The second part of our series on CFI’s Culture of Caring is especially timely as tropical storms and hurricanes cause offices to shut-down or prepare for shut-down in advance of landfalls in both Texas and Hawaii. Since our business is perishable cargo, we’re very dedicated to ensuring the safety of our staff, the structural integrity of our offices, the continuity of our business, and the protection of the cargo in our possession during hurricane season. While every individual office had location-specific plans that vary based on natural disaster threats, we do have some company wide plans that are steady across the board.
The first key to managing business in the face of a hurricane is to ensure the safety and security of our people in the area. CFI allows for remote work where possible to make sure our staff doesn’t have to commute in dangerous conditions or be away from their homes when they could be waiting for services or road clearance. Our technology updates allow operations people to preform all duties remotely, keeping us out of the way of emergency personnel on the roads. Much like the issues we face during the COVID-19 pandemic, the ability to adapt to new work environments, remote distance and cross-training employees ensure that people are able to take the time they need during a disaster without compromising the customer service we’re offering.
Once we’re secure in the knowledge that our staff is safe and protected and we have continuity of service, CFI needs to know our buildings and cargo are safe and protected. While we can’t promise that our buildings are forever – it’s called a disaster, after all – we incorporate the latest technology to protect the cargo on hand regardless of what’s happening outside. Our layered approach to the cool chain doesn’t stop at the tarmac. We have separate power sources to keep our cool chain running without interruption if the power fails by utilizing our refrigerated containers. Our staff, especially in hurricane zones is masterful at preparing our buildings to mitigate damage and work around outside physical issues that might happen. We’re able to work inside while we fix the outside to make sure the building remains safe and available for business to continue.
The key to weathering storms of all sorts is the CFI attention to detail. Being proactive, preventative and prepared helps us to always have a plan to follow, a structure of hierarchy to disseminate communication effectively, and a backup plan in case of severe destruction. Natural disasters can wreak tragedy on people who are struggling and in some cases crime can rise as people are desperate during the aftermath. Our dedication to security in our buildings helps us avoid pilferage while our commitment to being a positive force in our community gives us the opportunity to give back in meaningful ways when times are tough.
If you need to move perishable cargo in a hurricane zone, or a blizzard zone, or a wildfire zone, you can count on the CFI team to have a plan to ensure continuity of service in almost every situation. Reach out to your CFI representative to discuss our plans and solutions to handling your cargo. Our attention to detail is your savings and value when we come together to handle disasters big and small.
