At 11:42am this morning a 5.4 earthquake hit Orange, Los Angeles and Riverside County.
When it hit, I was on a conference call, trying to absorb Microsoft’s presentation about a new marketing program being offered to Microsoft Dynamics Channel Partners. A big jolt made me decide to temporarily abandon the telephone for the security of the door frame. The house seemed to shake forever…..but in truth, the Orange County earthquake only lasted about 20 seconds. It was a scary 20 seconds to be sure, but in the end, a pretty harmless 20 seconds - just enough to get my heart racing.
After I calmed down, finished that call and the one that followed it, I started thinking about the earthquake. An earthquake is not exactly a surprise, especially if you live in California. You always know that an earthquake could happen any day, but it’s always a surprise when the earthquake hits. Orange County earthquakes are a predictable disaster.
Isn’t the same thing true for business? For example, you know your employees will quit. Their departure is also a “predictable disaster.” It is a fact of business. Employees move on; no one will stay with you forever, but you don’t know when they’lll quit or how they’ll leave. Typically employees provide two weeks notice, but what if an employee were to become (heaven forbid) deathly ill? You wouldn’t get 2 weeks. What would you do? How would you handle it?
What about your clients? What would you do if the client that basically keeps your business in the black were to move on and work with someone else? Would your business leave with them, or could you survive?
After thinking about emergencies and business, I’ve decided there is something to be said for those elementary school drills that tell you what to do when emergencies happen. The people - the companies - that survive are the ones who are prepared for the emergency.
Are you prepared?
- Do you have central files where everyone stores critical client data?
- Do you back up all your data - even remote employees’ laptops?
- Is your back up stored offsite or online?
- Do you have your key procedures documented?
- Do you have a network of other people you could hire if a key employee left?
- Do you make sure to diversify your client portfolio?
- Do you have insurance?
The time to be thinking of these things is now - BEFOREyour company has a predictable disaster. And to all my Orange County and Los Angeles friends, I hope you are OK. Let’s NOT do that again!
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