Listening to the news this past week about all of the tumultuous weather happenings around our country made me think about repercussions of severe weather on businesses. It’s not a pleasant thought, but fires, flooding, tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, mudslides and countless other disasters can happen anywhere at any time. (I once had a car driven into my living room when a child left alone in the car put it in reverse!)
While it’s nearly impossible to prepare totally for unexpected events that could harm your business, there are some basic steps that can be undertaken to minimize possible damage. WhizBang! training suggests the following precautions that will reduce effects of a disaster:
Write an emergency procedure for your staff. What are the first, second, and third steps that should be taken in the event of such things as a power outage, or a robbery, or a flood? Who should take charge? If you need more information, call the fire department or the police for answers to your questions.
Double check your insurance policy. Make sure you’re covered not only for your store, but also for merchandise, fixtures, equipment, supplies, debris removal, replacement cost, and loss of business.
Make a video of your store and its entire contents. After a disaster, it’s nearly impossible to remember every single thing that was destroyed.
Make sure you have backup for all your computers, stored remotely. Physical items can usually be replaced, but not your data, unless you have taken this precaution. Imagine the crippling effect it would have on your business to have lost all your groundwork!
At CCS, we have helped customers in the past restore their data from backups after fires and unpredictable weather mishaps, so we know the turmoil that disasters can create. If you have questions about the safety of your data, now is the time to call us to get your questions answered. Don’t wait until the unthinkable happens to you!
Marlene