We live in a world where “just one hour” without access to your IT systems can cost far more than most businesses expect. Whether it’s due to a server crash, cyberattack, network outage, or misconfigured cloud service—downtime is no longer just an inconvenience. It’s a direct financial threat.
The Hard Numbers
Recent industry data shows that in 2025:
The average cost of IT downtime is €7,000 to €15,000 per hour for small and medium businesses (SMBs).
For larger operations or e-commerce platforms, that figure easily exceeds €100,000 per hour.
1 in 3 businesses that experience more than 24 hours of downtime report significant reputational damage or even customer loss.
Downtime doesn’t only affect your team—it disrupts client trust, service delivery, and even compliance standing.
What Causes Downtime Today?
Ransomware or cyberattacks
Failed software updates or misconfigurations
Cloud service outages
Hardware failure or aging infrastructure
Unpatched vulnerabilities
Lack of a working backup and disaster recovery plan
In many cases, the real cause isn’t the event itself—but the lack of preparation to handle it effectively.
Proactive Steps to Prevent (or Minimize) Downtime
1. 24/7 Monitoring & Alerting
If you’re not watching your systems 24/7, you’re responding too late. A managed IT partner can catch issues early—before they escalate.
2. Automated Backups & Fast Recovery
Modern backup solutions ensure data is safely stored locally and in the cloud, with rapid restore options to get you running again in minutes, not hours.
3. Redundancy & Failover Planning
From power supplies to internet lines and cloud regions—redundancy means resilience. A disaster plan without tested failovers is just wishful thinking.
4. Security Hardening
Firewalls, endpoint protection, and real-time threat detection are essential, but only if they’re properly configured and monitored.
Real-World Example
A medium-sized retail chain experienced a cyberattack that shut down their PoS and ordering systems for 3 hours. Not only did they lose an estimated €45,000 in sales, but they also had to compensate clients, reissue invoices, and conduct PR damage control.
The worst part? Their backup was 3 days old and not tested—they lost data and credibility.
Final Thoughts: Can You Afford Downtime?
Ask yourself:
Do we have a documented and tested recovery plan?
Are we monitoring key systems 24/7?
If our servers or cloud apps fail today, how long would it take to recover?
What would it cost us per minute?
If you’re unsure of any of the above, it’s time to reassess your business continuity strategy.
Need Help?
Our team helps businesses identify weak points, reduce downtime risk, and recover faster—before it costs them more than they can afford. Contact us for a free continuity assessment or to explore our managed backup and monitoring solutions.