It’s the most wonderful time of the year, but for many businesses, especially those in the retail and food service industry, it’s also the busiest. With the crazy holiday season kicking off soon, facility managers need all the help they can get to ensure operations run as smoothly as possible. There isn’t time to fuss with the lighting and heating schedules for business hours that vary week to week (and sometimes day to day). There’s a better solution that helps keep the focus on customers instead of lights, thermostats, and equipment. Here are just some of the benefits of using connected equipment for holiday scheduling.
Automated Scheduling
During the holiday upswing and the slower winter months that follow, many businesses change their hours of operation. Retailers and restaurants in particular offer extended store hours that vary week over week or even day over day. To prevent customers from being left in the dark or uncomfortable, lighting and thermostat scheduling requires special attention.
While it sounds simple enough, making manual system adjustments for lighting and heating takes a lot of time, particularly for businesses with multiple locations (just imagine how long it took one of our customers, a nationwide clothing retailer, to change the schedules for 800 locations one-by-one before implementing SiteSage). In comparison, connected facilities make these modifications quickly and easily.
With an energy management solution like SiteSage, facility managers have the power to map lighting, heating, and cooling systems to any changes in store hours. And they can do this through local or remote access. Automated scheduling has also proved helpful during the labor shortage for businesses experiencing an unpredictable shift in hours due to limited staffing.
Less Wasted Energy
Connected facilities reduce energy costs by ensuring that lighting doesn’t remain on and thermostats are turned down after closing. While this is beneficial all year round, it’s especially key during the holidays when store hours are frequently changing. Facility managers have the ability to maintain comfortable conditions for customers, while also making sure that overrides don’t lead to wasted energy consumption, plus skyrocketing electricity and heating bills.
Increased Revenue
Well-lit store signage is a beacon for customers looking to shop or dine. So if the lights are out, sales are going to suffer. Connected facilities make it easy to ensure that outdoor lighting stays on during extended hours. That way customers aren’t deterred from entering and spending during peak shopping times, which protects your bottom line.
The holidays are a joyful, yet busy time of year. For retailers and food service operators, connected facilities take the stress out of lighting, heating, and equipment management. Through automated scheduling and increased operational transparency, businesses can focus on what matters—making the holiday shopping and dining season comfortable for customers.
Interested in how connected facilities save time and money during the holidays and all year round? Email one of our experts to set up a time to chat.