Small businesses must stay agile, but unexpected problems can slow operations and impact revenue. Without a big company’s safety net, preparation is key.
Business continuity management (BCM) helps businesses of all sizes recover from setbacks and keeps sales, service and operations running smoothly.
In this article, you’ll learn what BCM is and how to protect your business with practical strategies and the right tools.
Meaning of business continuity management: A broad strategy including risk assessments, crisis response and backup plans to help businesses remain operational during disruptions. BCM goes beyond a single plan, ensuring organizations anticipate and recover from unexpected events.
BCM is essential for small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs). These companies don’t have the financial cushion that larger corporations do, making disruptions more damaging.
Business continuity management ensures key business operations can continue in a crisis. It helps minimize downtime, protect revenue and maintain customer trust.
Common threats to business continuity include cyberattacks, supply chain failures, natural disasters and economic downturns (more on these later).
A clear example is the COVID-19 pandemic, which shut down supply chains, forced remote work and exposed weak spots in business planning.
Companies with solid BCM strategies adapted quickly, shifting to online sales, securing alternative suppliers and maintaining operations. Those without a plan struggled to stay afloat, and many faced long-term closures.
The key components of a business continuity plan
A business continuity plan (BCP) is a key component of business continuity management. It isn’t just one document but a set of strategies that help a company recover quickly after disruptions.
BCM provides the broader framework that guides the development, implementation and continuous improvement of BCPs.
Here’s what a BCP should include:
Business continuity plan component | How it helps SMBs |
Risk assessment | Identifies potential threats and helps you understand where you’re most vulnerable. |
Business impact analysis (BIA) | Evaluates how disruptions affect cash flow, customers and daily tasks, helping you focus on what needs the most protection. |
Continuity strategies | Provides practical contingency plans like backup suppliers, flexible work setups and data recovery methods to keep your business running – even if systems fail. |
Decides who will update customers – your marketing team, sales manager or another team member – so messages are clear and timely. | |
Testing and optimization | Involves running tests, checking that your team knows the plan and making updates as your business grows or new risks emerge. |
Crisis management helps you build a solid plan to ensure preparedness when it matters most.
How to develop a business continuity plan in 5 steps
A business continuity program keeps your business running smoothly when unexpected challenges arise.
Here are five steps to create a business continuity management template that evolves with your company’s needs.
1. Assess your risks and vulnerabilities
The first step in creating a business continuity management plan is determining what could affect your organization’s ability to continue operating. Every company faces different risks based on its industry, size and location.
Some common threats include:
Risk type | Examples |
Cyberattacks | Data breaches, ransomware and system failures can halt operations. |
Supply chain failures | Shipping delays, shortages or key suppliers going out of business. |
Natural disasters | Hurricanes, floods, earthquakes and wildfires, depending on location. |
IT or power outages | Internet disruptions, server crashes or loss of access to critical software. |
Pandemics or health crises | Workforce shortages, supply issues and business closures. |
Regulatory requirements | New laws or industry regulations could impact operations. |
Economic downturns | Global recessions, financial crises and industry changes compromise business success. |
For example, the Ever Given container ship (which blocked the Suez Canal in 2021) disrupted global supply chains for weeks and held up almost $60 billion in trade.
That same year, the North American winter storm caused power outages for almost 10 million people and halted business operations.
Some risks cause minor delays, while others can shut a business down completely. To figure out how serious a threat is, ask:
Which parts of the business will the disruption affect first?
Can operations continue at a limited capacity?
How long can the business last if the issue lasts days, weeks or longer?
For example, an online store hit by a cyberattack could lose thousands of dollars per hour. An IT company with a major server failure might be unable to provide services for weeks, leading to contract cancellations.
Creating a risk assessment matrix helps you see which issues are most likely or would cause the most damage. It makes it easier to plan and prepare for problems before they happen.
Understanding your most significant risks is the foundation of strong resilience management. Once you know where your business is vulnerable, you can focus on protecting the most critical functions.
2. Map out critical functions and do a business impact analysis
Next, determine which business aspects are essential to maintain operations. Identify tasks you can pause (e.g., long-term marketing campaigns) and others that must continue without interruption (e.g., payment processing and order fulfillment).
To map out these priorities, ask yourself:
What processes must run for the business to function?
Which departments handle these key operations?
Who are the most essential staff and can others step in if needed?
What software or tools are necessary to keep things running?
Are there alternative suppliers if your main one fails?
For example, a retail store depends on inventory management, payment processing and customer service. In contrast, an IT company relies on cloud infrastructure and technical support teams.
Once you’ve identified critical functions, assess how challenges would affect revenue, operations and regulatory compliance:
BIA assessment step | Key question |
1. Evaluate financial impact | How much revenue would you lose per hour or day if a function is down? Example: An e-commerce business loses $50,000 daily if its website crashes. |
2. Assess operational impact | What happens to employees, production and service levels if a key function fails? Example: An IT services company can’t support clients during a network outage. |
3. Consider legal and compliance risks | Are there regulatory consequences if operations stop? Example: A fintech company faces GDPR fines if a security breach exposes customer data. |
A well-executed BIA helps you focus on what matters most to remain resilient and keep operations stable.
3. Create a response and recovery strategy
Once you know your critical business functions, set up a recovery plan to minimize downtime. Have a clear response plan in place for each significant risk.
For instance, if a supply chain fails, your plan might include backup suppliers or extra inventory to avoid interruptions.
A strong recovery plan should include:
Recovery plan step | What to do |
1. Incident detection and initial response | Plan how your company will recognize issues, who is responsible and what immediate actions you need to take. |
2. Damage assessment | Determine the extent of the disruption and what resources you need to recover. |
3. Containment and mitigation | Take immediate steps to stop the issue from getting worse (e.g., isolating infected IT systems or switching to backup suppliers). |
4. Restoration | Outline how to get critical functions back online and transition from backup systems to normal operations. |
5. Post-recovery review | Analyze what worked and what didn’t, then update the plan based on lessons learned. |
Each critical function needs a recovery time objective and recovery point objective, or RTO and RPO.
An RTO sets the maximum time a function can be down before it severely impacts business operations. An RPO determines how much data loss is acceptable before it affects customers.
Establish a recovery priority for each specific critical function:
Immediate recovery (0–24 hours). Functions you must restart immediately, such as payment processing and cybersecurity systems.
Short-term recovery (1–3 days). You can briefly delay these processes, including HR tasks or internal reporting.
Long-term recovery (4+ days). You can wait longer to fix tasks like strategic planning or non-urgent project reports.
Here are some examples:
Business function | RTO and RPO |
Customer order processing | RTO (max. downtime): 2 hours RPO (max. data loss): 15 minutes |
Internal IT systems | RTO (max. downtime): 8 hours RPO (max. data loss): 1 hour |
Marketing and advertising | RTO (max. downtime): 3 days RPO (max. data loss): 24 hours |
A well-developed incident response and recovery strategy ensures you don’t waste time scrambling when business disruptions occur.
4. Establish clear communication channels
A strong communication plan ensures employees, customers and partners get information quickly. It should cover:
Who needs updates – identify key groups like employees, customers, suppliers and business partners
What to share – provide details on the issues, expected downtime and next steps
How to deliver messages – explain whether to inform people via emails, SMS messages, calls, websites or social media
Who is responsible – assign a team or spokesperson to send updates and answer questions
Different situations require different messaging. For example:
Crisis communication type | What to consider |
Internal updates | Employees need clear instructions on what to do, whether to work remotely and how changes affect their jobs. |
Customer notifications | Customers should know about service disruptions, expected recovery times and alternative options. |
Supplier and partner coordination | Vendors require updates on order changes, shipment delays or backup plans. |
A clear plan reduces misinformation, stabilizes operations and reassures customers until the crisis subsides.
5. Test, refine and update your plan regularly
A business continuity plan isn’t a one-time effort – you must test and update it to stay effective. Risks change, technology evolves and businesses grow, so regular reviews ensure your plan remains relevant.
To keep your disaster recovery plan up to date:
Run simulations. Test different scenarios, like a cyberattack or supply chain failure, to see how well your plan holds up.
Conduct team drills. Make sure employees know their roles during disruptions. Walk through emergency procedures and recovery steps.
Review after real incidents. If your business faces an unexpected issue, assess what worked and what didn’t. Adjust the plan based on what you learn.
Update regularly. Review the plan at least once a year or when major changes happen.
Regular testing and continuous improvement identify weaknesses before a real crisis hits, keeping your business prepared.
Download your free business continuity plan template
5 tools to help manage business continuity planning
Many dedicated business continuity management systems, like Everbridge and Fusion Risk Management, target enterprise corporations and come with costs that enterprise businesses can afford. While these providers offer advanced features, they aren’t always practical for small business management.
Below, you’ll learn about five affordable tools that help small business owners manage continuity planning, assess potential risks and implement plans.
1. Pipedrive: for sales continuity and business continuity planning
Pipedrive’s customer relationship management (CRM) solution enables small enterprises to plan sales and business continuity in one place.
Use Pipedrive’s pipeline management features to track fundamental stages and prevent sales deals from stalling. The tool lets you assign deal owners, automate progress updates and monitor activity to avoid delays.
If an issue slows sales, Pipedrive’s sales pipeline reporting tools help you spot stalled deals and overdue follow-ups.
You can also manage business continuity plans through Pipedrive’s Projects add-on (more on this tool later). Set up a structured recovery plan, manage tasks and track progress so your team knows exactly what to do during a disruption
Clear deadlines and responsibilities mean your business can respond quickly and avoid confusion.
Finally, with Pipedrive, you can store and centralize key continuity information. Save supplier contacts, emergency protocols and recovery checklists within the platform, making them easily accessible when needed.
2. Trello: for crisis response planning and task management
Trello is a project management tool that supports business continuity plans by organizing and monitoring team activities.
Use Trello’s capabilities to:
Keep contingency plans in one place. Teams can access updates, checklists and documents, reducing confusion and delays.
Automate complex task updates and notifications. Set reminders and status updates to handle IT task management or nested checklists and align team members without constant check-ins.
Track progress and adjust priorities. Quickly reassign tasks or shift focus as disruptions evolve.
Pipedrive’s sales CRM integrates with Trello, connecting sales and crisis response efforts. You can link deals to specific tasks, helping your teams follow up on critical actions like updating customers, adjusting baselines or coordinating recovery steps.
3. LastPass: for secure credential management
LastPass gives your teams secure access to accounts if working conditions change.
Using this information security tool, you can:
Enable secure remote access. Store and share passwords safely so teams can access business management systems without delays or bottlenecks.
Prevent disruptions from lost or compromised passwords. Reduce downtime by giving employees secure access to key accounts.
Enhance security with encrypted storage. Protect sensitive data with strong encryption, two-factor authentication and automatic password generation.
With cloud-based password management, employees can log in to essential tools from anywhere without risking security breaches.
4. Google Workspace: for cloud-based collaboration and data backup
Google Workspace keeps teams always connected. With cloud storage and real-time editing, employees can work from anywhere without interruptions.
A team collaboration tool like Google Workspace:
Supports remote work – access files, emails and communications from any device, keeping the business running even if the office closes
Protects important data – cloud storage automatically saves and syncs files, preventing losses due to hardware failures or cybersecurity breaches
Pipedrive integrates with Google Workspace, linking emails, documents and meetings to your Pipedrive deals and contacts. The integration ensures teams always have real-time access to critical information.
5. JustCall – for business communication continuity
JustCall provides cloud-based VoIP solutions to keep customer and internal communications running. Teams can make and receive calls from anywhere, ensuring business continuity.
JustCall’s business phone solution helps you:
Keep sales and support teams connected – handle sales calls on any device, even if the office phone system is down
Avoid disruptions – cloud-based calling ensures communication stays active during phone network outages
Maintain accessibility during disruptions – route calls to backup numbers, access voicemails and keep communication flowing when your regular systems fail
JustCall integrates with Pipedrive, making it easy to track customer interactions. Calls, voicemails and text messages are automatically logged under the relevant deal, giving you a complete communication history.
Salespeople and service teams can quickly reference past conversations, follow up efficiently and maintain continuity when working remotely or switching devices.
Business continuity management example: plan with Pipedrive
Pipedrive isn’t just for tracking sales. It centralizes customer interactions, automates workflows and securely stores data so you can maintain operations when other companies falter.
Here’s how your teams can use Pipedrive to gain a competitive advantage:
Keep customer interactions uninterrupted
During disruptions, it’s crucial to maintain clear and consistent communication with customers. Pipedrive tracks all calls, emails, and follow-ups, giving your team up-to-date customer information.
If a team member is out, others can quickly access past interactions and continue the conversation.
Automated reminders ensure sales and support teams stay on top of follow-ups and sales opportunities. Real-time deal notes and customer record updates inform everyone when an issue affects service or order fulfillment.
For broader customer updates, Pipedrive’s email templates and bulk messaging let you send timely notifications to minimize confusion and nurture customer loyalty.
If disruptions lead to an influx of customer emails, Pipedrive’s AI email writer can summarize email threads and craft on-brand replies. The tool helps you reply to customers efficiently without sacrificing quality or making mistakes.
Automate workflows to prevent lost leads
Disruptions can quickly derail sales processes, but workflow automation ensures deals keep moving. Pipedrive helps by:
Sending alerts when sales deals stall or tasks are overdue
Automatically moving leads through the pipeline based on customer actions, reducing manual effort
Scheduling follow-ups to ensure you don’t miss opportunities, even if team members are handling other tasks
These Pipedrive features help teams stay on top of sales when a crisis affects normal operations.
Safeguard and centralized data for organizational resilience
Disruption shouldn’t mean losing access to critical information. Pipedrive stores all customer records, deal histories and sales data securely in the cloud – so your team can retrieve essential details no matter where they are.
Access controls let you protect sensitive information while granting the right employees the access they need. With remote access, your team can continue working if office systems are down or they’re working offsite.
Additionally, cloud backups prevent data loss and keep business processes running smoothly.
Manage business continuity plans with Projects and SmartDocs
A well-organized BCP ensures your team knows exactly what to do when something goes wrong. Pipedrive’s Projects feature helps you create, track and execute BCPs. You can assign tasks, set deadlines and monitor progress from a single platform.
The SmartDocs add-on enhances this process by allowing you to store and manage key documents such as emergency contacts, risk assessments and contingency plans.
When problems arise, your team can quickly access up-to-date protocols and send updates to stakeholders. SmartDocs also lets you send and receive eSignatures to continue processing important agreements.
Final thoughts
Business continuity management processes help small businesses navigate disruptions. A solid plan protects revenue, maintains customer loyalty and allows a faster return to normalcy.
Start by identifying key risks, mapping critical functions and leveraging tools like Pipedrive to keep your sales and operations under control.
Sign up for a 14-day free trial and see how Pipedrive can help you build a stronger, more prepared business.
