Oddly enough, during a time when rivals like Best Buy and Amazon have reached record sales numbers, Fry’s just couldn’t compete. The reason for this? Undoubtedly Fry’s lack of innovation. And although you could easily chalk this up to the projected retail apocalypse, companies in high tech have a lot to learn from the demise of Fry’s.

Lack of Innovation, Not COVID-19, Led to Fry’s Downfall

Although Fry’s cites the pandemic as a primary reason for their sudden closure, the writing has been on the wall for some time. In fact, one of the primary reasons for Fry’s falling behind stems all the way back to the digital revolution. Since then, Fry’s has struggled to compete with the likes of Amazon or even Best Buy, which was faster on the Ecommerce uptake. Even before the pandemic, Frye’s had shed itself of any full time roles. Best Buy, on the other hand, just reported its best quarter in 25 years.

Innovation is Key in EUC

We know that the retail apocalypse has been on the horizon for some time, and COVID-19 may well have accelerated that reality. However, it has also shown us another reality – EUC companies must continue to innovate, as well, in order to stay relevant. In fact, how EUC providers, thin client vendors and beyond responded and continue to respond to the pandemic might be just as important to their future as making the shift to Ecommerce was to the big retailers like BestBuy and, to their detriment, Fry’s.

Due to restrictions put in place not only in the United States but around the world, industry leaders like iQor, for example, have had to make the shift from a few hundred people working remotely to tens of thousands of employees, contractors and agents working remotely almost overnight.

An EUC company without innovation at its heart could never deliver what customers like these need on short notice.

Uninhibited Leadership is a Key Factor to Innovation

Another key aspect impacting the future of EUC companies is leadership. Who is at the helm of the business? What is driving business goals? Is it outside pressures, or an ongoing commitment to excellence and organic business growth? Stratodesk, for example, remains 100% founder owned, keeping it free from the kinds of turbulence other EUC companies might experience when influenced by outside forces.

After all, when a retailer goes under, its customers have much less to lose than when an EUC provider does. Without ongoing innovation from the EUC company, its partners and customers will have a huge mess on their hands. The longevity and growth prospects of an EUC provider is paramount when customers decide to work with it – and the stability of its leadership is key to that potential growth.

The Proof is in the Pudding – Stratodesk’s Continued Commitment to Innovation

Don’t simply take our word for it – see the results of our labor. Stratodesk’s highly skilled, fun loving team has been working tirelessly for years to bring the best in EUC to leading enterprises around the world. We’ve continually pushed the envelope. We were the first to deliver an endpoint OS and management solution for x86 and ARM/Raspberry Pi. And we’re always fast on the uptake of the latest trends and technologies. Take Microsoft Windows Virtual Desktop, for example. The platform proves to be one of the preferred solutions for enterprises looking to migrate workloads to the Cloud moving forward. Stratodesk was first to deliver the WVD Linux Client for both x86 and Raspberry Pi.

In a world where you either innovate or die, Stratodesk is alive and thriving, pre-pandemic, mid-pandemic, post pandemic and beyond!