Beyond COVID-19: SMBs riding the digitalization wave

At the start of this year, the world plunged into a crisis brought forth by one of the deadliest and fastest-moving pandemics this century. At the same time, the pandemic has also served as a catalyst for digital transformation across every section of society, and businesses large and small have raced to adapt to the changing landscape in order to survive.

With an increasing need for businesses to digitalize their operations amid the pandemic, we highlight how some of the SMBs we work with are embracing digitalization to solve key business challenges and ultimately drive growth during these challenging times below.

Reinventing to engage with new and existing customers

During the peak of the pandemic, lockdowns were enforced around the globe, serving as a major obstacle for many brick-and-mortar businesses which were forced to shut. Almost overnight, these businesses needed to come up with an alternative channel to reach customers, or risk shutting down for good.

One such example is ciCadoSoft Technologies, an Information Technology Training Company that provides training to IT professionals and students. Established in 2000 in India, the business has since grown to become a top leader in the IT field.

Previously, all training sessions were conducted on premises at their training centre, with state-of-the-art facilities. However, when the pandemic hit and strict lockdowns were enforced, physical classes had to be put on hold indefinitely. It quickly became clear that online was the only way forward in order to remain connected with their customers and continue to serve them. ciCadoSoft turned to Cisco’s secure and reliable collaboration tool, Webex, to quickly adapt to the situation and shift its training sessions online.

Digitalization not only served to help ciCadoSoft connect with existing customers, but also enabled them to broaden their outreach to new potential customers. Earlier on, only local clients could come to the physical office directly and join. Since going online, ciCadoSoft has increased its reach to new potential customers from across the world, building a resilient and future-ready business. You can learn about their journey here.

Keeping delivery supplies on track with reliable IT infrastructure in the cloud

The pandemic has transformed the workplace, with remote or hybrid working becoming the new normal. In particular, the shift has underscored the need for businesses to have in place a seamless, reliable technology infrastructure, in order to maintain a high level of productivity and smooth communication and delivery.

In a time of forced business disruptions, it is key that businesses leverage technology to streamline operations and increase efficiency.

Lindsay Australia serves as a great example of a business which successfully simplified burdensome manual processes. An integrated transport, logistics and rural supply company, Lindsay Australia has served the Australian farming community for over 60 years. With dozens of transport depots across rural Australia that deliver over 1.6 million tonnes of freight a year, the company needed a reliable IT solution that could help them accurately track deliveries and keep deliveries on-time even in a time of disruption.

Previously, the IT team had to manually manage the network infrastructure across its 34 locations country-wide. This would be especially tough during the pandemic, when having secure, remote access is more valuable than ever. Using Cisco Meraki, a cloud-managed solution, the team is able to remotely access and manage these networks from one location and access accurate data in real-time, greatly streamlining operations.

This goes a long way in ensuring the business can continue to operate smoothly through the pandemic and beyond, and its various stakeholders, from farmers to grocers, can continue to depend on them to deliver fresh harvests daily. Watch their daily processes come to live here.

Transforming the healthcare industry through telehealth services

As we slowly emerge from the crisis into a post-pandemic world, a myriad of growth opportunities opens up for businesses willing to evolve and innovate. Faced with an uncertain future, businesses that are agile and well prepared to cope with changing consumer demands are well poised to succeed.

Besides, embracing new technology innovations also brings an element of experimentation, as small businesses are able to explore new business opportunities, make new breakthroughs and scale up with the new tools they have.

One such case is Body Logic Physiotherapy, Joondalup, a physiotherapy provider based in Perth, Australia. They are a small, expert team of therapists dedicated to preventing, treating, and rehabilitating musculoskeletal problems for their patients.

Since the pandemic, the healthcare industry has been dramatically transformed with the accelerated adoption of digital solutions. In particular, the use of telemedicine and telehealth services has become more widespread globally, as consumers increasingly value the convenience and safety it provides.

During COVID-19, Body Logic Physiotherapy, Joondalup saw the need to provide at-home treatments for patients who were unable to leave their homes. With Cisco Meraki high-speed, stable cloud managed IT technologies and cybersecurity solutions, it successfully expanded its telehealth service. Therapists were able to connect with patients securely and keep up with their treatments via video call, bringing their expertise into patient’s homes. We will be speaking to Body Logic Physiotherapy, Joondalup soon to learn more about their journey, so watch this space for more details.

As seen from these stories, digitization plays a huge role in not only the survival but also the growth of businesses in these uncertain times. No matter the industry, digital transformation is no longer an optional business strategy to consider. Rather, it has become an integral part of how businesses across the globe will operate in the years to come. For small businesses, this digital shift is a lifeline, enabling them to build resilience and come back stronger through the pandemic and beyond.