Companies not using online data backup or disaster recovery plans correctly or at all must be given guidance on how to successfully operate them, according to an expert.

Michelle McMurray, the marketing communications director for Europe, the Middle East and Africa with Buffalo Technology, said in an exclusive interview with CRN that both vendors and resellers must do more to help customers understand the importance of backing up sensitive data.

Furthermore, they must also demonstrate how easy this process is, she added.

Ms McMurray continued: "Our collective aim should be to ensure that end users understand the commercial benefits of safeguarding data and to provide them with the tools and know-how to do so easily and consistently."

If this is not done, organisations will continue to put sensitive customer data, as well as business productivity, at risk.

This week, Ronnie Ng, a systems engineering manager for Symantec, told ZDNet Asia that if consumers do not believe a company is providing the service level that is expected due to going down after a disaster without an online backup plan in place, they will simply go elsewhere.

A recent survey for Connect found that one in ten companies has lost important data as a result of a backup failure. The company has now developed a unique online backup service for SMEs to ensure they can survive any disaster.