A Technical Year in Review

As we look back on the past year, we’ve realised that 2021 was a year rich in technological advancements. You only have to reflect on the development and uptake of various payment solutions in South Africa and the increasingly important role that security initiatives and legislation (notably PCI-DSS and POPIA) have played in protecting individuals and businesses alike as consumers favour digital and online transactions for a start.

There’s no doubt about it. Technological advances have assuredly been on the rise as we gallop ever closer to the Fourth Industrial Revolution that’s threatening to sweep over our shores – perhaps most noticeably in the ICT (Information and Communication Technologies) arena. 

Yes, this has certainly been the space to watch, with some of the bigger digital developments affecting the marketplace in particular.

Here is our take on the ICT developments over the past year. 

The Crisis That Spurred SMEs Forward 

Small-to-Medium-Enterprises are among the biggest driving forces in our economy – and that’s putting it mildly. The reality is that SMEs are a vital economic engine in South Africa, driving growth, creating employment, and forming a valuable part of the supply chain. 

Unfortunately, SMEs are also the most at risk, which we saw firsthand as they struggled to survive the lockdowns and political unrest during 2020 and 2021. As much as their smaller size enables them to be more flexible, responsive, and in a position to pivot on the fly, they’re also at a disadvantage due to their limited cash reserves and lesser capacity to manage commercial pressures. 

All in all, SMEs tend to be less resilient during times of crisis, which is why it was such a pleasure to watch the impact that ICT solutions had on those businesses who flocked to technology to survive.

The Work-From-Home Phenomenon

A lot of things changed as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, one of which was the work-from-home phenomenon that occurred on a global scale. Hundreds of thousands, if not millions of people, started to fulfill their employment duties from their homes. They were the lucky ones. Many were made redundant either because the nature of their work didn’t support working from home or their employers couldn’t facilitate it and had no choice but close their doors.

But those who could, did their best. Even if all that they could do was provide employees’ with dedicated work phones. Virtual teamworking quickly became the new normal and even now is the main preference among the emerging workforce. Thankfully, the ICT space has shed light on the way forward for companies to see the value in working from home. 

Case in point, through telephone conference calling, video-conferencing, and instant messaging, employees can keep in touch in real-time, and through a secure, private network, employees can access your business network or databases by connecting to an intranet or extranet. Additionally, mobile devices with wireless internet access allows employees to be accessible and work from wherever they are.

Importantly, there are also security developments to curtail security issues that could compromise your data security – including antivirus and firewall software, controlled access measures, and information security protocols.

The Emerging World of ICT Solutions

To remain in business and survive the unfair pressures placed on them by the pandemic, not to mention the civil unrest that occurred in South Africa’s KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng provinces from 9 to 18 July 2021, many SMEs embraced the ICT space. A move that  served them well, which is hardly surprising given that many ICT solutions are focused on revolutionising how businesses operate, communicate, and strategically grow their footprint in the marketplace.

Examples of ICT solutions critical to pivoting in crisis and empowering remote working:

• ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) Systems
• CRM (Customer Relationship Management) Systems
• BI (Business Intelligence) & Data Analytics
• Data Infrastructure Design
• Telecommunications Infrastructure (VoIP, business calling & messaging)
• NOC (Network Operations Centre)
• Software Development & Integration
• ICT Service Level Management
• Business Continuity & Disaster Recovery
• Information Management & Storage
• End User Computing Support & Mobility

Through the use of ICT applications, connectivity and infrastructure solutions, many SMEs have been able to continue to produce and deliver quality goods and services in a faster, more cost effective, and enabling environment. Significantly, with the right ICT solutions, SMEs can enable their teams to work from home, continue with business as usual, and even boost productivity.

VPN/WLAN and Overall Connectivity 

The time has come to talk about one of the biggest impacts that the working from home phenomenon has had, and that’s in the VPN/WLAN and overall connectivity segment. Given that ICT developments have enabled people to work from home, it’s reasonable to assume that businesses of all sizes must consider their data connectivity. Particularly from a security perspective, where prevailing wisdom dictates the implementation of a managed security solution. 

This typically includes the use of VPNs (Virtual Private Networks), which is an effective way to encrypt your internet traffic and disguise your online identity. In this way, employees and teams can access company applications systems and other online resources securely on a virtual private network. In an era where cyber security incidents cost companies millions, protecting your data connectivity is of the utmost importance. 

At Huge Connect, we work with SMEs to help them leverage technology in a number of areas to help mitigate risks, reduce costs, protect their businesses from cyberthreats, reach new customers, and provide a distinctive value proposition to their customers. 

Regardless of the size of your business and in which industry you play, you may need guidance on how to best derive value from ICT solutions. What’s more, we don’t believe in a one-size-fits-all approach and specialise in tailoring solutions to meet your unique needs.

Let’s connect about which ICT solution can empower your business to go from strength to strength in 2022.