As digital transformation helps business to endure a quarantine because of COVID-19. Real example

Main article:

• COVID-19 coronavirus
• As IT help Russian regions to isolate people and to endure a pandemic
• Influence of a coronavirus of COVID-19 on economy
• Tests for COVID-19 coronavirus
• COVID-19 coronavirus in Russia
• COVID-19 coronavirus in Moscow

Several years digital transformation is included into the agenda of many organizations. The pandemic of a new coronavirus not only emphasized advantages of successful digital transformation and also importance of use of technologies to business maintenance, but also became the most powerful driver to change of many businesses.

The companies, more flexible and capable to changes, most quicker adapted to new reality — a quarantine, restrictions for travel, closing offline shops, work from the house. All this shows how it is important to transform business successfully to work in unstable times and to find opportunities for growth in crisis.

Preparation for unexpected

Because of a coronavirus business faces a set of difficulties: information security support of remote users, mass transition to work from the house, protection against an infection of those employees who need to move on the city. But not each company should fight for survival. It is difficult to tell whether today's pandemic to events like "black swan" belongs. However, undoubtedly, the companies could not foretell such succession of events, not to mention in advance to make the action plan. Why some were prepared better, than others?

At the companies which best of all cope with crisis or even find growth points, there is something the general. First, they are already engaged in creation of the flexible digital platform. Secondly, they implement flexible methodologies. Thirdly, they form development teams which are down on to the industry and can quickly be rebuilt in an unprecedented situation.

Long-term investments in the correct technologies and cooperation with the correct technology partner who will help to reach the flexibility necessary for successful work in the unstable world are the cornerstone of successful digital transformation.

Example of The Keyholding Company

Real example — one of customers of Haulmont, The Keyholding Company of Great Britain. The history of this company showed that fast adaptation to new reality not only was possible, but also was executed in the "routine" mode.

The main direction of business The Keyholding Company is a protection of the real estate. In addition to security of objects in emergencies one of key business processes of the company is management of safe opening and closing of premises of the clients. However now this service is not demanded as for a while to quarantines many organizations stopped work. So one of the directions of business The Keyholding Company was curtailed suddenly. The company could appear in very difficult situation if it did not manage to find an alternative source of income.

Standard approach on overcoming such crisis situations consists in planning start of a new product or service instead of the dropped-out income source. The truth usually it takes weeks or even months that already too long.

However The Keyholding Company is not an everyday occurence. The company cooperates with Haulmont since 2013. During this time joint efforts created a flexible corporate system of CHASE (it is possible to learn about it from a case in more detail), which became a basis of digital transformation of The Keyholding Company. In parallel with regular investments into technologies the company also formed own technical team. It works with assistance of the specialists of Haulmont who are down on to the industry of the customer and crucial system processes.

Thanks to cooperation with Haulmont when the quarantine in Great Britain began, The Keyholding Company could reconfigure the client portal and business processes for two days off to start absolutely new direction. The company offered clients new service — external patrols on the fixed schedule. It helps to reduce risk that the buildings or shops which were left without personnel will become the victims of criminals. The staff of The Keyholding Company who was engaged in opening and closing of premises of clients earlier switched to patrol. In addition to it the company helps city police, reducing the loading falling on it.

Quick reaction on the changed conditions and quick start of new service — not the only advantage which The Keyholding Company got thanks to advanced technologies of CHASE. The information system of the company is unrolled in a cloud and is available via the browser irrespective of location of the user. It gave the chance to the staff of head office The Keyholding Company smoothly to switch to work from the house with the minimum interruption of business processes.

Continuous digital transformation of The Keyholding Company allowed business to function in emergency most close to the normal state and even to carry out diversification. Because the company managed to save key clients, to start the new direction and to achieve growth, her employees feel safe as they know that will not lose work. As a result they save productivity and motivation.

After a coronavirus

Arguments for benefit of digital transformation never were more relevant, than now. Review of priorities when business is recovered after the quarantine will be one of effects of a pandemic. Many companies will think of when and how to carry out digital transformation, but not about whether it is necessary to do it.

Digital transformation will not help business to predict "the following coronavirus". However it will provide flexibility and mobility which will allow to cope with it. Whatever prepared the future, in a prize there will be those companies which will quicker and better react to the following global challenge and will be able to implement "plan B" without stops of that part of business which continues to work. Optimum suitable companies of technology, qualified employees and a development team which understands the industry for which creates solutions will help to make it.

The command of custom development of Haulmont company solves more than a decade such problems and is ready to provide consultations on creation of the concept or a solution architecture and also to develop the "turnkey" client application.

Notes