| The need to have a Disaster Recovery/Business | | | | someone who can accommodate you and your |
| Continuity (DR/BC) plan grows everyday. This is | | | | organization. This is not to say that because they |
| especially so when the calendar approaches June | | | | cannot accommodate you in a time of need you |
| 1st, the first day of the North Atlantic Hurricane | | | | should throw away a 10- or 20-year relationship |
| Season which runs until November 30. Therefore, | | | | but make it clear that in order to ramp up your |
| it should come as no surprise that in those six | | | | business you will do what it takes. If the |
| months you and your organization better bring | | | | organization still cannot deliver then ask nicely for |
| your A-game. Once the season starts there is | | | | them to recommend an organization that can |
| nothing anyone can do to make it stop or go | | | | provide the immediate service. |
| away any faster. Your A-game should be based | | | | However, let us not dwell on the negative but |
| on a top-notch, well planned, and easily executed | | | | think positively. Both organizations have started |
| DR/BC plan. | | | | the dialogue and are now at a point that the |
| Something to remember every great plan is as | | | | memorandum of understanding or letter of intent |
| good as its execution and every great plan that is | | | | can be signed and made part of both |
| executed is as good as the people who are | | | | organizations' disaster recovery and business |
| executing it. Once it is being executed, the plan's | | | | continuity plan. At this point, your organization can |
| objective is to do what is necessary to keep the | | | | begin to schedule periodic "update" meetings. |
| business functional before, during, and after a | | | | The periodic meetings are simply to address |
| natural or man-made disaster. | | | | changes in operations, management, price, or |
| As with all plans, a component or several | | | | anything else that has changed since the last |
| components that call on products, information or | | | | meeting. Ideally, there should be no less than one |
| services from external sources, typically your | | | | meeting a month and can be done via voice, |
| organization's external stakeholders, should be | | | | video, or face-to-face. Meeting this way, rather |
| included. These external stakeholders range from | | | | than by e-mail will minimize any confusion that |
| existing customers/clients, vendors, contractors, | | | | reading only an e-mail without any follow up may |
| and suppliers. Additionally, other external sources | | | | create, but after those voice, video or |
| may be called upon to deliver a specific product | | | | face-to-face meeting do following up with an |
| or service, which may not be used any other | | | | e-mail. |
| time throughout the year. | | | | When a natural disaster is on horizon and |
| Therefore, it is advisable that you and your | | | | approaching it is best to have one final meeting to |
| organization, when building the DR/BC plan | | | | advise all concerned that the plan is being initiated. |
| dedicate resources towards taking the initiative | | | | If only one of the two organizations is initiating |
| and start a conversation with external | | | | the plan then at this time the method to |
| stakeholders. The objective of the conversation | | | | communicate when the other has initiated their |
| between your organization and the individual | | | | plan should be decided. This should be left up to |
| external stakeholder is to get involved with the | | | | those that are communicating with each other to |
| external organization and their disaster recovery | | | | figure out, as they would know what is best for |
| planning process, almost to the point that your | | | | their unique situation. |
| organization and their organization's disaster | | | | Having such information handy will go far towards |
| recovery plan will create areas of overlap. This is | | | | building the DR/BC plan that is realistic and |
| not to say you are going to dictate how the | | | | achievable. Therefore, the sharing of information is |
| external organization is going to create their plan | | | | always a win-win for all concerned. Your |
| but to know how planning your plan's objectives | | | | organization now knows what the external |
| will fit in with what their capabilities are during the | | | | stakeholders are capable of and your external |
| execution of their DR/BC plan. | | | | stakeholders know that they can count on your |
| For example, your organization will need time | | | | organization to be ready to accept their product |
| sensitive supplies delivered immediately after the | | | | or service. |
| hurricane has cleared the area. It would be critical | | | | Your customers/clients are unique in that |
| to know where in the supplier's disaster recovery | | | | addressing their needs is most important of all. |
| plan the earliest possible delivery of product can | | | | They are what keep you, your suppliers, and |
| be initiated. If time to delivery is longer than your | | | | vendors in business. While you cannot individually |
| plan anticipates then this is the time to begin | | | | address the specific needs of each, you can |
| negotiations on how the time can be shortened. | | | | ensure that your customers and clients have the |
| Of course, this also applies to supplies that are | | | | means to stay in contact with you or your |
| not time sensitive but are necessary to get your | | | | organization. Using tools such as email, text |
| business up and running as soon as possible. | | | | messaging, and your corporate website to keep |
| Whether it is the guy who is going to stock the | | | | everyone informed especially with things like how |
| soda machine or the copier company and when it | | | | to prepare for an interruption in supply or when |
| can replenish toner, it does not matter who but | | | | the doors of the business will re-open. Keep |
| what does matter is what and when. | | | | everyone informed. |
| This is when starting and maintaining a dialogue | | | | In a perfect world there would be no need for a |
| with those external stakeholders is critical. As the | | | | DR/BC plan as there would be no natural or |
| needs of yours and their organization changes | | | | man-made disasters. Seeing as how we do not |
| having this part of that the DR/BC plan under | | | | live or work in a perfect world the need for a DR |
| control is vital especially when it is time to get | | | | BC plan will always be present. Therefore, in order |
| started after the disaster is over. | | | | to keep your organization up and running it is vital |
| When beginning the dialog with an external | | | | to have a disaster recovery and business |
| stakeholder be clear and hold nothing back so that | | | | continuity plan that solicits help and cooperation |
| the external organization will know exactly what | | | | not just from within the organization but from |
| you want, when you want it, and how much you | | | | external stakeholders as well. Communicating with |
| want. They in turn should be able to | | | | the internal and external stakeholders will not only |
| accommodate you accordingly. If they cannot | | | | ensure a successful plan but keeps your doors |
| then you might want to question why they can't | | | | open for business long after the disaster has |
| and be prepared to look someplace else for | | | | come and gone. |