Nearly every type of business depends on company information to serve their customers in one way or another. For many businesses, losing the data stored on computers or servers would be the equivalent to locking the doors, as it has the potential to bring the entire operation to a screeching halt.

Business data is among the most important assets that any company owns. As a small business, securing your data is most critical, given the limited resources you may have to manage and recover data in case of an emergency. 

No matter the size of your business or the services you provide, chances are you rely heavily on network storage and the data you save on local computer systems. Data backup plans are essential to giving you the peace of mind of knowing your data is safe in the event of an unexpected data loss.

Companies and organizations don't plan to fail, they fail to plan...when it comes to data recovery from unexpected disasters.

This paraphrase from Benjamin Franklin's famous quote captures perfectly the issue that companies will face if they haven't made an investment in a data backup and recovery plan.

Your business relies daily on data for customer information, financial records, employee details and other functions. Protecting that critical information with a data backup plan is a smart move that can literally save your business in case of disaster.

Have you ever stopped to consider the costs your company would suffer from just a single day of lost data? If your company is not prepared with an adequate backup and recovery plan, the financial results could be devastating if an unexpected event causes you to lose access to critical data.

Unexpected data loss can result from a variety of mistakes or disasters, including hardware or software malfunctions, human error, computer viruses and natural disasters, among others. No one is ever completely ready to lose their valuable company data, but would you be prepared to quickly recover from an event that destroys or takes your data out of reach?

Businesses of all sizes collect data every day. These company data assets are related to financial transactions, sales, customer information, e-mails, contracts and other important functions.

Does your company view, treat and care for your data as if it is a critical asset to your business? If not, it's time to understand and convey the importance of safeguarding your company data with employees and leadership at every level of your organization.  

Today's business leaders are tasked with continually identifying new ways to increase efficiency in their organizations. The challenge they face is the need to do more with less — to improve productivity while controlling or reducing costs.

To help business succeed, smart companies adopt the concept of "lean thinking" in all areas of business. Those who embrace this idea and make it a part of their culture can set their business apart, even in tough economic times.