The Green Sheet Online Edition
November 9, 2026 • 26:11:01
Help merchants weather the season
A merchant can stock the shelves, train seasonal employees and plan a terrific holiday promotion, only to have a storm interrupt the busiest stretch of the year. Before the rush gathers speed, consider making preparedness part of your service.
With federal forecasters expecting El Niño to remain strong into winter, weather readiness offers a timely reason to check in. Local conditions will vary, but merchants everywhere can benefit from asking what happens if power, internet service or access to their premises fails.
Start with a conversation. What happened during the last major outage? Could employees reach the owner? Did customers know whether the business was open? Was there a workable way to accept payments?
Listen for the small problems that could become expensive ones. An outdated support number or a backup connection nobody has tested deserve attention before customers are standing at the counter.
Then help merchants review their options. Confirm how backup connectivity works and whether it depends on equipment that also needs electricity. Explain potential offline payment issues now, including transaction limits, security requirements and the risk of payments later being declined. Make sure employees know whom to call for help if difficulties arise.
Your usefulness can extend beyond payments. Share links to local emergency alerts, utility outage information and small business preparedness resources. Encourage owners to keep essential contacts accessible when their usual systems are unavailable.
Extend the same courtesy to neighboring businesses you would like to serve. Introduce yourself with a brief preparedness checklist or an invitation to review their payment continuity arrangements. Ask what concerns them most about the coming season. Give them something useful whether or not they show interest in becoming your customers.
Keep the conversation practical and respectful. A business owner juggling inventory, staffing and family obligations may welcome one manageable improvement more than a sweeping overhaul.
Follow through on your promises, for example, sending contact information and arranging equipment checks. After a disruption, ask how the merchant and staff are doing.
While you cannot promise clear skies, you can help someone feel less alone when the forecast turns threatening. That kind of dependable presence can strengthen existing relationships and give new ones a meaningful beginning. 
Notice to readers: These are archived articles. Contact information, links and other details may be out of date. We regret any inconvenience.
