Business Continuity Planning Services

How Confident Are You in Your Business Continuity Plan?

The COVID-19 pandemic was an eye opener for businesses large and small across Houston and throughout Texas. Overnight, businesses from all walks of life were forced to change their entire business operations, find new ways to serve their customers, and for many, have their entire workforce work from home.

• Has your current IT company structured a complete business continuity solution for your organization?
• Have you tested your business continuity plan in the last 12 months and how would you grade your readiness?
• Are you ready for whatever crosses your path?

For many years, IT companies throughout Houston focused on the backup as their cornerstone to their business continuity strategies. But, business continuity is much more than just data backup and data recovery. You must consider every potential disruption or interruption as a threat to your business operations, sales, and profitability.

Over the past several years, Houston and much of Texas faced potential disaster and major interruption to business operations. For some, it was just a blip on the radar and for many, a potential business-ending scenario. Why? Simple, some were prepared for:

• Hurricane Harvey
• COVID-19
• Texas Ice Storms of 2021

All of these disasters impacted organizations in many different ways. Were you prepared? Did you have the right systems in place to ensure the continuation of your business? Was your IT company able to properly prepare you?

Sit down with I.T. Matters and discover how having a complete business continuity strategy is essential to the success of your business.

Schedule Your Initial Consultation

Key Components of Effective Business Continuity Planning Services

Business continuity planning services (BCPS) are essential for organizations to ensure their resilience and ability to operate in the face of disruptions. A robust BCPS should encompass the following key components:

Business Impact Analysis (BIA)

A thorough assessment of the potential impact of various disruptions on your business operations, including financial losses, reputational damage, and regulatory compliance issues. This analysis helps prioritize critical functions and resources that need protection.

Risk Assessment and Mitigation

Identification of potential risks, such as natural disasters, cyberattacks, and supply chain disruptions, and development of strategies to mitigate these risks. This includes implementing preventative measures, such as cybersecurity solutions, disaster recovery plans, and supply chain redundancies.

Business Continuity Plan Development

Creation of a detailed plan outlining the steps to be taken to maintain or restore critical business functions during a disruption. This plan should include procedures for communication, data recovery, alternate work locations, and resource allocation.

Testing and Training

Regular testing of the business continuity plan through simulations and drills to ensure its effectiveness and identify areas for improvement. Employees should be trained on their roles and responsibilities during a disruption.

Plan Review and Updates

Regular review and updates of the business continuity plan to ensure that it remains relevant and effective as your business evolves and the threat landscape changes.

The I.T. Matters Advantage for Business Continuity Planning Services

At I.T. Matters, we specialize in providing comprehensive business continuity planning services tailored to the unique needs of businesses in Houston and throughout Texas. Here’s what sets us apart:

Experience and Expertise

Our team of IT professionals has extensive experience in developing and implementing business continuity plans for organizations of all sizes and industries.

Customized Solutions

We understand that every business has unique requirements. We tailor our BCPS to your specific needs, ensuring that your plan is comprehensive, practical, and aligned with your business goals.

Proactive Approach

We take a proactive approach to business continuity, helping you identify potential risks and vulnerabilities before they become a problem. We also offer ongoing monitoring and support to ensure that your plan remains up-to-date and effective.

Local Expertise

As a Houston-based company, we understand the unique challenges faced by businesses in the region. We can provide localized support and guidance to help you prepare for and respond to any disruptions that may occur.

Business Continuity is More Than Just Data Backup

What are the critical components of any business continuity strategy? Why is it essential for your organization, regardless of size, to have a detailed business continuity plan and strategy in place?

I.T. Matters focused on the following areas to keep your business safe, ensure the continuation of day-to-day operations, and safeguard your livelihood and the livelihood of all your employees.

If you look at recent disasters such as Hurricane Harvey, COVID-19, or the 2021 Texas Ice Storms which knocked out power across the state, it was not a backup/recovery scenario at all. Business owners were asking questions such as:

• How do I run my business when the entire State of Texas is without power?
• How do I take care of my clients when everyone is working from home?
• Is my business prepared if my entire building is knocked out because of a hurricane?

Fire, floods, storms, and now global pandemics, can significantly impair your business’s ability to function. This is why the team at I.T. Matters takes business continuity seriously and looks to ensure that you have a complete business continuity strategy in place.

Why I.T. Matters for Your Business Continuity Planning?

I.T. Matters understands the importance of a thorough business continuity strategy for organizations in Texas. Since we’re headquartered in the same neighborhood as you, we know what concerns you and what we need to address.

I.T. Matters works with you on the following areas when crafting your business continuity strategy:

• Data Backup and Recovery: Making sure you have the right backup and recovery service is essential. Where are your backups being stored? How often are you backing up? What are you backing up? How quickly can we restore if something were to happen?
• Cybersecurity: Ransomware and other cybersecurity threats have rapidly shot to the top of the reasons why businesses declare a disaster. A ransomware attack can bring a national or regional supply chain to its knees. Does your business have the right strategy in place to ensure the bad actors out there are not gaining access to your systems and if something were to occur, can you recover quickly and without major interruption?
• Cloud Technologies: Are you taking advantage of cloud technologies to help eliminate the risk of an on-premise disaster from taking down your business? Cloud services such as offsite backup, email continuity, hosted telephony, cloud servers, and more play an important role in your business continuity strategy.
• Remote Work: COVID-19 taught many business professionals to be ready to send their entire workforce home immediately. Do you have the right business continuity strategy that addresses remote access and other remote work strategies?

The above points are very small samples of what needs to be addressed in your business continuity strategy.

I.T. Matters is here to remove the burden of planning and implementing the right solutions off your plate and to make sure you are properly prepared for the next hurricane, global pandemic, or just a simple power failure on your block.

Are you confident in your organization’s ability to recover from any interruption?