Inclement Weather: Freezing cold, high Wind, hot weather.
How do you service customers when it is Horrible outside?
History of the Problem
Weather is a consequence of several things; originally, it was the distance from the
sun, and the time of the year. To that we have added toxins in the air.
Thus, depending on where one was, occupants of villages either had nice weather year
around, or, if in the desert or in very high or low latitudes, exceedingly cold weather
during their winter or large amounts of rain, floods, and fog.
If man could cover up or stay out of the sun, he was ok. [Not counting the
hypothesis of the asteroid that hit the earth in N. Arizona and perhaps one in C. America
thousands of years prior to man.]
When man added toxins to the water and or air, there was never again a safe time
to “come outside” to do business.
Problem
When man must face onerous cold weather or wet weather habitually, he must postpone normal shopping and often, prepare to service the onslaught of probably oncoming floods,
snow storms or brain baking heat. With the invention of air conditioning and electricity
generation, man surmounted those geographical areas that dodged the cold and
floods and were able to work and live in the extreme heat. [This paper's author
has lived in both mild San Francisco, Calif that averages 65 degrees year round,
and in Phoenix, Arizona that often hits 120 degrees in summer.]
Significance of the Problem
Inclement weather related to the cold and rain is cyclical around the world. With new
software and computers and city alarms for tornados and for beach side communities threatened with hurricanes, authorities can now get the word out “earlier” than was possible with
out these new devices to inform people to either stay inside or leave the area.
What people must vacate the area, business stops dead. Sometimes, business is
also put out of commission depending on water or ice weight breaking things [caving
in ceilings.]
Methodology
The author, a business consultant and college business teacher, has done primary research, and reviewed secondary literature regarding weather and its consequences across America and compared consequences after using new alert systems to consequential results prior to said alert systems. Also, analysis was done to compare fatalistic approaches to doing business
vs proactive approaches to doing business prior to, during and after floods and other
weather causing business disruptions.
Suggested Solutions
Businesses can batten down the hatches, or continue revenue flow by learning where
city occupants go when asked to leave and open a 2 nd store in that area! Also,
merchants can help out by offering delivery and credit to those clients who are well known.
Like preparing for operations in interrupted working environments, the merchant must keep in mind opportunities can develop if planned for in advance of blistering heat, freezing weather, wind, flood, fire, plague, and other infinitely possible weather phenomena.
Why bother? Why not just accept weather as it comes, and customers' sales when they come? The answer is found in taking maximum control of all situations.
At times, merchants are completely at the mercy of the government, "bad apple customers", "bad apple employees," irate creditors and debtors. We will face delivery people who would rather be anywhere else.
These negatives are part of life, and, as Dr. "hug" Leo Buscaglia put it, this is what we must embrace, since it is "coming our way, regardless." Some books suggest impatient people [especially when weather grounds planes and forces buses to be late], just flow with the negative that might be and turn it into a positive.
If one's plane isn't going to arrive (in order to take off with you on it) or be able to take off (even 1 or 2 days late) you can do other things. This plane and the counter people weren't put on this earth to get you to your destination at your convenience, they were all put here to enjoy and get out of life whatever they can. If you can be comfortably serviced along the way, even better.
For example, some restaurants offer free coffee to anyone when the weather hits a high or a low. Some stores offer free goodies in "screwy" circumstances. This type of give-away costs negligibly but impresses people, therefore, increases good will, and will make an impression that advertising cannot! We need to always keep this in mind! Help others, even if you have to go a bit out of your way, as long as you aren't going crazy doing so!
Some customers are a pain in the ass and they like being that way--the world owes them something according to them--and that is one time you want to bow out and shut the doors to them! The rest are your reason for being in business!
