Running a Disaster-Proof Business: 6 Tips To Get You Started

It’s tempting to think that disaster will never strike your business, but you don’t want to be left vulnerable to costly or dangerous damage if it does. Prepare your business for the worst by following these tips, though hopefully, you won’t need them.

Photo by Antoni Shkraba on Pexels

Replace your POTS

There was once a time when your plain old telephone service (or POTS) was the most reliable line of communication in the event of an emergency or disaster. Today, that’s no longer the case. You don’t want critical systems like fire alarms to depend on your POTS. 

Instead, a modern business solution like POTSolve can replace your business’s telephone service and keep you connected over a cell network. You’ll be able to continue operations for some time in during a power outage.

Have evacuation and recovery plans in place

Every business needs to plan for potential disasters. First and foremost, you’ll need an evacuation plan to get yourself and your employees to a safe place. Almost as important is a disaster recovery plan. 

A recovery plan should include details like who is in charge of which decisions, where the most critical documents are stored, and how your business will communicate with its employees and customers. See FEMA’s emergency preparedness resources to assist in making these plans.

Train your employees for emergency preparedness

With solid plans in place for disaster response, your business is better prepared for a disaster. But your preparation is only as good as your employees’ understanding. They should be trained and have that training refreshed so that if they ever need to know how to respond to an emergency, they’ll know what to do.

Protect your data

Part of modernizing your business’s technology and preparing for any unforeseen circumstances is ensuring your business data is protected. Cloud storage is an excellent way to keep data safe, given that you choose a reputable service that won’t leave you vulnerable to cyber-attacks.

At the very least, you should have a data disaster recovery plan, which means multiple backups of the most vital files, with backups physically located off-site even if they are not cloud-based.

Know your insurance coverage

Each business will have its own needs regarding the details of insurance coverage, but the important thing is that you are familiar with your policies, they haven’t expired, and they fit your business’s needs. For example, if you elect not to invest in flood insurance, be prepared to cover the cost of replacing any equipment on the floor.

Have emergency gear on hand

Even above and beyond disaster events, it’s a good idea to have some emergency gear available. You should not only own items like a defibrillator, fire extinguisher, and first aid kit, but you and your employees should know where they are located and how to use them.   

Before you go

Emergency preparedness is costly and time consuming, but it’s an investment you can’t afford to forgo. You simply cannot know that severe weather will never impact you or that fire will never break out, for example. Disaster-proof your business by planning.