It may not seem like a big deal, but one key flaw in a business continuity plan can lie in third-party service providers, particularly with regard to IT services. What if the crisis you are attempting to recover from is affecting or was even caused by your internet service provider or another IT service vendor? It is safe to say that the same issue could be plaguing your hot site if you need to switch locations for swift resumption of operations.

According to Firmology, a disaster recovery situation is an excellent time to outsource IT service to a third party provider. Even if you run your primary site systems in-house, going outside the business for your hot site can help to minimize potential risks and the transfer of problems to that site.

To incorporate third party IT services into your continuity of operations plan, however, you must consider the provider, solutions they offer, and their ability to support you in a crisis.

While examining a service provider, consider this: You may not use cloud services in your primary office, but running a backup system through a third party can simplify resumption when your primary systems go down. Employees will be able to immediately switch over, and the needed applications can already be ready to go when you reach your hot site while waiting for your primary systems to be repaired or replaced.

In order to optimize your selection of hot site systems, service providers and your business continuity strategy in general, bring on a highly-qualified consultant to offer advice and help with the planning to ensure smooth integration and that the right decisions are made for your business and employees.