If the last year has taught us anything — and it has, for better or worse, taught us a great deal — it’s that businesses need an alternative platform to expand our previous in-person networking capabilities. Vibrant businesses depend on the genius of human interaction: that spark of inspiration and enthusiasm that comes from making personal and professional connections. In a time of digital transformation, we need a dynamic, modern way to forge connections between buyers and vendors.

The exciting process of matchmaking vendors and buyers, once conducted entirely in-person through fairs, networking events, and business lunches, now take place largely online. Even post-pandemic, this shift is expected to continue in part: a recent Harvard Business Review survey found that at least 16% of American professionals will shift to working from home at least two days a week. This “dramatic and persistent shift” in work styles necessitates a corresponding shift in business practices. The ramifications of the virtual office makeover, then, are significant and will remain so for quite some time.

That doesn’t have to mean staid, monotonous Zoom meetings all day long. WHIM works with all of our clients to craft digital strategies that make the most of each client’s strengths. We bring together creative minds to forge data-based solutions that work in the material and virtual worlds. Pairing qualified vendors with interested buyers, allowing those connections to grow fluidly and build rapport, is possible online with the right set of tools.

For many businesses, the need for a gradual shift to more online operations, which was occurring well before 2020’s changes, gained urgency this past year. Plans that had been nebulous or on the “wouldn’t it be nice” list suddenly jumped the line in priority. Some groups were better prepared than others for this shift.

Because of our work with our clients to modernize their business operating systems, many were already well situated to quickly and safely pivot operations to virtual. For two of our clients, the rapid deployment of online resources was crucial for the continued operation and even safety of their clients. In just a day or two, the capacity requirements of these clients grew on a vast scale.

Moving forward, all companies should continue to evaluate and assess the security, performance, and volume of digital operations. Too often, securing data and enacting a robust security program comes only after an unfortunate breach has occurred. In this as with many other instances, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. A May 2020 white paper from the United States Cyberspace Solarium Commission addressed the pandemic’s influence on cybersecurity. The commission found that “prevention is far cheaper and pre-established relationships far more effective than a strategy based solely on detection and response.”

Integrating employee training is just as important as implementing stringent cybersecurity protocols. One of the most common problems our clients have expressed to us is the need to keep all employees on the same page when it comes to how and where to use workplace tools and programs. By folding employee training into a company’s digital makeover, we can make sure that all members of the team are equally comfortable with the new digital model of working. At WHIM, we transform workplace teams, in order to transform the client-buyer relationship.

Agility and cost savings often go hand in hand, as well. When companies streamline their resource management tools, operating systems and communications platforms, we often see a significant spike in employee productivity and return on investment. Raising the technical acumen of our clients, a key element to the solutions we provide, allows them to in turn provide simpler, more efficient options for their clients.

The pandemic and its related need for social distancing has jump-started the digital transformation for many businesses. It has also presented a real opportunity to revolutionize their business operations, at considerable cost savings. SaaS applications and the cloud can offer support that is flexible for their growth in infrastructure. Project management tools can save significant employee hours, eliminating the need for multiple strings of emails and meetings. An initial investment now can have massive long-term payoffs.

For many companies, integrating technology seamlessly goes beyond switching to videoconferencing: integrated systems that enable better collaboration at all levels of business operations are the way forward. 2020 was the year of reacting to change; let 2021 be the time we breed agility, when we adapt, evolve, and innovate for unprecedented growth.

How WHIM can help:

We approach each organization with an understanding that each business has specific goals, whether that be to diversity revenue channels or drive operating efficiencies.

References:

Senz, Kristen. “How much will remote work continue after the pandemic?” Harvard Business Review, August 24, 2020. https://hbswk.hbs.edu/item/how-much-will-remote-work-continue-after-the-pandemic

King, Sen. Angus and Gallagher, Rep. Mike. “Cybersecurity Lessons from the Pandemic.” U.S. Cyberspace Solarium Commission White Paper. May 2020. https://www.icba.org/docs/default-source/icba/crisis-response/coronavirus/cybersecurity-lessons-learned-from-the-pandemic—csc-white-paper.pdf?sfvrsn=ae952417_2

AI for COOs: Driving Operational Efficiency with Automation

Let’s be honest — COOs have always been the glue. The fixer. The “how do we scale this without losing our minds” person. However, today’s operations leaders are navigating tighter margins, faster pivots, and a never-ending flow of Slack notifications. It’s no wonder the modern COO is on the hunt for smarter ways to optimize and execute.

Enter: AI and automation — your new unfair advantage.

Whether you’re untangling inefficient workflows or trying to make every decision data-backed, custom AI agents and business process automation tools are reshaping how COOs run the show. Here’s how you can use AI to shift from reactive to proactive (and maybe even reclaim some headspace in the process).

Automate the Busywork: Because Spreadsheets Deserve Better

Let’s start with the obvious: if you’re still spending time manually compiling reports, updating trackers, or triaging low-complexity tasks… you’re leaking operational value.

COOs can deploy AI agents that act like digital team members — handling tasks like:

Monitoring SLAs and flagging issues in real-time
Generating daily or weekly ops dashboards without lifting a finger
Routing support requests, status updates, or approvals with zero lag

These aren’t off-the-shelf chatbots. We’re talking about custom AI agents for business, built to understand your workflows, your systems, and your specific business logic.

The result? Fewer bottlenecks. Faster decision-making. And a team that’s actually working on high-impact projects — not chasing down last week’s numbers.

Unlock Hidden Efficiencies with AI Insight Engines

You don’t need more data — you need better ways to make sense of it.

AI agents built for COOs are turning disconnected data into action-ready insights. Think of it like an ops analyst that doesn’t sleep, doesn’t take PTO, and actually loves Excel.

From identifying patterns in customer churn to predicting supply chain slowdowns before they hit — these AI for B2B tools are giving operations leaders real-time visibility and the power to anticipate instead of react. Bonus: they play nice with your existing tools (ERP, CRM, you name it).

Scale with Confidence — Not More Headcount

Hiring your way out of complexity isn’t sustainable. With AI agents, COOs can scale smarter, not just bigger.

That looks like:

Using natural language prompts to trigger SOPs and internal workflows
Spinning up AI-powered onboarding agents for new hires
Automatically enforcing compliance and policy checks — across departments

It’s not about replacing your team — it’s about amplifying what they’re already great at, and giving them time back to solve problems humans are actually great at: strategy, creativity, and decision-making.

Final Thought: You Don’t Need to “AI Everything” — Just Start Where It Hurts

COOs don’t need a full tech overhaul to see results. You need the right entry point — one that aligns with your biggest friction points and delivers early wins. That’s where WHIM Innovation comes in.

We specialize in building custom AI agents for operations leaders who want to move fast without breaking things. The goal? Make your ops stack smarter, leaner, and ready for whatever comes next.

Looking to build your first AI agent?
Let’s map it out — no fluff, just value.

About WHIM Innovation

WHIM Innovation is a future-focused AI development firm helping businesses scale smarter by automating what’s broken and building intelligent systems that work. From AI agent design to workflow automation, our licensable platform, Floware™, delivers plug-and-play digital workflows that eliminate manual work and integrate seamlessly with tools like HubSpot, Freshservice, and Google Cloud. Whether you’re scaling a startup or streamlining an enterprise, WHIM unlocks efficiency, clarity, and measurable results—fast.