Not all of us work at desks. Not all of us have PAYE 9-5 jobs. Not all of us have healthcare packages, or annual bonuses.
So, who are these ‘others’ then who fall outside of this remit? Self-employed, entrepreneurs & independent business owners that’s who.
As I opened the back door this morning to let the dogs out, there was a notable chill in the air.
Having sort of got used to excessive heat, warm nights & equally warm mornings; the sudden chill was a reminder that despite the effects of climate change, we are still hard wired into seasonality.
With Autumn lurking around the corner & the end of the traditional summer drawing near; the changes to the seasons can & do affect how certain businesses function, what work they undertake, how it affects their incomes & how they change their projections.
For some retailers for example, Autumn marks the beginning of the Christmas countdown & stocks will have already been secured to start advertising & marketing changes to product ranges. With the current economic climate, it was notable that some companies came into the school summer holidays advertising children’s school essentials with slogans such as “Spread the costs this summer” encouraging parents to buy early & not leave it until end of the summer when funds might have been more depleted.
With this “spread the cost” idea necessary for many people this year, I do wonder if retailers might be getting ready to do the same for the run up to Christmas, to give consumers an opportunity to spread the costs of Christmas purchases over the next four months.
However, what happens if you are not a retailer, how does the changing of the seasons affect your business? Depending on which sector you work in, do you change your diary for the Autumn/Winter months?
The travel & tourism sector already struggling to recover from the impact of Covid19, is one area where seasonality does impact & or alter their business model.
If we take restaurants, cafes & pubs as an example, there is clearly more scope for financial gain during the warmer months if outdoor seating is available & can maximise income (staffing permitted) whereas the Autumn/Winter months can drive people indoors, reducing the ability to maximise profit.
However, the flip side of this is how many additional seasonal events these establishments offer, which can balance potential income generators. Halloween, Guy Fawks Night & Christmas are all events which can be capitalised on by eateries & pubs, generating alternative incomes during the cooler months.
Outdoor events, holiday destinations & seaside resorts are another area which are greatly affected by seasonality.
However, having had to diversify during the height of the pandemic has taught many outdoor event organisers how to cash in on the changing seasons, offering alternative experiences to capitalise on the reduced daylight & cooler weather.
One such example is how the UK has embraced Halloween for example. Although having always been a huge event in the USA, the UK now embraces this with many Halloween based events across the country, parties, themed events, etc, all enabling outdoor event organisers alternative income opportunities.
Another area which has enabled certain establishments to capitalise on the changing seasons is the Festival of Light/Christmas Lights now becoming a large part of some historic houses & parks annual calendar. Depending on budgets some of these events can run from mid November right through to Christmas, creating a previously untapped seasonal income.
Therefore, we have skimmed across how some retail, leisure/tourism & outdoor event companies can capitalise on the changing seasons, but what about the practical services such as mechanics, gardeners/garden machinery repairs, builders, carpenters, roofers for example, how can they adjust to the changing seasons?
Any industry which involves predominant working outside & or in environments where being exposed to the elements is a part of the role; will adjust their work to fathom the seasons.
Adjusting diary bookings to accommodate shorter days, diversifying skills which can include taking on more indoor work, changing clothing/materials & tools to adapt to the cooler weather are all things which a myriad of workers have to adopt to work with the changing seasons.
In the business I run with my partner where we Service & Repair motorcycles, we tend to leave the Autumn/Winter months for longer project work as a lot of motorcycles are not ridden during the cooler/wetter months of Autumn/Winter.
We therefore undertake projects which are more involved such as extensive wiring, modifications or customisations, work which can take weeks to complete rather than a few hours or a day. We ensure that our diary is adjusted accordingly & make sure that the longer more involved tasks do not impact on the Service season which comes around March-June time.
Adapting to the seasons is an organic part of any business. Not only do business owners need to adapt their diaries to meet the requirements of their client/customer base, but they also need to consider the impact the changing seasons have on their staff & adjust accordingly.
Written by Katy-Jane Mason for & on behalf of Virtually Smart Ltd.
