Navigating this Pandemic & Preparing for the Future: Thoughts from Our Leadership Team

As we all adjust to the uncertain impact on business after a pandemic, we are shifting the conversations internally and with our customers to a proactive, forward-thinking approach on how to respond to and prepare for these changes. We sat down with two members of our leadership team for their thoughts on the future and ways we can make a seamless transition to a new normal.

A message from Kelly Holwagner, VP of Operations for Western Computer

My sympathy goes out to those who have suffered great loss and I sincerely hope we will see improvements very soon. For businesses, I believe this will be an opportunity to reimagine a digital future and it feels good that Western Computer is here to help you do that.

Technology is one of the few industries that have survived recessions and challenges like this, and I believe the demand will only get stronger. Microsoft’s recent press has been extremely positive, and we are aligned to deliver the business solutions companies will need going forward.

I recently wrote an article for the Dynamics Communities titled “A Race for Digital Transformation is Coming” that discussed a few ways companies can adapt to the changes we are sure to see. The cloud has always been an enabler, and it is now more important and valuable than ever to build a cloud foundation that allows you to:

1. Manage virtual offices and a remote workforce
2. Automatically provide business continuity and disaster recovery
3. Support collaboration anywhere in the world, on any device

We talk a lot about digital transformation because we have seen a rapid evolution of how business is conducted. Our Dynamics 365 cloud customers, and Western Computer ourselves, were thankfully equipped to continue operations. Though you can never predict something of this magnitude, the peace of mind knowing your business can adapt and survive is priceless.

One example of a positive effect this has had on Western Computer and our customers is getting creative with how we conduct implementations. We have reinvented how to do things typically done on site, which ultimately brought down some costs for our customers. We will apply these lessons learned to our own processes and hopefully find more ways to benefit our customers as a result. I think we have all learned valuable lessons and will continue to grow from the challenges we have had to overcome. 

A message from Greg Williams, Dynamics Practice Manager for Western Computer

My thoughts are with those that are suffering from this terrible disease, as well as their families and loved ones. My home state of Michigan has been hit hard, and everyone knows someone that is affected. I think as a whole, the U.S. will recover with some changes to our behavior.

One thing I think will change the most is that working from home will be more popular. Companies have realized they can still get work done without commuting to an office. Of course, many companies that are producing and/or shipping goods must be there in person, and we all need to support them in every way we can.

At Western Computer, we have a large remote workforce so the transition for us was easier than most. The biggest change for us was adapting to no on-site visits with customers. Through innovative thinking, and with tools like Microsoft Teams, we have been able to collaborate in real time internally and externally.

I think we will see a big shift in how customers choose businesses to work with – starting with their digital capabilities. Are you able to take orders online? Can your employees work remotely to help customers? Can customers chat with you online to get quick answers about an order or an issue? Can you approve purchase orders and payments to vendors without using paper? These are some of the questions businesses must be prepared to answer and the functionality that will be needed to survive in the future.

Business continuity must be a priority for businesses of all sizes moving forward. One positive thing to focus on is that with the cloud, we can help small businesses keep working and stay competitive even in the wake of a disaster like COVID-19. Technology is saving many businesses right now and I sincerely hope we can help companies build a long-term foundation for their future.

We’re here to help.

Empowering people and businesses to succeed has always been our core mission, and as we all get through this together, it has only renewed our passion. It’s rewarding to be in a position to help, and we are ready to drive the economy forward in any way we can. We have an on-demand webinar you might be interested in watching: COVID-19 Guide for B2B Businesses and we hope you will reach out to our team any time for expert guidance and support.