Over the past few weeks, we have become a country that woke up to the challenges associated with an interrupted and unreliable power supply. This is not a nightmare from the dark ages, and there seems to be no light at the end of the tunnel anytime soon. This means that a lot of business owners could be without power for 10 to 12 hours per day.
For many entrepreneurs in the SME sector, the daily challenges associated with running a business is not all they’ll be faced with and they will have to take the necessary steps to survive the energy crisis and keep our economy alive. Load shedding will affect you and, it seems, is here to stay. It’s essential that business owners take the investment step to make sure that you are not left in the dark:
KEEP IT FROZEN
- Generators and Solar solutions can assist in keeping the freezers going.
- Adjusting menus can take the pressure off all employees from dealing with food preparation to managing difficult customers.
- Fire and gas preparation methods will allow you to keep serving the favourites.
- Water sources can be unreliable, so keep bottled water handy for those unforeseen situations.
- Although fresh is best, having non-perishable essentials could be a life-saver.
RECHARGE
- Batteries could either take longer to recharge or not recharge fully before the next power failure – reassess your energy needs and solutions.
- Cellphones, tablets and laptops can take an unnecessary toll on limited energy supplies – recharge while driving.
STAY CONNECTED
- Reception and cellphone signal can be unavailable as cellphone towers and WIFI suppliers are also experiencing difficulty to keep their services running – having devices with different providers can provide you with options.
SAFE AND SECURE
- Most security systems have small back-up batteries for power failures. They cannot however, keep security systems running for prolonged periods. This leaves everyone vulnerable. Make sure that your security systems are connected to your alternative energy solutions and UPS (uninterrupted power supply) facility.
- Dark shopping centres and areas without any lights can pose a security risk – adding solar and motion censored lights can provide the necessary safety and security measures.
FUEL RESERVE
- Apart from the fuel scarcity with the increase in generators, pumps are also powered by electricity and should the generators or batteries run out, so could the fuel. Don’t drive around on empty and make sure you store a few litres.
Power challenges aren’t going anywhere soon and waiting it out is no longer an option. Business owners who bought gas stoves during a similar power crisis a few years ago are now at a distinct advantage. For those who took their chances with the last rounds of load-shedding and held back on purchasing equipment for standby measures, now might be the time to make those investments. Many business owners are taking funding to invest in their energy solutions.
While the entrepreneurs drive the economy, getting the necessary business finance to invest in UPS (uninterruptible power supplies) and back-up power inverter systems can keep your business switched on.
Since 2011, we have provided businesses with innovative, flexible and convenient alternatives to traditional business funding. Business owners still identify access to working capital as the single biggest challenge that they are faced with. Being responsible for 50% of the country’s GDP and contributing to over 65% of employment, we are devoted to partnering with small to medium-sized businesses to grow the South African economy. This is where we can help and we are proud to have partnered with more than 15,000 SMEs in providing funding of more than R2.5b billion to date. Start growing your business with Business Funding and Asset Finance today. Get in touch to learn more.
