Recovery Assistance Options for Sunnyvale, CA, Businesses That Have Suffered Property Damage

6/10/2022 (Permalink)

Blog Summary: SERVPRO of Palo Alto offers important tips to help Sunnyvale, CA, businesses choose the best recovery assistance options to overcome a property damage disaster.

SERVPRO of Palo Alto provides commercial property damage cleanup and restoration services for businesses in Sunnyvale, Palo Alto, and the greater Bay area. Core services include fire, smoke, and water damage restoration services. Commercial cleaning, biohazard cleanup, trauma scene cleanup, and mold remediation round out the service menu.

Property damage can sidetrack a business, slowing or disrupting the flow of goods or services to customers. A catastrophic property damage disaster can derail a business, completely halting all business operations, interrupting the revenue cycle, and putting the company at risk of bankruptcy and ultimate failure. The economic impact of a business failure negatively impacts the owners, employees, vendors, customers and clients, the supply chain, and even city, county, and state tax revenues. Quick recovery and resumption of normal business operations and profitability are in everyone’s best interest, from the CEO to the customer.

Getting back on track and moving forward after a property damage disaster is challenging. Businesses that have proactively formulated a comprehensive recovery plan that considers every exigency must still overcome seemingly insurmountable hurdles. Here are several crucial tips for driving the business recovery process forward as quickly, as efficiently, and as economically as possible.

Tips for driving the business recovery process forward

Tip #1: Accurately assess the scope of damage and the feasibility of restoring normal business operations.

Carefully inspect the damaged areas of the facility. Immediately open the lines of communication with all insurance companies that will be involved in the recovery process. Delays can be very costly, affecting the overall cost of the physical damage restoration, the ongoing overhead, and the loss of revenue. Document damages with photos and video of the disaster scene. Archive the images, audio, and written notes in a secure but accessible cloud storage platform. In the mayhem and confusion of a large-scale disaster, a cell phone can be easily lost, destroyed, or stolen.

Realistically address the following difficult questions and issues:

• What is a realistic timeline for the resumption of normal business operations?
• What is the estimated cost of a rebuild?
• Is re-opening within the financial capabilities of the company? Seek competent, independent, third-party financial advice, if needed
• What equipment is salvageable?
• Is the support base of neighbors, colleagues, fellow business owners, and Chambers of Commerce broad enough to help carry the physical, emotional, and financial burden through these difficult times?

Tip #2: Execute the recovery plan.

A business continuity plan is an indispensable element of doing business in the twenty-first century. Every business should have one and update it as the business grows, takes on additional liabilities, changes its business model, or reshapes its brand. A major property damage disaster is the reason for the plan in the first place. When disaster strikes, the plan must be swiftly implemented. The plan should include many elements, including:

• Assignments: Verify that the existing staff assigned to recovery roles still possess adequate job performance competencies to fulfill their duties. IT, robotics, and HR are dynamic and ever-changing. A lateral move or a job promotion may render an employee incapable of handling previous responsibilities due to changes in technology or labor laws.
• Public relations and lines of communication: Keep employees, customers, vendors, and media abreast of the situation. Employee and customer flight can be kept to a minimum if the lines of communication are solid and reliable. Include lenders in the communication loop.
• Recalibration: Adapt to changing situations and quickly adjust the recovery plan to confront and overcome new challenges.
• Future plans: Think strategically about the restored business. Will another facility be needed? How does a new location affect marketing strategy? If gross vehicle traffic was crucial, how can the lost exposure be replaced? The rental or purchase of a facility with high traffic volume could be exponentially more expensive than when the company, practice, retail outlet, or restaurant originally opened.

Tip #3: Exercise operational flexibility.

If the property is unsafe, if the business must be relocated, or if the workforce shifts to remote work, management must be creative, flexible, and patient. Customers, vendors, employees, management, and owners need time to embrace the new situation and work concertedly towards success.

Tip #4: Identify reasonable financial options to replace or repair the facility, equipment, and infrastructure.

At this point, sound financial consultation can provide lending and grant options for the damaged business.  For small businesses, the Small Business Administration is a great place to start.

Connect with a Property Damage Restoration Company before Disaster Strikes

Pre-qualify a reputable property damage cleanup and restoration company before a disaster strikes at the business, factory, office complex, or retail outlet. Include this information in the recovery plan. The professionals at SERVPRO of Palo Alto work with business owners to customize an emergency response plan.

In case of a property damage disaster in a commercial setting, SERVPRO of Palo Alto is available 24/7, 365 days a year, to help a business begin the recovery process. One phone call to one damage cleanup and restoration company at any time day or night delivers a crew on the scene in about one hour.

For more details about Sunnyvale, CA, water damage cleanup, email the office at office@SERVPROpaloalto.com or call (650) 800-3448.