Trying to incorporate various aspects of the internet into this kind of sheet metal business is sometimes like mixing oil and water. I’m not saying that Butler Sheetmetal is resistant to change – far from it – but the handskill-type job shops are definitely of a bygone era. For example, we have one customer that simply refuses to go metric and takes great delight in sending all drawings and measurements in imperial. So, if you consider that we have to fight tooth and nail for decimilisation(sic) how tricky is promoting the information superhighway? (Obviously, naming and shaming would be fairly pointless exercise as there’s zero chance of them reading this – let’s be honest).
However, an internet presence has certainly benefitted both Butler Sheetmetal Ltd and their fledgling company Tinpot Alley. Granted, enquiries range from the sublime to the ridiculous, and, we’re not quite at the stage where the business could survive from the internet alone, but, it’s only been six months since the Butler Sheetmetal site made its debut.
We’ve found that having an internet presence allows us direct access to our potential customer base. Or, more correctly, our potential customer base has direct access to us. With the Tinpot Alley site there’s been alot of interest from London-based design companies – a market Butler Sheetmetal has worked for via third parties, but rarely directly. The internet has taken out the middleman.
I suppose I’m trying to say that the internet can work for the most unlikely of businesses. You’re also not forced to spend oodles of your hard-earned establishing an internet presence either. Yes, you can spend thousands, but it won’t all fall into place by itself. For example, setting up a blog costs nothing but your time if you want to go that route. If they’re good enough for then surely they can be good enough for you.
