Maintaining ecommerce site and taking vacation?

[olimits7]

Hi,

I'm basically a one man band managing my ecommerce site except for a small couple things that I have other people help me with.

My issue is I can't imagine taking a week or two vacation and not be able to keep up with daily activities of my ecommerce site while I'm away (i.e.: replying to customer emails, placing orders with wholesalers, processing/shipping orders, etc...).

How do you guys manage your website when you go on vacation?

The only thing I was thinking I could do is set my ecommerce site to "maintenance mode" while I'm away, and put some type of notice on the homepage.

This would help ease all the work I would have when I return; since it will stop all emails from customers asking why their order hasn't shipped yet, but the downside is it will freeze any new orders to my site while I'm on vacation.

Thank you,

olimits7

[LifeinAsia]

You basically have 3 choices:
1) Make sure you have a reliable Internet connection wherever you go (not that difficult these days in most parts of the world).
2) Find someone to outsource your work while you're gone.
3) Don't take vacations.

[olimits7]

Hi,

1) Yes, this should be easy and it will at least give me the ability to reply to emails and submit new orders to my wholesalers. The only process I wouldn't be able to do is shipping the orders; which I guess I can wait until I return and just setup a message saying orders will be delayed due to certain circumstances.

2) This is an idea; I can try teaching someone before I leave but I will also be worried about them messing up orders or something on the website.

3) Hahaha...this is a tough one; vacations are a must especially when dealing with an ecommerce site on a daily basis! ;-)

olimits7

[LifeinAsia]

2) Bring them in well before you leave to allow ample training time. Be available to the person by cell or Internet for any emergencies.

3) We've all had to make the choice between letting the business lag or maintaining sanity with a vacation. Most of us here will tell you that sanity is way over-rated. ;)

[bwnbwn]

olimits7 this is a tough one we all face that are in the business as you are.
I did number 2) I trained a trusted family member to do the basics. He shouldn't have to do any site work just order, ship, verify cc and answer emails. Keep everything simple as you really don't know how much you do until you start training another person then you say man I had no idea he needed to learn all this. Begin a month in advance then pay him/her for 2 days to come in and all you do is watch. Make notes of what he/she did wrong or right.
A week before you go on vacation have him/her come in to work Thursday and Friday and you watch and help that way they are aware of new orders, issues with orders and cwill be better prepared for Monday.
This will work it did for me and done right it will for you, besides it might work so well you could contiinue to use them that way you can focus more energy on better SEO and increase the orders.

[olimits7]

Hi,

Yes, that seems like the best route to take to keep the website fully operational during vacation.

I've had family members ask me in the past if I needed help they would help me out. But you are exactly right you never know how much you need to teach someone until you actually start doing it.

When I started thinking of everything I need to teach it would definitely take a month's time to make sure they fully understand everything.

olimits7

[bwnbwn]

olimits7 write it all down in an ordered list they need to follow. If you don't you will find yourself forgetting things then going back.

An ordered list can as well be followed by them to complete a smooth process and they don't have to try to remember everything but follow your checklist.

[rise2it]

Number 2

... and although I don't have to, I've always come back from vacation and given them a nice 'bonus' for playing boss that week.

Showing some appreciation (not just money, but sincere words) goes a long way...