In the current COVID-19 environment, companies across the globe are experiencing new challenges each day. Many consumer technology organizations are aiding in the fight against the pandemic, while also focusing on managing their businesses and taking care of their employees during this uncertain time. To provide helpful insight, advice and information surrounding those topics, DRI's Consumer & Professional Technologies team has had the opportunity to speak with industry leaders about how they are navigating the COVID-19 crisis. Thank you to all thought leaders for your participation and help to the industry as a whole.

Jump to Interviews: Donald Szczepaniak - Prismview, Ney Corsino - NanoLumens, Sam Phenix - AVIXA, Vincent Bruno - A-V Services, Inc., Vince Schuster - MediaStar by Cabletime Ltd.

Donald Szczepaniak, President & CEO
Prismview

https://www.linkedin.com/in/donald-szczepaniak-3689bb23/

Is your company pivoting at all during this pandemic?  Are there any initiatives you would like to share about what your company is doing differently or generally how your leadership is handling the situation?

As a manufacturer in our state we are considered essential.  Short term, our factory is humming along, doesn’t look that much different.  Our factory is still running and the rest of our people are working from home.  At the moment, we had no impact due to the many large projects we’ve sold 8-12 months ago.  However I am concerned about the affect 7-8 months from now due to the slowdown in sales now.  We haven’t frozen hiring and will hire if a critical need that is production related and we are looking ahead to protect current employees.  All of our Interviews, hiring, and on-boarding have been done remotely.

We are doing everything the CDC recommends and then some- Temperature checks, Wearing masks, Separating production areas, Created more break rooms to keep different departments separated, Deep cleaning, Self-quarantines, etc.  We now have over 100 people are working from home, roughly 1/3 of our employees, some of them are working from home for the first time.  There has been an adjustment for them on how to balance work with Kids, pets, motivation, and other factors.

Furthermore we spoke with our clients about protecting the worksite and our employees.  We have also moved employees into better hotels, that are committed to better cleaning.

How are you keeping your employees and teams engaged and motivated?  

We are sending out daily notices- some tactical, some motivational.  Our Supervisors are having stand-up meetings over video, as we feel it is important to see each other’s faces.  We are also being sensitive to those who have to come in to work, Factory workers vs. Work from Home, making sure we have the proper messaging.

It’s all about daily communication.

We’ve had many new interesting ideas & conversations about work- flexibility vs. the importance face-to-face, so we are becoming more flexible.  We are also viewing it that it’s not work/life balance but maybe more work/life integration.

What message would you like to share with our industry as a whole about the pandemic?  

We have to take it very seriously, even in states and areas that are not as impacted like Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, etc.  We need to be diligent to make sure we need to knock it out, as I am fearful of what it is doing to our economy, especially if this drags out.  We need to buckle down so we can get back to recovery, and not stretch it out.

Do you see any silver-linings?  Are there things your company is doing to assist in the fight against Covid-19 and/or support front line workers?

When things return to “normal”, we will be more comfortable doing things remotely.  We will have to review and question what is really required.  The needle has been moved.

Also, every day I see people working hard to do what is right, social distancing, and protecting their employees.  And unfortunately, I also see people who are not.  I Hope that everyone takes it seriously so we can get past this sooner than later.

Anything else you'd like to add? 

We are all in new territory.  Every day, instead of making business decisions, I am now asked to make decisions that affect my employees health.  It’s a great responsibility that must be taken seriously.

Ney Corsino, President & CEO

NanoLumens

https://www.linkedin.com/in/ney-corsino/

Is your company pivoting at all during this pandemic?  Are there any initiatives you would like to share about what your company is doing differently or generally how your leadership is handling the situation?

1. We are taking this moment, reassessing our leadership positions-focus and our long term strategy to make sure we are consistent on the short-mid-long term.
2. Meanwhile on the short-term, to navigate the 'storm', we are emphasizing digital marketing, establishing a weekly rhythm of sales contact, have a designed crew ready to react to any request in the operational front, re-thinking our supply chain and its response time, close dialogue with our partners to find business solutions since we are all impacted one way or another... a time to think differently, question status quo, and innovate if/where necessary.

 How are you keeping your employees and teams engaged and motivated?

1. Our management team e-meets everyday at the same time to ensure we are engaged, informed and supporting each other as well as the rest of the organization.
2. Every group leader is doing the same with his/her groups for the same purpose, so the entire organization is in sync and pulsing the same heartbeat.
3. We established an internal 'hotline' with HR for all/any associate needs.
4. We have a weekly/biweekly newsletter keep everyone abreast of the company and its relation to the external situation.

 What message would you like to share with our industry as a whole in regards to the pandemic?  

1. I believe we need to think like the 'stock market', what I mean to say is that we will go back to normality and therefore we should remain invested. We need to use the current dynamics to innovate (broader sense) where it makes sense, and obviously, be pro-actively crises-managing the financial and operational issues to ensure there is a path for tomorrow. Don't wait, don't guess, do what is necessary and stay the course.

Do you see any silver-linings?  Are there things your company is doing to assist in the fight against Covid-19 and/or support front line workers?

1. We are engaged in a few 'essential' markets/solutions, so we very much feel the impact and reflect how unprecedented this is. In that regard, we are staying flexible, collaborative and adapting accordingly to any needs.

 Anything else you'd like to add?

1. We are committed to work collaborative to ensure we navigate this 'rough waters' together.
2. I am thankful and blessed for everything everyone is doing to help us get through this.
3. As the say goes: 'tomorrow is another day'

Sam Phenix, Secretary - Treasurer
AVIXA

https://www.linkedin.com/in/samanthaphenix/

Is your company pivoting at all during this pandemic?  Are there any initiatives you would like to share about what your company is doing differently or generally how your leadership is handling the situation?

Here are some initiatives the AVIXA team have kicked off to help our members.

• AVIXA’s full online education catalog is free to everyone, regardless of their membership level, through June 12.  You can find out the details here.
• Publishing a weekly impact survey based on the feedback gathered from AVIXA’s Insights Community.  Latest report is here.
• Disseminating information to help our members, for example, AVIXA partnered with their legal firm, Venable, to produce a webinar on the CARES act and how it can help small businesses in the AV industry.  You can access the webinar here.
• Virtual events such as the Commercial LFH event with AVNation and LAVNCH Week with The rAVe Agency.

How are you keeping your employees and teams engaged and motivated?  

Personally, I’m finding myself spending probably more time than I should attending virtual Happy Hours!  Jokes aside, these are the times that we need to lean on our friends and colleagues to help each other get through the dark days.  I’m making sure I reach out to support my network and help where I can.

What message would you like to share with our industry as a whole in regards to the pandemic?  

It’s a challenging time, that’s for sure.  But we’ll get through it, and if anyone is poised to make it in the post COVID-19 world, it’s the AV professional.  If you’re not already familiar with video conferencing and the AV technologies that support remote workers and collaboration, then now is the time to get up to speed!

Vincent Bruno, Vice President
A-V Services, Inc.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/vinbruno/

Is your company pivoting at all during this pandemic?

Yes, we’re pivoting ensuring the safety of our staff and their families.  We quickly implemented a WFH policy, equipped our staff properly to efficiently WFH, and we continuously do deep cleanings and disinfecting of our offices and our warehouse.

Are there any initiatives you would like to share about what your company is doing differently or generally how your leadership is handling the situation?

We handle this situation consistent with our culture and our ongoing directive for our staff is that A-V Services maintains a working together culture based on direct, open and honest communication with each other, our customers, partners, vendors and key alliances.  Our team continually innovates, learns, adapts and improves.  We maintain an environment that is high performing and we constantly develop our expertise in the technology we represent.

Our guiding principles for leadership at A-V Services:

• Provide vision, leadership and clear direction

• Provide inspiration

• Make people feel valued, important and appreciated

• Establish an environment of continuous improvement

• Provide opportunities for people to grow personally and professionally

• Care and act with compassion

• Behave ethically

How are you keeping your employees and teams engaged and motivated? 

We have made no layoffs and no payroll cuts but are looking into all programs offered to not make those difficult decisions.  Furthermore, we maintain close working relationships with our customers, suppliers, trade associations, and partners.  People on our team are working hard every single day developing our expertise in the products we offer and in the way each of us does our job.  We are learning, testing, and achieving certifications all while continuously serving our clients and prospective customers.

 What message would you like to share with our industry as a whole in regards to the pandemic? 

First and foremost stay safe, be healthy, and have an unshakable trust in our future. There will be many opportunities coming out of this for our industry, we will be in a good place.

Do you see any silver-linings?  Are there things your company is doing to assist in the fight against Covid-19 and/or support front line workers? 

Problems create opportunities.  This crisis changes the way we communicate and interact with each other.  There are opportunities for us being mindful of all human touch-points in offices, conference rooms, board rooms, huddle spaces, video conference centers…  The audiovisual and unified communications business will certainly grow substantially.

Anything else you'd like to add?

We will all be back together soon and I miss seeing everyone!  And when we do, it will be so good!

Vince Schuster, Vice President, Americas, Sales
MediaStar, by Cabletime Ltd.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/vinceschuster/

Is your company pivoting at all during this pandemic?  Are there any initiatives you would like to share about what your company is doing differently or generally how your leadership is handling the situation?

• MediaStar is offering AVIXA approved technical trainings via GoToWebinar- The AVIXA approved trainings offer CTS renewal credits typically drawing a large group of technical attendees from all area of the industry. There is a great balance of end users, consultants and system integrators in these trainings.
• MediaStar is also doing 60-minute, interactive group presentations and product demonstrations via Teams meetings.
• Our leadership is pivoting to adapt to the changing environment, as warranted.

How are you keeping your employees and teams engaged and motivated?  

• Our company stays engaged with our global staff, end-user clients, system integration and AV/IT consultant partners via web presence and traditional telephone calls and email communications.
• The element of video (VTC) and collaboration with the media distribution allows for a close to in-person effect.  The participants appreciate the continued training and/or overviews.

What message would you like to share with our industry as a whole about the pandemic?  

We are confident the industry will rebound.  Some companies are thriving due to the necessity for tools and resources which are dependent on products and services from our industry.   However, all companies should be looking at the financial impact of COVID-19 related to the operations and the staff, their most important assets. The future forecasting or predictions are not going to be based on traditional historic trends as we are now navigating through uncharted waters.  It is critical for businesses to work on sustainability modeling before making quick decisions to mitigate the risk to prevent a troubled recovery or a potential shutdown.   There are many programs to support small businesses and individuals being offered by governments, suppliers, etc.  If your company is hiring, please communicate your plans to your professional recruiter or human resources department as the pool of talented individuals is currently very strong.    

Do you see any silver-linings?  Are there things your company is doing to assist in the fight against Covid-19 and/or support front line workers? 

We continue our high touch level of personalized support which we are known for.   We see our business growing, when life is normalization, after the COVID-19 pandemic is under control.  We are still receiving orders and shipping projects.  We are also growing our future pipeline due to consistent engagement with the channel.  We intend to maintain our current staff and expand in some areas, as the business supports.  We are also working with complementary industry companies for interoperability and meeting in the market as end-user clients are requesting enhanced global deployments bundling manufacturer solutions, including MediaStar.

Anything else you'd like to add?

Telecommuting or work from home (WFH) is not new for MediaStar or many professionals we engage daily.  Being a leading manufacturer in the AV/IT industry allows ease of use for all participants via web presence, collaboration platforms, including Microsoft Teams, WebEx, GoToMeeting/GoToWebinar, Zoom, Google Meet, etc.  In general, we are discovering that many professionals who are new to the method of working are becoming more comfortable after each meeting.

When presenting our network centric offerings via virtual, live demonstrations, we can tailor the content to client specific audiences, ranging from the user and/or CXO with high level overviews to the network administrator at the technical integration and security mitigation.   Clients can take control of our MediaManager software during a web-based session, making changes to a live system in real time.   We are very involved with the project from concept through fruition, often supporting the system integrator, consultant, designer or end user with loaner hardware and software for proof of concept pilots for an exceptional experience trying before buying.