Roq underscores importance of tech maintenance to prevent B2C outages
In light of rising incidences of tech failures and outages in B2C websites, Roq, an engineering company, is stressing the importance of increased investment in technology maintenance. Reputable brands such as Sainsbury's, Deliveroo, and the UK Border Force have recently endured critical technology failures, which impeded customer services and caused operational setbacks. This highlights the urgent need to prioritize quality in technology, as the storms of dissatisfaction from aggrieved customers attest.
Typically, businesses face a loss between £65,000 and £83,000 for every hour of IT systems downtime, with further losses of staff productivity to the tune of 545 hours each year, due to IT outages. As businesses increasingly rely on rapid digital transformation amidst less favourable market conditions, budget cuts lead to compromises on quality, thus escalating the occurrence of tech failures. The complexity of digital ecosystems is surging, hand in hand with technological advancements, making the maintenance of these systems more challenging.
Stephen Johnson, CEO of Roq, encapsulates the scenario, "Technology is one of the most valuable assets at an organisation’s disposal, but as systems become ever more complex, it is becoming increasingly challenging to maintain. Nowadays we rely heavily on technology, so it needs to be robust, reliable, and fit for purpose. When technology outages happen, it has an immediate impact on brand reputation, customer satisfaction and revenue. Organisations must do more to protect their customers and reputation in 2024."
A recent study conducted by Logic Monitor showed that a typical organisation experienced five outages and five brownouts in the past three years. Shockingly, one in 10 surveyed organisations suffered through 10 or more outpaces and the same number of brownouts within the same period. Most IT leaders surveyed were pessimistic about their ability to prevent outages and brownouts, with over half expressing concern about a severe outage or brownout that might make headlines.
In a separate report by PwC, it was revealed that 32% of all customers would cease conducting business with a brand they loved after just one negative experience, further highlighting the immediate danger to the customer loyalty that brands have painstakingly garnered. Technology failures pose severe risks, which inevitably will affect business revenue.
As a way forward, Stephen Johnson advises, "To counteract this trend, organisations must engrain quality deeply into their psyche and then apply to their technology delivery from the very outset. This involves thinking about things much earlier in the life cycle of a new solution or product. Identifying potential points of failure early, and managing against those risks, will not only prevent issues before they impact customers, but they will safeguard brand credibility, revenue and ultimately, the bottom line for businesses."
In conclusion, Johnson urges that the costs of overlooking quality are too great to overlook and advocates for a change in narrative – from battling through tech crises towards preventing them. He calls on technology leaders and innovators to emphasize the quality element within their organisations and their tech solutions. By doing so, they can provide stakeholders with cutting-edge solutions that are not only advanced but also robust, reliable and trustworthy, thereby creating a more reliable digital world for businesses and customers alike.
