COVID-19 response Companies need to be on the front foot
The set up saved time during the critical golden hour, while allowing for focused objective setting and discussions. Clearly identified roles set an immediate hierarchy of chain of command, while the kit included everything from function response cards to logbooks and stationery. The company later commented: ‘Whatever it cost, we made it back, in terms of our ability to respond in the way that we did. It served us very well.’
Brazil Crisis
ON 21 May 2018, a nationwide strike of Brazilian truckers started in protest against several taxes due to be imposed on diesel fuel, with businesses relying on trucks to move raw materials around the country. There were almost 400 protests in 23 states across Brazil and, due to the strikes, protests and blockades, there were rapid fuel shortages nationwide. Transport was reduced to 40% of normal operations, while the strike caused ports to close and a restriction on all flights. There was also a complete halt to all imports and exports of goods.
Impact Key customers began closing operations, because suppliers could not deliver materials to manufacturing plants, and food distribution was widely restricted. Because there was enough warning of the strike, the company in question was prepared. The hardest move was when to make the decision that it was at a crisis stage; but once that assessment was made, pre planned systems were started.
Crisisboardroom Using the kit, the company could continue to operate and deliver to customers, making 187 air shipments during the 12 day strike and 87 ocean shipments from Santos to plant within five days of the strike, as well as processing 333 outbound invoices.
Outcome In that part of the world, which includes some remote regions, if the company does not deliver, market share can be lost and may never be restored. As the company said: ‘Reputation for business competence is everything and it is critical to us in these regions. There would have been a significant impact to our ongoing business if we couldn’t deliver.’
with this, or there is going to be a lot of sickness absence.
Do you know what welfare facilities are available from your insurance policy?
If you have a healthcare plan, that helps make you a better prospect for normal insurance policies, especially some that have the capability for staff to call someone for help with mental health issues. Make sure you know what you are entitled to.
Do you know the name of your responding loss adjuster?
Through your insurance company, you probably have an allocated loss adjuster for your business – get in touch with them. They deal with crises every day, but it would be better if the first time you see them is not when you are in the middle of one.
Have you a reliable communication system for all employees to use in their homes?
All the large companies will be using mass communication systems. Anyone still using a simple call tree process, by which supervisors are expected to call teams, needs to reassess. Think about what will work for your company. A simple WhatsApp group can be effective, for example. For mass communication, do you have a script to ensure that everyone has the same message to impart?
Procession of crises
Since the start of 2020, Crisisboardroom has been helping problem solve for business clients at the centre of a succession of disasters. One after another – Brexit, storms, flooding and COVID-19 – they have been impacting on all aspects of life. We are helping companies with bases
across the world. With every incident, after the initial impact, businesses start to deal with the practicalities. Our new tool kit helps speed up response and establish a crisis command structure. Feedback from the first client to use the kit during the pandemic has reported that it was a big help. A university with foreign students in halls needed to shut down large unwieldy buildings without the normal number of staff to call on to help, describing the situation as a ‘live experiment’. Note however, that in a real time situation it’s not ideal to be testing out what might work.
www.frmjournal.com MAY 2020 27
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