Menu
Most people never expected to see something like Covid-19 in their lifetimes. The last epidemic that came anywhere close was the Spanish flu from 1918-1919 that killed over 50 million people worldwide. But we are more prepared now. Right?
Covid-19 has created an unprecedented need for a borderless network that will allow people to communicate from anywhere. Currently, 1/3 of the global population is in a coronavirus lockdown according to Business Insider. The need to be able to work from home and still carry on day-to-day business has never been greater.
Perhaps Ray Ozzie had an epidemic in mind when he created Lotus Notes (now Domino) allowing people to work from home, a hotel or even an airplane over 30 years ago.
The software has always been way ahead of it’s time for allowing workers to work on applications remotely via replication. Users could connect to databases on their local computers then replicate their changes back to the server when they were connected to the internet.
The hub and spoke approach was hard for companies to grasp at the time. They did not understand why they would need it. I mean, back then nearly everyone was required to go into an office each day. We certainly all see the need now to have reliable and secure software to work from home.
And our clients are loving it! In fact, we are finding that our Domino clients are using this time to invest in updates and modernization to their current Domino applications. And even adding new ones!
We have a national restaurant chain as a customer. They have over 300 locations in 29 states and Puerto Rico. They use Domino to track claims for all their restaurants and communicate with the adjusters and their legal team. They also use Domino to track inspection reports and alarms at all their restaurant locations.
Covid-19 has slowed the number of claims but the restaurant chain is still offering home delivery so there are still claims to be supported. As the chain struggles financially they start to look at cutting costs. Currently, claims are called in and a customer service representative enters that information into a Domino database for the claims team. Now we are looking at taking the application another step further by creating a Domino web form for customers to enter the claim information themselves. This information will still feed the Domino database.
The unmatched security of Domino allows for a role called Depositor which will allow a web user to submit their information but have no other access to the database. It is completely secure! The claims team will then review the details and either accept or reject the claim which will then move the contents of the claim document into their regular claims system. Voila!
Another client is taking the downtime to come up with a modernization strategy. The pandemic has slowed their traditional business but they know things will come back and they want to be ready. Instead of using the Domino client they are looking to move their Domino applications to the web. And the great news is, they can do this with the same software they already own! You do not need to switch your software to take your Notes/Domino applications to the web.
To determine a Domino modernization strategy, we use a tool we created that runs on the server to come back with a list of all databases. It includes all pertinent data like when it was last accessed, the number of documents, ACL, agents and probable owner. We then look individually at each to determine whether they should be one of the following.
For each application to be modernized we prioritize and come up with a modernization plan and timeline. Depending on the number of applications you have this can just take a few days.
Domino is one of the easiest software solutions to create secure workflow and database solutions easily. Many companies are having to send their employees home with essentially their entire office. While companies with Domino are able to remote connect to their employee’s home computer, laptop or even ipad and get their company software loaded quickly.
There is still no other software solution on the market you can get in one license that you can get with Domino. Over the past 25 years as a Domino solutions consultants, we have created thousands of apps. Everything from sales forecasting tools, help desks, travel apps, human resources, ERP solutions, supply chain, insurance, online education and so much more! Personally, I created a job board with Domino before Monster. I created a reservation system with Domino before you could book a hotel room or airline ticket online. If you have employees in multiple locations and you need them to be able to work as seamlessly as if they were all in the same office you need Domino.
Many companies make the mistake of moving to other software because they think they have to use the client. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO USE THE CLIENT!!!! Domino has been web-enabled since 1995. YOu can use Bootstrap for mobile-friendly. Xpages with is an integrated drag and drop UI can have your application looking cutting edge in no time.
Luckily I think HCL technologies, the new owners of Domino, understand the power of the software they own. That it is so much more than mail. That you can create a powerful secure solution with a backend database and workflow faster than you can with any Microsoft solution. And it can be web-based and even a mobile app. You can get your workforce enabled to work from anywhere with the power of Domino. Even during a world pandemic. We are excited to learn more about HCL Volt which promises to make development time even faster.
Thankfully I at least, I have always understood the power of Domino and the ability to work from anywhere. I have had a Domino company for over 20 years and most of our staff have always worked from home so this is nothing new for us.
Now our customers just appreciate it too!
If you need help moving more of your critical apps to a solution allowing your employees to work from home or you want to take this time to modernize your Notes applications give us a call at 720-244-6866. There has never been a business solution I haven’t been able to solve with Domino!
