"Business as Usual" Catchphrase

[Epiphany74]

My esteemed landlord is refurbishing the building I operate my coffee shop from. The front is totally obscured with scaffolding - though the actual work is all taking place higher up. Business is suffering because it looks like we are closed, so I have ordered some banners to erect on the scaffold to indicate that we are still open and it's business as usual. But I don't want to just say "Business as Usual" - it's so flat and boring.

Any clever ideas about what I could put on the banners to inspire customers to come in again? The coffee shop is called Roast.

Body and Soulers are always good for an answer, so I'm posting this here (I'm not sure Business and Finance or Phrases & Sayings would be quite right).

[R1Geezer]

Get a lawyer on the case, you can file a suit for loss of business, all that. You can get them to pay for all your advertising etc etc. I don't often encourage contact with them but in this sort of case they can earn their money.

[sue11]

Hi Epiphany74, I have suffered from the same problem with scaffolding in front of shops, infuriating isn't it, in one of our shops the scaffolding was up for about 2 and a half months and business suffered most on our Saturday trade. I have not got any good suggestions for what to put on your banner, except to suggest that you try not to be too clever as the message may go straight over some customers heads! What you could try to drum up the missing business is to use a directional sign and pay someone to walk up and down the street. The sign should state that you are open as normal for business and you could put any other info that you want on it. We use directional signs regularly in our business (we own Subway stores) and these have proved invaluable to us, the difference in trade when we are using them is very noticeable.
By the way, I do not believe that you will be able to sue for loss of business as R1Geezer has suggested. The landlord needs to do necessary repair work and in fact your lease may even have a clause in it that makes you liable for a share of any work to common parts of the building.
Hope this has helped
Cheers Sue

[muppeteer]

still roasing- come un in

[muppeteer]

or come on in rather!

[Epiphany74]

Thanks Guys.

I wish I was in a position to pursue legal redress, but as Sue says all the evidence seems to suggest that I just have to put up and shut up.

And yes, although my business is suffering I will also have the priviledge of paying for a share of the work when it is complete, even though it's all taking place at a level where it won't benefit me at all.

I like the idea of a directional sign - these are not in common use in Belfast, so it might really attract attention.

I like the roasting line too - it's great weather here so it could be just the thing.

[sue11]

Hi Ehiphany, double check the wording on your lease, if it states that you only have to pay for works to common parts of the building then you may not have to make any payments to the landlord. This happened to us with one of our shops, the landlords agent tried to charge us for a share of the work, when in fact the lease stated that we were only responsible for work on common parts, not the whole building. After a lot of argument and letters going back and forth, we ended up paying about a third of the original bill and saved ourselves a great deal of money!
I like the Still Roasting suggestion, I tried to come up with some ideas last night, something like 'Wake up and smell the coffee we are still here' or something like that may be fun to put up.
Our shops are in the Dorset area and we use directional signs to great effect in the town centres. In fact once we started, others soon followed our lead including McDonalds, who put out their own sign after we used ours for a couple of weeks. That tells me that we must have had some effect on their business to make them want to bother, so they definately do work! We see increases of about 30% in trade when the signs go out on busy days, they simply state Subway with a picture of a sub and have an arrow pointing to the shop!
Best of luck, let us know what you decide to do.
Cheers Sue

[Epiphany74]

Sue, thanks again. I'll definately consult my solicitor in case there are any options. I do really like the sign idea - just need to find someone willing to hoist it for me!

And I feel like I shouldn't reveal it, but my nearest competition is a Subways a few doors up from me. I'm of the "more the merrier" point of view, just glad to have another unit open at my quiet end of the main shopping street. Starbucks - now that's a different kettle of fish!

[showcatbenga]

How about a sign or 2 or 3 sticking out (into the road direction) from the scaffolding, a bit like an estate agents sign?
"Still thirsty?"
"Still serving great coffee..."
Perhaps you could beg a couple off the estate agent & recover them! The builders using the scaffolding could probably be persuaded to fix them in place for a few hot drinks on the house! Although technically you should apply for planning permission I suspect that by the time anyone told you officially to remove them the works would be over.

[sue11]

Hi Epiphany, I have only just read your answer, apologies if it seemed as if I was ignoring you!
How has it gone with the scaffolding? Hopefully it is all down again and business is back to usual. Hope that any bills you receive are managable to pay, remember to double check that lease to make sure that you are not being overcharged for anything. Definately agree wiht your idea of the more the merrier in regards to competition. We have found that if there are plenty of places to eat in one area, it makes it a desirable desination for customers to head to. With some of our stores, Costa and Starbucks have opened up close to us, but we have not seen much drop in takings, if at all. I think that if customers know you offer good quality food (as I am sure you yourself offer), you have nothing to fear from them!
All the best Sue.