Tops to help your business survive natural disaster, from SCORE

Disaster can strike any business at any time, including equipment failures, thefts, accidents or natural disasters. SCORE "Counselors to America's Small Business" offers expert mentoring and workshops that can help a business prepare for and recover from a disaster.

These tips from SCORE can help you make sure your business is ready for a disaster.
•            Prepare a disaster recovery plan. The plan should include phone numbers and email addresses of all employees; bank, insurance and leasing information; customer information; and any information vital for running the business. Employees should know what steps to take during an emergency.
•            Keep the lines of communication open. Contact your employees to make sure they are safe and well. Update them on the status of your business and the potential impact to their employment and income. Reassure customers that you are working to deal with the situation.
•            Review your business insurance coverage, and contact your insurance carrier to schedule an appraisal. You should have coverage not only for property damage and loss, including inventory, but also for business interruption.
•            Put a backup computer system in place. You should have programs, files and duplicate records, including accounts receivable and client information, at a separate, safe location.
•            Learn about funding available for disaster recovery. Research U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) backed loans that can help you rebuild. Loans to businesses of all sizes are available up to $1.5 million to repair damage to real estate and replace machinery, equipment and inventory. Economic Injury Disaster Loans help qualified businesses unable to pay bills or meet operations.

SCORE recently updated information online with free mentoring, tools and checklists, plus links to state and federal resources, at www.score.org/disaster_preparedness.html. In addition, SCORE and HP are hosting a series of free workshops across the country, "For the Good of Your Business—Surviving Challenging Times." Learn more at www.score.org/HP_events.html .

Since 1964, SCORE "Counselors to America's Small Business" has helped more than 8.4 million aspiring entrepreneurs and small business owners through counseling and business workshops. More than 11,200 volunteer business counselors in 370 chapters serve their communities through entrepreneur education dedicated to the formation, growth and success of small businesses.