Tag: Business Continuity

Creating a Business Continuity Management Plan That Actually Works

A well-structured business continuity management plan is one of the most effective ways to keep your business moving when the unexpected happens. When facing a cyberattack or system failure, a tested plan helps you respond quickly, reduce downtime, and protect revenue.

For many small and mid-sized businesses, continuity planning stays on the “someday” list. It feels important but not urgent until something goes wrong. Even short periods of downtime can affect clients and damage trust.

Taking a practical approach now helps you build a continuity plan that works in real life. It should be tailored to your operations, simple to maintain, and ready when you need it most.

What is a Business Continuity Management Plan?

A business continuity management plan is a documented strategy that outlines how your business will continue operating during and after a disruption. It includes the steps, systems, and people involved in maintaining essential functions during events like cyber incidents, network outages, or environmental disasters.

It’s different from a crisis management plan, which focuses on the immediate response to an incident (like communications or PR), and from a disaster recovery plan, which deals specifically with restoring IT systems and data.

Think of business continuity as the broader strategy that ties these elements together to keep your business running. These generally align with the ISO 22301 framework, the international standard for business continuity management.

A clear business continuity plan outlines how these elements work together and how responsibilities are managed when normal processes are interrupted.

Key Components of an Effective Business Continuity Management Plan

To be effective, a continuity plan needs to be structured, tested, and tailored to your business environment.

Risk Assessment and Business Impact Analysis

To assess whether your systems are resilient enough to recover from modern cyber threats, start with a thorough risk and systems review. Some businesses conduct a cyber security audit, but even less formal approaches should cover certain areas.

Start by identifying:

The most likely threats: such as cyber incidents, power failures, or network outages.
Critical systems, services, or teams: the functions that would be most affected by downtime.
The operational and financial impact: how disruptions could affect productivity, revenue, or compliance.
Existing safeguards: what security controls, backups, or redundancies are already in place.
Response dependencies: which suppliers, platforms, or third-party services your business relies on.

These assessments help you prioritise your recovery efforts and identify where to invest in prevention before an issue becomes a crisis.

Assigning Roles and Responsibilities

A business continuity management plan only works when everyone knows what to do. Clear leadership and defined roles help maintain order when systems are down or decisions need to be made quickly.

Start by identifying:

Response leads: who will coordinate actions during a disruption.
Communication owners: who will update staff, clients, and key suppliers.
Decision-makers: who has authority to approve recovery steps or external support.
Team leaders: who oversees the response and coordinates across departments.
Continuity coordinators: who maintains the plan and manages updates.
Department contacts: who handles communication within their teams.
IT support roles: who is responsible for system recovery and technical escalation.

Keep this information current and engage everyone involved in the continuity process through briefings and training. A clear command structure gives your team confidence and ensures recovery efforts stay on track.

Plan Development and Documentation

Once risks, roles, and strategies are defined, the next step is to bring them together into a clear, accessible document. A strong continuity plan simple to update and written so anyone can follow it under pressure.

Include the following in your documentation:

Communication procedures: who to contact, how updates will be shared, and what channels to use if normal systems fail.
Escalation paths: how incidents are reported and when decisions move from team level to senior management.
Step-by-step recovery procedures: detailed instructions for restoring systems, accessing backups, and resuming normal operations.
Contact lists and resources: key supplier details, system credentials, and alternate site arrangements if applicable.

Store the plan in multiple locations, including both digital and physical versions, and make sure relevant staff know where to find it. Regular reviews will keep information current as your systems and team grow.

Testing and Maintenance

A business continuity plan that isn’t tested is a liability. Regular reviews and simulations are essential to make sure the plan still works when your business, systems, or staff change.

The Australian Cyber Security Centre’s Essential Eight recommends that organisations validate their recovery procedures through regular testing and continuous improvement. For most small and mid-sized businesses, this can be as straightforward as:

Running scenario drills: simulate disruptions such as a power outage or server failure to see how your team responds.
Reviewing outcomes: document what worked, what didn’t, and how response times could be improved.
Updating documentation: revise contact lists, backup procedures, and responsibilities as systems or staff change.
Scheduling refresh cycles: aim to review the plan at least annually, or after any major business change or incident.

Testing keeps your plan relevant and ensures that, in a real event, everyone knows what to do and how to do it.

You can also help your business by making a Disaster Recovery Plan.

Using Tools and Software to Support Continuity Planning

The right software can make it easier to manage, test, and update your continuity plan. While many SMBs rely on simple tools like shared documents and cloud storage, dedicated continuity platforms can add structure and oversight.

Useful features include:

Scenario planning modules: to model the impact of different types of disruption.
Centralised document storage: to keep all continuity information accessible and version-controlled.
Workflow automation and alerts: to remind teams when reviews or tests are due.
Integration with IT systems: to align business recovery steps with system monitoring or backups.

For many smaller organisations, a clear and well-maintained plan supported by a reliable IT partner is often more effective than investing in complex, enterprise-grade software. The goal is to create a plan that’s easy to manage, review, and improve over time.

Business Continuity Management vs. Disaster Recovery

While they’re often mentioned together, business continuity management (BCM) and disaster recovery (DR) serve different, yet complementary roles in protecting your business.

Business continuity management is the broader strategy that focuses on maintaining business operations during a disruption. It involves people, processes, communication plans, and alternative ways of working when your standard systems are affected.
Disaster recovery, on the other hand, is more technical and IT-specific. It’s about restoring data, systems, and infrastructure after a disruption to get your technology back online as efficiently as possible.

BCDR combines both Business Continuity Management and Disaster Recovery. BCM is the broader plan, and DR is one of its essential tools.

It is essential SMBs have both in place. You might be able to continue operating in a limited capacity during a disruption (continuity), but without tested disaster recovery processes, your core systems may take too long to come back online.

That’s why businesses integrate both strategies into a single, workable plan. This is particularly important as threats like cyberattacks and ransomware continue to rise.

Final Thoughts: Now’s the Time to Plan

Business continuity planning means designing how your business will stay operational.

If you’re ready to put a practical business continuity plan in place, Deployus helps you create business continuity plans that are clear, cost-effective, and work when needed. This means strategies that match your business. No bots. No call centres. Just expert, local engineers.

The tested business continuity and disaster recovery strategies from Deployus help you bounce back fast, minimise downtime, and protect your bottom line when the unexpected hits.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is a business continuity management plan?

A business continuity management plan outlines how a business will continue to operate during and after a disruption. It includes procedures for maintaining services, communication, and recovery processes.

How often should a business continuity plan be updated?

At minimum, review and update your plan annually. It should also be revisited after major changes like system upgrades, office moves, or leadership transitions.

What are the differences between a crisis management plan and a business continuity plan?

A crisis management plan focuses on the immediate response—such as communication and safety—while a business continuity plan ensures ongoing operations during the disruption.

How can small businesses implement an effective continuity plan?

Start small:

Identify your critical systems
Back up your data
Create a simple, step-by-step recovery plan
Work with a provider who understands your environment

Do I need business continuity management software?

Not necessarily. Many SMBs manage continuity effectively using spreadsheets, cloud tools, and support from their IT provider. However, software becomes useful for more complex operations.

In-House vs Outsourced IT Helpdesk: What’s Best for Your Business?

The in-house IT vs outsourcing decision is one of the most important choices small to mid-sized businesses make when it comes to keeping their systems running smoothly. How you manage IT helpdesk support can directly affect both costs and your team’s ability to reach their goals.

An in-house IT team offers familiarity and control, while outsourcing gives you cost efficiency and access to expertise. Each approach has clear advantages. The approach you take depends on your company’s long-term priorities.

This guide explores both models in detail: where each fits best, what challenges to consider, and how to decide which approach supports your business goals.

What You Get with In-House IT Helpdesk Support

Keeping IT in-house offers familiarity and control, but it also comes with specific costs and limits that smaller businesses need to weigh carefully.

An in-house IT helpdesk means employing staff directly to handle your technological needs. Typical roles range from entry-level IT support officers to system administrators, often advertised under inhouse IT support jobs.

The benefits are straightforward:

But the drawbacks weigh heavily on SMBs:

Many businesses that rethink their IT helpdesk also uncover opportunities to modernise their systems. Read more about how to improve your business performance: IT Modernisation: How Upgrading Your Systems Can Revolutionise Your Business.

Why Some Businesses Choose to Outsource IT Helpdesk

Outsourcing IT helpdesk services means engaging a third-party provider to manage some or all support functions. Models vary all the way from fully managed support to co-managed arrangements alongside internal IT.

Some of the advantages include:

Cost savings: You pay for what you use rather than carrying fixed salaries.
Access to expertise: Providers bring a broad team with specialised skills.
Scalability: Support scales up or down as your business changes.
Extended coverage: 24/7 or after-hours support may be available.

There are other considerations though:

For many SMBs, outsourcing bridges the gap between limited internal resources and the growing complexity of IT systems. If you’re exploring what outsourcing looks like in practice, see how our outsourced IT helpdesk services are structured to fit SMB needs.

Key Factors to Consider When Choosing Between In-House and Outsourced IT Helpdesk

Cost Implications

In-house IT comes with predictable but heavy costs, such as salaries, superannuation, leave, and ongoing training. On the other hand, outsourcing shifts costs to a variable model where you pay for usage.

In June 2024, about 97.2% of all Australian businesses were classified as small businesses (0–19 employees). Many such businesses struggle to balance the cost of internal IT teams with the flexibility offered by managed service providers. If you’re facing the same challenge, this is often where outsourcing is the best option.

Quality and Speed of Support

While internal staff can offer immediate responses, their expertise can be limited. Outsourcing gives access to a wider talent pool, often with structured SLAs and fast escalation.

Response consistency often outweighs speed in practice, especially for businesses with growing or distributed teams. For businesses that value structured response times and reliable escalation, managed IT services can help set clear performance standards.

Business Size and Growth Plans

Choosing between in-house and outsourced IT support comes down to scale and growth. Smaller businesses often benefit from outsourcing, gaining enterprise-level expertise without the cost of full-time staff.

As your team expands, a hybrid approach may provide the right balance: internal control plus external capacity when demand spikes.

Australia’s IT outsourcing market is expected to grow at about 8.41 % annually between 2025 and 2029, reaching a valuation of USD 21.26 billion. That growth reflects how more Australian organisations are turning to external IT partners as running everything in-house becomes costlier and more complex.

Security and Compliance Requirements

Cyber threats and compliance obligations, such as the Notifiable Data Breaches scheme, require consistent oversight. For SMBs, maintaining that level of oversight internally can be challenging.

According to the Australian Cyber Security Centre, in FY2024–25, the average cost of a cyber incident rose to $56,600 for small businesses and $97,200 for medium businesses, reflecting significant year-on-year increases.

Outsourcing IT helpdesk functions to providers who follow the Australian Cyber Security Centre’s Essential Eight maturity model helps ensure security controls are applied consistently across systems. These baseline strategies are designed to prevent up to 85% of targeted cyber intrusions.

Partnering with a provider already aligned to these standards strengthens resilience and gives business leaders confidence their data remains secure.

Which Model Suits Which Business?

Once you’ve compared costs and security needs, the next question is how your team size influences the best approach.

Choosing the right IT helpdesk model often comes down to your organisation’s size, internal capability, and how critical technology is to daily operations. What works for a 10-person team will rarely suit a 70-person firm. Understanding where your business fits helps clarify whether in-house, outsourced, or hybrid support is the smarter move.

Under 30 seats: Outsourcing is often the most efficient, reducing overhead while ensuring coverage.
30–50 seats without internal IT: Hybrid models provide flexibility, with outsourced providers handling projects and escalations.
50–100 seats with an IT manager: Outsourcing works best for specialised projects, overflow, or after-hours support.

By matching your IT support model to your business structure and future growth plans, you can maintain consistent performance without overcommitting resources. For many growing SMBs, the right mix of internal familiarity and external expertise delivers the best results over time.

Choose the Right IT Helpdesk Model for Your Business

If you’re still weighing up what kind of IT helpdesk support suits your business, let’s find out together.

The team at Deployus delivers structured, responsive helpdesk support, without the overhead of a full internal team, and without the complexity of a one-size-fits-all contract. You’ll speak to a real person: every call is answered quickly and every issue is tracked and resolved by someone familiar with your systems.

Start with a quick review of your current setup, and we’ll help you identify where the gaps are and how to close them. Deployus’s managed IT helpdesk services can help your team work smarter and keep operations on track.