Contingency Planning

Martha Warner Author

Make sure your clients aren’t left in the dark! Prepare a contingency plan.

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Photo by Yibei Geng on Unsplash

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Are you a planner? An overthinker? An obsessive analyzer?

If you said yes or no, you might be missing out on a key plan in your business: CONTINGENCY PLAN.

A contingency plan is a backup plan in case something happens. While I recommend everyone have a solid plan in place in case of any emergency situation, business owners have a responsibility to their clients and customers to put a plan in place.

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Scenario 1

Your laptop finally gives in. You have your phone, but you broke that screen months ago. Now, you have to replace your phone and your laptop, but it’s going to take a few days to get both in order.

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What are you going to do? Ghost everyone for a few days and try to repair your relationship later?

Instead, initiate a clear and concise plan.

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Scenario 2

Your town is devastated by a tornado. Trees are down everywhere, and power and internet services are out. You have a brick and mortar building that isn’t damaged, but you can’t get to it and don’t know how to contact all of your employees.

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What are you going to do? Leave your employees wondering if you care about their safety or if they have a job?

Instead, put your plan in action.

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Scenario 3

You are in a car accident. The first few days are a roller coaster. Your family is by your side, but you have to undergo several surgeries. You’re going to be in the hospital for weeks at least.

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What are you going to do? Let your business suffer and hope you can figure it out? Close your business for a period of time and suffer the financial implications of closing?

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Instead, engage your contingency plan. No one wants these situations, and it’s difficult to think about and to prepare for them. That’s why I did it for you!

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I created a simple, 3-step contingency plan process, complete with script templates to help you prepare yourself, your family, your team, and your business in case of an issue.

• Internet/technical issues--access is limited for a few days

• Natural disasters--home/life+ is limited for a few days

• Illness or death--body/mind+ is limited for a few days or more

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Wondering how?

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Step-by-step

Step 1

Designate someone (a VA or OBM) who can contact your clients as a representative for your business. This person should have a list of all of your clients and their contact information.

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Step 2

Designate someone outside of your immediate family to contact your person from step 1 as a family representative. This person (or these people) should have contact information for your business representative but should be close enough to the family member in step 3 that they would naturally be a person contacted.

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Step 3

Designate someone in your immediate family to contact your person (or people) from step 2. For my process, my son and/or my husband contact my son’s friend (my mentor) and/or my friend (and client) respectively. Those two contact my OBM who then contacts my clients.

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If you’re just not sure what to include, consider purchasing my Disaster Planning and Emergency Guide. For $10, you get a step-by-step, fillable pdf to complete, including scripts for everyone involved. You can even purchase one for your favorite business owner.

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Don’t leave clients in the dark. Prepare your emergency plan before it’s too late.

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