Ensuring business continuity while you’re away.

I travel frequently to present at conferences and meet with clients and while I am accessible, it is not always when my team needs me. And when on holidays, I am not a laze by the pool with a good book traveller, I am out exploring - frequently in different time zones and sightseeing in remote destinations where Wi-Fi can be unreliable and extremely costly.

Just as I encourage my team to take well-deserved breaks to spend time with family and friends and to recharge the batteries, it is also essential for my wellbeing to do the same. But, as a business owner, it can be extremely daunting leaving the keys to the office with others. So how do I ensure my incredible team can continue operating as normal in my absence – allowing me to focus 100% of my attention to the meeting I am having or enjoy an uninterrupted holiday.

In recent years, and with all our team working remotely, my priority has been to ensure the right systems and tools are in place to enable RevenYou to continue operating seamlessly in my absence and here are some of our learnings.

• We use Microsoft Teams: a powerful collaboration tool that incorporates chat, video meetings and secure file storage. Working with many clients, Microsoft Teams allows us to establish project teams specific to each client – giving the team member access to the information and tools that they need to work, while enabling them to store, share and collaborate within a secure environment. This also ensures the rest of our team are not distracted by the online communication of project teams in which they are not involved.

• Establishment of a shared email address that is accessible by the entire team. This enables general enquiries to be responded to in my absence and for two-factor authentication (2FA) codes to be sent to: ensuring a speedy response time when required and I am not awoken at 2am in the morning with a 2FA code that has been sent to my mobile phone.

• At the very minimum, having a centralised password registry is essential in any business. But you must ensure it is maintained when updated, and by whom; and it needs to be stored in a secure environment that is accessible by those who require it. In the event of a person leaving your business, you can easily work through the list of environments where passwords need to be updated.

• To elevate your password security, consider using a password manager tool that stores and manages passwords securely, allowing your team members to access necessary accounts without compromising security.

• We are currently introducing a new CRM into the business and within this, we have implemented role-based access control (RBAC) – allowing us to assign permission levels based on the responsibilities of the individual team member.

• Within environments including LinkedIn, Facebook, and Google My Business, I have provided RBAC access to at least one other team member: enabling me to manage their level of access while providing peace of mind in the unlikely event of an emergency.

• Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) - having clear and concise SOPs ensures our team know exactly how to manage various tasks and processes. These are used when onboarding new team members and are regularly reviewed and updated.

• With a ‘team lead’ within our Revenue Management and Sales teams, we have established an environment where they are empowered to manage the day-to-day questions and unexpected situations even when I am not away – allowing me to focus on the ‘bigger picture.’

• And, with many of our clients’ hoteliers, here is one for you. Have a centralised list of preferred suppliers and contractors, that your team can easily access and ensure there are documented procedures for the circumstances in which contractors should be contacted. No one wants to pay the out-of-hours service fee if the guest can be relocated to another room and the plumber called in the morning to resolve the issue.

And, if you are still finding it hard to get on the plane and not look back, that is okay. Staying connected with your team may provide you with the peace of mind to allow you to relax and enjoy your holiday. But you can still put some guidelines around this: schedule a regular video call or establish a time that you will be online each day to check emails.

Providing a trusting environment that encourages communication amongst team members is at the core of all successful businesses, and one of my greatest achievements is ensuring our team feel empowered in their decision-making and are encouraged to ask questions: with every answer a learning opportunity that we all can benefit from.