There are endless uncertainties in a business, and even more so in the world we live in, so we need to think about all the things that could happen and be as prepared as possible. From natural disasters, to financial or political crises, there are many things that can complicate your day.
When your company relies on business process outsourcing services, the uncertainty can grow; this is why it is important to find the right outsourcing service provider. And the right partner is the one that can offer their clients solutions, especially disaster recovery solutions.
It is vital that every BPO company has a proper and comprehensive disaster recovery plan. To have this type of plan in place, the company should be aware of all the possible scenarios that could develop and affect your brand.
BPO companies need to develop and execute a recovery plan efficiently with you so that despite any inconvenience, your outsourced process or back office operations continue uninterrupted.
To develop an efficient disaster recovery plan that really provides solutions, the company will need to analyze all possibilities, from a power shortage to an internet failure, from a fire to an earthquake; consider all the factors and possible scenarios that could stop the workflow and work on a budget based on that disaster recovery plan; hopefully you’ll never need it, but if you do, you will be grateful to have considered these aspects beforehand.
Creating and executing the plan can be expensive for the company, but in the long run you will be ensuring the continuity of the workflow and the satisfaction of the company’s clients. A well thought plan can be executed over the course of the years, on the go, so the investment can be diluted in the annual budget.
One thing to keep always in mind is that if or when an emergency strikes, your clients will need to be informed about what is going on, to avoid panic and confusion.
To help you think about all the things that could go wrong and how to prevent them or solve as fast as possible, here are just a few main areas you may want to consider:
Work Space
Having more than one workspace, located in different countries or states can help the company guarantee continuity. It is less likely that a power outage or an earthquake or a tornado could affect more than one city at the same time.
Work Force
Employees need to be prepared to take action, they need to be trained on safety protocols and first aid, as well as evacuation routes. Also, how to react in case of any eventuality that involves the customers or production issues they are tending to.
Data Storage and Backup
It is recommended to have several backups done daily, and stored in different locations than the originals are. This may seem a bit extreme initially but it is certainly a trustworthy strategy to guarantee the data is safe.
Always try to get the full backup of the technological structure, servers, routers, switches, data storage systems, leased lines, fully backed up generators and UPS.
Security
When working online, there is an increased possibility of having data security issues. This is why investing in software security is key to developing a functional disaster recovery plan. Inside data and especially client’s information needs to be safe at all costs, all the time.
Power Supply
This is a necessity when outsourcing. All the computer, servers and technical equipment should have a power outage protection layer, so you can guarantee the safety of the equipment and the data.
It is best if the workspace can count on an extra power supply, so when there is a power outage it takes just seconds for the power supply to be up and running again.
Fire Alerts
In the company’s disaster recovery plan we need to include the installation of fire and smoke alarms, fire extinguishers, emergency exits and clear evacuation routes. By the way, you need to consider any insurance and maintenance costs as part of that disaster recovery plan to make sure you can sustain that level of tranquility.
These are just a few of the possibilities we need to be prepared to face, so think hard about all the risks and make sure to keep in mind the most important goal on a disaster recovery plan: to avoid disruptions in the company’s operations.
A reliable outsourcing company can help you have a disaster recovery plan and solutions that would minimize all the effects of an emergency and quickly get your operations back on track.
Don’t take any chances, a disaster recovery strategy is a great way to guarantee a brighter future, where your company can keep working even in the face of a major disaster, not to mention help your peace of mind.
So if you are already outsourcing or are looking to get some BPO services for your company, make sure you consider choosing companies that guarantee disaster recovery solutions to keep your business running smoothly.
