How to survive load shedding if you are a small business owner

In the business world, productivity is everything and load shedding makes it difficult to plan ahead. You can always light candles or order a pizza but for small business owners, these interruptions can seriously affect business productivity and profit. 

Here’s some practical advice to make you aware of the right information, the risks to watch out for and which investments to make to lighten the impact of load shedding. 

Be prepared: Know your schedule 

Make a note of the latest load shedding schedules for your area to give you a better idea of when load shedding can possibly affect your business: 

If you are an Eskom customer, you can use the official Eskom Load Shedding website, where you can search for your local area or suburb. There is also an advanced search option to search by municipality. 

Or you can check on the City of Cape Town website.

Risks of load shedding for the small business owner 

Depending on the type of business you run, whether you're a guesthouse owner, plumber or franchisee, here is some of the top risk areas associated with load shedding: 

Theft and burglary: Remember that criminals also study load shedding schedules to work out which areas are vulnerable at which times. Tripped and false alarms are great opportunities for opportunistic burglars. Make sure that your alarm system has a working back-up battery, try and keep as little cash on your premises as possible and be extra vigilant about access to your premises.

Stock spoiling: It's important to always leave your freezer and refrigerator doors closed to preserve the cold temperature inside. A full freezer should keep food safe for up to two days and a refrigerator for 4-6 hours.

Production halting: If your production relies on machinery, and staff cannot put in additional hours on weekends or evenings, perhaps then consider buying or hiring a back-up generator.

Battery life: If your laptop is your life, make sure your battery is fully charged and invest in a backup power solution.

Lighting: If your business requires good lighting in order to perform intricate work (e.g. medical professionals), it is very important that you familiarise yourself with the schedules and plan ahead as load shedding can have a direct impact on your business.

Damage to electronics and machinery: Surges or spikes - caused by the electrical supply being switched on and off - can cause damage to electronic equipment and machinery. If your business relies heavily on electrical equipment and machinery, you might want to look into surge protection plugs, back-up batteries or UPS.

6 things that can minimise the impact of load shedding

- Back up power

- Power Bank

- Generator

- UPS

- Surge protection

- Back up your data

- Back-up batteries 

- Solar-powered solutions

It is a fact that we can’t change load shedding, but thinking ahead will mean the difference between losing revenue and doing business as usual.

Need load shedding solutions for your home or business? Contact Off Grid and place your order today!