Mississippi makeup business still recovering from data loss following Hurricane Katrina

November 13, 2012

As East Coast homes and businesses continue to rebuild after the recent hurricane, organizations should be reminded of the importance of backing up data and documents, which can be a defining factor in whether a business interrupted by a natural disaster will be able to survive.

According to an article by Angel Business Communications, “70 percent of small firms that experience a major data loss go out of business in one year.” Another story went on to detail the story of the Hedberg Allergy and Asthma Center, an Arkansas facility that was destroyed by a tornado, potentially shutting down the business for good. However, while the paperless office will need time to reopen, its reliance on backed-up electronic patient records have allowed the doctors to remain optimistic about the facility’s future.

Not all businesses are so lucky, however. An HP report on the “Impact on U.S. Small Business of Natural & Man-Made Disasters” told the story of a makeup business in Mississippi destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. In addition to the physical location, owner Adrienne Moncrief Hemphill lost her inventory, website, and mailing list. After relocating, Hemphill had to come up with her customers from memory, eventually remembering only 150 of her original 500. While some customers came to her, she still only has about 350 customers – a serious downsize. This is just one example of why you should backup data before you need it.

While many business owners are aware of the frequency of devastating computer crashes and natural disasters, actually making the effort to convert paper files to electronic files, and then backup those records is another story, and often not realized until it is too late. By working with document scanning services to prepare for disasters, as well as efficiently having all data on hand, businesses can concentrate on current services and work, instead of worrying about the unexpected.