Why do small businesses also need an IT disaster recovery plan? Contrary to what people believe, it’s not just large multinational corporations that need a disaster recovery plan. While it’s true that bigger businesses stand to lose more when IT disasters strike, small businesses would do well to invest in their own disaster recovery plan as well, with the help of a reputable IT services provider.
Let’s dive further into why small businesses also need an IT disaster recovery plan.
1. You Shouldn’t Put All Your Faith in Machines
Yes, modern IT hardware is almost resistant to failures. But there’s the operative word there: almost. The thing is, when you are running a small business, each dollar counts, and nothing will be as important as your data. Which is why an ALMOST foolproof IT infrastructure won’t cut it. In fact, it’s just begging for a natural disaster to take advantage of any weaknesses in the system. We’re not trying to scare you here (actually, come to think of it, maybe we are) but pause for a moment and contemplate: how much do you think will it cost your small business if a disaster wiped out all of your company’s data? Now compare that loss to investing in a disaster recovery plan from a reputable IT solutions provider.
It now makes sense, right?
It does make sense, but we will still point out the obvious here: the more cost-effective and responsible option for your small business would be to go tap the services of an IT solutions company to make sure your data is backed up and to make sure that your company is free from service interruptions that might stem from failures in your IT infrastructure.
So, what is the bottom line here? Sure, investing in an IT disaster recovery plan won’t come free, but in the long run? It will still save you heaps of money than if you don’t do anything and you losing EVERYTHING in the event of disasters or system failures.
2. But You Shouldn’t Put Your Faith in Humans, Either
If machines are just ALMOST foolproof, how about human beings? It gets even worse. Consider that even the most mindful IT pro can make a mistake that, at the very least, can cause wrong data entry or, at the very most, loss of data. And these instances are actually a common occurrence that can be hard to prevent or even correct.
Again, this is one important reason why small businesses also need an IT disaster recovery plan.
3. So Don’t Put Your Small Business’s Reputation at Risk
Right now you have a small business that you’re hoping to grow, but if you put your company’s reputation at risk, you can kiss goodbye to that plan. And risking your company’s reputation can be brought about by failing to deliver the services that your customers expect through—you guessed it—IT system failure or loss of data. Think about it: in this current day where instant feedback can be shared through social media, the more you should be worried about the damage that loss of valuable data can bring to your business and to your customers. This is another important reason why small businesses also need an IT disaster recovery plan.
4. Or Else, Potential Customers Might Steer Clear of Your Small Business
This fourth reason is directly connected to the third one. Imagine that you have already, unfortunately, put your business’s reputation at risk and, in the process, lost some of your current customers. Word of mouth travels fast, and who’s to say that other potential customers won’t be afraid to do business with you in the future because you didn’t have the forward-thinking mindset of planning ahead?
5. And Then, When Worse Comes to Worst, You Might Cause Your Employees to Be Disgruntled—and Leave
The fifth reason why your small business also needs an IT disaster recovery plan is that you might not just lose customers—but also lose your loyal employees as well.
For a small business, that can be the last nail on the coffin.
And we’re not exaggerating here: when something goes wrong, there’s usually a domino effect, and in this case, if your small business is struggling with a data disaster, this will obviously have a huge and negative impact on your employees. When you’re running a small business, your employees are your lifeblood. And imagine members of your staff trying to appease disgruntled customers which will, in turn, make these employees feel disgruntled themselves.
Consider what we’ve just discussed above this way: if employees in your small business are disgruntled because of their work environment because you failed to prepare for a disaster that could have been prevented by signing up for an IT disaster recovery plan, don’t you think that in the end it’s you who should shoulder the blame?
But it’s not too late, and it shouldn’t come to that. With all the reasons we’ve discussed why small businesses also need an IT disaster recovery plan, perhaps it’s high time that you planned one for your own business as well.