Business owners, in today’s environment, must be aware of several business continuity threats. Mainly if your business is on the east coast or parts of the Gulf, you must be prepared for unique weather systems that can affect your business in numerous ways. Here we are going to talk about the dreaded hurricane season, with 100+ mph winds that deliver long-term wi-fi blackouts, and widespread power outages.
Don’t get into trouble before the hurricane season even starts. We all know when a significant storm crashes into the coast, destruction ensues. Maintaining and running your business during emergency scenarios is tough. You have so many thoughts running through your head: the safety of your team, how outages affect your service offering, and when will my business run like normal.
When is the right time to plan? Now, before the storm!
With a solid plan in place, you can find ways to maintain business continuity in the hurricane season:
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Risk Assessment.
Before setting up a recovery plan, it is essential to assess your business’s most significant areas of risk. Different companies in the same town may have various issues associated with the hurricane. For instance, some one-story office buildings may get affected by the flood, whereas a business running on the 40th floor may be more affected by high-speed winds. Before the hurricane season arrives, you need to access the risks, what it means to your workforce and services, and list all the threats that may affect your normal operations.
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Data Backup.
Power outages cause critical troubles in the hurricane season. Sometimes debris and flooding make it harder for the power companies to manage electricity. Therefore, you may have to run your business without power for several weeks. Invest in a backup plan utilizing cloud technologies, so that you do not lose important information and have access to your data from anywhere on the planet. Test all your systems before the hurricane season and routinely on a quarterly schedule. Make sure you can recover all the data with ease.
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Emergency Kits.
Once a hurricane hits your area, it may be difficult for the employees to reach the office. However, this cannot mean that you should turn off support to your team. Instead, it is better to ensure that your employees have access to leadership during a crisis or emergency. Check-in with your team to make sure they are ok and aware of the status of your business. Notify your organization, utilizing mass SMS messages and emails. Also, inform them of shift cancellations, remote access status, etc. Although the advanced technologies make it possible to get an advanced warning when a hurricane is approaching, you should stay prepared to continue operations from remote locations. Make sure your employees have login details, access to call-out phone lines to report absences, and access essential software from remote locations.
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Trust a meteorologist.
Stay prepared for weather alerts and warnings to manage your plan. It is essential to use trusted tools and resources to access, plan, and implement actions. Stay tuned to the announcements made by meteorologists and local authorities. They can help you to get adequate updates about weather forecasts, continuity plans, and hurricane tracks.
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Solid communication plan.
Lead your business in the hurricane season with a solid communication plan. It is essential to communicate with your partners, customers, and employees regularly. But, this is not just about operation status. By communicating clearly and regularly during a Hurricane, your customers and employees are guaranteed to receive your safety messages and awareness. Plus, it makes them feel supported.
To learn more about Business Continuity Planning during an emergency, head over to this blog post!
Or, email us for a free business continuity planning checklist!
summary
The time is now. Start preparing for the hurricane season with these expert tips. Have questions about how Call Experts can support your emergency plan? Contact us. We will help you ensure clear communication and stability during unprecedented times!
