UK holiday, camping and caravan parks are thriving, supporting over 200,000 jobs and generating more than £12 billion a year for the economy.
While visitors’ average spend tops £100 a day - especially during the summer months - businesses may dread the inevitable downturn that follows as schools go back and autumn arrives.
However, the quieter months can be a good time to take stock, balance the books and plan ahead. If you’re unsure of where to start, follow these tips to help you prepare your business for the season ahead.
With fewer guests on-site, it’s only logical that you’ll need fewer employees to manage the workload. Now’s an optimal time to re-evaluate staff schedules and consider reducing hours or shifting to part-time contracts based on lower guest projections.
This can not only help manage payroll costs during slower periods but can ensure that performance and productivity remain high and keep staff engaged and motivated.
Interestingly, while too few staff can create unrest and delays in service, too many can actually sap productivity. This is bad news for your ROIs and can also read as disrespectful to guests, who may spot staff lingering or excessively chatting with their coworkers during quieter periods.
With fewer visitors, now is an ideal time to strategise about how to generate greater interest during the quieter autumn season.
Something to consider might include introducing autumn and winter-specific promotions or packages to attract guests during off-peak times. This can be as simple or as enthusiastic as you dare to dream up! From straightforward price reductions to encourage greater footfall through to targeted marketing campaigns focusing on a specific demographic (such as retirees or couples, for example).
Be sure to include these incentives in your revenue projections to boost bookings and facilitate cash flow.
With less demand on your staff and facilities, autumn is an opportune time to make maintenance and improvements to your site.
To soften the financial hit of maintenance, try to allocate a budget for necessary maintenance or upgrades during the off-season. This will help to effectively manage your expenses and ensure the property is in top condition for the next peak season, as the winter break draws in with the longer nights.
While it may sound counterintuitive, reducing the cost of visiting your facilities for regular, long-term clients can aggregate significant earnings over time.
After all, 80% of UK customers use customer loyalty schemes. From their weekly food shop to beauty essentials and eating out, implementing a loyalty scheme is an effective incentive to generate repeat business.
However, make sure to make it as easy to understand as possible. Almost a third of Brits find loyalty schemes overly complex and confusing - so take care to really refine your offering and limit it to tangible, easy-to-render rewards that have great added value and repeat visits.
No, I’m not suggesting you burn your books - quite the opposite! The downtime in guest volume gives businesses like yours the chance to consider diversifying revenue streams in interesting and unusual ways.
Options are as wide as your imagination, but could include pivoting your focus to cater for events that appeal more directly to local customers, such as hosting corporate retreats or community events, to supplement income. Gauging interest in seasonal events you don’t currently entertain, such as a Bonfire Night, Winter Solstice or local interest events, may also be of benefit.
Of course, these are just a few simple suggestions to improve your books and your seasonal outlook. If you want to ensure you’re in the best possible position to navigate the upcoming post-summer slump, effectively manage cash flow, and embed strategic decision-making in your business, get in touch with our expert team today.
