Bucolic snow-covered vistas and home video footage of people skiing to the corner shops are welcome light relief at the end of news bulletins; but there is a far weightier concern for businesses across the country. The last two winters brought wide-spread and, in some areas, devastating snow storms to rural and urban communities. Snow has already been reported in as disparate locations as Gatwick and the Grampians in the earliest and farthest reaching coverage in 17 years. The Met Office’s 30-day forecast predicts snow and low temperatures right up to Christmas Eve. It is vital that companies assess their business continuity plan now to ensure that disruption to customers, suppliers and key stakeholders is kept to the absolute minimum.
In 2009 The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) estimated that 20% of the UK’s working population, or 6.4 million people, did not make it to work due to adverse weather conditions. Journeys that normally take minutes to travel stretched into hours and employers were obliged to let staff go home early or arrive late; if they made it in at all. Considering that the average commute of UK workers is 8.6 miles, the effect and potential for disruption is huge. Productivity and turnover is significantly hampered and many businesses are forced to close for the day due to the lack of trade and staff.
In January this year insurer RSA predicted that a day of severe snow could cost the UK economy as much as £690million. The Centre for Economics and Business Research estimated the daily loss would be £900m, using a calculation of UK GDP per day of about £4.5bn.
By taking action now you won’t have to find out what snow and adverse weather could cost your business.
Expolink’s many clients know that the on-going telephone and email support it provides is highly flexible and tailored towards individual businesses’ campaigns. If your staff are unable to get to work, and when all your competitors are only offering answer phone messages, your calls will be answered by a warm friendly operator ready to answer questions and take orders. In January this year, while all the aforementioned workers were stuck at home, internet, mail order and phone sales shopping saw a boost of 14.6%. These aren’t sales that your competitors alone should avail of!
Click on the link to find out how Expolink’s contact centre services can help you and your business.
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