More than a month after Hurricane Ian struck, businesses in Southwest Florida are starting to reopen. It’s often difficult to rebuild and resume operations after a major calamity, but the state government’s efforts accelerated the process. The Florida Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan Program, activated by Governor Ron DeSantis, made $50 million available for small business recovery, “at least $10 million of which must go to small businesses that are agricultural producers impacted by Hurricane Ian.”
Reopening your business in Venice, Florida, has its own set of challenges. If you don’t know where to start, read these tips.
- Assess the damage. When it’s safe to do so, survey your property and evaluate your losses. Take photos or videos of the damaged areas for insurance purposes.
- Review your insurance policy. Check your insurance policy to determine the scope of your coverage. If the document is too technical for you, you can consider hiring a public adjuster. Public adjusters can help you understand your policy and get a settlement larger than what you can acquire if you file on your own. Read our article about public adjusters.
- Get started with repairs and restoration. Call a trusted provider of storm damage restoration in Venice, FL to begin repair work, such as ServiceMaster by Wright. Be sure to inform your insurance company that you want to work with us before proceeding.
- Talk to your employees and clients. Effective communication is key after a major disaster. Give your customers, staff, and stakeholders updates concerning your company’s situation. Transparency is important so that people know what to expect. You can do this through a simple blog post or a website update.
- Retrieve data. Did you know that companies that experience major data loss are less likely to reopen? Businesses should already have made backups of their data long before a disaster strikes. It’s best to keep digital backups of your data in cloud storage for easy retrieval and increased safety. If you plan to salvage water-damaged electronic equipment, DO NOT turn them on unless they have been checked by a licensed professional to prevent losing data stored in them.
- Create a contingency plan. Preparedness is key to surviving storm damage in Venice, FL. If you don’t have one yet, use your experience and create a plan for the next disaster. Doing so can save you thousands of dollars and prevent additional inconvenience.
- Move forward. Remember that natural disasters are ever-present in nature. They strike without warning or delay, so businesses always need to adapt to these situations. After every disaster, it’s best to get back on track in any way possible. Review your business model and create modifications that can help you recover profits or keep everyone paid, such as social media marketing, outsourcing work, etc.
Don’t know what to do? We do. As a part of the leading brand in the needs-based services industry, ServiceMaster by Wright is here to offer emergency services at competitive pricing. We are the first responders to water & storm damage in Venice, FL, and nearby areas. We’ll get your business back up and running sooner.
Contact ServiceMaster by Wright at (941) 265-2995 for a FREE, no-obligation estimate, or connect with us online to schedule an appointment.
