Does your business depend on files and documents; customer, client, or patient information; or essential records? If the answer is yes, a disaster recovery plan is critical for your business.
When disaster strikes, the last thing you want to worry about is recovering all the paper files and records necessary for the business to proceed. If there were a flood or fire, you’d also be working to replace computers and office equipment, and finding a new work location.
Even if the disaster was theft or a small localized flood or fire that only damaged your files, the less time you can spend recovering information is more time you can spend on other aspects of your company.
That’s where River City Data can help. When you trust us to handle your data, you can rest assured knowing we protect it throughout any disaster. Contact River City Data to keep your company’s records, files, and other data safe, secure, and accessible through natural disasters, and cyber-attacks.
What is disaster recovery planning?
Many companies make efforts to construct a disaster recovery plan to resume operations in their business as soon as possible in the event of a disaster.
Catastrophic events, such as natural disasters, cyber-attacks, and technological equipment failure, can lead to downtime for any business. That downtime can lead to lost revenue, or worse if it threatens valuable client or patient data.
A 2015 study found that downtime that lasts for one hour can cost small companies $8,000, mid-size companies $74,000, and large companies $700,000.
Having a disaster recovery plan in place, you can reduce downtime and speed when business operations can resume.
Large tech-based corporations may have entire teams dedicated to disaster recovery. For smaller businesses, having such a group can be cost-prohibitive.
Some smaller companies try to add disaster recovery planning responsibilities to an existing employee’s task load. This shortcut often backfires, as the employee may be too busy to adequately plan for disasters or not appropriately trained in how to do so.
Hiring a data management service like River City Data can help your business prepare for the worst without placing the burden on current employees. Your employees can focus on their areas of expertise and responsibilities. The data management experts at River City Data handle the disaster recovery plan for your company’s data and records.
Whether you decide to hire a document management company to help with your disaster recovery plan or choose to forge your path, there are a few ways you can better prepare for a disaster.
Create a Priority List
Before disaster strikes, you can prepare by creating a priority list. Consider every single thing your business needs to operate.
Once you’ve listed everything, identify each item as Priority 1, Priority 2, or Priority 3.
Priority 1 items are those that are essential for your business to be up and running again. This group might include computers and specific apps that you use daily.
Priority 2 items are those that you need in a day. They aren’t the most urgent for business operations to resume, but they’re necessary for smooth sailing in the short term.
Priority 3 items are things that you can do without for at least a few days. Breaking down your business to the essential items for the operation will let you focus on a backup plan that prioritizes replacing those things.
Create a Disaster Recovery Team
This step is another that should occur long before the disaster hits. Think about the vital roles your company will need in the case of a tragic event or natural disaster.
For example, you might consider creating a disaster recovery team with the following:
- the person who relays updates to internal employees
- the person who gives updates to vendors or clients
- the person who removes all salvageable material items from the workspace
- an IT recovery director or team who is responsible for all technology
- an insurance point person, who communicates with the insurance companies
- a media (or social media) spokesperson, if warranted
- a legal liaison, if needed
It is also a good idea to assign each integral role a backup person if the primary employee is on vacation or has left the company.
Creating a structured system in which each employee knows their responsibilities expedites a swift return to business operations. The best way to help your team cope with the disruption of a disaster by being as prepared as possible.
How River City Data Can Help With the Disaster Recovery Plan for Your Business
The best thing about reaching out to River City Data for help with your disaster recovery plan? The burden you’ll feel lifted from your shoulders when you can focus on the part of your business you love instead of planning for the worst.
You can trust our team at River City Data because we’ve been in the business of protecting business records for over 40 years. We use state-of-the-art software to scan documents and have the equipment to deal with high volume records and large formats.
We also index the data using any parameters you prefer. You then choose where that indexed, searchable data is stored — and if you choose the cloud, you know that it will be accessible wherever you can access the internet.
Cloud storage is the perfect choice if you’re concerned about losing the information contained in paper records in the case of a disaster. You can control which employees and clients access what data and when. Your business will be back up and running in no time!
If you’re ready to take the first step in preparing your business for an emergency, Contact River City Data today. Ask about disaster recovery planning and sleep easy tonight, knowing your business’s crucial data is safe.
