[dropcap]A[/dropcap]s a business owner, you probably find yourself inundated with what every pundit thinks is an important investment you absolutely have to undertake. Some of them might stress marketing, others SEO and the importance of digital platforms, or human resources management. Depending on the nature of your business, these might indeed be essential. Others, perhaps not so much. However, one tool that many will tell you is absolutely important especially if you own a restaurant, a construction business, or another storefront that needs to be open to the public at all times: a generator. Yes, these huge chunks of machinery are not terribly sexy, but their value is tremendous, and they only gain more traction in terms of their utility over time. If you’re on the fence, then read on to learn more about how generators can benefit your business.
Survive Power Outages
If you live in an area that is prone to hurricanes, tornadoes, and other natural disasters, then you know what it’s like to have to survive a power outage or two. Even if the terrain in which you reside is not terribly rural or prone to horrid weather with weak sources of electricity, you are bound to run into an electric outage which can both slow your business considerably or even put you and your employees at risk. A generator allows you to keep critical functions operating smoothly in the midst of a crisis. The crucial refrigeration systems needed to keep stocks of food cold if you run a restaurant will be ok – so you won’t be left with having to throw out thousands of dollars worth of pantry supplies. Also, the cash registers will be functioning allowing you to keep payment processing running at optimal speed regardless of any external drama.
Save Money
While a generator will undoubtedly help you save lots of money by averting the effects of disasters as mentioned above – aka, you won’t have to throw away produce that has spoiled in the heat – there are other ways by which generators will help you be more cost-efficient. One thing you must be well aware of is that your business pays a flat rate for power. A generator could help you keep within the parameters set by your town’s power grid without overextending its capacities, so your electricity bill will not cost an astronomical amount. Furthermore, if there is a power outage, you will find yourself stuck paying the high costs of equipment rental which you most definitely would have avoided had you already owned your own generator. Renting one is prohibitively expensive, but unfortunately, you might end up having to do just that if you decided not to invest in one yourself.
Escape Brownouts
Renewable power has many benefits. However, one of its biggest drawbacks is that the source of its power is variable. Solar panels are excellent for the environment, but they can be a bit weak when you least expect it – or need it. Since they can only produce a consistent source of energy during particular times of the day, intersecting with the problem of getting sufficient natural gas turbines operating to meet demand. This results in rolling brownouts that can lead to the disruption of computer operating systems in businesses, or stall refrigerators and other systems critical to the overall health of your business.
However, if you have a generator, you can bypass these issues entirely and go about completing essential functions without a hitch.
Avoid Irreversible Damage
In the absence of a generator, a power outage – even if a brief blimp in the power grid – can really do a number on all your equipment, costing you thousands of dollars in damages. As our friends over at Ablesales can tell you, a generator will ensure that your computers, servers, HVAC equipment, and every important appliance or electrical device will not suffer damage due to a disruption in case of an outage or brownout. You will also avoid paying exorbitant utility rates when demand peaks, and you can close up shop every night secure in the knowledge that your business will be ok in case of an emergency.
Hold Onto Your Data
Without a generator, you run the risk of losing all of your electronic data – from inventory lists, bookkeeping, customer database – pretty much everything. Computers are especially vulnerable to power outages and this vital data runs the risk of being utterly destroyed in the event of a major storm. You and your employees will be lost without it, and you might find difficulty in retaining your clientele base as a result.
Protection From Looters
While it’s never helpful to engage in scare tactics, the sad reality is that all sorts of people come out of the woodwork in a crisis. Most of them are eager to help their neighbors and are generally upstanding members of the community. Yet others might take advantage of a vulnerable situation quickly. If a power outage happens in your neighborhood, generators will be able to function normally, keeping your lighting and security systems running without a hitch, which can help keep your business safe in even the worst situations.
Advanced Models for Advanced Needs
Needless to say, there are many sophisticated models of generators on the market nowadays, and you can invest in the one that makes the most sense for your business needs. For example, there are sensor-based activation generators that have a monitoring system on standby when the main power supply cuts. This engages the activation switch, which ensures that your operations are running normally. When the power is restored, the generator will shut down automatically, without you having to lift a finger or to even think twice about the issue.
Of course, we are lucky to live at a time wherein power infrastructures are fairly strong, and we rarely have to worry about major problems hitting the grid. However, we can’t change the fact that power sources can be unreliable from time to time, and that we live in an age of extreme weather. A standby generator helps to remove all the guesswork and allows you to focus on running your business.
