most numerous retail businesses will experience a fall through now and then.

most numerous retail businesses will experience a fall through now and then. But if sales are on the farther side products aren't moving or morale is soft that's not a time to continue the status quo and reliance for the best, believe the proprietors and staff of Casco Bay Frames of Portland, Maine. of that kind times, in fact, are the completed time to make significant, smooth drastic, changes to breathe fresh life into an evolving business.

"If you're comfortable doing something, you frequently don't want to change. moreover the framing industry in particular has changed immensely," said Amy Dyer Casco Bay's store manager and a 20-year framing veteran. Businesses that don't adapt to convenient the changing demands of the industry, she added, may well be hampering their have a title to development.

In fact, after 25 years in business, Casco Bay Frames has had three different holders two different locations and a continually changing identity: It has gone from being a purveyor of placards to a do-it-yourself destination to an upper-end custom framing operation. After the initial affray of each transition, business increased and staff productivity and morale went up with it.

not past nor future owners Georgia and Mike Walker have originate that customers are often more tolerant of change than retailers might believe. In fact, it's frequently the owners and staff who become too comfortable, resisting changes to their routine. However, the fact that Casco Bay has twice changed hands, said Walker, has facilitated a reinvention that an businesses under the same ownership not ever experience.

"That is the same of the benefits of having in good condition blood come in," said Georgia Walker. "We were able to apply the mind at the shop objectively as a business."

'Business Is Business'

Casco Bay Frames first explained in the late 1970s as part of the Frame Factory franchise. At the time, it sold mainly bills and offered do-it-yourself framing. It maintained its DIY identity until 1996 when a modern owner bought the business and dropp its DIY offering in favor of custom framing. Dyer who has been with Casco Bay since the early 1980 recalls that the first transition wasn't exactly welcome among the staff.

"I fought the decision to stop down the DIY section vehemently," she said with a laughter She believed that customers wouldn't accord well to such a drastic change, especially the same that would increase the richness of their framing. Their reaction, however, was not at all what she had expected

"We enjoin a wall up to shut up off the DIY area. greatest in quantity customers were really happy with the decision, especially artists. They knew they could do the work themselves, and to such a degree felt guilty about paying the custom prices. formerly we eliminated the possibility, they said, 'Thank goodnes I don't have to do that anymore!'" Dyer said, adding, "I was wrongful and I admit it."

The Walkers bought the flame workshop in 1999. They had confessed several other businesses in the past and purchased Casco Bay when they decided to impel to Portland. Although they regard with affection framing as an art, the Walkers view Casco Bay Frames with a broader scope--first and foremost, it is a retail business, said Georgia.

"We've holded a travel agency and a hardware store, and we came to Casco Bay as novices to the flaming and art world. Since then, we've really proceed to appreciate the art of framing," she said. "But in the last business is business."

With that in mind, she and her husband began to streamline the business further. The previous proprietor had already reduced payroll prices by cutting hours, not employee or salary. They then added point-of-sale software and brought in a computerized mat cutter to such a degree employees required less training and les time to divide [i]or[/i] sever mats.

Next, they eliminated in the greatest degree ready-mades from the inventory, remov many of the lower-end samples from the wall and replaced them with higher-end framing produces Their goal was to bring up the average price of the shop's framing orders.

"We wanted to dare to proffer higher-end products," said Walker. "The framers in succession staff were skeptical at first, if it were not that customers were really receptive to the change. When you propound only low-end framing, that's what your customers will pervert with money [i]or[/i] gain because they have no other choice. on the other hand we wanted to put better samples upon the wall and give them the option for a higher-end issue When given the choice, principally will purchase it. If they ne a lower-priced option, we can work from there."

Reaching the Public

Improved technology allowed the store to reach its customers more regularly and inexpensively. For example, rather than create a time-consuming direct-mail piece, the store does many of its promotions by way of e-mail.

"So many family hate making cold calls during the dull season," said Dyer. "But Mike will take a digital image of something we have in the store and send forth a broadcast e-mail to customers. E-mail is a whole strange option that we have, and we've gotten an amazing return"

nearest he tracked the business to discover in what manner much it cost the workshop to he open every minute of the day. With numbers in hand, the Walkers then reduc the hours of operation the one and the other to reduce costs and to simplify explanations to customers.