Back-up power in case of an outage

Very!

Ask yourself this question: How important is it to continue serving your customers? Here's a four-step approach to use:

1. Calculate what it would cost if your business couldn't serve your customers in the event of a power outage.

2. Walk around your business and identify the assets -- computers, equipment, lights --critical to continuous operation.

3. Talk with electrical suppliers about the uninterruptible power supply (UPS) option and electrical contractors about a gen-set solution.

4. Make the investment.

Finally, if you're tempted to say you can't afford it, reread step 1.