Plan B
This morning I decided to treat myself to a cappuccino at my local bakery. Imagine my disappointment when I was told their espresso machine was broken, which meant that I would not be able to buy what I wanted. I pass by this place daily so I decided to ask if they thought it would be fixed by tomorrow. I was told this was unlikely.
Now in the scheme of things, walking out of a store without a cappuccino is not that big a deal. But I imagine this scene taking place over and over again this holiday season will have quite an impact on this small business owner, as there is a healthy profit margin on espresso drinks. So why doesn’t the bakery have a backup plan in place to prevent their business from losing money? And how many other businesses are without contingency plans in case business is anything but usual?For the bakery, the plan could be as simple as having a stovetop espresso maker, which is what I used when I returned home.
Think about what could go wrong in your business and what you can do today to prevent this from happening. Having a contingency plan in place is a good thing, even if you never have to use it.
