Delivering personalised omni-channel customer experience through real-time analytics
Priyankar Bhunia
Western Union's business
model has changed over the years. From connecting customers through communications
with its telegraph system in the mid-1800s, today it connects people
financially through cross-border, consumer-to-consumer money transfers, bill
payments, and other financial services. But through it all, customer-centricity
and connecting people has always remained at the core.
Based on the company's 2016 Annual
Report highlights, Western Union completes
31 transactions per second on average and transfers around USD
$80 billion annually in
consumer-to-consumer transactions.
But operationally supporting these
transactions is not enough. The massive volume of transactions generates an
equally enormous amount of transactional information, including data about both
senders and receivers. This data contains insights which can help the company create
products and services that are relevant to customers and help differentiate
Western Union in a competitive marketplace. These insights can help the company
simplify transactions from different channels and devices, protect transactions
and provide better understanding of each customer.
The company identified two key areas that
would benefit from a solution that could bring together structured and
unstructured data stores.
The first was customer experience. Based on
user behaviour data, click stream information and mobile usage patterns, the
company could drive a better, more personalised experience for senders as well
as receivers.
The second area was security, risk, and compliance.
By ingesting, processing, and applying analytic capabilities on
multi-structured data streaming from mobile, web, and retail sources, Western Union
could minimise risk and enhance anti-money laundering (AML) compliance at
To accomplish these objectives, the team
would need to revamp their engineering stack. Data would be the foundational
pillar, on top of which they could apply insights.
For evaluating different technologies, the
team identified several criteria. The first was performance and agility to
handle structured, unstructured, and semi-structured information. Secondly the
system should demonstrate rapid time to value and ability to make meaningful
impact. The technology's customisation capabilities should be able to support a
global enterprise. Finally, management capabilities including data segregation,
auditing, and monitoring and long-term cost efficiencies at large scale were
factored in.
Western Union looked at several vendors and
Cloudera had the highest aggregate
across the above-mentioned criteria.
For an implementation of its size, Western
Union anticipated to complete the project in a year. Exceeding expectations, the
first production-ready Cloudera system was set up within just five months.
Western Union's enterprise data hub (EDH) was
powered by a 64-node CDH
cluster that was soon expected to grow to 100 nodes (case study is dated June
The hub feeds in structured data from
multiple data warehouses as well as unstructured data including click streams,
behavioral data, logs, and sentiment data collected by tools such as
transactional, marketing, and other outreach systems.
A combination of Apache Flume, Apache
Sqoop, and Informatica Big Data Edition (BDE) was used to collect data from the
various sources. High-density Cisco Unified Computing System (UCS) servers
formed the backbone of Western Union's EDH.
The team was also building a transactional
capability on top of the 100-terabyte (TB) hosted data set to provide rapid
response times to critical systems servicing our customers cross-channel – from
the web, mobile, even from retail agent locations.
The company's 100 internal end
users—including members of the business and engineering communities as well as
data scientists—access the data in their EDH via Hue,
offering a web interface for Hadoop, and Apache
Hive, which offers a SQL-like interface.
Cloudera provided rigorous training for Western
Union's engineers, and hosted multiple training classes for about forty of
internal end users, which accelerated adoption.
Business users also have access to several
visualisation tools that integrate with the Hadoop cluster, offering an
interactive, 360-degree view of the business against important trends and
timelines, across its digital offerings.
Western Union's data is secured and segregated
with Apache Sentry (incubating) and Kerberos, and is monitored by Cloudera
Navigator. This is of critical importance as Western Union is the custodian of
its customers' financial information. It was essential to ensure compliance and
proper monitoring and auditing.
Responding to customer needs
The Cloudera enterprise data hub serves as
a single repository to help Western Union understand its customers. It provides
important insights from initial touch point and qualification and compliance
checks, through the entire customer lifecycle, starting from the moment they
come into one of Western Union's networks—retail, web, or mobile. It allows customers
to have a more seamless experience across multiple channels, to use products
and services, and discover new ones.
This allows the company to deliver push
relevant and meaningful offers. For example, in San Francisco, Western Union
delivers targeted offers that are tailored to the Chinese culture at its
Chinatown retail agent locations, messages tailored to Filipinos in Daly City,
and to the Mexican community in the Mission District.
One insight revealed that many web and
mobile customers frequently process repeat transactions. They send the same
amount of money to the same recipient at the same time each month.
This then prompted Western Union to add a
"Send Again" button to make the process of repeating payments much more
convenient for the customer.
The EDH delivered immediate value to
Western Union by supporting predictive analysis on structured and unstructured
data sets, at the time of transaction.
Consequently, the company was able to
impact transactions in real-time and drive customer compliance in a way that
drove better conversions for customers.
For instance, Western Union's data hub
revealed high transaction volumes between the US and one Asian community when
it's early morning on Wall Street, because the tech-savvy senders understand
when new foreign exchange (FX) rates have just launched. This is just one
example of the many variables Western Union could now use to anticipate and
risk-decision its customers and their transactions.
Cost-efficiencies
In addition to the above benefits, implementing
the EDH has lowered Western Union's total cost of ownership (TCO). Managing
these volumes of data in a standard data structure would have led to exponentially
escalating costs.
The savings from the EDH can be invested
towards new opportunities and new product innovation, as opposed trying to just
pay for heavy-duty storage and database costs.
All content from customer success
story on www.cloudera.com.
Singapore HTX Promotes Cloud Technology
The country's Home Team Science and Technology Agency (HTX) has kickstarted the SingaporeHTX 2023 with its inaugural GoCloud roadshow for HTX officers (Xponents) to learn, experiment, and engage with cloud technologies, a press statement said.
At the event, HTX introduced the GoCloud Portal and GoCloud community to its officers. The portal is a gateway to cloud-related resources, Sandpits for experimentation, and training pathways. The roadshow also featured an exhibition and spotlight talks on topics including HTX's cloud strategy, navigating a typical cloud journey, and the sovereign cloud.
Furthermore, Xponents gained valuable insights and knowledge on how to optimise their use of cloud technologies to harness the possibilities of the cloud – from improving efficiency and scalability to boosting collaboration and innovation.
The event is part of HTX's digitalisation and cloud movement. It is the first in a series of upcoming initiatives to build awareness, enablement, and implementation of applications leveraging cloud technologies. More than 500 HTX officers attended the roadshow, which was held at HTX headquarters.
The HTX Chief Executive, Chan Tsan, stated that as the organisation leverages cloud technologies fully to deliver digital transformation for the Home Team, it is imperative for Xponents to 'Gear Up and Step into the Cloud Universe'. Another official said that digitalisation skills are here to stay and are fundamental for the future. The cloud will enable access to a wide spectrum of technologies to innovate and enhance the Home Team's capabilities and operations.
Last year, HTX signed a strategic agreement with a private technology giant to develop a sovereign cloud to accelerate digital transformation and innovation for HTX. It addressed emerging technology needs across Singapore's Home Team Departments. The agreement also introduced new skilling, job development, and training initiatives.
According to HTX, the sovereign cloud equips HTX with on-demand, high-performance cloud computing, and data storage resources. It enables HTX to quickly adapt and create new technologies and solutions, significantly reduce time-to-market in introducing new digital capabilities, and quickly scale up capacity to meet future needs.
High system resiliency and availability ensure that Home Team's operations continue 24×7 with minimal interruption. Coupled with high-speed network connectivity and advanced analytics, the sovereign cloud capability offers Home Team officers on the ground real-time data to enable swifter incident response and decision-making.
As part of the agreement, the private player provided additional training and educational opportunities, including 600 training seats along with exam certificates that have been made available annually to HTX. The training will advance the technical skills of cloud technology professionals in Singapore.
The strategic partnership enables Singapore to push the boundaries of innovation and be at the forefront of technology, Tsan had said. The country is well-poised to exponentially enhance the capabilities of the Home Team and to keep Singapore as the safest place on the planet, he explained. The agreement enables key technological advancements and provides access to data and insights to help drive change across various communities.
As OpenGov Asia reported, the cloud has transformed the way organisations communicate, cooperate, and carry out many other critical business and service functions. Cloud communications services are becoming an increasingly intrinsic choice for organisations looking to streamline their operations and enable their remote workforces to stay connected and productive.
The Philippines Collaborating to Enhance AI and Cloud
Jaime FlorCruz, the Philippine Ambassador to China, has indicated that some Chinese businesses are interested in bringing their knowledge and technology on AI (artificial intelligence) and data cloud computing to the country. He said that these corporations are eager to teach and upskill young Filipinos and provide them with the option of working with them or for other companies.
"This is merely the beginning; it does not represent the end of our trade or commercial relations with China. We can investigate and pursue further prospective projects," Flor Cruz remarked on President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.'s three-day state visit to China.
President Marcos also stated how the collaboration might benefit the Philippines. However, he emphasises the need for technology transfer and profit repatriation.
"That's what we're looking for right now. To ensure that these investments not only create jobs for the local economy, but that there is also a transfer of technology so that profit repatriation is minimised, and value-added is retained in the Philippines," he said.
President Marcos secured US$22.8 billion in investment pledges from Chinese investors. Thousands of employments are expected to be created due to investments and technology transfer to the country. He ensures that the investment will result in many jobs when they begin operations. Chinese firms will also begin training and capacity building for future employees.
The pledged investment of US$22.8 billion includes US$1.72 billion for agribusiness, US$13.76 billion for renewable energy, and US$7.32 billion for strategic monitoring of areas such as electric vehicles and mineral processing.
As per President Marcos, some of these investments have already begun construction and have started to open their offices. With relatively new fields such as mineral processing and battery and electric vehicle manufacture in the mix, Marcos stated that the government must continue demonstrating to potential investors that the Philippines is a good investment option.
At the same time, the Philippines signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on electronic commerce (e-commerce) during the state visit to promote trade relations. The two countries agreed to increase trade of high-quality featured products and services; explore business interchange between MSMEs and e-commerce platforms, start-ups, and logistics service providers; and share best practices and innovative experiences in utilising e-commerce.
The agreement will make it easier for the Philippines and China to share experiences, best practices, critical information, and trade and e-commerce policies. In addition, it established the Manila-Beijing Working Group on Electronic Commerce as a focal point of coordination for the two parties.
The countries want to launch activities to promote consumer and merchant protection, intellectual property protection, data security, and privacy rules. This MoU will help to increase the ability of local businesses in the Philippines to compete in the modernising business sector.
Furthermore, the Philippine House of Representatives adopted the final reading of the proposed Internet Transactions Act, which sought to establish an electronic commerce (e-commerce) bureau to regulate all business-to-business and business-to-consumer commercial transactions via the internet. The law and bureau will order Internet retail, online booking services, digital media providers, ride-hailing services, and internet banking services.
The Internet Transactions Act applies to all entities, both domestic and foreign. The bill also directs its activities to the Philippine market on purpose and voluntarily, which is judged to be doing business in the Philippines and subject to applicable Philippine laws. The proposed regulation also ensures parity and respects competition between online merchants and physical shop sellers of products and services.
The e-commerce bureau's responsibility is to keep consumers and merchants who conduct internet transactions safe. The bureau oversees the development, monitoring, and maintaining an online business registry. In addition, the e-commerce bureau will spearhead the development of online dispute resolution tools that will serve as a central point of responsibility for consumers and online sellers looking for out-of-court dispute resolution.
Cloud-Based Web Accessibility Testing of Indian Government Websites
The National informatics Centre (NIC), under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), is organising the launch of the Development of Cloud-based Web Accessibility Reporting Solutions Challenge.
A selection panel shortlisted five start-ups based on their ideas, after multiple stages of the challenge, and then a grand jury finally selected the winner. The startups and companies participating in the challenge were required to come up with a solution that could be used as a self-assessment tool by departments to evaluate and continuously monitor the accessibility of their websites. It would be deployed on NIC's NextGen Cloud in a software-defined infrastructure, a press release wrote. The government outlined a list of tasks and features the software must include:
The ability to test the complete website (by providing the top-level URL) or page (URL).
The ability to report noncompliance (NCs) as errors and warnings (with screenshots if required), along with a link to the relevant WCAG technique to meet that checkpoint.
The ability to report checkpoints and features that need manual checking along with the link to the relevant description of the checkpoint.
A feature to create an inventory of media (images, audio, videos) and documents present on the website.
A facility to securely store iterative versions of assessment reports.
Two user roles (administrator and tester) for each website are registered on the application.
A super admin role to have access to a dashboard for all the websites, applications, and apps registered on the solution.
A public dashboard displaying usage statistics of the solution.
The winner of the challenge developed 'Sugamya Web', a web accessibility reporting solution that enables government entities to check the accessibility status of their web presence, through testing and reporting. The solution was developed based on international and national standards like the Guidelines for Indian Government Websites (GIGW). It can accurately pinpoint the code snippets wherever any accessibility issues are detected on web pages.
Sugamya Web also shares recommendations on how to fix any accessibility issue detected. It compares the scores of accessibility of all government websites and mobile apps. Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) have been deployed to enhance the speed, automation, and accuracy of accessibility reporting.
Web information managers and nodal officers for accessibility from all government entities would have to register to be able to check the accessibility status of their websites. The solution is not meant to be a certification tool, however, certifying bodies (like the Standardisation Testing and Quality Certification) can perform the automated reporting phase of the certification process using this solution.
The challenge was in line with the Accessible India Campaign (Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan), which is a nationwide campaign to achieve universal accessibility for differently-abled people. India is home to a population of over a billion, and half a billion Internet subscribers. Approximately 2% of the population is disabled. As India continues to adopt digital for greater reach, almost all facets of the economy are realising the benefits of leveraging technology for enhanced efficiency, convenience, and effectiveness. The sudden outbreak of COVID-19 highlighted the importance of digital technology and its impact on every person in the country.
The outbreak has led to unprecedented hardships for the masses and magnified the challenges manifold for the disabled. In such a scenario, it becomes important for all digital solutions to be geared toward solving the problems of the masses by being accessible to all citizens. To ensure the accessibility of digital solutions, an effective accessibility assessment solution that is cloud-based and easily available was a top priority.
Government Cloud System Can Help Thailand Save US$22.98 Million per Year
According to the National Standardisation Council of Thailand (NSC), the GDCC system can save more than 800 million baht (US$ 22.98 million) per year on digital infrastructure. Government Data Centre and Cloud Service (GDCC) development projects can help government agencies reduce their budget burden. In particular, the digital infrastructure budget is reduced by approximately 854 million baht annually (US$ 24.53 million), or 54.56%, compared to the cloud procurement agency from the market itself.
It also promotes the country's information system as secure following international standards. The Thai government has changed how it collects and processes data on government cloud services (GDCC). As a result, cloud services have increased; in the last year, government agencies used cloud technology at a rate of about 86.35%, 13.32% for Data Analytics technology, and 4.61% for AI technology.
It is critical to focus on providing services to government agencies with a mission to serve the public, government, and private sectors, including creating open data (Opendata). In addition, to maximise the use of Big Data by increasing the potential of data analytics (Data Analytics) through the GDCC Marketplace service.
The top 5 most used agencies are the Ministry of Public Health 24.10%, the Office of the Prime Minister 12.97%, the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation 12.84%, the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society Society 10.26%, and Ministry of Labor 4.64%.
There are work systems that rely on critical GDCC services. Several healthcare work systems use the cloud, including the National Digital Health Platform system, the Vaccine Institute work system, the Doctor Prompt application, the Thai Safe system of the Department of Health, the Dashboard providing doctors with COVID-19 vaccine services, the Online hospital safety system, and the YFHS Application Assessment for hospital accreditation.
Furthermore, other work systems in Thailand have benefited from the cloud; such as the Smart Bus Terminal transportation and traffic system, the Management system of Superintendents and the performance of patrol officers (POLICE 4.0), the Entry Thailand website that registers tourists, the Thailand Plus application for tourists, and the Thailand Plus application for students. The public sector's data catalogue development system, data accounting, SKYNET work system, National Water Administration System, and Human Resource Information System (DPIS 6.0).
The National Digital Economy and Society Commission (NorChor) secretary-general, Puchphong Nodthaisong, stated that the Training & Certification section had been completed for 2,571 people. Basic level 1,294 people, advanced level 551 people, and expert level 762 people who attended the training and passed the evaluation will also receive a certificate from the GDCC project.
The National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDB) secretary-general Danucha Pichayanan stated that by 2023, it intends to upgrade GDCC services from infrastructure services. (Infrastructure as a Service IaaS) that provides virtual machines (VMs) to platform services (Platform as a Service: PaaS) and software services (Software as a Service: SaaS) with a wide range of Additional services. Agencies can easily integrate information between platforms using the GDCC Marketplace. Contribute to the advancement of public services by moving toward open government services.
Government Cloud, on the other hand, is the next step in the Digital Government that will cover the use of digital technology. Continuously connecting government, businesses, and people through the central cloud facilitates services in various fields.
EXCLUSIVE! The Impact of Cloud Communication on the Digitalisation Journey
Communication remains the backbone of all sectors and industries, connecting all stakeholders. The organisation must consider the cost, scalability and efficiency of communications. Many businesses have switched from Public Switched Telephone Networks (PTSNs) to cloud communications.to better and more effectively meet their needs.
There are numerous benefits to using cloud telephony over traditional landline services, including costs. Moreover, with lower fixed investment, cloud communications are more cost-effective.
Apart from the initial investment, the reduction in maintenance and commutes associated with face-to-face meetings results in lower overall expenses and increase staff efficiency. With reduced travel time to and from appointments and the office, the number of conversations and virtual meetings per day increases exponentially.
Migration to cloud-based systems results in faster and more efficient communications with significantly greater reach and flexibility. Cloud solutions allow for easy downsizing or expansion without significant capital investments. Ease of scaling with reduced capital outlay allows organisations to respond more quickly to fluid environments.
Given that the hybrid workplace is here to stay, cloud communications remain the primary solution for meeting the rising demand for effective organisational communications across a diverse geography and variety of gadgets. Cloud calling allows businesses to make and receive calls from any phone or internet-connected device in any location.
Cloud communications' user-friendly features make it easier for employees to adapt to the technology. Features like breakout rooms allow multiple sub-groups to convene during a call, replicating face-to-face meetings in offline offices. In addition, sessions are greatly enhanced by features such as file sharing, which can be accomplished by sending files or sharing a screen.
The OpenGov Breakfast Insight with Thailand's top public sector leaders on 08 December 2022 at the Renaissance Bangkok Ratchaprasong Hotel provided current information on the benefits of the most recent cloud technology that can help the nation's public, education, financial services, and healthcare sectors.
Cloud Communications to Drive Productivity
Mohit Sagar Cloud Communication has the ability to improve business efficiency
Cloud communications can become a solution for eliminating bad connections and lag in connectivity, says Mohit Sagar, CEO & Editor-in-Chief of OpenGov Asia. Moreover, cloud technology has drastically changed how businesses communicate.
Digital communication strategies include the replacement of traditional telephony with cloud-based unified communications (UC) platform systems to increase digital agility and flexibility.
During the pandemic, internet-based communication platforms provided significant benefits to businesses. One of the challenges of a hybrid work environment is that employees must be able to access the system from any location. They must also be able to connect regardless of the device they use.
Cloud communications have become the primary solution to address meeting the growing demand for effective organisational communications. This technology conveniently and practically supports a work-from-anywhere model. Such platforms assist companies in integrating their existing business applications in a seamless, user-friendly and powerful cloud-based technology.
In terms of cost, cloud communication is a great return on investment, with low deployment costs and easy scalability. Virtual meetings result in reduced expenses due to lower maintenance and transportation costs. Cloud telephony combined with cloud communication solutions, enables businesses to make and receive phone calls from any internet-connected device.
A cloud communications platform helps businesses to make the most of their resources. It can accelerate procedures, simplify implementation and offers flexibility all while providing unlimited high-volume information exchange. In addition, organisations can quickly analyse and scale cloud services and business operations according to their current needs.
Communication gets more complicated and complex every day with each additional tool and app that's available. All stakeholders – employees, customers, and prospects – have preferences and expectations about how, when and where they do business. Cloud is a user-friendly solution that meets a plethora of needs and is a must in a communication-centric landscape.
Dinesh Bedi Solving two massive shifts in the workforce with cloud communications
The world is experiencing two massive shifts nowadays: productivity and remote working, says Dinesh Bedi, Solution Engineering Manager, Zoom Phone APAC accentuating the importance of communication applications.
As a result, businesses are under intense pressure at the macro level to improve productivity, adapt quickly and handle the steep competition.
There is also an increasing proclivity worldwide to work remotely or in a hybrid environment. People want the option to work remotely, and they are demanding advanced tools and communications capabilities to perform their jobs.
Organisations must meet the needs of this new hybrid environment and ensure everyone has a high quality of service regardless of situation or geography.
"75% of senior HR managers agree that collaboration, constant communication, and a mentorship culture between managers and teams will become the future mandate of a high-performing workplace," Dinesh cites.
This VUCA business environment is an incredible opportunity for companies to move beyond essential communication into universal communication, building intuitive connections to all parties – employees, customers, and investors – regardless of location, device, or business activity.
There are several issues to tackle when it comes to enabling cloud communication applications. Decision makers often are inclined to maintain their existing systems, adding embedded tools or integrating with other software packages which only meet some needs. Alternatively, they may use multiple solutions depending on the situation. For example, organisations may use one communication solution for internal collaboration and a different product for customers, investors and external events.
Although these approaches offer some flexibility, they create unnecessary confusion. Different environments for customers, employees and prospects force people to switch between multiple solutions depending on their needs. Employees can become disconnected and frustrated. Customers have a disjointed and unprofessional experience with the brand. In the end, these options can slow down business.
The question is: why does this matter? The reason – 32% of customers will "break up" with a favourite brand after just one poor customer experience. The hard reality today is that communication is a critical path activity. If the communications fail, the company falls on a business-critical path.
With Zoom, users can use zoom API and SDK to offer new services and products to their customers. Zoom SDK enables users to build Zoom into new products and services and create additional revenue streams for the business. Feedback from a few past Zoom customers shows that video engagement services improve net promoter scores by 70%.
The company aims to improve productivity, remove silos, improve responsiveness and streamline the process. Zoom also works to reduce customers' costs, minimise the burden of IT-related jobs, and create a seamless experience for users. The cloud communication platform promises to deliver consistency across multiple use cases.
Fireside Chat: How to Prepare for the Transition to the "Cloud Culture"
Theresa Mathawaphan Budget wisely and have a plan to implement cloud communication
Cloud communications have become the go-to option for addressing the expanding need for effective organisational communications, especially in a hybrid workplace. Thanks to cloud communications, organisations may scale up or down to meet shifting demands says Theresa Mathawaphan, Chief Strategy Officer National Innovation Agency. Cloud computing has the capability and agility to comply with the demands of the new normal.
Be that as it may, organisations face the harsh reality of budgets when implementing any platform. To address these constraints, Theresa suggests a start-up mentality. She cites the example of a company that started small with three on-premises server rooms and worked its way, step by step, to the cloud.
She also explained the government policy around cloud communication, which provider they choose and what type of security they use.
"We are not very big in terms of a budget. So we can start small when you don't have a big budget – doing MVP first. As an executive, we need to think in two layers. First, see the low-hanging fruit, something you can start now, something that is visible. But at the same time, you also need to think in a big layer, strategy, budget, long-term plan and the infrastructure," she believes.
There are several benefits an organisation can take from the cloud; it enables the user to start small, test out how it works, shift, invert or pivot, or keep up with what the organisation is currently doing.
Another challenge is how to convince decision-makers to agree to cloud adoption. Theresa shares some tips on the issue. First, seeing is believing; people can't just motivate their top management or make them think. Management needs to experience and know first-hand how the solution can improve the business.
"It's kind of a roadshow. Let them see what is going on. Then, take them to other organisations to make them see it with their own eyes. Because people don't believe your words only," explains Theresa. Once they recognise the value, leaders can come up with a business plan and the actual numbers.
Dinesh is convinced, like any other cloud solution, cloud communication brings about scalability and agility. As a result, companies are already transitioning from traditional office culture to cloud culture.
With the trend toward remote work digitalisation being well established, a new corporate culture – the cloud culture – has replaced the traditional 9-5 mindset and office culture. The hybrid or remote model of work, enabled by the cloud, can satisfy both organisational demands and keep employees happy.
Both Mohit and Dinesh agree that happy employees keep customers comfortable and, this, in turn, ensures business growth.
Moreover, in terms of implementation in business settings, to convince top management to buy in for the cloud communication solution, education and experience are necessary.
To add more confidence in the implementation from the top level, the next step is to prepare a plan and RoI. On the employee level, the adoption rate of a cloud communication solution depends on the simplicity and convenience of its user experience. If it's not simple, there's hardly any inclination to adoption and little chance for success.
Mohit agrees that for the IT department, cloud communication needs to be a unified experience and the cloud environment needs to be able to speak with other settings.
Ultimately, cloud communications are the premiere solution that can manage the growing demand for effective organisational communications in the post-COVID era where remote working in a VUCA environment is the norm, Mohit concludes.
Joint Warfighting Cloud Capability Acquisition in the U.S.
Yen Ocampo
Image credits: defense.gov
Four industry titans in technology have been given contracts for the Joint Warfighting Cloud Capability (JWCC), according to the Department of Defense (DoD) of the U.S.
JWCC is a multiple-award contract vehicle that will give the DoD the chance to obtain commercial cloud capabilities and services directly from the commercial Cloud Service Providers (CSPs) at the pace of mission, at all classification levels, from the corporate headquarters to the tactical edge.
With this Indefinite-Delivery, Indefinite-Quantity (IDIQ) contract vehicle, cloud services can be provided more quickly and at commercial cost, if not better.
The following capabilities will now be available to warfighters under a single contract thanks to JWCC: global accessibility, readily available and resilient services, centralised management and distributed control, usability, commercial parity, elastic computing, storage, and network infrastructure, advanced data analytics, fortified security, and tactical edge devices.
Those interested in knowing more about JWCC, register for the JWCC Customer Portal or contact the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) Hosting and Compute Center (HaCC), can visit this website.
To make cloud purchasing, provisioning, and onboarding simpler for DoD clients, DISA has created user-friendly cloud accelerators.
In addition, the DoD MIIs build a national network of public-private partnerships, establish an industrial common for manufacturing R&D, and advance workforce education and development while accelerating new technologies using federal funding combined with matching investment from academia, industry, and state governments.
The network strategically coordinates resources to solve important technologies and create interconnected manufacturing systems by marshalling the greatest talent from around the nation. The nine MIIs supported by the DoD are under the direction of ManTech, the DoD Manufacturing Technology Program.
Finding industry partners, including small enterprises, that have cutting-edge technology that could help the warfighter is essential to the DOD MII mission. DoD makes investments in these sectors of advanced manufacturing through the MIIs.
Conversations with some research institutes earlier this year shed light on how the DoD and the country are benefiting from the pace of technology.
Combining silicon integrated circuits with semiconductor lasers is known as silicon photonics – a speciality of the American Institute of Manufacturing — Integrated Photonics.
Compared to conventional electronics, this technology allows for faster data transfer over greater distances while making use of the advantages of high-volume silicon production.
COVID sensors are some of the most fascinating applications for photonics. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act provided funding for sensors that can identify COVID-19 from a drop of blood in less than a minute.
In various sensor regions of the chip, there are proteins linked to SARS-CoV-2 and eight other viruses. Antibodies to those viruses will bind to the proteins in a blood sample and be found if a person has been exposed to any of the viruses.
On the other hand, additive manufacturing creates parts that can be formed of ceramics, rubber, metal, plastic, rubber, and polymers. The ability of the military to build parts additively improves its capacity for swift and agile operations, particularly in hostile circumstances.
The qualification and certification of processes and materials are other areas of emphasis for some manufacturers. The primary obstacle to manufacturers fully embracing additive manufacturing is a lack of training and certification.
The manufacturing sector also examines how the supply chain's capacity compares to the need for components made additively.
Together, these initiatives are assisting the U.S. in strengthening its manufacturing sector and taking the lead in global competitiveness.
Communication remains the backbone of organisational operations and has been bolstered by cutting-edge technology. Many organisations have migrated from Public Switched Telephone Networks (PTSNs) to cloud communications, which resulted in faster and more efficient communications with vastly increased reach.
Cloud communications remain the primary solution for meeting the growing demand for effective organisational communications in the hybrid workplace. It is agile enough to adapt to ever-changing business environments while keeping mission-critical business functions unified on all levels.
Organisations can place and receive phone calls using cloud calling from phones and any internet-connected device, including computers and tablets, from any location with an internet connection.
Cloud communications' inherent capacity enables organisations to expand as needed without regard to geographical boundaries quickly. It makes it simple for organisations to scale up to accommodate changing needs. Less capital expenditure means expansion can be undertaken and completed more quickly, resulting in increased
These possibilities make businesses more accessible and responsive to customers. Having scalability and flexibility in communications regardless is a vast advantage irrespective of a company's geographical spread.
The OpenGov Breakfast Insight with the Philippines' top public sector leaders on 6 December 2022 at the Dusit Thani Manila provided the current information on the benefits of the most recent cloud communications technology that can greatly empower the nation's public, education, financial services and healthcare sectors.
Intensifying the Cloud's Role in Fostering Digital Transformation
Mohit Sagar Workers in different locations and time zones make collaborative technologies crucial
The adoption and implementation of cloud-based strategies are currently used by businesses of all sizes to boost growth and profits, says Mohit Sagar, CEO & Editor-in-Chief of OpenGov Asia. Moreover, cloud technology has drastically changed how businesses communicate.
Cloud technology is bringing massive change to how various sectors of modern-day digital communities interact with each other. Cloud communications vendors allow businesses to delegate management of their IT infrastructure by taking on provisioning, switching, data storage and security responsibilities. The cloud's cutting-edge features and functionality facilitate unprecedented staff collaboration and communication across time and space.
These changes have transformed the way people work where employees experience increased levels of productivity. With the cloud, people have the option to follow the traditional work model, a hybrid one, or a purely remote work model. Such possibilities for workers also translate to added advantages for employers with geographical boundaries; hiring only locally has become passé.
A hybrid or remote work setting makes cloud communications a necessity. Collaborative technology like cloud communications allows employees to transition or shift from one work model to another without losing productivity, effectiveness or efficiency. However, Mohit cautions, remote and hybrid models can still fail if they are not built on the right technology.
As shared by one of the attendees, their company did not experience any downturn when the pandemic hit because they were prepared for remote work. The experience of this company highlights that preparedness with the right technology enables an organisation to weather a black swan event.
Having workers functional in various locations amid an unexpected situation will prevent work disruptions. Moreover, a company gets empowered to collaborate with other groups and individuals regardless of their geographical location. Globalisation is further strengthened with cloud communications technology.
Cloud communications allow businesses to maximise resources by facilitating rapid deployment, enhanced adaptability and unlimited high-volume data sharing. Additionally, the safety measures built into cloud communication ensure compliance with privacy regulations.
Cloud security refers to the set of tools, protocols, and best practices used to keep cloud-based servers, apps and data safe. The first step in protecting cloud services is gaining an awareness of what must be protected and what parts of the system must be managed.
The development of the backend to guard against security flaws is the responsibility of cloud service providers, in general. Customers' primary focus should be on establishing a secure service configuration, developing secure routines for using the service, and choosing a service provider who takes security seriously.
"Nonetheless, clients should also confirm that any end-user networks and hardware are properly secured," Mohit advises.
Cloud security goals include protecting against malicious data theft on networks and storage, preventing data leaks caused by human error or carelessness, facilitating data recovery in the event of data loss, and limiting the impact of any data or system compromise.
Since the advent of cloud computing, conventional methods of protecting digital assets have undergone extensive development. Although cloud models improve efficiency, constant online access requires innovative safety safeguards. Compared to traditional IT models, a few key features set cloud security apart as a cutting-edge cyber protection option.
Nathan Guy Disrupted communications prevent business operations
There have been major shifts in the macro business environment, says Nathan Guy, Zoom's Phone Leader for Asia Pacific. There is a lot of pressure on businesses to improve productivity, to be flexible in the face of intensifying competition, and to be more productive to keep up with the ever-quickening pace of technological innovation and advancement.
With the global economy in shambles, the urgency has only increased. It will be impossible to solve these problems if customers, prospects and employees cannot communicate effectively.
Nathan pointed out that a generational shift is also occurring in the labour force. Remote work is becoming increasingly popular. They have also requested state-of-the-art tools and communication infrastructure to carry out their duties better.
When a new app or device is released, it adds another layer of complexity to a complicated process. Stakeholders, including employees, clients, and potential customers, have individual preferences and expectations regarding the manner, frequency, and location of business interactions.
Therefore, according to Nathan, many companies are selective in the ways they invest in improving internal communication.
They might do this in several ways, including staying up to date with systems already in use that is judged to be adequate, using built-in communication tools that are part of other software packages or investigating a variety of potential solutions. These plans aim to improve the company's ability to spread the word.
Although these approaches provide more leeway, they also alter the dynamics between businesses and their prospective clients, employees and customers. Depending on their predicament, people are forced to switch between several potential answers.
In the event of a communication breakdown, the firm will inevitably fail. An essential trait of effective leaders is the capacity to chart a course for their people, providing a sense of purpose and direction even when difficult situations arise.
In Nathan's opinion, organisations need to expand their communication strategies beyond the bare minimum and into the global scope. An enormous advantage in today's unstable business climate will go to the company that can always make seamless connections to all stakeholders, regardless of location, device, or business activity.
To achieve this, as Nathan puts it, "You deliver a consistent and quality experience for all participants, making human connection effortless, and enabling rapid innovation to maintain relevance by combining the connection needs of the individual and organisation."
By taking these measures, businesses may be able to better respond to their customers' wants and needs, free up internal resources that were previously spent on communications management and expand their capabilities and agility.
The credibility of a company rises or falls with its communication strategies. Since employees, clients, and customers can do their jobs from anywhere, the channels through which the message is sent must be fit for the times, the resources, and the ever-changing need of organisations.
The failure of a session owing to dropped participants or bad audio and video is now considered unacceptable. Businesses must adapt to a more complex hybrid environment and ensure that all clients, regardless of location or condition, receive the same high level of service.
Nathan recognises that "business transactions become impossible" when communications are disrupted in today's world. In solving communications needs amid disruptive situations, an unpredictable risk that has the potential to impede productivity for businesses also gets removed. The result is a continuance of operations and avoidance of deterioration or decline of productivity.
Zoom will shield businesses from communications breakdowns because its top-notch infrastructure was explicitly designed to prevent failures. Examining the root cause of problems is essential in giving lasting and effective solutions. In the case of communications strategy and technology for organisations, addressing various approaches made by organisations and guiding them to dig up the root cause will allow them to focus on the now without overly worrying about the future.
However, some users may be unable to fully participate due to severe audio and video quality degradation due to differences in network performance and bandwidth. This is a reality in the Philippines, where many areas still lack fast internet speed.
Zoom allows businesses to host effective meetings even in the face of significant packet loss. If you're doing business on a global scale, having this kind of consistent network and infrastructure in every country is a must.
The complexity of communications is increasing. Now, besides travelling or working from home, "you have workers returning to the office, frequently in a hotel setting," acknowledges Nathan.
During the pandemic, people are often left trying to balance ad hoc, piecemeal solutions developed as the crisis unfolded. As a result, three significant environments have emerged: at-home/in-the-office and on the go. A personal mobile phone, a videoconferencing method for in-person gatherings of a few people, and something else for more momentous occasions all fall under this category.
Nathan believes that both staff and customers will need to adjust to a new user interface. "Communication platforms are undeniably crucial to the success of hybrid teams." A cutting-edge communications platform like Zoom could help increase output, expand possibilities, and reveal levels of employee engagement.
Dr Jennalyn Raviz The cloud evolves resulting in advancements expansion and adjustments in business communications to improve public service
According to Dr Jennalyn Raviz, Director, Management Information Service, Department of Transportation, when it comes to promoting, developing, and regulating a dependable and coordinated network of transportation and communications systems, the Department of Transportation (DoT) is the primary policy, planning, programming, coordinating, implementing, and administrative entity within the executive branch of the Philippines. "Transport by air, sea, rail, and highway are all included."
Since multiple parties are involved and a hybrid structure has been established, maintaining consistency may prove difficult.
"The pandemic has become a motivator for us, and we seek secure communication across many platforms, which is why we use cloud communication," says Dr Jennalyn.
Despite some reservations, cloud communications are the preferred method of meeting the growing demand for efficient organisational communications in today's hybrid workplaces. With cloud computing and communications, businesses can quickly expand or contract to meet fluctuating demand.
Cloud computing allows workers to do their jobs from any Internet-connected device; it has the dual benefits of increased productivity and expanding the geographical scope of their operations.
Since the cloud facilitates remote work, organisations will gradually reduce their reliance on outsourcing. As a result of the use of the cloud's effect of reducing in-office and staff expenses, businesses are now able to hire more full-time workers across the globe.
Dr Jennalyn highlighted that getting cloud is cost-effective. Additionally, cloud computing can be particularly cost-effective for organisations due to the improvement in workforce efficiency in addition to direct labour savings. "Cloud software deployment is far quicker than a traditional installation."
Because of this, more employment possibilities can be made available to people in the area who possess the necessary skills. As the popularity of self-sufficiency rises, organisations can select from a greater pool of eligible candidates for a wider variety of positions.
More efficient teamwork is one of the main advantages of cloud computing. The advent of the cloud has had a profound effect on teamwork, and this transformation will continue so long as the cloud undergoes progress and improvement.
Improved communications, cheaper technology, and the ability for smaller organisations to cooperate with worldwide partners and expand their reach in the global arena are all possible because of the cloud's ability to provide capabilities that were previously only available to major companies.
Dr Jennalyn believes that to have the greatest possible effect, digital transformation must occur in tandem with a thoughtful cultural shift.
As most businesses are already utilising cloud computing in some form, Nathan emphasised the importance of cloud security. While cloud storage has many advantages, "organisations are still hesitant to move more data and applications to the cloud due to security, governance, and compliance concerns."
Collaborating with Zoom could streamline human connection while also adding safety measures. Businesses can benefit from workers' improved routines and skill sets over the past two years. They also guarantee uniformity in a wide variety of applications.
"The key to progress is providing the appropriate value in each solution," Nathan asserts.
Businesses can stay competitive through Zoom's partnership with rapid innovation, Zoom allows clients to have access to a continuous stream of new capabilities that reflect actual user requirements.
Mohit stressed the importance of communication in fostering collaboration. He concurred with an attendee that when their partners offer a secure platform for cloud communications, organisations become more powerful. Mohit believes that rather than just being providers, vendors are also the transformation partners of every organisation.
An important aspect of cloud security, in Mohit's opinion, is making sure sensitive information like customer orders, confidential design documents and financial records are safe. Maintaining customer confidence and protecting strategic assets necessitates a solid data security programme. "Cloud security's ability to safeguard data and assets makes it essential for businesses moving to the cloud."
Through collaboration with development partners, businesses can better serve a diverse set of customers and expand their customer base. Therefore, it is important to incorporate platform or integration capabilities and a partner strategy when creating cloud-based applications.
It is important to consider business potential, engineering prowess, and platform marketing when formulating a strategy for your cloud partners. Mohit concludes that a well-rounded approach will allow for an expansion of the partner ecosystem, the delivery of more comprehensive customer solutions, and higher earnings potential.
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