As a business owner, you should always be planning for the future. Often, the daily tasks and issues that arise will take precedence, but being ill-prepared for a disaster or interruption in normal business activities can have an incredibly detrimental effect on your business’s well-being. Creating and maintaining a business continuity plan is essential, and it can help your business survive during disasters.
Disasters can take many forms. Whether your company loses important data to cyberattacks, products are recalled due to defects, or a natural disaster strikes your business, your business needs to be prepared for the worst.
There are some key elements that your company needs to consider when planning how to recover quickly and ensure business continuity, regardless of the disaster.
- Create a Comprehensive PlanWhat are the events that are most likely to impact your business? Your company will need to plan accordingly and rank the most critical functions of your business. With this information in place, all of your employees will be on the same page and can react accordingly.
- Have a Designated Planning TeamWho is in charge of the planning? This team will be planning your company’s response and performing risk assessments. The planning team will be looked to for leadership and should be prepared to react quickly in the event of a disaster.
- Have a Financial Security PlanIf your revenue streams are impacted, what is your plan? Your company should have some form of disaster insurance or emergency funds to ensure you can remain operable.
- Have Clear Lines of CommunicationDo your employees and business partners know what has happened to your company? Ensuring your company has a way to inform your employees and partners about the situation is vital. Utilizing the cloud and data backup strategies will help your business remain operable, and ease any concerns your clients and partners may have.
- Data BackupIs your sensitive data and business information stored in an offsite facility? If something were to happen to your place of business, your company needs to ensure it has access to all of its data. This capability will ensure a smooth turnaround from the disaster and can save your company money.
If your company is unsure about how to begin implementing a disaster recovery plan, contact ITC. We will ensure your company is prepared to deal with any disaster, and that your business operations will remain intact and operational.
