my online wake up call + contingencies

Having an online business is wonderful - flexible, transportable, convenient ... the list goes on. But, have you ever wondered what would happen if something went a bit wrong? Yesterday, it happened to me. In the process of transferring from ADSL broadband to cable, my primary email address was deleted. It was the email address that I've had since I first got the internet at home, back in the dial-up days. It was the email address I used to establish ALL of my business systems and connections - my website, my blog, my shop, my facebook business page .... pretty much everything. Needless to say, I was a tad distraught.

Image from here

Fortunately, I've managed to keep a copy of all of the login details of all of the systems I use for my business (translation - scraps of paper in an envelope labelled "computer stuff"). It took a few hours, but I managed to change the primary email address for all of these to my new email address, so everything is working (or seems to be). Business as usual - hooray! However, it will still be a few days before my original email address is reinstated, so people trying to contact me, who have not heard back, please try me on this one: nicolejames1(at)bigpond(dot)com.

Once things were under control, it made me think about contingencies. What were mine? Do I have the skills to get myself out of an IT pickle? Who would I call for help? Today, I am organising my online information, logins, and contacts so that I have a hardcopy ready for such an event again. Fingers crossed it doesn't happen again, but better to be ready I say, and save a few tears!

Have a lovely day!

Post-script - order is restored, along with my old email address - hooray!