Holiday Payments Checklist for Businesses

The festive season is all about joy, celebration and taking a well-deserved break.  For businesses, it’s also an exceptional opportunity to boost revenue. As a valued member of our community, Till is committed to helping you set the stage for a successful and seamless end to the year. Ready to take advantage of the holiday bustle? Dive into our practical tips below and ensure your business is prepared to make the most of the festive rush. 

1. Stay one step ahead of the holiday funding schedule 

Public holidays may signal a change in your regular funding schedule. With more of these stacked towards the end of the year, it’s important to stay on top of your funding calendar to keep your cash flow steady. During this time, adopt a proactive approach to your financial planning. Start by checking Till’s holiday funding schedule. Then, engage with your creditors early to adjust payment dates to align with changes in funding dates. Better yet, establish a healthy cash reserve to avoid late or missed payment penalties. Aussie merchants can find our end-of-year funding schedule here, and New Zealand merchants can access theirs here. 

2. Optimise your operations with Till Portal  

Take advantage of Till Portal’s powerful capabilities to optimise how you run your business these holidays – from simple self-servicing features to access to invaluable analytics.  

Firstly, keep payments rolling by stocking up on terminal essentials, like receipt rolls before the holiday rush. You can do this directly through your Till Portal. Simply login, select ‘Self Servicing’ in the navigation pane on the left-hand side, then click on ‘Request’. While Till aims to deliver within 5-7 business days, consider the seasonal delivery rush and keep an eye on Australia Post for timely updates on any disruptions to its service. 

Additionally, merchants can leverage Till Portal’s analytics function to review patterns in your business performance. With these valuable insights, you can align your holiday staffing with customer demand and leverage historical sales trends to make sure your best-sellers are well-stocked and in the spotlight.   

And finally, think about offsetting the cost of taking payments with Till’s custom surcharging function. You can find this in the ‘Self Servicing’ section of your Till Portal. Read more about how to manage your surcharging settings here. 

3. Communicate early  

Whether you’re a merchant talking to your customers, a Till Partner speaking to your valued merchant base, or need to discuss something with your dedicated Till Account Manager, it’s important to get in touch early! 

If you have an urgent query or need to speak to your Account Manager, contact us before our offices in Australia and New Zealand shut for the year — between the 21st of December to the 8th of January. For any assistance you might need during the break, rest assured, our Customer Support team remains on-call and available 24/7. 

For merchants eager to promote their holiday campaigns, it’s crucial to kickstart your marketing initiatives early to cut through the noise. Getting your messaging out early will help your brand stand out and capture customer attention before the peak of holiday advertising. And don’t forget to assess where and how your customers engage with your brand. Using that knowledge will help you create targeted, impactful marketing campaigns that deliver real results. 

For Till’s Partner community, proactively communicating with your merchant base is also vital. Be sure to inform your merchants about vital updates, including the holiday funding schedule, the importance of effective payment security during peak season, and other critical information. Effective communication ensures everyone is aligned, prepared and poised for success.  

4. Remain always-on with back-up connectivity  

Even the best laid plans can go awry, so make sure you’re prepared with a fail-safe plan to mitigate any disruptions to network connectivity. Till’s terminals, including the new Till Portable, will ensure you're always online and ready to accept payments with back-up connectivity and dual-SIM capabilities. By leveraging your WiFi connectivity and setting up dual-SIM on your terminal, your business is protected with two – or even three - network providers at your disposal. So, if one goes down, you’re guaranteed to avoid any payment disruptions during the busiest times. 

5. Offer a better customer experience post-holiday  

Prepare a clear, customer-friendly process for handling post-holiday returns and exchanges. Merchants may consider extending their return policies to accommodate for public holidays and the business of the season. Think about enhancing customer experience (CX) by enabling cross-channel returns, allowing customers to purchase online and return or exchange in-store, or vice versa. By delivering a better, more convenient experience, you stand to build loyalty and trust in your business. 

The festive season is more than just a busy time; it's an opportunity to grow, delight customers, and end the year on a high note. With a little bit of preparation and with Till by your side, you're set for a season of success and celebration. 

From our team to yours, we wish you a smooth and happy festive season ahead!