Filed under: Knowledge, Software | Tags: business continuity, business continuity software, Continuity of Operations, disaster recovery software, DRJ Spring World, Florida, KingsBridge Disaster Recovery, Learning Tree International, Orlando, Phoenix software
You’ve got through the first month of 2011… Honestly, how did you do with your New Year’s Resolutions? Chances are, like the rest of us, these resolutions fell by the wayside and you quickly returned to your regular routine. Well, now is the time to use February as your second chance.
Take a look back at that list of New Year’s Resolutions. I’m guessing that there were items on your “professional” resolution list such as: more productivity, employee retention, hit all sales numbers, engage current clients, follow-up with all company/product requests, build brand awareness, etc. These are all excellent resolutions for each and every business – regardless of your vertical. The interesting aspect to these resolutions is the hidden common thread: business continuity and disaster recovery planning.
Without an effective business continuity and disaster recovery plan, it really doesn’t matter if you achieve all of your resolutions. Why? Well to put it bluntly – your business won’t survive its first interruption in production, communication, or development. For example, an interruption in your Internet access combined with a power outage can result in a drop in productivity, being forced to lay-off employees due to lack of sales, and a loss of customers and current clients because you cannot fulfill orders and respond to Internet-based requests.
Fascinating isn’t it how one seemingly innocent power outage or loss of Internet connectivity can send your company into a tailspin and result in severe ramifications…
It is February 1, 2011. Make this your “New Year”. Sit down and write down your real professional resolutions. Analyze this list and set priorities. Make sure for your sake and those of your employees and current clients that something like: update disaster recovery plan, introduce disaster recovery and business continuity planning to our infrastructure, and learn about effective disaster recovery planning.
Alright, I have to go. We’ve got our own list of resolutions here at KingsBridge. No time like the present to get busy and help companies like yourself learn how we can help you meet your resolutions….
(Want to learn about disaster recovery planning? Feel like going to Florida in March? How does Disney World sound? Our thoughts exactly… Check out our 1.5 day course at the Disaster Recovery Journal Spring World show: Disaster Recovery Planning: Ensuring Business Continuity.)
About KingsBridge
KingsBridge offers private businesses and government organizations a unique combination of industry knowledge and cost-effective disaster recovery / business continuity solutions. KingsBridge products and seminars provide the tools to assess possible threats and create tailored plans which mitigate risks and minimize losses in the event of a disruption to business. Kingsbridge is headquartered in Ogdensburg, New York, with offices in Ottawa, Canada and Burlington, Vermont. For more information visit us at http://www.DisasterRecovery.com.
Filed under: Knowledge, Software | Tags: British Colombia, business continuity software, business disaster, business impact analysis, disaster, disaster preparation, disaster recovery software, DRJ Sprin World, earthquakes, Florida, KingsBridge Disaster Recovery, Learning Tree International, natural disasters, Orlando
On Wednesday, the province of British Colombia lead by example. Over 420,000 people participated in a province-wide earthquake drill.
At 10 a.m., radio stations through-out the province sounded an alarm and students, office workers, clergy, and church-goers, dove under desks, tables and other stable and sturdy pieces of furniture and hung on for a minute to simulate what to do when the expected big earthquake hits British Colombia.
The purpose of this province-wide drill was to create awareness amongst citizens of what to do when an earthquake hits. The main goal being to emphasize that leaving a shaking building is the worst thing to do. Called “The Great British Colombia Shakeout”, this drill on Wednesday highlights how important it is to be prepared and aware of what to do when disaster strikes.
In addition to this drill, the province has also ensured that public buildings are safer and better designed to withstand the effects of an earthquake. British Colombia is located in a geographical zone that is prone to earthquakes.
So, what can we learn from British Colombia? Essentially, there is no time like the present to identify the threats to your home, business, schools and community as a whole and then the next step is to determine how to prepare yourself to respond to these threats. Imagine if all provinces in Canada followed British Colombia’s lead – Alberta could prepare for the inevitable winter cold snap, Saskatchewan could determine how best to respond to a drought, Manitoba could be ready for the flooding of the Red River, Ontario could be ready for the next ice storm, Quebec could prepare for the springtime floods, New Brunswick could be ready for the early winter storms, Nova Scotia could respond to the high winds, Newfoundland could be ready to face the winter storms, Prince Edward Island could face the high winds and flooding, and Yukon, Northwest Territories and Nunavut could be ready to face the severe cold of the winter.
Sometime to think about it isn’t. Every year we are impacted by the effects of natural disasters – make 2011 the year that you’re ready to respond.
(To read more about the initiatives in British Colombia, follow these links: CBC News, earthquake drills, and earthquake facts.)
P.S. This the perfect reason to register for our 1.5 day course at the DRJ Spring World show in Orlando, Florida. Learn the essentials of disaster recovery planning from us – leading experts with more than 25 years of hands-on experience.
About KingsBridge
KingsBridge offers private businesses and government organizations a unique combination of industry knowledge and cost-effective disaster recovery / business continuity solutions. KingsBridge products and seminars provide the tools to assess possible threats and create tailored plans which mitigate risks and minimize losses in the event of a disruption to business. Kingsbridge is headquartered in Ogdensburg, New York, with offices in Ottawa, Canada and Burlington, Vermont. For more information visit us at http://www.DisasterRecovery.com.
Filed under: Knowledge, Software | Tags: business continuity, business disaster, disaster recovery, disaster recovery course, disaster recovery software, DRJ SpringWorld, education, Florida, KingsBridge Disaster Recovery, Learning Tree International, Orlando
Ouch, have you looked at the thermometer lately? With temperatures in the minus 25 to 30 range, parts of Canada and the United States are in a deep freeze. Some people will shrug off this cold and simply say “it is part of life in Canada and the United States. Not a big deal really,” but luckily, you know better. Right?
This cold weather can and is impacting your business. Everything seems to slow down with the cold. Employees are getting into the office a bit later – their cars won’t start, the public transit system is delayed, they really just didn’t feel like leaving the house, their kid’s school bus was canceled. Some employees won’t even making it in for those same reasons – no alternative means of transportation, kid’s school is closed, public transit is too slow in this weather. And then there are the burst water pipes, the frozen sidewalks and driveways, and the general feeling of malaise that seems to come on with the cold.
So if this is how your employees are being impacted by the cold, think of the trickle-down effect in your business. Late employees or missing employees results in less productivity – impacting your bottom-line. Now look at your suppliers – same problem – their employees are coming in late or not at all – now your supplier is behind schedule – how will this impact your ability to get your product or service out the door to your customers?
Something to think about while trying to stay warm with a steaming mug of hot chocolate… Is this cold snap a disaster or threat? Not really – but it does have an impact on your business. Bottom line is you need to be running at top efficiency and productivity at all times. With this cold weather, you simply can’t be. So what to do?
Now is the perfect time to look at your disaster recovery and business continuity plan. Do you have home phone numbers for all your key employees? Are these employees equipped to work from home if they can’t get into the office? What about child care arrangements at your office? What is your back-up plan with your suppliers if they can’t deliver their products or services on time? Are you prepared should the pipes burst in your office? Do you have off-site data storage? What about your warehouses – has someone dropped by to make sure the heating is still working properly?
See, while the cold weather might not be a disaster or threat per se, it still does have a big impact on your ability to run your business. Our recommendation for surviving this cold snap, sit down and look at your plan – make sure all of the above are covered.
Soon enough the sun will be shining and we’ll all be complaining about the summer heat, but until then, make sure your business is ready and able to survive this cold snap.
(P.S. speaking of heat – did you know we’re holding a 1.5 day course at the Disaster Recovery Journal Spring World show in Orlando, Florida in March? Escape the cold and take our course and learn the essentials of disaster recovery and business continuity planning.)
