Xmas Block Leave Period

#1

Hi everyone,

With Xmas quickly approaching, I just wanted to broach the subject of how you spread your team out over the Xmas Day / New Years day period.

For example, do you close your office completely for a period of time and use an emergency contact number to handle all enquiries or do you perhaps have a roster of people on / off.

Would love to hear your thoughts.

Regards Russ Kirby

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#2

Our office closes from 18/12/20 - 04/01/21. With 2 staff members on call for emergencies and open houses. Our VA’s are also available on working days as well.We start letting all tenants and owners know in November. We check with all tradeys to find out who they have on call as well.

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#3

Hi Russell

We close down for 2 weeks (24th - 7th) The Property Managers are still expected to take calls and oversee emails during this time. We have a response on our phones directing people to email us.

One admin is working through, carrying out standard processes like bank rent receipts, checking emails and responding or passing on what is urgent, advertising as required, processing the end of month payment.

We used to have someone in the office during this period but now with the ability to work remotely we shut down completely.

Cherie

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#4

Hi Cherie,
Thanks for that. I hope the wonderful Waikato region is treating you well. I like that you have someone processing the banking over that period. Something I’ll look at doing I think.

Russ

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#5

Hi Rebecca,
You raise a good point about the trade services. Something I will get onto.

Thanks Russ

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#6

In the past we have closed the office from around the 23rd for 2 weeks and my team have been happy to field calls over the period, which is usually very quiet for us. We never have vacant properties over that time, and any urgent maintenance is easily sorted through our maintenance software. BUT this year has been a really big one and I really want my team to unplug and be completely off. So they are leaving their laptops and phones in the office and I’ll be holding the fort :slight_smile:

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#7

Thanks Lee. That’s a great thing you are doing for your team. Sometimes as leaders we need to be right out in front and take things as they come to shield our people.

Hope you have a quiet, safe and enjoyable Xmas all the same.

Russ

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