The sun is out and people are heading off on holiday, leaving some businesses short-staffed at a busy time. So, what can they do? Rachel Gray gives her advice on how to overcome summer staff shortages.
As a prime annual leave period, the summer months can be a tricky time for businesses reliant on seasonal business.
This can put pressure on small- to medium-sized companies, in particular, as they struggle to balance increased demand with reduced team capacity.
The loss of key team members can be detrimental to a business, even for a short time.
A study published in the Harvard Business Review found that 78 percent of new business goes to the first responder, and Forbes reported that 96 percent of customers would leave because of poor customer service.
Unanswered emails and queries can lead to a loss of potential new business opportunities, resulting in poor customer satisfaction and a damaged reputation.
As companies grow and face busy periods, the client experience must not dip below their expectations.
However, there are simple and cost-effective ways to maintain productivity and customer satisfaction during these busy holiday periods. Here are some tips to help keep business on track during the summer months.
Automate
Set an automatic reply to all emails to let clients know that you will get back to them within a specific time frame.
This is worth doing even when staff members are not on leave as it maintains important communication with clients.
The email can also direct people to your website or social profiles, where they can find the information they need.
Plan ahead
Be aware of your team's holiday schedule and ensure clients are informed of who their point-of-contact will be during this time. This might sound like obvious advice, but you would be surprised how often it is overlooked by busy managers at times when they are overstretched or understaffed.
Hire smart
By ‘hire smart,’ we don't mean replace or add to your full-time team. What we mean is that, by outsourcing jobs to fill in the gaps key employees leave during holiday periods, businesses may be able to save costs in the long run.
Subbing experienced team members in for those on annual leave will help to maintain a seamless service for clients, making them feel valued.
While outsourcing the company's everyday tasks to temporary personnel can cost a little upfront, it could also help to maintain relationships with clients during the leaner summer months.
Answer the phone
In a survey conducted by PwC, 78 percent of respondents noted their preference to interact with a human when they ring an organisation, especially as technology improves and clients are often forwarded to an answering directory.
To ensure all clients' needs are met, consider hiring an answering service to cover the desks while operating with limited team members.
Rachael Gray is Founder and CEO of Call Pal.