Winter Weather Hits Metro Atlanta
ATLANTA, GA (PRWEB) January 06, 2017
2017 is off to a very frosty start. A state of emergency was declared in Georgia yesterday evening, with as much as 4 inches of snow expected in the Metro Atlanta area. There are serious concerns that fluctuations in the freezing temperatures will create ice hazards over the next few days, and when combined with the snowfall will leave roads completely impassable. Residents are being urged to stay indoors and off the roads for the duration.
This wintery disruption also has the potential to create serious problems for businesses. When nasty weather strikes, there is always a possibility of physical damage to office space caused by icy conditions and below freezing temperatures. But even if a business workspace remains intact, service outages can damage hardware, or leave team members without access to the critical resources they rely on to complete tasks and look after clients.
Perhaps the biggest concern when nasty weather hits, is this simple fact that there’s a big chance that staff won’t be able to make it to the office at all, even if they were inclined to make the trip. As appealing as the thought of a snow day might have been when it meant staying home from school, it’s a lot less exciting now. There is work to be done and customers who are counting on your services. Closing shop for a day or more while the city digs itself out isn't just inconvenient - it can be costly.
This is why planning ahead is so important. However, Business Continuity planning can only take business-owners so far when planning doesn’t allow for your team to function outside of your office. Virtualization services that allows employees to access important files and applications remotely and securely make it possible to turn any home into a temporary workspace when leaving the house just isn't an option. Hosting IT systems virtually through an offsite location not only provides added freedom and flexibility during the work day, but allows the work day to continue when bad weather or other unexpected circumstances arise.
However, that only solves half the challenge. Businesses need a communication tool disposal that provides the same access and flexibility as a virtualized environment. A business phone system that can travel with employees, wherever and whenever, will keep team members connected to customers and colleagues.
Most disaster scenarios are unexpected, and leave little time to prepare. That's why having a rock-solid Business Continuity plan in place is so important. But when it comes to inclement weather, even a few hours warning can make a big difference. It allows for the opportunity to power down nonessential hardware, check that data backups have been completed, move electronics up out of potential flood damage range, and ensure that surge protectors and backup power are in place where needed.
If you’d like to connect your business-minded audience with more information about the pending storm, preparing technology systems for weather emergencies and how to plan for business continuity, please don’t hesitate to reach out to Wayne Gosselin from Atlanta’s Centerpoint IT. Wayne and the entire Centerpoint team are experts in business continuity planning and can tailor solutions to meet the needs of any business.
Wayne Gosselin, CTO – Centerpoint IT, Inc.
(404) 781-0200 – info(at)centerpointIT.com
http://www.centerpointit.com
ABOUT CENTERPOINT IT, Inc.
Since it was founded in 2006, Centerpoint’s mission has been singular and simple:
to deliver on the promise of new technology for small and mid-sized business by making IT simple. In order to be more than a full-service business IT partner and phone system provider, Centerpoint focuses on taking the uncertainty and hassle out of what is an often complicated and critical area of business. Cutting through the noise of changing technology is where Centerpoint adds value to businesses. Centerpoint believes in delivering effective, affordable and simple services such as managed IT, cloud, hardware, network security, disaster recovery, connectivity solutions and business phone systems. This helps business owners to form the essential foundation for success so employees can focus on doing what makes them successful.