Getting Back To Business
After a fire, flood, or major structural damage to your business, the team at Decker Restoration recommends following these steps to get your business fully functional as quickly as possible:
Check your lease. If the property is not accessible for an extended
period, are you liable for rent? If so, renegotiate this point at renewal.
Develop a list of disaster restoration agencies and services and the name of a company with a certified restorer on staff, especially if you have documents, communications and electronic equipment threatened.
Videotape company assets before a storm or at regular intervals and take the tape off-site for storage. In case of an extended power failure it should not be in a bank vault. Make sure your place of business is secured. Board windows and other entrances to your business. Criminals monitor police radio, and may arrive to loot the damaged business.
Check your insurance, the name of the agent, phone, and fax and have this information on disk off-site. Do you know what you are really insured for? The federal government (800-427-4661) sells flood insurance. Rising water and earthquakes are hardly ever covered. Find a certified restorer. Criminals also pose as restorers to gain access to businesses and steal property. Always ask your insurance adjuster for references from customers or professional credentials from anyone wanting to restore your property.
Hard-to-reconstruct and confidential files, personnel information, client
lists, payables and receivables should be backed up on computer and stored
off-site on a regular basis. For Internet-dependent business, check out the new
recovery program by Internet service provider UUNET (800-488-6384 or the IBM
Business Recover service (800-599) 9950). They are not inexpensive, but are a
lifesaver for companies that could close if cut off from the net for more than a
few days. Contact all media representatives that covered the disaster at your
business. Tell them that you are open for business, and ask if they are
interested in a human-interest follow-up story. Your customers may assume that
you are out of business if they only see the story about the disaster. Try to
obtain a follow-up story that will let your customers know that you are still
open for business. Contact community papers or newsletters as well.
Keep your employee roster current, including pager, cell-phone, home phone
numbers and emergency contact numbers. Talk to the police and/or fire department
spokesperson for a list of media contacts they spoke with about your business.
Make a list of these contacts.
Maintain a list of customers so they don't feel abandoned when you are temporarily shut down. If you have promised product, service or delivery, contact them immediately. Contract with a restoration company that can get you in business quickly-optimally, within 24 to 48 hours for minor damage.
Contact your suppliers, your customers, neighborhood groups, such as community centers, churches, or business groups to place notices on bulletin boards about sales and discounts at your business. Offer "Fire Sale," "Under the Sea," or "Pardon our Dust," discounts to customers.
Print inexpensive coupons or flyers to offer customers, passersby, or to
place on cars in nearby parking lots. Ask nearby businesses if they will keep a
supply for their customers to see, and pick up. If more than one business has
been affected by the disaster, work together to split costs and maximize the
manpower available to let customers know you're still in business.
