The COVID-19 crisis we face today attests to the world’s adaptability which is once again challenged by a tiny organism called a virus. At
Ngern Tid Lor, getting our 5,000 or so employees through this crisis while endeavoring to maintain our ability to deliver services is no small challenge—even more so when our existing business continuity plan (BCP) is inapplicable to the current COVID-19 situation.
Quick Adjustment for Immediate Actions
Of course, large corporations must have a BCP (a plan and procedures that help an organization deal with potential crises such as natural disasters, riots, and wars without disrupting business operations or services). Ngern Tid Lor is no exception.
However, because our world has been unharmed from new deadly epidemics for 100 years, Ngern Tid Lor’s existing BCP (and probably those of many other organizations) did not cover what to do in the event of deadly epidemics.
Our previous scenario-based impact assessments only identified the crises or emergencies that could potentially cause problems to the company’s system, or prevent employees from coming to work, such as natural disasters (e.g., floods, earthquakes) and political demonstrations. Ngern Tid Lor’s existing BCP was to have a backup site to enable the operation system to continue as usual if there was a need to move a workplace to the alternate site. We also tested the plan annually to prepare for unexpected events that may come our way.
However, when the COVID-19 outbreak struck, our existing business continuity plan needed to be revised, rethought, and adjusted.
Survive Because We Have a BCP That Keeps Us One Step Ahead
Around mid 2019 when the COVID-19 outbreak had yet to show, Ngern Tid Lor began to add epidemic-related emergencies to its business continuity plan in accordance with the Bank of Ayudhya’s policy. It also developed rough response plans, such as setting up response teams, defining the roles and responsibilities of each team, and determining the tools for business continuity (e.g., using teleconference facilities instead of the face-to-face meetings, social media, and IT security system).
When COVID-19 broke out, we were able to quickly turn the business continuity plan into an action plan as follows:
- COVID War Room: As COVID-19 not only affects business but also the health and wellbeing of employees, Ngern Tid Lor’s COVID War Room consists of employee representatives from all functions, including the HR Department which is responsible for employee health and welfare, and the IT Department which is responsible for home working system and equipment support. Also included is the Marketing Department and branch representatives, all working to ensure that customer services can continue without interruption.
The COVID War Room will assess the severity and impact of the situations that may arise in Thailand due to COVID-19. It will analyze domestic and international factors and examples of actual situations that have occurred in other countries to formulate response plans for the highest to the lowest levels of severity, taking into consideration differing conditions and variables. For example, how do we develop a response plan for the situation where the country closes the borders but domestic traveling is still permitted and no employees of Ngern Tid Lor are infected? Or where the country closes the borders but domestic traveling is still permitted and some Ngern Tid Lor employees are infected?
- Divided We Stand Plan: Ngern Tid Lor has divided its Operations and Customer Services Departments, including Call Center, Telesales, Collections, and Credits, into two teams each. One team is working at the Ari Hills Building headquarters, while the other is working at the KSL Building to reduce risks. In the event that employees in any department are infected with COVID-19, there will be employees of the same department working at another location to provide customer services without interruption.
- Work from Home and Critical Staffing Plans: Two other COVID-19 response plans are executed concurrently. Each department will check to see which employees are able to work from home under social distancing measures and will conduct a meeting to assign critical staff in each team. They will define the critical staff’s roles and duties to ensure that Ngern Tid Lor can continue to serve customers, and that it has employees to maintain ongoing operations even when the outbreak situation is worsening.
Flexible and Adjustable Plan
When Thailand’s COVID-19 situation remained unstable, quick decision making was needed to adjust the plan according to the changing situation, and Ngern Tid Lor was able to quickly implement the action plan outlined by our BCP. For example, in April when the number of infected people in Thailand was increasing, we immediately canceled all traveling activities of the teams that needed to go out of their offices for work, such as the branch inspection team and customer qualification inspection team, to reduce the risk of infection and spread of COVID-19, using remote inspection techniques instead.
An effective BCP helps us to deal with the crisis and to continue serving our customers. At the same time, the plan also turns a crisis into opportunity as many things that many people thought difficult and impossible to do could be successfully and quickly achieved, for example, answering customer calls from home and adapting to new technologies that enable working from home.
Because we at Ngern Tid Lor share
candid teamwork value and are ready to adapt, once again we are able to overcome the crisis together.