To say that the past few days have been unsettling for this planet wouldn't be an overstatement. Everyone across the world is going through a whirlwind of emotions. Things have taken a 360-degree turn. People have gone from being in a state of denial to complete panic about the coronavirus outbreak. This has happened due to the highly contagious nature of the disease. Being a part of the printing industry, which predominantly relies on manual work where physical contact can’t be avoided, this outbreak brought several challenges for us. And, here are a few steps we took to keep our team safe:
Spreading awareness:
New remedies to prevent COVID-19 are springing up on WhatsApp groups every minute. Amidst all this clutter, finding correct guidelines was difficult for people. So, we consulted a few people to get the right guidance and conducted small seminars with our team to inform them about the virus. We spoke about how it spreads, and the necessary steps to prevent it. Our team followed WHO guidelines to prevent the spread.
Ensuring hygiene:
The main cause of the outbreak was the physical transmission of the virus, which can be avoided by maintaining proper hygiene. Hence, sanitisers and soaps were kept handy. Everyone was asked to clean their hands after entering or before leaving office premises.
Avoiding physical contact wherever possible:
Previously, employees were supposed to mark their attendance with finger-prints. Because of the physical contact, this could become a possible reason for virus spread. So, we switched to an alternate system where people were asked to tap their ID cards to mark their attendance.
We are a part of the printing industry which predominantly relies on manual work where physical contact cannot be avoided. We consulted a few people to get the right guidance and conducted small seminars with our teams.
These were small yet effective steps we took to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Currently, we have stopped our manufacturing operations as per the Government of Maharashtra’s orders. Our back office team is following a work-from-home model. This new model has enabled us to enhance our technology capabilities. Some of the few things that we have done are:
- Enabling Remote Desktop Connections to our PCs in office
- Providing VPN connections to our office network to access the files which are needed
- Routing of cloud telephony systems (Knowlarity and Exotel) to our customer support team’s personal numbers instead of office numbers
- Giving access to our ticketing systems (Zoho Desk) from customer service team’s homes and mobiles
- Giving loaner laptops to employees who do not have their computers/laptops
- Buying internet connection for employees or reimbursing the amount paid by them
- Undertaking Zoom training for quick meetings
Harnessing digital technology has enabled us to serve our customers better despite the lockdown.
We are taking measures to keep ourselves safe, and we urge you to do the same. Let's practice social distancing today, for a better and safe tomorrow.
