We are coming up on the one-year anniversary of Hurricane Harvey next month, and residents in Houston will likely reflect on the devastation that occurred. Along with the destruction left by the storm, some positives were gleaned as a result.
First, we clearly saw an amazing community come together to help those in need. We also saw the resilience of many businesses to get back on their feet and thrive. A couple basic tips for maintaining your business as well as preparing your properties and residents for a catastrophic event include:
Maintain Open Lines of Communication - Residents need information that lets them know what is taking place and what, if anything, they need to do. With storms there will undoubtedly be power outages, so alternative ways for property employees to communicate are key. Using tech to post on company web pages, distribute fast announcements, or store information in the cloud to access at multiple locations are examples of some basic tech necessities to enable the all-too-important communication pathway.
Keep communication open so that residents can speak to you about concerns or problems they may have – and make residents’ access to company representatives a priority rather than a secondary concern.
Have Multiple Vendors/Contractors- A major storm can cause many, many issues. None were more obvious during Harvey than the countless communities being flooded with high waters. In this instance, it is very important to have multiple vendors that are doing repairs to your properties. It’s a much-needed form of redundancy for your business as well as your residents. Reason being, that some vendors and contractors may be only able to get to certain parts of town and not others (leaving some of your properties unattended). Having many options on deck ensures all your properties have a higher likelihood of receiving the needed, speedy attention they deserve.
While we all hope that we will not have to experience another event like Hurricane Harvey, we must prepare ourselves for the realization that we just might. Having the right tools to implement during a crisis can provide at least some level of relief. If you would like more tips on creating a crisis management plan for your property, contact us today.
Comentários