
You may think summer means business as usual, but many companies can face disruption and delays due to:
- More people taking holiday than at other times
- The heat disrupting transport or the supply chain
- Increased trade requiring additional staff
How deeply these issues or others impact your business depends on a number of factors, including:
- The size and location of your business
- Your sector
- Your ability to manage delays or meet additional costs
- The sectors and functions of other companies in the supply chain
Tackling challenges head-on
Effectively managing summer disruptions should start long before those first glorious weeks – it should be built into your business strategy.
You may need to:
- Address staffing issues – Ensure you have sufficient staff to avoid delays and can provide consistency of service.
- Manage cash flow – If you need additional cash to cover delays or busier periods, make sure to factor that in throughout the year.
- Advertise in advance – Leave enough time to recruit good, reliable staff to avoid further costs or losses during busy periods.
Seizing the opportunity
Summer also provides plenty of opportunities for diversification and internal review.
Potential summer opportunities include:
- Exploring new markets – If your location and sector provide you with access to new markets e.g. tourism, you may seek to expand into these markets temporarily to discover a new revenue stream.
- Reviewing your operations – Periods of quiet, when clients or suppliers are away, may give you the opportunity to review your processes and make improvements.
- Enhancing hiring processes – If you need to take on seasonal staff, this is a great opportunity to assess your recruitment