Many great inventions around the world occur as a result of crises. Wars have powered the development of technology, bringing us airplanes. Plagues accelerated the development of medicine, resulting in major drug advancement. After any crisis, the winners tend to be those who see all these changes as an opportunity rather than as a burden. Are you one of the future winners?

The term the new normal was coined to describe a major shift to remote work caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Even today, this term carries a rather pejorative connotation – it feels as if we were forced into this reality. When the pandemic gets under control, businesses will face the decision: do they go back to the old ways, or do they make remote work part of their culture? 

New normal – good or bad?

Remote work is doable but far from optimised. The biggest challenge with the new normal was that businesses were forced to adjust in a hurry and were, in most cases, completely unprepared. They had to adopt makeshift solutions, often in the face of organisational chaos, selecting options that were far from optimal but that could be implemented quickly. And if something works, even if not that well, it takes a lot of effort to replace it later.

The pandemic has also led to the growth of criminal organizations that specialize in cyber-attacks. Phishing is at an all-time high, ransomware is no longer a threat just to the biggest organizations and DDoS attacks are easily purchasable from the dark net. Combining the increase in criminal activities with exposure due to makeshift remote work solutions is a recipe for disaster.

The great opportunity

Businesses are facing a situation that brings amazing opportunities, which are not being explored. Before the pandemic, most businesses rarely allowed remote work due to the lack of secure infrastructure to support it, but also due to an old-school perception that employees needed to be controlled in order to perform efficiently. The new norm proved this theory wrong and now gives a remarkable opportunity for people to choose the style of work that fits their personality, preferences and lifestyle.

Once we get this pandemic under control, the new normal or rather the new opportunity will become all about giving a choice. Enlightened individuals and organisations will enable their teams to figure out the best ways to work safely together, no matter where and no matter when. leading to improved employee satisfaction leading to better work culture and more profits.

The great expectations

Without the right tools, however, the great opportunity could end up being the great flop. This is due to current solutions being far from optimal and often unsafe. 

What businesses must do now, as we’re hopefully approaching the moment when we will be able to make the choice of where we want to work, is to make one last difficult step: throw away makeshift solutions and provide their workforce with tools that let them work efficiently and safely no matter where they are located.

And this is where we come in.

The new opportunity offering – BMIT Work

We’ve put in a lot of time and effort in analysing the makeshift solutions that businesses were forced to adopt. We’ve seen the problems that these businesses face and we’ve come up with what we believe are the best options. The BMIT Work offering is based on three solutions for different business requirements:

● Make it Work allows your team to work remotely with the tools that they already know and use every day. Businesses that choose this solution treat remote work as an option but are not yet ready to make a huge step away from the typical office.
● Work from Anywhere is a slightly bigger step, which aims to securely move your solutions to the cloud as much as possible. This solution focuses on the scalability of remote work and treats it as an integral part of the company culture.
● Work Securely focuses on the safety of your data. This solution is aimed at businesses that work with sensitive data and/or must meet strict compliance requirements. As part of this solution, we will offer you everything that is necessary to make sure that giving your employees a choice does not, in any way, hinder the security of your business.

Whichever solution you choose, the BMIT team has the right expertise and experience to make sure that your business takes advantage of this new norm. 

This article was featured on the Times of Malta. Click here to view the article.

Malta, 4^th December 2020. Technology solutions provider BMIT Technologies plc [MSE: BMIT] announced that it has acquired a stake in EBO Ltd, a technology company that utilises AI to develop Process Automation centred on customer conversations.

This investment will allow BMIT Technologies to further diversify and strengthen its offering to local and international customers in the areas of AI and associated services. It will also allow the company to actively participate in this innovation and automation space, as part of its stated intent to further diversify its business and tap on new market opportunities. 

“Through this investment, BMIT Technologies’ plans to grow further its business and enhance its product portfolio. We are excited to be part of EBO’s success story, and look forward to further develop our relationship, as we seek to diversify our offering, and reach out to new sectors and markets”, said Ing. Christian Sammut, CEO of BMIT Technologies plc.

“We are thrilled that a leading technology provider such as BMIT Technologies has invested in EBO. It is proof that our mission to harness AI to effectively automate human communication is the right one for the needs of businesses, in an era where customer experience is a key differentiator amongst organisations”, added Dr. Gege Gatt, CEO of EBO Ltd. 

BMIT Technologies is a leading IT services provider, focusing on providing customers with peace of mind by enabling them to focus on their business whilst abstracting the complexity involved in deploying, operating and managing complex IT solutions. This is achieved by bringing together best-in-class infrastructure and a talented team of people with expertise across various technologies, to deliver a portfolio of services.

EBO is a technology company focused on the provision of Artificial Intelligence solutions in the Healthcare, iGaming and Financial Services sectors. EBO’s technology is delivered via a highly customisable Virtual Agent. It is designed to be indistinguishable from a human agent while continuously learning how to better perform tasks accurately and efficiently with the use of Machine Learning.

This transaction is expected to accelerate EBO’s growth trajectory, as well as the opening of new business verticals and territories in which BMIT Technologies has a key interest. In parallel, EBO’s fully-owned UK subsidiary - EBO.ai (UK) Ltd. - will also seek to accelerate its growth through additional market development activities within the UK’s public (NHS) and private healthcare sectors, in which EBO is already present. In this territory EBO is an approved Crown Commercial Supplier.

Dear Customers,

Following our last communication on the subject, at BMIT Technologies plc, we continue to monitor the situation and we are continuously taking actions in line with our business continuity plans, company health and safety policy and any recommendation issued by the Malta Public Health authorities.

The following is another reminder and update, we kindly urge you to take note of and to follow.

DATA CENTRE VISITS

• Visitors and Employees must maintain a minimum distance of two [2] metres from each other. Guidelines on social distancing must always be respected. Thus, anyone not complying with this should be politely asked to step back and respect the distance. 
• Lifts should not be crowded, and hand sanitiser is to be applied after the use of a lift, since lift buttons are considered as a high touch area. 
• Kitchen facilities need to be used minimally. Employees and Visitors must consume any food at their desk (ideally, disinfecting the desk with a disposable wipe after having done so) or in the client’s area. Seating located in the chill areas must not be used.
• All individuals visiting any of our facilities MUST wear a mask. Such mask needs to be worn for the duration of the entire visit. It must be correctly worn, ensuring it covers the mouth and nose, and must be securely tied to minimize any gaps between the face and the mask.
• We strongly suggest leveraging our technicians via remote hands and eyes.
• Prior to be allowed entrance, each visitor will be:
  • Screened by means of thermal non-contact cameras or thermometers. We will only read the temperature, and not record it, and will not allow access if the visitor’s temperature exceeds 37.2°C, you will not be allowed to enter, no exceptions. Our suggestion is that you will immediately proceed to contact a medical specialist.
• We need to be informed at least 48 hours prior to calling on-site. If, due to an extreme emergency, a visitor is not able to notify us at least 48 hours before calling on-site, then we will: 
  • Still apply the procedure defined in this communication.
  • Request that the visit is kept to the shortest time possible.
  • Request that all appropriate health and safety measures are followed.
• In addition to the above, all visitors will be asked to certify that they:
  • o Do not have cold or flu-like symptoms.
  • o Have had no known contact with someone who has been diagnosed with COVID-19.
  • o Will keep visits to the least time possible.
  • o Will adhere by all appropriate health and safety measures.
  • o Will follow all social distancing directions as directed by BMIT Technologies NOC Technicians.
• We reserve the right to reject visit requests if, in our reasonable opinion, such visit poses a risk to our employees.

SUPPORT AND DELIVERIES AT CUSTOMERS’ PREMISES

Our service desk and remote support capabilities have been further strengthened to extend as much as possible such support.  In the vast majority of cases, we believe we are able to provide assistance through remote means. 

Nonetheless, any clients who absolutely require our on-prem services need to complete a consent form and return it via email to support@bmit.com.mt  at least 24 hours before our employees visit the client’s premises.

Please note that as the situation is continuously evolving, current procedures and guidelines may be changed at any time.

We greatly appreciate your understanding and cooperation throughout this current situation. Please visit our COVID-19 page for the latest information.

Dear Customers,

Following our last communication on the subject, at BMIT Technologies, we continue to monitor the situation and we are continuously taking actions in line with our business continuity plans, company health and safety policy and any recommendation issued by the Malta Public Health authorities.

The following is another reminder and update, we kindly urge you to take note of and to follow.

DATA CENTRE VISITS

• We continue to restrict visits to our data centres to emergency situations only;
• As from Monday April 13th we require that all individuals visiting any of our facilities MUST wear a mask. Such mask needs to be worn for the duration of the entire visit. It must be correctly worn, ensuring it covers the mouth and nose, and must be securely tied to minimize any gaps between the face and the mask;
• We need to be informed at least 72 hours prior to calling on-site;
• We reserve the right to reject visit requests if, in our reasonable opinion, such visit poses a risk to our employees;
• We strongly suggest leveraging our technicians via remote hands and eyes;
• If a visitor to our datacentres has been to any of the countries listed here, s/he will only be allowed in our data centres only after 14 days of arriving back to Malta, showed no sign of illness and confirmed that s/he has followed the guidelines issued by the local health authorities in terms of quarantine and travelling;
• Prior to be allowed entrance, each visitor will be:
  • Required to sign a form declaring that s/he has abided to the above instructions and guidelines;
  • Screened by means of thermal non-contact cameras or thermometers.  We will only read the temperature, and not record it, and will not allow access if the visitor’s temperature exceeds 37°C, you will not be allowed to enter, no exceptions. Our suggestion is that you will immediately proceed to contact a medical specialist;
• In addition to the above, all visitors will be asked to certify that they:
  • Do not have cold or flu-like symptoms;
  • Have had no known contact with someone who has been diagnosed with COVID-19;
  • Will keep visits to the least time possible;
  • Will adhere by all appropriate health and safety measures;
  • Will follow all social distancing directions as directed by BMIT Technologies NOC Technicians.

DATA CENTRE DELIVERIES

Unfortunately, we are still frequently receiving a considerable number of deliveries, not related to break and fix situations. May we remind you to restrict deliveries to such situations only.

Any delivery must be properly announced prior to being sent and we reserve the right to refuse unannounced deliveries. In all cases, deliveries must be handled by your courier and as instructed by the BMIT Technologies NOC technician on site.

SUPPORT AND DELIVERIES AT CUSTOMERS’ PREMISES

BMIT Technologies will be limiting physical on-site support or deliveries to emergency or special circumstances only.  Each such request will be approved on a case-by-case basis.

Our service desk and remote support capabilities have been further strengthened to extend as much as possible such support.  In the vast majority of cases, we believe we are able to provide assistance through remote means.

Please note that as the situation is continuously evolving, current procedures and guidelines may be changed at any time.

We greatly appreciate your understanding and cooperation throughout this current situation. Please visit our COVID-19 page for the latest information.

Update 27 March 2020

As you are well aware, the COVID-19 virus outbreak is having serious repercussions on life and business in general. Malta is no exception and the number of cases are increasing on a daily basis. At BMIT Technologies, we are continuously monitoring the situation and taking actions in line with our business continuity plans.  Such plans focus on ensuring that we can continue providing you with services, while at the same time safeguarding the health and safety of our and your employees, of our suppliers and partners.  We are also aligning all actions to the instructions being issued by the Malta Public Health authorities.

The following is another reminder and update to our previous communication. We urge you to take note of and to follow our guidelines and instructions : 

• We are restricting visits to our data centres for emergency situations only 
• We need to be informed at least 72 hours prior to calling on-site
• We reserve the right to reject visit requests if in our reasonable opinion, such visit poses a risk to our employees
• Any equipment deliveries should be restricted and related to emergency break and fix operations
• We strongly suggest you to leverage our technicians via remote hand and eyes requests
• If a visitor to our datacentres has been to any of the countries listed here, s/he will only be allowed in our data centres only after 14 days of arriving back to Malta, showed no sign of illness and confirmed that s/he has followed the guidelines issued by the local health authorities in terms of quarantine and travelling;
• Prior to be allowed entrance, each visitor will be:
  • Required to sign a form declaring that s/he had abided to the above instructions and guidelines;
  • Screened by means of thermal non-contact cameras or thermometers.  We will only read the temperate, and not record it, and will not allow access if the visitor’s temperature exceeds 37⁰ C, you will not be allowed to enter, no exceptions. Our suggestion is that you will immediately proceed to contact a medical specialist;

For customers that have a critical need to access the Data Centre they will be asked to certify that :

• Do not have cold or flu-like symptoms
• Have not been out of the country within the last two weeks
• Have had no known contact with someone in that same period who has been diagnosed with COVID-19
• Request that the visit is maintained to the least time possible;
• Request that all appropriate health and safety measures are followed;

ON-SITE SUPPORT

We will be limiting physical on-site support to emergency or special circumstances only.  Each such request will be approved on a case-by-case only. 

Our service desk and remote support capabilities have been strengthened further to be able to extend as much as possible such support.  From experience, we believe we should be able to assist in the vast majority of cases through remote means.

Please note that situation is continuously evolving; current procedures and guidelines may be changed at any time.

BMIT Technologies is closely following the recommendations of local public health authorities and will update above precautionary measures accordingly. We will also continue communicating with you, as the need arises. We greatly appreciate your understanding and cooperation throughout this current situation. Please visit our COVID-19 for the latest information.

19 March 2020

As you are well aware, the COVID-19 virus outbreak is having serious repercussions on life and business in general. At BMIT Technologies, we are continuously monitoring the situation and taking actions in line with our business continuity plans.  Such plans focus on ensuring that we can continue providing you with services, while at the same time safeguarding the health and safety of our and your employees, and of suppliers and partners.  We are also aligning all actions to the instructions being issued by the Malta Public Health authorities.

The following is an update on our previous communication: 

VISITING A BMIT TECHNOLOGIES DATA CENTRE:

• We are restricting visits to our data centres for emergency situationsonly
• We need to be informed at least 72 hours prior to calling on-site
• We strongly suggest you to leverage our technicians via remote hand and eyes requests 
• If a visitor to our datacentres has been to any of the countries listed here, s/he will only be allowed in our data centres only after 14 days of arriving back to Malta, showed no sign of illness and confirmed that s/he has followed the guidelines issued by the local health authorities in terms of quarantine and travelling;
• Prior to be allowed entrance, each visitor will be: 
  • Required to sign a form declaring that s/he had abided to the above instructions and guidelines;
  • Screened by means of thermal non-contact cameras or thermometers.  We will only read the temperate, and not record it, and will not allow access if the visitor’s temperature exceeds 37⁰ C, you will not be allowed to enter, no exceptions. Our suggestion is that you will immediately proceed to contact a medical specialist;

For customers that have a critical need to access the Data Centre they will be asked to certify that 

• Do not have cold or flu-like symptoms
• Have not been out of the country within the last two weeks
• Have had no known contact with someone in that same period who has been diagnosed with COVID-19
• Request that the visit is maintained to the least time possible;
• Request that all appropriate health and safety measures are followed;

• We reserve the right to reject visit requests if in our reasonable opinion, such visit poses a risk to our employees.

ON-SITE SUPPORT

We will be limiting physical on-site support to emergency or special circumstances only.  Each such request will be approved on a case-by-case only. 

Our service desk and remote support capabilities have been strengthened further to be able to extend as much as possible such support.  From experience, we believe we should be able to assist in the vast majority of cases through remote means. 

Please note that situation is continuously evolving; current procedures and guidelines may be changed at any time.

BMIT Technologies is closely following the recommendations of local public health authorities and will update above precautionary measures accordingly. We will also continue communicating with you, as the need arises. We greatly appreciate your understanding and cooperation throughout this current situation. Please visit our COVID-19 web page for the latest information.

Regards,

Jesmond Micallef
Customer Services Manager

13 March 2020

Dear Customer,

As you are well aware, the COVID-19 virus outbreak is having serious repercussions on life and business in general. At BMIT Technologies, we are continuously monitoring the situation and taking actions in line with our business continuity plans.  Such plans focus on ensuring that we can continue providing you with services, while at the same time safeguarding the health and safety of our and your employees, and of suppliers and partners.  We are also aligning all actions to the instructions being issued by the Malta Public Health authorities.

The following is an update on our previous communication:

VISITING A BMIT TECHNOLOGIES DATA CENTRE:

• We are restricting visits to our data centres for emergency situations only, as we need to be informed at least 72 hours prior to calling on-site;
• If a visitor to our datacentres has been to any of the countries listed here, s/he will only be allowed in our data centres only after 14 days of arriving back to Malta, showed no sign of illness and confirmed that s/he has followed the guidelines issued by the local health authorities in terms of quarantine and travelling;
• Prior to be allowed entrance, each visitor will be:
  • Required to sign a form declaring that s/he had abided to the above instructions and guidelines;
  • Screened by means of thermal non-contact cameras or thermometers.  We will only read the temperate, and not record it, and will not allow access if the visitor’s temperature exceeds 37⁰ C. You will also be kindly asked to leave the building. Our suggestion is that you will immediately proceed to contact a medical specialist;
• If, due to an extreme emergency, a visitor is not in a position to notify us at least 72 hours before calling on-site, then we will:
  • Still apply the procedure defined above;
  • Request that the visit is maintained to the least time possible;
  • Request that all appropriate health and safety measures are followed;
• We reserve the right to reject visit requests if in our reasonable opinion, such visit poses a risk to our employees.

ON-SITE SUPPORT

We will be limiting physical on-site support to emergency or special circumstances only.  Each such request will be approved on a case-by-case only. 

Our service desk and remote support capabilities have been strengthened further to be able to extend as much as possible such support.  From experience, we believe we should be able to assist in the vast majority of cases through remote means.

BMIT Technologies is closely following the recommendations of local public health authorities and will update above precautionary measures accordingly. We will also continue communicating with you, as the need arises. We greatly appreciate your understanding and cooperation throughout this current situation.

Regards,

Jesmond Micallef
Customer Services Manager

With the rise of the COVID-19 outbreak, more and more companies are searching for ways to move their workforce to start working remotely from the comfort of their homes. This way they can stay protected during the outbreak and have less contact with people.

In order to succeed with this process, especially during challenging times like these, you need tools that are reliable and built specifically for this kind of work.

The Solution

As BMIT Technologies we have launched a specific solution aimed at enabling customers to move quickly into teleworking mode. Businesses can therefore opt for a quick solution which provides a secure and pay-as-you-go environment from where to operate.

If one had to then look specifically at the tools which employees can be provided to continue working remotely, then Teams from Microsoft stands out as an obvious answer. 

Within Microsoft Teams, all of your conversations between employees, all of the files you share and all of the apps you use work together in a single shared workplace which you can access from basically any device, including mobile.

How Do I Start

The quickest way is to talk to us! 🙂

But we suggest you read some more while doing that...

Microsoft Teams is made like an online office you can take anywhere with you.

While you may not have access to printers or physical files in your home, you can pull docs up directly in Teams, as they are stored securely and are extremely easy to access.

Another useful feature is the call function, where you can effortlessly jump into calls and meetings remotely by using the camera on your laptop, phone, or any other device you’re accessing Microsoft Teams from.

Run Meetings Remotely

If you are used to organising meetings in a conference room, well organising it online may seem like a challenge. 

In Microsoft Teams, add a virtual join option to your meetings so everyone can join them.

All of the people that are joining the conference call, assuming they feel comfortable in doing so, should enable video functionality for a more authentic experience. 

The face-to-face connection makes everyone feel more connected.

Another key feature is the recording function.

You can schedule extra meetings with some employees, or even have ones with customers and partners. 

If the organisation you manage or work in allows it, you can record all of your meetings, so people who are absent from them at the moment can view them at a later time and stay up to date on the latest updates.

In Conclusion

Make sure to set up your workplace properly, communicate often with your entire team, maintain a healthy relationship during these times and embrace online meetings.

On the technology and solution side, BMIT Technologies’ own secure and quick-to-set-up solution can help you enable remote working, as well as Microsoft Teams, and offers you the power to organise all of your employees to work from the comfort of their home.

In relation to the investment for the above, you may also now benefit from a grant being offered by Malta Enterprise to assist businesses wishing to enable telework. Up to 45% of total costs, subject to scheme T&Cs. 

If you want to know more or you're looking for the best way to set teleworking and remote work up, talk to us.

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Giving is not just about making a donation... It's about making a difference.

A big THANK YOU goes to all customers, partners and staff who attended The BMIT Technologies Annual Gala Night and donated in aid of Hospice Malta.

Photo: Hospice Malta Secretary Ms Bernadette Bonnici Kind receiving the donation from BMIT Technologies CMO Jack Mizzi

About Hospice Malta

Hospice Malta is a voluntary organisation (VO/0062) that provides and promote the highest standards of Palliative care for persons with cancer, motor neurone disease, end of life respiratory, cardiac, renal and liver disease. It also aims to help and support their families. 

Hospice Malta offers its services through a professional multidisciplinary team along with the assistance of volunteers. The patient-centered palliative care offered, targets the relief of pain and other physical symptoms, as well as emotional, psycho-social, and spiritual issues. Bereavement support is also an integral part of the services provided. Additionally, education, advice and promotion of palliative care remain at the core of Hospice Malta’s services. Hospice’s education unit provides educational sessions at both undergraduate and post graduate levels in addition to providing in-service training to staff and volunteers to ensure that they have the necessary knowledge and skills.

Hospice Malta offers all of its services free of charge to patients in Malta and Gozo.

BMIT Technologies plc this week announced their first half-yearly resultsfollowing their IPO earlier this year,showing a positive performance all round, in line with forecasts.

Revenue generated stands at €11.2 million for the first six months of 2019, an increase of around half a million euro.  This isequivalent to a 4.4% increase over the same period last year. Group earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) grew by 4.7% to €5.1 million representing an underlying growth in the overall operating performance of the Group. Profit before tax stands at €3.7 million, down from €3.9 million as a result of finance expenses and amortisation recognised, due to the adoption of IFRS 16. 

As at 30 June 2019, BMIT Technologies Group held total assets of €21.3 million showing a growth of €7.7 million from 31 December 2018.  This was mainly as a result of a strong cash position of €2.8 million and the recognition of right-of-use assets following the adoption of IFRS 16, amounting to €4.9 million.

Chairman of BMIT Technologies plc, Mr Nikhil Patil, commended the team’s hard work in delivering these positive results that strengthen the company’s position in key areas.‘These results also confirm the successful transition of BMIT Technologies from a private company to a public and listed organisation.  My board is proud that the company has succeeded to perform in line with forecasts, since this augurs well for its future performancce and growth plans.  I would like to thank all shareholders for the trust they have shown in us, and for supporting us in this journey’, commented Mr Patil.  

Chief Executive Officer Ing. Christian Sammut,highlighted the continous investment in people and systems, and also confirmed that the current major projects are on track. “The new datacentre in Żejtun is progressing as per plans and we expect to commission it during 2020.  Earlier this week, shareholders also approved the acquisition of a property in Ħandaq which currently serves as one of our larger datacentres.  These datacentres, together with a third datacentre which we operate at SmartCity Malta, will  stregthen our capability to continue providing an ever increasing range of IT services to our customers”, concluded Ing. Sammut.

Financial results may be found here.