Introduction
Business continuity and crisis management have critical roles in the modern business world. The two resources chosen for assessment are the Ready Business and Open for Business. They have a mandate of creating the preparedness kits. However, these programs are distinct. They differ in how they present the information. For instance, Ready Business is easily accessible and has an attractive outlook. On the other hand, the Open for Business program is detailed and less involving. An assessment of the two programs further illustrates their weakness. The following paper reviews these two program sites. It assesses them on the basis of their usability, readability, quality information and effectiveness among other factors. It also compares and contrasts their functionality.
Open Business and Ready for Business
Business continuity forms a critical part of management. In essence, every industry should be able to meet the demands of the market. For instance, businesses should be accessible and equipped for carrying out their duties. The two proposed online businesses continuities are not an exception. They have features that make consumers show preferences for. In essence, lack of certain qualities can lead to the exit of the market. The Ready Business online resource has a mandate of enhancing the preparedness of other firms. It assists businesses develop plans. The Open for Business has a similar task. It helps a company to alleviate disasters and manage crises that may arise. The following paper reviews and compares Ready Business and Open for Business programs.
Comparison of Ready Business and Open for Business
The Ready Business program is an online resource that utilizes an all hazard approach in addressing the diverse dangers that face firms. It has tool that allows organizations to create a plan that can address the impact of the risks. The constituents of the program include the national fire protection association, emergency management and business continuity among others (Ready Business, 2013). Similarly to the Ready Business program, the Open for Business exists to offer disaster protection and recovery planning kits that are small and middle in their size. The institute of Business and Home safety is a part of it. It is a non-profit organization that works to reduce social and economic impact that occur due to natural disasters. For instance, it covers the occurrence of floods, hurricanes, tornadoes and fires that cause many firms to shut down (Institute of Business and Home Safety, 2007).
Readability and Visibility
In terms of readability, the Ready Business site is visible and can be read by all. In fact, it contains parts that outline what the site is all about. For example, a single glance reveals the procedure that one needs for developing the disaster kit. There is a pictorial advert and testimonial of individuals who have used the site and have benefited immensely. It motivates an online viewer who has a firm to consider the enrollment. The site is written in the standard English that can be easily understood. However, even though the Open Business site can be read, it is still complex. It has a .pdf format. The messages are brought out in the form of the topics that are extensively comprehensive. In fact, a grade of 9 out of 10 is proposed in this respect. It does not consider people who may not be ample in English. A user would expect a translation to his native language. Such support selection meets the demands of many clients. The opening page contains an attractive business pictorial. It highlights the nature of the firm and provides a psychological communication on the operations of the online resource.
Usability and Breadth of Application
Secondly, both the Ready Business and Open for Business resources can be easily used. For instance, Ready Business provides a link on how to proceed. For instance, there is a direction on how take a free online business preparedness assessment. It also contains distinct materials such as the emergency response plan and the business continuity plan in a separate folder (Ready Business, 2013). However, they have not defined their prospective consumers. Moreover, their breadth of application is not precise. It is vital for them to highlight some forms of business that can consider their program. It would help to narrow down the potential audience. Open for Business provides the entire information of the firm that occurs in a single entity. Its application is suitable for the small and middle sized firms. There is no separate material. For example, the business continuity plan forms are included in the paper. It also has a detailed format that presents what is in the document in the structured form. The user needs to look at what he wants to read and move to the appropriate page. For example, when the user requires critical telephone numbers, he can access them by focusing on the contact forms.
Quality of Information and Resource Material
The quality of information is critical for such online resources. In essence, the message must be brief yet descriptive. The site should communicate its content in a few words, because extensive information is tedious. In fact, most online customers do not read the whole material, and Ready Business has kept it short. However, it provides a provision for any detailed elaboration (Ready Business, 2013). For instance, anyone who wants to study about other testimonials can click and obtain the information. Open for Business consist of resources that are valuable. In other words, the message is valid for many businesses. For example, it has given the defined scope of operation of a very informative preparedness kit. Additionally, it does not ignore any essential content. For example, it outlines the procedure of how to get started (Institute of Business & Home Safety, 2007). It helps the firms that are at risk and provides the means of protecting their resources. It further elaborates on how one can develop the continuity of the business. The site also contains additional resource materials.
Likelihood of Success and Effectiveness
The program also should have a defined goal. Its task involves having a preparedness plan that can alleviate crisis owing to different hazards. However, there is limited use of outside support materials. In other words, there is only provision for national fire association. The user who desires to get more information can click on it and read it. In-text citations include the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which highlights some of the emergency issues that firms should be well-informed about.
Based on the aforementioned analysis, the likelihood of Ready Business online program accomplishing its task is high. It has an elaborate mechanism for carrying out its mission and a defined assignment. What is more, the vision and mission of a business show the extent to which it fulfills its goals. In fact, on a scale of 1 out of 10 it gets 8, since it is efficient in its service delivery. Open for Business is also likely to achieve its goal due to a defined scope of operation. Their content is precise and it is effective in alleviating the disaster. However, being a non-profit organization, it seems there is limited activity on its website. This institute could gain more coverage by connecting to the world through the social media.
Target Market
It is apparent that Ready Business reaches a wide market because of the manner in which its message is delivered. In fact, the presented testimonials indicate numerous companies that utilize this preparedness kit. The link also records the presence of followers and continues to be updated on the constant basis. However, Open for Business does not reach its market effectively. It offers more theoretical than practical application of alleviating a hazard. It has also not been designed in a manner that favors online users. Unfortunately, it does not have a motivating planning effort. For example, it would be appropriate for the site to have an online assistance that enables a prospective customer to chat with the firm. Consequently, the consumer would get an immediate response. They should also provide a social media link that can help to reach their followers. For example, they can provide Facebook and Twitter icons on the site. A prospective customer could follow their activities through these links. it would be a great method of advertisement. Consequently, social media are some of the best areas to carry out electronic commerce (Blaise & Carlton, 2004).
Strengths and Weaknesses of Ready Business and Open for Business
Ready Business and Open for Business have diverse capabilities and shortcomings. For example, the Ready Business is easy to use and is readily accessible on the internet. When the user browses the link, he reaches the page with information. This strength put the resource on the forefront. The program also uses online advertisements to promote its mission. When one logs in, he encounters a page that contains testimonials of people that have succeeded by using the program. The information is brief and conclusive. In other words, it communicates its content in small nuggets. Such format keeps the online reader anxious to know more. One can navigate the web page to get further details of a particular subject. As a result, it is effective in helping the users to get the results they need. However, the site provides no links to the social media. One may desire to see the consumers’ feedback concerning its utilization. It also does not have a support service that an online user can access in case he desires to chat before trying out something.
The Open for Business has a detailed and comprehensive coverage as its core strength. It contains all the likely information that a client requires. Significantly, it also has the business continuation form. The form has several nuggets that provide information that a user may need (Institute for Business & Home Safety, 2007). The main language is English. It is fundamental for new users who need a valid and descriptive explanation of creating a preparedness plan. It also outlines the possible costs of handling the processes. Consequently, one can predict the likely amount he can utilize in disaster management. However, the online program is lengthy (Institute for Business & Home Safety, 2007). It does not motivate a viewer to read its entire content. There are people who are hasty and may not consider the rest of the information. This weakness hinders its utilization. Nevertheless, it can still meet the needs of its users.
My Choice as BC Planner
If I were a new BC planner, I would use the Ready Business program. I consider it manageable and precise, as contains the information needed for the creation of disaster preparedness kit. The testimonials seem to convince me that the other firms that have utilized it have succeeded. I can also obtain firsthand information about how the program works. The online preparedness assessment is also vital. For these reasons, I believe the Ready Business is better than the Open for Business resource.
It is apparent that the two online programs are critical in the case of disaster. They both aim at ensuring that firms create their preparedness kits. According to the criteria of assessment, they are readable and can be effective. They are also likely to meet their goals. However, I prefer the Ready Business owing to its brief and navigable site. Online resource programs are indeed valuable in the helping organization manage possible hazards.
