Ask Jo Malone: Could turning down orders be the best option for overworked firm?

Small business agony aunt Jo Malone discusses how to deal with customer demand.

Dear Jo

Have you ever turned down work? My bakery business has really taken off since I did a few weddings in the summer, and I have orders flooding in.

The most pressing one is from a small chain that wants to stock my products and has asked for samples. I’m very keen to work with it but am worried I won’t be able to fill every order and the quality could slip.

You can almost hear everyone answering the question: “Turn down work? Never!”

However, the reality in business is that this may simply not be the right contract at the right time for you. Timing is an important ingredient for success.

Thinking back, I have probably said “no, thank you” to stockists more times than I have “yes, please”.

But don’t write off would-be customer. It is vital you maintain a relationship with it as you and your business may be in a very different place six months down the line. Send a wonderful box of products and keep the lines of communication open.

I cannot advise you if this decision is right for you or not. Only you can make that call, but ask yourself what is your long-term plan?

Do you want to expand and open a chain of bakery stores, or focus your efforts on wholesaling to trade accounts? You will need different set-ups and different strategies to meet each goal.

It is very important when running a business that you create a buzz about what you do.

Near to my shop in Elizabeth Street, Dominique Ansel has arrived from New York, bringing to London his creation the Cronut, a hybrid of a croissant and a doughnut.

The idea is brilliant, and the queue around the block every day is amazing as they only create a limited number — once they’ve gone, they’ve gone.

This is the buzz I’m talking about, you become the hot topic of the street. The basic rule of business is demand must always outrun supply, which in turn creates brand awareness and can often open doors.