Business continuity: a simple runbook someone else can follow
Short answer: A runbook is a one-page “if the site dies” doc: who to call, where backups live, how to repoint DNS, and which suppliers hold which keys—written so a colleague can execute it at 9pm.
Continuity is not only for enterprises; it is how NZ owner-operators avoid losing a week of trade to a single missing MFA device.
What belongs in v1 of a runbook
- Critical URLs and who hosts them (www, shop, booking).
- Escalation order: internal tech, agency retainer, hosting support numbers.
- Restore steps in plain language with links to host docs.
Test the runbook
Annual tabletop exercise: pretend DNS is wrong—can someone follow the doc without calling you? Update gaps immediately.
Pair with comms templates
Draft a short customer email for extended outages and a social post stub. Thinking when calm prevents reputation damage when stressed.
Frequently asked questions
Where should we store it?
Offline copy plus cloud doc your team can reach if email is down—avoid only-on-the-website storage.
Is this the same as IT disaster recovery?
Overlaps, but SME runbooks focus on the public site, bookings, and payments first.