No matter the industry, unforeseen events can occur at any time of the day and bring your day to day operations to a stop. In a crisis, your company needs to recover soonest possible to continue providing services to clients. From natural disasters to security breaches you need to put a plan in place in case a catastrophe occurs. Failure to have a disaster recovery plan in place puts your company at risk of reputation loss, high financial expenses and higher risks for customers.
A company that doesn't have a disaster plan may recognize how important it is but takes too long to get started. What's more, those who haven't experienced unforeseen events and the expenses associated with unplanned downtime can think that they are insusceptible to disaster. But it's always better to prepare.
While putting a plan in place, it's better to work with a reputable and experienced partner who has vast experience in business continuity planning and disaster recovery. There are many companies on the market today that help organizations and businesses that want to protect themselves from any unforeseen events. Such vendors provide strategic services that can help your company review the current procedures, test for gaps, examine and re-define what should be done and eventually implement the disaster recovery plan. Listed below are essential things to include in a disaster recovery plan:
• Create an emergency plan and practice how to apply it. Whenever a disaster occurs, you can't afford to waste time. You need to save as many assets as you can to minimize property loss.
• Each employee should be assigned some clear and straightforward responsibilities they can handle. Consider coordinating mandatory meetings that help employees practice how they will carry out their tasks.
• Draft a list of addresses and phone numbers you will use in case of emergency.
• Gather the necessary emergency items that will be needed after a disaster. The items should be able to provide temporary solutions to the company until its up and running again. Some of these items include communication systems, backup generators, networks, etc.
• Compile a list of the company's assets including equipment, machinery, inventory, etc. This helps insurance adjusters make the necessary payments for replacing the lost or damaged resources.
• Insure your building and the assets including the employees. This will protect the company from any financial losses since the insurer will offer coverage after the disaster.
• Duplicate and backup files so that you don't lose them after a disaster. Ensure some copies are kept in a secure area away from the company premises. Data backup should be done at least once every week.
The advantages and importance of having a disaster recovery plan are clear. If you have a strategy in place, your company will minimize downtime, mitigate risk, remain compliant and make sure all customer records are well guarded. Make sure you work with a reputable and experienced company like Service Master while creating your disaster recovery plan.
