ERP for your commercial property

8/4/2020 (Permalink)

Make sure you not only have one for your commercial property, but also that it is up to date.

For a business owner, a worst-case disaster scenario involving fire or water damage can seem unthinkable until it suddenly becomes a reality. A quick response time by a disaster recovery company such as SERVPRO can help minimize property damage. Owners need to have a quick and convenient emergency disaster plan that connects them with vendors, necessary contacts, and pertinent information when disaster strikes. SERVPRO's Emergency Ready Plan (ERP) is a respected industry tool during a disaster event. It is so valuable that in the midst of the confusion and panic, an owner or manager can be provided a sense of calm and clarity in reaching out for expert help. 

There are four key parts to building an ERP. 

1. Identify your facility's greatest threats in order to assess the overall severity of the event. 

- Look at your location that you are in. Be aware if you are in tornado alley, hurricane season, or subject to freezing temperatures. 

2. Document all vital information and establish clear communication activities. 

- An ERP needs to contain critical property information that can help speed up response time after a disaster strikes the property. Make sure to include any documentation that deals with prior loss history. Also, identify and label utility shut off locations, and prioritize your key contacts. Prior loss history can provide first responders and restoration vendors with historical information on your facility's condition. Also, proper utility identification will allow for quicker response times for emergency shut off, requests and key contact information is vital to starting the recovery process. This will allow you to quickly contact key personnel and answer priority questions. 

3. Practice! Practice! Practice! There is no "textbook" event, so expect the unexpected. 

- You should always conduct practice sessions to make sure everyone is clear on the process. There needs to be clear evacuation routes in your ERP, and set a distribution chain for your disaster recovery plan amongst key contacts and various locations. 

4. Keep it updated, and have all necessary information communicated with your insurance company and emergency restoration vendors. 

- Make sure your ERP is always up to date. This is the best way for the recovery to begin. People are going to come and go, updates will be made to the facility, and utilities can change. This should be a dynamic document that changes as your business does. You do not want to fall behind when disaster strikes!