Crowdstike Outage- What can we all learn?

Unless you have been living under a rock you very much like me were impacted by the most recent Crowdstrike issues. Let me clarify, I do not mean my clients more specifically I am referencing my personal life.

From a medical visit to a discussion with my local auto dealer, Crowdstrike created frustration, lost time and the inability to complete a task.

That being said, today's article is not about the nerdy-in-weeds technical stuff. This is more about what as business leaders we can learn from it.

No plan B

With so many interconnected systems these days, it is almost impossible to function when a supporting system is not available.

Yes, in some cases, businesses revert to the tried and tested pen and paper to function. However, what most people neglect to consider is the time it takes to re-enter the data once systems come back online.

Generally speaking, if we lose access to our technology, we simply cannot function. No alternate solution exists. To me, it is odd that people in the technology space, like me, spend so much time talking about disaster and business continuity, yet very little is discussed about what happens if key systems are not available.

This is a conversation that needs to happen more frequently, in my opinion.

What can we change?

As systems become more integrated for efficiency and performance, this becomes a tough question. We can either change our technology or change our expectations; none of us get to choose both.

I have read stories of auto dealers receiving a 1-star review on Google because the customer did not get their car back on time. Not having access to key systems impacts your ability to take care of your customers. Some people understand this, while others do not.

Here are a few things you can do:

1. Review all the systems you use today. Do they all need to be integrated? What would it mean if one key integration was lost? Could you function? Can you separate these systems? Is it even feasible?
2. Worst case scenario: Can you work on paper, for example?
3. Communication: Let everyone know. While some people may still leave you a bad Google review, communication is key. You cannot call every single customer, but you can email, text, or utilize social media to inform them.

It is also incumbent on providers of solutions to offer better break-glass-type resolutions. These sophisticated systems require more intelligent thought into how they can be broken and how we can isolate damage. Until then, build a robust alternate plan because, trust me when I say, your providers are not doing that for you!

Securely yours,

Scott