Hotel owners and management must be able to deal with catastrophic events and know the answers to the following:
- How quickly could you restart?
- Would insurance provide money for next week’s rent and wages?
- What would the bank say?
Massive floods are one thing, but what if a neighbouring building caught fire or your kitchen burst into flames? Start your managers and staff thinking through the issues, while they’re still in the headlines…
- Check Data Backup Systems: are they all onsite or are copies of data, systems and staff records kept elsewhere? Is the safe fireproof or just a box with a key? Online backup systems like Carbonite work well, and data storage is very cheap – but you need to start it happening!
- Is the Insurance cover complete? Would it cover a situation like the current floods? Does it cover intangible items as well as equipment? What about loss of profits and staff wages while rebuilding happens?
- Are Staff trained for fire and first-aid emergencies? This is the type of training that’s usually regarded as ‘nice to have’ rather than essential. Do they know how to handle a fat or an electrical fire? What about an elderly customer who faints or collapses? Or flood waters coming near electrical connections?
- How will you keep Customers & Staff informed? It’s more effective if your email newsletter or SMS alerts are already part of their world, then you can really keep their loyalty active. Your Facebook Page and Twitter updates will also reach many others…
- Have a Crisis Management Plan, designed to cover the many risky situations where you depend on only one alternative: eg only one staff member who’s qualified with first aid, one chef who knows how to cook the favourite dessert, one key for the liquor store, or one computer with all the staff records.
- Crisis Management Downloads: ready to use (and edit) Safety Manual and Rules, Maintenance Logbook, Cleaning Rosters (greasy dirt is a big cause of kitchen fires) and a raft of other systems designed to keep your business organised and safe.
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