Load shedding and rising petrol prices: Tips for SMEs to overcome challenges

As South Africa attempts to recover from the economic slump that came from two years of Covid-19 lockdown restrictions, Rene Botha, area manager at South African small and medium enterprises (SME) financier Business Partners, said the effects of these realities are felt more by small businesses.

Botha said SME owners need to find creative ways to circumvent these challenges to maintain a semblance of ‘business as usual’.

“Globally, the domino effect of record-high inflation will continue to trickle down to developing countries like South Africa. For the SME sector – the engine that drives a large proportion of South Africa’s economy – this has created a particularly demanding business environment.”

Botha said while the industry may have once expected problems like load shedding to be temporary, SME owners now need to start preparing for these challenges as long-term realities.

Load shedding

Load shedding has led to significant revenue losses. The most recent figures presented by technology company Yoco suggest that about 30% of small businesses have lost up to 10% of their annual revenue due to load shedding.

There are several theories on how much longer load shedding will continue, with one source suggesting that it could persist well into 2025.

The general consensus, however, is that it is a South African reality for which small businesses need to prepare.

Botha has offered the following tips for SMEs on how to reduce the effects of load shedding:

1. Surge protect your property

With small businesses playing such a crucial role in the subsistence of South Africa’s economy, finding innovative ways to mitigate load shedding needs to be a priority. At a minimum, SMEs should have preventative measures in place to reduce damage to their property, which includes installing surge protection plugs.

2. Install a backup power source

Another way to avoid incurring severe revenue losses as a result of load shedding is to invest in battery-powered solutions, in point-of-sale devices, so that sales can still be processed when the electricity is cut off.

With the wide variety now available, SMEs should be able to find battery-powered solutions that meet their needs.

Portable nano solutions are relatively cost-effective when compared to the potential revenue loss of being completely unable to operate. Solar powered backup generators are also viable options for larger businesses, especially where factors like food storage need to be taken into account.

A good, practical exercise for SME owners would be to add up the line item costs of undergoing a complete shutdown during load shedding versus the initial outlay of a backup power source or the cost of going completely green for your building.

The effects of the fuel price hike

Hikes in fuel prices affect all South African small businesses. SMEs who deliver or collect goods, or transport people as part of their business model are directly impacted.

Small businesses are also affected indirectly when supplier prices escalate in order to accommodate rising fuel prices. From a macroeconomic perspective, fuel hikes can drastically reduce consumers’ disposable and spending power, which can also have a knock-on effect on an SME’s bottom-line.

Botha offers the following tips on how small businesses can mitigate the effects of the fuel price increase:

1. Prioritise vehicle maintenance

Depending on the vehicle being used, there are ways to maintain a car to ensure that its fuel consumption remains relatively low.

For example, tyres that are underinflated have a higher rolling resistance on the road, which generates excess friction and increases fuel consumption in the long run.

Tyre pressure should be checked at least once a month, engines need to be serviced frequently and air filters should be kept clean.

2. Optimise your travel arrangements

Technology is a powerful enabler when it comes to finding ways to be more fuel-efficient. Navigation apps like Google Maps and Waze collate millions of data points to provide users with accurate information on traffic and alternative, faster routes.

By using these apps to avoid peak traffic times, SMEs can reduce their fuel cost. Incremental savings in the short-term can accumulate into large longer term savings.

SMEs who deliver goods can introduce set delivery slots and use digital tools to position these slots within hours that roads are relatively free of traffic.

This can be marketed to customers effectively by emphasising how set delivery times will help goods recipients to plan their schedules more efficiently.

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