Thursday, July 29, 2010

Beginning The Journey

Many executives are reluctant to begin the Emergency Planning game. Many more of those who are reluctant are small to medium size business owners. They see more money being spent than can be justified by the perceived Return on Investment. They see hours upon hours of time being spent on a plan that could be spent generating more business, and growing their client base. So really again, they see dollars, but this time dollars not being generated.

I see their point of view, to a degree.

Capital is the life blood of business. It is why business begis, what keeps it going, pays salaries, bills and helps business expand. So, spending money on an Emergency Plan is a low priority. The arguemet is that, in all likelyhood, they will never need to call upon that plan. Depending on location, many of the "disasters" plans cover are unlikely. These men and women would argue that they watch whats going on, and take steps as they need too, so a plan is just tied up capital. Why bother to make a plan for what is a statisical annomaly? The answer is in remembering the events of September 11th, 2001.

Who would have dreamed that men would fly 2 loaded airliners into those buildings? Who would have dreamed that those buildings would have collapsed from fires? If smeone had suggested even a remote possibility of it happening, people would have said they were just making stuff up to justify their jobs or the expenditure.

It did happen. And one would think that message would still ring loud and clear; that "stuff" happens. Those that had plans for other reasons came through those dark days ruffled, but strong. Many of those without plans arent around to do business any longer. and that is the point. The first time (or only time if you wish) a plan needs to be activated, its paid for itself a hundred times over.

And that will be the topic of the next message; The Returns VS The Costs

Monday, July 19, 2010

So, This is Blogging

A new blog? Yes, I guess it is.


I'm not sure about blogging; I'm new to it. Frankly, this intimidates me a little. Ask me to present a training session on WHMIS, not a problem. Extoll in person the benefits of creating, testing and maintaining Emergency Management Plans, equally as simple. You can even ask me to participate and run a Cub Scout Camp, and I'l barely bat an eye. But, blogging is new to me. So kind blog reader, be kind and be gentle.


Over the next several messages, I will attempt to present to you kind reader, a logical explanation of Emergency Planning, Management and Response & Recovery. I will attempt to demonstrate how the expenditure of financial resources in the here an now will save potential millions for business in the future. I will hopefully bring away from the "darkside" of having no Emergency Plan, to the "lightside" and doing that which I firmly believe is the right thing...planning.


Before I get right into the thick of it, (which I will leave until my next blog) I want you my good reader to begin to think of Emergency Preparedness/Management/Planning as a living being. It grows, it learns, and it adapts. And, when proper attention is paid, it flourishes. That is when it really begins to pay off. The money spent initially shows its full value, and the additional costs diminish. And the best part is, you business becomes truely resillient.


There is, of course, planning for the home too. Think on it as well. Would it not be worth it to know your loved ones are as wel prepared to survive calamity as your business. (In my thoughts, it's far more important that family survives)


That's all for tonight. Start thinking about your plan, or the lack thereof, and what the cost might be to your business if some form of disaster struck tonight while you were sleeping. Try and imagine how long it would take for you to restore your Critical Business Functions (and that is way more than ust your IT/MIS group). Could you do it in say...72 hours?


Read me later, and we will begin this journey to resilliency.


Ciao:

Greg Long, President;

TEN33 Disaster Preparedness Consulting