is a fantastic way to do that. Remember that the demand for your products will increase and decrease over time as well, If you want some more help with that, then read this retail guide by Deepak Agarwal.

Click and Collect

Click and collect has been around for a very long time. If you are able to offer this service, then you will be able to drive your in-store traffic and you will also be able to boost your click and collect sales as well. This will help you to get people in through your doors and it will also help you to boost sales too. Research has shown time and time again that around 45% of people who opted for in-store pickup actually ended up buying something else from there, so it’s really good for you to try and capitalise on this if possible. If you are not able to offer click and collect, then consider offering the option to deliver the package to a local store for pickup instead so your customer can collect it from a convenient location.