Are you ready for next year’s business? Top 5 ways to prepare your business

The holidays are a busy time of year. Your employees are taking vacation, you’re getting ready to wrap up your books, and so much more! But this is also a great time to prepare for the next year in business. With proper planning, you can be ready to face the new year with confidence. Try these top 5 ways to prepare your business for the new year.

Prepare your business by updating your holiday hours

When is the last time you updated your holiday hours? The end of the year is a great time to re-evaluate and keep your clients informed. Your employees will surely appreciate a heads up too – whether you’re closing down for extra holidays or need more support during the busy season.

First and foremost, you’ll want to make sure your customers are aware of your holiday hours and how to reach you during that time. Make sure your phone number is updated online and anywhere else it may be published. This includes your website, social media profiles, and Google Business listing. If you don’t know how to update your Google Business listing, you can follow their online instructions that we linked.

Update your phone system holiday greetings

Along the same lines as our first tip, it’s important to keep your client-facing systems up to date. This tip helps you maintain a professional appearance in front of customers as well as keep them informed of your business practices. Make sure your phone system holiday greetings are current. Take time to review your current greetings, then record new ones as needed.

The nice thing about modern VoIP phone systems is that you can prepare in advance. Greetings can be recorded for the entire year and edited later. Proper preparation in your business will help you relax and run more efficiently.

Modify or set PTO requirements

Do you offer your employees PTO? Have you recently updated your PTO policies? As we approach the end of the year, it’s a good time to prepare your business, review your policies, and make modifications as needed.

Keep your employees informed about any changes that will affect them. You will need to plan to make sure you have enough coverage during the busy season, while helping your staff have a good work/life balance. Creating a PTO calendar for management is helpful to keep everyone on the same page and prepare your business accordingly.

Be ready for end-of-year business deals

Many businesses wait until close to end-of-year before making large purchases to make sure they can afford it. Is your business B2B? Then this may affect your annual sales greatly. Make sure you’re ready for the rush of new business!

Staffing can be a big challenge. However, now is the time to prepare for next year’s end-of-year rush. Make sure you have enough staff to provide excellent service to your customers. Additionally, it’s important to ensure your phone system is up to the task. If customers can’t reach you by phone – they may not want to do business with you!

Review your business goals

Are you on track to meet your goals for this year? How about next year? Writing down your annual and quarterly goals will help you achieve them much more effectively. Prepare your business with new goals for the new year. Setting S.M.A.R.T. goals is also a great way to accomplish them.

SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-Bound. Sticking to these guidelines will help you create goals that you can actually meet – but also drive you toward success.

Prepare Your Business Now

Don’t wait until next year to start planning your business goals. Start now and enjoy the peace of mind that comes with being proactive!

As trusted business advisors, we help businesses implement policy, procedure, and technology to meet their goals. Are you feeling a little lost and think technology or policies can help your business run smoother? Book a consultation with us to see how we can provide solutions for your business.