When The Power Goes Off

We live in a society dependent on electricity. From lighting a room to illuminating our lives with computers, televisions, and appliances, we expect the power to always be on when we need it. But that's not always the case. And for small businesses, power outages can be disastrous if they are not prepared.

For some businesses, a power failure can turn out the lights permanently. According to a University of Texas study, more than two-fifths of companies experiencing a major loss of computer records never reopen for business. More than half close within two years, and just 6 percent survive in the long term.

An outage of any duration can be problematic for small businesses. That's why it's important to take steps before an outage occurs. Making a plan is just one way to keep a business up and running during a power outage. This lets you focus on the issues at hand, while you work toward getting things back to normal.

Find more preventive measures and other information on power outages.