5.54 million people use the internet every single day, so it’s not really surprising that we have become heavily dependent on it for the past several years. For personal use, we often use it for communication, transportation, food ordering, e-commerce, and more, so it’s not that big of a deal when we experience outages… well, except when we’re in the middle of an important call or if we need to do something urgent. However, for businesses, a lot is at stake when they experience internet outages. That leads us to the question, do all businesses need a back up internet connection? If not, which businesses need it?
Not all businesses require a failover internet connection, but for some industries, having a back up internet for business is extremely necessary. Here are the types of businesses that need it:
1. Customer Support Centers
Customer support centers, including call centers, heavily rely on the internet to handle and process customer queries and concerns. If they don’t have access to a fast, stable, and reliable connection, they won’t be able to do their job efficiently. This then leads to customer dissatisfaction and potential loss of business. However, if they have a failover internet connection, even if their main connection goes down, they will still be able to process queries while waiting for the outage to be over.
2. Healthcare Facilities
Hospitals, clinics, and other medical facilities that offer telemedicine should have 24/7 access to a high-speed internet connection. We all know that medical emergencies are inevitable, and these facilities being accessible round-the-clock can be a big help. Moreover, patient records, paperwork processing, and other important tasks depend on a stable internet connection. Without reliable internet, doctors and medical staff can’t access digital records, which can slow down treatments and delay important decisions.
For facilities offering telemedicine, an internet outage can mean missed appointments or delayed consultations, which can affect patient satisfaction. This is why having reliable internet connection at this time is similar to having strong cell service coverage in the past — it’s essential. Patients expect fast access to care, and iany delay can make a big difference, especially during emergencies.
3. Online Retail
If you’re a small business owner who sells your goods online or a big e-commerce company, you will need to stay connected to the internet, especially if the item you’re selling is time-sensitive like food or drinks. If you stay offline due to internet outages, you won’t be able to process orders, let alone communicate with your customers or update them on the status of their purchases. This can lead to delays, unhappy customers, and even lost sales if people decide to go elsewhere.
For e-commerce businesses, every minute without internet means potential revenue slipping away and disappointed customers who may not come back. That’s why it’s important for these businesses to invest in a reliable back up internet for businesses. For example, Metro offers fiber internet, which is known for extremely fast speeds and stable connections. It’s best to go for internet providers like Metro because they’re already trusted in the market.
4. IT and Software Development
Many of IT companies and software development teams work on cloud-based platforms or remote servers, meaning nearly all their work relies on stable connectivity. Developers need uninterrupted internet access to write, test, and deploy code. Even a short downtime can throw off project timelines, delay product launches, and disrupt team collaboration, especially if they work across different time zones.
A back up internet connection makes a big difference as it keeps the development process moving and allows them to respond to client issues, troubleshoot systems, and make sure everything is in check. This also increases the satisfaction and trust of your clients, which can boost reputation and help grow the business.
5. Digital Marketing
Of course, digital marketers’ lives revolve online. They need to stay on top of everything, from social media posts to search engine optimizations. They won’t be able to do their job if they don’t have an internet connection. This means that campaigns can be delayed and clients may even get upset. So for example, a digital marketing agency experiences an internet outage right in the middle of a big campaign launch — suddenly, they can’t post ads, respond to client inquiries, or monitor campaign performance.
This could lead to missed deadlines, wasted ad spend, and delayed reports, all of which affect client satisfaction and trust. Having a back up internet in place can prevent all this from happening even if your primary connection fails.
The Bottom Line
Not all businesses require a back up internet connection, but knowing if your business needs it is a different matter. What we’ve listed here is just the tip of the iceberg. Knowing if your business requires failover internet or not depends on your day-to-day business operations, and it’s only you who can answer that question. Good luck!
