| Accidents happen! But even minor mishaps can be | | | | is using an on-line backup. For a nominal fee, |
| major catastrophes for small business owners. | | | | on-line back-up solutions allow you to store |
| Every year, thousands of companies are | | | | information on a secure, encrypted server. The |
| unprepared for the interruption caused by a minor | | | | program will run overnight, in the background, as |
| fire, flood, and burglary or computer meltdown. | | | | long as you leave your computer on. The cost will |
| According to a recent NFIB National Small | | | | vary depending on the amount of data to be |
| Business Poll, man-made disasters affect 10% of | | | | stored. One of the advantages of the on-line |
| small businesses, whereas natural disasters have | | | | system is that your data can be transferred via |
| impacted more than 30% of all small businesses in | | | | the internet to any location where you resume |
| the USA . Creating, and implementing a Business | | | | operations. |
| Continuity Plan will ensure your business survives | | | | Operations Continuity - More than Data |
| any disaster; man-made or natural. | | | | Having access to your information is a key |
| While the details of the plan will vary from | | | | starting point, but business continuity plans need |
| business to business, the main elements are the | | | | to address more than just data recovery. It |
| same. A well thought out plan begins by evaluating | | | | should also cover how you will continue operations. |
| different types of disasters or events. How likely | | | | For example:o Where will you operate if your |
| is it to occur, and what are the potential impacts? | | | | office is damaged or destroyed? What is the |
| Hurricanes are unlikely here in Indy, but Tornados | | | | minimum amount of space you will need? Does |
| and high winds (as evidenced by the damage to | | | | your landlord have other property you could |
| the Regions Bank building this spring) are very | | | | move into temporarily? If not, take time now to |
| likely. | | | | research the costs and availability of space at |
| Once you have analyzed the risks, it is easier to | | | | local virtual office facilities. |
| outline a plan which will help you resume | | | | How will you finance equipment replacement? A |
| operations quickly, take care of clients and | | | | good insurance policy will cover the cost of |
| employees, and minimize the financial impact of | | | | replacing office furniture, equipment and other |
| the disaster. | | | | assets. As part of your contingency planning, |
| What Your Plan Should Include: | | | | review and understand your insurance coverage. |
| Information Access - Copy and Store Key Files | | | | If you are operating out of your home, talk to |
| For many small business owners, the computer is | | | | your insurance agent. Your simple homeowner's |
| the heart and soul of the business. And while we | | | | policy may not be adequate coverage for your |
| depend heavily on these devises, we know that | | | | business. If you are renting, be sure you |
| computers crash, virus' attack, natural disasters | | | | understand clearly what your landlord's obligations |
| occur and every user makes mistakes from time | | | | are according to your lease. |
| to time. The consequences of inadequate back-up | | | | In addition to property and casualty insurance, |
| protection when a failure occurs can be disastrous. | | | | you should consider business continuity or loss of |
| Rebuilding financial information, contact lists, E-mail | | | | use clauses which provide additional insurance to |
| records or project files can be time-consuming, | | | | cover expenses such as moving or damages |
| expensive and sometimes impossible. | | | | caused by missed deadlines. Talk with your |
| Creating copies of critical files on a regular basis | | | | insurance agent regularly to be sure you are |
| allows you to resume operations quickly after a | | | | adequately protected.o Document what you own. |
| crisis. How often you need to create a back-up | | | | Even if you have adequate coverage, most |
| depends on how often files change. | | | | policies require a detailed list of what was lost, |
| Some business programs such as ACT and | | | | damaged or stolen. In the event of a disaster, a |
| Quickbooks, have a built in back-up function. On a | | | | documented inventory, complete with serial |
| regular basis, they remind you to create a quick | | | | numbers and model numbers, will simplify the |
| back-up copy which can be restored in case of an | | | | process of completing insurance forms required to |
| emergency. | | | | submit your claim. Your disaster planning should |
| Other common programs such as Microsoft | | | | include preparation of such an inventory, so you |
| Office or Adobe do not include their own back-up. | | | | do not waste valuable time after the crisis trying |
| In this case, the responsibility is yours. If you are | | | | to remember what you owned. Be sure to |
| using Windows XP it has a basic program which | | | | update this inventory periodically as you make |
| will schedule and run back-ups automatically. If you | | | | new purchases for your office.o Who will take |
| are using an older version, you can still manually | | | | care of your customers if you can't? In the event |
| copy key files. | | | | that you can not complete a project or meet a |
| In each case the data must go somewhere. While | | | | deadline because of the business interruption, do |
| the programs offer to copy data to another | | | | you have a relationship with someone else who |
| portion of your hard drive, that won't help if your | | | | can serve your customers on a short term basis? |
| computer is destroyed or missing. Important | | | | Negotiating emergency out-source agreements, |
| information should be copied to some type of | | | | including pricing and procedures, protects your |
| external media such as a zip disks, CDs or DVDs, | | | | long-term customer relationships by taking care of |
| tape back-up or external hard drive. | | | | their needs even when you are not operational. |
| Store your back-up off-site. Many business | | | | According to the Financial Planning Association, of |
| owners carefully and diligently copy all key files | | | | the businesses that suffer a disaster, 40% fail to |
| and store the CD's or external hard drive right | | | | reopen and 25% that reopen close within a year. |
| next to their computer, but a flood or fire will | | | | Plan ahead! Disaster may never strike, and you |
| damage both. Your continuity plan should include | | | | may never need to execute your plan. But if |
| an off-site storage location for electronic media. | | | | something does happen, a well thought out plan, |
| For a small business owner, this can simply mean | | | | will help you through the transition and increase |
| taking the files home or trading with a peer, | | | | the odds that a temporary business interruption |
| storing their files in your office, and yours in theirs. | | | | does not become a permanent one. |
| A simpler, less tedious or time consuming solution | | | | |