The Importance Of Preparing Your Business For Emergency Situations

There are a few health and safety precautions that practically every business should practice without even thinking about it. Having clearly designated emergency exits, an easy-to-locate first-aid kit and conducting periodic fire drills are just a few of the most important ones. However, it’s also wise for business owners to prepare for the worst. Of course, no one ever hopes to experience an emergency situation so bad that it could be both life and business-threatening. But – prepare for the cliché – it’s definitely better to be safe than sorry!

What steps should be taken to prepare your business for emergency situations?

Step #1: Educate your entire staff.

What good is a plan to handle an emergency if everyone on your team isn’t aware of it? Proper training is imperative. Each one of your employees and co-workers should be fully informed about his/her role in the event of an emergency. As Nancy Harris points out in The Globe and Mail, for any emergency plan to be successful, employees must know the procedures it describes.

“Only share sensitive information in the plan with those who need to know it, but do share general actions and perform emergency drills and exercises,” she advises, “The more prepared they are for an emergency, the more they will be able to help your business respond and recover from such a situation.”

Step #2: Consult an expert for help.

No one expects you to be an expert at how to handle a fire in your office or how to respond to an incidence of burglary. There are a variety of unfortunate circumstances that may impact your business and being ready for them may require the assistance of a professional.

Rebecca Edwards of Business In Vancouver reminds us that it’s best to get some professional guidance. “Overwhelmed by the thought of resolving power failures, computer viruses, winter storms, a major earthquake, forest fires or a pandemic?” she asks, “A trained emergency-management professional can offer a fresh perspective on how to weather the storm.”

Step #3: Create a business continuity plan.

What will life be like after the emergency? How will your business rebound from it? These are important questions to answer in order for your company to flourish after a major setback. “This is where a business continuity plan comes into play,” says Harris, “It is a proactive plan that ensures that operations continue during a disruption.”

At Synergy Merchants, we know how important it is for Canadian business owners to get their hands on extra working capital in order to bounce back from emergency situations. Our merchant cash advance program is designed to help merchants rebound as quickly as possible as we’re able to fund them with the money they need within 24 hours!

By no means is the above list a comprehensive one. But, we do know that the steps that we have been outlined are necessary to help business owners get back on their feet following emergency situations. And, at Synergy Merchants, we take great pride in helping business owners who need to get back on their feet.

For more information about our merchant cash advance program or to speak with one of our licensed funding specialists to get a free, no obligation quote, simply call Synergy Merchants at 1-877-718-2026 or email us at info@synergymerchants.com.