Can you handle the countdown to 2000?
WILL your hotel, restaurant or pub survive the arrival of the millennium? The answer to that apocalyptic-sounding question depends on how seriously you are addressing the prospect of the chaos set to be created on 31 December 1999 as computers crash all over the world.
If your hotel or restaurant depends on information technology for sales and purchases, if your bookings and reservations are held on computer and if your wages and rostering systems are on-line - and you have done nothing - your business could be heading for trouble.
And if you have identified and resolved problems in your own internal systems but have ignored those of your major suppliers, your business could still be under threat.
Stakis has been working for four years to minimise millennium problems by replacing systems and identifying non-conformance. The company's task force, which is co-ordinating our efforts, is led by the group finance director who has input from all parts of the business as well as from an external consultant from accountancy firm KPMG.
Most importantly, the task force has representatives from our three operating divisions, who are mandated to make decisions, allowing faster resolutions and remedial action.
It takes time to find all the problems and then to sort them out. You must have a plan and you must stick to it. You should also make sure you do not underestimate the effort it takes.
Creating an inventory of hardware, software, services and non-IT equipment will take time, while contacting suppliers, maintenance people and manufacturers - many of whom are overseas - will be frustrating. Many of their answers will be less than helpful and carrying out a risk-assessment based on their responses - or non-responses - will probably be depressing.
Repairing or replacing products will be expensive. You will also have to make sure any new purchases do not contaminate your existing compliant systems.
Testing integrated systems will be a nuisance and will be all the more time-consuming if your systems are networked internally and receive or send data electronically from outside systems.
If you want to beat the millennium bug you must do all of these things - and if you have not yet started, then you must start now. Sadly, there are no quick fixes and it seems that Government is as unprepared as business.
A worst-case scenario might be that you have equipment with embedded computer chips which were manufactured by a company that now does not exist, supplied by a company that refuses to talk to you and maintained by a company that thinks 2000 only affects PCs. In this circumstance, assume the worst and replace or repair the product.
Stakis has identified and corrected many pieces of equipment, from non-compliant door-access systems and boiler control to franking machines.
Especially if a manual override is available, it would be a good idea to make sure the person who knows what to do is rostered to work on 31 December 1999. It might seem early to prepare a staff rota for the millennium, but it will give peace of mind.
Indeed, when you are considering the dawn of the next 1,000 years, be sure contingency plans are in place for staffing. Make sure there is dedicated cover from the business's main suppliers - find out now if it is possible to get this sort of cover and its cost.
There is so much work to do to make any business 2000 compliant. Whatever can be done ought to be done now. It's not too late to start. While there may not be the time to check and repair everything, there is probably still time to fix essential systems, replace critical products and develop contingency plans.
It is better to have 90% of your systems running on the night than ignore the problem, giving your business no chance at all. n
Stewart Hosie is the year 2000 project manager at Stakis
