The COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic has prompted workers, families, and individuals to re-evaluate so many aspects of their lives and businesses. It has sparked a time for reflection as well as concern about the future. We have so many questions in our minds about how America and the world will recover and also prepare for what’s to come. We find ourselves re-thinking what we can do for our own well-being and also the well-being of others. Ultimately, in such a time of crisis, we are trying to figure out exactly what we should be doing from both a personal and a business perspective. If your family is directly impacted, it may be all you can do to manage your own situation. Hopefully, you are in a good position to reach out to family, friends and loved ones to offer the support they need. It’s a time to reflect, help out, and think outside the box.
Encouragement in Times of Crisis
Small businesses are often hit the hardest when a crisis takes place. It is important to keep in mind that a crisis will not last forever, even though the impact may be great. Before a recovery, there are a number of leadership qualities that can be shared with employees:
- Give employees work flexibility if possible
- Keep employees informed so they feel confident in the possibility of returning to work
- Connect virtually for work related meetings, updates, and employee engagement
- Give employees a chance to voice their creative business-forward ideas
Overall, communication, adaptability, self-control, and creativity are essential in times of financial, economical and health crises. A true leader will not panic but look to the future in terms of company and employee survival.
Options For Small Businesses
As a small business owner, you are no doubt one of thousands to experience a negative hit on your company. Perhaps you’ve had to let your team go or take advantage of the government stimulus package to stay afloat. In any case, if you have time on your hands, it may be necessary to re-evaluate your information technology (IT) infrastructure during this time of crisis. It may reveal the need to transition your company from an IT on-premise environment to a more current, “pay-for-what-you-need” cloud based solution. Unfortunately, sometimes it takes a crisis to realize the need for a futuristic IT infrastructure. Third-party cloud computing services have proven over and over to save companies money in terms of scalable solutions, lowered maintenance costs, less equipment assets to purchase and manage, and reduced support staff to help manage the facets of IT. This is true now more than ever before.
IT Infrastructure in the Cloud
Your company’s IT has likely surfaced as the most important aspect of your business. When thinking in terms of outsourcing some of your IT components, there are many options. Private, public and hybrid cloud alternatives continue to suit unique small business needs. If you’re not ready to completely transition to the cloud, a hybrid option in a customized solution may be your best choice. Consider how some of your IT components might easily be managed for you:
Custom Solutions
- Dedicated Servers – rely on a virtual private server (VPS) or a hosted service
- Remote Backup Services – trust your data and operating system backups with a reputable cloud storage provider
- Private Cloud Services – enjoy scalable, hosted private cloud services
- SQL High-Availability Services – rely on Microsoft SQL for database consulting, assessments, backups, and performance
- VoIP Phone Solutions – Single source and streamline your VoIP PBX phone services
Ready-to-Go Solutions
- Cloud Hosting Services – receive cloud hosting in a multi-server environment
- Domain Name Registration – get your domain name in a cloud package deal
- Shared Web Hosting – rely on shared web hosting when you have multiple sites
- Virtual Private Servers – enjoy a virtual private server for added security
Preparing For The Future
One positive outcome of a worldwide crisis is that we begin to prepare for the future, should a situation like this happen again—and it will. We learn from unexpected and devastating events, so that we are prepared to weather the next storm. We seek the good in every bad situation. If this worldwide pandemic has encouraged you to take a look at your current IT infrastructure and re-evaluate it for the future, one good thing has happened.
In an article by The Wall Street Journal, entitled One Business Winner Amid Corona virus Lock downs: the Cloud, Aaron Tilley states, “Cloud-computing providers are emerging as among the few corporate winners in the coronavirus pandemic as office and store closures across the U.S. have pushed more activity online.” Cloud technology is surfacing as a positive reinforcement no one could have predicted during this outbreak. Some companies have been able to move their workforce home and rely on remote technologies to communicate. If a cloud solution is needed for the future of your company, contact a RackCo representative today. Learn more about how you can streamline your IT in a pay-as-you-go model so that you can be prepared for whatever unexpected events may come your way.
