BWO Systems AG, based in Switzerland, has been active on the market as an IT general contractor since 1993, offering customized high-security infrastructure solutions. These can be purchased or obtained both on-site and from BWO’s own DataCenter. The IT specialists’ client list includes companies from a wide range of industries and sizes – from within the Swiss Federal Administration to SMEs. BWO and Unicon have already been enjoying a successful partnership for over six years. In this interview, BWO founder and CEO Patrick Wyss reveals the trends and challenges that are currently shaping the industry and the added value that Unicon software solutions deliver in order to best equip his company for the future.

IT services with individual solutions: digitalization, palm vein biometrics, UltraSecure Systems, data center construction, IT audits, hosting and recruitment.

In which industries and with which clients does BWO work? What services does BWO’s portfolio include and what is your unique selling point? BWO supplies services to all customers who require security, convenience and availability in an IT solution and for whom personal contact and personalized advice are important. Our unique digital palm vein recognition that allows access to the building and to time recording, biometric login at the workplace and even biometric printing demonstrate that BWO Systems AG offers the most consistent digital solution in the global market.

What trends are currently shaping the IT industry? Where do you see the greatest potential for the use of Unicon software solutions?

In my experience, four topics and trends dominate above all. These are security, speed, ease of manageability and a positive user experience. Unicon software solutions cover all of them perfectly.

VDI with Unicon provides companies with multiple benefits and also convinces economically. Its simple manageability saves time and resources and, in turn, costs. Employees benefit from a positive User experience, wherever they work."
- Patrick Wyss CEO BWO Systems

What are the biggest challenges your clients are currently facing? How have the demands on IT and on you as a general IT provider changed in recent years?

The infrastructure of the modern workplace is in a state of flux. Flexibility is an unavoidable buzzword today. Whether it’s an office workstation, working from home, in a SOHO environment, on the client‘s premises or from a road office – location-independent working is increasingly in demand, and this also presents IT with new challenges, of course. Rapid provisioning times for new employee requirements are a must and, of course, everything has to work perfectly. Collaboration tools need to be integrated and resource sharing of audio and video systems is also a big issue. Here, too, Unicon offers the ideal approach for meeting these requirements

What are typical objections from clients and how do you counter them?

There are often reservations about Linux-based operating systems, claiming that they are not as flexible as Windows. However, since we generally offer not only the operating system alone, but VDI solutions as a whole, this objection is hardly ever raised. There are also often question marks when it comes to implementation. Thanks to Unicon’s support in driver packaging, though, implementation is easier than you would think.

How quick is the software rollout? How intuitive is the application of the solutions? Do the employees need special expertise?

Depending on the size of the client, the rollout can take between one hour and up to three months. Technicians or IT administrators need an introduction to the system and training. This is not necessary for end users, as the operating system simply boots through and is intuitive to use.

Unicon software solutions are suitable across the board for all customers and industries – from the federal government to small businesses, from system houses to large enterprise clients. The solutions are used in the banking and finance sector as well as in the real estate industry or by federal administrations."
- Patrick Wyss CEO BWO Systems

What are the advantages of Unicon software solutions from your point of view? Why do you recommend Unicon to your clients?

Security is essential in IT. This is what makes the read-only, Linux-based file system an important element. Added to this is how easy the Scout Management Solution is to use. Unicon software solutions are not vulnerable to viruses or other malware. They also work great on low-powered workstations like thin clients. Personally, what I appreciate about working with Unicon is the expert support of the team and the quick response times.