The IT outages can cause a series of non-technical problems that may lead to severe consequences. IT failures are usually connected with customer safety issues and exposure of protected information. This is especially evident in healthcare, where the inoperability of the network system may obstruct the natural exchange of information between the departments leading to delays in treatments. Missed treatments can cause increased morbidity and mortality among patients. In other spheres, network problems may lead to security breaches that are usually associated with the loss of private information. Therefore, the primary concern of organization management during an IT outage is to ensure the safety of the customers.
Another problem is the need to compensate for losses of outside stakeholders that may have been harmed in the process. For instance, if a trading platform processes inquiries with a delay of incorrectly, an entire market may drop, leading to severe financial losses among users. The reputation of the trading platform will suffer, and the affected stakeholders are likely to request loss indemnity. In summary, the non-technical issues that arise during the outbreaks are harmful, and they should be prevented.