As COVID-19 is impacting people across the globe, it’s also affecting businesses. Some businesses are seeing decreased demand, others are busier than ever. Many companies are finding ways to adapt to this unprecedented circumstance, either by allowing employees to work from home or making changes to their traditional emergency leave policies.
In 2020, we truly have a global economy, so no matter where your business in the world, chances are high that it has been or will be affected by the COVID-19 pandemic in some way. You’ll need to adapt to be able to continue offering your product or service. Take advantage of the situation at hand and update some of your policies, as well as your business’s infrastructure. Now is the time to bring your company up to speed.
Updating Your Infrastructure
Many companies have shifted to a work-from-home model, as that is essentially the only way certain types of work can get done. With many stay-at-home orders and plenty of businesses being classified as “non-essential,” having employees log in remotely can often allow you to serve your customers without interruption. Updating your infrastructure to support remote working options helps both customers and employees stay safe and healthy.
CIOs and IT support teams are able to take the lead to support employees during this transition to remote work. The first thing to do is understand which internal and external programs and platforms employees need to be able to access remotely.
Then, understand the level of security your system needs. Are devices company-issued, or are employees using their own computers and phones? Presumably, they are using private networks due to the temporary closure of places like coffee shops and libraries. However, private versus public is an important concern at other times.
It’s also a good idea to bring in other management-level personnel to update policies and procedures at this point. This means updating policies about who can work from home, and it also means creating procedures for how employees can and should communicate with one another or share documents.
Finally, it’s likely that your company will need to expand its capabilities, which may mean investing in new programs or software. Your IT support team is critical to making decisions here. Videoconferencing and messaging tools are important for keeping company morale high and connecting employees with one another. If you already have all the software you need, you might need to scale it up as more employees will be using it.
Meeting Consumer Demand
Demand during a crisis like this is often different than at other times. Whether a business is booming or they’ve found themselves with extra time on their hands, companies are adjusting their technology and offerings to meet consumer needs.
Manufacturing companies, for example, are using their machines to fill a need for medical equipment or personal protective equipment (PPE). This ability to be agile is key to surviving and thriving during this time. Companies are also turning more to self-service options to reduce person-to-person contact.
Businesses are thinking outside of the box in order to continue efficiently serving their customers during this time. Whether that’s opening an e-commerce store or offering a fully digital product, such as an online fitness course or a virtual museum tour, companies are adapting.
Even healthcare is changing right now, as the COVID-19 crisis has forced hospitals and clinics to offer telehealth solutions whenever possible to decrease the potential spread of the virus. Retail tech is bringing in new chatbots to serve customers online, even while the team is away.
Updating your business’s infrastructure is a key way to be able to adapt during this uncertain time. Whether you are using technology to better serve your customers or you’re trying to support your employees working from home, this is the time to level up. If you’re looking for remote support for you and your employees during this time, Kinettix offers a host of remote services that can help you help your employees who are adjusting to working from home. Contact us to learn more.
