Friday, November 18, 2011

Christmas round the corner means one thing- Business Continuity Planning

So, the decorations are going up in the streets, the nights are drawing in and Starbucks have switched to red cups. It can all only mean one thing. Christmas is upon us. However, for those in IT, the other herald of the season is calling for us to brush off our business continuity plans and work out how we keep the wheels turning with skeletal staff.
In the hospitality and leisure industry, the problem is particularly acute as when customers and staff are wanting to party, we need to keep the party going. So, I'm pleased to report that we have closed off our plans. A couple of months of consulting with colleagues, partners and suppliers have come to a close and our arrangements are in place. Scenarios have been identified; systems and processes mapped; contingency plans are written; the control centre has been resourced (with a fancy dress theme- it's not all work work work); and deals have been done with key suppliers.
It's hard to get fired up about Christmas in late summer and it's amazing how many IT companies need to be convinced there's a discussion to be had, but it just goes with the territory and we're all glad now it's done. Now we can look forward to the sound of sleigh bells etc with everyone else. Ok... and maybe a few tweaks to the plan.

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