The UK's fuel crisis has hit the services and support companies
that keep business IT systems up and running. Robert Dunt and Hazel
Ward report
IT service organisations left with just a few gallons of fuel
found themselves having to prioritise which contracts would come
first should an IT disaster strike.
Andy Wilde, director of Cameo Computer Services, said the
situation had become "critical". At the peak of the fuel shortage
his company only had enough fuel left for two or three calls.
Computer engineers were saving this for emergencies such as
mainframes going down, he said.
Martin Holden, managing director of Epos and Computer
Maintenance, which has service centres across the country, said his
company was being seriously affected.
"We have got engineers nationally and probably about 25% of that
workforce is off the road as of today [13 September], particularly
in the Swindon, Kent and Yorkshire areas."
Holden said his company had been notifying customers that there
could be problems. "They have been very understanding, as we are
about people trying to do something about the ludicrous petrol
prices," he said.
In order to cope, Holden said he was prioritising one-till
businesses, which would be left stranded if their only payment
point failed. He added that his staff faced a huge backlog of work
following the resolution of the crisis.