Since the beginning of June the Midwest has been hit hard by severe storms and floods.  Not only has this spate of disasters taken life but it also has begun to impact the local economies in large swatches of Oklahoma and Texas.  Currently the damage estimate is in the hundreds of millions of dollars in both personal and business losses. But with storms in the forecast, that number could easily reach the billion-dollar mark.

What many be missed in this story is how this has also impacted the techonology arm of small and mid-sized businesses.  Those that failed to heed the call for continuity planning have found themselves inadequately insured, with no back-up data systems, and without the resources necessaary to bridge the gap between today and whenever the federal assistance will kick in.  What they don't know (but should), is that many of the businesses that were wiped out by Katrina and Rita are still waiting for the federal dollar cavalry to arrive.

So here we are again sounding the alarm for business continuity planning for the local small business community.  Remember you business does not exist in isollation.  You are part of the larger web of commerce.  From product production to delivery to point of sale and reorder, i.e., the supply chain, your company contributes to the hum of the American economy.  So it is imperative that the best practices in preparing for emergencies adopted by large businesses also become the norm in the small business community. 

A year ago LINKS began talking about the potential economic hit to your bottom line from a pandemic flu, and while the media has toned down the volume on that (even though people are still dying!) we live in a world where just two weeks ago terrorists in Glasgow and London attempted to blow up significant centers of commerce in the free world--an airport and business hub.  So whether manmade or natural, it is more than prudent to make dissaster recovery a top priority for your business.

Tip of the week: establish a remote working policy for your employees.  This is a hedge against business disruption from Nature, terror or disease.  By providing employees with remote access to computer and communication systems, it not only gains in staff productivity but it also enables most businesses to continue to connect with their customers when a disaster strikes.