Disaster Recovery Journal

Thankfully, more and more businesses are recognizing the need for business continuity plans (BCP) and disaster recovery plans (DR). This means that more companies, such as yourself actually have BCP and DR plans.

But it also means that your clients and potential clients are aware of the need for such plans… So what do you do when a potential or existing client asks to see your BCP or DR plan? Is this information private internal material or should it be made “public”?

Private or Public?

This is a tough situation to be in. On one hand, you’re lucky that you’re prepared and have considered how your company will react, survive, and maintain continuity of operations in the face of disaster or disruption. Being prepared such as you are has actually become a marketing and sales tool. When you need to differentiate your company from your competitors, you can speak about your BCP and DR plans – highlighting how you can guarantee continued service, product, and business relations in the event of a disaster. But on the flipside, often these plans involve private internal data that really is not for external knowledge.

This decision really is up to you but there are a few measures you can take to ensure that all parties are happy and protected:

·       Non-Disclosure Agreement – the client should sign such a document before seeing your plans

·       Excerpt the plan – you don’t need to show your client the full plan. Rather excerpt it and highlight the key points that emphasize how you are prepared

·       Table of Contents only – showing your client the table of contents is an excellent overview of your plan and gives you some easy talking points

·       FAQ – prepare an list of questions and answers for the client that address how you handle specific situations

·       Contact Information – give the client a reliable set of contact information. This way if something does happy, the client has peace of mind of knowing that he can contact you when he needs to

The Client

Of course this brings up an interesting question – what about the client? Is your client prepared with a BCP and DR plan? It is worth asking this question as well… Remember, business is a two-way street – you need to guarantee continued service but you also want assurances of a consistent revenue stream.

If you’re prepared, but your client isn’t, now you’re the one left without knowing if in the event of a disaster, your client will be able to maintain business, continue to generate revenue and in turn pay invoices and continue to be a revenue for you.

So when a client asks for your BCP or DR plan, be sure to do the same of your client. Both of you can rest easy at night knowing that you’re working with reliable and forward-thinking businesses. Being prepared goes a long way in protecting your business and confirming to outside eyes that you’re here to stay for the long-term.

About KingsBridge

KingsBridge offers private businesses and government organizations a unique combination of industry knowledge and cost-effective disaster recovery / business continuity solutions. KingsBridge products and seminars provide the tools to assess possible threats and create tailored plans which mitigate risks and minimize losses in the event of a disruption to business. Kingsbridge is headquartered in Ogdensburg, New York, with offices in Ottawa, Canada and Burlington, Vermont. For more information visit us at www.DisasterRecovery.com.