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The pandemic has thrown the public sector units into a newer harsher reality, the inability to help the
masses the traditional way. The answer to all their woes is cloud technology!

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Cloud technology or cloud computing refers to the delivery of advanced technological resources on
pay per use basis. Governments around the world are adapting to deliver critical public services by
implanting state-of-the-art digital technologies. Education, healthcare, energy, water, and a host of
other services vital to the public, are now being provided via cloud computing methods, on-demand
with pay-as-you-go pricing.

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Let’s now list out the varied case studies that have been assessed during the pandemic period with respect to how cloud technology is helping our public sector entities:

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Machine Learning and AI introduced to transform Public Hotlines:

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In a time of crisis, public hotlines are burgeoned with calls, and traditional call centers with physical manning always struggle to cope with the high volumes. Long wait times and ineffective assistance were all mitigated across the world by introducing cloud computing into traditional hotline numbers. Traditional call centers require live agents and a physical office, cloud technology helps by reducing the need for live agents to be present in a physical office, they can work remotely and over the internet and help with queries. Also by leveraging machine learning and Artificial intelligence, FAQ is readily available and eliminates the need for live interaction, reduced call volumes, and monitors historical and real-time data in ways that live agents could not fathom. Cloud infrastructure revenue has grown over 30% in the last three years as per data from Amazon web services and Statista. Kentucky, West Virginia, and 14 other states were successfully able to partner with AWS and their partners to modernize calls to the unemployment benefits office using cloud technology.

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Healthcare and Cloud Computing:

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Crowded hospitals, exhausted frontline workers, and a lack of medical equipment such as ventilators were some of the major problems facing the healthcare industry during this pandemic.  Cloud services in tandem with advanced machine learning helped healthcare workers provide the necessary services while reducing their exposure to patients. Robots based on AWS cloud technology helped hospitals across the US, screen patients in waiting rooms for symptoms, use sensors to detect temperatures, and ask questions all without the help of actual healthcare workers being present, thereby saving time and resources that were already strained. AI and cloud computing also helped in patients schedule their appointments via their own devices and offered real-time data on the wait time in hospitals, this not only prevented overcrowding but also gave the patients the flexibility to access the required services in the comfort of their homes.

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Financial Aid:

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The COVID-19 pandemic brought disruption to the global economy in ways that are comparable to the 2008 financial crisis or 9/11 in 2001. As governments around the world introduced various financial and economic relief packages, cloud computing and Machine learning were important in setting up loan portals, where the loans that would help Small and Medium Enterprises were disbursed quickly and effectively. Care funds, moratoriums on loans, state-guaranteed loans which needed to be provided to the public, and many failing industries, cloud technology has helped the public sector manage skyrocketing demands for financial relief.

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E-Learning:

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With schools and colleges still closed during the current pandemic, most institutions have moved to the online teaching model. Cloud computing plays an important role in delivering education and learning securely and safely. Teachers now have developed programs for students where they can connect with their own devices and receive all the learning they so deeply require. Cloud computing has helped build remote help desks, virtual classrooms, and large-scale learning management systems. 

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In Conclusion, cloud computing, machine learning, and AI have helped a variety of public sector entities enter into the new age of digital transformation rather violently. But all the learnings from the current pandemic will help Public service entities build a hybrid framework to combat future challenges, lower costs, and innovate faster.

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Want a Robust Business Continuation Plan in the Post Covid-19 era? Technology is the only way forward.

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The year 2020 has been obliterated at unprecedented levels by Covid-19 that has left businesses scrambling to morph themselves and move forward in these trying times. Businesses now feel that has it never been more important to reevaluate their existing technological infrastructure in order to guarantee business continuity effectively.

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Companies historically have always had a strong BCP in place for natural disasters, terrorism, etc. even before the current crisis, but with the world at a standstill and negligent to no movement of people around the globe, being more hands-on in dealing with their problems has sprung into a monumental obstacle. This is why technology is the only way forward in helping mitigate and solve some of these problems ailing the industrial and manufacturing businesses around the world. On the flip side, this crisis has taught almost all sectors that technology and the latest developments in the field if not present would have proven to be disastrous.

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Cloud technology has been around for some time now, but the speed and need of these trying times have cast a strong light in favor of more businesses moving all their data into the cloud. Cloud is omnipresent, it is available in your cars, your phones, and your homes which makes it vital for companies that have remote employees who can access the necessary information in solving the problems that their facing. One of the few positives of this pandemic is that it has strong-armed businesses in any sector to become believers of the cloud as a genuine platform
that helps in collaborating more effectively.

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Engineering and manufacturing sectors have always scoffed at remote work models, but the current crisis has taught them that with the advent of Artificial intelligence, big data, and machine learning, remote work using the help of the aforementioned tools not only is possible but even highly profitable. Using data, a virtual replica of all machines can be assembled and worked upon remotely. Sophisticated advancements in engineering and visual optimization tools have encouraged companies to innovate in modern digital platforms to carry out tasks of all nature remotely.

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APM or Asset Performance management has had its roots in organizations much before the current crisis. Asset performance management in broad terms is defined as the ability to encompass the capability of strong data capture, strong analytics, integration, and visualization to effectively ensure the viability and reliability of physical assets. In simpler terms finding out what’s wrong with your physical asset by using Artificial Intelligence, big data, and machine learning and correcting it before the asset becomes a liability. APM is completely remote and during the current crisis is a matter of need, where teams can work safely in their remote locations but still be privy to real-time data and access to all their
physical assets. APM provides a strong framework for this and will eventually be deployed by all organizations in the post Covid-19 era and be one of the first strategic choices they make to ensure effective business continuity.

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Technology planning should be considered as a core part of any robust Business continuity plan, it should be intentional and not be discarded as an expense, rather it should be considered as a dire need for the future.

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Blog Posts by Bernard G