Archive for October, 2011
Preparedness for the Small Business
From time to time, I’m asked to talk to groups of business folks with small operations, family owned businesses, home-based operations, and owener operated enterprises. Here is the substance of an hour’s talk:
Think About It:
- There IS A 9 OUT OF 10 chance that your business
will go out of business for good if you are not prepared for a major disaster. - If you are injured or become unable to work as a
result of a disaster, the chances are even higher that your doors will close. - If you are unable to conduct business after 2
weeks of being closed, you probably won’t reopen. - Most businesses that depend upon daily cash flow
have a permanent loss of revenue when the business is closed. - Most operator/owner run businesses will have
permanent loss from any revenue or loss not covered by insurance and for the
length of time it takes for the insurance to pay off. - Most owner/operators have chosen not to pay for
L&I, unemployment and other public assistance. - Power and other utility services can be
interrupted for up to 2 weeks. - Banks will not honor lines of credit and cash
loans without proof of payment
now. - Customers are fickle – many of them take their
business to other providers and not come back. - The emotional and operational cost of a
lost dollar is 3 times – it takes $3 to overcome the cost of losing $1
GET READY:
- If you have to shut down for 3 days – and you
know it – list 5 things that you will do for your business? - Working SMART for your business:
- S – STRATEGIC – STAY in business
- M – MANAGE – the MOST important things – People, Assets, Business Capability
- A – ACCOUNTS – Customers, Bank, Vendors, Payroll
- R – RESOURCES – Back ups, Extras, Credit, Funds, Alternates, Fixes
- T-TIME and TALENT - Prioritize, Authorize. Improvise, Back to Strategize
SYSTEMS THAT MUST BE IN PLACE:
- The ability to communicate with Staff, Customers and Key Stakeholders
- The capability to continue, restore and restart the provision of services or selling of products
- The ability operate business process including:banking, ordering,
etc
PLANS and HOW TO’s WHEN THINGS ARE NOT NORMAL
- How are we going to manage ongoing business
- How are we going to assess damage and impacts – to our people, our place of operation, our assets and our capabilities
- How are we going to restart operations if interrupted
- Is there a way to recovery that which has been lost?
Tips on Damage Assessment
- Have a list of everything that could be broken or lost – through a video capture, lists and photos.
- Take photos and make notations of all lost, broken, damaged, and ruined assets
- Get estimates for repair and replacement
- Work with insurance reps to prepare reports/claims -
- Know the policy provisions and meet any insurance requirements
BACK IN BIZ???
Advertise and announce to EVERYONE – customers will return!
SOME THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND:
- Have more than 1 cell phone and email
- Keep customer contact records backed and available
- Accounts receivable – you want to keep that backed up
- Accounts payable – pay people first
- Have back up signatures and power of attorney so
that someone can run your business - Have alternate suppliers and be prepared to provide temporary solutions to customers
- If you cannot provide a service, be ready to make a decision about your current jobs – either pay for a substitute or plan to recompense your customers
- Read all your insurance document NOW – make sure
you understand it
If all is lost – spend quiet time rethinking your business – sometimes you can restart and sometimes you can start over. Get legal advice, if needed.
Remember – a Crisis is ALWAYS an Opportunity
Jan Decker – 253 261 2704
Using Video to Train Yourself
Video is a wonderful media and tool for every organization to train yourselves in crisis management and crisis communication, including outreach and media interviews. When you link up with a fabulous professional who is also affordable, like Chris McKenna with www.mckennavideo.com, you are able to train yourselves and your people in several layers:
- We set up simulated interviews using our “Roving Reporter” and our Camera Man. We start with IMPROMPTU interviews which are live camera with a slightly aggressive approach from the Reporter. This type of practice is the best way to train yourself for such an encounter. You go through our 1 hour tips and echniques for impromptu interviews, learn your own media management from your own Crisis Communications Plan (if you don’t have one – you need to prepare one) and then you practice – real life on the video. We let you try it again and again until you are comfortable with your response and publish the one or two best “takes”. You get to learn, think about, practice and then see your best.
- We also set up Extemporaneous Interviews in which you KNOW in advance (maybe not much time – but enough to prepare yourself) that you will be interviewed. Again we go through the tips and techniques of talking to a report in a stand up interview about a crisis that your organization is experiencing. This, again, is OLYMPIC style practice – you train yourself to think ahead on what you will say, how you will say it and get to practice with our ROVING REPORTER. We give you the video (edited for best take) and you then see yourself on camera. There is no better way to get this experience and expertise without actually being in the interview. SEE A MISTAKE – no problem – you can critique yourself and you will immediately better AT EVERY public speaking opportunity you have.
- We set up NEWS ANCHOR broadcasts about your company and the situation and then call you – you get live, over the phone, interview practice. We video you as you talk on the phone – you see yourself, hear yourself and relive the experience.
- We set up at your own PRESS Conference and have you give your statement and then ask you questions – this is great for the TEAM as you can decide who will answer the questions and give you the experience again, of thinking through your answer BEFORE you answer.
We couldn’t do any of this without the video – it takes an excellent professional videographer and his/her professional studio to shoot the video, process the raw video, edit into BEST TAKES and enhance the audio, and then put it together into your own training production.
Thinking about doing this?? Give me a call – Jan Decker – I’ll chat with you about how we – Jan Decker with Crisis Management Consulting and Chris McKenna with McKenna Video – work as a team for your organization. We are good at what we do – affordable – and on YOUR SIDE – our services help you do what you do looking and sounding your best! Jan Decker 253 261 2704.