WinterSilks and Venus Swimwear have created a working solution to the challenge of running a seasonal business.

By Alicia Orr Suman

Using this system the company achieves an enviable 99.5-percent order fill rate.

Handling Orders Year-round

Venus always has operated its own call center. Its Jacksonville 100-seat center now is staffed year-round to handle orders and customer service for both catalogs.

The number of telephone representatives still fluctuates somewhat, but not nearly as much as it used to, says Scott. For instance, he says, “During the month of August, we have a lull. Conversely, there’s an overlap in volume in January as swimwear gets an early start from resort-season purchases.”