Here’s a question: When is peak season for your business? If you’re in the vacation business perhaps you would say summer. A retailer? Probably closer to the holidays and for home sales companies, it’s the spring. Every business is different, but all businesses have a peak season and that season is vital.
A successful peak season could make or break your entire year, and when it arrives, you don’t want to leave anything to chance. That’s why today we’re providing you five tips you can employ to make sure your business’s peak season is its best yet.
Start your staffing search
This one gets listed first because seasonal staffing always seems to take longer than you’d expect. While these staff members may only be with you for a couple of months, you still can’t afford to take their hiring lightly. Hiring early will allow you to find the best candidates — as your peak season likely falls in line with your competitors’ — and to train them to best serve your customers during this important period.
Focus on finances
Peak season means peak sales and you need to be sure your payment solutions system is up to par with the increased demand you will face. Establishing a payment platform that is both friendly to your customers and your staff allows your customers to pay for goods and services in a manner they prefer while also minimizing your transaction fees. Start your research into these options now because the easier you make bill pay for all involved, the more apt your customers are to come back and do it again.
Plan for an inventory rush
Selling out is a good thing, but if demand exceeds your stock, you’re missing sales opportunities and potentially angering customers. Whether you utilize a rain check system or have a standby supplier, your peak season planning should include some strategy for meeting demand that exceeds even your most optimistic predictions.
Think safety both in-store and online
For some customers this may be the only time of year they do business with you, so keep it pleasurable by making it safe. Keep your store clean and be sure any/all spills or debris are cleaned up immediately. If you offer an online shopping component, this is the perfect time to make sure your cybersecurity has received the latest updates and is ready to protect the private financial data of all customers doing business with you online.
Look back
In many cases one of the best ways to prepare for the future is to look back at the past. What were your sales figures for this period last year? Which goods and services were most popular and how many additional staff did you hire? Harness this data and be honest in what did and didn’t work a year ago before making adjustments based on these experiences. Finally, don’t be afraid to introduce a little friendly competition. Last year’s benchmark is staring you in the face; try to beat it. Your business will be all the better for it.
