Ensure business continuity globally during COVID-19 through flexible working

Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, working remotely, facilities closures and supply chain disruptions have become the new business normal. While ensuring the health and safety of workforces remains a top concern of most organisations, business goals are unlikely to shift even in these difficult times – to deliver exceptional customer experience, improve operational performance, and reduce CapEx and OpEx.

In this new disrupted business environment, our customers are facing two key challenges:

1. Remote access – how can I allow users at scale, to connect securely to the corporate network to access cloud applications and collaboration tools?

2. Quick expansion – how can I scale the network to meet surge in business?

Remote access – a certain connection during uncertain times

Remote or flexible working is not a new concept within most industries. However, things can be far from straightforward when the law requires entire organisations to adopt telecommunicating at short notice.

The most obvious need is to keep teams working across geographically dispersed conditions enabled by collaboration tools from companies such as Cisco and Microsoft. Additionally, users expect to recreate the corporate working experience at home by connecting to email, calendar contacts and corporate applications.

The underlying network is a vital consideration. With an increase in remote workers, there will be a greater demand to access cloud-based applications that will require ‘burstable’ Internet access.

Quick expansion – becoming more scalable

While a sudden surge in demand can put a strain on networking resources, being able to augment the network quickly can make a big difference to organisations’ ability to deliver the right customer experience. On-demand solutions can enable this by helping organisations to provision, consume and manage network services in near-real time, with the automated orchestration of network services. This allows for a quick response to evolving business needs and changing market dynamics.

In the face of difficult business conditions and market volatility, many organisations will be reluctant to make long-term commitments. By seeking commercial flexibility around pricing and commitment terms, it is possible to strike the right balance between risk and business continuity.