Have a disaster readiness plan in place

• Select a team of employees who 1. Know the business intimately, 2. Assign specific responsibilities and tasks to each member of the team.
• Risk assessment – what are the most likely disasters to affect your business. Plan for each.
• Identity which are the critical or core business functions that need to be up and running for your business to be operational. Now prioritize and determine how quickly these can be brought back up to an operational level if a disaster did strike.
• Set up an off-site disaster recovery location where the Main disaster team and key employees can work. Ensure this location has access to back-up systems, supplies and critical records.
• Temporary housing – determine whether you will have to set up alternative housing for employees also take their families and pets into consideration.
• Revise and update your disaster readiness plan annually.

Selecting an alternative location for a operational satellite branch

• Home base – this can be your own home equipped with the basic everyday equipment you use at the office.
• If you have other branches of your business operational either locally or nationally determine which of these would best suit as a new head office.
• A well equipped office of an employee, friend or business partner could be a temporary base.
• Scout local hotels with suitable facilities that could be an operational location.

Backup of critical equipment, supplies and data

• Communications devices - phones, faxes, wifi, radios, televisions, and other
• Recording equipment – camera, digital recorder
• Power generators
• Computers and accessories
• Data files that are critical to the business – payroll, customer orders, up to date debtors and creditors lists, inventory.
• Everyday office supplies and forms that you use in your business
• First aid kit and provisions for food and water.

Updated Address Book

• Information should include – home and mobile numbers, location, email addresses and alternative emergency contact numbers.
• Your business phone number – make sure the number travels to your new satellite location timeously.
• Employees, customers, vendors, insurance company, suppliers and business associates.
• Supply a comprehensive contacts sheet to each employee on the Main Disaster Planning Team.

Communicating with your team and customers

Recovery procedures for post-disaster

• Brainstorm how your day to day running will differ in a post disaster situation.
• Determine who should be contacted and when is the appropriate time to do so.
• Assign tasks to employees, and send reminders of these tasks.
• Track progress and changes in income and business effectiveness.
• Document failings so that you can learn from them by including them in the next disaster planning meeting so you can avoid the same fate where a new disaster to strike.