Planning ahead will help your business make the most of every opportunity during the 2012 Olympic Games in London. Though it may seem far away now, taking the time to prepare your company and employees will pay off in the end when the Olympic Games finally get underway.
Start by anticipating which aspects of your business will be most affected by the influx of people in London. If you own a shop or restaurant, you will have different challenges than a business to business organization. Anything from congested public transit to an increase in demand will affect you during the Olympic season, and considering this beforehand will help make sure you’re ready for anything and everything that comes your way.
The influx in spectators, athletes and journalists in London will have a huge effect on public transit. If your business is set along a busy transit route, you will likely experience a lot more foot traffic and your employees might have difficulty getting into work. Prepare your employees for this well in advance and help them make alternate arrangements for transportation if possible.
Consider whether you’ll need any extra staff to help you deal with the increase in customers. The same way a retailer prepares well in advance so they can have a successful Christmas season, consider how you can be ready for the Olympic Games. Order any extra supplies or ingredients you might need and make sure you have enough staff to keep things running smoothly at all times.
The biggest customer service challenges come when things are busy and employees are tired and working hard. Provide your employees with extra training to help them feel prepared for difficult customers and give them the skills they need to problem solve through tricky situations. Doing this will keep both your employees and customers happy while things are at their busiest, and will stop potentially stressful situations from becoming overwhelming.
Giving your employees the option of flexible working hours is another great way to navigate around any trouble you might have getting to work in an especially congested city. Allowing your employees to work from home can help your business be as productive as possible during the Olympic Games and can save employees lots of time trying to commute to and from work. Network and telecommunication solutions will allow your employees to access their work from home and communicate with one another.
Taking the time to prepare your business and employees can help take the Olympic Games from a potentially stressful time for your company to one where you’re making the most of your opportunities, and by making a few simple changes you’ll be ready for anything next summer at the London 2012 Games.
Matilda Brown writes for a digital marketing agency. This article has been commissioned by a client of said agency. This article is not designed to promote, but should be considered professional content.