Comment: Time for a change in emphasis?

Let’s focus on the positive factors that business continuity management brings, rather than the traditional ‘fear, uncertainty and doubt’ sales pitch, says David Honour, editor, Continuity Central.

Business continuity has typically been sold using two approaches:

* Fear, uncertainty and doubt: if you don’t implement business continuity your business will close; your livelihood will be lost; your share price will collapse in the event of a disaster. While this is often true, many businesses are becoming immune to buying BC based on such scare tactics. They worked in 1999 when business continuity sales people helped drive the world into a Y2K frenzy but the aftermath has left many business executives sceptical.

* Business continuity as insurance: investment in business continuity means that in the event of a disaster your intangibles will be protected as well as your tangible assets. BC is therefore an essential adjunct to insurance policies, acting in the same way; to help businesses pick up the pieces following a crisis. Although this is undoubtedly the case, it leaves business continuity in the ‘grudge purchase’ category, with investments liable to be one of the first to be axed when businesses start to tighten their belts – what’s the point of a luxury insurance policy when your business is threatened by cash flow issues?

The time has come for the industry to take a new approach. Business continuity management is a positive benefit to a company, not just in times of crisis but every day. Business continuity management is about creating resilient businesses; companies that are flexible and which can quickly identify and respond to challenges and threats. And its about optimising process availability, so that business can operate to their maximum efficiency at all times.

The company that successfully operates a true business continuity management culture will have systems that are more effective; more efficient; more fully utilised. It will maximise the return on investment it makes in business processes. It will be more productive, more reliable and an excellent partner and supplier. When it sets a deadline it will meet it. When it undertakes a project, it will deliver on time and on budget. To be the best in your industry; to be the smartest in your sector; to be a leader, you need effective business continuity management. Not because it means you will survive into the distant future; but because it will make you a better business today.

I believe that’s the message we need to get across. Positive is always much easier to sell than negative and is always a much more satisfying investment to make.

•Date: 9th January 2004 •Region: Worldwide •Type: Article •Topic: BC general
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