We asked members how the Coronavirus has affected members and also if they had any contingency plans in place before the virus hit.
About ManpowerGroup PortugalManpowerGroup is an American multinational human resource consulting firm headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA. Manpower provides recruitment and assessment, training and development, career man... (read more)ManpowerGroup is an American multinational human resource consulting firm headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA. Manpower provides recruitment and assessment, training and development, career management, outsourcing, and workforce consulting. Founded by Elmer Winter and Aaron Scheinfeld in 1948, the company was acquired by Blue Arrow of Britain in 1987, but became independent again in 1991. Steven TippeManager, Product Support & Training
FCC AgExpertCanada
What effect has the Coronavirus had on your company?"We have limited coporate travel. Thankfully the virus has not directly affected any of our employees yet so we have not needed to take other measures. We have however put a plan in place in the event such should occur.
" Before the virus hit, did you have an emergency plan should something like this happen? and if so, did your plans work as expected?
"Thankfully the virus has not hit us yet."

Kai-Ling ChenAssistant Manager, Lead of Customer Service Analysis
Cathay United BankTaiwan
What effect has the Coronavirus had on your company?"There are only few confirmed cases in Taiwan at this moment. As for our bank, we don’t have any infected employees or customers, so the pandemic doesn’t cause serious impact on our business operation. However, some customers cancelled their original travel plan, affecting our credit card business slightly. With respect to internal policy for controlling coronavirus, our bank has stipulated a number of rules upon January outbreak in China.
1. We strongly encouraged virtual meetings instead of face-to-face meetings. If there is inevitability of holding an off-line meeting, all participants are strictly required to wear surgical masks. (For the meeting whose participants include outside guests, the venue of the meeting has been restricted to a specific region.
2. All employees are required to wear surgical masks when they commute via public transportation.
3. All employees and guests are required to be taken temperature before they enter the office. If someone’s temperature exceeds the predetermined number, he/she is not allowed to enter the office.
4. All employees are required to take temperature check twice a day. If someone’s temperature exceeds the predetermined number, he/she has to go to hospital immediately.
5. Our bank enforces distributed working practice where we distribute employees who share similar job function to working offices.
6. Food and good delivery must be taken outside of working environments.
7. We keep close tracks on employees’ recent travel and exposure history, especially those who have been to most affected regions or get touched with others from infected area.
" Before the virus hit, did you have an emergency plan should something like this happen? and if so, did your plans work as expected?
"We have established distributed working practice, employee backup plan and intelligent customer system before the outbreak of coronavirus. Those practices and system work well and smoothly during this outbreak."
About Cathay United BankCathay United Bank (CUB) is Taiwan largest private bank which is one of the subsidiaries of Cathay Financial Holdings. CUB has 165 branches in Taiwan and 67 overseas offices. CUB provides comprehensiv... (read more)Cathay United Bank (CUB) is Taiwan largest private bank which is one of the subsidiaries of Cathay Financial Holdings. CUB has 165 branches in Taiwan and 67 overseas offices. CUB provides comprehensive financial services ranging from deposit, loan, credit card, wealth management, corporate banking and global transaction service to individuals and corporate. In particular, CUB has a strong position in retail banking where we have the largest market share in credit card business and second for wealth management and bancassurance. Sarah DastvanContact Center Trainer
MCIIran
What effect has the Coronavirus had on your company?"Some of our CSRs are dealing with the illness and the rest of them are in danger of getting the illness so our contact center has been affected seriously.
" Before the virus hit, did you have an emergency plan should something like this happen? and if so, did your plans work as expected?
"we didn't have a plan."
About MCIThe biggest Mobile communication company of Iran with about 60 Million clients.
Before the virus hit, did you have an emergency plan should something like this happen? and if so, did your plans work as expected?
"We have always had a plan that we have applied against other cases of viruses such as dengue and conjunctivitis or pink eyes and that plans work."
About Caribbean Contact CenterWe are a small Call Center located in the coast of Honduras, Central America, near to Bay Island, with vast experiences in Sales, marketing, lead Generation, Real State, Surveys and Medical interpreta... (read more)We are a small Call Center located in the coast of Honduras, Central America, near to Bay Island, with vast experiences in Sales, marketing, lead Generation, Real State, Surveys and Medical interpretation. Heather BissellDirector of Customer Experience and Consumer Care
Costa Del Mar Online StoreUnited States
What effect has the Coronavirus had on your company?"The biggest impact that the Coronavirus has had on my company is restricted travel. We are going through a business acquisition transition that involves extensive travel from our partners in Italy. We are having to conduct meetings & activities virtually.
" Before the virus hit, did you have an emergency plan should something like this happen? and if so, did your plans work as expected?
"We did not have a robust emergency plan to handle this type of situation. We do have plans for other localized events, such as severe weather."
Anne joy NakalanziSales manager
Uganda
What effect has the Coronavirus had on your company?"There is a fall in juice production since some of the inputs were being imported from China
" Before the virus hit, did you have an emergency plan should something like this happen? and if so, did your plans work as expected?
"Yes we had and the plan worked."
Garry SchultzPrincipal
RotRCanada
What effect has the Coronavirus had on your company?"None as of yet - very heavily invested in WorkFromHome technology and management.
" Before the virus hit, did you have an emergency plan should something like this happen? and if so, did your plans work as expected?
"Yes. A good plan has elements of flexibility to anticipate that-which-you-don't-know so.... yes"
About RotRCustomer Success consultant
Jacque LimRegional Head of Service Delivery APAC
Aspire LifestylesSingapore
What effect has the Coronavirus had on your company?"Clients' travel bookings have been down trending, for Feb -15% on requests for airport services and dining. On the other hand, for my company's medical and travel security business, requests for consulting, webinars and covid-19 related information have been sky rocketed. For the operations team or contact centres, we split operations team into 2, in some countries all or half working from home, we deployed our relevant technologies and rented laptops.
" Before the virus hit, did you have an emergency plan should something like this happen? and if so, did your plans work as expected?
"Yes we have a BCP and Disaster Recovery in place, we are lucky to have our own medical and security professionals in house that constantly monitor the situation and provide us with updates."
Scott RossExecutive Vice President Sales and Marketing
Radius Global SolutionsUnited States
What effect has the Coronavirus had on your company?"We have been inundated with requests for contingency plans and our pandemic preparedness documentation. We also have had several of our clients engage us as their emergency backup contact center.
" Before the virus hit, did you have an emergency plan should something like this happen? and if so, did your plans work as expected?
"We did have a pandemic plan in place, and so far....all has gone as planned."
About Radius Global SolutionsRadius is a global provider of business process outsourcing, including customer acquisition, customer care, and support, and collections.
Before the virus hit, did you have an emergency plan should something like this happen? and if so, did your plans work as expected?
"No, I did not..we were not expecting such a virus with all the consequences in our activity (transport, purchase, import & export, freight forwarding)"
Leonard ChanChief Strategy Officer
800 TeleServicesChina
What effect has the Coronavirus had on your company?"Distortion on traffic volume pattern against forecasted; staff unable to work due to traveling restriction within a city or close down of office building; staff concern over working environment health safety and hygiene, customer's / client's expectation of service continuity
" Before the virus hit, did you have an emergency plan should something like this happen? and if so, did your plans work as expected?
"Yes, but not as severe as this COVID-19 incident of which most delivery centers are forced to be shut down mandatory by the government. The pre-design plan works partially as the situation is more severe."
Skuli SkulasonManaging Director (CXO)
Reykjavik EnergyIceland
What effect has the Coronavirus had on your company?"We have sent all our staff at the office home and they are vpn connected and work from there. That includes our call center, billing, collection.
" Before the virus hit, did you have an emergency plan should something like this happen? and if so, did your plans work as expected?
"Yes we had plan but we have been forced to adjust it but the main protocols was planned and that has helped a lot."