How Mercury retrograde could affect your business this summer

How you can prepare for and avoid business mistakes, refunds, returns and exchanges from June through August, says astrologer.
May 14, 2013 - PRLog -- According to Australian astrologer Elizabeth Ball, many business mistakes could be avoided by a little pre-planning.

Elizabeth Ball, the director of http://www.itsinthestarsonline.com believes businesses could be affected this summer from early June through to early August.

"I’m an online retailer who produces luxury astrology reports as unique gifts to help couples to better understand their relationships and children, but I also use astrological timings to help my own company where possible," Elizabeth Ball said.

From a business point of view, she believes it is worth knowing about the planetary phenomenon called Mercury retrograde.

Mercury is the planet of communication. Four times per year, it appears to “go backwards” or retrograde in the universe for about three weeks, but he also slows down for about two weeks prior, and then takes a further two weeks to fully retrace his steps, creating up to seven weeks of projects not going to plan.

During this time, according to Elizabeth Ball, communication goes AWOL.

"Common issues include problems with your car, mobile phone, landline phone, printer, laptop, computer access, emails, postal deliveries, couriers, contracts, customers, agents and suppliers. Of course, these problems also occur for businesses outside Mercury retrograde, but here, they can happen on a near-daily basis for weeks," said Elizabeth Ball.

Mercury was traditionally depicted as a young god with wings on his heels. Not only does he move quickly, he multi-tasks, and so when Mercury retrogrades, the possibility of mistakes across a raft of projects snowballs.

"During this time, you may play phone, email, text, contract and/or meeting tag with colleagues, employees and customers who are sick, on annual leave, unable to get approval, complete or proceed until the day Mercury turns direct," Elizabeth Ball said.

During Mercury retrograde, you must triple-check information to the point of embarrassment: “It’s spelt S-m-i-t-h”. Scrutinise your receipts. Pore over your invoices, quotes and shipping notes. You are guaranteed to overlook something as your comprehension, levels of concentration and manual dexterity are off-kilter now; others are equally vague or error-prone.

Elizabeth Ball said customers are much more likely now to make mistakes in selecting the wrong size, style, colour, dimensions, or quantity, or entering the wrong name or delivery address, resulting in returns, refunds and exchanges.

"Assistants may hastily scribble a customer’s phone number, so the “6” looks like an “0”, for example, so that the number will not work. At best, the customer will call you back in frustration that you haven’t rung him or her," she said.

Mercury retrograde is typically a poor time to launch anything new as it will have to be revised, or it won’t have the intended result. You tend to operate under incorrect or incomplete information now which spoils the outcome. Conversion rates on new campaigns or new products may be lower than you'd anticipate.

"Hiring new employees now can also be a mistake. You may forget to tell them an important aspect of their role, they may omit something from their CV that would cause you to reconsider, or you inadvertently hire someone who is a mis-match for your company culture," Elizabeth Ball said.

Ironically, many companies have three-month probation periods for new employees.

"If you hire someone during a Mercury retrograde period, you may find that they quit, or you may decide to let them go by that three--month mark - which coincides with the next Mercury retrograde period," she said.

Elizabeth Ball said Mercury retrograde is, however, ideal for research.

"Contact old clients, ex-colleagues and previous suppliers for a coffee or treat them to lunch. You may obtain new business (even if it doesn’t start for a few weeks). Go through your emails, computer files and your filing cabinet. You will find opportunities that you may have earmarked for the future and forgotten about," Elizabeth Ball said.

"Run a fresh pair of eyes through an old campaign or over an old product to see how it could be repackaged or repurposed. Study what worked before: this is not the time to try something new such as a new shipping company, nor to launch a complex channel such as, say, your new mobile version website!"

Mercury retrograde occurs June 26 through July 20 but starts slowing down June 10 and will take until August 4 for the planet to fully retrace its steps and for all to return to relative normality. With this period affecting much of summer, be prepared for high levels of activity, but also a much higher customer return and refund rate than usual.

It's In The Stars at http://www.itsinthestarsonline.com has been helping people understand their partners, children and themselves with insightful astrology reports and readings in person or via Skype since 2005. Elizabeth Ball also heads a team of global astrologers providing expert readings in person or via Skype.

People interested in astrology can sign up to the free monthly horoscope newsletter and receive the 2013 forecast within 5 minutes of joining It's In The Stars.
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