Winning winter: The retailer’s survival guide
As we head into the cold, snowy, and often unpredictable months of winter, it is essential to ensure your store and your team are fully prepared. A proactive approach helps maintain safe, efficient operations and gives employees the confidence and tools they need to respond to weather-related challenges.
Winter readiness falls into two major categories:
- Preventing slips, trips, and falls
- Preparing for potential power outages
Both require clear procedures, proper supplies, and consistent training.
1. Proactive prevention of slips, trips and falls
Keeping both the interior and exterior of your store safe is critical for customers and employees. Establishing clear standards and expectations now will prevent accidents and potential future liabilities.
Exterior safety
- Partner with a reliable snow removal company. Set clear expectations for when lots and walkways must be cleared during and after snowfall.
- Define your ice-management process. Decide who is responsible for salting. Ideally, your snow removal company should salt lots and sidewalks, while staff handle spot-salting as needed. Provide training and ensure salt or ice melter is always available.
- Maintain windshield washer stations. Ensure island dispensers are topped up and that squeegees are in good condition as these get heavy use during storms.
- Stock and display windshield washer fluid jugs. Build easy-to-access displays that can be replenished quickly.
- Empower employees to act. If staff see a hazard or something that could become one, they must feel responsible and authorized to address it immediately.
Interior safety
- Manage wet floors effectively. Snow will be tracked in, so ensure high-quality, non-slip mats are in place. Keep extra mats on hand to replace soaked ones and determine how mats will be cleaned or serviced.
- Use “wet floor” signage. Have signs accessible and ensure staff know when and where to place them.
- Train staff on floor-cleaning standards. Define how often floors should be mopped and the correct procedure for doing so safely.
- Keep cleaning tools accessible. Store mops and supplies in convenient, but discreet locations, and refresh mop water frequently.
- Protect cardboard displays. Place displayers on plastic bases to prevent water absorption and collapse.
- Encourage hazard spotting. Train staff to identify and address safety issues immediately. Empowerment is key.
2. Preparing for power outages
Winter weather increases the likelihood of power failures especially during high winds, ice storms, or heavy snowfall. Well-trained staff can manage the situation calmly and safely.
Key considerations for power outage preparedness
- Safety comes first. Ensure flashlights and backup battery powered lights are available and easy to find.
- Train staff in immediate action. If your site sells fuel, employees must know how to handle customers with partially completed transactions and how to reconcile payments.
- Plan for manual transactions. If manual store sales are possible, outline the process clearly including when this should (or should not) be used.
- Determine your entrance policy. Decide whether the store should be locked immediately after a power failure.
- Prepare signage. Have “Store Closed Due to Power Outage” signs ready for quick posting.
- Address car wash safety. Train staff on how to confirm no vehicles are trapped and, if necessary, how to safely remove them before closing the car wash.
- Clarify next steps. After shutting down operations, provide guidance on what staff should do, what they should communicate to customers, and whether they should remain in the store.
Consistent, scenario-based training will help employees stay calm and make the right decisions during outages.
Winter readiness = smart business
Winter brings unique challenges: slippery surfaces, unpredictable weather, and increased risk of power failures. But with proactive planning, ongoing training, and strong communication, these challenges don’t need to disrupt operations or compromise safety.
Investing time in preparation now protects your people, your customers, and your business. It’s not just good practice, it’s good business.
Winter readiness checklist for store Operators
1. Exterior safety
- ☐ Snow removal contract in place with clear expectations for timing
- ☐ Ice management plan established
- ☐ Salt / ice melter fully stocked
- ☐ Staff trained on when and how to salt
- ☐ Windshield washer dispensers checked and filled daily
- ☐ Squeegees inspected and replaced as needed
- ☐ Windshield washer fluid jugs fully stocked with easy-access displays
- ☐ Staff empowered to address hazards immediately
2. Interior safety
- ☐ High-quality, non-slip floor mats at all entrances
- ☐ Backup mats available and ready for rotation
- ☐ Mat-cleaning process or service arranged
- ☐ “Wet Floor” signs easily accessible
- ☐ Staff trained on winter floor-cleaning schedule
- ☐ Mop / bucket stored in accessible, discreet location
- ☐ Mop water changed frequently
- ☐ Cardboard displays placed on plastic bases
- ☐ Staff trained to spot & correct slip/trip hazards
3. Power outage preparedness
- ☐ Flashlights and backup battery lights available
- ☐ Staff trained on immediate actions during an outage
- ☐ Clear process for handling in-progress fuel transactions
- ☐ Manual sales procedures documented and trained
- ☐ Policy on locking store entrance established
- ☐ “Store Closed Due to Power Outage” signs pre-printed
- ☐ Car wash procedures in place to check for stranded vehicles
- ☐ Staff trained on car wash emergency clearing
- ☐ Closing procedures clarified for full power-loss scenarios
- ☐ Staff guidance prepared for communicating with customers
4. Team training and communication
- ☐ Regular winter-readiness training scheduled
- ☐ Scenario-based drills for power outages
- ☐ Staff encouraged to ask questions and report issues
- ☐ Management ensures consistent reinforcement of standards
