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Protect Your Business from Disease

In this world, where nature tends to surprise us in the most destructive ways, businesses are searching for solutions that will help them thrive during the worst of conditions. After occurrences such as Hurricane Katrina and the tsunami that struck Thailand, there is no telling when and how a natural disaster will affect your business. Even know when all seems calm in the world, there is still threat of disease or worse yet, a pandemic that will affect millions across the globe. VoiceNation, the premier provider of virtual voice solutions, warns businesses to plan now for their communications needs in the event of a severe flu or pandemic.

Standard business continuity planning that anticipates short-term, local disruptions will provide little assistance if the United States faces an avian flu pandemic. The World Health Organization warns that large geographical areas may be quarantined in the event of a pandemic, making remote location of critical operations problematic. Additionally, flu epidemics typically come in waves, spreading the impact over weeks or months. As a result, business planning based on single, short-term events may be insufficient.

With waves of disease, record levels of absenteeism could persist for months with rolling closures of transportation systems, schools, and businesses. Many of the absent will not be ill, simply unable to get to work. ?Companies with a suddenly dispersed work force can continue to operate effectively with good communication planning,? says Jay Reeder, CEO of VoiceNation. ?Businesses can keep their employees informed as a crisis unfolds, maintain communications with customers and even continue to process orders with automated phone services and planning for remote communications?whether their employees are confined at home or quickly relocated. The good news is, businesses can protect their bottom lines with careful planning today."