SELLING TOMORROW

Pursuant to our discussion yesterday, today our topic is Business Continuity. While Disaster Planning, Disaster Management, Disaster Recovery are all equally important, the last measure of a successful plan is Business Continuity. In reality, the first three steps are all designed to cure the last. Better stated, Business Continuity is all about being back in business as quickly as possible. One must always ask what if? Business Continuity is all about your business...............not your building.

If man or nature destroys your building or the building where you operate your business, you need to know where you will operate tomorrow.

Your business type will dictate to a degree how easy your business can resume sales.

• Businesses with inventory for sale-wholesale or retail will need a place to sell that inventory tomorrow
• Businesses based on the service industry will still have some inventory if you have a service fleet. Finding a new base of operations, even if it's on a temporary basis is easier than moving standing inventory
• Businesses whose business is leasing office space won't have a business for a while other than trying to manage the disaster, moving tenants to other buildings you manage, trying to hold on to the tenant or knowing how to legally rescind the tenant lease to allow them to move on, temporarily or permanently
• Businesses whose business if health based with patients requires special considerations

There other points to access as well:

• Is there equipment damaged that is essential to a manufacturing process?
• Is the IT information backed up and where?
• Is there power available to run my business even if my business building isn't damaged?
• If my business is multi location, can I shift part of my process elsewhere?
• If my business has a supply chain, can I stop material deliveries in route, can I direct them elsewhere?

There are PR problems that may creep onto your radar screen too. Have a critical PR firm at the ready if you have a larger company, especially if the disaster could harm the public.

I'm keeping this brief this morning as I have an early appointment so I want to leave you with the single parting question that every company will have to address first. It won't matter what type business your firm operates in, it won't matter how big or small your firm is or where your company is located and it won't matter if you are manufacturing, service, retail or wholesale. IF A DISASTER HAPPENS AT 12:00 NOON TODAY, HOW WILL YOU ANSWER THE PHONE WHEN IT RINGS AT 12:01 PM?