Is it possible to take a much-needed family vacation while managing your own store? In previous decades, before the internet was so deeply woven into people’s personal and professional lives, such a task would have been impossible. But with the range of new business tools and technologies currently available, running your own online store while on vacation may almost be as easy as updating your social media with travel updates—that is, if you know what to do and have the discipline and forethought to properly balance business and enjoyment.

Just as remote work is becoming the norm, entrepreneurs are finding they can also run their businesses astutely while getting a much-needed break with their families. If you’re wondering how you can make this happen in time for your next vacation, here are some helpful suggestions:

1) Install a reliable payment gateway

If your e-commerce checkout process still relies primarily on customers messaging and calling your phone, you should update your checkout and payments system well before you board your plane. E-commerce entrepreneurs based in the Philippines can partner with a trusted financial technology or fintech company like Maya Business to make checkouts friendlier to monitor and manage from a distance.

Maya Business offers several modern payment solutions that are ideal for online business, such as a Shopify payment gateway Philippines-based online shops can easily install on their website using a plugin. To set up this payment gateway, Shopify business owners need only to follow a few easy steps, all without needing to hire a developer or know how to code. The payment gateway will easily facilitate a variety of payments, like those made with e-wallets as well as payment cards.

Before setting off on your family vacation, ensure your payment system is secure and seamlessly integrated into your chosen e-commerce platform. With a reliable payment gateway on your website, you can expect your customers’ transactions to be both smooth and better protected from data security threats. This will provide you with peace of mind about your store’s everyday operations, even when you’re miles away from the office.

2) Make it a habit to monitor and track your sales online

Real-time monitoring of sales is essential for entrepreneurs looking to stay on top of their online store operations while they’re out travelling with their families. Fortunately, various analytics tools and mobile apps available on the market will enable business owners to track their key performance indicators remotely.

Take, for example, the Maya Business Manager dashboard. From this virtual dashboard, you can see transactions coming in from your e-commerce store’s payment gateway. With such a real-time monitoring tool at your disposal, you’ll be able to stay informed about major sales trends and significant upticks in your customers’ behaviour. Using this information, you can make sound decisions from anywhere you are and address any emerging issues promptly.

3) Leave someone in charge of operations

You should also consider delegating some of your regular responsibilities to a trusted individual to properly maintain your business’s operations during your absence. Whether it’s a reliable team member or one of your business partners, delegation can take a significant load off your back and make sure that tasks you can’t immediately attend to are properly taken care of.

Before leaving, work out a chain of command and clearly outline your roles and responsibilities while you’re on vacation versus those of the people helping you oversee your business. Also, establish emergency protocols to ensure that your online store continues to operate without hiccups while you’re enjoying quality time with your family.

4) Be disciplined about managing your time

Balancing work and leisure during a family vacation requires effective time management on your part. Set designated work hours to focus on crucial business tasks. These could include meetings with your manager or business partner to realign operations and other tasks that directly affect your business’s bottom line. All other tasks can perhaps wait until you can get back to the office. This strategy should help you delineate your time and devote enough of your day to fun family activities.

Be sure to create a schedule that allows you to put your focus on both business responsibilities and relaxation at the designated time. In doing so, you’ll be able to enjoy your vacation without compromising the success of your online store.

5) Consider hiring an order fulfilment company

To alleviate the burden of order fulfilment, e-commerce entrepreneurs can also explore the option of hiring a professional order fulfilment service. These companies operate much like dropshipping companies. The difference is that you have to find a way to send the products to their warehouses and pay for the shelf space.

Given how effectively the best third-party order fulfilment services streamline the shipping process, customers can be assured that their orders will be delivered to them accurately and quickly. Outsourcing this critical aspect of your business may allow you to be more at ease while you’re away and may even prove to be a practical solution beyond the timeframe of your trip.

6) Outsource some of your store operations

Another effective strategy for managing your online store remotely is to outsource certain tasks to freelancers or agencies. Outsourcing your content creation, social media management, or customer support will allow you to maintain a professional image and keep your online presence strong, even if you’re running the show from miles away.

7) Temporarily close your online store if necessary

Lastly, in certain scenarios, temporarily closing your online store might be the most viable option. This could be particularly beneficial if you anticipate challenges in fulfilling your orders promptly or if, for one reason or another, you can’t fully entrust your operations to someone else.

Before you suspend operations, however, communicate the temporary closure to your customers as early as possible. Post a “We’re on Vacation” sign on your website and other social media platforms to make it clear that this is just a temporary closure. Moreover, disclose the date that you’ll be back to normal operations so that your customers know when they can proceed with their orders. This approach will help you manage customer expectations and prevent customer dissatisfaction due to delayed orders or responses.

As seen from the action points detailed above, it won’t be impossible to manage your online store while you’re on a family vacation. With proper planning, you’ll endure minimal stress while you’re away and be able to seize momentum again as soon as you return.