Hurricane season is here and we are seeing more and more hurricane preparedness information; from updating home insurance, collecting materials and supplies, to planning for evacuation. There is so much available information on how to protect your family and home, that if a hurricane does tear through your area, knock on wood, you have no excuse not to be prepared. But what happens to your business? Information on how to protect your business during the hurricane season is not as easily accessible, but it is just as important.
Disaster Recovery planning can be vital to companies, especially here in Houston, during the hurricane seasons. It may be too late to protect your data and other assets if you wait until the “rain drops [start] falling on your head”, as B.J. Thomas would say. Are you part of the 65% of small to medium businesses that does not have a disaster recovery plan in place? If you are, are you also aware that according to research by the University of Texas, only six percent of companies survive a catastrophic data loss, while 43% never reopen and 51% close within two years? Those odds are not very reassuring.
Most companies are still recovering from budget cuts and do not see the value in investing in disaster recovery. We can understand their point of view. Nobody wants to pay for something they won’t use. But how can you be sure you won’t need it? Like insurance, a solid disaster recovery plan is a good value even if you never need it. But it’s priceless if you do!
So what is the next excuse that we’ve come across as to why companies do not invest in proper disaster recovery planning? Our favorite excuses include:
- “My IT guy says our data is backed up, so I don’t worry.”
- “Our IT department is doing the best they can and we do not have time to learn and implement a new process.”
- “I know we should, but we can’t afford what our IT guy says we need to do.”
- “I’ve talked to the “experts” and it all seems so complicated.”
George Black, President and CEO here at 3coast, treats the company like a family member. There is no way he would just take somebody’s word for something this important. Running a business is a lot of work, and it would be devastating to watch it all get washed away because a short cut was taken. 3coast, a Managed IT Service provider, has witnessed many companies turning to us once they get themselves in the middle of a sticky situation. Of course we help them get back on track, but that takes more time and money than a preemptive strike!
We recommend that you, as a business owner, do your homework or partner with an IT company that has. 3coast offers our clients a range of Business Continuity Planning and Disaster Recovery planning and implementation services so they have one less thing to worry about. Wouldn’t it help you to have experts handle the difficult stuff?
During this hurricane season, 3coast’s clients will be singing…
“Raindrops keep fallin’ on my head
But that doesn’t mean my eyes will soon be turnin’ red
Cryin’s not for me
‘Cause I’m never gonna stop the rain by complainin’
Because I’m free
Nothin’s worryin’ me”
Hear the entire song so you can sing along when you have your disaster recovery plan in place: “Raindrops Keep Falling on my Head“