The lead-up to Christmas and New Year is one of the busiest times of year for most service station operators. Customers are travelling, tradies are wrapping up jobs, and the heat doesn’t make anything easier. Whether you’re in the city, on a regional highway, or somewhere in between, your site needs to be ready to handle higher volumes, longer hours, and the unexpected.
That means your people, your processes, and your point of sale systems all need to be up to scratch.
Start with the Tech That Keeps You Moving
Your POS system is the beating heart of your operation during peak periods. If you’ve got a system like Beacon POS, you’ll already be a few steps ahead. Features like real-time reporting, stock control, and invoice automation can give you the visibility and speed you need. But even the best system needs a quick health check before the Christmas chaos kicks off.
Now’s the time to check for slowness, print issues, or anything that could slow your team down. A receipt printer that jams every second customer is more than just annoying during December; it’s a bottleneck.
And don’t forget the basics. Power issues, overheating terminals, or unreliable UPS systems can quickly take your site offline. Give your back-office hardware a quick clean and check, and make sure your backups are working correctly. If you’re relying on Shift Reconciliation backups, test them and make sure you’ve got a copy stored securely, just in case.
Don’t Let Stock or Pricing Catch You Out
Stock availability is always a risk over the holiday period, especially if you’re closed for even a day or two. Operators who rely on accurate SOH and invoice data through their POS system (like those using Beacon’s Instant Invoice feature) will find it much easier to stay ahead. If you enter your invoice data manually, ensure your stock files and pricing are clean and up to date.
Now’s a great time for a mini stocktake. You don’t have to count every item in the store, but get a handle on your top-selling products, your high-margin categories, and anything that might cause problems if you run out. Check that your shelf prices match your POS and that nothing is missing or mislabelled.
Staffing and Simplicity Go Hand in Hand
December usually means stretched rosters, new casuals, and less time for training. This is where a simple, consistent POS layout across your sites really helps.
If your POS setup is intuitive and easy to learn, like Beacon’s consistent button mapping and touchscreen design, you’ll spend less time hand-holding and more time running the business. Don’t wait until the 23rd to show someone how to void a sale or process a return.
Now is also the time to make sure your staff know the basics of troubleshooting. How to restart a frozen terminal. How to check printer paper. How to escalate a support issue. Even five minutes of pre-holiday training can make a big difference under pressure.
Shop Standards Make a Big Impact
Even though fuel might be your drawcard, customers who walk into a clean, well-organised shop are far more likely to make an impulse purchase. That’s especially true at Christmas. Drinks, snacks, gifts, and travel essentials all move quickly if they’re easy to find and clearly priced.
Walk your site. Check for burnt-out lights, frayed cables, dusty counters, or cluttered displays. Make sure your promotional signage is current, and your impulse areas (like near the till) are stocked with products that sell. And don’t underestimate the power of a cool, air-conditioned store when the mercury hits 40.
Make Time to Prepare Now; Not When It’s Too Late
The Christmas rush can be stressful, but it doesn’t have to be chaotic. The best-run sites are the ones that prepare early, test their systems, and train their team while things are still calm.
If you’re using Beacon POS, now’s the time to make sure you’re getting the most out of your system; stock files, reporting, invoice automation, remote access and more.
The holidays will be busy. But with the right systems, a clean site, and a team that’s ready, you’ll be set up for a strong finish to the year.
For the latest retailer news and information, check out the ServoPro website or to speak to us about how we can help your business contact us.