The "New Business Normalcy" - The Post-Flood Challenge

We are in our 10th day post-flood.   The floodwaters have either receded or have been extracted by now from businesses.  Throughout the Midstate, business owners and employees have seen their firm go from "business as usual" to the very bottom of the chasm that needs to be bridged.   Early estimates are that over 1600 businesses have been affected in the Metro Nashville area alone.  Business owners are in conversation with the insurance adjusters and with federal entities such as the Small Business Administration and are learning first hand what it means when it is said that insurance doesn't make you "whole" following a disaster.  With steely nerve and coordinated effort, business leadership realizes that that they must minimize the time from "business normalcy" to the "new business normalcy."

Today's blog is on what we call in business continuity planning as the recovery site.   Right now, employees maybe working from home around their kitchen table.  That works for about five days, but if it will be awhile before your business is up and running, a more permanent alternate should be identified.

Here are some things to consider when it comes to establishing a recovery site:   

1. Consider issues such as accessibility, number of staff that can be housed, existing technology, and the ability to add technology to the site.
2. Remember your primary goal is to create a work environment that will satisfy the needs of your clients and generate revenue.  That is your new business normalcy.
3. You may need to use a combination of recovery sites due to the cost and availability of different options.  It would be wonderful to have your entire company relocate to a new building and resume business but that may not be affordable or possible.  Remember what your most mission critical business functions are and focus upon these first and the key people who staff these functions.
4. You will need to consider two types of Recovery Sites.  The first type is where your employees will be able to work.  The second type is where you will locate your technology. 
5. As to employee recovery sites, the options are many and may include a work area at a separate location or at a third party business recovery site.  With my clients, I often use a commercial real estate agent who maintains an inventory of available spaces which could be used as a "cold site" or "warm site" should my business client face a business interruption.
6. As to  your technology recovery sites, there are many firms in the Midstate that specialize in providing a secure hosting facility.  For a relative low cost/benefit ratio, you can have your data copied on a near real-time basis to their facility and equipment or you can rack your own servers.

New business normalcy is attained when you are once again satisfying the needs of your clients and generating revenue.  If you weren't prepared with a business continuity plan, you will be slowed in the process of generating revenue; however, knowing that every day you are closing the gap towards the "new normalcy" will be a huge relief!  

I invite you to post a comment of your successes in getting your business back on its feet or if you have a question.