Risk Management Services: All You Need to Know

Risk is unavoidable with businesses and companies. To grow, you need to take measured risks that can pay out big rewards in the long run. By mitigating the risks through risk management services, a company can continue to grow and make a profit without falling into a major crisis.

Finding quality risk management services can help a company achieve its fullest potential by identifying areas within the company that require attention and pose a threat to the organization’s stability. It is important to consider a few things before working with a management company.

What is Risk Management?

Risk management involves planning for the future and acting in advance of occurrences or problems rather than reacting to them. Through a wide range of methods, a management service tries to control the way risks occur and the impact they may have on the company. This type of management isn’t just about avoiding potential problems but helps companies and organizations determine which risks are worth taking.

Typical Risk Responses

Companies and organizations respond to risk in a number of ways. Each one carries its own issues and stigma that a risk management company prepares an organization to deal with when the time comes.

Avoidance

This method for dealing with risk is all about eliminating the threat by destroying the cause. For example, sending a salesperson to a customer’s home can open up the company to lawsuits if poor conduct were to occur. The solution is to avoid the issue and eliminate the risk to the organization by keeping in contact with customers over the phone or by email.

Mitigation

Risks can also come with huge financial rewards or ruin. Mitigation deals with the problem by lowering the financial value associated with the issue. This type of risk management is one of the most common at all levels of business. High-value stores might install security systems or engage security personnel. The risk isn’t eliminated, but the installation of security systems lessens it.

Acceptance

Some risks can’t be avoided entirely and need to just be accepted. Developing property along the beach means that an organization will have to deal with natural disasters and elements. Even this acceptance can be mitigated by building seawalls or investing in flood insurance. There are bound to be risks like these that companies will just have to accept in any industry, and being able to determine what can and cannot be changed is what a management agency does best.

Analysis of Risk

Looking at a problem through the lens of risk takes a problem-solving approach to the situation. A range of tools are used to develop a solution that works for each company or organization.

Highlight Risks That Already Exist

The first step in this process takes the most comprehensive view of the whole situation and organization. Companies and management agencies gather employees together and brainstorm all the ways and risks that might happen. Then each of these risks is prioritized based on the most significant threat down to what might be more of a nuisance than an issue. Since it’s impossible to eliminate every risk, prioritization allows them to be tackled in an appropriate order.

Assessment

Issues, threats, and risks don’t happen overnight or for no reason. The next step in the management process is to assess the risks that the company is facing. Each risk should be questioned, and it should be determined what is causing the risk and how it could impact the business overall.

Create a Solution

Risk assessment and management are worthless if there’s no solution presented. Once risk and threat are identified and the core cause assessed, the next step in the management process is to create a solution that fits the situation. There are some risks that cannot be eliminated, so this solution needs to match the problem at hand. The company owners and management agencies might choose to mitigate risk or just accept one that can’t be changed. Whatever the solution, it must be applied to deal with the risk accordingly.

Develop Preventative Measures

Many types of risks occur again and again and can cause issues down the road. In business, like in life, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, so the last step in the risk management process is to create preventative measures for any highlighted risks. These measures may not be enacted until needed, but risks are mitigated by creating a prevention plan.

Types of Risk Management

There are two main types of risk management: traditional and enterprise. Each has a different approach to mitigating risks, but more businesses adopt an enterprise style over the traditional one. Both have an appeal to businesses of all sizes.

Traditional Risk Management

For many large companies, the risk is seen as a huge issue and should be avoided at all costs. This type of management aims to narrow the issues and move forward in the best way possible with as little risk involved as the company is able.

Enterprise Risk Management

This is a newer approach to risk, with the view being one where risk is embraced as a potential way for a company to make money and expand. Enterprise risk management is also about being proactive rather than reactive to situations or issues. ERM goes beyond just the CEOs and offers an opportunity for any employee to show a risk that might need to be addressed.

Risk management services are a way for large and small companies or organizations to identify issues that can cause problems in the future. Each case may have a different solution, from avoidance to mitigation to acceptance. GUION PARTNERS works with each company to create a unique and effective plan for any risk management needs.

As an organization evolves and changes, new risks may appear. A quality risk management plan and services work to be proactive rather than reactive to these changes to maximize the benefits for your business.