IT emergencies can disrupt membership clubs in ways that affect operations, member experience, and revenue. This guide will help you create an IT emergency response plan tailored to your club’s needs.

Not only can this downtime prove costly, but it can also erode member trust. For example, Canadian Internet Registration Authority (CIRA) research reveals that 28% of businesses affected by cybersecurity incidents experienced reputational damage in 2024 (up from 19% in 2022).

Preventing IT failures and dealing with incidents effectively can help you avoid these issues. But what are some of the most common failures, and how do you stop them? We’ll cover four types of IT failures and share prevention tips below. 

Hardware Failures and Lost Access to Critical Data

If one or more of your computers refuse to function as they should or even switch on in the first place, you may lose access to all locally stored files. That might include member records, information on payments, and supplier contracts. 

Not only would losing critical files cause inconvenience, delays, and disruptions, but it could affect the quality of your member experience. For example, if the systems used for member check-in fail suddenly, you may need to resort to a manual process instead. That would be slower, less convenient, and likely frustrating (particularly for members on a tight schedule). 

How to prevent it:

If your hardware is more than a few years old, have it checked over by an IT expert. They will be able to identify potential issues and may keep systems running smoothly for longer. But if hardware is glitching, slowing down, or showing other signs of impending failure, it’s likely time to replace it. 

However, regardless of how well your IT systems currently perform, data backup is essential to prevent losing essential files.

Start storing key files in the cloud and back them up daily to ensure you can access them from any computer with an internet connection. 

Infections and Attacks Disrupting Hardware and Software

While outdated or poor-quality equipment can lead to hardware failures, infections caused by cyber-attacks may be to blame too. Some attacks can lock employees out of files, programs, or even entire systems. Whatever the nature of an attack, it could disrupt your club operations for days.

Some of the most common cybersecurity threats affecting businesses include:

• Ransomware 
• Distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks
• Phishing scams
• Malware attacks
• Password attacks (guessing, brute force, etc.)

Ransomware attacks, for instance, prevent access to files or systems until the perpetrator receives payment (though there’s no guarantee that they’ll remove the infection). 

Attackers may be able to penetrate your network and disrupt your operations through:

• Social engineering emails
• SQL injections
• Outdated software 
• Poor passwords that can be easily guessed

But an attack could also be the result of human error, such as an employee downloading an infected file or clicking a link in a suspicious email.

How to prevent it:

Having a strict cybersecurity policy is a must to reduce the risk of malware, ransomware, and other attacks. Updating software regularly, investing in reliable firewalls, and providing employees with cybersecurity awareness training can all help. 

Additionally, outsourcing cybersecurity to an IT service company will keep your IT infrastructure safe and help prevent security-related hardware failures. And remember, you still must have an IT emergency response plan so that your team can handle any attack.

Poor Internet Configuration and Connection Disrupting Club Operations

When so many club operations typically involve online platforms and tools, a strong internet connection is paramount. A poor connection can affect operations in various ways, including:

• Reducing productivity 
• Wasting time (e.g. waiting for pages to load)
• Disrupting work on cloud-based files and media
• Frustrating members by making self-use devices slower and less reliable

Certain configuration mistakes can affect the quality of your club’s internet connection too. These include having routers too far from devices, having too many systems connected unnecessarily, and paying for a lower speed than you need. 

How to prevent it:

You can improve your internet connection in various ways. These include upgrading your router, switching to a new package with higher speeds, adjusting the placement of your router, and exploring different providers. 

However, you may choose to have your Wi-Fi set up and managed by an IT service company instead of handling it in-house. They’ll make sure you have the right configuration for your needs. 

Why Membership Clubs Need an IT Emergency Response Plan

An IT incident response plan is a guideline to help teams address certain technological problems in the most appropriate, effective, and efficient way. 

Fortunately, many Canadian organizations know this — a survey by CIRA found that 83% of those questioned have a cyber incident response plan. However, many businesses still don’t have a plan. 

If your club experiences a major hardware failure, a power outage, or anything else that impacts your IT infrastructure, that could have lasting repercussions. These include costly downtime, reputational damage, and loss of member trust. 

How to prevent it:

Creating an IT emergency response plan can be complicated, especially for small, independent clubs with limited resources. But despite the difficulties you might run into, it’s crucial that you find a way to put a plan together. 

Key elements of a plan include:

• Defining responsibilities (who takes the lead, who to contact, etc.)
• Detecting, identifying, and understanding the nature of an incident 
• Explaining how to contain an incident
• Removing the threat and fixing/replacing damaged infrastructure components 

One of the simplest ways to set up an IT incident response plan is to work with an IT service company specializing in the club industry. They will understand your technological needs, common problems that could affect your operations, and the right solutions to help your team perform at its best. 

Get IT Emergency Support for Your Membership Club

Club Support specializes in IT services and cybersecurity solutions for yacht, golf, sport, and social clubs. We can create a package tailored to your unique operational needs, goals, and budget. You can trust us to handle your security, Wi-Fi, video surveillance, and more. 

To learn more, get in touch with our experts today. 

Bonus Chapter: IT Emergency Response Plan Template

This simple plan helps clubs handle IT issues quickly and minimize disruptions for members. Fill in the details for your club and keep it easily accessible.

1. Emergency Contact Information

• IT Lead (Person in Charge):
  Name: _______________________
  Phone: _______________________
  Email: _______________________
• Backup IT Lead:
  Name: _______________________
  Phone: _______________________
  Email: _______________________
• IT Support Company:
  Name: _______________________
  Phone: _______________________
  Email: _______________________
• Internet Provider:
  Name: _______________________
  Phone: _______________________

2. Common Issues and First Steps

Problem	Immediate Action	Who to Notify
Internet outage	Restart router. Check cables. Call the internet provider.	IT Lead
System or software crash	Restart the system. Call IT Support if it doesn’t work.	IT Lead + IT Support
Data loss	Check cloud backups. Call IT Support for recovery help.	IT Lead
Cyber-attack (ransomware, phishing, etc.)	Disconnect affected device from the network. Call IT Support immediately.	IT Lead + Club Manager + IT Support

3. Steps to Contain the Problem

• Stop the spread: Disconnect any affected devices or systems from the internet.
• Check backup availability: Identify whether your cloud or external backups are up to date.
• Notify key personnel: Inform the IT Lead, manager, or IT company.
• Communicate with staff: Let employees know what systems are affected and what not to use.

4. Communication Plan for Members

• Notify Members Quickly:
  • Email or Text Example:
    Subject: Temporary System Issue at [Club Name]
    Dear Members,
    We are currently experiencing a technical issue that may affect [specific services]. Our team is working to resolve it as quickly as possible. We appreciate your patience and will provide updates shortly.
    Thank you,
    [Your Club Name] Team
• Post Updates:
  Add signs at key locations (e.g., front desk, locker rooms) or update your club’s website/app.

5. Recovery Steps

• Fix the Issue: Work with your IT support team to repair or replace the affected systems.
• Restore Data: Use cloud or external backups to recover lost information.
• Test Systems: Ensure everything is running smoothly before going back to normal operations.
• Update Members: Send a follow-up message once the issue is resolved.

6. Prevent Future Issues with Retrospective Analysis

• Conduct an internal review after every incident.
  • What happened?
  • Why did it happen?
  • How can it be prevented?
• Update this plan with lessons learned.