Not a Second Missed: Driving Business Continuity with Use of Technology

Specialized in disaster recovery, First Onsite takes care of any restoration projects that may arise, regardless of the kind of damage or scale.  When the unexpected happens, responsiveness is key. This is the guiding principle of the company’s Southeast Florida division, where preparedness and timeliness are critical components of the job. These attributes have only been amplified and emphasized over the past year, in which the pandemic has forced people to pivot and react quickly when needed. From one day to the next, the team went from working out of their office and warehouse to working from home. For a company that relies heavily on team collaboration and in-person work, they had to find ways to keep the business moving without interruption. The implementation of technology was instrumental, allowing them to persevere and thrive like never before. 

Already avid Microsoft users, First Onsite’s digital transformation journey is a learning process that continues to evolve and change over time. Technology plays a vital role in the day-to-day business for communication and collaboration. “Documents that once were transacted in person, are now easily shared on Microsoft Teams,” expressed Rene Vargas, regional vice president of the southeast region. Beyond the impact on the business and responding to clients’ needs, technology was an invaluable resource in helping the company make a smooth transition to remote work during the pandemic. “As in-person connection and collaboration came to a sudden halt, the team was forced to make necessary changes to their operations, but technology provided a platform that eased the flow of internal communication as well as client interaction.”  

Although a grand majority of First Onsite employees are out in the community working on restorations, the team behind the scenes enables work to run smoothly. “I don’t remember the old days of working, it’s interesting how easily we have been able to adapt to remote work because of technology,” added Vargas. According to the recent Work Trend Index, time spent on Microsoft Teams meetings has more than doubled globally and there has been a 66 percent increase in the number of people working on documents. As employees continue to navigate work during these times, Vargas states, “the pandemic brought its own challenges to our company, but our staff remained very dedicated, steady and strong.”

“Technology has helped our organization’s productivity. It keeps us organized, engaged and accountable. Microsoft Teams has enhanced our capability and our sense of urgency without disrupting the typical rhythm of our day-to-day lives, pre-pandemic,” Vargas added. Gone are the days of walking over to a colleague’s desk or quickly pulling a team together to strategize on a disaster relief project. But to the company’s surprise, technology made everyone more accessible, managing to nearly replicate the in-office dynamic, particularly through the use of the call and chat functions. Microsoft Teams has also provided them with easy visibility, facilitating collaboration, file access, meeting participation, and so much more. Functions such as the calendar and scheduling assistant have been greatly utilized in order to support and strengthen business continuity, as well as beneficial in maintaining the company culture and overall morale. “It has endless features that benefit our company in a multitude of ways.”  

First Onsite has learned to adapt to this new style of remote work to continue to assist its community when disaster strikes.  The restoration company is determined to continue to show up to help when needed and they have the same outlook despite the pandemic. “No matter what we’re facing, we are here for our clients and community,” expressed Vargas. “Because we know every second counts, our lights never turn off.”