Most of the Time… Adventures in Supporting Our Team

Shannon Krueger, Director of Operations at Swan Software Solutions, has always loved Amazon. As she puts it, “I am glad that they provide a secure platform where you can get almost anything that you could ever want or need and have it delivered anywhere in world with just a couple of keystrokes… most of the time.

“However, in the last couple of weeks, I think I found the limits of Amazon’s ability to fulfil orders worldwide.”

Shannon didn’t set out to test the limits of Amazon. It all began months ago when the threat of war loomed over Ukraine. Swan CEO, Alex Morozov, could see the impending danger, and Swan’s executive team in the USA developed a plan to keep our team in Ukraine safe and able to continue to develop the high-quality software they always had. Measure upon measure was decided upon to be carried out when it became necessary.

Measures and Mobility

Winter looms so Swan installed heating solutions, generators and power banks, in all our Ukrainian offices to ensure developers stayed warm.

With the increased need for mobility, Swan began to change out all desktop computers for laptops.

Internet connectivity is spotty at times, so Swan purchased and provided Starlinks to all offices.

With rolling blackouts, Swan put into play its plan to make sure our team had the electricity needed to continue to work. And that’s when Shannon began her epic quest to try the limits of Amazon. 

Fraud and Frau Hendrickson

She explains, “If you live in the United States and shop in the German Store with a desire to ship items to multiple people with addresses in Germany, Poland, and Ukraine…. you may trigger a few dozen fraud prevention protocols.”

But Shannon refused to give up. Inspired by our Ukrainian team who continues to work and provide excellent software–whether they’re coding from a nice office or a bomb shelter–Shannon persevered.

“[It took] an unbelievable number of emails and messages, some in German, to get things moving. (I’m not sure if my high school German teacher, Frau Hendrickson, would be proud or appalled at my skills all these years later.)”

Not only was Shannon arranging for the purchase and delivery of generators, solar panels, and industrial power banks to the Swan offices in Ukraine, Swan had also implemented a program to provide monetary support to enable our team to buy power banks for their homes. She wasn’t about to give up.

Shipments and Commitments

“In the end, after several cancellations, reorders, verifications, and re-verifications, many shipments are on their way. Some are headed to final destinations. Others will be picked up and handed off a few more times before reaching the intended recipient.

Shannon expresses gratitude to others who’ve helped. “Thank you to our great network of boots on the ground that get things done. Once received, all items will be put to good use keeping our projects on track and on time.”

Swan Software Solutions maintains a family-style culture, and the reward is an amazing team. Even in the midst of this horrific aggression, our team has continued to thrive. In 2022, Swan opened new Ukrainian offices and began working with over a dozen new clients. Our commitment to charity has continued as we provide support to Ukraine.

If you’d like to discover how our team can help your team with a custom application, contact us today.