Unforeseen disasters can temporarily shut down a business. This period of temporary shutdown is known as downtime and can be very damaging to a company’s finances and reputation. There are many disasters that can cause downtime. Here are the top five causes and how you can protect against them.
IT problems
Today, most companies depend on computers and software to operate. When this IT fails, it can stop the company from having the ability to operate, leading to downtime.
Not all IT problems are serious, but without knowing how to handle them, they can be debilitating. this list The 10 most common IT support issues provides information on some of the most common errors and how to fix them. Training your staff to handle this can stop downtime.
In most cases, the best defense is to have an IT technician either in-house or on call. Outsourced IT support is commonly cheaper than hiring in-house staff – such an outsourcer can be given access to your computer allowing them to fix bugs and glitches remotely.
Of course, you can stop many software problems from occurring by investing in reliable software. By reading reviews, you can be sure that the program you are using is reliable. Making sure your software is updated and your machine is correctly powered down can even stop errors such as software crashes.
IT issues can even extend to the hardware. Investing in a good quality computer and knowing when to replace it (normally after five years) can stop hardware faults from occurring. It’s also worth investing in a good quality wi-fi service and router – lack of internet connection can even result in downtime.
Broken equipment
Computers aren’t the only piece of material your company may depend on to function. There may be other equipment that may be needed for your business – if this breaks, you could experience downtime. This could include an oven breakdown in a restaurant kitchen or a tree surgeon’s chainsaw failure.
Purchasing reliable equipment may stop errors. You can judge the reliability of the equipment by read reviews beforehand and buy equipment from a respectable source.
Maintaining and repairing equipment can even be a way to stop breakdowns. Tracking wear can even warn you when to replace a tool – this lets you buy a replacement before your tool is fully worn out, so you can then switch to a new tool without downtime.
For certain somewhat inexpensive pieces of material, you can even buy spare parts such as a spare printer in the office or a spare wrench in the toolbox. If one piece of material fails, you can switch to a backup and ensure continuity.
Power outage
Power outages can even temporarily shut down a business. Almost all modern businesses depend on electricity to function and without electricity it would be impossible to use machines. Some machines can even cause serious financial damage without power – for example, if a restaurant freezer does not have power, all the food in it can be thawed and then must be thrown away.
The source of a power outage may be beyond your company’s control – it could be a power line failure or a power plant fault. As a result, the best way to stop power outages is to invest in backup power sources. It can be a gasoline generator, 10kva diesel generators, or renewable resources like solar generators. This guide to purchasing a commercial backup generator worth reading if you do not have already got a backup generator.
Bad weather/natural disasters
Bad weather and natural disasters can even cause downtime. This can range from something as mild as heavy snow preventing people from working to something more serious such as a flood destroying company buildings and equipment. In the latter case, the damage may be so great that the company may not recover fully.
Natural disasters can sometimes be prevented. If your business is based in a high-risk flood zone, invest flood protection measures can help stop floodwater from damaging your premises and equipment.
Using the cloud can even help ensure business continuity by enabling critical information to be backed up remotely. If your computer crashes, it means you can still access important data and rebuild your business. If bad weather prevents employees from getting to work, the cloud also allows employees to continue working from home.
Cyber theft/crime
Theft of business funds, equipment or data can even cause downtime. This can include physical theft or cybertheft. Without this important resource, you may find that you’re unable to operate.
The most evident way to avoid this form of downtime is to make business security a precedence. Small businesses are often targeted by thieves because they most probably have insufficient security measures in place. Simply having a security guard in place can be a deterrent even if it is never used.
There are many forms of physical security. Installing a burglar alarm can help stop break-ins in your premises. Meanwhile, security cameras and motion sensor lights can be useful deterrents, making it harder for thieves to break into your establishment without being seen.
Meanwhile, with regards to digital security, having a powerful antivirus software is a must. You should also make sure that your password is consistently strong – this guide How to Create a Strong Password (And Remember Them) might be worth reading. Backing up all data in the cloud is also important – if important data is stolen, it can stop your business from having the ability to operate.
You must implement security protocols and make sure that all of your employees are trained in these. Such a protocol could involve teaching key employees how to set and disable a burglar alarm or warning employees not to open certain suspicious emails.
