BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY TRENDS
The IT Factor
Business technology development keeps pace with remote working demands
BY KEN SMITH
For many businesses , the pandemic has accelerated the need to update IT and data management systems in a quest to improve security and efficiency as more employees than ever are working from home . Cloud-based platforms allow data that was previously stored on individual company servers to be stored more securely on remote servers managed by Microsoft , Amazon Web Services , Google and others — and accessed more easily by employees , no matter where they ’ re clocking in from .
“ If you ’ re a business of less than 100 employees , there is just no reason you should have a server on your premises anymore ,” says Jeff Rogers , founder and CEO of Rocklin-based Big Green IT , a specialized Microsoft cloud migration company . “ It doesn ’ t make any sense , especially if you have business-critical information on it .”
Moving business activity into the cloud also allows systems to be easily customized and scaled so that organizations can meet a wider range of needs and operate efficiently .
Customization in the Cloud “ The things you can do now ( in the cloud ) versus what you could even do two years ago is spectacular ,” says John A . Joyner ,
Jr ., a founding partner and principal business strategist at Project 2 , which helps all kinds of companies streamline organizational workflow and implement IT solutions .
Through a cloud-based system built on Microsoft ’ s Azure and its own proprietary software , Project 2 has enabled centers that serve the developmentally disabled across California to reduce the time it takes to onboard a consumer from up to four hours to just 30 minutes . The software also reduces the arduous process of managing caseloads , booking appointments and managing ever-changing regulations and policies , plus it offers a more person-centered approach to client management . Rather than simply listing clinical information or an impersonal series of billing codes , the system captures clients ’ likes , dislikes , hobbies and more . Joyner says this “ person-centered approach really helps ( staff ) get familiarized with the consumer prior to visiting them . It ’ s a personal touch that really develops bonds .”
Streamlining operations by eliminating data entry and repetitive tasks is also being accomplished through robotic process automation , a specialty of Folsom-based tech company The Silicon Partners . Founder and CEO Ravi Chowdhury
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