What Businesses Need Most from Their Generators 

A Specialist’s Perspective On Customer Needs 

As a Customer Solutions Specialist at Generator Source, I spend every week talking with businesses that depend on backup power. From construction and manufacturing to healthcare and property management, the questions I hear reflect more than curiosity, they show the urgent challenges companies face when it comes to keeping operations running. 

This past August, a clear picture emerged. Power reliability wasn’t just a concern, it was the central theme across almost every inquiry. Storms, outages, and equipment performance all played a role in shaping the issues that mattered most. Looking back, these are the five recurring challenges that stood out, and why they’re important for anyone relying on an industrial or commercial generator. 

1. Generators That Don’t Start During Outages 

Few situations are more frustrating, or more costly, than a generator that fails to transfer during a power outage. Inquiries this month often centered on equipment that wouldn’t engage when the grid went down. One facility manager in Colorado shared how their site lost critical uptime when the unit didn’t start during a local outage. 

The reality is that most of these failures can be prevented with routine maintenance, monthly testing, and load bank services. We see these calls as a reminder: if you wait for an outage to find out whether your generator works, it’s already too late. 

2. Requests for Smaller Residential Units 

Another theme in August was an increase in requests for home standby and portable units. While we focus exclusively on commercial and industrial generators from 20kW to 4000kW, the growth in these inquiries shows a rising awareness of the need for backup power at every level. 

For us, it’s important to clarify the difference. Businesses in industries like agriculture, education, and healthcare require heavy-duty systems that can sustain operations for hours, or even days. A portable unit simply isn’t built for that kind of demand. Helping customers understand the right scale of equipment ensures they make investments that truly protect their operations. 

3. Storm Preparedness and Urgency 

August also marked the heart of hurricane season, and our locations in Florida, Texas, and Colorado saw a spike in storm-related questions. Customers wanted to know: 

• How quickly can a generator be delivered? 

• Do we provide installation support? 

• Can we guarantee availability before a storm makes landfall? 

These urgent inquiries show how important it is for businesses in coastal and storm-prone regions to plan ahead. Having a generator on standby isn’t enough – organizations need to know it’s sized correctly, fueled properly, and tested under load. As severe weather becomes more frequent, hurricane preparedness has shifted from optional planning to essential business continuity strategy. 

4. Limited Availability of Specific Models 

Another recurring theme was customers asking for specific makes and models that weren’t available in our current inventory.  

In these cases, my role is to identify suitable alternatives quickly. With thousands of generators passing through our facilities in Brighton, Colorado; Jacksonville and Pensacola, Florida; and Austin, Texas, we often have equivalent or better options ready. The key is speed – when downtime is on the line, a business can’t afford to wait weeks for the “perfect” unit. Offering fast, reliable alternatives helps keep projects and facilities moving forward. 

5. The Need for Fast, Clear Follow-Up 

The businesses we serve often operate on tight timelines. A manufacturer can’t halt production for days while waiting for a follow-up. A hospital can’t risk delays in securing critical backup power. These conversations reinforce why we continually invest in tools and processes that help us provide faster, clearer responses. For customers, real-time answers mean peace of mind. 

Turning Insights Into Action 

Looking back on August, the message is clear: customers are thinking less about “if” they’ll need backup power and more about “when.” The recurring questions I heard, from equipment that doesn’t start, to storm preparation, to fast access to alternatives, all point to the same need: reliability. 

At Generator Source, our commitment is to deliver more than equipment. We deliver experience, service, and confidence built over 50 years in the power generation industry. We ensure that our solutions reflect the real challenges businesses face, and that our customers can depend on us when it matters most. 

If your organization is evaluating its backup power strategy, preparing for storm season, or looking for a new industrial generator, we’re here to help. 

Call us today at 866-511-7618, email me directly [email protected], or explore our inventory at generatorsource.com.