NAVIGATING THE HUMAN AND BUSINESS IMPACT OF COVID-19: RCS'S AGILE APPROACH

RCS started 2020 on a positive growth trajectory.

The company had just acquired Edcon’s in-store debtors’ book and was riding on the crest of a wave.

Then the Coronavirus hit, bringing the global economy to a grinding halt.

“It was quite challenging for us,” says Sandi Richardson, RCS Group Human Resources Executive. “But we adjusted quickly and focused on areas of the business that needed to be strengthened and enhanced, like our payments division.”

A subsidiary of BNP Paribas Personal Finance, RCS employs around 1 000 contact centre staff in Cape Town.

The first order of business following the initial lockdown, said Richardson, was to advise employees with pre-existing health conditions and pregnant staff to stay home.

“Then, we reassigned the sales team to work as payments advisory agents, which is a completely different skill. That was the biggest adjustment because it is a completely different way of speaking to a customer.”

We had to re-train aggressive sales people to carefully advise people on ways of making their account payments. That, for RCS, was a very big change.

Apart from the business adjustments, the company also implemented new health and safety measures to comply with lockdown regulations.

“Here, BPeSA Western Cape was really a guiding light because the regulations took a while to be fully released and fully explained,” said Richardson. “SAPS interpreted rules differently to the Department of Labour, differently to the Department of Health. The guidance from BPeSA was extremely helpful.”

In level 3 lockdown, nearly half of all RCS staff have been set up to work from home.

“We have more people working from home now than ever – a total of around 800,” said Richardson.

The remaining staff members work from the company’s Mowbray and Goodwood offices, where strict new health and safety protocols have been implemented.

“Every Saturday at the end of the shift, both our buildings are deep cleaned,” said Richardson. “We also have a wonderful clinic service on site – they do our occupational health and provide support to staff.”

Said Gareth Pritchard, CEO of BPeSA Western Cape: “The operation at RCS is really top-notch. It’s phenomenal that the company was able to quickly adapt and adjust. The sales team was able to take off one mask and put on another – from aggressive sales to empathy.”

Alderman James Vos, Mayoral Committee Member for Economic Opportunities, said: “The City is committed to growing the BPO sector by providing a steady skills pipeline. To this end, funding from the National Skills Fund, together with City and industry funding, will be contributed towards training and stipends to ensure that learners receive the industry minimum.”

A total of 1 100 unemployed youth in Cape Town will be trained as part of the programme.