A disaster plan for business owners

For most Central Floridians, the Atlantic hurricane season is as expected as spring training baseball, sunburned tourists and powerhouse Southeastern Conference college football.

Checking generators, replacing worn-out flashlight batteries and buying a few extra gallons of water at the grocery store are second nature to veteran weather watchers, who know well the basics for surviving a tropical storm or hurricane should one blow through the area. The triple whammy of hurricanes that crisscrossed Central Florida in 2004 is still a not-too-distant memory.

But such preparation may not be on the radar of business owners still struggling to pull out of one of the greatest recessions in local and national history. Indeed, many businesses may not be prepared for surviving any kind of natural disaster or emergency that might temporarily shut down operations.

Weather experts and business performance advisors agree that the key to surviving and bouncing back from a natural disaster is as simple as proper planning. Though hurricane season is already under way, business owners and manager still can take steps to create a disaster-preparedness plan that addresses how their operations will stay on track before, during and after any potential disruption.

A well-designed disaster-preparedness plan should include:

• Back up critical files. It is nearly impossible to reconstruct important financial information, client databases or employee records. Make sure this information is backed up on a regular basis and those backups are protected in a secure, offsite location.

• Identify everyone’s role. Make clear responsibilities for each employee during all phases of an emergency. This includes determining who will be critical in the initial response and who might be more useful working offsite or from home.

• Develop an emergency communications plan. Quick and accurate communications are vital to getting a business back on its feet. A natural disaster, such as the 2004 hurricanes, can knock out normal communications systems, so determine ahead of time how to reach employees and possibly their families, services providers, contractors, customers and the public.

• Identify who will speak for the business. Customers and possibly the news media may want to know when a business will be back up and running. Identify one spokesperson for the business and make sure the person is kept in the loop on all developments and business decisions. Messages about a company’s status should be consistent and truthful.

• Protect and have access to insurance information. Routinely review company insurance policies to ensure adequate and appropriate coverage. Keep copies of these policies in a secure, offsite location. Also, keep close at hand key insurance information, including policy numbers, contact information, coverage periods and restrictions.

• Create strategic partnerships in advance. When a widespread emergency strikes, every business will be scrambling to secure services of craftsmen, primarily plumbers, carpenters and electricians. Pre-negotiate agreements with such trade professionals to ensure a quick recovery.

Employees are critical to a company’s success, emergency or not. That’s why it’s important to solicit their input and buy-in to any disaster-preparedness plan. In addition, flexibility must be built into any crisis plan, so a company may remain nimble during changing circumstances.

With the right plan and the right people in place, a business is an important step closer to surviving and recovering should disaster strike.

Jeffrey Holder is district manager in Orlando for Insperity. For more information, call 800-465-3800 or visit insperity.com