Tag Archive for: winter

How The Weather Can Affect Your Business

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Weather significantly impacts businesses in different ways ranging from products, employees, customers to property. It is important for a business to stay prepared for challenging situations that could be caused by adverse weather conditions. All types of businesses can be directly or indirectly affected by bad and good weather. Below is a discussion of some of the ways your business can be affected by the weather.

By: IntelligentHQ

Effects on Customers

  • You have to know the behavior of your customers during different times of the year. This is not only important for the tourism industry but also local businesses. A good businessperson should know the impacts of weather on customer’s buying habits to optimize sales. A business should invest in extensive research as well as weather predictions to set prices and offers that meet the demands of consumers.
  • You should not only identify the impacts of weather to optimize current business operations but also predict future performance. If your business performs well in one season, there is no guarantee that the same will occur on the next one. Understanding the different types of growth helps you to prepare for undesirable weather fluctuations that may happen in the future.

Product Prices

  • The prices of most commodities fluctuate depending on weather conditions. For instance, businesses based on agricultural productions are directly affected by seasonal yields. Some raw materials are expensive when they are not easily available during certain weather conditions. If you understand and predict such fluctuations, it can help in your financial projections.
  • The energy industry is also significantly affected by the weather. For example, all businesses are affected by oil prices during certain seasons. During winter, there is a high demand for oil hence its high prices. Transportation becomes expensive as well as the cost of products being transported.

Employee Performance

  • The performance of employees is affected by weather conditions. During warm winter, layoffs do not happen frequently. If the weather is conducive and people are extremely active, a business requires to employ more staff to cater to the need of consumers. The increased number of workers means increased expenses in terms of wages and salaries. If you are not well prepared for the seasonal increase in demand, you will face employee shortage thus reduced profits.
  • The weather also plays a major role in scheduling. The consistency of business operations is determined by the way it prepares for weather fluctuations. Delays in weather could result in delayed projects and slow operations. Catching up the work that was supposed to be done could be expensive thus cutting down profits.

Destruction of Property

  • Weather could also be destructive to your business. Some of the adverse weather conditions that destroy property include floods, ice, storms, strong winds. Other hazards such as fire could result from bad weather. You have to assess risks and protect your business from such terrible situations. You may as well consider visiting WeatherStationAdvisor.com to learn more about the factors to consider when buying a personal weather station that could help you predict weather fluctuations.

As discussed above, weather plays a major role in determining the success of a business. As a business person, it is your duty to study seasonal fluctuations and come up with the most appropriate measures and plan of action to keep your business going and your customers and employees safe!

The Most Important Winter Fire Safety Tips

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Winter Fire Safety Tips

Updated: 12/18/20

It’s that time of year when the snowflakes start to fall and temperatures drop to a bitter low. During the winter months, we tend to spend more time at home with our family and loved ones, so what better way to protect them than by making sure your home is protected from any fire hazards.

Have Your Furnace Checked

Although this is something that many people believe they can do themselves, it is often safer to invest in hiring a professional to come and inspect your furnace annually. It’s always better to know when something is not working properly than to have it abruptly break down in those cold winter months when you need heat the most.

Check Your Chimneys And Vents

Fireplaces can produce creosote which has the capability of igniting. If your family lights the fireplace often, you most likely need an annual chimney inspection to make sure that there are no hazards capable of starting a fire. It’s important to always remember that when burning wood, use dry, seasoned wood that produces more flame with less smoke.

Test Your Smoke Alarms

You always want to double-check that your batteries are fresh and will last you through the winter. Always place smoke alarms in the kitchen, bedrooms, and laundry room.

Extension Cord Overload 

In the freezing months, we’re often using a lot of electronics since we’re spending more time indoors. Too many things plugged into one extension cord can be dangerous. This is especially true for any extension cords or outlets in the kitchen that are close to appliances or other heat sources.

Always Cover Your Fireplace With A Screen

Either a metal screen or tempered glass will suffice to protect any sparks from leaving the fireplace. Still, you always want to make sure to keep kids and pets at least three feet away from a burning fireplace.

Beware Of Lit Candles

Although candles can set the mood for a relaxing and calming evening, they can be easily knocked over by kids or pets. Only light candles when you are alert and able to watch them, blowing them out whenever you intend to leave the room.

Beware Of Space Heaters

These devices require a good amount of space to be used without any fire hazards. Just like fireplaces, children and pets should not sit closer than three feet in front of a space heater. Avoid placing heaters near curtains, tablecloths, or other flapping fabrics. Always make sure your space heater has an automatic shut-off switch, which forces the heater to shut-off as soon as it reaches a dangerously high heat level.