A Disaster Recovery Plan For A Homebased Business, How Important Is It?

WHAT IS A DISASTER RECOVERY PLAN?

It is a detailed plan of what to do in the event of a disaster; it has vital information pertaining to your business; and helps you get your home business back up and operating as quickly as possible.

WHAT SHOULD A DISASTER RECOVERY PLAN INCLUDE?

Administrative information should be all company information, a list of clients and their information, and insurance and banking information. You will also need a list for all your equipment, supplies, and software. These should all have the pertinent information to easily replace everything. A copy should be made of everything mentioned above and a copy kept outside of your home: either in a safety deposit box or the home of a family member or friend.

Backing up your data should be done in a few ways. Always backup your data on to a CD, DVD or Tape. This is a very important step if your computer develops a virus or crashes, not if your home is damaged, so it should not be your only form of backup. An external drive is another way to backup your data, especially if have extensive and sensitive data. Again another important step but it is not effective if your hard drive is stolen or destroyed. The last part of the backup is to have offsite back up service. They are completely secure (encrypted) to protect privacy, quick and easy data recovery, works with most already installed software, continuously backs up your data without slowing down your computer, and every home-based businesses should have this service. All the above should be researched to find what best fits your needs.

WHAT ABOUT INSURANCE?

Did you know many home-based businesses do not have proper insurance? With some insurance companies, if they are not aware of a home based business and something happens your house insurance may become null and void. Do you have the right insurance policy for your needs? Are you sure your business insurance covers you for emergency compensation to purchase equipment and supplies to quickly get your business up and running? Research what is best for you

WHAT ARE OTHER THINGS TO CONSIDER?

You will also need to have in place a temporary office location, either a hotel with computer access or family member or friend. You do not want to have to think about this should the need arise. You will also need to have someone you trust to run your business should you be unable to for a while. They would need an extensive procedure manual with all your clients information.

HAVE YOU THOUGHT ABOUT THESE SCENARIOS?

Every year people lose irreplaceable files, many hard drives crash in their first year, there are more than 1 million viruses in circulation right now, and once stolen, very few laptops are ever recovered.
What about natural disasters? Thousands of home businesses are affected each year by fires, floods, and tornados, just to mention a few.

If something happened today, would you be able to get your business back up and running quickly? Would others know how to contact your clients if something happened to you? A Disaster Recovery Plan is essential for your homebased business. So start working on your plan today!