Plan Statement

The Fitted Horse recognises that unexpected disruptions can impact our ability to serve clients and maintain business operations. This Business Continuity Plan outlines how we will prepare for, respond to, and recover from potential disruptions to ensure continued service and minimal impact on clients.

Purpose of this plan:

• Identify potential threats to business operations
• Establish procedures to maintain essential services during disruptions
• Protect client interests and business assets
• Enable rapid recovery from incidents
• Ensure clear communication during disruptions
• Minimise impact on clients and business sustainability

This plan covers:

• Critical business functions and priorities
• Potential disruption scenarios
• Response and recovery procedures
• Emergency contacts and resources
• Communication protocols
• Data backup and protection

Critical Business Functions

Essential Services

Our critical business functions that must be maintained:

Client Appointments and Consultations:

• Scheduled fitting consultations
• Follow-up appointments
• Urgent client needs
• Ongoing client support

Client Communication:

• Responding to enquiries
• Confirming appointments
• Addressing concerns
• Emergency contact availability

Financial Operations:

• Processing payments
• Managing invoices
• Banking and financial records
• Tax and accounting compliance

Stock and Equipment:

• Access to trial equipment
• Product availability
• Equipment maintenance
• Inventory management

Data and Records:

• Client records and history
• Booking schedules
• Financial records
• Business documentation

Recovery Time Objectives

How quickly each function must be restored:

Within 24 Hours:

• Emergency client communication
• Access to upcoming appointment schedule
• Critical client support
• Emergency contact availability

Within 3 Days:

• Normal appointment scheduling
• Email and phone communication
• Access to client records
• Payment processing
• Stock access for appointments

Within 1 Week:

• Full business operations
• All communication channels
• Complete data access
• Normal service levels
• Marketing and social media

Potential Disruption Scenarios

Owner Illness or Injury

Risk: Sole trader business dependent on owner availability.

Impact:

• Unable to attend appointments
• Cannot provide consultations
• Communication delays
• Service interruption

Likelihood: Medium - illness or injury possible at any time

Severity: High - business cannot operate without owner

Vehicle Breakdown or Accident

Risk: Mobile business dependent on vehicle for service delivery.

Impact:

• Cannot travel to appointments
• Unable to transport equipment
• Disruption to schedule
• Client appointments cancelled

Likelihood: Medium - mechanical failure or accident possible

Severity: High - prevents service delivery

Technology Failure

Risk: Loss of computer, phone, or internet access.

Impact:

• Cannot access client records
• Email communication disrupted
• Loss of booking schedule
• Financial records inaccessible
• Payment processing affected

Likelihood: Low to Medium - technical failures occur occasionally

Severity: Medium to High depending on duration and data backup

Data Loss or Cyber Incident

Risk: Loss of digital records through hardware failure, theft, or cyber attack.

Impact:

• Client data lost or compromised
• Appointment records gone
• Financial information lost
• Business records destroyed
• GDPR breach implications

Likelihood: Low - with proper backups and security

Severity: Very High - could be catastrophic without backups

Equipment Loss, Theft, or Damage

Risk: Loss of trial equipment, stock, or essential business tools.

Impact:

• Cannot provide full service
• Trial options limited
• Stock unavailable
• Financial loss
• Service quality affected

Likelihood: Low - with security measures

Severity: Medium - replaceable but disruptive and costly

Extreme Weather

Risk: Severe weather preventing travel or business operations.

Impact:

• Cannot travel to appointments
• Client safety concerns
• Yard access impossible
• Appointments cancelled
• Communication may be affected

Likelihood: Medium - particularly in winter months

Severity: Low to Medium - usually temporary, rescheduling possible

Family Emergency or Bereavement

Risk: Personal circumstances requiring extended absence.

Impact:

• Unable to work for period of time
• Appointments need cancelling or rescheduling
• Limited communication
• Business suspended temporarily

Likelihood: Low - but unpredictable

Severity: Variable - depends on circumstances and duration

Pandemic or Public Health Emergency

Risk: Restrictions on travel, yard access, or face-to-face services.

Impact:

• Cannot conduct in-person appointments
• Yard closures or restrictions
• Travel limitations
• Service delivery method change required
• Client health and safety concerns

Likelihood: Low - but recent experience shows possible

Severity: High - widespread disruption to business model

Supplier Issues

Risk: Key suppliers unable to provide products or services.

Impact:

• Stock unavailable
• Custom orders delayed
• Trial equipment shortages
• Product recommendations affected

Likelihood: Low to Medium

Severity: Low to Medium - alternative suppliers usually available

Loss of Key Business Relationships

Risk: Yard partnerships, referral networks, or collaborations end.

Impact:

• Reduced client base
• Fewer referrals
• Access to yards restricted
• Business development affected

Likelihood: Low - with professional relationship management

Severity: Low to Medium - impacts growth but not core operations

Preparedness and Prevention

Data Backup and Protection

To prevent data loss:

Regular Backups:

• Daily automatic backup of client records to cloud storage
• Weekly backup to external hard drive stored off-site
• Critical documents backed up immediately after creation
• Financial records backed up monthly minimum
• Backup systems tested quarterly

Cloud Storage:

• Google Drive or similar for client records and documents
• Email hosted in cloud (Gmail, Outlook) with storage redundancy
• Booking system cloud-based where possible
• Automatic synchronisation across devices

Physical Backup:

• External hard drive with encrypted backup
• Stored at separate location (home office backup at different address)
• Updated weekly minimum
• Protected from physical damage

Security Measures:

• Strong passwords on all systems
• Two-factor authentication where available
• Antivirus and security software updated
• Firewall protection
• Secure wifi networks
• Regular security updates installed

Recovery Testing:

• Quarterly test of backup restoration
• Verify data integrity
• Ensure access to backed-up information
• Update backup systems as needed

Equipment and Vehicle

Vehicle Maintenance:

• Regular servicing according to manufacturer schedule
• MOT and safety checks current
• Emergency breakdown cover (AA, RAC, or similar)
• Spare wheel and basic tools
• Emergency contact numbers stored

Equipment Care:

• Trial equipment regularly checked and maintained
• Stock stored securely
• Equipment insurance appropriate
• Inventory records maintained
• Critical items identified and protected

Contingency Planning:

• Vehicle hire details researched and saved
• Alternative transport options identified
• Equipment replacement sources known
• Insurance details accessible

Financial Protection

Insurance Coverage:

• Public Liability Insurance (minimum five million pounds)
• Professional Indemnity Insurance (minimum two million pounds)
• Business Equipment Insurance
• Vehicle insurance (business use covered)
• Income protection considered

Financial Resilience:

• Emergency fund for business disruption (target three months operating costs)
• Diversified income streams where possible
• Cash flow monitoring
• Financial records backed up securely
• Access to business credit or overdraft if needed

Tax and Compliance:

• Records maintained for HMRC requirements
• Tax returns filed on time
• Professional accounting support available
• Compliance with regulations maintained

Health and Wellbeing

Preventing Owner Illness/Injury:

• Health and safety practices followed
• Manual handling training
• Regular health checks
• Work-life balance maintained
• Stress management
• Adequate insurance coverage

Contingency for Absence:

• Critical information documented (not just in owner's head)
• Emergency contacts list maintained
• Key procedures written down
• Financial access arrangements
• Trusted person identified for emergency support

Communication Systems

Redundancy in Communication:

• Multiple contact methods (email, phone, text, social media)
• Mobile phone with backup device
• Email accessible from multiple devices
• Cloud-based systems accessible anywhere
• Voicemail and auto-responder capabilities

Emergency Contact Information:

• Stored securely and backed up
• Accessible from multiple locations
• Includes clients, suppliers, professionals, emergency services
• Regularly updated

Response Procedures

Immediate Response Protocol

When disruption occurs:

Within First Hour:

1. Assess the situation and severity
2. Ensure personal safety first
3. Identify what functions are affected
4. Determine likely duration of disruption
5. Activate relevant response procedures

Communication Priority:

• Inform clients with imminent appointments (same day, next day)
• Update voicemail and email auto-responder
• Post notice on social media if widespread disruption
• Contact key partners or referrers if needed

Decision Making:

• Can business continue with adaptations?
• Is temporary suspension necessary?
• What alternative arrangements needed?
• Who needs to be informed?
• What immediate actions required?

Client Communication During Disruption

Immediate Notification:

Clients with appointments in next 48 hours:

• Contact directly by phone or text
• Explain situation honestly
• Apologise for inconvenience
• Offer rescheduling options
• Confirm new arrangements in writing
• No cancellation fees for our disruption

General Client Base:

• Update voicemail message with situation and expected return
• Set email auto-responder explaining disruption
• Social media announcement if appropriate
• Website notice if extended disruption
• Regular updates on recovery progress

Communication Content:

Include:

• What has happened (appropriate detail)
• How it affects service availability
• Expected duration of disruption
• Alternative arrangements if any
• How clients can contact for urgent needs
• Apology for inconvenience
• Timeline for updates

Avoid:

• Excessive personal detail
• Panic or unprofessional tone
• Promises you can't keep
• Blame or excuses

Example Message: "Due to [situation], I'm unable to attend appointments from [date] to approximately [date]. I've contacted all clients with bookings during this period to reschedule. I apologise for any inconvenience and will be back in touch as soon as possible. For urgent enquiries, please email emma@thefittedhorse.co.uk and I'll respond as soon as I'm able. Thank you for your understanding."

Scenario-Specific Responses

Owner Illness or Injury:

Immediate Actions:

• Contact clients with appointments in next seven days
• Reschedule appointments to later dates
• Update voicemail and email
• Post social media notice if extended absence
• Arrange trusted person to check emails if serious illness

Short-Term (Under 1 Week):

• Reschedule appointments
• Maintain email communication if possible
• Postpone non-urgent matters
• Keep clients informed of recovery

Extended (Over 1 Week):

• Consider referring urgent clients to other professionals
• Communicate realistic return timeline
• Maintain critical client communication
• Protect business continuity

Vehicle Breakdown:

Immediate Actions:

• Contact breakdown service
• Inform clients with same-day appointments
• Reschedule if repair not immediate
• Assess hire vehicle option if extended repair

Options:

• Repair quickly and continue (if minor)
• Hire vehicle temporarily (if major repair)
• Reschedule appointments to when vehicle available
• Use alternative transport if practical (borrowed vehicle with business insurance)

Technology Failure:

Immediate Actions:

• Attempt to restore from backup
• Use backup device if primary device failed
• Access cloud systems from alternative device
• Contact IT support if needed

Temporary Workarounds:

• Use mobile phone for communication
• Access email from phone or tablet
• Use paper diary temporarily if booking system down
• Manual record-keeping until systems restored

Recovery:

• Restore from backups
• Repair or replace failed equipment
• Verify data integrity
• Resume normal operations

Data Loss or Cyber Incident:

Immediate Actions:

• Disconnect affected systems
• Contact IT security professional if cyber attack
• Assess extent of loss or breach
• Begin restoration from backups

If Personal Data Compromised:

• Assess likelihood and severity of risk to individuals
• Report to ICO within 72 hours if breach meets threshold
• Notify affected clients if high risk to their rights
• Document breach and response
• Take steps to prevent recurrence

Recovery:

• Restore data from most recent clean backup
• Verify integrity and completeness
• Strengthen security measures
• Review and update security protocols

Extreme Weather:

Immediate Actions:

• Monitor weather forecasts
• Contact clients if travel unsafe
• Reschedule affected appointments
• Post weather notice on social media

Decision Making:

• Is travel safe for me and clients?
• Are yards accessible?
• Will weather improve within appointment window?
• Better to reschedule proactively?

Communication:

• Notify clients early if rescheduling
• No fees for weather cancellations
• Offer earliest alternative dates
• Flexible approach

Pandemic or Public Health Emergency:

Immediate Actions:

• Follow government and public health guidance
• Assess whether services can continue safely
• Implement additional safety measures if continuing
• Suspend services if required

Adaptations:

• Virtual consultations for preliminary assessments
• Photo and video analysis where appropriate
• Delayed follow-ups until safe
• Enhanced hygiene and distancing protocols if operating
• Client communication about measures

Recovery:

• Gradual resumption as restrictions lift
• Maintain enhanced safety where beneficial
• Rebuild schedule systematically
• Support client confidence in safety

Recovery Procedures

Resuming Operations

When ready to resume business:

Preparation:

• Ensure systems fully functional
• Verify data and records accessible
• Test communication channels
• Check equipment and vehicle ready
• Confirm personal fitness for work

Client Notification:

• Announcement via email, social media, voicemail
• Thank clients for patience
• Confirm availability and booking options
• Prioritise rescheduling disrupted appointments
• Return to normal communication

Rescheduling Priority:

• Clients whose appointments were cancelled
• Urgent or time-sensitive needs
• Longest-waiting clients
• Fit in around existing commitments
• Fair and systematic approach

Service Quality:

• Ensure quality not compromised in catching up
• Don't over-book trying to make up time
• Maintain standards
• Learn from disruption experience

Post-Incident Review

After each significant disruption:

Review What Happened:

• What caused the disruption?
• How effectively did we respond?
• What worked well?
• What could be improved?
• Were clients satisfied with how it was handled?

Update Plans:

• Revise Business Continuity Plan based on learning
• Improve backup or prevention measures
• Update emergency contacts and procedures
• Strengthen weak areas identified
• Document lessons learned

Prevent Recurrence:

• Implement preventive measures if possible
• Improve preparedness for similar events
• Update risk assessments
• Enhance resilience

Stakeholder Feedback:

• Ask clients for feedback on disruption handling
• Learn from their experience
• Thank them for understanding
• Build stronger relationships

Emergency Contacts and Resources

Key Contacts

Business Owner:

• Emma Harris
• Mobile: 07359 205538
• Email: emma@thefittedhorse.co.uk

Trusted Emergency Contact (Family/Friend):

• Name: Ian Bankhurst
• Relationship: Partner
• Mobile: 07799 212520
• Role: Can access critical business information if owner incapacitated, can inform clients of emergency, has emergency access to key records

Emergency Information Access

Critical Information Stored:

• Location 1: Secure cloud storage (Google Drive)
• Location 2: Password-protected external hard drive (off-site)
• Location 3: Physical folder in fireproof safe

Information Included:

• Client contact details and upcoming appointments
• Financial account details and access
• Insurance policy documents
• Business registration and licences
• Key supplier and partner contacts
• System passwords (in password manager)
• Emergency contact list
• Business Continuity Plan

Access Arrangements:

• Owner has primary access
• Trusted emergency contact has secondary access (password in sealed envelope)
• Accountant has relevant financial access
• Clear instructions for emergency access

Financial Continuity

Emergency Funding

Financial Reserves:

• Target: Three months operating costs in reserve
• Held in: Accessible business savings account
• For use in: Extended disruption, income loss, emergency expenses

Alternative Funding:

• Business overdraft facility (if arranged)
• Business credit card for emergency purchases
• Personal emergency fund if business reserves insufficient
• Insurance claims for covered incidents

Essential Expenses

Priority payments during disruption:

• Insurance premiums (maintain coverage)
• Critical supplier payments
• Vehicle costs (if needed for recovery)
• Professional fees (accountant, legal if needed)
• Technology services (if needed for recovery)

Deferrable expenses:

• Marketing and advertising
• Non-essential subscriptions
• Equipment upgrades
• Professional development (temporarily)

Client Financial Considerations

During disruption:

• No cancellation fees for appointments we cancel
• Refunds processed for any prepaid services affected
• Flexible payment terms if clients affected by same disruption
• Honest communication about any financial impacts
• Maintain trust through fair practices

Communication Templates

Email Auto-Responder Template

Subject: Temporary Business Disruption

Message:

"Thank you for your email.

Please be aware that The Fitted Horse is currently experiencing [brief description of situation] and I am unable to respond to emails as quickly as usual.

I expect to be back to normal operations by approximately [date] and will respond to all enquiries as soon as possible upon my return.

If you have an appointment booked during this period, I will contact you directly to reschedule.

For urgent matters, please text or call 07359 205538 and I'll do my best to respond.

Thank you for your patience and understanding.

Emma The Fitted Horse"

Voicemail Message Template

"Hi, you've reached Emma at The Fitted Horse. I'm currently unable to take your call due to [situation]. I expect to return to normal availability from approximately [date]. Please leave a message and I'll return your call as soon as possible, or email emma@thefittedhorse.co.uk. If you have an appointment booked, I'll be in touch directly to reschedule. Thank you for your understanding."

Social Media Announcement Template

"Business Update

Due to [situation], The Fitted Horse will be unable to conduct appointments from [date] to approximately [date].

All clients with bookings during this period have been contacted directly to reschedule.

I apologise for any inconvenience and appreciate your understanding. I'll post an update as soon as I'm back to normal operations.

For any urgent enquiries, please email emma@thefittedhorse.co.uk.

Thank you for your patience.

Emma 💚"

Plan Maintenance

Regular Review

This plan is reviewed:

• Annually each January
• After any significant disruption
• When business operations change
• When new risks identified
• Following major technology or system changes

Review includes:

• Testing backup systems
• Updating emergency contacts
• Revising procedures based on experience
• Checking insurance coverage adequate
• Ensuring contact lists current
• Verifying access to critical information

Testing and Practice

Quarterly testing:

• Restore data from backup (verify it works)
• Check access to cloud systems from alternative devices
• Review emergency contact list accuracy
• Test auto-responder and voicemail systems
• Verify emergency fund available

Annual exercises:

• Walk through a disruption scenario
• Identify gaps or weaknesses
• Update procedures
• Refresh knowledge of plan
• Ensure confidence in execution

Plan Activation

This plan is activated when:

• Any disruption prevents normal business operations
• Risk of disruption is imminent (e.g., severe weather forecast)
• Owner unable to work for more than 24 hours
• Technology or data systems compromised
• Any scenario identified in Section 3 occurs

Activation decision:

• Owner activates plan
• Trusted emergency contact can activate if owner unable
• Better to activate proactively than wait until crisis severe

Deactivation:

• When normal operations resumed
• Formal announcement to clients
• Post-incident review conducted
• Return to normal policies and procedures

"Hope for the best, plan for the worst. Prepared to serve clients through challenges and disruptions."