HOW TO PREPARE YOUR BUSINESS FOR HURRICANE SEASON
With forecasters predicting the 2022 hurricane season to be one with above-normal activity, it’s time to ensure you have prepared your business to act quickly should you find yourself in the path of a storm. With these tips, you can keep not only your team but also your business operations safe and secure, with as few disruptions as possible.
- Create a plan of action and distribute it.
While you may think a few days before a hurricane hits is enough time to fully prepare, it is imperative to have a plan in place beforehand. Storms can be unpredictable and not having something outlined ahead of time only leaves you susceptible. Your plan should include how you anticipate to monitor storms and give updates to your team, how you plan to communicate and maintain continuity should you lose power and who will do what to ensure all of your important documents and information is secure. Simply having a plan is only the first step – Next, it’s important to test it to make sure everything runs smoothly and that there are no gaps in the process. Lastly, you’ll need to make sure every one of your team members has documentation of the plan should it need to be put in place.
- Secure all of your important assets.
When we say all assets, we mean ALL – your people, your facilities, and of course, your data and electrical equipment. Make sure you have an up-to-date contact list of everyone on your team and any important third-party partners so that it’s easy to check in and ensure that they have all of the equipment they need to be able to work remotely if necessary. Assess your physical location to identify any areas of improvement, such as a leaky roof or window, and invest in shutters or plywood, and sandbags to mitigate potential damage. For your important equipment, unplug your computers and servers and store them in a high place. Make sure your data is properly protected, backed up and accessible remotely should your location lose power.
- Stay in constant communication.
With everything in place, all that’s left is to be sure you stay on top of what’s going on in your area, communicate it as best you can with your team and your customers, and act in a fluid manner. Utilizing a VoIP cloud-based communication system is one way to integrate all of your business operations in one place. It’ll store all of your information in a cloud that’s accessible to anyone, anywhere, even if the power in your office goes down. Interested in learning more about this service, our IT management offerings or our generator installation and management capabilities? Contact us to guarantee that you are fully prepared for the unexpected.