When business is disrupted, it can cost money. Lost revenues plus extra expenses means reduced profits. Insurance does not cover all costs and cannot replace customers that defect to the competition. A business continuity plan to continue business is essential. Development of a business continuity plan includes four steps:

• Conduct a business impact analysis to identify time-sensitive or critical business functions and processes and the resources that support them.
• Identify, document, and implement to recover critical business functions and processes.
• Organize a business continuity team and compile a business continuity plan to manage a business disruption.
• Conduct training for the business continuity team and testing and exercises to evaluate recovery strategies and the plan.