Small Business, Small Vacations
Small Business, Small Vacations
In any small business, you have a small number of people performing a lot of different functions so, when anyone goes on vacation, there are noticeable gaps. This is especially true when the owner or principal finally decides to go on vacation. It doesn't happen very often because small business owners tend to be convinced that they are indispensable but when it does, things can go wrong.
So, what can be done? If you are a very small business or a one-man show, you really have to be careful that you don't offer a service requiring support which only larger companies can give. Any service which requires 24 hour support seven days a week should be left to companies with enough staff. Alternatively, you can partner with a larger company, use an outside supplier for such support or make sure your customers are aware of alternative sources. In any case, there are going to be times when you or your small staff are not available and your customers should not be given unrealistic expectations.
If you haven't committed to unrealistic customer support, you can start planning your vacation far in advance. This ensures that contracts are completed, outstanding problems solved and new work postponed so that calls from customers while you are away are kept to a minimum. As your vacation time draws near, it's good idea to start mentioning your vacation when talking with your customers - those who you're talking with are likely to be the ones calling while you're away so make sure they're informed regarding your departure and return dates. Finally, don't schedule anything for a few days after your return - you're likely to have a back-log of messages and urgent problems which will keep you busy when you get back.
Don't forget - this is your vacation so let everyone know that when you're gone, you're gone. If you leave telephone numbers where you can be reached, you can bet there will be customers on the line and your vacation will be like a slow day at the office. If you're really concerned, better to call in every few days to see if there is really something that can't wait. And, if your vacation is not complete without the occasional computer fix, you can certainly use a laptop or an Internet Café to check your e-mail. Rather than fiddle with e-mail settings, I use Lycos Mail to check my mail box and show me the mail in any browser. There are other such services but this one is easy to use and doesn't come with a lot of ads and promotions.
Finally you're back, the sky hasn't fallen and you've cleared your back-log. Now is a great time to call prospective customers: "Thought I'd touch base with you - I've been away…". Also worth a look is the performance of any staff you left to take care of things. And look at yourself: relaxed, ready for new challenges, with a new perspective gained from being away for a bit? Good reasons to start planning your next vacation.
About the Author:
Bert Markgraf
I spent 20 years working for the German multi-national Siemens managing large, high tech projects across Canada. From the mid-eighties on, Siemens tried to re-orient its employees to regard their own department as their own small business and we received a lot of training and incentives in that direction.
Reprinted from www.Suite101.com.
