Gearing Up for Christmas
Yes – it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas is coming. On a personal note, Christmas evokes many different reactions – some may BaHumbug – others excited – some thankful – others full of hope.
But what does Christmas and the follow-up to Christmas mean to your business. Many don’t think about it until Christmas is here. So the Albany Creek Business Contacts members took the opportunity this morning to discuss the different impacts the Christmas period has on their varied businesses and how, now (two months out) they are gearing up.
For our two retail members, Andrew Gallagher (Lollyworld) and Kathy Patterson (Brendale Stationery Supplies), the Christmas is one of their busiest periods. Not only for Andrew will the sale and distribution of Christmas stock keep him busy, but for him (and general retail industry), this time of year is when they are forecasting and purchasing stock for Easter and other new year occasions. For Kathy it is school booklists which come thick and fast once a year which need to be sorted by the time children go back to school next year. In addition to these events, for both, day to day services also need to be met. So when asked what gearing up for Christmas means to them, the agreed response was “preparation, planning, scheduling and careful cashflow management”.
Rob Carmody (Australian Integrated Communications) and DeWet van der Nest (Express Air Con Cleaning) also have busy times at Christmas. For DeWet, it is summer and air-conditioning usage is coming to its peak. For Rob, clients have the capacity and decide to deal with their telecommunications and want it done by Christmas. For both, gearing up for Christmas means “forward planning, pro-active contact with clients to try and spread the work required over a longer period, managing client/customer disappointment and expectations to deliver in the timeframe and cashflow management”.
For Brad Davies (Conquest Pest & Termite Control) Christmas is shutdown-time for his business. Gearing up for this break means “communication with customers so they know it is coming and ensuring on-call staff to service emergency circumstances”.
For Dan Milgate (Fit4Life Personal Training) and others in the group it is generally, business as usual, so Christmas is not really a period of major impact.
Finally, for Scott Deaves (David Deane Real Estate) and us here at Balanix Solutions, it is the period before Christmas which is busy, so Christmas is a time we can take to touchbase more with clients and nurture relationships, as well as reflect on our business and gear up for the new year.
What do you do for your business to gear up for Christmas?
Albany Creek Business Contacts consists of local quality and reliable businesses who provide a wide range of services from home and residential services to B2B and commercial services. Our service areas cover primarily Albany Creek, Eatons Hill, Brendale, Aspley, Warner, Chermside, Strathpine, North Lakes. However many members will cover greater areas.
Albany Creek Business Contacts meet fortnightly on a Wednesday morning for a 7am breakfast and networking meeting.
Balanix Solutions – Accountant, Business Advisor, Bookkeeping.
Situated in Strathpine on Brisbane North, we partner with our clients to assist them in their accounting, business management and bookkeeping needs. Our clients vary in industries from professional services (such as law, vet and dentist) to the trades (mechanic, bricklaying, plasterer etc), hospitality and retail. Are clients are located in the Pine Rivers area (including Brendale, Lawnton, Albany Creek and Eatons Hill) through to Kallangur, Petrie, North Lakes and Caboolture, as well as Brisbane South, the Gold Coast and various other parts of Queensland.
Call us today … we can help (07 3264 4783)
