Access to a power supply is essential for business. But scarily, you never know when disaster’s going to strike.
Remember Hurricane Irma? 16 million people were rendered powerless by it (in more ways than one). Homes and businesses went without power.
How would your business cope if the same thing happened again in your part of the country?
Likewise, natural disasters aren’t the only reason we lose power. Power outages happen all the time in some places. That’s a scary prospect for many people.
Think about how reliant we are upon power. Without it there’s no way to charge phones, access the internet, utilize fridges, freezers, heaters, essential medical equipment; the list goes on. It’s likely that your business is in some way reliant on power.
Having a backup generator can come in handy. A fallback when the worst happens is always a good idea. Still not convinced?
Keep reading for 10 reasons you absolutely need a backup generator for your business.
What’s a Backup Generator?
A backup generator is otherwise known as a standby generator. The clue’s in the name.
These generators are literally on standby as a backup when your primary source of power stops working. Regardless of what causes the power outage, the generator senses the problem and kicks into action.
They’re usually permanently installed (often in the yard, outside). They can run for days at a time thanks to their external energy supply. Common fuel types are natural gas, diesel, and liquid propane.
Some generators don’t run automatically and require manual installation to restore power. These are more commonly portable generators that can be moved around. The principle is the same though. You have a reliable source of power to call upon if you should ever need it.
You can source generators in various places. However, stores selling construction equipment are often a good bet. One example would be www.ablesales.com.au.
10 Reasons You Need a Backup Generator
No-one wants to lose power. In fact, your business can’t afford for that to happen. Here are 10 reasons to get a backup for your business.
1. Peace of Mind
Peace of mind is top of the list when it comes to justifying the purchase of a backup generator.
Sure, regular upkeep and maintenance of the generator itself are required. But aside from that, you can rest easy. Your business is covered in a worst-case scenario.
Business can be stressful at the best of times. That’s especially true when you’re operating a relatively small-scale. Putting food on the table and supporting a family is often the priority. What happens if your business shuts down?
The potential for that happening is enough to scare someone out of business. That’s especially true in high-risk areas that experience extreme weather. If you listen to just one piece of business advice today, make it this one: get a backup power supply! Even if you never need it, you’ll feel the benefits of knowing you can navigate a disaster.
2. Constant Safety
Safety equipment often needs a power supply to function.
Essential supplies and appliances remain operational with a backup generator. That’s good news for all who rely on it throughout their working day.
Likewise, blackouts cause significant safety concerns.
What happens in your factory on a night shift if the power suddenly shuts down? Cables, heavy machinery, hazardous substances and the like are all in the vicinity. How can you ensure your employees don’t come to harm?
On that note, you’ll make yourself liable to be sued if you don’t have the requisite safety precautions in place. An employee gets injured, and you get sued. That’s not a good day at work by anyone’s standard.
Do yourself a favor and buy yourself a backup generator.
3. Protection of Vital Supplies
Many businesses and organizations have equipment and stocks that are totally reliant on power.
Restaurants, care-homes, hospitals and so on simply can’t afford to be out of action. Items may be temperature sensitive or require power to run.
Food goes off. Essential medical equipment can’t be stored correctly. Life-saving equipment can’t function properly. The implications of an outage are severe.
With a backup generator, you can rest-assured that vital supplies and equipment are safe.
4. Ongoing Operations
Can your business afford downtime?
Even in high season, when revenue’s great, the need for operations to stay up and running is of vital importance. Downtime is like throwing away money.
Power outages put people out of business.
Unless they’re backed up by standby generators. The benefits of staying operational could fill a whole new article! It’s business as usual: no catastrophic shutdown of systems, no crippling lack of custom, no debilitating downtime.
Productivity continues as it always does.
5. Stay in Touch
Having access to backup power means your business can still be contacted.
Computers will still work. Phone lines will be operational.
Who knows when your big break’s about to happen? When will that giant conglomerate call up to offer you a major deal? What about when that potential customer wants to get in touch? Or when you’re due to hear back from your latest pitch?
Can you afford to miss that contact when it comes?
6. Maintained Security Measures
One major benefit of backup power is the additional security you achieve.
There’s nothing like a power outage to encourage miscreant behavior. Properties and businesses that are unpowered are generally sitting ducks for theft and vandalism.
With the lights off and alarm systems down, it’s only a matter of time before something happens. Installing a backup generator removes this potential.
Likewise, the threat of a cyber-attack has never been more real. One hack could knock your power out for days. You must protect your IT systems. Less threatening perhaps, but no less damaging, is the potential for rodents to chew through your power cables.
A backup power supply is a remedy to issues such as these.
7. Never Lose Data
Businesses are collecting ever more user and customer data.
Customer data and information must be kept safe. Not only is it a legal responsibility, but it’s also the only way to ensure you maintain trust and reputation in the marketplace.
Power outages impact your ability to do that. Data that gets stored on a hard-drive is threatened when they don’t have power.
Likewise, your business may be entirely reliant on the customer data you’ve gathered. Imagine losing it all in a power cut. In one fell swoop, you’ve lost your ability to contact your customers and market to them.
8. Maintains ‘Open All Hours’ Reputation
What happens when an ‘open all hours’ business has to shut?
It isn’t great for your reputation. Customers value the ability to use your business at all times. That’s especially true when you advertise yourself in this way.
Consider a restaurant that delivers at all hours. With a power outage, your computer ordering systems won’t work. Customers can no longer make an order online. Moreover, your fridges will be out of action too. That’s a threat to the freshness of your food.
A backup generator means you’re always open for business. Your reputation is maintained. In fact, it’s likely to improve. After all, you’ll still be open when others will be forced to shut. Customers remember these sorts of things.
9. Reduce Insurance Rates
Backup generators can make a significant dent in the cost of your insurance premiums.
Insurers consider the possibility of damages during outages. We’ve already noted how a backed up business is more secure. That fact isn’t lost to insurance companies. The guarantee that security systems and operations can continue means you’ll be able to get insured for less.
Simply, there’s less chance of them having to pay out.
Always tell insurers that you have access to back up generators when that’s the case.
10. Saves You Money
Backup generators don’t come cheap.
In fact, the price upfront is often enough to dissuade business owners from buying one.
But that’s playing the short game. Longer term, you can get the initial investment money back. We’ve already seen how you could save on your insurance premiums. The savings don’t stop there though.
Consider the money you lose when you’re out of business. That downtime can cost thousands. Let’s say you run an online business, and the power cut knocks your servers out. Suddenly no-one can buy anything.
Similarly, physical businesses can’t operate in an outage. No lights, no fridges, no computers…It effectively shuts your doors to customers. Having that backup of power can keep the money coming in.
Time to Get Backed Up
There you have it: 10 key reasons you need to buy a backup generator for your business.
Hopefully, we’ve convinced you of the benefits of having a backup generator.
You know you have a supply of power that’ll kick into life during an outage. That’s good news for your business.
First and foremost you get peace of mind in your business. You maintain the requisite safety standards and protect vital supplies and equipment. Operations continue as normal, you remain contactable, and security is maintained.
Similarly, generators protect your data, sustain your positive reputation, and reduce your insurance rates. You’ll be saving money in the long-run too! What’s not to like?
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