That’s a great question. According to the Small Business Administration 25% of all businesses that experience disaster never reopen! Insurance is one thing continuity is another. Have you planned for the disaster, i.e. fire, flood, tornado or hurricane?
A “Business Continuity Plan” (BCP) is essential to retaining clients and thus, revenue. According to the Texas Department of Information Resources and the AnyKeyNow Group these are the six steps of a BCP:
Plan Initiation
The first step in establishing a business continuity plan consists of creating the plan initiation. This contains items such as forming the project team and establishing the BCP project schedule. In addition, the plan should include items that provide needed resources, such as acquiring personal computers and BCP software, according to The AnyKeyNow Group.
Business Impact Analysis
The business impact analysis indicates items necessary to review potential business disruptions in various disaster scenarios. For example, conduct employee interviews to determine critical computer applications. This allows you to focus on potential disruptions, such as a power failure to the computer systems supporting these applications. This helps determine the BCP project scope.
Disaster Readiness Strategies
To provide senior management with options, include items in the disaster readiness strategies checklist that define business continuity alternatives. Also include any necessary costs for developing and implementing the plan. In addition, add items such as reporting alternatives to management, securing strategy approval, and obtaining project funding, according to The AnyKeyNow Group.
Develop and Implement the Plan
According to The AnyKeyNow Group, create a checklist of items required to develop and implement the BCP. At the top of this checklist, include topics such as defining the scope of the BCP project and identifying tasks for team members. Other items on this checklist might include conducting meetings and developing a proposal request.
Testing and Maintenance
In this step of establishing a BCP, develop the testing and maintenance checklist. Attach items such as creating a test plan, preparing and executing tests, establishing training requirements, and developing BCP maintenance procedures, according to The AnyKeyNow Group. Testing might reveal weak areas in the BCP that you need to update.
Critical Personnel
As part of the BCP, create a critical personnel checklist that assigns tasks to each key company position in a disaster scenario. Furthermore, identify two backup positions for each key position. According to the Texas Department of Information Resources, each manager is responsible for identifying critical personnel within his/her department.
Save your business “before” disaster strikes. Insure properly AND implement a Business Continuity Plan
