While laundry operators in today’s post-COVID era are breathing easier since the pandemic has passed, the need to prepare for similar contingencies remains, and in fact the risks to laundry operators are more serious than ever due to a range of natural and societal trends.
That’s the somber message delivered by disaster-planning/response consultant Lucien G. Canton in an upcoming article in Textile Services titled “Emergency Preparedness – More Critical Now Than Ever.”
The article, slated for February’s issue, notes that irrespective of your take on climate change, the frequency of natural disasters such as tornadoes, floods and droughts, has ticked up recent years. What’s more, today’s high-tech economy is more interconnected than ever before. That means supply-chain and communications systems are more vulnerable to both natural and manmade disasters, such as cyber attacks. “Technological risks aren’t limited to infrastructure,” Canton writes. “We are increasingly dependent on information technology, and that dependency has made us increasingly vulnerable to system failures and cyber attacks.” In essence, if your company is hit by a ransomware bandit, you could find that your business is effectively paralyzed. “Denial of service attacks and ransomware demands are increasingly common, as are scams and website hijacking,” Canton adds. “The risk is not only to your intellectual property but to your business reputation if your company identity is used to defraud your customers. There also are numerous stories of how company reputations have cratered due to the malicious use of social media.”
As if that weren’t enough, laundry operators in the U.S. and to some extent in Europe, are faced with rising prospects of civil unrest. The widely anticipated tussle over the upcoming presidential election between President Joe Biden and his leading opponent, former President Donald Trump, could push the U.S. deeper into a civil conflict that could have spillover effects on your business. “One area that is emerging is the increase in political violence,” Canton writes. “Several reputable researchers have made the case that we in the U.S. could be on the brink of a civil war.” Canton points out that such a conflict is unlikely to involve mass armed forces. However, it could spur guerrilla assaults by small bands of fighters who could wreak havoc through terrorism. While no one can predict precisely how the 2024 election scenarios will play out, the security risks are real, he argues. “The increased polarization between political parties in the U.S. and Europe, has given rise to numerous confrontations and increased violence.”
What’s a laundry operator to do? Canton advises business owners and managers to begin with a sober assessment of risks in their areas and take steps now to reduce their exposure to the hazards noted above. “The simple fact is that disasters are by their very nature hard to predict,” Canton writes. “We can recognize emerging risks, but there’s no guarantee that we will be able to predict the next crisis. Rather, focus instead on reducing your areas of vulnerability.” A good place to start is by taking a hard look at your supply chain and public utilities access. Canton asks readers to consider questions such as “What are your key risks and how could they impact your business? Can you function without electricity or water? How important is the transportation infrastructure to your business? Will a disaster reduce or increase demand for your services? How will it affect your workforce?”
For details, click here to review a draft version of the forthcoming article. Click here for more on Textile Services, including subscription information.
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