The exorbitant cost of a bad business internet connection

“In a pharmacy, Internet is essential,” explains a pharmacist who became worried about her clientele during an ice storm. How were her clients going to get their medications if the Internet connection was down? “Without this service, my clients cannot pay their invoice,” points out the pharmaceutical professional.

The situation is no less dire for a neighbourhood business that just opened its doors. Whether it’s a restaurant, café, or hardware store, a business may not be able to make a good first impression in the event of a network outage.

With cash purchases projected to account for only 10% of transactions by 2030, it's imperative that businesses adjust their payment methods accordingly. A reliable and efficient Internet connection is therefore essential for the collection of payments made using a terminal.

The reliability of an Internet connection is important, both from a transactional and communicational standpoint. The majority of professionals work on a computer and are required, at one time or another, to transmit key documents or information.

As a lawyer points out: “I rely on numerous services that require an Internet connection, like an IP telephone system or alarm system. A one-hour Internet outage is catastrophic for my business. Recently, a fire damaged the network that services our office, leading to an interruption in our Internet service . . . I lose $300 an hour when the Internet is down!”

The issues are the same for a doctor trying to access a patient’s file online, or an engineer who needs to complete a quote worth millions of dollars before the deadline is up.

For retail stores and restaurants, an Internet connection is vital. A great solution available on the market is wireless backup. In the event a company’s main Internet connection goes down, the service is automatically transferred to a wireless backup connection. Such services ensure business continuity in the case of a network outage.

The Internet has opened a world of possibilities for SMEs; teleworking is now an option for many workers, and representatives can network on social platforms, such as LinkedIn.

Teams can also use SaaS software (Software as a service) based in the cloud: Office 365 to produce documents, Dropbox or Google Drive for file sharing, Slack or Asana to animate discussions or assign tasks. There are so many tools available to help employees be more engaged, more innovative, and especially more productive!

But to be that productive, you need to start with the basics: a reliable Internet connection! We invite you to calculate how much a one-hour Internet outage would cost your business.