As a business owner, you always want to plan for every possible contingency. Whether that is offering increased accessibility for those who need it, having a generator for points of sale in case electricity is lost, or simply locking your doors when you leave for the night, it’s good to be prepared for the unexpected. What happens, though, when excessive rain begins to cause problems with your business? What preparations can you make to ensure that even the most torrential downpours don’t interrupt your operations?
Cover It Up
A leaking roof is one of the most common problems you’ll face during a heavy rain. Though this isn’t a terribly serious or expensive problem, it can be made that way if you don’t make the right preparations. Other than having the roof repaired, of course, it’s vital that you ensure your inventory is always protected from any leaks by utilizing plastic wrap or another non-porous material. If you don’t cover your inventory, a leaky roof can become a major problem if a large portion of your inventory gets ruined by the water.
Chase the Puddles Away
Another common problem you may have to deal with is excessive water in your parking lot. Since water has a hard time penetrating asphalt, if you’re in an area with poor drainage, you may routinely experience high water levels which would keep customers away and cause damage to your building. One way to prevent this is by re-surfacing your parking lot with permeable or porous paving materials from a company like MPS Pacing Systems Australia. What this looks like in your particular situation will obviously depend on the location of your building. After all, you may not be able to utilize a gravel lot in your location, but you can certainly look into other porous paving materials that are available.
Keep It Dry
Slips, trips, and falls are one of the biggest liability risks your business faces, both from customers and employees. That’s why it’s so important to have an adequate number of mats available for people to dry their shoes on as they enter your building on a rainy day. Though aesthetics play a role in the size and placement of these mats, ultimately, utility needs to reign here. If you have a beautiful building but end up getting sued because your entry mats weren’t large enough, it will suddenly start to look a lot less beautiful.
A Muddy Mess
When the rain ends, it’s important to the productivity of your employees that they don’t have a big, muddy mess to clean up from mud that’s been tracked in by customers. That’s why it’s so important to recognize any patches of dirt around your business and then do all you can to contain or remove them before rain turns the dirt into mud. Large, absorbent mats can certainly help with this, but if you eliminate the source of the mud problem, you’ll have much less of a problem to deal with inside.
Use It
Rainy days can be tough, since fewer people venture out when the weather’s dreary. However, you can use it as an opportunity to connect with your customers and help turn their gray day around. For example, offer a percentage off for each inch of rain that’s been received so far, or simply offer a “rainy day special” that rewards those customers who do brave the rain to patronize your business. You’ll make their day brighter and create a unique word-of-mouth advertising opportunity that you wouldn’t have had otherwise.