subject: 10 Things Businesses Should Sort Before The Christmas Break [print this page] 10 Things Businesses Should Sort Before The Christmas Break
Are you planning on closing down your workplace over the festive break? If so, here are 10 things you may need to get sorted before you depart.
1. Depending on the nature of your business, you may need to make sure all your orders are sent out to arrive on time or ensure all client work is completed within the deadlines you've been set.
2. When you return for the year, you will need to be ready for things to start again, so make sure you have plenty of stock in and are prepared for everything.
3. If you work in an industry where you provide a service to clients, make sure they're not going to need you over your proposed break. If they do, you may need to change your plans or bring in temporary staff.
4. It's important that all your invoices are chased up before Christmas, ideally so they're sorted before you head off. Otherwise, you may be left with cashflow problems waiting for payment in the new year. If you don't have the time or need cash flow sooner, using an invoice finance specialist could help.
5. By rights, you should be shutting down most of your electrical equipment each night, but it's even more significant to ensure it's done before you go off for a week or two.
6. You may need to decide which of your team will be on call in case of any work emergencies over the break.
7. It's a good idea to put a note on your website to let customers and clients know that you won't be available over Christmas or if you have a number in case of a work emergency.
8. Even if you are going off for a week or two, it's still a good idea to make sure someone is checking emails over the break.
9. Your suppliers will also need to be informed of your opening and closing hours throughout the break, so make a list and inform them one-by-one.
10. Finally, if you deal with customers, suppliers or clients overseas, make sure you're aware of their planned opening hours over the break and consider the time zone differences in the run up to day you shut down.
If you do need help with your invoices, you may want to find out more information on how invoice discounting and factoring might be able to help.
