Prepare your festive systems by rehearsing the orders and transactions your team will handle, checking the equipment they depend on and agreeing what happens if a service fails. A short, planned rehearsal can expose a problem while there is still time to resolve it.

For Christmas 2026, include the whole customer journey. Follow an order from the first enquiry through pricing, picking and collection or despatch. If two teams handle different stages, check that the second team receives the right details.

Rehearse a busy trading day

Choose a quiet period and agree the test with your system provider where necessary. Use an approved test process so that trial transactions do not leave incorrect stock, accounts or payment records.

Start with a normal sale, then try the situations staff find less familiar. These might include an order at an agreed account price, a permitted refund or goods collected by someone else. Include gift cards and exchanges only where your business offers them and your systems support the process.

Check the result at every stage. Did the correct price appear? Was stock adjusted in the right location? Can the customer receive the receipt? Does the back-office record match what the team sold or despatched?

Our guide to planning profitable promotions is also useful when reviewing the discounts that will remain active in December.

Check the equipment your team uses

Test scanners, receipt or label printers and any payment devices your team uses. Test the actual labels and barcodes used on seasonal products. Clean equipment according to the manufacturer’s instructions and keep suitable spare rolls, labels and other consumables within reach.

Check batteries and charging arrangements for mobile devices. Review network coverage where colleagues take orders or collect goods. A reliable workstation is less useful if the printer it needs is out of paper or the connection in the collection area is poor.

If a device has been unreliable, investigate it before the busiest days. Our article on choosing EPoS hardware for your business provides a starting point for that discussion.

Make seasonal staff confident with exceptions

Give each colleague the access needed for their role and explain which actions require a supervisor. Avoid shared administrator accounts. Practise an exception together so staff know when to pause and ask for help.

Keep a short guide beside the workstation with support contacts, escalation steps and approved procedures. Make sure opening hours, collection promises and your returns policy are consistent across the website, receipts and staff guidance.

Agree how to handle disruption

Write down who makes decisions if the internet, a payment service or a device becomes unavailable. Confirm supported fallback arrangements with the relevant providers. Offline selling and card payment capabilities vary, and staff should follow the approved process for your setup.

Check that important data is backed up and that the person responsible knows how recovery would work. A backup notification alone does not demonstrate that data can be restored. The NCSC guidance on backing up your data explains the practical steps for small organisations.

Schedule necessary changes with time to test and recover. Avoid making untested changes during peak trading, while continuing to deal promptly with security issues and urgent fixes through an agreed process.

Plan beyond Christmas Eve

Include post-Christmas returns, sale prices and the first deliveries after reopening. Confirm promotion start and end times and make sure somebody can resolve problems when the usual manager is away.

Finish the rehearsal with a short record of what failed, who will fix it and when it will be retested. On busy mornings, a brief check of connectivity, peripherals and outstanding incidents can help the team start with a clear picture.

Speak with RMS about festive readiness

RMS can help you review your EPoS hardware, software and operational requirements. Speak with our team about preparing your systems for Christmas and agree which checks are relevant to your business.

Why choose RMS?

RMS has supported ambitious businesses since 2004, delivering tailored software solutions and EPoS hardware from the Shetland Islands to the Seychelles. Contact our team to discuss your requirements.

Information correct at time of publication