Every Business Needs a Disaster Plan

10/5/2018 (Permalink)

Many business owners are caught off guard when disaster strikes. Thinking that it would never happen to them or never even considering the possibility of a disaster, they fail to have a plan in place for their business. Unfortunately, many times, once disaster strikes, it’s too late. Many businesses are forced to close permanently after disaster because they were not prepared.  With Hurricane season upon us once more, please take the time to protect your business with a few ideas from below.   

According to foxbusiness.com, there are 7 steps you can take if you are a small business owner to help protect your business from disaster.

1. Risk Assessment: Determine what types of emergencies are most likely to affect your company and then evaluate your level of preparedness. Check in with your insurance company, make sure employees are trained for emergencies, have data backed up and stored at a safe location.

1. Review Your Insurance Coverage: Talk with your insurance agent to make sure your business is covered if hit by disaster. After determining what types of emergencies your business is most prone to, make sure your policy covers those particular types of situations. Ask about business interruption insurance which helps business owners continue to pay on-going bills while operations are shut down during disaster recovery.

1. Create a Contingency Plan: Review your business operations and determine which are most important for the survival of your business. Form a process to manage these functions in the event of a disaster. Determine an alternate business location where business operations can continue during the recovery process.

1. Create a Communications Plan: Disasters create chaos and having a communications plan in place in advance will help minimize panic.

1. Back Up Your Data: Making sure all your data is backed up and stored in a safe place is critical. Cloud-based data solutions are best as they stay safe during disasters and can be accessed from any location.

1. Build an Emergency Kit: Have an emergency kit available on site including items like water, flashlights, fire extinguishers, etc.

1. Review and Rehearse You Plan: Once your plan is in place, make sure your employees know the plan and have practiced implementing it.

While disasters can be devastating to a business, preparation can definitely help in the recovery process. By taking action before disaster strikes and getting a plan in place, business owners can help protect their business in times of emergencies.