In our experience, people often charge in and think of the solution first.  Perhaps they sign a contract with one of the many reputable Disaster Recovery solutions providers (or even, heaven forbid, one of the few less reputable ones).  Or perhaps they build themselves an all-singing, all-dancing, back-up site of their own. 

The end product is often the same uncomfortable questions: "Why won’t the business buy-in?" "Why are we spending so much on Business Continuity with so little return?" "And why isn’t our Business Continuity Plan designed to help us cope with an operational disruption as well as the real disaster?"

Please excuse us intruding on private grief - but at Cornwood Consulting we have heard the questions again and again.

Our approach is to start with questions - albeit some different ones: What do we do normally? How do we do it? Who does it? What do they need to do it? What does it cost us if they can’t do it? Are there other ways they could do it?

Now, we’re getting somewhere.  Front office business people love talking about themselves and what they do.  If you can understand their concerns and help them to design Business Continuity Plans that meet their business needs, (a) they’ll buy-in; (b) they’ll continue to own the problem; and (c) they will quickly see a return on their investment.

We won’t be offended if you don’t quite believe us. After all, if it really is so simple, why do so many Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery consultants make it sound so complex?

That is a question to which we don’t have the answer. However, if you’d like our help answering the questions that really matter in Business Continuity, please give us a call or click here to send us an e-mail.