5 Reasons to Invest in a Backup Generator
To get an idea of the importance of having a backup generator for your business, think about what could happen if an unexpected power outage occurred. You would not be able to access data, complete sales, manufacture products, connect with customers, ensure employee and customer safety, and could be forced to shut down your business until power was restored. This can add to the loss of revenue, excessive downtime, loss of customers, corrupt/lost data, property damage, and a damaged reputation — none of which any business can afford.
A backup generator prevents any of the above scenarios by providing reliable and consistent power when an outage occurs. Since it’s connected to your building’s wiring, the backup generator transfers your utility electrical circuits to this backup power system to deliver power to your business within seconds of a power cut.
A Smart Investment Every Business Should Make
While the cost of a backup generator can vary widely, depending on business size and power needs, one thing is sure, the cost of not having a backup generator can prove more costly than your investment. On average, one hour of a power outage can cost a business between $3,000 and $5,000 in revenue, while the cost to the U.S. economy from power outages is approximately $150 billion annually. Weather-related outages alone are responsible for $75 billion per year.
With the demand for electricity increasing and extreme weather putting a strain on the aging electrical grid, large-scale power outages are increasingly common. To that end, the time is now to be safe rather than sorry and seriously consider investing in a backup generator to protect your business.
Let’s look at five key benefits you can expect and why you’ll find the money well spent.
1. Maintain Contact with Customers
Your reputation depends on how you serve your customers. Even during a disaster such as a hurricane, your customers expect to be able to contact you. A standby generator allows you to maintain contact with your customer base after a power outage. This will help you build trust and loyalty among your customers, and possibly grow your customer base since a satisfied customer is more likely to recommend your services to a friend.
2. Promote Safety and Security
When a power outage happens, looting can occur. A backup generator protects you from theft by providing the electricity that keeps the lights on and your security systems functioning.
Not having power can also endanger your employees and customers. For example, elevators can come to a halt, putting passengers in a scary situation. Plus, if you have automated access systems, employees can become trapped in or out of your building. Finally, if extreme weather caused the outage, employee’s lives could be at risk.
3. Protect Electrical Equipment and Inventory
Costly electrical equipment, such as computers, can become damaged when an outage occurs. A backup generator keeps air circulating, protecting equipment from humidity and high temperatures that can affect performance.
If your inventory consists of perishable or temperature-controlled items, a power outage can wipe out or compromise your entire inventory. One short outage could require you to throw out thousands of dollars of inventory because of damage, spoilage, or contamination.
4. Keep Data Safe and Accessible
When a business suddenly loses electricity and computers shut down, electronic data can become lost or corrupted. Not only can this seriously affect operations, but it can also be costly due to the amount of additional work required to recover it. For data centers, an outage can be particularly costly. For example, just one hour of downtime costs data centers operators $260,000 on average.
5. Protect Your Bottom Line
If a power outage forces you to shut down your business, you have zero productivity, customers, and revenue. Depending on the type of business, if you are not operational, you may be putting the lives of your customers in danger as well as their property. With a backup generator, your customers get peace of mind that you are open for business. And you get peace of mind that productivity is not affected, customers are satisfied, and revenue is generating.
Reliable Fuel Resource = Reliable Power
A backup generator is only as good as the fuel that powers it and the provider that supplies the fuel. To get the most significant ROI from your investment, look for a provider that offers online fuel tank monitoring and an emergency fueling plan.
Since most fuel for backup generators is stored in tanks, tank monitoring ensures:
- Reliable inventory monitoring/management
- Fuel delivery scheduling
- Tank reading to detect theft and leaks that can compromise fuel quality
An emergency fueling plan ensures your backup generator and other assets have a reliable fuel supply to keep your business running when natural/man-made disasters or emergencies occur. Plans vary by provider, but a solid plan should include these services:
- Guaranteed fuel supply
- 24/7 response
- Secure, reliable, and extensive resource network
- Dedicated trucks/wagons with a range of fuel capacity and equipment to fill assets
- GPS dispatch/delivery