The effects of winter storms and cold weather are among the leading causes of business interruption. Winter-related damages can affect any business, regardless of the type or size of its commercial property.
When the functionality of a business is interrupted, its profits are affected. Damages also leave business managers and owners to deal with downtime and costly repairs rather than running the business.
Fortunately, there are several preventive measures that you can take for your business to prepare it for dealing with inconveniences in winter. They include the following.
Communicate With Your Workforce
On days when the weather conditions are very harsh, your business may have to remain closed down. To avoid inconveniences in such situations, you must have a predetermined way to communicate with your employees on the closure of the office or store in advance.
Notify Your Customers of Possible Closure
If you are not going to open the business or are likely to close earlier than usual due to a blizzard or storm, it is essential to relay that information to your customers. You can use channels such as social media or mass messaging services to do this.
Ensure that you also post a sign on your storefront notifying your customers of the same.
Consider Taking Business Interruption Insurance Coverage
In addition to making driving or spending time outdoors difficult, snowstorms can cause some severe property damages. Whether you rent or own the space where your business operates, it is essential to familiarize yourself with your insurance coverage.
Find out whether your insurance policy has a business interruption cover in addition to the policies that it currently offers. It would be best to determine your deductible for any claims that you may file in the future.
A business interruption cover caters to the cost of running your business after it is interrupted. It helps to lessen the negative effect of having to close down your business due to interruptions such as power outages in winter.
Clear Snow from Parking Lots, Sidewalks, and More
You may need to remove a significant amount of snow from your parking lot or the sidewalks near your business, even after it stops snowing. This is especially essential if you run a retail store or café where the company is significantly dependent on vehicle or foot traffic.
Hire the services of a reliable commercial snow removal company to help you get things up and running after a large snowfall. After doing the job, ensure that you salt your parking lots and sidewalks to prevent ice from forming. This helps reduce auto accidents in your parking lots, and slip and falls on your sidewalks.
Keep Thermostats at the Right Temperature To Prevent Frozen Pipes
One of the most significant causes of property damage and loss in winter is burst pipes. Therefore, it is essential to ensure that you take the proper steps to keep your business warm enough to avoid frozen pipes.
It would be best if you considered insulating pipes in areas that are vulnerable to extreme colds, such as the basement and crawlspaces.
Extreme conditions in winter can have severe consequences on your property, employees, and business operations. Applying the above preventive measures will help you keep your business running during the cold season.
