We don’t often think about what could go wrong until it does. A cyberattack. A server failure. A flood that knocks out your office for a week. It’s easy to assume these things happen to someone else—until they happen to you.
That’s where business continuity planning comes in. It’s not about predicting every scenario but about having a plan that keeps your business moving when something unexpected hits.
For businesses across Newcastle and the Hunter region, we’ve seen firsthand how a little planning can be the difference between a temporary hiccup and a severe disruption.
What is Business Continuity Planning?
At its core, business continuity planning (BCP) is about identifying your critical systems and processes—and working out how to keep them running in a crisis. It’s not just data backups or fire drills. It covers how your team communicates, where they work from, and what tools you need to stay operational.
It’s also not just for big corporations. Small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) often feel the impact more acutely when something goes wrong because they have fewer resources to absorb the shock.
Why It Matters for Newcastle-Based Businesses
We work with clients right across Newcastle, Lake Macquarie, the Central Coast, and the Upper Hunter. Local risks—like storm-related outages or internet disruptions in regional areas—can bring businesses to a standstill. We’ve seen it happen.
Even minor incidents, such as a lost laptop or a ransomware attack, can lead to hours (or days) of downtime, lost revenue, and reputational damage.
A strong continuity plan doesn’t guarantee you won’t face challenges—but it does mean you won’t be scrambling in the dark when they happen.
What Should a Good Plan Cover?
Here are the basics we recommend for any SMB:
- Data Backup and Recovery: Is Your Data Backed Up Daily? Can you restore it quickly if needed?
- Hardware and software access: Can your team access the necessary tools remotely if the office is unavailable?
- Communication protocols: Who do staff contact during an outage or security incident? Who notifies customers?
- Security Protections: Are Your Backups Safe from Ransomware? Does multi-factor authentication protect critical systems?
- Tested procedures: Have you run through a “what if” scenario lately—or is your plan just sitting in a folder somewhere?
Common Gaps We See
Working with Newcastle businesses, we often find the same pain points:
- Backups exist, but no one’s tested a restore.
- Key systems (like invoicing or emails) depend on one machine or person.
- Passwords are stored in someone’s notebook (or nowhere at all)
- There is no plan for remote work if the office is offline
- Outdated antivirus or unpatched software running on critical machines
These issues aren’t complex to fix—but they need to be addressed before a crisis, not after.
How Trustpoint Can Help
At Trustpoint, we specialize in managed IT and cybersecurity for Newcastle’s SMBs. We don’t just tick boxes—we work with you to understand your business and implement practical, affordable solutions that drive results.
Whether that’s setting up secure cloud backups, building a remote work plan, or conducting a disaster recovery drill, our job is to ensure you’re prepared for the things you hope never happen.
Take the First Step
If you’re not sure how your business would cope in a crisis, now’s the time to find out. We offer continuity assessments and IT audits for companies across Newcastle and the surrounding areas.
📞 Call us today to book a chat with our team.
📧 Or get in touch online—we’ll get back to you within one business day.
Let’s get you prepared.