The Importance of IT Support for Small Business Continuity

Business continuity is a complex, multifaceted concern, especially for small business owners. And in this digital age, continuity relies heavily on IT planning and support. Since it’s October and both local teams are in the title chase, let’s use a baseball analogy to illustrate this point. The Mets made a dramatic turnaround from 22-33 for the first two months to the best record in the league the rest of the way. No player embodied that reversal more than Francisco Lindor, who looked washed up in April and May, but emerged as a strong MVP candidate by season’s end. However, in the last week of the season, Lindor, the engine of the Mets offense and the heart of its defense, went down with a back injury, missing several games the club would need to win to secure a playoff berth. The call went down to AAA, and Luisangel Acuña responded, ably fielding Lindor’s position at shortstop and hitting .308 with three home runs in 14 games. Now, that’s continuity!

Does your business have a continuity plan?

A comprehensive continuity plan allows your business to meet a crisis head on and continue operations until normality is restored. The key components of such a plan include:

• Risk assessment — Your company must conduct an audit to identify your areas of vulnerability. For many small businesses, where the owner/operator is central to all activity, the main concern is a crisis of capacity. What happens if the company’s principal is suddenly unable to perform? Other areas of concern include a catastrophic data breach/loss and supply chain disruption.
• Disaster recovery — Recently, with Hurricane Helene, we’ve seen the damage a powerful storm can inflict on communities. Other potential disasters include fires, terrorism, workplace violence, pandemic shutdowns, and data breaches. To be truly comprehensive, your disaster recovery continuity plan must address all foreseeable scenarios.
• Chain of command — Major disruptions cause paralyzing confusion. Since delays in your response can only make the situation worse, company leadership must understand their roles in various scenarios.
• Communication — Getting pertinent information to key personnel is imperative. Protocols as simple as a phone tree can keep your company from floundering when decisive steps are necessary.
• Testing and training — A plan that stays in a file cabinet is useless. Ongoing employee training can eliminate many of the human errors that create or exacerbate a crisis.

A continuity plan is like an insurance policy. You hope you never have to use it, but you shouldn’t operate without it.

How managed IT services fit into a comprehensive business continuity plan

Many small businesses put off developing a business continuity plan because it feels like they have to reinvent the wheel. Fortunately, there are experienced professionals you can consult for every aspect of your continuity plan. For example, you can speak to a business attorney about an emergency succession plan to guard against the sudden loss of a principal in the company. Because IT is not just an area of vulnerability but a powerful tool for recovery, you should speak to a knowledgeable IT professional about leveraging your digital network to enhance your company’s resilience. At KMF Technologies, we advise businesses of all sizes on using technology to strengthen business continuity, including:

• Infrastructure — We can assess your current IT configuration to identify potential weaknesses that could cause or worsen a disruption.
• Data backup and recovery — We offer a range of secure data backup solutions that enable timely disaster recovery, so you can be up and running quickly after a catastrophic event.
• Remote access — We can provide cloud-based solutions that enable your employees to continue working productively if your physical workspace becomes inaccessible.
• Ongoing maintenance — Our team monitors your network and updates your security protocols to keep you one step ahead of the bad guys. Our services mitigate your risk of disruption from hardware failures or cyberattacks.
• Employee training and ‘round the clock support — Most cyberattacks succeed because unwary workers make an inadvertent error. We train your people in best practices for cyber security. We can also run tests of your business continuity protocols to ensure that all principal actors know their roles in a moment of crisis. Finally, we’re available to assist when you need us.
• Physical security — Technology can greatly enhance the physical security of any workspace. We can assess your needs and recommend appropriate solutions.

As much as business IT enables performance, it also creates dependence. Any business that relies on a digital network must take the necessary steps to ensure that its network can respond in a crisis. At KMF Technologies, we help companies like yours prepare for and respond to potential disasters to ensure a smooth and timely recovery. Call us at 973-323-2500 or contact us online today.