How Vector Solutions Pivoted During COVID-19

The global COVID pandemic has caused massive changes and upheaval in our personal and professional lives and, at Vector Solutions, we are not immune to this. What we all wish for in situations like these is the ability to see into the future and draw the straightest line possible to the eventual resolution of the challenge we’re facing. In reality, the approach is messier and murkier. Leading your organization through adversity is an enormous feat and requires strategic thinking, collaboration towards a mission, and a renewed commitment to communication. It also requires flexibility and adaptability, a willingness to keep some room in your plan for the plan to change. Here’s how we rose to the challenge within our own organization, so that we could continue to provide innovative solutions to serve our clients, vendors and internal teams.

3 Ways We Pivoted In Response to COVID-19

Pivot #1: Activate Our Business Continuity Plan

In the beginning, the pandemic was a rapidly developing situation with new information and recommendations being released all the time. Our first step was to accept that “business as usual” was not an option and activate our Business Continuity Plan, a preparedness strategy that would enable us to remain in operation during this crisis while also ensuring the health and safety of our employees and customers. As an organization headquartered in Florida, hurricanes have tested our preparedness for business continuity in the face of a disaster and we routinely review our response plan in order to be as prepared as possible. This plan serves two main functions: to clearly assign roles and responsibilities to key personnel and to communicate promptly with all internal and external stakeholders. Your business continuity plan should be adapted to the tasks necessary for the situation at hand; during COVID-19, these tasks included:

• Activating an emergency response team
• Moving to a remote work environment
• Installing new security measures
• Establishing channels for timely and accurate information

Pivot #2: Create Meaningful Remote Communication

With our workforce suddenly almost entirely remote, the need for timely and productive communication was key. Internally, we felt a deep responsibility to maintain open and honest communication with our team members, vendors and clients so they knew that we were still here and focused on their health and safety as well as their performance optimization needs. We provide a critical role to helping organizations operate safely and within regulatory compliance, so we wanted to ensure our clients knew we were still going to continue supporting them with innovative, world class solutions - even during this uncertain time. Here are some of the ways we adjusted our communication during the pandemic to help deliver this message:

• Our CEO, Marc Sheipe, shared a personal message to employees, vendors and clients detailing Vector’s response and strategy in the face of the pandemic.
• We held bi-weekly town hall-style video calls featuring our executive team, who provided updates and answered questions.
• We increased communication with our leadership through email and video, so that our internal team members felt informed and connected to our organization.
• We used technology like video calls versus phone or email whenever possible to get more face time with each other and with Vector’s leadership.

Pivot #3: Provide Access To Helpful Resources And Accurate Information

Throughout the pandemic, there has been a deluge of information around the virus and the protocols for cleaning and disinfecting, wearing masks and protecting ourselves and each other. Because we work with so many industries that continue to be critical to our response to this crisis, we had both the opportunity and responsibility to provide unbiased, up-to-date information that could help keep people safe and informed. Here are a few ways we delivered on that responsibility:

• Created a Coronavirus Resource Center that featured complimentary training videos on topics like Preparing Your Household, Managing Stress and Anxiety, Cleaning and Disinfecting Common Spaces and Transitioning To A Remote Workforce.
• Provided complimentary courses for Emergency Medical Service providers including PPE Preparedness, Patient Assessment & Transport Protocol and a complimentary EMS Refresher course for first responders who were rising to the call during this crisis.
• Provided complimentary EMS training for law enforcement, as these first responders were tasked with new challenges in enforcing quarantine mandates and protecting communities.
• Launched a suite of solutions through our Casino Essentials brand to help casinos reopen efficiently and effectively, supporting jobs while helping these businesses keep personnel safe.

We Are All In This Together

It’s not just the challenge itself, but also how you respond to it that determines how your organization will fare in an unprecedented crisis. One thing we know for sure: we can’t do it alone. Partnering, communicating and collaborating with our internal teams, partners, vendors and clients is perhaps the most critical component to navigating this period in our history. Just as we were here during the overwhelming early days of this pandemic, we will continue to help ensure that our clients, vendors and employees operate safely and effectively.