Business in the time of Corona: Technologies that organisations can leverage to enable a remote working environment

Even before the outbreak of COVID-19, the tech-driven paradigm shift towards new-age business communication models beyond email, calls, and text messaging were already in full swing. According to market research, with the emergence of Cloud-enabled and mobile-optimized communication tools, the global percentage of people preferring to work from a remote working environment is expected to rise by 38 percent.

Despite the advent of advanced cloud-based enterprise tools, a majority of organisations are still using generic voice-centric implements (such as premise-based PBXs) to enable easy interaction within their company. Hence, to effectively drive greater business communication experience, enterprises need to leverage the power of collaborative, mobile-first Unified Communication as a Service (UCaaS)-based tools. Such tools can empower businesses to shift the telecommute traffic entirely to the digital realm, enabling them to provide their employees with a safe and secure working facility that is free from location constraints.

Such an approach can make a huge difference during times of crisis such as the current Coronavirus pandemic when practicing social distancing ought to be everybody’s utmost priority. As organisations are rapidly taking cognisance of this fact, the following are some of the tech-enabled strategies that they can utilise to activate a seamless remote working environment for the benefit and safety of their employees and society at large:

Video conferencing as compared to in-person interactions

When people are being advised to go into self-quarantine – to avoid getting infected or further spreading the virus – the option to attend in-person meetings naturally goes out of the window. One option that professionals then have is to conduct meetings over call or text messages. However, this method too can be easily snubbed in favor of video conferencing which undeniably offers a more immersive experience than a simple phone-centric interaction.

Facilitating mobile PBX connection

Leading market players can enable an organisation to begin their journey towards the Cloud destination. One of the salient features of such a transformation is the virtual phone system that is seamlessly integrated with the existing PBX phone system in an organisation. Such a tool can empower employees to communicate with each other via the PBX system but by using their own mobile phones, irrespective of where they are located.

Integrating customised interactive voice response (IVR) system

Using this feature, organisations can customize an appropriate voice response greeting for any incoming calls that they receive. Besides, tech-enabled supplements can even facilitate the option of capturing the number and voice mails of a caller in case the user is unable to respond. This frees a professional working from home from the unnecessary hassle and compulsion of answering every incoming call under duress.

Although the pandemic threat has caused the global economy to be in free fall, it doesn’t mean that organisations have to pause their operations and wait for the storm to let up before businesses can get back on track. Thanks to the intervention of Cloud-based tech tools, professionals no longer need to visit their offices to engage in business transactions.

By adopting the aforementioned strategies, organisations can now enable their workforce to do it from a remote working environment, including their homes. And this, now more than before, has emerged as the most appropriate option available to business leaders to ensure the safety of their employees in the face of the unfortunate disruption while keeping their business processes in a sustained motion.

The author is Chief Revenue Officer, CloudConnect Communications.