The holiday season is upon us—a time for celebration, rest, and renewal. For many commercial…
How Businesses Can Communicate During a Storm
Extreme weather events can devastate businesses of all sizes, and in times like this, it is important for business owners to communicate with employees and customers alike. Here are a few tips on how to adapt your phone system to the situation and stay safe.
Inform Customers of the Situation
One of the first things a business should do is inform customers of the situation. This means updating your website posting on your social media accounts, and changing your phone recordings and voicemail greetings. Uploading a new announcement, or message that plays when called dial your main phone line, is a quick way to convey changes in your business’s status during the storm. Having your employees update their voicemails is a good was to keep customers updated too.
Let Employees Work From a Safe, Remote Location
If your employees safe evacuated and able to work from a remote location, they can take advantage of call forwarding features to stay connected to co-workers and customers.
Communicate Opened/Closed Offices Depending on Storm Status
A business with multiple locations, some of which are in the impacted zone, might want to update call routing rules and re-distribute incoming messages. Offices that remain open during the hurricane or storm may want to update their customers on closed locations.
Update 911 Location For Easier Search & Rescue
While getting to safety is the number one priority, having access to emergency services at your temporary business location is equally important. If your business is currently housed in an emergency shelter, of it may otherwise need to move, it’s a good idea to update your E911 location to reflect your new address.
Most Importantly: Stay Safe
The most obvious priority for those affected is to get to safety. After that, business owners can check messages and communicate as needed to customers in order to keep the business running.
