Transforming our team to support critical public services

The COVID-19 crisis has undoubtedly put a great deal of pressure on businesses up and down the country, including the team here at Streamline. Worried by the threat of declining order revenues and furloughing staff, we started an online suggestions sheet to capture our team members ideas.

Adapting in an ever changing landscape

One of the first suggestions was “Re-engineer our solutions to help with the Coronavirus concern”, another was “hold an ideas session to brainstorm pockets of opportunities”. One of our Purchasing Executives added, “Send a ‘we are open’ email to all clients and maybe also include some ‘did you know’ points i.e. we also sell PPE”.

Excited by the survivalist enthusiasm, one of our Key Account Managers began sourcing P2 masks, face shields and other relevant products and got colleagues on board to speak to their clients and find out what was needed out there. Suddenly, with some cross training, our merchandise experts have become PPE experts, we’ve checked the product certifications, we’ve trialled samples with NHS Boards and we’ve literally come to the rescue of procurement managers who couldn’t find these products in these times of high demand.

PPE Experts

We’re nearly three weeks on now and this week has been amazing. We’ve taken orders for vast quantities of protective PPE and helped clients like Westminster City Council who are hiring hundreds of volunteer staff to support vulnerable people with collecting shopping, prescriptions and other needs. These volunteers need branded high vis vests to show they were bona fide volunteers who are out there helping those who need it most. We’ve also supported with lanyards, ID card holders, face shields and type IIR masks. Our 10-strong team of sales experts have literally turned to support the needs of front line NHS staff and related public services however, and wherever, they can.

Kirsty, our Marketing Manager said, “I’ve never worked with a team who have adapted their approach so quickly, it’s been amazing to see!”

Protecting our families and friends

This is a pandemic which is rocking the world economy and challenging the limits of our NHS and public services. Never have we seen such anxiety about the spread of germs and the life or death concern about protecting our families and friends. But our team have rallied to be part of the fight, to make sure labels arrive on time at the hospitals we supply, nitrile gloves to our logistics clients carrying food to supermarkets and type IIR masks to hospitals for staff caring for COVID-19 patients.

We’ve seen team members working late, starting early and even volunteering to work the Easter bank holiday. It’s excellent to be part of a team who care enough to have made all this happen and to hopefully shorten the period of isolation we’re all feeling by making sure we help stop the spread of Coronavirus, one product at a time.

You can find out more about the PPE and critical products we provide here or contact us here.