Things go wrong. Systems crash, hackers get through, or it could even be that today’s the day for a flood or fire. We always hope these things never happen to us, but the reality is, they can, and sometimes they do. When that happens, businesses that bounce back quickly have one thing in common - they had a plan.
At PS Tech, we’ve seen both sides of the coin. How a well-prepared business can be back on its feet in no time, and how the lack of a plan can bring operations to a grinding halt. Without a recovery plan, you’re reacting in real-time, under pressure, with a lot on the line. With one, you’re moving with clarity and confidence.
So, what does a good recovery plan actually look like?
The Key Ingredients of a Recovery Plan
🔍 Risk Assessment
First, figure out where you’re vulnerable. What could realistically disrupt your business? Cyberattacks are the obvious one, but don’t stop there. Think natural disasters, power outages, equipment failures, even internal mistakes. Once you know your weak points, you can prepare for them - instead of being blindsided.
🧩 Business Impact Analysis (BIA)
Not everything in your business is equally urgent. Some systems could go down for a day with little fuss, others would cause instant chaos. The goal here is to figure out what’s truly mission-critical. What do you need back online first? What’s the cost of downtime for each system? Get those answers, and you’ll know where to focus during recovery.
🚨 Incident Response Procedures
When an attack hits, time is everything. You don’t want to be figuring it out as you go. A solid response plan should clearly spell out what happens the moment something suspicious is detected - who gets notified, how to isolate the problem, what to document, and when to escalate. Think of it like a fire drill, but for data.
📢 Communication Strategy
In a crisis, silence is a killer. You need a clear plan for how and when you’ll communicate with your team, your customers, legal advisors, even the public if necessary. Who writes the message? Who approves it? Who speaks to the press? Having answers to these questions before something goes wrong keeps panic from taking over.
🔄 Recovery Strategy
Once the dust settles, how do you get things back to normal - fast? This part of the plan covers restoring systems, rolling out backups, and getting employees back to work with as little disruption as possible. Prioritise, keep it practical, and plan for the scenario where not everything comes back online instantly.
💾 Backup Operations
Your backups are your lifeline, but only if they’re reliable. At PS Tech, we provide secure, tested, and immutable backups that can’t be altered or deleted - critical in scenarios like ransomware attacks.
We also offer Microsoft 365 backup solutions, which many businesses assume are covered just because they’re in the cloud. The truth is, Microsoft doesn’t fully protect your data from deletion, corruption, or malicious activity - so we make sure you’re covered, properly.
👥 Roles and Responsibilities
In a crisis, confusion slows everything down. Make sure everyone knows their role - who leads the response, who handles communication, who talks to IT, who notifies leadership, etc. Even better, write it all down in a simple checklist or chart so nobody’s guessing when it counts.
🧪 Testing and Drills
Don’t wait for the real thing to find out your plan has holes. Run through scenarios. Do tabletop exercises. Test your backups. You’ll uncover weak spots - and fixing them now is way cheaper (and less stressful) than during an actual emergency.
🧾 Compliance Considerations
Depending on your industry, there may be rules you have to follow when things go wrong - data breach notifications, audit requirements, and so on. Make sure your plan lines up with any regulations you’re subject to. And yes, document everything. Regulators love paperwork.
🔁 Keep It Fresh
Technology changes, teams evolve, and new risks emerge. Review your plan regularly - especially after any incident or system upgrade - to make sure it stays current and effective.
What Happens If You Don’t Have a Plan?
In short, recovery without a plan is messy. The common outcomes include:
- Downtime that drags on far too long
- Data that’s gone for good
- Clients who start looking elsewhere
- Fines for non-compliance
- And chaos that could’ve been avoided
On the flip side, if you are prepared you recover faster, protect your reputation, and show your customers you’re serious about staying resilient. It’s one of the smartest investments you can make.
Need a Hand Putting Yours Together?
At PS Tech, we work with businesses across industries to develop practical, no-nonsense recovery and continuity plans. Whether you need help assessing risk, improving your backup strategy, or running through a realistic test drill, our consultants are here to guide you through it.
Get in touch today - and let’s make sure you’re ready for whatever comes next.
Want a Printable Version of This Recovery Checklist?
We’ve created a simple recovery planning checklist for you to download and print out. You can share it with your team or use it in planning meetings. It includes everything we’ve covered - from risk assessment to backup strategies - in a simple format you can check off as you go.
👉 Download the Business Recovery Checklist
(Just pop in your name and email to download your checklist straight away)
Whether you're starting from scratch or reviewing your existing plan, this checklist is a great way to make sure you're covering all the right bases.
