Chetan Shah, MD, Xpress Computers explains how the company’s core expertise in modern workplace, collaboration techniques, and 24×7 seamless data access infrastructure is helping customers to continue working during the lockdown
What’s your assessment of the current scenario and the lessons learned?
The current scenario has been devastating for people as well as the world’s economic health. From a work standpoint, it has given us time to learn valuable lessons that will go a long way in terms of changing the way we operate and our business preparedness to meet unknown challenges.
How well are you prepared to handle such unprecedented situations? What are some of the best practices followed?
As an organisation, Xpress was well prepared to deliver services and solutions despite the lockdown as we had already moved many aspects of our working to the cloud. Our team was able to access our CRM, business data and personal information 24×7 and often from a variety of devices.
Also, since 2011, we use a proprietary one-click help button to serve our customers. With this, they could access our support team during the lockdown and hence we were able to serve customers daily and that too very effectively.
During this period of total lockdown, how are you ensuring 24×7 support and service to your customers and in the process, helping them in maintain continuity of their business operations?
During this lockdown, Xpress has helped migrate numerous customers to Microsoft 365 and deployed Microsoft Teams, Onedrive and other remote work solutions – backed by diligent step by step training and guidance. This has helped hundreds of users to literally be productive with 24×7 data access and the ability to work from any device anywhere including the ability to ‘meet’ customers and associates at will.
Our core expertise on Modern Workplace, Collaboration techniques and 24×7 seamless data access infrastructure really helped customers to continue working during the lockdown as well. During lockdown, we have also been conducting regular webinars for customers to guide them on cloud migration, remote working, and next steps to take.
Highlight some of the challenges being faced while providing support or service to the customers during this period
Many customers had islands of data spread across on-premise servers and others systems. Often our teams had to work for hours to help such users to shift data and work using new-gen cloud technologies.
What kind of support have you received from OEMs / vendors that is not only helping in smooth functioning of your business, but also living up to the changing customer expectations?
This lockdown allowed us to involve all our team members on extensive vendor training and improve expertise on our core competencies. This was always a challenge during regular working days due to project overload and lack of time. Hence, vendor online training and webinars did help us evolve as a technology company.
How the IT channel industry will evolve post COVID-19 crisis?
On a macro level, the IT channel industry will move their upgrade and own IT infrastructure to meet remote working and 24×7 data access. Besides, many players will focus on offering business continuity and other solutions as part of their overall offerings.
Please outline your growth roadmap and GTM strategy post COVID-19. Where do you think the vendors will help your organisation in achieving the desired growth results?
Xpress will focus on its core expertise to be a major player in the Cloud and Modern Workplace solutions space. We have a huge team of trained staff to help our SMB customers to really walk-the-talk in setting up a 24×7 always-on modern enterprise with remote workers, anytime anywhere data access, ramp up employee productivity, and highly improved collaboration. We are already seeing a huge traction of our cloud solutions practice and hope to see a healthy growth in the coming quarters. Most importantly, vendor support, trainings, and recognition will help significantly in our growth journey.
