Reopening Your Business Following a Natural Disaster

1/23/2023 (Permalink)

Reopening your business after a natural disaster can be intimidating and exciting all at the same time. But if you don’t have a plan, it can be incredibly difficult to get back in business after even the smallest storm. Here are some ways to help mitigate the damage of any future storms and get back to business as quickly as possible. 

Create a Reopening Plan

You should plan to reopen as soon as possible. As soon as you decide in what capacity you will be able to reopen your business, follow this process:

• Create a reopening plan that is flexible but still has a timeline and specific goals for how you want to get things done. A good example is "reopen my restaurant by the end of October."
• Plan ahead for communication with customers and employees about when they can expect to return to work or resume regular customer service hours. 

Make sure that you have the necessary equipment and supplies to reopen your business. You may not be able to get the same equipment or supplies used for your previous location, so make sure you are prepared with alternative options.

Contact Your Insurance Company

Contact your insurance company immediately after a natural disaster. Whether you have general liability or business interruption insurance, be prepared to provide proof of loss for your property, equipment, and inventory.  You may need to file a claim for the damages you sustained due to the storm.

If you do not have insurance, consider getting it. Natural disasters can result in significant losses that could jeopardize your business if they go unaddressed by an effective policy like this one! 

Communicate With Customers and Employees

It is important to communicate with customers and employees on a regular basis. You can do this through social media, email newsletters, text messages, phone calls, or even in person. This will ensure that they are aware of anything new regarding the situation.

If you plan on opening your business again after the storm passes (or if it hasn't yet hit), let people know what their options are for getting back into contact with you once things have stabilized enough for your company's operations to resume as normal without interruptions.

Prepare for Future Disasters

Here are some tips to help you prepare for a future disaster:

• Create a disaster recovery plan that
• Backup of your data and systems
• Find an alternative location for your business to operate from (if possible)
• Have an emergency kit for employees
• Keep updated contact lists with phone numbers and addresses of key personnel who are not at headquarters (e.g., IT staff, HR manager) at all times so you can reach them during emergencies.

If there's one thing we learned from this article, it's that natural disasters can be very dangerous for businesses of all sizes—especially if they're unprepared for them! But there are also steps you can take now that will help protect against future losses, and even bring new opportunities into being by helping others cope with their own struggles along with yours!

If your Firestone business was affected by a natural disaster, give SERVPRO of Firestone, Platteville a call and we will help you get back to normal as quickly as possible!