The winter can be a difficult time for businesses, especially small companies that rely on local customers. People are less likely to go out in freezing weather and tend to spend less with holiday expenses hanging over their head. In addition, keeping up with the trouble and risks of ice and snow only makes the slow season seem worse. However, there are some things you can do to make the winter weather easier on your business.
Check Your Insurance
Be familiar with your insurance coverage, along with any limitations or deductible amounts. Most companies will have property and personal injury coverage, but the more sub-freezing days and the more snowfall you can expect, the more you need to ensure your policies are adequate and haven’t lapsed. Slips and falls could bring on personal injury losses, while burst pipes and roofs overloaded with snow can bring collapses, loss of inventory, and expensive repairs. Be certain your insurer has you covered.
Contingency Plan
Your winter plans should provide for anything that could go wrong. You want to have the means or contract with a service for snow removal. Take the time to get photos of the interior and exterior of your shop before every major storm so you have before-and-after pictures ready for insurance appraisers. Set up protocols and contact lists to inform employees of any changes to work hours or storm cancellations. Make sure you also stay on top of keeping your inventory up to date. Slower business times in winter months may be the perfect time to stay on top of these more tedious tasks.
Staving Off the Cold
Your winter plans should include adding insulation and/or providing a heat source for any equipment or plumbing lines that may be exposed to freezing. Be sure to use electric heating sources to reduce the risks of carbon monoxide. You’ll also want to keep employees warm, or you’ll be looking at low productivity or even job abandonment. Think about adding a generator so you can power essential systems if the local grid goes down. Again, if times are slower in the wintertime for business, you can keep busy by maintaining your property’s location and making all the fixes you’ve been putting off for a long time. Also make sure to hire a snow removal service to keep your parking lot and sidewalks clear. This will keep your employees and customers safe, prevent slip-and-fall lawsuits, and make your property look safer and more inviting overall.
Stay Informed
You can’t take preventative measures if you don’t stay informed. Follow the local weather reports closely. Talk with other business owners in your area about winter problems they have had. Visit social media groups or trade shows to make inquiries of other companies in your industry as to what sort of seasonal challenges they face and advice on how you can counter them.
Check the HVAC
Winter is one season where you can’t function without adequate warmth. OSHA recommends that office temperatures remain between 68 and 76 degrees Fahrenheit. As early as possible, get your heating, ventilation, and AC system inspected to ensure it’s working optimally. Inefficient HVAC systems could leave you and your staff uncomfortably cold and raise your heating bills at the same time. If you notice issues with your system, Doctor Fix-It and similar companies can assess your problems.
The winter months don’t have to be a burden on your place of business. Other businesses face the same winter difficulties that you do. To make sure that you don’t lose productivity or customers, start preparing as soon as possible, and make note of different obstacles and expenses so that you can better prepare for next winter.
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