SmallBusinessNewz

Power outages often seem benign enough.  Everybody just kicks back for a little while, maybe getting a little warm due to lack of air conditioning, and then returns to work.  Power outages can cause big problems, though, and small business owners should think through the possible effects and precautions.

Sarah E. Needleman pointed out yesterday that this is a time of year when electrical grids are often under a lot of strain, and many individuals who have in some fashion prepared for big disasters have overlooked the possibility of minor outages.  So take care.

A deli might want to buy a generator or two for the sake of not losing hundreds of pounds of meat stored in freezers, for example.  Or at least get some insulating wraps to slow the transfer of heat.

A company more reliant on computers could look into cloud storage (the idea of letting info get recorded off-site, often in an up-to-the-minute fashion).  Needleman pointed out that protective software exists, too.

Finally, just about every business owner with a cash register or other critical small machine should consider backing it up with a battery.  That way, some tasks can continue, or it'll at least be possible to wrap up a process before shutting the machine down.

Of course, everyone will have to consider the frequency of power outages in their area and do their own cost-benefit analysis.  No one's suggesting that a dog walker invest $60,000 in state-of-the-art generators when a printed copy of a schedule might suffice.