Establishing or leading a business requires commitment, work, and careful planning. Emergency preparedness is a necessary component of business management. Many legal mandates require businesses to establish emergency response protocols in order to provide safety to staff and clients. Once the disaster has passed, it is up to each business to provide a strategy for returning to working condition. Hurricane recovery plans can maximize the effectiveness of reparations as well as preparing for financial or structural difficulty. Below are some things your business hurricane recovery plan needs.
Outline the Essentials
When examining a list of personnel, determine which are considered essential and which are secondary. Focusing on the essential personnel, take inventory of what critical supplies each will need, such as a chair and computer. When the “bare minimum” list is complete, determine replacement costs for each item. Submitting this list to your insurance agency can expedite the claims process. A separate document can be drafted to include secondary costs for essential employees (such as phone lines or backup servers) and any supplies needed by secondary employees.
Staff and Clients
Include in your plan a means to communicate to staff and clients. Perhaps a group email can update personnel regarding return circumstances. Develop a statement to explain the situation to and update clients and staff. Maintaining customers is crucial in the event of re-opening. Recovery plans may anticipate a sustained loss of communication and set a time and location for employees to meet following a catastrophe.
Information Access
Software and data backups preserve information under relatively normal circumstances. In a hurricane, however, hard disks will often suffer the same fate as their surroundings. Consequently, a set of hard backups should be stored off site. An electronic server, such as the cloud, can store information without requiring additional hardware. Online backup can include crucial data, such as client information, employee contacts, and login information.
Insurance
Managing an insurance claim may be smoothed by advance preparation. In the event of a hurricane, many insurance companies will face several simultaneous claims. Providing precise documentation can expedite the process. This often includes lists and photos of all items and structures outlined in the claim. Regularly update inventory lists, prices, and photographs. Perform this labor ahead of time so documentation can be submitted immediately, before the influx of claims reaches insurance agencies.
When natural disasters strike, such as hurricanes, businesses are most likely to survive if they reopen within five days of the event. A smooth and timely process can be achieved by following a hurricane recovery plan. Such plans should, among other things, address policies regarding staff, clients, vital information, and insurance. Implementing a plan with these components will aid in effectively reopening the business as quickly as possible.
If you have any further questions about how to improve your hurricane preparedness, visit the Entrusted blog. If you happen to find you business with water damage after a tropical storm, call the Entrusted team immediately.