Sunny skies and warm temperatures are perks of the summer season but one downside, especially for businesses, is that it coincides with hurricane season. With heavy rain and high winds wreaking havoc on impacted areas, it’s no secret that the inevitable power outages and infrastructure damage can threaten businesses. As hurricane season 2023 is expected to peak in late August or September, businesses should be aware of the impact hurricanes could have on their business. Here’s how you can be a step ahead of the storm and how an answering service can keep your business running after a hurricane strikes.
Will 2023 Be An Active Hurricane Season?
Starting June 1 and lasting through November 30, the Atlantic hurricane season 2023 predicts a 40% chance of a near-normal season, a 30% chance of an above-normal season and a 30% chance of a below-normal season, according to NOAA. More specifically, the outlook is expected to range from 12-17 tropical storms, 5-9 hurricanes, and 1-4 major hurricanes. As these predictions are continuously updated throughout the season, one thing that’s certain is the amount of damage a single storm can do to businesses.
What is the Cost Of Hurricane Season Power Outages To Businesses?
Many businesses do not have a continuity plan in place for potential power loss and are ill-equipped to handle the kind of power outage that can bring your thriving business to a halt due to storm impacts. For small businesses, repercussions from a power outage can result in the establishment folding altogether, in extreme examples. Meanwhile larger businesses can face financial setbacks with employee work on hold. If your business experiences a power outage from a hurricane, you will also lose access to incoming calls, and employee productivity may come to a standstill. A few hours off the grid during hurricane season 2023 can cost your business thousands of dollars in lost revenue per hour and result in lost opportunities resulting from being disconnected from customer interactions. Not being able to communicate with your customers prevents your business from offering the personalized customer service it prides itself on. As a result, your reputation might be at risk and can result in your valuable customers looking for services elsewhere.
How Businesses Can Prepare For Hurricane Season 2023
It might be difficult to prepare for hurricane season 2023, especially since storms are unpredictable, but being proactive can prepare your business for worst-case scenario situations. There are several steps you can take prior to a storm to keep your business safe and to secure your assets.
- Identify what areas of your business are vulnerable to hurricane damage so that you can implement proper safety measures
- Develop emergency evacuations and security plans for employees
- Relocate your assets and goods outside the storm impact zone
- Create a business continuity plan
- Monitor real-time intelligence from local and national authorities.
With this accounted for, having a backup plan to keep your business running is another aspect you should prepare for. By including an answering service into your hurricane season continuity planning, your business can be saved from going off the grid to customers.
How An Answering Service Can Be A Lifesaver For Hurricane Season 2023
Implementing an emergency answering service for hurricane season 2023 can take the weight of missed customer calls off your shoulders during the storm. To do this, a business should forward their incoming calls to the answering service when an emergency occurs. The answering service works by connecting your incoming callers to trained answering agents who have the tools and knowledge to adequately respond to incoming callers. By establishing a partnership with an answering service, you will receive:
- 24/7 availability
- 99.9% power uptime
- Overflow answering assistance
- Custom scripts for your business
- Specific protocols for emergency situations
Develop A Business Continuity Plan For Hurricane Season 2023
Anserve is an experienced and professional answering service that has been serving customers since 1969. We take pride in our emergency answering service and want to make sure your business continues to thrive during hurricane season 2023 and beyond. Contact us today to learn how we personalize our emergency answering services to your unique business needs and will be ready to handle your calls when the unexpected occurs.
