Running a business 24/7 is a huge task. It presents many challenges that you may be unsure if you’re willing to face. But if you have decided that you want to provide your services all the time, or perhaps just extend your hours, you need to think about some important issues. You need to have the staff and the resources that will allow you to offer your services at any time of the day and week. It’s not a simple task to fulfill and could be both expensive and time-consuming. However, it could be worth it if you think the demand is there. Here’s what you need to do.
Allow Contact 24/7
If you want to make your business available all the time, opening up contact is one of the easiest ways to do it. You don’t have to open up your full services 24/7 if you’re not yet ready for that step. Start by offering a range of points of contact, so your customers can get a response whenever they need one. For example, a doctor’s office might use after-hour medical answering services so that patients can book appointments when the surgery is closed. You could also use a chat bot or instant messaging app on your website, or just allow customers to leave voicemails or emails.
Hire Staff for All Hours
Of course, if you want to provide a more comprehensive service, you need the staff to provide it. At first, you might not consider hiring permanent staff. Virtual assistants can help to fulfill a range of tasks for a lower price. You can also hire people from around the world, so you won’t have to pay extra for people working night shifts. There are some jobs for which you will need people on your business premises. It’s important to consider the unsociable hours when you think about pay and other benefits.
Consider Health and Safety
If you hire staff to work nights and weekends, it’s a good idea to think about health and safety. There are certain issues that are more important to work about when hiring shift workers for these times. For example, some of your employees might work alone during their shifts. You should think about how to ensure their safety and security. You might also want to help your staff stay healthy. Working nights can affect the health, which in turn could affect their productivity.
Use 24/7 Services
If you’re running your business 24/7, you need to be able to access important services all the time too. So you should look for outsourcers and services that can be there for you. For example, you might need an IT support service that operates on a 24/7 basis. You can’t offer your services at all times if you don’t have the support to back you up. Make sure the services you use will be there when you need them.
Creating a 24/7 business takes a lot of work, but it could be worth it. Before you do it, make sure you give it a lot of thought.