Episode 56: COVID-19, Operating as an Essential Business in a Time of Crisis

Host: Penny Conway Co-Host: Rob McIntosh Guest: Steven L. Crowthers VP of TIDC Guest: Mark Wulfhorst Director of Technical Services and Solutions   Description: Today’s episode was recorded on April 6th, 2020, COVID-19 has currently infected over 200 countries, with 1.2 million cases around the world, 46 states in the US have asked their citizens to stay home with the consequent closing of nonessential businesses...now what?   Your host, Penny Conway is accompanied by Steven L. Crowthers and Mark Wulfhorst to this episode. They are sharing how TIDC reacted to this crisis by developing a business continuity plan on the go and how they adapt to the new normal. Proactive readiness in operations is now the key to keeping your employees safe while supporting your customers’ essential needs, and these are the two fundamental principles that TIDC’s task force has been exercising to maintain their quality and volume of production and service.      Reach out to the Connection Team. Email us at [email protected]  Follow Connection We Solve IT on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Youtube, Linkedin, and Blog Key takeaways: [1:20] Mark Wulfhorst and Steven Crowthers introduce themselves. [3:22] What changes have TIDC seen in their daily operations? [4:25] What kind of configurations and support are TIDC giving to the health care support? [6:26] There is no playbook on how to deal with a pandemic. [7:05] TIDC made the safety of their employees their priority. [8:11] Excelling in business in times of crisis. [10:55] Teamwork is needed to plan how to approach the “new normal”. [13:10] The task force focused on supporting customers’ needs while taking care of the safety of the employees. [16:31] The involvement of Human Resources to coach employees about the changes the company was implementing was crucial for the success of the new business plan. [18:05] TIDC started fever testing their employees before they entered the facilities, which brought 63% of their employees back to work, feeling safer. [20:23] What can you do for your employees from a financial perspective? [27:20] Ensuring business continuity thanks to exceptional leadership. [28:07] Steven extends his advice to business owners in how to set up a Task Force. [31:01] Communication is the key. [33:24] Technology arousing from these challenging times. [34:55] It is time to plan for an uncertain future.