By George
Mwangi
With the
rise of extreme weather in recent years, have you given thought how your
business will survive a major disaster? Many companies put developing a
contingency plan off until the last minute and unfortunately pay the
price. Taking the time to set up systems to ensure that your company is
able to function in the face of unforeseen circumstance is a critical
part of business planning.
So what
exactly is disaster planning? Well, there are a number of components.
We’ll look at some of the most common.
Succession Planning/Chain of Command:
Though
you never want to think about getting ill, or passing away suddenly,
this is an important issue to think about when it comes to your
business. You should have a documented and clear succession plan,
naming individuals who would step up in the event you became temporarily
or permanently unable to run your company.
Succession planning is not just about designating a new chairman or CEO,
but also ensures that your brand image and the experience your customers
have grown to expect continue uninterrupted. So take some time to think
about who you would want running the company in your absence and
distribute a copy of your succession plan to your senior management
team.
Customer Service/Call Routing:
Another
key area to think about is customer service. In the event of a storm or
power outage, will your customers be greeted by a busy line and endless
hold times? This is seriously damaging to the customer experience and
your company as a whole. However, there are options to avoid this
scenario.
Many
companies outsource their entire customer service operations to
dedicated companies. These outsourced or “virtual” customer service
centers have a number of benefits built in. In addition to allowing the
business to maintain an efficient and low maintenance customer service
option, they have built in functionality in case of emergencies.
The best
companies will have more than one office, preferably located in
different states. This allows the different locations to cover for each
other and does not limit your ability to service your customers due to
regional weather issues.
Another
option is to use a customer service firm in the event of an emergency
only. With a virtual call center, you can set up a plan to route calls
from your office to their lines in the case of an emergency. This can
usually be done by calling into a specified number and entering a
specific code, which will then divert the calls. Using a company
outside of your geographical location provides assurance that your calls
will still be answered even if your location is hit with heavy storms or
a natural disaster.
Cash
Flow:
Last, but
not least is ensuring continued cash flow through your business in the
event of an emergency. In some circumstances, this means having an
ample reserve set aside to cover customer defaults, business expansion,
and miscellaneous unforeseen expenses. It is always important not to
run on too tight of a margin, as it does not allow you to be flexible in
meeting the needs of your company.
In
addition, it is important to have emergency and long-term contingency
plans in place. If a warehouse was destroyed or you experienced a bad
sales year, would you have ample funds to recover or see you through the
dry spell? Planning for unforeseen financial situations, as well as
natural disasters and management shakeups is a smart move and one that
may make all the difference in the your company’s ability to weather the
storm.
As the
Boy Scouts say “Be prepared.”
George
Mwangi is general manager at Call Desk Inc, (www.calldesk.com)
a privately owned customer service organization based outside Portland,
Oregon. He blogs at
calldesk.com/blog.
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