Q1 - How did the technology leaders (the CIOs, the CISOs) led front the front to

deal with the prolonged crisis?

1.1 Employee side - WFH support

 Normal employees- laptops, data, secure application access via VPN, Zoom,
etc...
 Special needs - CCT agents working from home, entire CCT solution extended
to home setup
 Upgrading internet bandwidth
 Remote support arrangement
 Security Enhancement such as data leakage prevention, maintaining end user
devices up to date

1.2 Customers and Distribution Network - eliminating the need for physical interaction

 Home delivery of products - in our case SIM cards

 Self Service channel improvements - more and more functionality added (app,
ivr, ussd, portals, etc...)
 More empowerment to CCT agents - to fix issues/take decisions then and there

1.3 Changes in management of critical infrastructure (such as DC, CCT, etc…)

 Conversion of working space to a living space

 Enhancing self sufficiency
 Process changes for health & safety

1.4 Changes in procurement strategies

 JIT to stockholding (eg. Laptops)

1.5 Changes in HR policies

 Laptop only from mixed environment

Q2 - How did the key priorities change during and after the crisis?

2.1 During

 Ensure critical infrastructure (such as DC) is maintained 100% uptime - support

staff have at least the minimal numbers present in the DC
 Except the hands and feet requirements, all of the rest support to happen
remotely
 Connectivity remained a critical piece for entire support operations
 Food/transport/security and other logistics required for the physical presence
staff
 Ensure customers were kept in touch on a frequent basis to update how their
services are provided uninterrupted despite the challenges
 Continuation of the existing projects, even though at a reduced Phase
 All projects executed on remote mode - which would otherwise have happened
with Partner/vendor staff on site
 Acquiring equipment to support WFH such as laptops which became a rare
commodity
 All support staff divided into two groups with complete isolation
 Support for repairs for home based devices
 Focus on online payment collections (challenges especially with debit cards –
Pushing banks)
 Supporting new collaborating tools

2.2 After

 Enhancement of self-services to continue aggressively

 More acceptance towards WFH as part of general Work practices
 Remote project execution has become a norm rather than exception
 Increasing online payment channels
 Support services for extensive travels expected after pandemic (such as
roaming)
 Eliminate the need for multiple customer interactions (reduced no of monthly
recharges)
 Preparedness for future threats
Q3 - How did you, as a CIO, quickly redraw the technology map to enable users
to serve customers? What changed in the strategy, processes and technology?

 PCs had to be replaced with laptops

 WFH solutions - for normal user vs those who serve customers (Avaya CCT
agent functionality extended for agents to work from home)
 Ensure key applications now work in a high latency/low bandwidth connection
setup (LAN vs 4G). - many workarounds implemented
 Enabling customers to support more and more via self-service channels (App,
IVR, USSD, etc…)
 Enable new collaborative environment

3.1 Strategy

 All employees should be able to work from anywhere (except those who require
physical presence- which was a bare minimum set).
 Also customer support should be available remotely and virtually
 BCP for employees (Team A & B)
 Significantly enhancing customer contact via voice and social media
 Significantly empowering decision making authority of employees

3.2 Processes

 More and more physical/paper based workflows moved to digital - portal and
even SMS based approvals
 Employee supervision processes changed

3.3 Technology
 Video conferencing for employee communications/meetings
 VPN based secure access to applications remotely
 Enhance mobile apps with more self-care features
 CCT solutions extended to home based agents
 SMS/app based internal workflows
 Mass customer calling automated systems implemented where all employees
can participate in reaching out to customers
 Polycom based state of the art video conferencing solution implemented- in
addition to zoom and other methods
 Online purchasing portals
 Customer interaction via social media and chat-bots
Q4 - People, and process challenges that you anticipate during post-pandemic
time and how will you address those from a leadership point of view?

4.1 Challenges

 Employees used to WFH - they would need readjustment to physical setup.

 Lack of team spirit/team. Bonding due to long periods of not having physical
contact
 After reopening of offices, how to maintain the vigil against virus at office
environment
 Maintaining social distancing with full capacity

4.2 How to solve

 W.r.t. IT setup, LT will be a standard thing and use of PCs may be

discontinued- to ensure better preparedness for re occurrence of the same
situation
 Ensure strict health guidelines at office - better monitoring for violations and
corrective action
 Use of technology to support this - such as CCT cameras
 Enhancing flexi-hour setup
 Roster basis physical attendance
Q5 - Leadership lessons that you’d like to share with the listeners/peers.

 No new service to customers if they are not supported via self-care channels
(this is really a bold call which requires extra investments,)
 Evaluate each new system/service w.r.t. WFH compatibility and maximum
system support remotely
 Evaluate and support physical data connectivity to all key staff home locations
 All end user devices to be LTs (no more PCs) - also keep adequate buffer stock
of LTs fir emergency replacement for faults/new needs
 Equip DC locations to be also fully supporting living quarters with facilities and
supplies for at least 2 to 3 weeks- in addition to normal Diesel for generator
which everyone already practice
 Change ordering process for IT equipment to cater for long delivery times
 Robust reporting mechanism for sick or suspected employees and proper care
for them - maximum the company can do
 Critically evaluate partner capability to support during pandemic situations
 Domestic setup is still not ideal for WFH (power failures, etc…)
 Customer behavior changes
 Still huge potential for online business growth (physical vs online distribution)
 Safeguarding critical information in WFH scenario