The COVID-19 pandemic has brought working from home to the fore. A remote workforce may be a natural transition for some industries, but for others, this new environment can be a challenge.

Unlike conventional desktop computing environments which are tied to the physical devices in which they reside, virtual desktops can be accessed remotely over a network. These workspaces offer the best of both worlds: a traditional desktop experience combined with the power of a cloud-based environment and the ability to run your existing software. This enables employees to access their workspaces anytime, anywhere, on any device.

So which sectors will a virtual desktop solution work for? Here are some of the potential benefits that the financial services, logistics, and manufacturing industries could gain from adopting virtual workspaces.

For the financial services industry, security is key. Many financial institutions rely on security measures established on-site to keep financial data and transactions safe, private, and protected from malicious threats and unauthorised access. Unfortunately, maintaining these security measures when devices and personnel are distributed remotely takes a lot of time and money for IT teams.

Virtual desktop solutions could lower the cost and effort associated with on-premise infrastructure without compromising security. Singtel Virtual Workspace, powered by Amazon WorkSpaces, allows deployment of secure customer data on CRM systems like SalesForce or Microsoft Dynamics 365 with a virtual private network to reduce risk and encrypted cloud storage for added protection. You can also manage which devices have access to the virtual workspace by defining trusted IP addresses and using digital certificates.

In the realm of logistics, control is crucial. A lot of logistics companies need to strategically plan, schedule, and map out thousands of deliveries a day. With the help of a virtual desktop solution, logistics teams could have better control over their workflows and processes as well as freight management solutions such as SysFreight.

Using virtual workspaces, fleet managers can update transportation-related data in real-time, giving route planners and dispatchers the transparency and visibility they need for more efficient planning and communication with on-the-ground staff. People on the field can then access their virtual desktops on their mobile devices to manage inventory and fulfil and ship orders on time.

In the manufacturing world, flexibility is vital. Manufacturing organisations must be agile enough to operate production environments amid ever-changing markets.

Virtual desktops hosted on the cloud can run 24/7, making them reliable enough to process data at night or early in the day to maximise usage. These virtual workspaces also utilise enough power to automate manual activities such as data entry and resource-intensive tasks such as graphics processing or running multiple apps or sessions at once, leading to improved productivity for employees. Design and drafting software like AutoCAD as well as ERP solutions that automate your office functions will also run effectively.

Virtual workspaces also allow manufacturing companies to scale, accommodating a growing number of employees and rotating shifts, and eliminating the overhead associated with hardware upgrades, equipment maintenance, license updates, and data centre management.

The financial services, logistics, and manufacturing industries must find ways to continue operating in the face of change. Singtel offers a virtual desktop solution to help these industries transition to a remote workforce and maintain business continuity even when disaster strikes.