While the world is focused on other issues and your company may be getting back to work. There are some other things your small business may not have considered yet and hurricane season may be one of them. Taking action prior to the season starting will catapult your preparedness as well as taking some stress of re-booting your small business. So, here are a few simple things to do so that you and your company are prepared for this hurricane season.

Back Up Data

All of your essential documents need to be backed up not only on location but also have some sort of off-site storage. What I suggest is that you set an auto-update for every Thursday and come Friday morning check that it was completed. Once you have completed this update, make a copy on either a removable drive, or make sure the server is either in the Cloud or a server not in your building. This will not only help with your day-to-day operations but give security to your small business if there ever is any reason you have to work from a remote location for a while.

Alternate Power Source

With many small businesses in the area, you may find that your building already has a generator of some sort. But for others, backup power may not have been added or even thought about. My suggestion is to take a hard look at what is essential to run your business power-wise and buy a generator that is rated almost double to keep from overtaxing any unit you may purchase. If your small business resides in a building that already has something like that, be sure to test it monthly as to work out any issues beforehand.

Emergency Communication Plan

Power grids may go down and your employees or clients may be hard to communicate with. This is where you have a separate plan in place to be sure that the lines of communication stay open. This can be made as simple as keeping a business cell phone or purchasing a internet hot spot device to keep your online presence going in the event that the hard line into your business has to be shut down for construction after any damage has been done in the surrounding area.

Protect Your Property

Making sure to take precautions prior to the storm season will ensure that local hardware stores will have the materials needed to protect your business's property. Think about what it will take to board up windows and safeguard all your small business items. Be sure also to have cash on hand so that you are still able to purchase supplies and potentially pay some of your employees just in case the electronic paying system goes down for any reason. Also, take a moment to look in your buildings surrounding area and make sure if equipment or any hazards are either removed or relocated to minimize potentials threats.

Plan For After A Storm Passes

This is the time to carefully assess your surrounding area for anything that may have not yet been reported. Be sure to take plenty of pictures of any damage that has been done and expect delays from your insurance company. After the photographs have been taken, start the clean-up process and remove any hazards to provide a safe place for not only recovery efforts but also your company to get back to work and keep the wheels moving. One more thing to know if need be your small business can apply for disaster assistance if the need for capital proves to be an issue upfront in the event of a significant loss. In the end, you are making sure your preparedness has set your business up for success because it is that season.