Preparing Your Small Business for Big Disaster
As we have seen in the past few weeks, natural disasters (earthquakes, tsunamis) and man made disasters (London riots) can occur at any time and place. While most small business owners assume, or at least hope, that disaster will not happen to them, this assumption could be very dangerous. Luckily, there are easy ways to prepare your small business for disaster without affecting the success of your brand. Here are a few tips.
- Know the dangers. The first step in securing your business against disaster is to know what natural disasters might happen in your area. Don’t assume that you are earthquake-proof simply because you aren’t in California; there are fault lines all over the United States. Further, you should know whether your business lies in a flood plain and also what kinds of destructive weather may occur in your area.
- Have a plan. What will you do if disaster strikes? How will you run your small business, and from where? These are matters best dealt with before you are actually in the situation. Take steps now to ensure that you have remote access to your work files, including passwords. Keep employee contact information (including personal cell phone numbers and email addresses) in your mobile. If you have to meet in person, agree on a disaster meeting spot ahead of time.
- Conduct drills. Remember fire drills in elementary school? There is a reason they work. If you conduct periodic drills for the most common disasters in your area, you and your employees will be able to move quickly should one strike. You don’t want to waste a single second or make a wrong move when the future of your business or even human lives are at stake. Drills will ensure that everyone knows how to deal quickly and effectively with an unusual situation.
- Secure locations. Know the disasters most likely to hit your business and ensure that you have taken steps to minimize the damage should they occur. Are earthquakes a possibility in your area? Make sure tall furniture is anchored to the wall. Fire is a possibility for everyone, so be realistic about fire hazards and prevent them. Locate the gas and water shutoffs and point them out to every employee who works at your location. Make sure everyone in your facility knows how to use the fire extinguisher, where to go in case of an emergency, and generally how to deal with any disasters that might arise.
- Get insured. Many business owners assume that their small business will receive government help if they are negatively affected by a disaster. However, this is rarely sufficient. FEMA and similar programs rarely hand out cash aid; most assistance comes in the form of low interest loans that can take months or even years to go through. Insurance, on the other hand, will give you cash in hand when you need it the most. Shop around for insurance while you still have time. In addition to standard business insurance, you may want to consider business-interruption insurance that covers a loss of sales.
- Stock up. Make sure you have a first aid kit, a supply of bottled water, and nonperishable food in every location. Many people in disasters are temporarily trapped in their location; these provisions will ensure that your stay is a little more safe and comfortable.
