Business Risks that you Need to be Aware of
Every business faces some degree of risk. The more you can manage this risk, the more likely you’ll be to succeed.
Physical Risk
If you own a physical building then you’ll be at risk of fire, theft, flooding and even vandalism. It doesn’t matter what type of damage is done because you’ll always have to pay some kind of repair or replacement cost. If you’re not careful then you may even need to pay for legal fees if you are found to be liable in some way. If you want to protect yourself against this kind of risk then you need to install safety features such as smoke alarms, fire escapes and even sprinklers too. You also need to make sure that your team are aware of where the exits are, and that everyone knows what to do in the event of an emergency. Also, get a great insurance policy that protects you and anyone that may be injured on your property.
Strategic Risk
You need to make decisions every single day, and sometimes they can come with some degree of risk. This can include loss of earnings, missed deadlines and in some instances less sales. If you want to help yourself here, then base any decisions that you do make on robust figures or research. You also need to set clear indicators and goals, so that you can identify any risks in advance. Having a tolerance level for your company is also a good idea, as this will give you a structure that you can follow in the event that something does happen.
Compliance Risk
Every business needs to follow some form of regulation or legislation. If you fail to do this then you may face reputational damage, fines and in some instances, prosecution. One way for you to make sure that your business doesn’t succumb to this kind of risk would be for you are following contractor laws and tax laws for freelancers.
Technology Risk
Your business is based on technology, so you face risks such as power outages, malware, cyber-attacks and even software failure too. Some of these risks can cause your systems to be damaged and you may even find that you experience data breaches too. If you want to protect yourself here, then make sure that you have any backup power sources in place and also make sure that you have anti-virus software installed on every system too. It also helps to have a cybersecurity company who are able to look out for your best interests, such as Zenops.
Financial Risk
Financial risk can be driven by internal or external factors. Late-paying clients can have a huge impact on your cash flow, and this can cause you major problems. If you want to stop this from happening then make sure that you have a system in place that will help you to deal with this and also impose fines too.