How to create a FREE Business Continuity Plan

How many companies think of putting in place a business continuity plan? Generally it won’t be many unless:

1. An insurer has specified you must have one.
2. A bank insists you need one.
3. You have regulatory guidelines to observe.
4. You are very prepared.
5. You have experienced the downtime, cost and losses caused by being unprepared in a crisis.

Like most decisions, carrying out the task of business continuity planning itself is not too difficult but making the decision itself tends to take up time and of course if not actioned quickly, it gets put on the pile and quickly slips down, down, down as other priorities supersede it.

There are many things that can create a crisis from phone/broadband and utility lines going down. People being ill, access to the office denied and many others.

The good news is that you don't need to think of all the different reasons or causes of a crisis, just get in touch with your local council, insurer or bank and they should be able to provide you with a free template to use which outlines the majority of crisis situations and will make you think what you might need to do in the event of any of those situations.

The Business Continuity Plan will also make you consider who in your organisation will be appointed to manage various tasks that are required in such times.

It might take a a day or a week to fully log who is responsible and to consider what actions you will take when crisis hits and this should be considered an investment of time. It will help focus you and all others involved, it will make you feel more prepared and most importantly it will give you a plan of action to have available to help keep your business ticking over when disaster comes knocking.

Any reduction in downtime, stress and inconvenience is a massive relief and especially in these times when retaining business can be tough.

Be in touch with the organisations noted and they will only be too happy to help and provide any advice you need. Support is out there and its free business continuity support, what can be better?