Can your business survive a storm?

With only a matter of time before the first winter storm hits, you might want to consider taking a look at your company’s business continuity plan. Each year heavy snowfall and other weather-related incidents interrupt services and cost businesses money. One way to prevent this from happening is by communicating with clients and staff before a storm hits, in order to ensure everyone is prepared.

While weather varies drastically depending on where you live, few places are immune to inclement conditions during the winter. It’s probably only a matter of time before your local weatherperson appears on TV warning you to brace for yet another “Storm of the Century,” then you’ll whip yourself into a frenzy preparing for the worst-case scenario.

While you’re preparing, make sure your business is ready for the storm. Even if the forecast doesn’t turn out to be accurate, it’s always better to be safe than sorry. Staying safe involves staying in constant contact with your employees and your customers — before and during a storm. Communication will clarify your expectations, limit your interruptions, and ensure that clients adjust their expectations of you. Here’s how you can use communication technology to prepare for bad weather and possible service interruptions.

Prepare your employees

The great thing about technological advancements over the past few years is that they allow many employees to work from home, or from anywhere that has an Internet connection. However, you must prepare them to do so. Let employees know three or four days before the storm that they might be working from home. Make sure your IT department or provider checks with employees to determine that they can work from home, even if it’s in a limited capacity.

Designate certain employees as flex workers if you can’t determine how bad the weather will be. Your flex workers should check the weather in the morning and come in if it is safe. They’ll also inform other employees whether or not they need to come into work.

Finally, make sure there is an updated spreadsheet or file with all your employees’ contact details, and that this is available to whoever needs it. It is important that each person at your company is able to be reached via multiple channels, because you never know which services a storm may knock out. Having this ready before anything happens will allow for more efficient communication during inclement weather.

Customers

Your customers depend on you. It’s vital that you keep them informed of how the weather situation affects their business with you. One of the easiest ways to do this is via social media. In the days leading up to the storm, let your followers know that you are keeping an eye on the situation, and provide contact information for someone at your company who can give them additional information if needed.

If your business has to close because of bad weather, it’s good practice to announce that as far ahead of time as possible. Ideally this will be done the night before or, at the latest, early in the morning of the closure. You don’t want customers trekking through three feet of snow to get to your shop or office, only to find out it’s closed.

Make sure you get in touch with clients right away to inform them of any delays that might occur in delivering goods or services because of the office shut-down, and give them an estimate as to when your business will be fully operational again. Just because you aren’t responsible for the weather doesn’t mean you can stop being accountable. Staying ahead of the game will prove to clients that your company is organized and prepared for anything.

Of course, communication is just one part of a comprehensive business continuity plan. Contact our experts today and find out how we can keep your company functional, no matter the weather.