Over the years, I have been involved in many natural disasters throughout Australia, so I understand the challenges Cyclone Alfred has created for affected retailers. If your business has been impacted, here are some practical steps to take after Cyclone Alfred retail impact.

Financial Hardship Assistance

Please get in touch with your lender right away if you're having financial difficulties. Major banks, e.g. NAB bank. There are dedicated hardship teams trained to assist customers affected by natural disasters, but you need to act ASAP, as most of these programs end next month. These teams have quite a lot of power and can offer you temporary financial arrangements such as reduced payments, payment deferrals, or alternative payment plans. Inquire if these arrangements can be backdated to protect your credit score.

Many lenders offer additional assistance, such as deferring loan payments, waiving fees, consolidating debts, or deferring credit card payments.

In my experience, they want some token repayment level to demonstrate your commitment to recovery.

Government Support

The Australian and state governments have several disaster recovery programs for Cyclone Alfred, such as NSW. Check eligibility for support for these schemes. These programs offer grants and low-interest loans to aid small businesses' recovery.

Supply Chain Management

Cyclone Alfred has disrupted many regular supply chains, making it difficult to get products. If your current suppliers have not contacted you yet to find out the score, contact them. Reach out about any changes in your business operations.

Staff Support

Your employees are the backbone of your business. Please be sure to provide flexibility and understanding as we navigate this situation. Many have a considerable emotional toll.

Community Engagement

Your customers' needs will change in the immediate time frame. You need to check on this.

People are telling me that the public is now hot buying damaged goods. If you have damaged goods, it's a good time to clear them out.

Customer Communication

Could you update your website and social media, like Facebook and Instagram, to reflect business changes? Share images and messages about changes to your shop? Share updates about your recovery progress especially damage, and your hours. It keeps customers engaged, and it's something they can relate to.

Also, if you have a customer database, could you consider making email newsletters? These direct communication channels ensure that critical information reaches loyal customers quickly. If you want any help with this, we can set you up with a free email newsletter service.

Insurance Claims

If your business has been damaged, please go ahead and review your insurance coverage immediately. You must document everything thoroughly—take photos and videos of any damage before clean-up efforts. This evidence will be essential when lodging claims with your insurer. The Insurance Council of Australia has declared Cyclone Alfred an Insurance Catastrophe, meaning your claims will be prioritised.

Utility Providers

Please let your utility providers know about your situation. Many of these also have hardship programs for businesses affected by disasters. Request payment extensions or deferrals to ease cash flow. Question any late fees, reconnection costs, or other cyclone-related charges. After all, it's not your fault the cyclone happened.

Protecting Your Equipment

After Cyclone Alfred, electricity supply remained unstable in some places. A UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) can help as it protects your POS systems and other electrical tools.

Communicating with Your Landlord

If you lease, contact your landlord about any cyclone damage affecting operations. If you ask they may help with temporary rent reductions or delay payments.

Determine who is responsible for what. Also, these repairs must be done now.

Documentation is Key

Keep detailed records of communications with lenders, insurers, utility providers, and landlords. Save copies of emails, letters, agreements, and receipts; too much documentation is better than insufficient.

Contact your state's Ombudsman for support if you have issues with specific organisations. They can intervene for SMB retailers in disputes with utilities, financial institutions, or landlords.

Disaster recovery for businesses

Recovering from a disaster like Cyclone Alfred can be challenging for SMB retailers, but taking proactive measures can make a significant difference.

Disclaimer

While this article provides general advice on managing the aftermath of Cyclone Alfred, you should consult local authorities or disaster management experts for specific guidance tailored to your business needs.

Written by:

Bernard Zimmermann is the founding director at POS Solutions, a leading point-of-sale system company with 45 years of industry experience. He consults to various organisations, from small businesses to large retailers and government institutions. Bernard is passionate about helping companies optimise their operations through innovative POS technology and enabling seamless customer experiences through effective software solutions.

Cyclone Alfred recently tested Australian businesses' disaster preparedness, including our customers' POS Systems and point-of-sale equipment. Here, we will examine the lessons learned. Plus provide some actionable strategies to protect your retail technology during future extreme weather events.

Cyclone Alfred's Impact on Retail Technology Infrastructure

Fortunately, although Cyclone Alfred caused considerable damage, it was less damaging than many said it would be.

"I am prepared for the worst but hope for the best," said Benjamin Disraeli.

However, despite this, the risk to business continuity was real so emergency preparedness was necessary.

The Knowledge Gap

The most concerning revelation from Cyclone Alfred was the significant knowledge gap many retailers have regarding their computer systems and POS infrastructure. We had some worrying calls that showed this:

• "How do we do a backup?"

• "What's the correct way to turn everything off?"

• "We've switched everything back on, but nothing's working!" (The server wasn't turned on first)

Clearly, with all the tension, people did not think straight.

Success Stories and Effective Practices

While we encountered these concerns, we also saw excellent examples of preparedness. Many of our customers who had previously invested time in understanding their systems demonstrated remarkable resilience:

• Unlike other cyclones with vulnerable equipment, our customers listened to our advice and turned all the electrical systems off.

• People moved their equipment to higher ground

• People wrapped their equipment in waterproof plastic to prevent water damage.

These simple acts of preparedness worked.

Essential POS Disaster Recovery Procedures

Based on our experience during Cyclone Alfred, here are some fundamental procedures every retailer should know about their POS system to help disaster recovery:

Data Protection Protocols

• Ensure you know how to make a backup for the store outside the shop.

• Consider using our free cloud backup procedures.

Know how to do a complete safe shutdown

• Close your system as you do at the end of the day.

-Take a backup

• Power down hardware in the correct sequence with terminals first and server last.

-Then turn off all your electrical equipment.

Proper Startup Sequence

• Power up servers first

• Allow servers to fully boot before starting terminals

• Verify network connectivity

• Test a sample transaction before opening

Wrapping Up

Cyclone Alfred may have passed, but it's left us all with valuable lessons.

Written by:

Bernard Zimmermann is the founding director at POS Solutions, a leading point-of-sale system company with 45 years of industry experience. He consults to various organisations, from small businesses to large retailers and government institutions. Bernard is passionate about helping companies optimise their operations through innovative POS technology and enabling seamless customer experiences through effective software solutions.

GNS Import File Update

We've just released an urgent update to our POS system to address the recent GNS import file format change. GNS wholesale made this change without warning, and as a result, many of our clients suddenly couldn't process GNS invoices.

To address this issue, we engaged in urgent discussions with GNS. We agreed that the fastest solution was to update our system to accommodate their new file format. We did this and started to distribute this update yesterday.

Action Items:

1. Update your POS system immediately
2. Test a GNS invoice import to verify functionality
3. Contact us if:
   • You encounter any issues during the update or testing
   • You're not currently processing invoices

Cyclone Alfred: Shops being closed down 

We've sent detailed help sheets to all our customers in NSW and Queensland who may be affected by Cyclone Alfred.

The cyclone's path is unpredictable, with some saying it could affect regions as far south as Newcastle.

Today, we're getting many calls from retailers worried about how to respond as authorities close down shops. Our support team is ready to help you prepare your retail operations.

Critical Preparedness Steps:

Your store may experience disruptions from power surges and electrical problems, even if it's not in the direct impact zone. To minimise risks:

1. Back up all POS data immediately
2. Secure vulnerable hardware with a UPS or surge protector.
3. Prepare a manual sales recording system

Ongoing Support

Our support team is available 24/7 during this weather event. On Saturday morning, we will have extra staff on hand to manage the expected increased call volume on our 24/7 support line.

Stay safe.

Written by:

Bernard Zimmermann is the founding director at POS Solutions, a leading point-of-sale system company with 45 years of industry experience. He consults to various organisations, from small businesses to large retailers and government institutions. Bernard is passionate about helping companies optimise their operations through innovative POS technology and enabling seamless customer experiences through effective software solutions.