How does the weather influence your business?

[SocialMediaUncovered]

Not sure about anyone else, but my business (offering an online service) has been incredibly difficult to speak to people over the last couple of days, and has obviously had a knock on effect for business.

Although it has'nt effected business directly - i've still been able to work - but for so many people the 'not in the office today' and 'working from home today' excuses for people not working is plain lame.

The UK has to change this way of thinking especially at this time (economically) - not to mention the way we operate (almost as a 3rd world country) when the snow arrives and the public transport system (especially in London) turns into a joke. Well, more of a joke than usual.

How has the weather been on your business?

[maria102]

trying to get ladies to try on clothes in this weather is nigh on impossible....that's if you get them to leave the house in the first place!

[CKG]

I've been rushed off my feet with the cold weather.

Mainly de-frosting frozen up condensing combi boilers.

Only bummer is it's all done for free under the 5 year warranty I put on all my installs.

At least it's another chance to say hello to the punters. Even if im threadders for it.

[Mattonella Tile Studio]

This week's been poor for foot traffic, but online enquiries/sales have been great. I wonder if people are stuck in so decide to sort out their tiles whilst they can't do much else.

[deniser]

I enjoyed not opening the shop today - I went in yesterday on foot as it wasn't possible to get the car out (5 mile round trip with daughter in tow taking her to school which was closed, then to doctors which was open, then to shopping centre where only Fenwicks was open, then to work) and all around me were closed so decided no-one would expect me there today.

Had a great time building snowbears with my daughter whose school was shut for the 2nd day.

Internet orders keep coming whether you're there or not so business was largely unaffected but I enjoyed the rest.

[Edward Moss]

Had 2 jobs cancelled this week but luckily they are rearranging for later on in the week. I had a request from English Heritage yesterday to photograph some of there buildings in the snow, so it's evened itself out :)

Depending on the sort of job I spend most of my time waiting for the sun to go in :(

[MH1]

Never allowed it to bother me personally, can't stop it getting to the clients.

Even with this major snow event, LOL, I would be working outside as normal, I mean 4-8" of snow is hardly a problem is it? Frankly most peoples hysterical reaction to snow in the UK is embarassing.

I did stop door knocking one year when temperatures dropped below -10c, but I did have a bad cold.

[alex4orne]

I can't stop working just because of the snow. A lot of my customers are retired and I might be the only person they see this week. So I cant let them down can I. Plus people have to eat.

[SocialMediaUncovered]

I've found that today in London, a few people that I've tried to speak to have mysteriously 'gone sick' after being out of the office monday and tuesday - perhaps there is a bug going around now???

[Cornish Steve]

Isn't it amazing how we are stunned when it snows - as if that happens only once in a century? Once, when I used to commute into London, trains were cancelled because, we were told, the only snow plough was stuck somewhere in Scotland (maybe the station manager had his tongue in cheek, but I'm not sure).

Mind you, train delays because of snow are nothing compared to delays due to leaves on the line - another event that planners must suppose happens only once a century.

In all seriousness, if we haven't planned for snow, what would happen to our business if there's a break-in at the office or a fire or if a senior officer passes away? Contingency planning is very important.

[seasonsonline]

I'm finding that the worse the weather is the better our online sales are! More women at home = more thirsty women looking for bargains = more sales!

[Mr G]

What people need are 4x4's they could then get into work:eek:

My lawncare company finishes work in November and starts again in March so I'm in the office all winter doing paperwork, preparing adverts, writing the new seasons quotes, etc, being nice and warm with uddles of coffee and biscuits. Hmm, that doesn't happen very often!

We still went to work with all the snow, should be planting hedgerows but it's just not possible to do it properly so we tidied the shed up and serviced our machinery. Ok we did finish the day early but I think it's all about disciplining yourself and not given in at the first hint of something different. I think people just used it as an excuse to stay in bed!

[telemax]

I'm currently based in Canada, although most of my business is in the UK, I have some Canadian based customers. Snowfall and temperature in London experienced on Monday are like the beginning of Spring in Montreal.

There have been days when I woke up to find my car buried up to the door mirrors in snow, and the doors completely frozen shut at minus 25 celcius but still got into the office, along with everyone else in the city.

From here the disruption almost looks like a joke

[Mr G]

It's embarrasing:redface:

[nass]

We wern't at all effected in our internal operations - all the staff just logged on from home and logged onto their phone system in telecommuter mode (http://www.telefonix.co.uk/avaya-telephone-systems/telecommuter-mode/) - sorted

[Paul.M]

We've been exceptionally busy over at Netweather with record breaking traffic!

[betterlanguages]

We're also an online business, and although clients have been affected with staff not being able to get to work, we've had our busiest week so far this year. Yesterday was quite ironic, we could communicate with translators on 4 continents, but couldn't get to the corner shop to buy a bottle of milk!

I suppose the impact of weather on online business depends very much on what you are selling. Have any business to customer businesses have benefited through people being at home and shopping online when they would normally have been at work?

Cheers

Mike

timely and accurate translation services (http://www.betterlanguages.com/translation-services/)

[KatieT]

The snow hit Exeter in Devon on Monday morning, and as I was at home that day with my daughter, it was a day of playing and building snowmen with neighbours in the close – how idyllic! And periodically talking with friends on Facebook and Twitter keeping up with how thick our individual snow was! Mine was the least….

But as an employee it made me think about those that this weather really affected, I am sure many people enjoyed days off with family and for the bigger businesses maybe the financial losses can be reaped back reasonably quickly, but what about the small businesses? According to CEBRR this weather could have put 3000 at risk. In an already struggling economy this snow could have been an unwelcome sight to many small business owners on opening the curtains Monday morning.

I have read varying stories across the news and Twitter and they are a mix of joy about being snowed in and turmoil from those businesses that are losing money due to this flurry of snow. The FSB are saying it could cost the economy £3.5billion – wow for some snow….!! So for those enjoying it, what a change to be happy about cold weather and getting outside to take part in various activities; but what about those businesses who have been affected by people having no transport to either get into work or get in to spend money in establishments, or those who maybe could have got in but had to stay home with their children whose schools were shut. The London Trains alone could have cost £48 million in lost productivity, according to the BBC.

I work for a large company and so am very lucky in the fact that the day I was due in work, but snowed in I was able to carry out my work day as normal. Meetings were still held with colleagues over OCS, albeit we were all in varying locations rather than a handful of offices and we could email as usual, dial into our work accounts to access and work on documents. It is times like this I am so thankful for a digitally advanced company who have taken the time and effort to invest in these sorts of technologies. I utilise these technologies every day at work, but it is only on these rare occasions where the UK comes to a halt from the weather that being able to do business-as-usual really does make them invaluable.

So luckily for me, my world does not get turned upside down in events like this, but after reading the stories across the UK I worry for those companies whose days would have been very different and maybe completely non-existent. Do not get me wrong, a few days snowed in with my family brings nothing but smiles, but when it comes to keeping a business going, doing my bit to keep the money rolling in I really do have to thank technology for keeping me online and in-touch.

Is it time to think about investing in making your business more ‘online technical’ now?

[KatieT]

Further to my last post, I thought we had seen the last of the snow and last night 100 cars were stuck on Haldon Hill in Exeter spending the night away from family. The thought of getting stuck on the roads in snow in 2009 would not have been at the forefront of my mind had I gone out last night, or been travelling with my daughter. In fact my parents bought her home over Haldon Hill slightly earlier than when this happened.

I read and hear all the time “Make sure your spare tyre is legal, you have a blanket, water etc in your car…” Have I ever really taken that much notice? Being honest no I have not and with a child I should have done, although thinking about it she always have everything she needs in the car! So my task tonight is to ensure our car has everything in there for the possibility of being stuck somewhere, sometime - blankets, water, biscuits, phone charger.

I was talking to colleagues this morning, and one guy even has a portable stove in his car….a bit far maybe, but if I ever get stuck I would want to be near his car!

So my question is this - what would you now ensure you have in your car when going out on a journey?

[SHEABUTTER COTTAGE]

It's embarrasing:redface:
Yes, I agree...
but I have been affected in a very bad way - the kids have been home all week and I have not been able to process any orders as my place of work is a few miles away from home. It has been impossible to take both kids to my place of work.

To top this, my site has been down due to technical fault so I can't even enjoy online sales - SIGH!:mad:

[Lawn Ranger]

I have a lawn care business and we just cant understand why our customers dont let us just get on with the job.

Joking apart I have had seven call from customers this week wondering why we hadnet turned up to put moss inhibitor on their lawn.

Most were very good natured about it and I think it was more of a leg pull!

The trouble is we have had extreme weather for our type of business since Christmas.

I am keeping busy this week by preparing the marketing effort for spring so as long as I can decide one way or the other if I am going out life is not to bad.

The problem will come in a few weeks when everyone will have forgotten the problems I had with the weather and blame me for the state of their lawn :(

[amy@digitalmeeting]

I'm pleased to say we have been one of the lucky companies during this major weather event. As our service can be utilised anywhere, we have been inundated with calls from our customers asking if they can hold a DigitalMeeting from home, and the answer is yes. Providing this flexibility has allowed our customers to carry on with their business as normal.

[jerrymind]

The weather obviously can affect any business, particularly if you travel to visit clients and vice versa.
I cancelled two meetings this week and getting a slot can be difficult as most people will have to re-schedule meetings.

[Brightpearl]

Hi Jason,

Bristol rush hour was non existent this morning... felt like a step back in time to Victorian Bristol! Check out the pictures. (http://tinyurl.com/bn4sb7)

All our clients website are crazy busy - home internet shopping eh!

[gillhunt]

It's been great for us - the self-employed consultants we help seem to have stayed home all day Monday/Tuesday and have been busy posting interesting projects on the site and joining our growing memebrship.

Feel a little smug because all our team work from home so no issues with travel. Slight problem with kids off school but you can't have everything!