IT’S that time of year again. Yes, Christmas is coming… and I’m dreading it!

With only four weeks to go until the big day, how best can employers keep their teams focused on the job in hand?

December is a busy month for everyone – parties and planning aside, there’s also the worry that comes hand in hand with the financial burden of the festivities.

Everything costs that much more this year and we all want to buy something special for our nearest and dearest.

It’s not that I don’t enjoy the holiday period or that I don’t feel any of that special Christmas spirit.

It’s just that this time of year is so costly for everyone, firms and families alike.

Many of our companies will have to shut down for a period of time, so shipments don’t go out the door, business is interrupted, key people go on vacation, and the Christmas parties and other distractions will affect us all.

Of course, the end of the year means it’s time to think about those year-end bonuses too.

It’s all good fun but let’s face it, it’s going to be expensive.

The good news is that many of our retail businesses are feeling more positive than they were this time last year.

We all hope this optimism is well-founded and will result in higher sales, so we have to get ready for the flood of customers.

A recent survey showed that the majority of shoppers will do their shopping in the last two weeks of November, but a staggering 29 per cent will have it all wrapped up (probably not literally) in October. For me, it’s the 24 hours before Christmas Day – a shop keeper’s dream, I hear you say.

Things are changing quickly though and the traditional shopping days will soon be a thing of the past.

Already 63 per cent of shoppers are expected to buy presents online. What does that mean for all of us in the retail business?

Well, if you don’t have an online shop, you need to set one up as soon as possible. It’s interesting to note that 65 per cent of buyers are expected to shop on tablets instead of computers, so even the way people buy via the web is changing!

Each year social media is playing a bigger and bigger role. Nowadays 70 per cent of shoppers read reviews on Twitter and 75 per cent use Facebook.

If you’re not already using these to promote your business, you need to think about changing your strategy – and quickly. Get your business active on social media and start interacting with your clients on Twitter and Facebook.

Remember, most of our customers have all the information they need in their pocket via their smart phones and they’ll be looking for the best deal.

Let’s be ready for the festive influx of customers.