Retailers: Emergency Preparedness

About.com retail writer, Barbara Farfan listed some informed statistics in her most recent article regarding Hurricane Sandy's. The article lays how some retailers were affected and includes some projections for the coming months.  
 
One of her statements include:
"Too many - The number of retailers that will use Hurricane Sandy as an excuse for diminished performance in the last quarter of the 2012 calendar year rather than take responsibility for their own retail execution that actually created the results"
 
Thousands of retailers are dealing with destroyed inventory, damaged property and store fronts, slowed supply chain and a good chunk of the East Coast is recovering from the shift in focus from consuming goods to sheer survival...
 

A majority of the world is at least somewhat prone to their own brand of natural catastrophe. From hurricane to earthquake and from tornado to snow storm, modern technology can only do so much to warn of coming threats.

 

What are some of the things a retailer can do to minimize the damage of natural catastrophes? You know many of these things but in the end it always comes down to common sense.

1) Follow the creed of a boyscout and ALWAYS BE PREPARED
 
2) Have an emergency plan. Emergency plans can and should include a robbery or attack protocol. Drill this plan with your staff every so often. Keep that plan simple and logical.
 

3) Create an emergency fund for replacing goods, repairing damage and to cover lost profits.

 

4) Insurance, do have proper insurance for your property and goods. 

 

5) Establish an effective way to keep customers and friends up-to-date on what is going on.
Ensure you have created personal connections to your store. Examples include having an active blog, newsletter and/or social media sites. If you then need to notify them of a late shipment or delay in service due to a natural catastrophe it will be received more compassionately.  



 

Additional resources:

NRF Loss Prevention and Disaster Preparedness (National Retail Federation)
Emergency supply list for a retailers
OSHA evacuation plans and procedures

NRF Active shooter Guidelines (National Retail Federation)

 

In closing, there are no cities that are exempt from natural catastrophes. Being appropriately prepared is the best safeguard for your business.
What have you done to protect your business against catastrophe?

 

 

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