-by Jeff @ ControlVM.com, Apr 2020 | Chinese Version: https://malaysia-vps.com/疫情危机的反思-您的业务开始云了吗/
Ever since the implementation of the Movement Control Order (MCO), I had learned from friends that many companies were unable to work remotely or work from home effectively. The main reason is that their company still uses the traditional business model, which is to keep all the company’s information and systems in the company’s server. Once the employees left the company premises, they can’t read the company emails, accountant can’t process the salary payout, the sales personnel can’t access the customer’s information, and the employees can’t answer the company’s phone calls, etc. Although implementing VPN is one of the options, some would say that they can’t access to the company VPN or it is unstable at all to handle the company’s job remotely.
In fact, many companies have not or yet to prepare themselves to deal with such situations. Whether it is now or after the outbreak has improved, the transformation to Industry 4.0 is crucial at this stage to ensure that the company’s business continues to operate effectively from anywhere.
Let’s start with the most basic (at this stage I will exclude AI and IoT), the following solutions can be used for your reference:
1) Transfer the company’s telephone system to Cloud PBX
Whether you are at home or overseas, you still can answer the company’s calls. Employees can continue to communicate for free within the company phone system.
2) Transfer company email to Email Hosting service
Read your company email anytime, anywhere. The hosting service is actually more practical and zero management compare to the server in the company.
3) Use Cloud Storage – collaboration mode
File sharing, live chat, calendar sharing, etc. in an independent or dedicated environment. Employees can share files in a dedicated environment. Public cloud storage like dropbox, google drive is not preferred and should be avoided.
4) Transfer the traditional marketing system to Cloud Warehouse & Invoicing System
Online sales, invoicing, and warehouse management. Let sales staff place orders remotely, generate invoice, and check exiting stock level. The management can monitor business progress remotely by reading real-time data.
In short, migrate existing company server to Cloud Server allowing all employees continue to serve the company by remotely or work from home. Transformation is not to sacrifice or lay off your IT staff, but to let them maintain and safeguard the security of the servers, systems and your valuable. Transformation can help your company to save more in capital expenditure (capex) or operating expenditure (opex)
I hope above information able give you some big idea on how to initiate first step towards Industry 4.0.
Any comments or feedback are most welcome. If you like my write-up, you may share or forward it to your friends.