If there is one common thread running through most predictions for 2012, it`s that no one really knows quite what to expect, except that it`s going to be another “tough” year.

The problem, says Andre Joubert, GM of MWEB Business, is that after successive “tough” years, many businesses have little in the way of reserves to cushion them against unexpected but significant expenses.

“In today`s fragile economy, what could be a minor crisis in other circumstances – such as a server crash and loss of data due to a glitch in the back-up system - could well turn out to be the proverbial straw that sends the business into terminal decline. With a little preparation, these crises can be avoided,” he adds.