Exploring the Organisational Impact of IT Downtime
The global CrowdStrike outage that occurred last month was a shocking reminder of our reliance on technology. With many organisations unable to gain access to their critical systems, even for a short amount of time, the knock-on effect was huge. Flights were grounded, trains cancelled, and broadcasters unable to get on air.
So What Can We Learn From the CrowdStrike Outage?
System downtime has a big impact on any organisation, spanning from disgruntled staff to lost deals. When IT systems go down, your employees are effectively side-lined. Sales can’t be processed, emails go unanswered, deadlines are missed. Every minute of downtime translates to lost productivity; a cost measured in lost revenue and delayed projects.
Employee Morale
Frustrated employees stuck waiting for systems to come online can become demoralised and unmotivated. Frequent downtime can even cause employees to jump ship for more tech stability. Furthermore, employees talk. Your staff could be spreading the news that your business is slow, outdated and unreliable.
Brand and Reputation
Downtime isn’t just an internal issue; IT outages can tarnish your brand image. Customers expect businesses to be reliable and accessible and frequent downtime paints a picture of inefficiency and unpreparedness. A damaged reputation can be difficult to repair.
Emergency Repairs
IT outages often need emergency repair efforts which can be costly and time-consuming and it can cost even more if you don’t have a managed IT partner in place.
Data Loss or Corruption
In severe cases, outages can lead to data loss or corruption. This can mean expensive recovery efforts. If the data can’t be recovered, it can mean hours of staff time re-entering data.
Compliance Issues
Depending on your industry, regulatory compliance might be at risk during an outage. If there is any data compromise, this could lead to fines and penalties.
Calculating the Cost of IT Downtime
Of course the exact cost of IT downtime depends on your industry, size, and the duration of the outage, but studies estimate the average cost of IT downtime to be in the thousands of pounds per hour. For larger businesses, this figure can skyrocket into the millions.
About 98% of organisations claim only one hour of downtime costs over £80,000.
Prevention is Key: Proactive Measures for Business Continuity
Invest in Reliable IT Infrastructure
Focus on high-quality hardware and software and look for a proven record of reliability.
Regular System Maintenance
Schedule regular maintenance to identify and address potential issues to keep them from snowballing into outages.
Data Backup and Recovery
Install robust data backup and recovery to mitigate data loss in case of an outage.
Disaster Recovery Plan
Develop a comprehensive disaster recovery plan. It should outline steps to take in case of an outage, ensuring a swift and efficient recovery.
Employee Training
Educate employees on cyber security best practices. This minimises the risk of human error causing downtime.
Investing in Uptime: Building Business Resilience
IT downtime is a threat every business faces. But by understanding the true cost and taking proactive measures, you can reduce the risk and build a more resilient business. Downtime isn’t just an inconvenience, it’s a financial burden that has the potential to damage your reputation and customer relationships. Focus on IT security and invest in preventative measures, ensuring your business is future-proofed and stable should the worst happen.
