Issue link: http://cp.revolio.com/i/142672
disaster-proof your business other things do change, like contact information on clients and suppliers, and places to find replacement equipment. Review your disaster plan at least once a year to make sure it still works for your practice." Follow your DisastEr plan "It's important to make your disaster plan a permanent part of your business philosophy," Fairbrother says. "However, it often takes another set of eyes and ears to point out the cracks in a plan, or to spot missing components. That's why you should share it with someone else, especially your employees, if you have any. They may find a flaw or an important step that you missed. "Beyond the possibility that you might owe some employees a paycheck, a business owner has little or no legal obligation to employees if the company closes due to a disaster," he says. "Still, you need to make your employees part of your disaster plan. Failing to do so will hinder your ability to get the business back up and running if the need arises." Follow these steps to prepare for a natural disaster. maintain an off-site backup of all records According to one estimate, 90 percent of all business records are now electronic. That makes protection and recovery of vital business information easier, provided a careful system of backing up is in place. Most professionals in practice have learned the importance of backing up information on their computers, but not everyone does a complete job. If you're one of the 10 percent who still has paper records, you might want to think about updating your practice and ensuring you have backup copies of those papers stored in a safe place. Stefan Dietrich, PhD, coauthor of Contingency Planning and Disaster Recovery: A Small Business Guide (John Wiley & Sons, 2002), stresses the importance of maintaining an up-to-date backup copy of critical data at an off-site location. "Unattended, automated backups are better than using CDs or flash drives," he says. "Typically, most people don't follow through with creating backups. For that reason, automated online backups to a remote location via the Internet are much better." safeguard your most precious business assets Your lists of clients, insurance companies, and vendors are the foundation for the continued health of your practice. Of all your business assets, these lists are among the most valuable and irreplaceable. You must do everything possible to make