Assign each area a priority, with mission-critical items receiving special attention. Industry-specific and customized proprietary software can be particularly vulnerable. Act in an organized, decisive and timely fashion. Armed with the priority list from the previous step, define a Y2K strategy and devote the resources necessary for implementation. The plan should include specific upgrades to both hardware and software, and allow for plenty of testing of the modified systems.
Experts agree that testing is a crucial and frequently underestimated part of the process.
Alert your clients, customers and vendors to this issue, and encourage their Y2K compliance efforts. Excerpted with permission from Small Business Success , Volume XII, produced by Pacific Bell Directory in partnership with the U.S. Small Business Administration.