What Does Business Continuity Planning Look Like for a SMB in Alabama?

woman and man with laptop discussing business continuity plan

If disaster were to strike your company, does your small and medium-business (SMB) have a strong plan in place? Surprisingly, 48% of small businesses operate without a continuity plan. And because of COVID, 41% of businesses needed to close—demonstrating that those companies potentially did not have an effective plan in place in case of disaster.

The best way to ensure business continuity for SMBs in Alabama is to have a comprehensive strategy in place. This plan should be designed to help your business recover from any type of disruption, whether it is a natural disaster, power outage, data loss, or another type of crisis.

What Threats Are Alabama Businesses Facing?

Alabama businesses face a number of physical and cyber threats. For example, physical threats can include fires, floods, and storms which could damage hardware and equipment. When natural disasters occur, 40% of small businesses never reopen and 25% of reopened businesses fail within a year.

Equally serious, cyber threats can include ransomware attacks, malware, and data breaches. Cyber threats can cost businesses $10,000 in professional services and lead to downtime as employees wait for things to go back to normal.

Businesses need to have a plan in place to ensure that they can continue operations in a disaster.

What is Business Continuity Planning and Why Does it Matter?

Business continuity planning is the process of creating a strategy to ensure that a business can continue operating during or post-disaster. This includes plans for recovering data, restarting operations, and communicating with employees.

Planning is important because it can help businesses avoid downtime and keep their operations running smoothly. It can also help businesses recover from a disaster more quickly, but a poorly executed continuity plan can cost businesses over $10,000 or lead to a permanent close.

On the other hand, a well-executed continuity plan can help businesses minimize the damage caused by a disaster and keep their operations running without major setbacks.

How to Start Your Business Continuity Plan

There are a few key things to keep in mind when starting your business continuity plan:

1. Assess the Risks

The first step is to assess the risks that your business faces. Consider identifying the potential disasters that could occur, as well as the likelihood of them occurring.

2. Create A Plan

Once you have identified the risks, you need to create a plan for how to deal with them. This should include steps for recovering data, restarting operations, and communicating with employees.

3. Partner with a Specialized, Local IT Provider 

Local IT providers who specialize in business continuity planning can help you create a plan that is tailored to your specific needs. They best understand the hazards your company faces and can also provide guidance on how to implement and test your plan.

4. Test Your Business Continuity Strategy

Once you have created the plan, test it to make sure it is effective. Try simulating a disaster and seeing how well the plan works. If your plan needs improvement in certain areas, revise and test again.

5. Make Sure All Employees Are Aware of the Plan

In the event of a disaster, it is important that all employees are aware of the company continuity plan. This includes knowing where to find and follow the plan, as well as who to contact in case of an emergency.

6. Review and Update Your Continuity Plan Regularly

It’s important to review and update the business continuity plan on a regular basis. Ensuring that it stays up-to-date and effective is crucial for a solid recovery.

Planning for the worst means the best is still ahead—if you prepare your business, you can keep growing and thriving in the face of uncertainty.

Partner with Fresh Managed IT Today!

If you are looking for a comprehensive and reliable business continuity solution, partner with Fresh Managed IT

We are a local IT provider that specializes in business continuity planning. We will work with you to create a plan that fits your specific needs and ensure that your business can continue operations in the event of a disaster. Contact us today to get started!