Segment 2 (2020) Product and Services Delivery - Wednesday, November 11 - 12:30 to 1:30 PM Eastern USA

[Paul Terlemezian]

Overview: What changes have you made and what challenges remain regarding the delivery of products and services? What will you invest in - or accelerate to assure the creation of value for others? What will you diminish or eliminate? What are you unsure about? What changes do you wish would occur?

Panelists:

• Gillian Gansler https://www.linkedin.com/in/gillian-gansler-540215/
• Shannon Gill https://www.linkedin.com/in/gillshannon/
• Jack Makhlouf https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackmakhlouf/
• Jerry Sutton https://www.linkedin.com/in/jerryksutton/

Moderators:

• Jen Matthews https://www.linkedin.com/in/meetjenmatthews/

Remarkable Speakers:

• Dorren Schmitt https://www.linkedin.com/in/dorren-schmitt-9537571/

[Craig Joiner]

Covid-19 is a very fluid, high-impact variable for so many decisions. Wondering if today's news about Pfizer is changing people's perceptions and plans for Covid-19 workplace preparedness training to help determine the relevance of a course we created and our strategy to promote it or not. 

[Paul Terlemezian]

How does one assure that a "course" has a valid and positive impact to COVID?

Are people willing to believe that a course can have a positive impact? Is there a better use of the time and money (than creating and marketing a course) to have a positive impact? How can we prove whatever assertion we choose?

[Jerry Sutton]

Craig,

I was just talking about this topic earlier today.  As the pandemic began to unfold, one thing is certain, it brought about change.  Change that impacted everyone on earth in every facet of their lives.  In essence, we were forced to change.  Literally, our very survival in life and business depended on our ability to adapt, to change.  First, we had to change the way we lived in order to survive.  This change was fluid and always evolving as we learned more and more about what we needed to do to survive and remain healthy.  At the same time, we had to make changes in our business operations, some of which were to our own detriment.  Some businesses didn't survive the necessary changes and through no fault of their own.  While others adapted and began to find a new normal.  Remote work became a mainstay.  Virtual learning exploded and adaptation of ILT to virtual formats became essential for many businesses to survive.  In reality, many have found opportunity in the pandemic.  Those who were agile found a way to capitalize and grow.  Now drug companies are competing to develop a vaccine that will serve as the ultimate defense against COVID.  And at the same time, another shift will happen.  The post-vaccine era of COVID will evolve and with it, there will be more change and with more change, their will be other opportunities.  I wonder who is thinking about those opportunities and what they might be.  I know I sure am!

[Jennifer Matthews]

I'm very excited for this panel, and I'm looking forward to being a sponge! Covid-19 has drastically changed consumer behaviors and customer care across all industries. However, I'm mostly interested in businesses that are new to the online space, because they are essentially forced to play "catch up" and innovate simultaneously. How do these businesses survive?

[Jerry Sutton]

For Background & Perspective:

The Bobby Dodd Institute Mission  The Bobby Dodd Institute

To empower people with differing abilities to maximize their potential by securing economic self-sufficiency, independence and inclusion within their communities.

We do this by offering programs and consulting services for individuals with disabilities and their loved ones.

From helping secure benefits to job placement services, we offer a full lifecycle of support for all ages and levels of need.

Our business services provide the economic engine that drives our mission forward, while simultaneously creating job opportunities for people of all abilities.

What changes have you made and what challenges remain regarding the delivery of products and services?

For our direct contact services, we shifted to remote learning.  We had to convert ILT curriculum to a virtual methodology.  While not necessarily the best solution, we managed to accomplish our goal and continue service delivery. 

As a result of state budget cuts, sadly, we had to cut services in Family Support and along with that, we had to reduce the size of our Empowers team.

On the other hand, the custodial services team in our Employs division grew as a result of the COVID 19 deep cleaning demand.  We've added an additional 90 employees as a result across our custodial contracts.

What will you invest in - or accelerate to assure the creation of value for others?

We've invested in the purchase of our own LMS.  Our goal is to reach a broader audience and develop more eLearning programs that support our community.

We've gained access to Upwork Business to support our staffing needs for eLearning development.  We do not have the right talent internally and many times development projects are short-term.  Upwork suits our needs.  

We will also begin the process of developing an in-house eLearning developer equipped to manage minor adjustment tasks.

What will you diminish or eliminate?

Presently, we've reduced the amount of "face-to-face" interaction with the family support we provide in the community.  We are making plans for FY 21-22 to resume these services in the event the state decides to provide funding for these types of programs.

What are you unsure about?

What post COVID-19 era will look like.

What changes do you wish would occur?

We must diversify our funding support.  Reliance on state agencies hurt us during the onset of the Pandemic and we lost people and clients as a result.