How do you deal with going on holiday?

[MOSSEP]

The title says it, but it's mainly aimed at folks with staff, but where you are the thing that holds it all together. I have regular contracts and some staff, but when I go away it's the most stressful time ever. Who do you get to deal with things in your absence?

martin

 

[kay-jay]

im self employed and i dare not go on holiday. terrified of losing a couple of 40 quid jobs that could turn into larger jobs down the line.
find it hard to trust anyone to work for me as well but that time is coming! have too much work for just myself.
when i do have staff i would like to think i will choose well enough to be able to go away for a week and have them keep things ticking over

 

[cr0ft]

I am just about to start handing the phone to my year 2 apprentice. He has enough about him to be able to take calls and deal with smaller jobs for me while I am away. He will be able to book larger appointments in.

Having phone cover is very important, as I found out when a potential customer left me a 1/5 review on Google for not getting back to him for a week whilst I was on holiday. He took the review down when I explained I had been away but grumbled at me and said I should arrange phone cover.

He was a miserable git but he had a fair point to be honest.

When it was just me I just used to turn the phone off. We all need a break and life chasing profits all the time turns into quite a boring life.

The hardest things about employing people are finding good ones and delegating to them. I think it's in the nature of small business owners to be control freaks and this was the hardest thing for me to do. I've accepted my staff may not work as quickly as I do (otherwise they would be self employed themselves) but as long as they leave my customers happy that's all that matters to me.

 

[oz-plumber]

The title says it, but it's mainly aimed at folks with staff, but where you are the thing that holds it all together. I have regular contracts and some staff, but when I go away it's the most stressful time ever. Who do you get to deal with things in your absence?

martin

Why would you go away if it stresses you so much?.

Would you miss the birth of a child if it didn't suit your work regime?
Would you miss the funeral of a close friend / family member to suit your work regime?
Would you walk out of hospital half way through an operation to keep a customer happy?

If your contracts are that important to you and your staff unable to cope without you running your business for a week or so, then you need new staff, new customers and therapy.

Imagine if you died - God forbid - no one would be there to look after your customers.
What would they do?

( this post was written with a certain amount of sarcasm - intended )

 

[Masood]

I take my mobile and iPad with me. I check voicemails, texts and emails ONCE a day. I reply, explaining that I'm on holiday and offer an appointment after my return.

Most people are very happy with that. For emergencies, I've got a couple of mates I can call on, who won't steal my customer. For the little jobs that I might miss out on, that MIGHT turn into bigger jobs - well, that's life, isn't it? Can't do EVERY job. And not every small job does turn into a big one, so I don't worry about it.

 

[bright spark]

Do you have any staff that ye trust to answer calls, deal with customers directly. If ye can't trust 1 of your staff to do this, well maybe as 1 of the lads said you should look into hiring/ replacing some of them.
I work with my family, 3 brothers, 1 sister and 2 nephews. We all take time off in turn. Could trust any of them to hold main mobile for emergencies. Even the nephews would be respectful to customers even though they mightn't have the knowledge of the older lads. They know what side their bread is buttered on if ye catch my drift.
You need someone in your company you can trust.
if you handle all contact with customers on phone, maybe one day a week you should let one of your lads take calls. See how he handles it when your there. Ring and ask the customers what they thought of him honestly. You may have to pay this guy more for the extra responsibility. Ye never know you may enjoy the day of someone else handling the calls.

 

[julesverne]

I think you need to take the time to bring an employee who you can grow into the roll as being a face of your company. The the lad I took on was not only multi skilled but also has experience of running a busy mot and repair centre but was also great with custards in person and on the phone. It also helps Ive known him since he was a nipper. But ever since I went self employed. I always looking thinking if I could.trust them enough to potentially work for me in the future and I knew he would be working for me at least 2 years before he did.

 

[rocketmanbkk]

I change my voicemail do anyone who phones knows I'm away.

If they don't want to wait no problems. I'm not desperate (yet)!

 

[LPC]

I just leave a voicemail saying i'm away and the date I return.

What else can you do? Got to have a life!

 

[Toxic Ted]

Why would you go away if it stresses you so much?.

Would you miss the birth of a child if it didn't suit your work regime?
Would you miss the funeral of a close friend / family member to suit your work regime?
Would you walk out of hospital half way through an operation to keep a customer happy?

If your contracts are that important to you and your staff unable to cope without you running your business for a week or so, then you need new staff, new customers and therapy.

Imagine if you died - God forbid - no one would be there to look after your customers.
What would they do?

( this post was written with a certain amount of sarcasm - intended )

No........really?

 

[lame plumber]

whats holiday?

 

[newcastle phill]

It's hard. Just have to send the wife and kids alone rather than them miss out.

... me ????

I just try and make up the odd weekend away with the lads to amsterdam