Tips for small businesses to avoid network crises

Businesses are putting their profits and productivity at risk by failing to ensure that vital systems like phone and data networks are protected against threats such as power cuts and extreme weather, according to new research released today by BT.

Almost a quarter (24 per cent) of businesses surveyed said it would take them up to a week to resume business as usual following a major disruption affecting their network, 35 per cent said it would take longer than a day. This could lead to a significant loss of earnings and a drop in the level of employee productivity.

Of all the businesses surveyed, nearly three quarters admitted that they are dissatisfied with their current business continuity plan. Only three per cent were confident that their plan requires no further attention. This is despite the fact that 86 per cent of businesses recognise that preparing for potential business disruption is a key priority for their organisation. Eighty nine per cent had already experienced an incident that affected their business operations for more than a couple of hours.

Bill Murphy, managing director of BT Business, said: “While it is promising to see that many SMEs recognise the importance of planning to protect themselves against unforeseen events, more need to take the time to ensure that their plans are watertight and have been properly tested.

“Business continuity planning is vital for businesses of all sizes; it’s not just about protecting your own internal business processes against interruption, it also extends to maintaining service to your customers and ensuring that your supply chain is protected.

“Having a robust plan in place is one way of putting your business head and shoulders above the competition, providing the peace of mind that clients are looking for.”

The following practical tips suggest ways in which small businesses can plan more effectively to safeguard against disruption:

• Prevention is better than cure: insurance will help you to get back up and running but may not make up for everything you lose meantime.
• Take a step back: when assessing the priorities and potential threats to your business remember that disaster does not just mean a flood or fire – it could be theft or a virus attack.
• Look to consolidate services: working with one supplier ensures you know who is accountable.
• Check your contracts: ensure you have a level of maintenance contract or SLA that reflects the importance of the service to your business. If you cannot afford a service to be down for more than a day, make sure this is written into the agreement.
• Be practical: once developed, keep copies of a disaster recovery plan, including key contact numbers, in a variety of places.
• Test the plan regularly: if you discover a gap in your planning once disaster has struck it will be too late.