Reducing Risks for Small Business Owners | SERVPRO® of Gwinnett County South
3/18/2020 (Permalink)
Understanding your risks as a business owner is an important part of keeping your investment protected. Being prepared for all sorts of risks is a wise move, but unfortunately, many business owners are not adequately prepared for natural disasters.
Natural disasters are becoming a more frequent occurrence throughout the country, and while certain areas might be more vulnerable than others, one can happen at any time in any part of the world. That is why it is important for business owners to know what they will do when a disaster becomes imminent as well as how to handle the lingering effects of one in order to restore your business and minimize the interruption in operations.
1. Double-Check Your Insurance
Every insurance policy is different, but in many cases, a single business policy is not enough. Catastrophic events such as natural disasters are often beyond the scope of coverage for insurance claims, requiring business owners to purchase extra commercial policies for their business to make sure they are protected.
2. Create Your Action Plan
Because evacuation orders are often only given with moments’ notice, it is important to have a clear-cut plan for what you will do as soon as it is time to escape. Create a document that details the location of emergency supplies, pathways of evacuation and how to get to local shelters to seek safety. Knowing these points in advance will help you move quickly when necessary, allowing for a smooth transition once a disaster is nearby.
3. Rehearse Drills and Prepare Staff
Preparing your staff for an emergency is another important aspect of business ownership, as it helps keep your employees safe and lessens your own liability in the process. Training staff on the procedures for emergency action and scheduling regular workplace drills to go over various scenarios will help everyone be safer in a disaster scenario.
4. Choose a Restoration Company to Work With
Minimizing an interruption in operations is one of the smartest strategies for business owners after a disaster, and deciding which restoration company you will work with in advance is a great way to do this. This will allow you to place the call immediately—especially if your company has a 24⁄7 emergency line—so you are able to resume your business operations quickly.
If you need to pick a commercial restoration company that’s right for you, call us today! We can tell you all about what sets our process apart.