The following is taken from the introductory session from SWK’s 2021 Virtual Empower
As we reflect back on the fateful events of 2020, it will be remembered for so many things: moments of sadness and heartache, of shock and surprise, of heroism and possibility, things slowing and stopping, things beginning and dramatically accelerating. We can choose to live in a world framed by scarcity and fear, or to leap forward, surrounded by achievement and abundance.
One of the greatest, most important and still untold tales of the pandemic is how many of us adapted and maneuvered to continue to enable the success of our companies and businesses. Even though COVID-19 has still impacted the world in 2021, many organizations have been much better equipped to handle its disruptions.
How 2020 Accelerated Digital Transformation
In 2020, we all saw an explosion in the use of our critical technical infrastructure in every corner of the globe, as well its large scale Digital Transformation to facilitate more hybrid and fully remote work. We saw a 70% increase in Internet use. It may be hard to picture, so for context, there’s 140,000 miles of railroad track laid across the United States, an achievement that took over 100 years to accomplish. A 70% increase is the equivalent of adding an additional 98,000 miles of track in a matter of weeks.
There was a 76% increase in e-commerce. As a result, Amazon scaled its workforce to over one million; and Walmart, in less than one year, hired more than 400,000 associates. 42% of the US labor force is now working from home, up from 5% last year. And there was five times increase in buyer activity for web and video conferencing technology. For example, we’ve seen Zoom usage grow from 10 million meeting participants each day to over 300 million.
The Age of Data
How is it possible that in the face of unprecedented cybersecurity threats, our major institutions and small businesses alike have been able to do business digitally? How is it possible that entire industries have been able to create new ways of doing business and completely reimagined their supply chains, almost overnight?
One word… Data. Data is the foundational capability that allowed all of us to pull off the impossible. Data provides the insights, the nuances, the truths that are necessary for us to perform our magic. As the world vaults forward because of technology, it’s irrefutable that the Data Age has arrived.
And In this Data Age, our mission at SWK is to make sure that you not only survive, but that you thrive. We want to help you drive better outcomes faster, and live healthier, more prosperous and productive lives by removing the barriers between data and action. To us it’s clear, the people and organizations who can act decisively on their data are going to succeed, and those who don’t will quickly fade. And preparing ourselves for this next wave, this Digital Transformation, is a large part of what Empower is all about.
But the Data Age arrives simultaneously with another new shift, the Work From Home paradigm. These workplace models have become prevalent, and probably represent the new normal for many of today’s workforce. This new paradigm has many pluses and minuses, but there are many fundamental questions that need to be addressed:
- How does your team remotely access your data and applications safely and securely?
- What are the cybersecurity issues associated with working from home on company laptops, or personal computers, or personal laptops?
- Are there applications available that will help you maintain your productivity? Where does automation fit in?
- How do you keep people motivated and engaged when they’re not physically together in an office?
- How does eCommerce fit within you company strategy?
- How do you provide a great customer experience under this “new normal?”
There is a lot to navigate. And SWK is here to help make you sense of it all.
SWK Technologies Will Guide Your Digital Transformation Journey
Technology has facilitated this Digital Transformation, and SWK will contribute all of our experience, knowledge and guidance in helping you choose the best solutions and optimizing them to maximize your ROI on your application and IT stack. Whether it is software automation, IT management and support, cloud hosting, cybersecurity monitoring or any combination of these services, SWK will be there to serve your technology needs and enable your business success in this new normal.
Contact SWK today to learn more about how our value-add services can help you jump into Digital Transformation and guide your business into the new Data Age.
SWK Technologies is here to help, when you need it