Get your business ready for a busy summer!
While many B2B businesses go quiet over summer, many B2C businesses become very busy. If you work in hospitality, tourism, retail, travel or any other business that historically has its busiest period in July and August, it’s important that all your back-office support works perfectly – it’ll underpin your core business and help you get the most out of the season.
- Check in with your network
A lot can change in business over time, and it’s worth reviewing your plans to make sure you’re set up for success. Take the opportunity to check in with your usual suppliers and partners to ensure they’re still the right fit and able to support your current needs. If things have changed, use your network to find new recommendations and explore fresh opportunities to strengthen your approach.
- Automate everything you can!
Advance booking has become a standard feature for many businesses, with restaurants, venues and attractions managing capacity by encouraging customers to book ahead. Implementing an online booking system can reduce pressure on staff, removing the need to handle phone enquiries and allowing more time to focus on core business activities.
If your website doesn’t currently include a booking system, our web designers can help – find out more here. And if you deliver one-off or regular events, platforms such as Eventbrite remain a useful and accessible online booking solution.
Finances are another area that is easily automated, keeping you and your takings safe and saving you a lot of hassle. Accounting apps like Xero and QuickBooks will keep you on track with customer and supplier invoicing alike. Payment machines like SumUp work with an app on your phone so you can take secure card payments from anywhere, like a stall at a festival or market.
The time you save by automating can be diverted back into your core business and doing what you do best.
- Outsource your business support
You’ve hosted a fantastic event and you want to put your pictures on social media. But you’re hosting another one tomorrow and social media isn’t a good use of your evening. Outsource it! Ping the pictures over to your social media manager – they can upload them and create captions, while you have some downtime before your next busy day.
There are lots of tasks B2C businesses outsource. Admin, marketing, social media, telephone answering, cold calling – the list is endless! When you outsource, you only pay for the hours you need, meaning that you don’t need to employ permanent back-office staff when you only need them a few months a year.
If you think outsourcing could be the solution to get you through a busy summer, Get Ahead is here to help. Across our team of experts, we’re sure to find you someone not only with the right skills, but who is also the right fit for your business.
