Deriving X factors to support your BCM programme

Obtaining management commitment for resources and funding for BCM programme implementation and sustainability is always a prime challenge for most of our fellow professionals. We are continuously struggling in selecting the most effective approach to secure a dynamic business continuity programme.

Unavoidably many times in our career we have presented a powerpoint slide with some standard statistics from Google before our management, with best persuasive techniques trying to convince them to allocate the necessary funding to set the programme in motion.

Most of us are using facts and figures as an inspiring method of persuasion, in this case, it can prove to be a downfall to arm you with general information and scare tactics that may potentially overwhelm management and provoke the common reason that many businesses are without a business continuity plan: “It will never happen to me”.

Across-the-board examples and generalizations are vulnerable to being inapplicable or unconfirmed, which is a complete contradiction to what we are striving for in trying to integrate business continuity within our organisations in the first place. So, the number one way to make your management team not only aware of the risks you seek to diminish, but to gain their commitment for your business continuity programme is to outline the specific threats to your specific business. An evident reason for management to commit to a business continuity proposal is risk vs cost. If the risk far outweighs the cost, we are likely to be successful in securing funding for solutions that mitigate that risk.

In my presentation I shall present a practical model case of an organization and the journey of their BCM Manager that secured management commitment by identifying their own 'X' factors that are derived from information within the organisation. These factors are the basis for any legitimate business continuity programme and were mainly driven from the following areas:

• Regulatory
• Legal
• Revenues
• Shares Price
• Productivity
• Brand – Marketing
• Customer – Opportunity
• Insurance
• Operational

I will give the delegates proven approach to understand the current risks and their impacts to the business in terms of financial loss and how it can be presented to convince and secure management commitment.

• Delegates will benefit from how to identify monetary loss of various impacts and the financial loss implications of not having the right BCM arrangements
• They will get practical understanding of on how to use these factors to support their BCM programme
• They shall get an understanding on how information available within the organisation can and support their case
• This model case can be applied to any type of organisation or sector

Nisar Khan has 14 years of professional career, with 11 years of experience in managing Corporate Business Continuity programmes at public and private sectors. Previously he functioned as a BC/DR Manager for a consultancy firm, delivering end-to-end BCM programmes and training to leading companies. He is a dedicated ambassador of the discipline and has earned the following recognitions:

• Highly Commended at the BCI Global Awards 2013 as ‘BCM Manager of the Year’
• Winner of the BCI Middle East Awards 2013 as ‘BCM Personality of the Year’
• Winner of the first BCI Middle East Awards 2012 as ‘BCM Manager of the Year’
• Winner of the BCI Asia Awards 2012 as ‘BCM of the Year’
• Highly Commended at the BCI Global Awards 2012 as ‘BCM Manager of the Year’

Nisar will be discussing 'Deriving X factors to support your BCM program' on day one of the BCI World Conference on Wednesday 5th November. You will find him in seminar room 3 starting at 15:10.