Uptime vs. Downtime
Uptime is the complete time a web service, host or site is available for an end user without experiencing a break in availability. Downtime is when a web service, host or website is not online or accessible to users. It can also mean a site is online but unable to function correctly because of errors. It usually is due to irregular system failure or a server connection issue.
Uptime vs. DowntimeWhy Is Uptime Crucial to End-user Satisfaction?Server Uptime Monitoring Strategies Server Uptime Monitoring Helps You Prepare
Why Is Uptime Crucial to End-user Satisfaction?
Time is valuable for everyone. It is also costly. According to Gartner, it adds up to an average of $5,600 each minute a business website is down. Downtime can have a negative influence on your bottom line, but it will also affect end-user satisfaction, which is a significant reason why visitors don’t return to a site once they have a negative experience because of site downtime. A business will also experience issues company-wide because of unplanned interruptions. When employees lose access to the internet, they can’t check their emails, do research or access customer accounts. It will result in longer queue times, so your clients and customers won’t get the answers they need, which will damage your business relationship substantially. Downtime also takes effect on your employees. A recent study found that the average worker needs 23 minutes to re-engage after a disruption. Another study found that downtime can lead to a 20% decline in cognitive function. If you put much stock into brand awareness and reputation management, server uptime monitoring would increase a tremendous amount of productivity. While it is impossible to experience 100% uptime, you can minimize your risks by monitoring downtime. IT techs calculate downtime by the time a server is available. As an example, a business will calculate annually (365 days x 24 hours= 8760 total hours available). If there were six hours of downtime in a year, the uptime percentage would be (8754/8760) x 100=99.93%. Uptime formula: (Uptime hours total/Number of possible hours) x 100 = %
Server Uptime Monitoring Strategies
The reality is that every business will experience downtime. Even large corporations experience IT issues that require downtime to resolve them. The best way to counterbalance it is to have a prevention plan in place to deal with performance and maintenance protocol. It will minimize your risks when you have procedures that prioritize downtime to protect your business standing. You are probably wondering how to avoid downtime. The answer is in IT service management (ITIM) policy and procedure. An effective strategy must first begin with server uptime monitoring to identify IT issues quickly. You must also define your strategy, design system process and procedures, service and support methods, maintenance priorities and transformative analysis. When you handle downtime poorly, you put your employees and clients through unnecessary hardship. A single negative consumer experience will drive your customers to your competitors. When you have an IT infrastructure that minimizes issues, it helps your customer service initiatives by communicating the problems and sharing information honestly about downtime.
Have clear IT steps in place to lessen downtime. Always use a reliable server uptime monitoring provider to oversee operations. Set clear expectations by defining your IT issue and repair objectives to end-users. Communicate with end-users and follow-up with updates until the issue is resolved. Always document the current downtime status and remain positive with end-users.
Server Uptime Monitoring Helps You Prepare
Server uptime monitoring allows you to prepare for downtime. You must always tell your employees so they can set expectations and manage customer perceptions. Your customers don’t need to be notified unless downtime lasts for more than five minutes. You are also able to identify when a site is down or running slowly, so you can decide on the best channel for updates. It’s necessary to designate one person to communicate during downtime. For example, if your server is down, you will have access to a mobile phone to post updates to social media platforms. You can also use an app to send messages to your website when downtime occurs. Using a server uptime monitoring provider also makes you proactive during downtime. How fast and accurately you respond to downtime will determine end-user satisfaction and brand loyalty.
