It's the most wonderful time of the year! For small businesses that means time to roll up your sleeves and work your little booty off to capitalize on the retail boom that is Christmas. Often times with that boom comes chaos, disorganization, lost data, and pulling out your hair once January comes and things settle down. In an effort to help combat the Christmas Chaos, the D2D team has come up with a few things you can do to stay sane this holiday season.
- Get a system for your extra receipts!
You'll be running at 100 miles a minute, and spending money to make money. Don't worry about getting your receipts entered in during this crazy time. Instead, set yourself up for success. Get an envelope or folder for your car, cash register, and (if applicable) purse. While you are busy, ram those receipts in there and forget about it! You will thank yourself in January and your bookkeeper will too ;)
- Notepads (digital or paper!)
Along with all of those extra receipts will come weird scenarios during the month. Someone will e-transfer you, you'll do a last minute order, an employee will pick up something you've asked for. If you have random note pads in strategic places (register, car or office desk) or a dedicated note in your phone, make sure you write down when you've done something out of the ordinary. You will thank yourself later! It can be hard to go back after a chaotic month and track down where a random transaction came from. Having all these details will make your life easier when the new year hits.
- Training manual for staffing up
A lot of small businesses will staff up during the holidays to keep up with customer demand. With increased staffing comes increased details. Coming up with a small but simple training manual or task list for these new staff members will allow them to operate successfully for you during the holiday season. Increased confidence and training leads to less mistakes and fixing later, all things that make the life of a small business owner easier.
- Scheduling
Live and die by the schedule! Your calendar will be your friend during this hectic time. It can be easy to forget important events, pick up times, drop offs, and deliveries. Use your calendar (again paper or digital) to keep everything planned. Set reminders if you can to keep you on your toes! Plan everything, even your personal responsibilities. Scheduling and calendars allow you to be a super hero when things get chaotic.
5. Don't forget to take a break
As easy as it can be to think that we must burn the candle at both ends to get through this season, remember what its message is all about. Giving thanks to your staff, your customers and yourself! Don't forget to take care of yourself during this time, get rest, eat as well as you can (we know how easy it can be to drive thru when we are stressed) and make time for family and friends. There is no business without you so make sure you nourish that for top tier success!
