Business worksheet
Risk and crisis plan template
List business risks, prevention steps, response actions and backup contacts. Fill in this worksheet and download or print your risk plan.
Dzaleka Online Services
Before you start
Useful for: Businesses affected by supply problems, illness, market disruption, weather events, theft, or equipment failure.
- Think about the last 12 months and list the disruptions that already affected your business.
- Identify the people, suppliers, or equipment your business depends on most.
- Collect current contact numbers for suppliers, customers, helpers, and emergency support.
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Your worksheet
Type your notes below, then download or print a copy. Notes stay on this page and are not saved when you leave.
Main business risks
Start by naming the risks that are most realistic for your business.
What risk could affect your business?
What would the problem look like in real life?
How serious would the impact be on income, stock, or customers?
Prevention steps
List the actions that reduce the chance of the risk happening or reduce the damage.
What can you do now to reduce this risk?
Who is responsible for this prevention step?
How often will you review this risk?
Response plan
Decide what you will do if the problem happens anyway.
What is the first thing you will do?
How will you inform customers or partners?
What helps the business return to normal faster?
Emergency contacts and backups
Keep essential names and alternatives in one place.
Which key phone numbers should be ready?
Who else can supply you if the main supplier fails?
If one channel fails, what will you use instead?
Crisis review
Decide how you will learn from a disruption after it happens.
What actually happened during the crisis?
Which response steps helped most?
What should be improved before the next disruption?
Keep a copy of your notes
The text file opens in a text editor. You can also choose “Save as PDF” in your browser’s print menu.
Worked example
A fictional business, shown to help you fill in the worksheet.
Limbikani Beauty Corner: Hair and beauty services
A beauty service provider wants to plan for supply shortages, illness, and phone network disruption.
Main risks
- Risk: hair product supplier delays restocking for two weeks.
- Impact: popular services cannot be delivered on time and customers go elsewhere.
- Risk: owner becomes ill and cannot work for several days.
Prevention and response
- Keep one backup supplier for braiding hair and treatment products.
- Maintain a short list of trusted assistants who can cover simple appointments.
- Message booked customers immediately if delays happen and offer a new time.
Backups and contacts
- Emergency contacts include the main supplier, backup supplier, assistant, and top repeat customers.
- Backup communication methods include SMS if WhatsApp data is unavailable.
- Review this plan at the start of every month.