Going on Vacation? Make Sure Your Business Is Prepared Before You Go

Everyone loves to take a vacation. Some plan a tropical getaway while others prefer a cabin in the woods.

Bottom line: vacations are great. Yes, it's hard to let go and take time for yourself or to trust your business with a coworker, but sometimes a vacation is necessary. Prepare your clients and those you work with for your vacation ahead of time to be sure you won't lose any business while you are away.

Let Your Clients Know Where You are Going

Start by contacting your clients; tell them when you will be leaving and when you will be back. Leaving without notice and just giving an automated, "I will be out of the office and will be returning..." is one sure way to make your clients feel like they are not important to you. If you are working on something in particular for a client, make sure to give a detailed update on the status before you go, or get it completed if you can.

Getting in touch with your clients to let them know where you are going and when you will be back before you leave shows that you care about them.

Find Someone to Cover for You

Should something important come up while you are gone or any new leads come in, someone should be there to keep things running. Formally introduce this person to your clients before you leave. Be sure you come to an understanding on whether or not there is any compensation for stepping in during your vacation.

There are several ways to structure your compensation deal, such as referral fees, flat rates, or even trading off the work. Regardless of how you compensate whoever's covering for you, you'll get peace of mind knowing that your business will keep flowing and your clients will be happy knowing their needs are being taken care of.

Set a Good Automatic Response in Your Email

Regardless of how thorough you are at notifying your clients when you leave, it is almost a guarantee that some will forget and still try to contact you. The last thing your clients want is to not receive a response when there is something urgent that needs to be handled. Set a good automatic response so you can enjoy your vacation knowing that your client's request is getting to the correct person.

Include in your automatic response that you are out of town, when you will be back, and the name and contact information of someone who is available to assist your client if immediate attention is required. Your clients will be happy that they received a response. If you leave no response at all, your clients will feel ignored or that they are no longer a priority.

Finally, Enjoy Your Vacation

Yes, you read that correctly. Enjoy your vacation! Taking time to breathe and relax is important for both you and your clients. Overworking yourself can do more harm than good, so taking a vacation will ensure that you come back refreshed and ready to work!

Hopefully, these tips will help put you at ease about leaving your business behind for some time to relax and unwind.

To view the original article, visit the Homes.com blog.