Seven checks to help your business run smoothly this Christmas

Christmas can mean more orders and enquiries, or fewer people around to handle them – or even both.

Opening hours may change, staff may be taking leave, and there may be less time to deal with problems if they happen. Being aware of all this and starting your prep early gives you time to test what matters, make improvements where they’re needed, and head into December feeling ready.

1. Make sure customers can find the right information

As Christmas approaches, you’ll probably start to hear the same kinds of question, again and again.

Are you open? When is the last day to order? How long will delivery take? Can customers still book? Who should they contact while the office is closed?

While there’s still plenty of time, we recommend that you check that the answers to these questions are clear and consistent across your website, Google Business profile and social channels. Make sure your opening hours, key dates and contact information are up to date too.

Then look at it from the customer’s point of view. Is the information easy to find, especially on a phone?

A useful website can answer common questions before customers need to call or email. If your website needs more attention, read our guide: Be ready when customers start searching.

2. Test what customers will actually do

Don’t assume your online processes are working just because no-one’s reported a problem.

Place a test order. Submit a booking form. Send an enquiry through your website. Check that confirmation emails arrive, prices are correct, and customers know what happens next.

Try the process on a mobile device too. Customers shouldn’t have to zoom in, search for basic information or guess what to do.

It’s also worth testing payment terminals, receipt printers and any other equipment people will rely on over Christmas.

Half an hour spent checking now could save a lot of confusion later.

3. Check whether your connection still suits your business

A connection that copes on a normal day might be stretched beyond its limits when multiple people and systems need it at once.

You may be processing more card payments, managing more orders or relying more heavily on cloud-based booking, stock or customer service tools.

Look out for warning signs such as slow applications, delayed file access, payment terminals losing connection or calls dropping out during busy periods.

If your current connection is no longer keeping up, check what options are available at your address. A faster broadband package may be enough for some businesses. But if your business depends on a consistent connection, a leased line may offer the performance and service guarantees you need.

Leased line lead times can vary, so it’s better to start that conversation early.

4. Test your WiFi where work actually happens

Fast broadband doesn’t automatically mean reliable WiFi throughout your premises.

A strong signal right next to the router is little help if card machines regularly lose connection at the till or staff struggle to get online in the stockroom.

In a Zen survey of 500 SME decision-makers, businesses told us that they experience WiFi issues an average of 13 times a month. Almost half said poor coverage limited the value they got from their broadband connection.

That’s why it’s a good idea to walk around your premises and test the areas you’ll rely on over Christmas, including tills and customer areas.

It’s better to find a weak spot now than when the queue is growing. And if you need a little help getting your WiFi where you need it, talk to us about EveryRoom or upgrading to an eero mesh system.

5. Plan for an outage before one happens

Could you still take payments, process orders, access cloud systems and answer customer calls if your main connection went down?

Nearly three-quarters of the business decision-makers in our resilience research told us that having a backup connection is critical. But only 59% had 4G backup in place.

A 4G backup service can automatically switch your router to a mobile connection if the main line drops, which can help keep essential systems running while the fault is fixed.

Make sure staff know which systems matter most, what to do first, who to contact and whether any temporary workarounds are available.

Agreeing this now is much easier than working it out under pressure.

If you think you’ll benefit from 4G backup, it can be added while you’re ordering your Zen business broadband, and if you’re already a Zen user, just get in touch and we’ll discuss adding it to your package.

6. Make sure calls reach the right people

Your phone setup may need to change over Christmas.

If staff are on leave, working from home or covering different hours, check that calls will still reach someone who can help.

Review your opening-hours messages, voicemail, call routing, diverts and out-of-hours arrangements – including who’ll check any messages.

With CloudComms, you can route calls to the right person whether they’re in the office, at home or working elsewhere.

Test the setup before Christmas begins. And don’t assume a divert or voicemail message is working because it was set up last year.

7. Make a simple Christmas continuity plan

Christmas cover can quickly expose where your business depends too heavily on one person.

Make sure staff know where to find the information they need, and that more than one person understands each important process.

Your plan doesn’t need to be complicated. It should answer four basic questions:

• Which tasks and services must keep running?
• Who will be responsible while people are away?
• What should happen if a key system or device fails?
• Where can staff find the information they need?

Share the plan with everyone who needs it. A document nobody has seen won’t be much help when something goes wrong.

More demand and fewer people available can put extra pressure on your people and systems. Checking the essentials now gives you time to make changes before Christmas, rather than trying to fix problems during your busiest or most thinly staffed weeks.

Keep your business connected and ready this Christmas

See how Zen can help you prepare your people, systems and connectivity for the Christmas period.

See how Zen can help