How can IT help during the pandemic? Get ready for the rush after the lockdown!

Hopefully, over the last few weeks, everyone has found their coziest pair of slippers and has figured out which is the most comfortable seat to work from all day long at home. Once the initial shock has worn off, it’s worth thinking, drawing some conclusions and trying to gage the consequences.

Introduction – Lessons Learned

It’s clear that one of the lessons to be learned is that organizations which have neglected digital transition are now in a particularly challenging situation. Business advisors have been saying for years that digital transformation provides companies with a degree of flexibility that by default can improve competitiveness. Yet its true power is witnessed in the case of a sudden market shift or crisis. There is no need for anyone to repeat this advice again. Billions of people are experiencing the truth of this sentence at this very moment, regardless of whether they are on the luckier or less fortunate side of events.

What kind of problems are companies now faced with?

1. Lack of effective digital collaboration

A company usually operates with more than one employee, plus subcontractors and suppliers. In order for an organization to function, these key players must know how to work together. This requires a great many things, particularly if everyone has to suddenly do their job from the kitchen table at home. Prerequisites for this include a home computer and internet access, followed by corporate systems such as ERP, CRM, etc. that can be remotely accessed. Also, it doesn’t hurt to have experience in using all of these systems, which is a part of corporate culture. It’s obvious that companies which have previously equipped their employees with portable devices and supported remote working are at an advantage. Furthermore, multinational companies operating at multiple sites don’t have to start from the ground up as at least as they were in possession of the necessary technology, even if not everyone had access to it.

2. Lack of digital procedures

It’s not enough if the work force can exchange emails with one another. In order to keep the business going, a digital version of the approval process must be established as a means to conclude contracts and draw up sales notes. This can even pose problems for companies where just one or a few days of home office work was already standard procedure. In itself, this didn’t necessarily force the organization to operate all critical functions from home and in a paper-free way. Although certain internal regulations can be bypassed in a critical situation, in most cases, the digitalization of servicing clients cannot be resolved through rapid projects.

3. Slow adaptation of new technologies

Over the recent days and months, many companies have purchased new software and reconfigured its processes to some degree. Requiring the application of a new device is one thing, but providing education and support for users until they develop the necessary skills is another. The organization must be prepared to adopt new technologies, skills and processes. If someone is doing this for the first time, they probably don’t have the necessary team, process or support platform. Therefore, there are at least two levels to this problem. First, that the company might lack the technologies to support remote working (yet these can be introduced relatively quickly.) Second, that the situation might be far worse if the organization isn’t prepared for the adaptation of the technologies themselves. The reason for this is that in this case, the process will take much longer.

Why might a low-code platform be a good choice for a company?

1. Speed

Perhaps one of the most important traits of low-code platforms, such as the Menix platform we use, is that it can reduce the time it takes to develop an application to a fraction of its normal term. In September, when all departments submit their revised requirements to IT, it’s great to have a solution that can better utilize existing engineer resources.

2. Technology

Low-code provides precisely what everyone needs right now (which is why purchasing needs are set to skyrocket). Well-scalable, multiplatform, cloud-based applications will help make corporate cooperation and digital client experiences accessible both at home and on mobile devices.

3. Control

No one doubts that the usual reasons and excuses of IT departments about modern teamwork and remote work systems (i.e. they aren’t safe, they’re not a priority, they can be developed in-house, we don’t have enough resources, etc.) will soon be brought into doubt by the business side. In fact, this is probably already the case. IT must understand that the priorities have changed and if it doesn’t take a lead in the changes (of rapid digitalization), the business side will circumvent it by directly contracting subcontractors or even more directly, by using purchased SaaS applications. Low-code platform companies like Mendix provide thoroughly developed introductory programs for medium and large enterprises, which include internal communication and training. Mendix is particularly good at implementing cooperation between business and IT under the latter’s professional control.

Summary

IT departments will soon be under serious pressure by company management to accelerate digital transformation. The interpretation of priorities and risks will fundamentally change, which could be beneficial for IT budgets. However, in order for IT to keep additional funding in check, it must take the initiative. It must demonstrate that the previous decisions have been appropriate for the existing priorities until now, and in light of the new situation IT must be the first to propose changes, for which it has the necessary plans and expertise.