Business Continuity Plan: Why It’s More Than Just a Backup Plan
At Gray Area Consulting, we’ve worked with a fair share of businesses who thought a business continuity plan (BCP) was just about backups. But after a few close calls – from power outages to cyber incidents – they quickly realised it’s much more than that. Having a BCP is like having a spare tyre in the boot. You hope you won’t need it, but when you do, you’ll be glad it’s there.
What is a Business Continuity Plan?
A business continuity plan outlines how your company will keep operating during an unplanned disruption. Whether it’s a natural disaster, cyber attack or even a supplier issue, the goal is to minimise downtime and keep your team and clients safe, connected and informed.
Think of it as a playbook. When things go pear-shaped, your team knows exactly what to do, who to contact and how to get back on track without panicking or scrambling for answers.
Why Every Business Needs a BCP
Let’s be honest – no one builds a house hoping it burns down. But you still install smoke alarms and take out insurance. A BCP is the business version of that. Here’s why it matters:
- Minimise downtime: Every hour your systems are down, you’re losing money and client trust.
- Protect reputation: Clients and partners notice how you respond to crises.
- Compliance and insurance: Some industries and insurers expect or require continuity planning.
- Employee confidence: Your team feels safer knowing there’s a plan.
We’ve seen businesses bounce back from ransomware attacks in days because they had a well-tested plan. Others without one? Weeks of chaos, lost clients, and a lot of stress.
Key Elements of a Strong Business Continuity Plan
Creating a BCP might sound daunting, but it doesn’t have to be. Here are some of the essentials we guide clients through:
- Risk assessment: Identify potential threats – from cyberattacks to floods or hardware failure.
- Business impact analysis: Understand which systems and processes are critical and what the knock-on effects would be if they went down.
- Recovery strategies: How will you recover operations? This includes data backups, alternate power sources, and remote work capabilities.
- Roles and responsibilities: Define who is responsible for what during an incident.
- Communication plans: How will you keep staff, clients and stakeholders informed?
- Testing and training: A plan is only as good as your team’s ability to follow it. Test regularly and update it as your business changes.
BCP vs Daily Backups – Not the Same Thing
It’s a common misconception that having data backups means you’re covered. While backups are crucial, they’re just one piece of the puzzle. A BCP considers the bigger picture – how to keep your business operational even when your systems aren’t.
For example, we recently helped a Brisbane law firm develop a continuity plan. They already had daily backups in line with the Essential Eight, but hadn’t considered what would happen if staff couldn’t access their office due to a fire. We built out remote work procedures, alternate communication channels, and even a plan for accessing critical legal documents securely from home.
How Gray Area Consulting Can Help
We don’t just hand you a template and wish you luck. Our team works with you to:
- Assess your risks
- Develop a custom plan tailored to your operations
- Implement tools like disaster recovery solutions and secure cloud platforms
- Train your staff and run simulations
And because we’re a managed IT and cybersecurity firm, we also ensure your BCP aligns with your broader security posture – not just your tech stack.
Make Resilience a Priority
The best time to create a business continuity plan is before you need it. It’s not about being paranoid – it’s about being prepared. And in our experience, businesses that prioritise resilience don’t just survive disruptions – they come out stronger on the other side.
If you’re unsure where to start or want to review your existing plan, get in touch with our team. We’re here to help Aussie businesses stay strong, no matter what gets thrown their way.
Looking to build cybersecurity into your continuity strategy? Check out our guide on implementing the Essential Eight framework.
