Loadshedding in retail environments can have a major impact in numerous ways. Although most larger retailers invest in generators and backup power sources, these can increase costs significantly. Load Shedding schedules are typically hard to plan around, with announcements often made less than an hour before the power goes out. Stages jump from 1 to 2 with little notice as well. This can cause a knock-on effect, affecting day-to-day operations drastically. Although it is impossible to prevent outages, there are a few ways to effectively deal with loadshedding in retail environments.
Loadshedding in Retail Environments
Ways that help to lessen the effect of load shedding in retail environments include the following:
Plan for the worst
The reality of the situation is that load shedding will not be going away anytime soon. Assuming that bouts of outages will not be repeated is never a good idea. As we mentioned above, loadshedding can often happen with little notice. Eskom’s systems are under severe pressure and units are frequently tripped, damaged or overloaded. Cable theft, emergency repairs and other situations are also par for the course. Planning for the worst allows you to always be prepared. Make sure that you have a strategy in place that determines how the store will run, how outages will affect your supply chain and any other challenge that may arise from sudden outages.
Stay updated
To plan properly, you need to stay updated. Apps such as Eskom Se Push are very useful for store managers and other staff to stay updated. Eskom and local municipalities also release statements on social media. Staying on track of outages will allow you to put plans into place before the power goes out.
Focus on solutions
It is also essential to focus on solutions and how you can move forward. Energy management provides comprehensive consulting across the various aspects of energy management, ensuring maximum reduction with little to no effect on your core business, production and profitability. From reporting to other features, this solution is the best way to help you save on power costs, during load shedding and beyond.
Contact Energy Management Solutions today to find out how we can help reduce the impact of load shedding in retail environments.