How UAE small businesses survive and thrive during summer

Dubai: When temperatures rise and many UAE residents pack their bags for summer holidays, some businesses prepare for quieter days. But for a growing number of small business owners, summer is not simply a slow season, it is a test of strategy, resilience, and creativity.

Across various sectors, entrepreneurs have been finding ways to stay connected with customers, improve operations, and discover new sources of growth.

Time for improvement

For dental clinics, summer often brings a natural decline in appointments as families travel abroad. But Dr. Osama Al Hashimi, owner of Osama Al Hashimi Dental Clinic, has seen the period differently.

"Every summer, many of our patients travel for their holidays, so appointments naturally slow down. Rather than seeing this as a setback, we use the quieter period as a chance to improve," Al Hashimi told Gulf News.

The clinic reviews its systems, invests in additional training, and prepares its team to provide an improved experience when patients return.

Beyond appointments, maintaining patient relationships has remained a priority. Through social media, the clinic shares practical oral health advice and treatment information, while seasonal offers encourage patients to consider dental care before travelling or after returning.

For Al Hashimi, long-term trust matters more than short-term numbers.

"It has never been only about numbers. It has always been about earning people’s trust."

He believes businesses should use slower periods to strengthen their services and relationships, rather than simply waiting for customer activity to increase.

Different opportunities

For automotive businesses, summer has created a different kind of opportunity. Many customers have used their holidays as a convenient time to send their vehicles for service and repairs.

Frando Sarmiento, partner, co-founder, and advisor of Luxurion FF Auto Service Centre, has noted that the timing benefits both customers and businesses.

"As summer is the time when a lot are planning to go on vacation, it is also the time when we engage customers to plan on dropping off their cars for any repair and maintenance requirements," shared Sarmiento.

With vehicles often unused while owners are away, customers can return from their holidays to a serviced car.

However, summer has also brought workplace challenges. Due to extreme heat and humidity at the warehouse premises, the company has extended the lunch break for employees from 1pm to 2pm to 1pm to 3pm.

Moreover, the season can bring increased demand, particularly for air conditioning and heat-related vehicle concerns. To help customers plan their expenses, the company has offered consultations on annual service contracts and warranty options.

Sarmiento has bared that businesses should avoid assuming summer will automatically be slow.

"If they are not as engaged with clients because they feel it should be a lean month, the more that it's the time to eat up on market share and win more customers."

Breaking the myth

For some businesses, summer is not a period of decline at all.

Nico De Guzman, chairman and chief design officer of Ichiryu Ramenhouse, has highlighted that the restaurant experienced one of its strongest seasons during the warmer months, despite the common assumption that customers avoid hot food in hot weather.

"Surprisingly, summer has become one of our strongest seasons," exclaimed De Guzman.

He has mentioned that many customers continue to enjoy ramen either in the restaurant’s air-conditioned dining area or from home through takeaway and delivery.

The main challenge has not been attracting customers, but ensuring the business can maintain the same quality and service during periods of strong demand.

To keep customers engaged, the restaurant has focused on social media activity, collaborations with content creators, loyalty programmes, and seasonal promotions.

The experience has challenged a common business assumption that every industry follows the same seasonal pattern.

"Don't assume that summer automatically means slow business. Every brand has its own customer behaviour, so it is important to understand your market."

Finding growth

For many restaurants, summer still brings a drop in footfall as residents travel or spend more time indoors.

According to Liberty Galang, owner of Naderang restaurant, the focus during the season has been on strengthening operations and expanding beyond traditional dine-in customers.

"Summer in the UAE is one of the most challenging seasons for restaurants," described Galang, noting the impact of lower foot traffic and the operational demands created by high temperatures.

The restaurant has responded to these challenges by maintaining strict food safety practices, regularly servicing equipment, and strengthening partnerships with delivery platforms to make ordering easier for customers.

It has also expanded into wholesale, supplying desserts to cafes and business partners across the UAE.

Galang has stressed that building different sources of income helps businesses become more prepared for seasonal changes.

"Summer is not just a season to survive, it’s also an opportunity to improve your systems, strengthen customer relationships, and explore new sources of income."

Building loyalty

For Regina Malabad, owner of Pansit Malabad cafeteria, surviving summer has been about maintaining relationships long before customers need a product.

She has underscored that promotions work best when they are supported by genuine customer relationships. The cafeteria regularly checks in with customers throughout the year, not only when it has an offer to promote.

"This approach changes how our outreach is received because we're already in the habit of following up as a way of caring for the relationship," explained Malabad.

Additionally, she has emphasised that strong relationships with suppliers are equally important, particularly during slower months when businesses need more flexibility with expenses.

For employees, even simple team activities can help maintain morale and keep service standards high.

Summer lesson

Although each business faces different challenges, the message from UAE entrepreneurs is that summer should not be viewed only as a difficult season.

For some, it has been a chance to improve systems. For others, it has been a time to expand services, rethink customer engagement, or explore new revenue streams.

The businesses that succeed through the summer months are those that continue investing in quality, people, and relationships. Because when the season changes and customers return, the businesses that have been prepared during the quieter months are the ones ready to grow.