With the holiday season fast approaching, the “12 Pains of Christmas” parody song comes to mind as well as the chaotic hustle and bustle at malls. For such a joyous time of the year it always seems to be paired with stress. Understanding consumers and their needs during this time will help boost your bottom line even further. Long lines and limited time are two areas identified as major concerns during the holidays for shoppers. Here are some ideas to cater to these go-go-go patrons and help ease the pain that comes with the holidays.
• If you are a business that serves coffee and like beverages as well as food, consider creating two sections for order: one for just drinks and the other for a full meal. This will help get the beverage seekers in and out quickly.
• Prepare bite-sized and on-the-go meals. Consumers are snacking more and more with less focus on sit-down meals, and with limited time they need to eat and shop, so make it easy on them.
• Staff up – many college kids are on break and anxious for cash. Increase your staff during peak times to keep the flow and workload bearable for all.
• Stock-up – review popular inventory from the previous year’s season, begin analyzing what sales items are taking off and don’t hesitate to order more. Consumers dislike when they get a specific dish in mind to find it’s sold out.
• This issue’s HR Corner focuses on sick time-off. Sick, overworked, cranky, stressed and tired employees will only add to the commotion of the holidays. Manage your employees’ health by maintaining a workplace focused on wellness for all.
You won’t be able to completely escape the hectic pace of the holidays, but these little tips just might help ease the season.