Natural disasters can strike your small business at any time. Unfortunately, not all small businesses are able to recover after a natural disaster, and 75% of small businesses do not have a disaster plan in place. According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), 40% of small businesses do not reopen after a natural disaster due to the astronomical cost of repairing damages. Even if a small business does reopen, 52% of owners say it would take at least three months to recover.
Even though no one can predict a natural disaster, there are safety measures you can take. Here are some things your small business can take care of now to prepare for a natural disaster. These enable to get back your small business up and running quickly:
- Compile a list of significant phone numbers and addresses: Ensure to get in touch with important people after the disaster. The list must comprise local and state emergency management agencies, major clients, contractors, suppliers, realtors, financial institutions, insurance agents, and insurance company claim representatives.
- Recognize critical business activities and the resources needed to support them: Can you afford to shut down your operations, even temporarily? It is always better to determine what you require to run your small business at another location.
- Study the things you primarily need during the emergency: Do you need a back-up source of power? Do you have a back-up communications system?
- Retain replica archives: Back-up computerized data files frequently and store them off-premises. Have duplicates of significant records and documents in a safe deposit box and make sure they are up-to-date.
- Protect computers/laptops and data: Some firms offer offsite backups of computer/laptop data that can be updated regularly through high-speed modem or through the Internet.
QuickTech provides onsite IT support services along with small business IT support which will make your small business disaster recovery easier. Just call us on 1300 016 017.
