A GROUP supporting Asian businesses in Kirklees is staging a series of workshops across the region.
The Asian Business Development Network aims to help ethnic minority businesses share best practice and get access to further support.
The network is headed by founder and chairman Arshad Chaudhry (pictured) , a director and senior consultant at Leeds-based accountancy practice HCA Group, which he launched 30 years ago. Mr Chaudry is also director of financial consultancy Financial Management Partnership.
Workshops planned in Yorkshire include ones on managing cash, international trade, delegating decisions and practical marketing skills – the last of which Mr Chaudhry highlighted as an area ethnic minority businesses needed to work on.
He said: “In today’s challenging economy and competitive business world, retaining your customer base is critical to your success.
“Ethnic minority businesses are pretty good when it comes to flair for business and for getting new customers.
“However, good customer service is an area most ethnic minority businesses need to work on. If you don't give your customers some good reasons to stay, your competitors will give them a reason to leave.”
Said Mr Chaudhry: “Customer retention and satisfaction drive profits. It’s far less expensive to cultivate your existing customer base and sell more services to them than it is to seek new, single-transaction customers.
“Unless you're a brand new company, focus on your existing customers. Until you've optimised profitability of your existing relationships, you're wasting resources.”
Contact ABDN on 0113 3229203 or email arshad@abdn.org.uk
