Adapting to a Health Crisis: Digitisation
How transitioning to digital would help your facility
By Mandalay Technologies
Since its arrival in Australia, the pandemic that is the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) has not only become a threat to our health, but to the economy as a whole. Given the virus’ high capacity to be transmitted through face-to-face contact, any form of close physical interaction is non-ideal in preventing its spread. The Government’s effort to reduce physical contact by implementing a social distancing strategy has impacted the economy in many ways.
Already, many small or “non-essential” businesses have been forced to shut down due to the crisis. A select number of organisations which provide essential services however, such as hospitals and schools, are required to continue operating. Each of these organisations have been promptly implementing management strategies that prioritise the health and safety of their employees.
Like in health and education, there are some areas within the Waste Sector that are still considered to be providing essential services. Therefore, it is imperative for councils to consider how they can appropriately prepare their waste facilities for continued operation during this pandemic.
With the closure of many non-essential services and due to government restrictions, residents are being confined to their households for the foreseeable future. With a sudden increase in household consumption, the volume of municipal solid waste (MSW) has risen and is expected to continue rising. Increasing productivity whilst simultaneously limiting physical interaction has proven a challenge to many waste facilities. Hence in their business continuity plans, councils have started transitioning to digital.
This transition can ensure a business’ continuity of service delivery and the improved accuracy of changing waste profile measurement and, long term, the manual and repetitive tasks within waste can be removed, improving efficiency, reducing error and fraud, and streamlining operational processes.
Digitisation will provide facilities with solutions such as a more efficient data setup process, cashless and contactless payment options, and the ability to manage and monitor customers through the use of intercoms or CCTV; effectively reducing the level of physical interaction between employees and customers.
With an estimated economic COVID-19 disruption of three to six months or more, it’s important that councils implement a resilient business continuity plan to ensure the health and safety of their employees, customers, and the economy as a whole.
