Survive 24
If you knew in advance that your business was going to be affected by a fire, flood or loss of utilities, denial of access, you could plan in advance to cope with the disruption and survive. Unfortunately you never know when the unexpected will happen, in what form and what affect it will have on your business.
Take denial of access for example. If you knew in advance that you would have to vacate your premises for 24 hours, you would be able to notify clients, redirect telephone calls, reorganise work schedules and delay deliveries. In addition you would be able to organise home working with remote access to your computer system and e-mails etc. By planning in advance you would keep the disruption to your business to a minimum and reduce the financial impact.
Sadly many businesses do not prepare and suffer the consequences.
How you react within the first twenty four hours (your “Golden Hours”) of an unexpected event affecting your business will influence:
- the speed your business recovers,
- the protection of your reputation,
- the protection of your market share,
- your future profitability and survival.
It is the same as the “Golden Hour” following a serious injury; correctly resuscitated and treated within the first hour, the survival rate of the patient dramatically improves.
Anything outside your control that affects the ability of your business to continue its normal trading activities is a threat to its survival.
Your business may be able to tolerate a minor period of disruption, for example when you are unable to access your premises due to adverse weather conditions or a cordon placed around an area by the emergency services.
For example, a common risk found on business and industrial parks are oxyacetylene gas bottles. Left alone or used in the proper way they pose no threat. When there is a fire near to or at premises containing oxyacetylene gas bottles the fire brigade will automatically place a two hundred metre cordon around the seat of the fire that could last twenty four hours or more. In fact there are over 1,200 fires in commercial premises in England every day. It is not known how many other companies are affected by this action but it is likely to be in the many thousands
But how well prepared are you for a major period of disruption?
A lesson learnt from the Buncefield explosion was that businesses that had relevant pieces of information safely stored away from their premises speeded up the recovery process. This can be in many forms, i.e. the simplest would be on paper or contained on an encrypted USB pen, more complicated and robust solutions are also available if appropriate.
Although we advocate that all businesses, large and small, should have a formal Business Continuity Plan there are some basic steps that can be taken now to prepare for when the unexpected does happen.
Prepare a Survive 24 folder and take it away from your office for safe but easily accessible storage elsewhere. It may only take a few hours to compile but will provide invaluable when the unexpected happens. This folder should contain:
- a plan of your premises noting where the computer equipment and or hazardous materials are stored. This is useful information for the emergency services
- a copy of your insurance documents reduces delays with the Loss Adjuster referring back to insurers in establishing the scope of cover provided. It allows you to talk with authority to the Loss Adjuster on what action can be taken now within the cover provided
- details on how to access your telephone system remotely. You may not be able to gain access to your premises, but provides you with the procedure to retrieve messages or leave an answer machine message redirecting callers to an alternative number
- details on how to access your e-mails and web site. Gaining access to your e-mails allows you to answer any urgent queries and communicate the current position to your customers and suppliers rather than them guessing what is happening. (See communications plan)
- headed paper Having a supply of headed paper mitigates the time taken for the time to print new stationery and allows for press releases etc with your corporate to the front. It looks more professional than blank paper!
- photographs of the interior and exterior of the premises. Even in a non stressed environment we can never recall everything that is inside our place of work and photographs act as an aide memoir, in addition providing documentary evidence to the insurers or Loss Adjusters. Exterior photographs confirm the construction of the premises and the good housekeeping i.e. combustibles away from the premises
- lists of key suppliers, customer information and useful contacts. Such lists are invaluable in enabling you to contact people immediately rather than compiling lists from mobile phones and or waiting for your computer information to be recreated. Rebuilding a computer system can take days. It will also provide you with the details of where you can set up a response room with the communication facilities you will need.
The above information will place you in charge of the situation provide reassurance to your customers and suppliers and is the first steps towards survival.
In addition we have prepared a selection of templates which completes the Survive 24 folder which will assist the recovery of your business.
Emergency Response Checklist
When an unexpected event does happen that threatens your business or your livelihood, it is both distressing and extremely stressful, often resulting in procedures being missed. Therefore, it is better to have a plan of action to work through that provides you with a methodical way of working through your crisis.
Include your staff in your recovery process they are a valuable asset who know your business, your clients and suppliers. It also helps to allay any fears about the potential failure of your business.
The Emergency Response Checklist is your key to recovery. It provides a step-by-step pre planned strategy to work through.
One of the most immediate tasks is setting up a temporary office where you can take control of the situation. This could be a hotel with conference facilities or even a couple of adjoining hotel rooms or serviced offices that are available immediately. They already have telephone, broadband and fax facilities and depending on how the insurance is arranged the costs incurred may well be recoverable.
Log Sheet
It is also important to have a log of the events as they unfold. This information is vital when providing details to your insurance company or statements to the authorities. It saves time and reduces any errors.
You will not remember the correct sequence of events as the unfold in the days or weeks after the event, or all people involved; the fire, police, and environmental officers; those you have asked to do certain tasks; those who have asked you to do tasks. These can then be initialled off once completed.
Have someone shadowing you completing the log so that all the information and tasks are recorded
Key Contact Sheet
- This is a list of companies and persons either key to your business and/or vital to the recovery process. If you have lost your premises or access to your computer system then the possibility is that you may have lost some or all of the contact details until your computer records are reinstated, provided you have them backed up off site.
- Although you may have these telephone numbers on your mobile phone, if you are away then there is a central list accessible by all.
- The list should contain contact details of your key customers and suppliers so that you may contact them advising them of the current position rather than them finding out third hand.
Critical Function Priority Sheet
This is a list of items or facilities/materials/equipment that you will need from day one onwards to allow you to resume trading with and will form part of the “must have list” to allow your company to recover quickly.
For example premises with three phase electricity, office space and broadband, transfer telephone lines and telephone equipment.
Computer Hardware & Software Inventory
Either print off a list of your current computer hardware and software or ask your IT provider to provide you with an inventory. Should your computer equipment become damaged it is easier to recreate a system from an inventory than not. It is also useful in providing the correct information to your insurers.
Plant & Machinery Checklist
Either take digital photographs or print out a list of your plant & machinery including office equipment and books. Prioritise which are the most critical pieces of equipment required to return your business to a viable operation. Also consider, in the immediate aftermath who could you subcontract your work to.
Press Release
Have a prepared statement that can be inserted on to your website.
Keep the login details of your web hosting provider together with instructions on how to add content and or contact details of your website designer in the Survive24 folder.
Prepare a short script that can be used by you and or your employees when initially contacting key customers and suppliers. It is better to have one positive statement going out rather than ad hoc messages with different slants on the situation.
Although the forms are generic it accepted that each business is individual and therefore should amend the press release accordingly.