Focus on bug leaves much to be desired

By CHRIS BARTON

Large businesses are showing up as the least prepared to deal with the millennium bug, according the Y2K Readiness Commission's latest survey.

Just under half the sector reports it has yet to fix essential computers and equipment and only 25 per cent have tested to see that their fixes work.

Large businesses - defined as those with more than 50 people - also show the highest level of deadline creep, with 50 per cent now saying they'll be ready in the October-December quarter. That contrasts with only 10 per cent saying they would be ready when the same survey was conducted in June.

The deadline slippage trend that has shown up in the last three surveys continues to worry the commission, with significant percentages in other sectors including electricity, councils, oil fuels and air transport moving their finish dates out to the last quarter.

Commission chairman Basil Logan believes the deadline can still be met as long as business adopt the right management focus.

"I think the thing is fixable in time if businesses stop letting other things divert their attention."

He said the survey had asked additional questions to find out why 22 percent of organisations say it will take longer to get ready. The main reason given (36 per cent) was that becoming Y2K ready is turning out to be more difficult than they thought. Twenty per cent said critical staff were not available when needed and 15 per cent said upgrade hardware and software was not provided on schedule.

Thirty-three per cent gave other reasons, which Mr Logan said indicated some organisations still lacked the right attitude. Among large business, for example, 22 per cent said they had other priorities, 7 per cent that they had a lack of time and another 7 per cent that they were procrastinating.

Mr Logan was also concerned that too many (33 to 44 per cent) of small to medium businesses still feel they do not need a business continuity plan - despite the commission providing extensive resources to address the lack of planning. The trend also showed among GPs, with 29 per cent - many of whom have computerised patient records - saying they did not need to prepare for Y2K mishaps.

Among the reasons given for not having a plan were: the problem will only affect us for a short time (41 per cent); the only problem we expect will be with services about which we can do nothing (20 per cent); any problems we have will be sorted out by the time we come back from the Christmas break (18 per cent).

The telecommunications sector continues to lead the readiness stakes with 86 per cent of its essential computers and equipment now tested for Y2K compliance. It is followed by the banking and finance sector (77 per cent), air transport (66 per cent), oil fuels (57 per cent) and electricity (43 per cent).