Does your business have a recovery plan? Most businesses don’t. General business recovery must be planned for or your business will be at risk of a catastrophic failure. Recovering your business after an event, such as a natural disaster, starts with preparing for any and all worst-case scenarios. Here are some steps you can take to protect your business and develop a general business recovery plan.
Addressing Issues
The first thing you should do to protect your business is address issues like roofing problems. Roofing services can repair your roofing problems, replace your roof if necessary, and ensure that your property is protected. A faulty roof system can’t withstand the elements.
Roofing problems put your business at risk and can impact the potential for recovery after a storm. Addressing the problem with your roof can circumvent any future problems you can experience after a severe weather event. Besides, a roofing issue is affecting your day-to-day business. Finding a local roofer to promptly address your roof’s issues can help you gain peace of mind and ensure your customers aren’t impacted.
Get your roof fixed and have professionals make any other necessary repairs so you can stay focused on your core business and ensure that your business can recover after a weather event. Prevention is the key to a seamless general business recovery. Invest in repairs and address the issues that affect your business’s property. It’s good for your business now and it will be good for your business after a disaster event.
Extreme Weather Protection
In the spirit of prevention being better than a cure, if your business is in an area where serious risky weather events are common, high impact windows may be a good preventive measure. General business recovery depends heavily on preventing damage to your business. According to Architectural Digest, high impact windows can withstand winds up to 200mph, which are equivalent to a level five hurricane.
These windows can also help improve your business’s security by protecting against debris thrown at your windows and against forced entry. Unfortunately, after a storm, looting often occurs. High-impact windows can help protect your business from people with nefarious intentions.
Taking steps to protect your business now will ensure that your recovery operations are easier after the storm. Upgrading your windows will prevent damage to the interior of your business, keep unauthorized people out, and simplify cleanup. Preparing your business to stand up to the storm is the best way to ensure that your business can recover.
Securing Resources Locally
After a natural disaster, finding resources to support business continuity can be difficult, unless you already have established relationships with providers. Remember, after a natural disaster, it’s not only your business that will be scrambling to recover. Every business will be in the same boat. However, suppose you have an established relationship with a provider for local propane deliveries and other services. In that case, you are far more likely to be at the top of the list for services.
General business recovery after a storm will require that you have resources ready to assist. Forming relationships with businesses that service your business is essential. It’s also important that you read through your agreement with suppliers to better understand what happens when a natural disaster or other event shuts down businesses.
How quickly do services resume? Should the business not be able to supply you with resources immediately, is there a specific procedure in place? Essential services like propane delivery will typically have a plan in place should a natural disaster or other event suspends services. You need to know what this plan is in order to prepare accordingly.
Ensuring that you have enough resources before the storm is a good way to ensure your business can recover from an event. Pay attention to warnings and advisories and act quickly to ensure you have the necessary resources. Don’t wait until the last minute or try to ride out the event. Preparation is key to business recovery success.
Necessary Projects
Addressing some necessary projects ensures general business recovery and can help save you money on your day-to-day operations. For example, spray foam insulation will reduce energy costs for your business operations and keep wind and rain out during a storm. Simple improvements to your business property will ensure that you take every necessary step to protect your business now and in the future.
Other necessary projects you should get out of the way include repairing plumbing, electrical, and other infrastructure. Getting all the projects done as needed will ensure that business continuity is possible after an event. Business recovery is simplified when you have all the projects that need to be accomplished done.
Don’t put off projects that improve your business property. You never know what events are headed your way. Delaying improvements can leave you in a terrible position after a natural disaster. It’s best to keep up with your improvements and other projects to stay prepared.
Handling Pest Problems
Every business should partner with extermination services whether they currently have a pest problem or not. Pests can wreak havoc on your business. They’re not only a nuisance, but they also carry disease, can be destructive, and don’t help your business make the best impression on customers, employees, and visitors.
Pest control is a must for every brick-and-mortar business. Getting ahead of the problem is the best way to deal with the problem. Regularly scheduled pest control services will eliminate any current problems and ensure that future problems don’t appear. Being proactive about pest control is good for your business.
Of course, forming a relationship with a pest control service now will ensure if your business is affected by a natural disaster, the service will be responsive to your needs. Pest problems typically escalate after a natural disaster. It’s a good idea to have a professional on your team to manage your pest control needs.
Proactive Problem Solving
The two things that are associated with severely damaging storms are wind and rain. Those two elements can destroy a business. Being proactive about waterproofing your business now will help your business recover after the storm. Waterproofing companies have the skill set to reduce the risk of water damage to your business.
It’s especially important for businesses in low-lying areas to enlist the help of waterproofing professionals. Many businesses store overflow stock, equipment, and tools in their basement areas. Flood damage in the basement can be avoided by taking advantage of waterproofing services. Waterproofing is not only essential to protect your goods from severe weather threats, but it also protects them from all types of weather events.
Successful general business recovery after a storm is highly dependent on how much effort must go into storm damage cleanup. You can greatly reduce the amount of time it takes to clean up after a storm with preemptive waterproofing services. Waterproofing services will reduce the amount of time that it takes to get back to work.
Finding Help to Protect Your Health
Whenever there is a heavy dose of moisture that builds up, there is a risk that mold will develop. For example, if you have had to close your business for even a few days and moisture was left in the building from a storm or other event, there is a good chance you will return to a mold issue. Mold can take hold and flourish quickly. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, mold can form 24 to 48 hours after a surface becomes damp.
Mold can be a tremendous health risk. A mold remediation company can help address the issue before it grows out of control. While getting back to work may be at the forefront of your thoughts, you never want to put anyone’s health at risk, including your own. Remediation services will ensure that your property is safe for everyone to return.
The right services can quickly remove the mold and ensure that it doesn’t come back. General business recovery can be stressful for everyone and adding health worries on top of that isn’t worth it. Get the help you need to clear out the mold and have a safe environment to work in. Don’t risk your health, it will only compound problems.
Motivating Your Team
After an event that threatens your business, it can be difficult to get your team back up to speed. After all these events are not just affecting your business, they’re likely affecting the lives of your employees. Getting your team back on track is essential to general business recovery. Sometimes you need outside help to motivate everyone again.
A small business speaker that specializes in motivating employees may be just what your business needs to get employees back in the groove. A charismatic speaker can ignite your team and get them focused on productivity. Sometimes all it takes to get people motivated is to make a connection with someone outside the organization that has had a similar experience.
Keeping spirits up after a natural disaster or other event is essential. Everyone is in recovery mode which can leave them feeling listless. Enlisting the help of a professional motivational speaker can help keep your team on track and help reinvigorate them after a disaster.
Major Repairs
You may have some major repairs that need to be addressed before you can move on with general business recovery. In some cases, it’s not a natural event that takes your business by surprise. For example, a sewer backup can easily shut down your business. A sewer repair company can take care of the problem, but you still may have some cleanup to attend to that will keep your business closed for a few days.
It’s essential that you have major repairs done before you initiate your business recovery plan. Trying to work in the midst of major repairs can be very difficult. Additionally, there are certain risk factors that every business should avoid. There is a higher risk of employee injury during major repairs. Keeping your business closed until the repairs can be made will reduce the risks.
If at all possible, you may need to have employees work remotely until the repairs are done. If that is not an option, you may have to just wait for the repairs to be completed before you can all get back to work. Employee safety should always be a priority. Keeping everyone safe and getting the major repairs done will ensure that your business is ready to fully recover.
Updating the Space
There’s a silver lining to storm damage. While you may be standing in the middle of the mess and feel like all is lost, it can be an opportunity. You should have business insurance and property insurance for your business. Insurance will cover a large portion of the damages. This may be a great time to consider upgrading the property using the insurance money.
For example, a new carpet installation service will provide you with the floor replacement that you have been thinking about for a while. You can also repaint your business or add some new furniture to revamp its aesthetic. You can’t control everything, but you can make the best of the situation by looking at it as an opportunity.
Staying positive throughout the event and having a plan for general business recovery will ensure that you, your employees, and your business come out on the other side of the event, still standing and growing the business. Even if the skies are sunny and clear, start developing a plan today for how your business will recover after any event. Don’t risk your business by not being prepared. A plan will provide you with peace of mind knowing you’re prepared for anything that comes your way. Learn more about how you can prepare your business when the unexpected happens.
