Although natural disasters like typhoons and earthquakes usually destroy physical infrastructures, they can also inflict damage on intangible systems. That s why investors of BPO companies in the Philippines, especially those who delegate their business’ e-commerce tasks to the country, are advised to develop business continuity and recovery plans to prevent calamities from infringing Web-based business systems.
If your e-commerce website is hosted in your main offices outside the Philippines, you have lesser worries of your website experiencing downtime if a typhoon ravages the country. However, the two biggest threats to outsourced online store operations are power outage and Internet disconnection. Obviously, your employees won’t be able to process orders or respond to email and chat inquiries without electricity and connections to the web. This should never happen because with every minute of downtime, you lose profits and possibly, even loyal customers.
Aside from regular website maintenance, back up, and monitoring, a customer assistance software should be a part of your business continuity plans. This application would act like an online store assistant if actual representatives are unavailable because of harsh weather conditions. It may not completely address issues the way actual humans do, but it can ensure that customers won’t feel abandoned while keeping your business fully active online.
The software should be able to record customer information or let visitors leave messages. In addition to that, making your FAQ page more interactive with the help of rich media can keep inquirers occupied or appease the absence of chat and email support. Once you resume operations, your people should then get back to the inquiries left for them.
You could also set up multiple sites so that when operations in one office is halted by an unfortunate incident, the other facilities would keep the business on its feet. Several companies have proven this tactic effective, especially during the recent earthquake and super typhoon that devastated the Philippines. While Visayas branches of outsourcing firms momentarily shut down because of the natural disasters, their Manila offices remained running, saving BPO in the Philippines from graver business damage.
Dependable software and alternative locations can help keep your e-commerce tasks fully functional even during trying times. Having these can be costly, but they are crucial in preventing calamities from damaging your business. If these are not under your main field, you may consider partnering with an outsource provider that can provide the complete package. Look for a firm that does not only employ competent talents, but also knows how to manage assets with risk mitigation in mind.
