It can all be very well making your business plan and sorting out how you are going to do things. But have you made an emergency plan or a contingency plan for your business? If you don’t put plans in place for an emergency, then what would you do if disaster does strike your business? While many of them are preventable, some aren’t, and they aren’t predictable either. So here are some of the ways that you can minimize any damage to your business, or any loss of earnings. You don’t want something catastrophic to set your business back more than it needs to.
Disaster Recovery Plan
Having a plan in place, and one that is written down, is what you are going to need so that everyone knows what to do in case you’re not there. Things like a fire escape plan should be done anyway if you are working in an office environment. But you should have a focus on what order things should be done, as well as what should be taken in an emergency, such as a site grab bag or a first aid kit. You could even look into a local spill kits supplier if your business is relating to oil or chemicals that could cause damage. So go through your risk assessments and then go from there.
Computer Backups and Records
We all do business online these days, and will have various pieces of data and things like staff records on computers. These are vital to be kept safe, as if you aren’t keeping them safe, it is a serious breach of confidentiality, especially for staff or customers and their details. So make sure that you have a backed up and secure computer system, as well as copies of any records or details that are essential.
Emergency Contacts
If there needed to be an evacuation of the workplace for whatever reason, or you need to contact a staff member’s family, then you need the details in place to make it easier when a stressful situation happens. Have you got details of your staff member’s next of kin? Do you have a list of suppliers or people that you would need to contact if the office was shut for a small amount of time? The numbers of insurance, financial institutions, as well as local press could all be needed on your list. So keep an up to date list with your emergency plan, or stored in a phone.
Inventory Your Equipment
If you had something like a fire break out in the office, then would you know precisely what is your office in order to make a claim on the insurance? If you don’t, or don’t have proof, then it can be a lengthy process, stopping you from getting back to business and earning. So write down what equipment you have in the office, and keep it updated each time something new was bought. It is a good idea to keep your proof of purchases too, so you can show what you own and what was paid for it. Then claiming can be a quicker and simpler process.