No one reads the business continuity plan… until they need it

Confident your IT would cope in a crisis? Let’s put that to the test.

Why your business continuity plan matters

Let’s be honest. Most business continuity plans are made to tick a box. A dusty PDF somewhere in a shared folder that no one opens, until something goes wrong.

But if you rely on IT (and who doesn’t these days), then your business continuity plan needs to be more than a formality. It needs to work.

Think ransomware, hardware failure, power outages, floods, supplier outages, human error. When the tech stops, so does everything else—email, phones, client files, your accounts, even that spreadsheet Phil has open 24/7.

A solid IT business continuity plan ensures that if your systems go down, your business doesn’t go down with them.

What is a business continuity plan?

In plain English? It’s a plan that keeps your business running if things go wrong. A business continuity plan (BCP) is a documented strategy that outlines how your business will continue to operate during and after an unexpected disruption.

An IT business continuity plan focuses specifically on the digital tools, platforms, and infrastructure you rely on to do business every day.

Without one, you’re gambling with:

• Revenue loss
• Damaged client trust
• Missed deadlines
• Long recovery times
• Frustrated staff and customers

What should a business continuity plan format include?

There’s no one-size-fits-all, but a strong business continuity plan format should cover:

• Business impact analysis – What happens if systems go down? What’s critical and what can wait?
• Risk assessment – From cyber attacks to coffee spills on laptops, know your risks.
• Recovery strategies – Backups, failovers, cloud systems, even paper-based workarounds.
• Roles and responsibilities – Who does what in a crisis? Everyone should know their role before it happens.
• Communication plans – Clients, staff, suppliers, who gets what info and when?
• Testing and training – A plan is only as good as the people using it.

Steps to create a usable business continuity plan

We’ve helped dozens of businesses across Milton Keynes, London, and Bristol build continuity plans that are actually helpful. Here’s what we recommend:

1. Start with your ‘what ifs’

Ask: What’s the worst that could happen? Then build backwards.

2. Prioritise your systems

Your VOIP system might be more important than your coffee ordering app (arguably).

3. Set recovery times

Define Recovery Time Objectives and Recovery Point Objectives in normal human language.

4. Choose your tools

All the essentials include cloud backup, cybersecurity, remote access, failover solutions.

5. Write it down

Use a clear, structured business continuity plan format. Keep it actionable.

6. Test it

Run scenarios. Test your worst-day plans so you’re not learning during a crisis.

7. Review and update

Review your plan quarterly or whenever your systems or people change.

A real-world example (with the names changed)

“ABC Legal” relies on a case management system hosted locally. One Friday night, the server fails. Monday morning? Staff can’t access anything. Deadlines missed. Clients frustrated.

If ABC Legal had a tested IT business continuity plan with offsite backups, remote access, and a comms plan, they’d be operational within hours.

Helpful tools to include

• Cloud backup services (ideally monitored)
• Multi-factor authentication
• Secure remote access platforms
• Comms tools like Teams or Slack
• Monitoring tools managed by your IT support

Common business continuity mistakes

• Writing it once and never testing it
• Skipping team training
• Overcomplicating it with jargon
• Assuming IT will just “handle it”

If your IT support isn’t involved in your continuity planning, it’s time to change that.

Best practices from the Cloud & More team

• Keep it simple – You’re in a crisis, not an exam.
• Plan for both the small stuff and the big stuff
• Assign names to responsibilities
• Back up your backups
• Review quarterly

What’s next?

If you’re unsure where to begin, we’re happy to help. At Cloud & More, we create IT business continuity plans that are practical, easy to follow, and regularly reviewed.

Because when something does go wrong, your team should know exactly what to do and your clients should never even notice.

Got questions? We’ve got answers.

What’s the difference between a business continuity plan and a disaster recovery plan?

A BCP focuses on keeping things running, while a DR plan focuses on getting systems back up. You need both.

How often should a business continuity plan be updated?

At least once a year, or whenever your tech, risks, or team changes.

What’s the best format for a business continuity plan?

Use a clear structure: risks, impact, strategy, roles, tools. Keep it simple.

Can Cloud & More write my business continuity plan?

We sure can. We’ll work with you to create a plan that fits your business and your people.

What happens if we don’t have one?

You’re hoping nothing goes wrong. That’s not much of a strategy.

Need help getting started?

Let’s make sure your business is protected. Get in touch with Cloud & More and we’ll help you build a business continuity plan that won’t let you down.