Imagine for a moment that all technology suddenly disappeared from the planet. All those tools and functions you carry around with you every day—from your calendar to your contact lists—are instead only available on hard copy. To reference any of this valuable information, you have to rush back to your office and manually flip through a thick three-ring binder.For the vast majority of tasks, going back to this archaic, offline approach would make no sense. After all, we have the power of modern mobile technology right in the palm of our hands. Why not make the most of it for work and social communications, meetings, calendars, to-do lists, and everything in between?
The same argument could be made for your organization’s business continuity (BC) plan. If your BC documentation is stored on your intranet or in hard-copy binders, you’re not making the most of today’s technology. As a result, the plan is simply not as accessible nor effective as it could be. Leveraging the power of mobile technology and cloud-based data storage has the power to revolutionize the way your handle BC planning—exactly as it has revolutionized other aspects of your business and personal life.
The Importance of Accessibility
In today’s business world, you would be quickly left behind if you avoided using technology. The same is true for your business continuity plan. Technology transforms a BC plan into accessible, living protocols—much different from the hard copy binders some organizations are still using. However, why is accessibility so important?
1. Binders and Intranet Portals are Vulnerable
The traditional means of storing a BC plan are not infallible. If you store key documents in binders, they are vulnerable to fire, theft, water damage and so on. On the other hand, network failure and power outages may affect electronic plans stored on company intranet portals. At best, these two options provide limited accessibility for stakeholders who suddenly find themselves in the midst of a crisis and may not be at their desks. At worst, they may not be accessible at all.
2. Companies Change
At companies large and small, employee rosters and duties are continually changing; as people join and leave, responsibilities evolve and promotions occur. These types of changes can affect business continuity in several ways. A new employee may not know where to find information on how to respond to a crisis. Or a member of the leadership team may leave the company, thereby creating a gap in responsibilities. Without reliable access to an up-to-date BC plan, these employees are left scrambling.
3. Emergencies Cause Panic
If a power outage, network failure, or even worse, fire or hurricane occurs, you need to know that all stakeholders will react in a calm, decisive manner. People panic when they don’t know what to do. Storing your BC plans in a way that makes them difficult to access or unreliable only adds to the feeling of panic. On the other hand, making key documents and information highly accessible can empower employees and others to act quickly and with confidence, which can help streamline the crisis response and mitigate the impact of the emergency.
Mobile Business Continuity Plans
Adopting platform technology makes your plans more accessible than they can be with binders or a company intranet. Each stakeholder is able to access key information from anywhere and at any time using their preferred device, even if an emergency strikes at 2 am, on a weekend. Platform-based plans can include important information, emergency checklists, contact details, incident reports, and more. All available during a network or power outage, ensuring accessibility is never compromised.
During a business-impacting incident, limited access to critical documentation can be dangerous, and confusion over roles and responsibilities can cause costly delays. Each employee, partner, and other stakeholder need to know exactly what to do during potential crises.
For a business continuity plan to be successful, your team needs 24/7 access to it. Technology is the most reliable way to make your critical documents accessible to everyone who needs them.
