Official Start of Summer – The Rush of a New Season for Seasonal Dependent Businesses
Authored By: Chris Austin, president of Ardiah Managed Services
Congratulations! Many of you just had your kickoff weekend for the summer season. This means you’ve been hustling, rushing around, and are probably exhausted both emotionally and physically, but you made it, and wow, what a beautiful weekend! Now that you’ve survived, you have a moment to breathe and get your business back on track for what is needed to wrap up last year and truly prepare for the amazing season ahead.
We understand that the price of your items continues to grow, and most likely, the cost of labor and other expenses are on the rise as well. Here are my top 5 ways you can reduce costs, improve efficiencies, and focus on a successful summer:
1. Payment Processing
With the rise in interchange fees—the costs of accepting credit cards that are passed onto merchants from the card issuers and banks—you have probably noticed your costs increasing. This is usually when processors also like to add new fees and increase their own rates above interchange. Here at Ardiah, we do not do this, and if one of our partners does, we advocate to bring it back down. Do you know who has increased what? This is the perfect time to sit down with an expert and help you understand what you are paying.
2. Payroll
Payroll costs can be sneaky, especially around year-end and quarterly tax filings. At Ardiah, you know what your costs are, and they are set with no incremental or hidden/surprise fees. Get a quote and see what you can save. Many of our new customers are loving 30-50% cost savings with us, and we bring back the local feel!
3. Point of Sale (POS) Systems
Upgrade or ditch the cash registers. Today’s POS systems can help you understand your business at a whole new level. They can tell you your most profitable times to do business, what items sell, which ones don’t, help you understand what you should have for staffing, and manage your employees. You can also step away from your business with most of these systems being cloud-based, allowing you to manage and inquire from the convenience of your home or mobile phone. While some are free, many are not, but when you see what you get back in time, efficiencies, and overall profitability, it will be worth it. It isn’t too late to upgrade, and our team will help you design and build in our Ardiah POS Lab.
4. Get Your Taxes Done!
Many in our great state of Maine are on extension due to the major storms late in 2023 and earlier this year. File on time and do a little tax planning for the season to start! Before you know it, you could be saving money with a proper tax strategy.
5. Stop Doing Your Own Books!
As a business owner, how can you really know where you are if you don’t have proper bookkeeping done on a regular basis? Perhaps you want to add a line of credit, refinance a loan, purchase equipment to expand, create efficiencies, or just keep up with the demand of your growing business. Having current and correct financials will be your biggest advocate when working with your banker.
In closing, there are so many ways to improve your business, and now is the perfect time before kids are out for summer and tourism is in full swing. Let us help you! Call 207-230-4576 to schedule your free consultation and see how Ardiah Managed Services can be there for you!
Chris Austin, President
Ardiah Managed Service
About the Author: Chris Austin is passionate about supporting small businesses and is the President of Ardiah Managed Services, a trusted provider of accounting, payment solutions, POS systems, payroll, and tax services. Chris and his team are dedicated to helping small businesses thrive by delivering tailored solutions and personalized support. If you have a small business support or service need, they would love to help! 207-230-4576 or email: [email protected]