Seasonal changes are constant in Canada, which means holidays are typically around the corner. Whether it’s for Thanksgiving or Christmas, closing your business for a few extra days or longer can be daunting as a business owner. What can make it more stressful is all the planning that it requires. There are many things to consider when closing your business down for a short period to celebrate. Be proactive and take time now to ensure everything gets done on time. Here are seven essential tips before closing your business for the holidays.
1. Communicate Your Closure Dates Early On
If you are closing your business for a few days or simply operating on limited hours, it is essential to communicate your amended dates and times. You should also let your customers, vendors, stakeholders, and other relevant parties know about business disruptions. This will help avoid confusion and ensure that those in need of your services can reach you quickly.
How to Announce Your Business Closure to Clients
As part of this process, Bizcover.com recommends considering the following points:
- Send email reminders, schedule social media posts, or put a Christmas holiday note on your company website.
- For a personal touch, add your seasonal hours to your holiday greeting cards or invoices.
- Post your Christmas holiday trading hours on a whiteboard or poster if you have brick-and-mortar premises.
- Enable email auto-response and include hours of operation.
- Change the automatic voicemail message in your company’s phone system.
- Notify security personnel, ensuring that they have an up-to-date emergency contact list. This is important because security will need to know who they can contact in case of a security concern. Additionally, it will inform them of who is authorized to enter the building during the holiday shutdown period.
2. Back Up Your Servers and Shut Down Equipment
If you are considering closing your business for the holidays, protecting your data and hardware is essential to avoid any catastrophes. Please make sure that you schedule your IT consultants in advance to identify critical systems and prepare servers for backup. It is necessary to understand the proper shutdown procedures for your IT equipment. Heat can be a significant issue for systems that operate continuously. Therefore, to save power, remind employees to turn off computers and unplug larger devices, such as printers and photocopiers. Could you conduct a visual inspection of the devices and check for any glowing lights? Devices are likely to consume energy even if an LED light is on. This includes kitchen appliances, such as microwaves and toasters.
3. Reduce Cyber Security Risk Before Closing Your Business
As part of your holiday IT measures, you may also run cybersecurity checks and remind your staff about the need for cybersecurity diligence, even during the festive season.
- Remind your staff about your cybersecurity policy.
- Protect your company’s sensitive data by ensuring staff are using a Virtual Protected Network (VPN). This is important if they will be checking their work emails remotely during the holiday shutdown period.
- Invest in Cyber Liability Insurance.
If you are looking for a new company vehicle, the price of the car you’re eyeing may drop in a year. Dealers often offer end-of-year deals to clear out space for new models. This can be an excellent opportunity to save money for your business.
4. Staff Planning During Business Closures
It’s essential to note that the festive season is approaching quickly. Therefore, you will need to consider whether you want to be available to your customers during this time. You may have no say in the matter, and some of your team will need to be at work for most or all of the days between Christmas and the New Year. But, with a bit of planning, it’s often possible to reduce staffing levels.
If you have a small team that is vital for business, a more extended Christmas break will limit the amount of holiday time staff will take during the rest of the year. This will reduce your need to take on casual staff to cover. It also eliminates the challenges of staff supervision if managers also take time off.
Clear the fridge: Remember that no one wants to be greeted back to work with the stench of spoiled food. As part of your closing procedures, ensure staff have enough time and warning to remove food items from the kitchen before the holidays.
5. Alert Suppliers Before Closing Your Business
Check with your suppliers to determine their holiday plans. If they are closed or operating on a limited schedule during the holiday period while your business is open, make arrangements to have extra supplies on hand. It’s also important to remember that not all companies will be closed at the same time as yours. That said, contact any delivery service providers to notify them when you will be closed if you are expecting a delivery during that time.
6. Manage Your Accounts During Business Closures
Catching up with invoices during the holiday season can be tricky. So, it is always a good idea to start early. Invoices should be sent to customers as quickly as possible. Here’s a handy suggestion for when to follow up on invoices:
- First, send a reminder that the invoice due date is approaching.
- Second, send another reminder that the invoice is due by the due date.
- Two weeks late: Send a polite reminder in the case of an oversight.
- Three weeks late: Send a phone conversation in which you agree to a fixed payment date.
Before your accounts team or bookkeeper goes on holiday, please ensure you discuss how to manage your accounts during the break. It is also essential to set up supplier payments and staff wages well in advance. It doesn’t help good supplier relations if you make them wait until late in January to be paid for an account due in December. Nor is it a good idea to start the New Year with underpaid, unhappy staff.
7. Plan For the Unexpected
Even with the best-laid plans, problems can occur. Issues with IT or a customer emergency can happen while you’re running on skeleton staff. Your lifesaver here is to plan for the unexpected. If your business is open during the holidays, ensure that you have a manager who can make and act on decisions. It’s also a good idea to have a folder containing emergency contact information and other vital details that your staff may need.
When it comes to IT problems, please inform your staff of who to contact and ensure that person is readily available. Someone should be checking your website and have a plan in place to resolve issues that may arise.
Public Holidays for 2025
- Thanksgiving Day – Monday, October 13, 2025
- Remembrance Day – Tuesday, November 11, 2025
- Christmas Eve – Wednesday, December 24, 2025
- Christmas Day – Thursday, December 25, 2025
- Boxing Day – Friday, December 26, 2025
Conclusion: Take a Break, You Deserve It!
It’s vital to ensure that your business and staff are well taken care of and enjoy the break they have earned. However, as a business manager or owner, you deserve a break, too. Planning can help the holiday period run smoothly for your business and your team. The holidays are traditionally a time for family, rest, and recuperation. Whether you’re open for business or closed for a few days, a little planning will mean you can have a peaceful break. We hope our tips for closing your business for the holidays help you have some peace of mind, allowing you to enjoy your break.
As you approach the year’s end, this may be a good time to assess your evolving business needs. Please speak with one of our isure representatives about reviewing your current business insurance coverage. We’re happy to suggest ways to protect your business better while saving money simultaneously!
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