Christmas is just around the corner, which means it’s almost time to wrap up for 2019. However, when you’re running your own business, chances are you’ve still got a bit to do before you officially close shop.

Whether you want to disconnect completely and spend time with mates and family, or keep the doors open for potential new clients, this end-of-year checklist will help you close up shop this holiday season.

Sort out your end of year finances ASAP

It’s tempting to look at your end-of-year bookkeeping checklist and think, “I’ll chase up invoices after the holidays.” However, with many companies closing their business over the Christmas break, chances are it will take much longer than you expect to get those overdue payments sorted — and you could start off 2020 out of pocket (or worse yet, forget about it altogether!).

Organise your payments now so you’re not left scrambling right before the Christmas break. Use accounting software to keep a detailed list of your customers and which payments are due — and, for that added efficiency, link it directly with a job management app to create invoices on the go, and send them directly to customers using a quick text or email. You can even set it up to send a gentle reminder in the system to follow up if a customer is late on a payment.

Linking up your accounting and job management apps also lets you easily compare timesheet entries against employee payslips. This way, you can fast-track your employee payments before their final shift of the year.

Keep everyone in the loop

In all the rush to close up shop for the holidays, you might be forgetting something important: your team. When’s the last official day of work, and when should everyone be back on board? Send out an email to the entire team or brief them during your next toolbox meeting, so everyone knows exactly what to expect over the holiday break. If you need someone to be on call for any unexpected jobs during your business christmas closing hours, check in with them ahead of time to see if they’d be okay — this saves any stress and headache over the break.

At the same time, let your customers know when you’re closing up shop with a notice of closure of business for holiday via email, SMS or a post on your social media page. Make sure you also let customers know who to contact in case of an emergency. After all, busted pipes and broken ACs happen all year around!

Finally, this is also a great moment to send out a Christmas card or a small gift to your customers, thanking them for their continued support throughout the year. A little gesture goes a long way, and helps keep you top of mind for any jobs coming up in 2020.

Make sure you’re ready for 2020 when you come back

Coming back to reality after a holiday break is tough. Make it easier for yourself and prepare now, so you’re ready to go as soon as you come back in the New Year.

Already have jobs lined up after the break? Don’t wait to schedule them on your first day back — do it now. Use job management software to plan your business in advance, so your first day back is just business as usual, rather than a mad scramble to get things back in order. While you’re at it, schedule all your upcoming jobs and send off quotes to clients before you close up for the Christmas break, and set up all of your new clients in the system so they’re ready to go.

The end of the year should be a moment to celebrate, not to stress. With these tips, you’ll finish off 2019 with ease, and be ready to go full speed ahead in the New Year.

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