Tips For Small Businesses Preparing For Christmas

Tips For Small Businesses Preparing For Christmas

With Christmas and New Year just around the corner, it’s time to prepare your business and your employees for what’s to come. Read our expert tips to help you prepare.
Whether Christmas is the most profitable time of year for your business or you decide to close over the festive period, last-minute planning can be stressful and things are sure to go wrong. Here are seven things to keep in mind.
Identify Your Staffing Needs
If your business will remain open over Christmas, you may need additional staff, especially if regular employees want to take the Christmas and New Year’s holidays. Plan your staffing needs in advance and make sure your seasonal staff are properly trained and prepared for the shopping frenzy. The best way to make sure your staffing needs are right is to look at previous years and companies of similar size. The festive period can be very stressful, especially for new staff, so look at how you can boost employee morale. This could include activities like Secret Santa and Christmas parties.
Stay Organized
Staying motivated during the holiday season comes from making sure there are minimal setbacks and that everyone is on the same page. Identify which tasks can be done beforehand and create an action plan to address them. These could include setting your holiday opening hours and sales targets, and thinking about your payroll requirements. If your business closes over Christmas, take care of the things you’ve been putting off and consider investing in new software. You can take this time to familiarize yourself with the program in time for when your employees return to work.
Inventory Levels
There’s nothing worse than running out of stock, so estimate (don’t guess) your inventory needs. Please check previous Christmases to get a clear idea of stock needs and be careful not to over or under order. In addition to your actual products, remember to check the levels of other holiday supplies, such as gift wrapping, gift cards, and seasonal decorations. Try talking to your supplier about bulk ordering items at a discounted price. Contact your suppliers in advance, as they will be busy making similar agreements with other companies.
Check Your Online Platforms
When your website traffic increases over the festive period, the last thing you want is for it to fail, as this can put off potential customers and cause you to miss out on a sale. Make sure your information is up to date and your website is easy to use. Ask yourself if your most popular products are easy to find and how easy the checkout process is. You may need to increase your online presence as you receive more inquiries, so make sure your customer service is responsive and has accurate turnaround times.