Winter Business Continuity Best Practices
Winter is the favorite time of the year for many people. Although companies can have a lot more work to do during the cold season, professionals still appreciate the opportunity to increase their business and profits.
However, winter weather can also bring quite a few disruptions. The coming winter is estimated to be harsh as many firms are already predicting hardship and echoing calls for government assistance.
Despite the difficulties, your company should never give in to despair. Instead, you should try to be active. Season will start on 21st. December, so there is still time to prepare for all the turbulence that may unfold.
Here are some of the best winter business continuity practices.
Performing IT maintenance
As companies become more dependent on technology, even the smallest disruptions can set off a chain reaction of further disruptions. Competence is critical when it comes to maintaining your digital infrastructure. You can try to take care of your computer systems internally. However, these tasks can be resource intensive and require expert input for optimal performance. Therefore, it may be worth outsourcing these duties to reliable professionals who provide instant results.
One example of what you can expect from outsourced IT services is Totality Services, which focuses on London IT Support and can support all parts of your IT infrastructure. They can also provide training and guidance if you prefer a hands-on approach. Cybersecurity measures are also provided, as well as expertise on compliance procedures. Regardless of the nature of your work relationship, partnering with services like this IT help desk in London will greatly increase your firm’s productivity this winter.
Remember that during the winter, customers may spend more time indoors and are therefore more likely to shop online. However, there is too much traffic and your site can easily go down. Even small delays can test the patience of consumers, and they will try to use another site if this happens too often. Work with experts and optimize everything to improve functionality.
Work with private couriers
While the company’s website may work well, orders may be damaged during shipping. Today, these risks are even more likely.
Unfortunately, Royal Mail strikes look set to continue through winter, and with it comes a disruption for the small businesses that depend on these courier services. While it’s easy to empathize with their situation, your firm can’t afford such a piecemeal approach to their delivery processes at such a busy time of the year. Or rather, at any time.
It may be worth partnering with private couriers to ensure the smooth flow of your goods. Thus, your customers must receive their orders on time. Of course, these services can be more expensive than using Royal Mail, but if they provide continuity for a while, it may be worth the deal. You can always return to Royal Mail when the situation stabilizes, if contracts allow.
Calculate supply interruptions
Winter weather can also affect your suppliers. Many goods were already predicted to be in short supply this winter, so it’s worth trying to avoid these logistical disruptions as soon as you can. Analyze where your suppliers are located. Are they located in areas where severe weather warnings are frequently issued? Breakdown seems likely to you? If so, open the link to get an accurate picture of their situation. It’s also a good idea to ask for updates if you’re polite and reasonable.
If everything looks risky, and contracts do not prevent you from doing this, it is best to temporarily switch suppliers to a more reliable option. Don’t burn bridges and try to be respectful. Your supplier is not always at fault in such situations and should understand temporary reshuffling if business needs are urgent.
Sustainability is also a great way to overcome disruptions in logistics. If you can reuse eco-friendly things like eco-friendly containers and save energy, it will reduce the need to buy more. Solar power can potentially help, although it can sometimes be unreliable on cloudy winter days. However, other businesses also have standby generators ready to go. Have backup plans for your backup plans when it comes to energy usage.
Protect your premises from winter
Few things can disrupt business continuity, such as accidents and injuries in the workplace. Lawsuits can be brought, firms’ reputations can be damaged, and little in a company stays the same.
Look in measures to ensure the safety of your premises in the winter weather. Use sand in the company car park to keep cars from slipping and people from slipping. Post warning signs near hazardous areas. Seal off areas with tape and cones. Security lighting needs to work so companies can see where they’re going when it’s slippery and dark outside.
You can also try to double the insulation around the pipes, which should prevent freezing and clogging. If your workplace has a boiler, have it repaired as soon as possible to make sure it is working properly.
Review your documents as well. Is all your insurance coverage up to date? All documentation must be in order, whether for repairs or the safety of workers and visitors.
