The pandemic has catalysed one of the toughest economic periods in recent memory, with many business sectors scrambling to innovate in a difficult climate. It’s a time when effective leadership strategies are proving fundamental.
Already established as one of Australia’s leading pest control companies, Flick pivoted quickly to position their high-grade disinfectant misting services at the forefront of the business. The company’s senior management also went on the front foot with communication, developing products and diversifying their offering in preparation for the ‘new normal.’
Jussi Ylinen, President Pacific Region of Flick Anticimex Group, took part in a webinar run by the Swedish Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday 5th May to share how the company has navigated the Covid-19 crisis.
Mr Ylinen discussed six crisis leadership and business strategies which have proved essential to positioning Flick for success.
First, Manage the Crisis Internally
“This is a time of great uncertainty for everyone. It’s imperative to open the lines of communication internally and enhance confidence through knowledge,” says Mr Ylinen.
Flick set up a crisis management team in early March to communicate clearly with employees and customers. An experienced team leads communication across all the key verticals: personnel, HR, legal, service delivery, logistics/supply, finance, sales & marketing. This has kept the company culture strong and positive.
Have Robust Contingency Plans
“It’s an old adage but ‘plan for the worst and hope for the best’ is fundamental to long-term business success,” says Mr Ylinen. Flick’s leadership team regularly model worst-case scenarios and contingency plan around them.
Understand the Impact on Your Customers
“This is not the time to be tone deaf and aggressively push the wrong services. The entire community has been hit hard. The current climate is about offering useful services which will improve lives and offer peace of mind.”
Flick’s communications and marketing strategy has been organic and attuned to the current environment, and the service offering has been adjusted to be sensitive to consumer needs.
Measure, Monitor, Manage
“This has been a rapidly changing field. Flick have analysed the situation on a daily basis and benchmarked against other countries to gain insights. In terms of hygiene and sanitation, there were a lot of lessons to be learned from the parts of Europe and Asia which were at the forefront of the outbreak.”
Being connected and having access to the right information is crucial during a crisis, so you can respond to new information before competitors.
Diversify Quickly & Secure Your Supply Chain
“Look for alternative solutions to replace lost revenue,” says Mr Ylinen. “As soon as the Covid-19 crisis emerged, we set up logistics streams to sell hand sanitiser products as part of our hygiene services. We secured a supply chain and concentrated on establishing seamless delivery systems.”
Flick also pivoted to concentrate on the high-grade disinfection misting service: “As Anticimex is a global company, we were able to learn from other countries on the most effective way to implement the disinfection service during Covid-19.”
“We needed to produce a lot of collateral and internal resources quickly and efficiently – technical specs, training, marketing, material supply and sales all needed to be effectively project managed to reach the required capability levels for the disinfection service.”
Prepare for a ‘New Normal’
Given Australia’s strong performance in flattening the curve, Flick are looking ahead. Covid-19 will not disappear quickly, meaning businesses and the community need to stay extra vigilant about hygiene and sanitation.
“Our current focus is informing the market about our SMART digital pest control and monitoring system. As a digital remote 24/7 surveillance system, it’s the future of pest control, which also complements the current Covid-19 restrictions. Businesses need to prepare for a ‘new normal’. Technology and remote-monitoring will play a much bigger role in future services.”
Looking to harness the latest technology in hygiene and sanitation to protect your business? Stay vigilant. Explore Flick’s services today.