Have you weather proofed your business? Bad weather doesn’t have to be bad for business
No matter what the forecast says, making sure your company is prepared for inclement weather is a crucial business move. Think about the way an unforeseen storm or flood could impact your business – how long would it take to get back up and running again?
Hodgson Insurance is based in the seaside town of Bude, Cornwall, so we’re more than familiar with the impact that severe weather can have on a business.
That’s why it’s so important to weatherproof your business in advance – taking preventative measures before a bad weather event could save you a lot of hassle in the long run. Here’s how you can prepare your business for the stormy season.
The power of ecommerce
Heavy rain (which can lead to flooding), ice and snow all reduce high street footfall, which means that customers are less likely to shop locally and instead turn to the internet. This can be particularly damaging to businesses who depend on the bigger sales days of Black Friday, the run-up to Christmas and school holidays.
To make sure that you’re ready for your online customers, here are a few key things to consider:
• If your customers need you for advice or to discuss an issue, are they able to get your contact details easily online?
• Is your customer service inbox checked regularly?
• Is your website fully functional?
• Does your website work as well on mobile devices as it does on a desktop or laptop?
• Is your online shop stocked and up to date?
Even if you don’t have a website, it’s easy to create a business profile on Facebook, X (formerly known as Twitter) and Instagram, to keep your customers engaged and to offer customer service.
Embracing bad weather as a business move
Did you know that, compared to other regions in the UK, Bude requires a far lower level of sea rising to trigger an extreme weather event? As things stand now, sea-level predictions ‘mean extreme high-water events that now occur once every 100 years will happen at least once a year in Bude by 2070.’
If you live in a region prone to bad weather events – and even if you don’t – you don’t have to let it inconvenience your business. Instead, you can embrace it and let it shape your offering.
Consider thinking about how you can diversify and tailor your products and advertising in line with poorer weather, for example with ‘rainy day’ or ‘winter warming’ specials. This can be particularly effective for businesses like cafés and restaurants who want customers to come inside.
You could also devise offers that are in-store only, for example a rewards offer (perhaps collecting stamps that can be later redeemed on purchases).
There’s no downside to business interruption protection
We can prepare all we want, but the truth is that sometimes things just go wrong. That doesn’t mean that planning and preparation is futile – of course it’s not. It just means that, past a certain point, our hands are tied. That’s where business interruption insurance comes in.
Business interruption protection makes sure that your business doesn’t lose money unnecessarily – or close – due to an unforeseen bad weather event by helping you to continue to pay overheads like rent, salaries, and will even grant temporary premises if your commercial building is unusable. Business Interruption cover is usually added as an extension to your main business insurance policy and we feel one of the most crucial elements to a policy.
If you run a business and you’re worried about losses from nearby flooding, please get in touch and we can happily discuss options with your insurance.
