So far 2010 doesn’t seem very welcoming, does it? You don’t need us to tell you that Britain is facing one of the worst winters in 100 years. Schools are closed, roads are shut and transport is disrupted – you might even be one of the three million workers who have been unable to make it into work. But how can businesses prepare?
Rain, sleet and snow – oh my!
It’s well known that as a nation, we don’t react very well in extreme weather conditions. We’re unprepared for snow, excessive rainfall, floods, high winds, and in some cases (gasp of horror), sunshine!
What we’re saying is that it’s not unusual for businesses to suffer downtime as a result of extreme weather conditions. Sometimes it’s inevitable and regardless of the size of your organisation, you can’t stop Mother Nature!
Business as usual
What you can do however, is prepare for such events by planning a series of auto attendant and out of hours messages. Many businesses use these services to provide their customers with opening hours, DDIs and emergency contact numbers, but they can also be used for ‘in case of emergency’ situations. If your business is closed due to unforeseen circumstances you can tell your customers instantly. And if business hours change or you need to relay vital information regarding business operations, you’ll be able to inform your client-base quickly and efficiently – and your customers will thank you for it.
Okay – so weather like this doesn’t happen very often, but when it does it can throw us off guard. By simply asking your on-hold marketing provider to create a few additional messages, you’ll be able to stay ahead of the game.