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Disaster Recovery for Print and Mail Operations
By Leo J. Hertzog, Jr.
Have you taken steps to ensure that cash will keep
flowing after a disaster?
Does your company rely on any form of print and mail
services on a day-to-day basis?
Does your company rely on processing, printing, and
mailing invoices or statements as a means of income?
A retail store must mail its bills. A bank needs to
mail its statements. Health care organizations must get checks out to
their physicians. Insurers must send out their policies. The list of industries
that needs print and mail back up is endless.
The cost of setting up such "insurance" for your company
may seem daunting. However, the costs incurred if you were to cease your
day-to-day data processing activities for several months puts this in
perspective. The dramatic impact a disaster would have on cash flow, coupled
with irreparable loss of market share, could mean the end of your business.
In fact, more than 80 percent of companies that face
disaster without a complete contingency plan go out of business soon after.
A print and mail disaster recovery provider can prevent this unnecessary
and unsettling outcome.
When Choosing a Provider…
for print and mail disaster recovery, look for
the following:
• Close proximity to your facility
• State-of-the-art technology
• Specific equipment to replicate your company’s print and mail environment
• Expertise in print and mail finishing
• Knowledge of postal regulations
• Well-documented, organized, and accountable methodology
• Proximity to a postal facility capable of handling large volumes
of mail
• Uninterrupted power supply (UPS) in case of outage
• Climate controls
• Fire detection/suppression systems
• High-level on-site security
• Telecommunications support
• Storage space and systems to warehouse your firm’s printed stock
• Transportation access and proximity to food and lodging for staff
• Connectivity to computer hot site
Ask the Following Questions…
• How many customers are currently contracted
with your company?
• How many customers can you simultaneously support?
• Who is the customer nearest to my location that you currently serve
or will accept?
• Is recovery time assigned on a first come/first serve basis?
• What is your staff’s level of experience and industry qualifications?
• Is equipment reserved specifically for disaster recovery?
• What percentage of business does disaster recovery count for?
• How often is equipment tested?
• What percentage of my monthly volume must be processed at your
location?
• Are my company’s employees permitted to operate your equipment?
To Prevent Surprises…
it is best to request a tour of the disaster
recovery provider’s facility before "signing on." You should also request
a pretest to insure data readability and equipment compatibility. This
way there are no surprises after an account is established.
About the Author
Leo J. Hertzog, Jr., is president of Mail-Gard
Concepts, Inc. For more information on this topic, you can call Mail-Gard
at: (215) 957-4395, or access their web site at http://www.ccgroupnet.com.
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