Business signs can make or break customer relationships. From “No Refunds” to missing street numbers, poor signage choices frustrate customers and drive them to competitors. Based on overwhelming feedback from business owners across Australia, these problematic signs fall into clear categories that every tradie and service business should avoid to protect their sales and reputation.
Key Takeaways
- External signage problems like missing company names and street numbers make it difficult for customers to find you
- “Let’s make it difficult to buy” signs including no prices and cash only policies drive customers away
- Nickel and dime charges for tomato sauce, credit cards, and takeaway containers frustrate buyers
- Handwritten signs with spelling errors amplify the negative effect of poor signage choices
- Think critically about your signs rather than copying what other businesses do
What External Signage Problems Are Costing You Customers?
If people need to come to your office or shop, have you actually got a sign up with your company name? If you do have a sign, how does it look: tired, faded and dirty or is it fresh, neat and clean?
Street numbers cause major frustration. Driving up and down a street looking for a street number is a sure way to frustrate people. It does help if other properties in your street also have numbers.
Exit signs matter more than you think. Do you need clear signs on how people can actually leave the building or your parking? There’s a mall near my office where I can never find my way out of their parking garage to the point I would rather go and shop somewhere else.
Your Ultimate Tradie Business Transformation includes reviewing all customer touchpoints, starting with the signs that either welcome or repel potential clients.
How Are You Making It Difficult for Customers to Buy?
No prices create instant barriers. If I have to run around or ask how much something costs, I won’t. I just won’t buy. If you really want to make matters worse, have the wrong price on the product!
Sold out signs become problematic when that sign has been there so long that it looks dog eared and tired. I begin to wonder if you are ever going to get more stock. A sign that has a little more information would be a lot more helpful, for example: “Sold Out, new stock arriving on this date”.
Out of order signs need alternatives. There’s a hotel that I avoid going to because their parking machine on the second level, which is the level you enter the parking garage on, is always out of order. This means I need to get back in the lift and go to the next floor to pay. Seriously, if the machine doesn’t work, leave the gate open and get it fixed.
No refunds policies send terrible messages. So if I buy your product and there’s a problem with it, you won’t give me my hard earned money back? I’ll be forced to buy another product from you. That doesn’t sound like a good deal to me.
According to the Australian Consumer Law, customers have automatic rights to refunds for faulty products, making “No Refunds” signs potentially misleading.
Why Do Special Offers With Hidden Terms Backfire?
“Special Offer: Terms and Conditions Apply” makes customers think “What’s the trick here?” Most times these special deals aren’t that special. Yes, I understand that there may need to be some terms and conditions, however you need to ask yourself: are these fair?
Cash only policies signal problems. This just says dodgy: I don’t want to pay tax. I don’t know about you, but I don’t carry a lot of cash, which means that I will either not buy anything or I will only make a small purchase. Besides, do you actually know how much cash costs in terms of time to deposit it, keep track of it? It also makes you an easy target for theft.
Minimum EFTPOS amounts lose sales over small transactions. So you’re able to take credit cards, however you want to either try and force me to buy more than I want, or you’re going to charge me an extra 50 cents. Really? It doesn’t cost you an extra 50 cents, but you would rather lose a potential sale over it.
What Nickel and Dime Charges Actually Cost Your Business?
Credit card surcharges that exceed actual costs frustrate customers. I ask you with tears in my eyes “Why?” Cash costs you money and the surcharge you apply is more than it costs you. Personally, I would rather have money in my business account straight away than wait 30, 60, 90 days or more to get it. It costs you more money in chasing up the money and in bad debts.
Tomato sauce charges seem petty over small purchases. Every little bit counts, right? No, if I have just spent $5 on a pie and now you want to charge me an extra 30 cents for tomato sauce, thanks but no thanks, I will just go next door. At least give me a choice: a sauce bottle with some tomato sauce, and if I really want my own little sachet to take with me, well then consider charging me for it.
Takeaway surcharges don’t make economic sense. Yes, that’s a sign I have seen. I couldn’t even be bothered to ask if that was per item or just on the overall transaction. I assume it’s because they have to put my coffee in a disposable cup, however if I stayed to drink my coffee, I hope you would clean my cup afterwards. What about the potential mess I leave, and I’m sure that these cups get broken over time and need replacing.
During our Business Breakthrough Meeting, we examine all the small charges that might be driving away your best customers.
Which Signs Create Mixed Customer Reactions?
This is a unique category of signs: they may frustrate some people and others will really appreciate them.
Age restrictions for children divide opinions. “Children Over the Age of 12 Are Welcome” signs acknowledge that some five and six year olds are better behaved than some adults. However, I also appreciate that an establishment with this sign up is somewhere I can go and have a more mature and civilised experience. As a parent of two children, there’s something to be said about having a few hours or even a night away where there are only adults.
Dress codes set standards but repel some customers. Yes, you could argue that your double plugger thongs cost more than my dress shoes, however a standard has been set. You will repel some people and attract many others.
Humorous warning signs can work in context. “All Unattended Children will be given a Double Expresso and a Puppy” works brilliantly in a pet shop. It absolutely amazes me how many parents think a pet shop is a potential babysitting service where they can just drop off their kids who run rampant around the store while they go and do their shopping. The shop owner has, in a fun way, made it quite clear that this is not acceptable.
How Do Poor Quality Signs Amplify Negative Messages?
If you want to amplify the effect of a bad sign, you can choose to have it handwritten on a scrap piece of paper with incorrect spelling! The presentation quality of your signage affects how customers perceive your business professionalism.
Often people make the fatal mistake of thinking that because other businesses do it, it must be okay. The challenge is the businesses that started using these signs may not have applied enough critical thinking before putting up the sign.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the biggest signage mistake tradies make?
Missing or unclear company signage is the biggest mistake. If customers can’t find your business or don’t know they’ve arrived at the right place, you’ve lost the sale before it starts. Make sure your company name is clearly visible and your street number is easy to spot.
Should I charge credit card surcharges in my trade business?
Avoid credit card surcharges if possible. They frustrate customers and the amount you charge often exceeds your actual costs. The immediate cash flow and reduced bad debt risk from card payments usually outweighs the small processing fees.
How do I handle pricing without putting customers off?
Always display clear pricing. If customers have to ask for prices, many won’t bother buying. For trades where pricing varies by job, have clear starting prices or price ranges visible, and explain your pricing process upfront.
What external signs does my trade business actually need?
Essential signs include your company name, street number, clear entrance and exit directions, and operating hours. Keep signs clean, professional, and easy to read. Faded or damaged signs suggest poor attention to detail in your work.
Are cash-only policies hurting my business?
Yes, cash-only policies drive away customers who don’t carry cash and suggest tax avoidance. The time and security costs of handling cash often exceed card processing fees, and you risk losing sales to competitors who accept cards.
It has been said that no sign is a sign of no business. As a business owner, take a look around your business and at your signs, and spend some time thinking about what sort of messages you’re sending to your customers. Think about the money you spend on marketing, trying to attract people to contact your business or come in to buy from your business. Do you really want to frustrate them with poor signage choices? If you’d like help reviewing all your customer touchpoints and maximising your business potential, get in touch for a business breakthrough conversation.