Today marks the 20-year anniversary since Xait was founded. Just like many other technology companies, it started with a problem that needed to be solved, and an idea for how to solve it. This kicked off a digital transformation journey for Xait and our customers as far back as the early 2000s, with Xait offering cloud solutions before it was even called cloud solution!
As we mark this big occasion for the company, I would like to highlight why we are still here today, and why we are more relevant than ever!
Thank you!
I believe one of the key assets for a successful company is having great ideas for how to solve real, high-value and underserved problems. The second key asset for a successful company is the ability to turn ideas into solutions that actually solve the problems! The third and final key asset is having the right people to bring the solutions to market, and continue to grow the adoption through secure hosting, continuous improvements and great customer service.
To the founders of Xait, the Xait Board, and to our past and present employees, I would like to extend a huge thank you for your contribution to making Xait a successful company! We wouldn’t be here without you!
A “New Normal”?
Coming into 2020, we had many plans for how to continue our growth journey and further develop our solution. We also had big plans for our 20th anniversary. Then very early in the year, COVID-19 happened. It is fair to say that it was unexpected. Many plans, especially for events and the 20-year anniversary celebration, had to be altered or canceled. We established temporary home office arrangements, emergency plans and communication plans. We hoped it would pass reasonably quickly and that life would return to «normal» in a few months. Now, six months later, it is clear that this situation may last for months and years to come.
Many will say that we have a «New Normal» and will establish new plans and budgets accordingly. But, I am not sure we should focus on a static «New Normal», but rather look at how we can adapt to market conditions as they continue to change and evolve.
As I have been thinking about Xait’s digital transformation journey that started almost 20 years ago, I have come to the realization that the new market condition during COVID-19 isn’t as disruptive as we make it out to be. Yes, people had to suddenly work from home. But as it quickly turned out, there was a vast number of technologies and offerings already available, including XaitPorter, that could be easily leveraged from anywhere, including home offices. The fact that Xait and other companies have already been on a digital transformation journey means we can all instantly benefit from this today.
The only constant is change
In 2020, COVID-19 has brought significant challenges for millions of people and companies. But so did 9/11 and the War on Terror in 2001, Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the financial crisis in 2007/2008, Japan’s tsunami and nuclear disaster in 2011, the Oil & Gas crisis in 2014/2015, and Hurricane Harvey in 2017, to mention a few examples from the last 20 years.
Yet at the same time, people and companies have achieved great results throughout this period, both financially and socially. Why have some succeeded? Probably many reasons why, but one is definitely through applying developing technologies that, when leveraged, help people and companies instantly adapt to the continuously changing environment around us.
With or without COVID-19, the market conditions are continuously changing, and this requires companies to continuously improve. There is no «New Normal». Normal isn’t new. When things become normal, it is already yesterday’s news. What we have in front of us is ever-changing and continuously evolving. Instead of trying to adapt to yesterday’s news (i.e. the «New Normal»), we should focus on adapting to continuous change.
How can you as a company, or you as a person, leverage developing technologies in order to be more efficient and deliver higher quality? How can you continuously improve? These are questions we should all ask ourselves.
Our Xaiting journey continues!
So what has changed in the last 20 years? Well, I think the only thing that hasn’t changed is the fact that things are continuously changing. As we mark Xait’s 20 years in business, I can definitely say that this is something that makes me and my colleagues proud and Xaited.
At the same time, we know this 20th year is just yet another year of change and disruption both for us and the world. And we know that we have to work as hard as ever to ensure our customers and the rest of the world embrace and leverage the solutions we offer, wherever in the world you might be, and whether you are in an office or at home. We will therefore continue to improve, and we invite you to join us on our Xaiting journey!
Stay healthy, stay safe, and win with Xait!
Eirik Gudmundsen
CEO Xait Group
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