smallbusiness.co.uk: Helping your business think big

R3, a disaster recovery firm, has stated that having an adequate disaster recovery plan (DRP) in place is vital for businesses.

  A spokesperson for R3, said that planning is vital to the continuity of any business, including SMEs, and failure to do so is risking the security and hard work employees have put in.

  Frances Coulson added that a good business plan will include preparation and testing of a DRP, noting: 'Most businesses wouldn't dream of not having insurance and not only are insurers more keen on this risk prevention but it is a form of insurance to protect your business.'

  According to Disaster Recovery Solutions, less than half of all organisations have a business continuity plan. For those without such plans, 43 per cent will never re-open and over half (53 per cent) of claimants will never

  IT for small business is also a potential risk, as around 80 per cent of companies have not developed crisis management solutions to provide technology sufficient to keep their business running, the firm added.

  Research states that 20 per cent of all companies will suffer fire, theft, flood or storm damage, power failures, terrorism or IT disaster.