We don’t have to think too far back to remember a time when businesses were hit with a crisis. Houston has had its fair share of devastating floods, while people all over the world had to deal with covid.
While floods and viruses are two different things, they both put pressure on many companies’ business continuity and disaster recovery plans.
How a business responds during and after a time of crisis often determines the longevity of that business’s lifespan.
For instance, how many of your favorite restaurants, stores, or brands ceased to exist after a devastating natural disaster?
Unfortunately, we’ve seen several physical and virtual business doors close for good. New and well-established businesses both need to be at the forefront of planning for the worst. Otherwise, you’ll miss out on all the good that can come from keeping your business open.
Why Your Business Needs A Business Continuity & Disaster Recovery Plan
Not convinced yet? Here are the 7 reasons you should create a business continuity and disaster recovery (BCDR) plan for your business.
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1. Prepare Yourself To Be A Leader In Times Of Crisis
On regular days, you’re the boss that everyone loves. You maintain a positive attitude, encourage your employees to do their best, and they feel comfortable coming to you with questions and even personal issues.
But when things start to go wrong, it can really show a person’s true colors. For instance, have you ever dealt with an airline losing your luggage? Did you move forward knowing there was nothing you could do but wait? Or did you get angry and let it ruin the rest of your week?
How you handle a crisis within your business, whether in your control or not, says a lot about your leadership style. Your employees, customers, and even vendors may be looking to you for guidance.
By properly preparing your BCDR plan, you can come out of the crisis as the neighborhood hero. The person that everyone admires for gracefully navigating obstacles under pressure. Not only will people love working for and with you, but it will help establish your business’s credible reputation.
2. Keep Operations Running
Does your business provide products or services that customers will need during a crisis?
There are so many essential businesses, including (but not limited to):
- Pharmacies
- Emergency services
- Hospitals
- Gas stations
- Grocery stores
- Delivery services for people who can’t get their essential items themselves
If your business is essential to your community getting through a hurricane or other type of crisis, you definitely want to keep your doors open. However, many online businesses can continue to meet their clients’ needs during emergency events, too.
With a business continuity plan in place, you can continue to provide your services. This is a win-win for your business and your clients.
3. Protect & Promote Your Brand Presence
When an entire city is closing up shop, how would it feel to be the business that pulls through for everyone’s needs?
Recall those times when there was only one restaurant open for miles? Not only are their sales skyrocketing, but their customers are grateful for them being open.
How would it feel to be known as that business? The one who had the option to stay open and did? I have a feeling it feels pretty awesome!
By all means, your safety comes first. But if you’re able to safely keep your business running, then why not?
Current and potential future customers notice when you are there for them. And not taking a hit on sales will be a nice compliment to your bank account, too.
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4. Remain In Compliance
While there are several reasons a BCDR plan is a good idea, if you work in a certain industry, you may not have the option to opt out of creating one.
For instance, healthcare workers fall under the authority of HIPAA to protect confidential patient information. Some financial professionals must adhere to FINRA regulations. And many transglobal companies follow ISO guidance to ensure stable credibility among themselves, their partners, and clients.
All of these overseeing authorities have one big thing in common – they require a BCDR plan. This is because times of crisis mean go-time for members of the hackersphere. Think of it in terms of looters taking advantage of disasters. They know the power’s out and it’s not safe for security guards, so they go and get the goods. Online hackers are like the looters you see on the news. They know your business is preoccupied and operating on minimal resources. And they’re not going to let the opportunity pass without a fight.
This is just one example of why it’s so important to have a BCDR plan in place. After all, you’ve worked far too hard building your business to just hand it over to some evil genius of the interwebs.
5. Don’t Miss Out On Incoming Money Your Rely On
Small businesses like yours rely on payments for products and/or services to continue operations. When a Texas-sized hurricane blows into town, downtime can certainly put a dent in cash flow.
A business continuity plan can help you avoid unnecessary downtime. And in turn, you can avoid missing out on your much needed incoming funds.
Cash flow is so important to small businesses. One big hiccup can reroute a steadfast sales forecast off path quicker than the water flowing through Houston’s bayous.
6. Protect Your Business’s Vulnerabilities From Hackers
Anytime there’s a major disaster, hackers and scammers do their best to cash in on the opportunity. A few of the reasons for these ill-intentioned acts include:
- Businesses and individuals are too busy focusing on the crisis to notice
- People are quick to donate to a worthy cause during a disaster
- Without access to your network, you may not notice missing funds for several days
If there’s any time to be totally protected against hackers, it’s during a crisis.
7. Continue To Work Toward Your Long-Term Business Goals
You’ve got plans for your business. Whether they be big or small, you’re counting on your business to succeed. A BCDR plan will allow you to continue working towards those goals. Because without a BCDR plan in place, your business could be one of many that don’t make it out of the flood.
A good managed service provider (MSP) will ensure that your business is secure and optimized at all times. This means you have one less thing keeping you up at night. And you’ll be able to focus on your business during normal operations and disasters.
Get BITS On Board To Captain Your BCDR Plan Through Hurricanes, Floods, & Other Disasters
You know your business deserves a steady BCDR plan. But you may be wondering where to start. Don’t fret!
Brooks IT Services will help you devise a plan, put it through scenario tests, and ensure you’re ready for whatever blows into town.
It’s no secret that the Gulf of Mexico is extraordinarily warm. That means that both you and our respective businesses needs to be ready to ride through the upcoming storms.
Whether you need a BCDR plan or any other IT solutions, we’re here for you. Reach out today and let’s get started.