As Christmas closes in (only 5 days as I write this) I always wonder how in today’s business environment we still have the great New Zealand shut down.  Every business is claiming to be “customer centric” and yet many are closing the doors today for a summer vacation (I have even seen signs in retail stores saying they are closing from 24^th December to the 5^th January – sacré bleu!!). 

This year has been so exciting, starting Retail Connect and meeting the great team of clients we are working with, as well as like minded people in the business of helping businesses succeed.  This is no easy task, it’s a tough world out there but with the right product, the right attitude and the right team (including those consultants working to help you), success will happen.

Although it sounds like we are closing off for the year, we’re not!  Retail is now a 24/7 proposition and if you want to succeed you need to be available pretty much 24/7.  One of the things which surprises us both is the businesses who are closing off today, little part of us thinks – lucky, the other part wonders how important their customers are to them?  Today’s customers are more informed, demand a higher level of service and want to buy when it suits them.  If you’re not open, they will simply go elsewhere.

Businesses on Facebook are starting to post that it’s their last post for a month, and while we know you need to take a break, all we hear is – I’m more important that my customers.

One of the services we provide at Retail Connect is on-going marketing support so that your business can continue to function while you take a much needed break to spend time with your family and recharge.  So while many businesses are closing the doors to relax you can be sure that our clients are going to be out there providing what their customers want, doesn’t take a genius to think who will succeed in 2014.