Winter can throw off even the most prepared business owner. Whether it’s a huge snowstorm that the weather forecast didn’t predict, or a rainstorm that has moved in from a more tropical climate, there are all different kinds of ways that your business can be impacted by extreme weather that winter can bring with it. This is why it is very important to have a contingency plan in place for some of the bad weather that can happen. Here are a few ways to winter proof your business.
Invest In The Right Tools And Equipment
Stock up on salt, grit, snow shovels, and anything else that you might need on a snowy day. This way, if a snowstorm does hit during the workday, you will be able to make sure that you and your customers can still leave the premises safely. If your business has a car park, remember that this won’t be on a gritting route for public grit and salt spreaders. Having this on hand yourself means that you can carry on operating during snowy weather.
If your office is an area that is prone to flooding, you might want to think about investing in some sandbags and other ways to defend against floodwater. You could also make sure that your office entrance has mats to soak up any excess water from people arriving on your premises.
If you are based somewhere that gets high winds, then impact windows can help to protect your premises.
Be Flexible
Allowing flexibility with your working hours can be useful when there is bad weather on the way. Working from home has become a lot more common thanks to the pandemic, so remote working is easier than ever. Choosing to operate slightly different hours to make sure you can get home safely could be well worth it.
Hire A Professional
If your premises are located somewhere more remote, or in the far corner of an industrial estate, you might be out of range of public gritting services. It might help to hire professional gritting services to grit the roads and pavements around your business. This could help to reduce the risk of any accidents or falls that snow and ice can cause. Using an expert company to do this can be invaluable to ensure your stay safe and your business can keep operating.
Hire An E-Commerce Platform
If your business relies on customers coming to you to buy goods, bad weather can have a massive impact on your sales performance. It is a very good idea to make sure that you have a fully functional e-commerce website so that your customers can still place orders with you when they need your products or services.
It would be best to make sure that your e-commerce website is simple and easy to use. You can promote your website with a strong social media presence so that your customers know where they can find you even when they can’t get to you in person.
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