Surviving the Holidays: How Businesses Can Keep Up with the Demand Without Hiring Seasonal Staff

16 Oct Surviving the Holidays: How Businesses Can Keep Up with the Demand Without Hiring Seasonal Staff

The holiday season is the happiest time of the year for joyous shoppers and happy kids. But it can also be a daunting time for businesses, especially small startups. For most establishments, this high demand can trigger for stocks to run out fast and, worst, for the business to get understaffed during the holidays. It’s nerve-wracking for any business owner to have only one or two people to man the store while there’s a huge influx of clients and/ or customers. For some businesses, however, they may reach an all-time low, with little to no profit during the season due to the lack of customers who are on a vacation spree. 

But the main concern here is how you, whether an established business or a blooming startup, cope with the influx or the sudden change in business demand tide of the holidays without hiring a seasonal staff. This can be troublesome since most workers would rather spend time with their families for the holidays than flip burgers or clean the kitchen. 

Keep on reading as we give you a few insightful tips and tricks on how to keep that business running and the cash flow coming in throughout the holiday season without having to go to the trouble of seeking out some seasonal staff. 

Get organized before the holidays

You know the holiday season is coming, you know there will be some sudden changes. If you’ve done your homework then you may have had a forecast of what to expect. Plan out your business strategy and keep all the system working. 

This can be quite difficult for business startups as this is something that they have not experienced yet. This is pretty much the first step in embarking through the holiday survival routine so get your people and products in check. 

Get Into That Holiday Fray 

So, you don’t intend to hire any seasonal staff. Then you’ need to convince whatever manpower you’ve got to stay in for the holidays. This may or may not work out depending on how much of a good boss you are. In most cases, regardless of how compassionate or cruel of a manager you are, your staff may agree to work throughout the holidays simply because you’re the boss, but this might result in a very low work output. Also, we’re pretty sure you’re dying to go on a holiday getaway, but it might not look good for your employees when you’re out in some island paradise while your employees are out in the gloom and doomed to work for your own benefits.  

Our wise advice is you have to choose between your holiday suite or the business survival. So, strap on your lederhosen and rubber gloves, and jump into that holiday fray frontlines and show your army of workers that you’ll be the spearhead for the better holiday tomorrow. 

Automation

Look, it’s the 21st century! We live in a world of expanding technology systems and machines that speed up work. This may be quite an expensive investment at first, but it will pay off in the long run. Depending, of course, on what kind of business you’re in, you may purchase and install software or machines that can either reduce the number of needed staff or remove them completely, but surely you would want to hire an electrician if things go awry. But, yes, robotics has gone through the roof in terms of evolution and there are several gadgets and machinery out there in the market that you can apply or have them custom built for your establishment that can very well standardize and systematize the production. This may even increase output not only for the holidays but throughout the year. 

The Internet

So, you don’t have the heart to send your staff to work during the holidays, you’re just a nice person who wants to give your employees that long deserved break for the year, but what happens to the business now? Unmanned and unattended.  

You can’t run the business on your own, right? Sure, you can hire some family or friends, have your kids man the stations, get your spouse to attend as a cashier, but surely, you’re not that cruel? Well, again we would like to welcome you to the 21st century: unbound and nearly limitless!  

Of course, we’re talking about the Internet. A lot of businesses nowadays use the Internet as their platform, creating online shops/ stores through cyber marketplaces like Facebook. You can delve into the world of Amazon, or even put up your own website dedicated to the business or services you provide. How about creating your very own app that people can conveniently download and use anytime and anywhere? Imagine the possibilities that this may garner: lesser staff but more mobility and flexibility.  

Most establishments have online applications that are not only used during the holidays but throughout the year. These online apps can make more money than the actual physical store itself. Based on some studies and reports, many people prefer to do their shopping in the comfort of their bed or couch and would wait for that drone to drop off their doorstep.  

With all this in mind, you should have no problem getting yourself and the business through the holidays! With access to technology, everything is possible! Being an entrepreneur, you have to remember that sacrifices have to be made, which includes having to skip the Bahamas these holidays. Don’t worry, though, the year is long and, once the business has been established with all the systems in place, then maybe, just maybe you can go on that holiday cruise you’ve always wanted.