Natural disasters can be catastrophic. Unfortunately, in various parts of the world and mostly those that experience extreme temperatures, it is not uncommon for them to happen. From the 2010 Haiti earthquake disaster to the recent 2020 California wildfires sparked by thunderstorms, it is clear that natural disasters bring about unimaginable losses and fatalities.

Floods, earthquakes, wildfires, storms, and landslides are some of the most occurring natural disasters. Others such as volcanic eruptions are rare but are equally catastrophic.

Natural disasters have a detrimental impact on humans. It often leads to death, human displacement, scarcity of food, a shutdown of businesses as well as physical and psychological pain.

Despite there being various ill-effects of natural disasters, today we are going to base our focus on the impact of natural disasters on businesses, and what to do when disaster strikes.

The Impact of Natural Disasters To A Business

As much as the intensity of natural disasters varies from one catastrophe to the other, they still have an adverse effect on the business. Especially for small and medium enterprises, a single natural disaster occurrence is enough to paralyze company processes as well as lead to a shutdown of the business.

Additionally, if your supply chain solely relies on a certain area that has suffered a natural disaster, expect a disruption of company operations.

Besides, a loss of equipment, clientele, personnel, and damaged buildings are other consequences of natural disasters to a business

What To Do To Get Back Up?

Natural disasters occur unannounced. Even those that weather forecasts highlight, it is almost always too late to act.

The success of a business is not only determined by the amount of profit the company makes but also by how prepared the company is in case of disasters and other unprecedented issues.

As such, entrepreneurs should seek natural disaster recovery services, which aim at business re-establishment and building the company back up.

Getting a business back to the pre-disaster state is not a walk in the park. It requires proper planning as well as co-operation.

The process

When your business is hit hard by a natural disaster, you need to rebuild the business sooner rather than later.

It is for this reason that we highlight the step-by-step process of rebuilding your business.

Let us delve into specifics.

• Do you want the original or a newer design?

After a disaster strikes, you want to consider whether you want to have the previous design or are looking to incorporate fresher designs. If you opt for the latter, you can check out inspirations from various construction designs in magazines and on the internet.

To ensure it is constructed according to the stipulated guidelines, it is best to seek the services of professional structural engineers. These experts will be a vital addition to your team as they offer invaluable advice to ensure your business premises has a good layout, is safe, and functional.

• Get permits

As much as you are rebuilding your business, getting permits from relevant authorities is imperative. Permits are normally issued depending on the scope of work, among other things.

Different states have their regulations and construction requirements. If you are rebuilding in the same place, authorities need to conduct investigations to see if the area is safe. Natural disasters such as floods, earthquakes, and landslides might compromise the safety of a location, making it a safety hazard to locals.

Also, keep in mind that permits cost money, so it is best to go prepared.

• Choose service providers

Before the commencement of any project, there is a need for proper planning. For starters, you need to look for service providers. Write down all the services you are likely to need. All these depend on the extent of the damage.

Your choice of service providers is vital. You need one that is well conversant with your requirements and also, your business operations. For instance, if a tornado or earthquake wreaked havoc on your company’s gate, do not settle for any repairman. A company like commercial gate repairs Dallas offers impeccable gate repair and installation services.

When conducting interviews, go for service providers or contractors with whom you can develop realistic expectations. They also need to have good communication skills. Also, as much as you may have budgetary constraints, never overlook their capabilities for the cost.

• Financial Situation

Natural disasters are nothing short of expensive. The destruction of property and the loss of equipment is enough to send even the most successful company into a financial crisis.

So, as you plan to rebuild your business, you need to consider your current financial situation. For starters, you must look at your scope of work to see the best way to remain cost-effective.

For instance, if your air conditioner has minor problems, there is no need to purchase another one. The best and most cost-effective decision is to opt for commercial air conditioning repair services.

Apart from considering the total costs of the rebuilding project, also factor in the operating capital the business needs once the company is up and running. By doing so, you allow for proper preparations, which facilitate a smooth running and completion of the project.

• Concrete demolitions

Unfortunately, such catastrophes leave scars in the hearts of businessmen as well as on the walls of business premises.

For instance, earthquakes and tornadoes might leave multiple cracks on the walls or in severe cases, bring down the building, only leaving a few places intact. However, before the commencement of any concrete works, you need to assess the situation and come up with the best way to handle the crisis.

With the help of other construction professionals, you need to decide as to whether you will undertake complete concrete removal or only repair the affected areas. If there are only thin cracks on the walls, repairing the concrete is a cost-effective idea. However, if the disaster caused multiple cracks or a frost heave to appear, concrete removal is your best option. The same applies when a part of the whole concrete structure was brought down.

• Start the construction project

As builders and contractors get to work, as the business owner, you should be there to supervise. Be sure to delegate and ensure that the contractors use the right materials.

To minimize the chances of suffering such a great impact in case of another future catastrophe, use sturdy and high-quality materials. If you can go for better quality than what you previously used, the better.

• Come up with a disaster recovery plan

Disasters, whether natural or man-made, may happen. So, to avoid or minimize the consequences of another disaster, it is wise to come up with a disaster recovery plan.

During the planning process, you need to identify a team of professionals that will effectively and efficiently handle the disaster recovery plan. Also, thoroughly assess the risks and determine all the critical processes that will make the disaster recovery plan a success.

Remember to specify all the procedures needed for backups as well as off-site storage procedures. This is a crucial step as ensures the safety of critical applications, among other sensitive client and company data.

Last but not least, you need to test your disaster recovery plan to see whether or not it works efficiently. In case of unsatisfactory results, you and your team need to go back to the drawing board and address any loopholes found.