Do you know how you would cope in a crisis or emergency? Do you know if your business would survive a prolonged period shut down due to loss of equipment, inaccessibility, fire, flood, explosion? Have you ever thought about how you would continue to trade if the building next to you caught fire?
Probably not! And nor perhaps did half of Oxford Street in London think about such things until they were closed for the best part of a day recently due to a major fire in a shop. Or the businesses in Kent affected by the earthquake last month.
But a little bit of thought and planning will go a long way to ensuring that you don't become one of the many business statistics who don't survive a crisis. Maybe you think it won't happen to you.
But what about:
- A major food poisoning outbreak
- A tragic accident which kills two or three of your employees
- A major outbreak of an infectious disease among your staff
- A partial collapse of the building which ruins all your stock
- A complete shutdown of your IT system.
Plan ahead
Business continuity planning can help guide you through the steps you need to be well prepared.
Business continuity management (to use the jargon) sets a framework and provides you with the guidance and action plan you need. Some aspects to think about are:
- What disasters or unexpected events could affect your business?
- Who would take the lead to handle them and make decisions?
- How will you communicate with employees, suppliers, the press, local residents, TV and radio reporters?
- What objectives do you want to achieve out of the plan?
- What role will you take and what are others' responsibilities?
- Who will notify enforcement agencies, insurance companies etc?
- Who's who in the business continuity management team?
- Do you have contact details for the insurance company, plumbers, builders, IT consultants and counselling services?
Recovery action plan
- How will you return to operations?
- Where will you relocate to if necessary?
- Where will you get your equipment?
- How will you tell people where you are?
Perry Scott Nash is running a business continuity management seminar on May 22 at Chelsea FC's stadium, Stamford Bridge, London.