Their premises have been vandalized. During the incident a wash basin was pulled away from the wall and the spraying water damaged computers, documents and stock.
The keyword of staff soon left by job insecurity. The insurance check did finally arrive but by that time frustrated customers had been won over by a competitor.
How many of your members are vulnerable to the same weaknesses? Is your a wide ranging topic but put simply it is is daunting for many people. about trying to avoid bad things happening to your business but not a plan in case they do. The example above highlights a number of business continuity issues:
- Premises: keep them secure, reduce the dangers within them, have alternatives ready where you can carry on critical business activities Eg working from home or sharing some space with another business.
- Information: ensure you keep copies up to date and check you can actually use them Eg you have the right software on the other computer.
- People: ensure replacements for key staff can be brought quickly up to speed by ensuring that knowledge is being captured Eg training manuals, staff shadowing sessions and handover procedures.
- Have alternatives researched and ready to approach. If you do have problems keep the customer informed about how you are overcoming them.
Offering information and support on business continuity management has a variety There are many kinds of hints, tips and solutions, can's the difference of coping and collapsing when disaster strikes. of benefits for your members:
- They can save money by reducing the cost of disruptions and emergencies.
- They can make money by convincing new customers that they are resilient and reliable.
The benefits for trade associations offering information and support on business continuity management include;
- Enhancing their status as a source of help and guidance for their members.
- Ensuring their members meet with opponents and remain members for years to come.
- Generating opportunities to cross sell other member offerings; insurance, help lines, training events.
Trade associations can deliver business continuity information using a variety of possible methods;
Can they share the knowledge. Can they share information?
b) Facilitation of buddy schemes Eg members mentoring one another or acting as observers during testing of disaster plans.
c) Facilitation of mutual aid schemes. Eg members offering each other assistance during a crisis.
d) Negotiating member discounts on business continuity services and products. (This can be any service or product that aids resilience of the members).
e) Seminars and events in Eg local authorities now have a statutory duty to promote business continuity to local businesses.
f) Templates and checklists that their members can use. Eg emergency phone number checklist.
Trade associations are ideally placed to deliver the kind of objective and relevant business continuity information. Their relationship an opportunity for trade associations to enhance their role and to add real value to their members.
