BUSINESS CONTINUITY

Ms. Jareeporn Jarukornsakul.

Chairman and Group Chief Executive Officer

WHA Corporation PCL

In times of crisis, having a Business Continuity Plan (BCP) is absolutely critical for any organization. One of the best examples of a company that recovered quickly from a disaster is Morgan Stanley. The company lost all 22 floors of its World Trade Center headquarters during the 9/11 attacks. However, on the very next day, business operations resumed and continued almost normally, thanks to its back-up offices.

With the current COVID-19 outbreak, many organizations have activated their back up plans to cope with the exceptional situation, to ensure smooth operations and minimize the impact of the crisis on its stakeholders. During these challenging times, technological advancement helps enable the adoption of digital tools for day-to-day jobs, to ensure work efficiency of businesses that activate their BCP.

As many organizations have instructed their employees to work from home, online communications and productivity tools now play an important role in helping employees stay productive at home. The use of the VPN (Virtual Private Network) solution ensures safe and secure access to the company’s network, while online co-working platforms such as Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Google Hangouts, Slack and Cisco Webex are great for conference calls and online business meetings. Cloud storage and file sharing solutions, including Google Drive, Cloud Drive, OneDrive and Google Docs, also play a big part in the new work-from-home scenario.

To reduce unnecessary direct contact and help contain the virus, companies should also consider: 1) using Biometric Facial Recognition technology instead of the fingerprint scan for authorization 2) installing cashless payment systems in stores to avoid handling cash, and 3) allowing paperless transactions using E-signatures.

In addition, a good BCP should also include strict measures on the company’s data protection. In today’s digital era, it is undeniable that data is one of the most valuable resources for any business. In order to protect the data and systems in a timely manner, setting up an appropriate Disaster Recovery Site is essential. A practical BCP not just helps minimize impact during a crisis, but also helps companies gain the trust of investors, customers and business partners, as well as build a strong brand image.

The Thai government aims to create a modern and all-inclusive digital infrastructure in the country. In response to the government’s digital mission, the Eastern Economic Corridor is working hard to set up a cost-effective telecommunications infrastructure to support the growing demand from the business sector. The EEC also has future plans to expand infrastructure development to the neighboring countries, with hopes of building seamless business operations across the region. Future projects include domestic and international high-speed internet networks, data centers, and communications satellite and submarine cables, and numerous other innovations powered by 5G technology.

The COVID-19 pandemic has shown us the importance of having a BCP to avoid a disruption of operations. Our dependence on technology during the crisis also proves that we are entering a complete digital era where technology is affecting the way we work and the way we live. This explains why nowadays, access to digital infrastructure is almost as important as access to electricity and other utilities. The internet is no longer a luxury but a necessity.