Should You Stay or Should You Go?
How to run your business and stay connected while on vacation
By JoAnn Ferrari-Gregoli, MBC™, Elegant Occasions by JoAnn Gregoli, New York CityBeing a business owner can be very rewarding and also quite challenging. It means you are solely responsible for the successes—and failures—of your business. Sometimes it seems as if you can never break away to spend time with family or friends. Yet, it’s critical to the success of the business to maintain a work and family life balance and de-stress—that means going on vacation either with friends or family. Trips to familiarize yourself with a destination wedding location, site visits, and conventions do not count as vacations or down time. But how is it possible to get away? What happens to the business in your absence? How can you make it seem like the business is running even though you aren’t there?Have staff or services in place—and trust themToday’s clients do not wait for a response, they move on to the next person if you don’t respond in a timely manner. It’s critical to have key people in place who can respond to the inquiries and questions while you are away. When leaving on vacation, have staff in place to answer the phones and field calls. If you don’t have staff or they’re not available at times you need them, such as weekends and holidays, consider hiring a service to handle the calls. Having the phone covered and your emails answered in a timely manner, is the key to a successful and relaxing escape.Train your staffEvery staff member should be knowledgeable about your clients, their needs and events, and how to handle each. Staff should know who the various vendors are, the planning timeline for each client under contract, and the deliverables needed for each. Copies of all the vendors’ contracts and contact information should be accessible by all team members. A well-trained staff knows exactly where to find the information they need to resolve issues on their own. Let them know that anything they cannot handle or anything emergent should be brought to your attention immediately—even if you are away.
Do prep work before you goJust a little work before you leave for vacation will pave the way for a more relaxing getaway. Here are some tips:• Meetings: Set up any pending meetings or appointments, and have your team confirm them before you leave.• Clients: Personally notify all couples and pertinent vendors that you are away, so they do not expect instant responses during that timeframe.• New clients: Train your staff or service so they are capable of obtaining initial information from potential clients while you are away. Have them send the proper information to the client as well.• Crisis management: Have a plan in place so if a crisis occurs, you will be immediately notified and can advise your team about how to handle the situation, or you can handle it yourself if you do not have a staff. Never assume someone who is answering your phones knows the nuances of your clients as each client has his or her own way of dealing with stress. Having a plan for proper crisis management, whether you are away from or in the office is critical to running a successful business.• Emergency numbers: Provide your team or service with your vacation contact information, including contact numbers for each hotel/resort where you will be staying, as well as a complete itinerary in case a crisis arises.Stay connectedAs a business owner, it’s almost impossible to totally disconnect. If you don’t hear from the office or service, you should still check in occasionally to answer quick questions and ensure there isn’t a crisis in your absence.Consider making yourself available for a Skype chat as needed, but only to help alleviate any client stress. With the advent of new technology such as FaceTime, Skype, and Google Hangout, you can virtually run your business from anywhere in the world. Sitting on a beach, relaxing on a cruise, touring the Grand Canyon, a connection is only as far away as the nearest cell or wireless connection via smart phones, tablets, and even the watch phone. Keeping in touch with clients on a regular basis is the most important aspect of your business. This constant contact should appear seamless. Today’s technology makes this effortless, which is good because it has become a requirement for the millennial couples and our industry.The secrets to getting away when you own your own business are to have a trustworthy staff or service, good training, great communication, and to be technology savvy—making your transition from work to vacation less stressful and more enjoyable.
