Big, small, or in between, there will be times when things go wrong for every business. Some of these will even happen because of reasons totally unrelated to the actual operations of the business. Leaks, fires, power cuts, vandalism, equipment breaking down, and many more things all fall into this category.
While insurance can limit the financial impact of such events, it sure is nicer to get things up and running again as soon as possible. A great tool for this is an emergency contacts list with up-to-date contact information for reliable services and individuals who can solve issues at short notice.
This short guide will look at why such a list is very beneficial to have, and offer some advice on putting one together for your business.
The benefits of an emergency contacts list
The primary benefit of an emergency contacts list is that it is an efficient way to resolve issues which interrupt day-to-day operations.
Having a pre-approved list of contacts which your facility and business operations managers can refer to when things go awry ensures that quick fixes will actually be quick, allowing everyone to get back to their usual work faster. This is because It cuts out bottlenecks which hold things up, such as the need to seek your approval to call a certain service provider.
Then, there are indirect benefits like disruptive situations being less stressful for everyone involved. This can help employees return to work faster and in a better frame of mind, leading to fewer mistakes being made in the aftermath.
Who should be on an emergency contacts list?
A good emergency contacts list will cover many contingencies. Think about everything in your building or which your business needs in order to operate but which you do not directly control.
For example, these could be utilities such as electricity. Electricity is essential for pretty much every business because computers, lights, and machinery all rely on it. Yet it can and does go wrong. Making it easy for your staff to get 24 hour emergency electrical services will minimize the impact when it does. It will also keep your staff safer as it will stop them from trying to fix the issue themselves, which they might do if they are worried about telling their superiors about the problem.
A major risk for many modern companies is being hacked. Computer and app security is constantly under threat, and even small businesses are not exempt from being targeted. Having an IT support firm on hand can help your company take back control as quickly as possible, recover any lost data, and put systems in place to prevent it from happening again.
Another useful contact you might need in a hurry is a locksmith. Plumbers are good too. There are likely to be others you can think of which are more relevant to your industry and workplace. While it is possible today to google for help when disaster strikes, preparing in advance gives you time to find a trustworthy, reliable service.
Conclusion
Whether it’s a power outage or a data breach sometimes your business will be rocked by factors outside of your control. An emergency contacts list can help get your company back on its feet quickly.