02 Oct Writer Choice
39263With recent natural and man-made disasters, planning if something similar happens to my business is top of mind. How do you suggest I prepare my company in the case of a disaster event?
We share your worries, and our thoughts go out to those dealing with the aftermath of last week’s hurricane. You just never know when a (small or large-scale) disaster will strike in your area, and it’s important to prepare your business for such an event, just as you would your home and family. It is critical to have abusiness continuity plan in place in case of a prolonged power outage, property damage, computer hacking or any other kind of disaster event that can disrupt your processes and customer service.
Understanding what needs to go into a business continuity plan isn’t always the easiest though, nor is ensuring it is up to date and regularly reviewed. This is what our MCM Risk Advisory and IT security specialists recommend to our clients.
Plan for the worst
While it is never a fun place to start, challenge your leadership team to play out a few worst case scenarios. If your physical offices, plants, stores or operations hubs have to shut down for several days or more, which programs would be affected? If computer access, even remote access, isn’t possible, what would happen to your operations? What about roads and community infrastructure? Think about where your company would be if all or any of these situations were to come to fruition, and then plan out possible responses.
You should also make a point of designating a disaster preparedness team. The team members should represent your full operation, from IT to sales to customer service. If you have a Board of Directors, a member of this group should be appointed as well. This team will be tasked with creating, reviewing, assessing, and modifying the written plan that will dictate your company’s response in disaster scenarios.
One task that will be important to delegate is a multi-pronged communications plan. All of your various stakeholders will need to be reached, from your internal staff, to your vendors, to your customers and clients. You may also need a spokesperson for your company (if you don’t already have one in place) who is prepared to correspond with fire, police or government officials who may be needed, as well as with media.
Ultimately, any disaster plan will need to include a training component as well. Your business continuity plan, once finalized, should be communicated to your staff in the form of a training or meeting.
IT preparation
When it comes time to triage a disaster response, data and systems recovery are typically top priorities. Experts recommend that you develop recovery strategies for all of your IT systems, applications, and data, including networks, servers, desktops, laptops, wireless devices, and connectivity. Identify the IT personnel and resources you will need, and ensure they are aware of their responsibilities. Data back-up is important to businesses in general, but it’s especially critical in disaster situations, so make sure your company is practicing it using the most up to date methods.
Be proactive before a disaster strikes. Consider engaging professionals that can assist your company identify weaknesses in your IT systems before you are hacked or held for ransom so you can protect confidential information related to your company, employees and customers/clients.
Be Prepared
Catastrophes are difficult to prepare for, but a plan will help ease the stress when they occur. Developing and maintaining a business continuity plan will ensure you are a step ahead of the recovery process, and that your organization will be conducting business as usual sooner rather than later.
Tom Cooney and Crystal Faulkner are partners with MCM CPAs & Advisors, a CPA and advisory firm offering expert guidance and beyond the bottom line thinking for today’s public and private businesses large and small, not-for-profits, governmental entities and individuals. For additional information, call 513-768-6796 or visit us online at www.mcmcpa.com.
BusinessWise
Tom Cooney & Crystal Faulkner
Guest columnists
Our website has a team of professional writers who can help you write any of your homework. They will write your papers from scratch. We also have a team of editors just to make sure all papers are of HIGH QUALITY & PLAGIARISM FREE. To make an Order you only need to click Ask A Question and we will direct you to our Order Page at WriteDemy. Then fill Our Order Form with all your assignment instructions. Select your deadline and pay for your paper. You will get it few hours before your set deadline.
Fill in all the assignment paper details that are required in the order form with the standard information being the page count, deadline, academic level and type of paper. It is advisable to have this information at hand so that you can quickly fill in the necessary information needed in the form for the essay writer to be immediately assigned to your writing project. Make payment for the custom essay order to enable us to assign a suitable writer to your order. Payments are made through Paypal on a secured billing page. Finally, sit back and relax.
About Wridemy
We are a professional paper writing website. If you have searched a question and bumped into our website just know you are in the right place to get help in your coursework. We offer HIGH QUALITY & PLAGIARISM FREE Papers.
How It Works
To make an Order you only need to click on “Order Now” and we will direct you to our Order Page. Fill Our Order Form with all your assignment instructions. Select your deadline and pay for your paper. You will get it few hours before your set deadline.
Are there Discounts?
All new clients are eligible for 20% off in their first Order. Our payment method is safe and secure.