ADVERTORIAL | C&W Business Jamaica - Enabling gov't, industry COVID responses

KINGSTON:
ICT solutions provider, C&W Business Jamaica continues to enable the response to the pandemic for Government and businesses across Jamaica.

Its work spans the technology backbone for the Government’s health and educational responses to COVID-19 and enables thousands of Jamaicans to work from home.

“It’s heart-warming to know that our network and tailor-made ICT solutions are making a difference in the lives of many Jamaicans. Our team is motivated by this fact. We’re thankful that our solutions support our Government’s efforts to curtail the spread of the coronavirus, make it possible for students to access virtual learning platforms, and even help the entertainment industry to reach new audiences and thrive through online events,” said Stephen Price, Country Manager for Flow Jamaica & C&W Business Jamaica.

Supporting Initial Pandemic Responses

In the initial weeks after the onset of the pandemic, C&W Business Jamaica received numerous requests for support from all departments of Government and businesses, including small businesses and industry giants, to enable a speedy transition to life with COVID-19. 

Commenting on the period, Price said: “It was a time of fear and uncertainty for many organisations. We were already in the process of bolstering our network and implementing improvement plans when the pandemic arrived on our shores, so we were ahead of the curve. This was important because we could be the voice of reason and the strategic ICT partner that was needed to support how our clients responded during the pandemic.”

As a first step, the C&W Business team implemented toll-free access to COVID-19 hotlines, donated mobiles phones to assist with contact tracing efforts and executed the roll out of the Ministry of Health and Wellness’ emergency operation centres.

Several hospitals, health centres and quarantine facilities also benefitted from upgraded Internet, mobile and voice services to support communication with and surveillance of COVID-19 patients across the island.

The ICT solutions provider also introduced the Ministry of Education’s connectivity plans.

These plans were specially developed to support students, teachers and parents as they navigated the unique challenges associated with online education during the pandemic.

When coupled with the Flow Study platform, the plan provides an additional layer of support for delivering digital learning while connecting students to multiple platforms including Zoom and Google Classroom.

“Our work to support Government in the initial stages of the pandemic was just as important as how we enabled businesses to survive this disruption. Almost overnight, thousands of Jamaicans started working from home thereby putting pressure on large businesses to support their workers remotely.  The pandemic also changed consumer habits as they stayed away from brick and mortar locations,” said Price.

In March, C&W Business Jamaica introduced distributed workforce solutions which enabled employees to work safely, reliably and remotely. The rapid change in consumer patterns also encouraged the roll out of its B-Safe Campaign.

The B-Safe Campaign provided businesses experiencing financial difficulties with a 3-month suspension of service, reduction of services or a discount to keep their businesses afloat. Special support measures were also implemented for severely impacted industries such as hospitality and tourism.

“Under the B-Safe Campaign, we received a three-month speed reduction which significantly lowered of our monthly payments. We appreciated this timely arrangement because our theatres were closed as we did our part to curtail the spread of COVID-19,” said Shawn Smith, Chief Technical Officer, Palace Amusements Company Limited.

Empowering Small Businesses

Globally, small businesses have been severely impacted by COVID-19. The 2020 International Trade Centre (ITC) Business Impact Survey revealed that 55% of small businesses flagged that the pandemic had disproportionately affected their business. The report also concluded that one in five small firms may go bankrupt in three months.

“Small businesses drive job creation and innovation in society. We’ve therefore done all that we can through enablement webinars and sponsorships to help them handle the new normal,” said Delroy McLean, Senior Director, C&W Business Jamaica.

In Photo: Delroy McLean

C&W Business Jamaica currently hosts quarterly enablement seminars for small businesses and young entrepreneurs to help them navigate the legal, financial and technological challenges associated with the pandemic.

It has also leveraged various sponsorship opportunities which impacted over 750 small business owners through virtual events.

Notable sponsorships include the Young Entrepreneurs Association Success Summit and the recent Think, Grow, Lead C-Suite Seminar.

Continued Pandemic Support

C&W Business Jamaica continues to support the Government through the delivery of free broadband access to 70 MOE priority schools with another 200 plus schools in the pipeline.

The Flow Foundation also continues to provide free broadband access to over 360 schools across the country.

As a proactive measure, the business has submitted a comprehensive plan to significantly improve broadband access and speeds to hundreds of schools, along with an Open Closed User Group (CUG) to lower communication costs across the Ministry of Education.

C&W Business Jamaica also continues to work with businesses directly to handle their unique challenges.

December 10 marked nine months since the first confirmed case of COVID-19 on the island.

Organisations and businesses have pivoted to thrive in this new environment.

Considering the past nine months and the path forward, Price said, “the pandemic has put a sharp focus on the importance and availability of robust telecommunication services. Everything has gone virtual whether schools, business or entertainment. Our task is to provide the right support to our nation during this time.”

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