A case: two weeks in firefighting mode
A small logistics company, twelve people. One of its key suppliers suddenly declared bankruptcy — with no warning. Everything you needed to know about backup contacts, alternative chains and arrangements with clients was held in one employee's head. And he happened to be on holiday, answering calls only now and then.
For two weeks the company ran in firefighting mode: clients waited for explanations, money was stuck, and the team did not understand who was even making decisions.
The first question — what a day of downtime costs
We started with a simple question: how much does one such day of downtime cost? The company had never counted. When we did, it came to about 180,000 rubles a day. And as soon as the figure was on paper, it was clear: there was no financial reserve for such a scenario, which meant the next crisis could cost far more.
What we did — without heavy procedures
- Backup suppliers on paper. Not a complex policy but a simple contact list and a clear order of actions if the main partner drops out.
- Data duplication. Customer information was duplicated and kept in several databases in parallel, so it no longer depended on one person or one device.
- Financial cushion. We calculated a specific reserve amount and started setting it aside monthly.
The result
When a few months later another counterparty pulled out of a contract, the company coped in two days. Not by luck — because it knew what to do and had a buffer to act without panic.
Systematic risk work is not about foreseeing everything. It is about not being caught off guard. One story with a good ending is worth more than dozens of arguments about the importance of resilience.
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FAQ
What should be included in the downtime cost?
At minimum — revenue not earned, payroll for the downtime period and contract penalties. For key processes, add losses from customer churn and the reputational effect.
Where to start if there are many processes?
Take three processes the business cannot run a day without and calculate the downtime cost for each. That already shows where the main risk sits.
How big should the financial cushion be?
A rule of thumb — the cost of several days of downtime of a key process plus a margin for recovery. The exact amount is calculated from an assessment of critical functions.
