You probably have a plan for your home in the case of a disaster, but what about your business? According to the Insurance Information Institute, as many as 40% of businesses fail after a disaster. There are a number of things that you can do in order to prepare your business in case of disaster (man-made or natural). And, since we are in the midst of hurricane season, now is as good a time as any to do so!
You should begin by assessing what types of disasters are most likely to occur to your specific business. This can include fire, flooding, a hurricane, and even criminal activity, depending upon your location, type of business, and other factors. You should select point people who are trained to handle each of these types of emergencies. It is also vital that you maintain an up-to-date roster of all employees, including alternative contact information, as well as likely evacuation contact information (or another out-of-town contact).
The good news is that there are a lot of resources to help you along the way. One of the best is the American Red Cross, which even offers mobile apps which contain information that you’ll want to access in order to plan and respond to a number of emergencies, including hurricanes and floods. While the first priority is obviously preparing your staff to protect themselves, it is also crucial, as a business owner, to protect your valuable data and other work-product.
That’s where Rent-A-Nerd, Inc. fits in. We offer a number of solutions to back up your data and even recreate virtual offices (also known as business continuity), should you need to get back online in another location. Call our office today (504-454-6373) to learn how we can help you with a plan to save and restore your data. We are able to set up your entire IT network in a way that functions best for you–on a day-to-day basis and in the event of an emergency, though we can also work with your existing computer network to be sure that all data is secure and that your email and website are being hosted as safely as possible. Call us today for a complimentary evaluation.
