Focus on East Boston Business is a new feature here on EastBoston.com. If you are interested in highlighting your East Boston-based business, send an e-mail to editor@eastboston.com.
CodeBrewLabs LLC is a small software company based in East Boston. We help local businesses get found on Google and spend less time on repetitive admin work through automation.
Q: I’ve been in the neighborhood for years. Why don’t new customers find me on Google?
A: Have you ever skipped over a business on Google because something looked off on their listing? Missing website, low rating, no reviews for years. Being well known in person doesn’t carry over online. Google shows what it can see, and for local searches your free Google Business Profile matters most.
• Check what customers see. Search your business name plus “East Boston.” If your hours or phone number are out of date, that’s what people find. If you haven’t received a review in years, people may assume you’re no longer active.
• Photos and reviews help. Profiles with recent photos and reviews tend to show up higher in “near me” searches.
• Reply to reviews. Responding to good and bad reviews shows people someone is paying attention.
• Ask for reviews. Ask your current and past customers for Google reviews to increase your business credibility.
• Keep your details consistent. Your business name, address, and phone number should match everywhere they appear online.
Bottom Line: Go to business.google.com, claim or log in to your profile, and fix anything out of date. It’s free, and most updates take about 20 minutes.
Q: I lose hours every week to paperwork. Isn’t automation just for big companies?
A: Not at all. The tasks that eat the most time in a small business are often the easiest to automate, because they’re the same every time.
• Appointment reminders. Texts can go out on their own instead of someone calling each customer.
• Last minute appointment openings. Text your customers automatically when you have last minute openings.
• Paperwork without retyping. AI can now read an emailed invoice or even a photo of a handwritten order and enter the details into your spreadsheet or system. A quick check before it’s saved keeps it accurate.
• Missed calls. When you’re too busy to pick up or it’s after hours, callers can reach an automated receptionist instead of calling your competitor. They can ask questions and leave their details, and you get a text so you can get back to them when it’s convenient.
• Google Reviews. Automatically request Reviews from your customers after a completed job.
Bottom Line: For one week, write down every task you do more than twice. The one that shows up most is the first thing worth automating.
Have questions?
Eddy Reynoso runs CodeBrewLabs LLC and offers East Boston businesses a free 30-minute consultation on getting found on Google and cutting down admin work.
Website:https://www.codebrewlabs.io/
Email:eddy@codebrewlabs.io
Phone: 617-299-1508
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/eddyreynoso
