This point was brought home to me after a conversation with a friend about an experience she had with her accountant. After receiving a concerning letter from HMRC that was filled with errors and demanded payments she had already made, she sought her accountant’s help for some much-needed reassurance. Despite having a standing arrangement of £125 plus VAT monthly with the accountancy firm, her request for assistance, sent in mid-July, was met with an automated reply indicating the team was on a school holiday break and would respond in a few days. Meanwhile, her regular bill arrived without fail. Six working days passed before she got a brief update, “we’re looking into this,” and then silence. Two weeks later, with no further information, she reached out again only to receive another automated message stating the office would reopen on August 30th—a six-week total wait without resolution. Consequently, my friend is now in the market for a new accountant.

Communication Tips For Business While Vacation

1 Warn in Advance

If you’ve planned your vacation well in advance or only recently decided to get away, it’s crucial to inform your team as early as possible. Waiting until the last moment to announce a two-week holiday can place unnecessary stress and burden on your colleagues, who will need to manage your tasks in your absence. Adequate preparation time is essential for everyone involved, not least for those taking on extra work to ensure business continuity.

It’s advisable to notify your colleagues at least a month ahead of your departure, particularly if you play a significant role in your organization. To avoid any oversight, set reminders to update your team in the weeks and days leading up to your vacation, helping to ensure a smooth transition and prevent any unexpected surprises.

2 Delegate Jobs and Tasks

Ensure every detail is meticulously covered. Make comprehensive preparations for any scenario, obligation, or potential issue that might arise. Take the initiative to select colleagues, guiding them to undertake particular roles, and invest time in their comprehensive training regarding the tasks you’re entrusting to them. If someone is stepping in for your client interactions, equip them with all the necessary information about each client’s unique requirements and expectations. Should another person temporarily manage a project you’re leading, provide them with an exhaustive checklist of outstanding objectives.

Craft a comprehensive guide detailing the locations of essential files, contacts for various projects, and procedures for handling emergencies. The goal is to avoid a flood of urgent queries disrupting your tranquility during vacation time. Adopting a cautious approach ensures your responsibilities are in reliable hands, allowing you peace of mind.

3 Prepare Communication Channels In Advance

If you cannot stop communicating with clients while on vacation, make sure that you can receive the necessary letters and documents anywhere. Now there is even a FAX from iPhone: Fax App, which can replace a fax machine. This online fax can be freely processed, received and sent from a smartphone. If you have a fax app and an iPhone, you have everything you need to work with documents. Similarly to this example, you should consider a communications plan with other types of communications with clients.

4 Build a Return to Work Plan

Coming back to the office after some time off can often feel daunting. You’re likely to be greeted by an avalanche of unread emails, voicemails, memos, updates, challenges, and urgent inquiries.

To ease back into your workflow more smoothly, it’s wise to strategize for what awaits you after your break. Consider setting up a debrief session with a few team members to get caught up on significant happenings during your absence. Prioritize organizing your inbox to focus on the most critical emails first. Maintaining transparent and open communication with your team is crucial, allowing you to thoroughly understand the developments and progress made on projects or responsibilities you were away from.

5 Set Up Out-of-Office Voicemail

Ensure every base is covered and thoroughly prepare for all conceivable scenarios, tasks, or crises. Engage with colleagues, delegating specific duties to them, and providing comprehensive training on the assignments you’re entrusting them with. If someone will represent you in client meetings, give them a detailed briefing on the clients’ unique requirements and preferences. Should another colleague take charge of a particular project in your absence, supply them with an exhaustive to-do list detailing every task that needs completion.

Craft a comprehensive guide detailing the whereabouts of important files, points of contact for various projects, and procedures for handling emergencies. The goal is to avoid a flood of urgent emails interrupting your beachside relaxation. It’s wiser to err on the side of caution, ensuring your projects are in skilled hands before you depart.

Conclusion

Informing clients in advance of your unavailability is a prudent practice. When I’m away on vacation, for instance, my regular clients are already aware that they won’t be able to schedule any coaching sessions during that period. I’ve set up an automated email response to acknowledge received messages, specifying the dates I’ll be out of the office. For those who have urgent inquiries, the response includes a contact number. Messages sent to this number will be texted to me, and I commit to responding within 24 hours.