Weathering the Storm: Ensuring Business Resilience in Extreme Weather

Summer brings longer days, school breaks, and outdoor activities. It also brings unpredictable weather and rising temperatures, with this summer expected to be one of the hottest on record. That’s why it’s crucial for all small businesses to take necessary precautions and prepare for whatever challenge Mother Nature throws their way.

To help you get started, here are three simple tips to keep your business running smoothly this summer and beyond:

1. Make the switch to fiber. If fiber internet is available in your area, here’s a compelling reason (one of many!) to switch: Fiber internet is more resistant to heat and moisture, and it’s immune to electromagnetic interference caused by lightning storms. This resilience improves connectivity during and immediately after severe weather events.
   
   At Kinetic, we recognize the significant benefits of worry-free fiber internet for small businesses. That’s why we are committed to investing in and expanding our fiber-backed network to deliver reliable, weather-resistant connectivity to our local communities. To date, we’ve built over 100,000 fiber route miles and plan to add many more over the next couple of years.
2. Look to the cloud. Regular data backups are crucial to safeguarding mission-critical information. By storing copies of your data in multiple locations, recovery becomes seamless in the event of data loss – whether it’s caused by extreme weather events, hardware failure, human error, cyberthreats, or any other unexpected incident. Transitioning to the cloud might seem intimidating at first, but it’s actually a simple and straightforward process. With the right solution, automating data backups to the cloud is easy. Simply set it and forget it!
3. Create a business continuity plan. The final point, though less technology-focused, is equally important. Keeping operations running during extreme weather events requires having a Plan B to ensure work can continue even under less-than-ideal conditions. This includes creating an emergency communication plan to ensure employees are informed and providing alternative options to maintain business operations. For instance, during a heat wave, adjusting shift schedules can help keep employees indoors during the hottest parts of the day and prevent equipment from overheating.

As temperatures rise and the risk of severe weather increases, it’s important to prepare your business. We can help you get the right technology in place to reduce the chance of a significant disruption, and we’ll be there to support you, 24/7, if the weather does create challenges for your business. That way you can worry less about weather-related outages and focus more on what matters most: Your customers.