It's Going to Rain: How to Prepare Your Business for Rainy Days

Is your business prepared for when it goes to rain? If not, you're not alone. A recent study by the National Retail Federation found that only 44% of businesses have a plan in place for dealing with bad weather.

Don't wait until it's too late. Here are some tips on how to prepare your business for rainy days:

Analyze what users care about. Customers are more likely to do business with companies that they trust. Make sure your website and marketing materials are up to date and provide valuable information to your customers.
* According to a study by BrightLocal, 88% of consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations.
* A study by the Pew Research Center found that 72% of internet users say they have read online reviews before making a purchase.

Step-by-Step Approach
1. Identify your risks. What are the most likely ways that bad weather could impact your business?
2. Develop a plan. How will you respond to each of these risks?
3. Communicate your plan. Make sure your employees and customers know what to do in the event of bad weather.
4. Practice your plan. Conduct drills to make sure that everyone knows what to do.
5. Monitor the weather. Stay up-to-date on the latest weather forecasts so that you can take appropriate action.

Best Practices
* Create a communication plan. This plan should outline how you will communicate with employees, customers, and suppliers in the event of bad weather.
* Establish a command center. This is a central location where you can monitor the weather and coordinate your response.
* Train your employees. Make sure your employees know what to do in the event of bad weather.
* Keep your customers informed. Post updates on your website and social media channels to let customers know about any changes to your hours of operation or services.
* Be flexible. Things don't always go according to plan, so be prepared to adjust your response as needed.

FAQs About Going to Rain

• What is the difference between a watch and a warning? A watch means that conditions are favorable for severe weather to develop. A warning means that severe weather has been detected or is imminent.
• What should I do if I hear a tornado warning? Take shelter in a basement or interior room on the lowest floor of your home.
• What should I do if I see flooding? Avoid driving through flooded areas. Turn around and find another route.
• What should I do if I lose power? Unplug appliances and electronics to prevent damage when the power comes back on.

Success Stories

• Walmart
  Walmart has a comprehensive emergency preparedness plan in place. In 2017, Walmart stores in Florida were able to stay open during Hurricane Irma thanks to their preparedness efforts.
• Starbucks
  Starbucks has a policy of giving employees paid time off to volunteer in their communities during disasters. In 2018, Starbucks employees volunteered more than 1 million hours to help victims of Hurricane Florence.
• UPS
  UPS has a fleet of more than 100,000 vehicles that are used to deliver packages around the world. UPS has a policy of continuing to deliver packages during bad weather, unless it is unsafe to do so.

Call to Action

Don't wait until it goes to rain to prepare your business for bad weather. Follow these tips and develop a plan that will help you keep your employees and customers safe and your business up and running.