For many small businesses, December is the busiest month of the year. Customers look up opening hours, gift vouchers, group bookings and order deadlines, usually from a phone and often in the evening. Five quick checks this week can prevent a pile of messages later.
- Opening hours. Are your December hours on your website and your Google profile, including the days you close over the holidays?
- Gift vouchers. If you sell them, can a customer see how to buy one, what it costs and when it expires, without asking you?
- Group bookings. Can someone book a table or appointment for a group in December, and does the site say clearly what happens next: request sent, waiting for confirmation, or booking confirmed?
- Order deadlines. If you take orders for specific dates, is the last order day visible before the customer pays?
- One clear way to reach you. Is there a single, obvious contact route for December questions, and does it say when you answer?
If any of these is missing or hard to find, write it down. Most fixes are small: a line of text, an updated hour, a clearer button. This is a practical checklist, not legal or tax advice.
Want a second pair of eyes? Write to macd@macd.ie.