When we think about disasters and the recovery process that follows, we tend to think about big natural disasters that hit the headlines around the world: earthquakes, floods, fires, tsunamis and terrorist attacks. Frequently causing severe destruction, disruption and, sadly far too often, loss of life, these events attract the attention of the world’s media who flock to the scene to broadcast images of events as they unfurl and then stay on to report on the clear up operation.
The recent fire at Notre Dame cathedral in Paris is a case in point. Millions of us watched in horror as the iconic spire collapsed and became engulfed in the blaze beneath. In the space of just a few hours this majestic building was largely reduced to a blackened shell. Fortunately, the gothic towers remain intact and many of the valuable artefacts inside were rescued. At the time of writing, donations to rebuild Notre Dame top three hundred million Euros and the French government have pledged to fully restore her to her former glory.
The Notre Dame fire and all the other major disasters that hit the headlines are appalling events, but they don’t have a direct impact on your business. But hopefully they do make you sit up and think about what might happen if you are hit by some sort of disaster. The truth is you should be prepared for a disaster of your own – especially as you don’t know when it might happen or what form it might take.
In all likelihood, your business won’t be impacted by a major disaster and certainly not one that hits the headlines. Most don’t. In reality, it tends to be the smaller events that have an impact on a business. Nevertheless, small events can still have a devastating impact and can be very costly. In our experience, the most likely disasters tend to be as follows:
IT and data issues
With the increasing number of cyber attacks, whether that’s data breaches, malware or viruses, all businesses need to be vigilant and ensure they have robust firewalls and appropriate online security. It’s good practice to conduct regular penetration tests, at least once a year, to identify any weaknesses so these can be addressed.
IT problems are one of the most commonly cited reasons for businesses having to shut down for a period of time. Deliberate cyber attacks are not the only cause. Failure of hardware and corrupted software are just as likely to trip up a business and cause an outage.
It may seem obvious but it’s important to renew your domain names when they are due. It’s easy to forget and could result in another business, perhaps a competitor, swooping in and taking it over.
It’s also crucial that all your data and online systems are backed up off site. Data back ups should be conducted regularly, preferably every night. This means that if something happens, data can be restored to the previous day and minimal damage is done.
Human error
Everyone makes mistakes from time to time, it’s human nature. Small mistakes can lead to expensive consequences. Accidentally clicking on the wrong button on a PC, leaning too heavily against racks of stock, taking a decision without thinking it through – all of these are examples of the kind of human error that could result in business disruption.
Burst or leaking pipes
Whether it’s pipes that have frozen in winter, burst pipes causing water to escape or pipes leaking gas, all have the same effect – your business will be forced to shut until the problem has been resolved. Depending on what has happened and how long it took to discover and then mend, you may also need to spend time clearing up until you can re-open. Events like these can be very costly for a business.
Why is it important to plan for disasters?
Many of the types of disaster we’ve talked about can’t be prevented but you can plan for them and ensure you know how to deal with them if they do occur. If you have a clear disaster recovery plan in place, you’ll know exactly what to do when it happens which means you’ll be able to resolve it much faster.
In our experience, speed of recovery is crucial to long term success. The shorter the time it takes a business to recover, the better its chances of surviving in the long term. Our message to you is this: if you want to protect your business and ensure its success, put a disaster recovery plan in place.