Seven tips for implementing effective business continuity plans

1. Work it out

Don’t sign up to anything before you know what it is you really need to achieve in the event of a disaster. Some businesses can cope with just their customer service department, some require one key member of each department, while others prefer all staff to continue working remotely. Ask yourself, ‘If it all goes wrong, do I need my business to work exactly as it does today or could I survive with a skeleton of staff performing the core functions?’

2. Analyse, analyse and analyse again

It is vital to ensure that you analyse your business thoroughly on an objective level before going ahead with a Business Continuity Plan. You may think you know roughly which systems you need and how many desks you require but instead of doing a rough estimate, sit down and ensure that the Business Continuity Plan mirrors exactly what the operational requirements are.

3. Budget buster

Keep control of your budget. As a small business, it is very easy to let the budget get out of control. Bear in mind that all you really need is a practical solution to give staff and customers confidence. With the technologies in the market place today, it need not cost a huge amount of money.

4. Testing, testing…

Once you have your Business Continuity Plan written, ensure it is properly tested. Too many companies have systems in place that never get tested. In a disaster scenario, you need to know your plan will work, or you could be left floundering around while your business crumbles.

5. Keep it up!
Once you have a Business Continuity Plan that you know works, keep it up to date! Don’t, under any circumstances, let it gather dust in a back room filing cabinet. Your business is constantly evolving, therefore so must your Business Continuity Plan.

6. Staff stuff

Ensure all of your staff are aware of the plan and their roles within it. Too often, the Business Continuity Plan is compiled only by senior management and the IT department. It is then either poorly communicated or, as staff come and go, it is not a part of the induction process for new personnel. This can mean that gradually, less and less is known about the plan until staff are completely in the dark.

7. If you’ve got it, flaunt it
Having a robust, tested and appropriate Business Continuity Plan is a selling tool to any business. Once you have achieved it, be sure to make existing and potential customers aware of the security you offer their supply chain.