Time to give back: The OPPO perspective

The Covid-19 pandemic has catapulted the world into a new era, with organisations across the globe forced to rethink the way they do business. Remote working has become the new normal, with companies also relying on innovative digital services to cater to their clients and customers. For the launch of its Reno3 smartphone in March, global smartphone manufacturer OPPO decided to have the event online following the precautions it is taking to curb the spread of the virus.

Following a successful digital event, the company also invested in marketing the smartphone across the GCC region, where it has seen market share growing. One of the innovative approaches the company took was to partner with Gulf Business to create a magnetic prototype of the device sample and have it distributed along with its April issue of the magazine.

The Reno3 smartphone magnet was attached to the cover, and in line with the UAE government’s campaign, it carried a special message from OPPO to #StayHome.

In a bid to further encourage people in the UAE to stay safe, OPPO and Gulf Business also sent copies of the magazine along with a box of Patchi chocolates to VIP business leaders, key partners and social media influencers.

The recipients were encouraged further to share the message on their social media channels so that the #StayHome message is conveyed to their audience as well. This has also elicited a fantastic community response, with many spreading the word and passing on the message.

OPPO’S COVID-19 RESPONSE
On a broader level, OPPO, which has a presence in over 40 countries and employs more than 40,000 people, has taken several measures to deal with the pandemic.

“During these tough times, we need to remain united and practice the necessary steps to fight against the spread of Covid-19. With the safety of our users and employees being the absolute priority, we formed a special team to oversee preventative actions and maintain ongoing operations. OPPO has been committed
to protecting our community to fight this pandemic and encourage everyone in working together to protect family, friends and neighbours alike,” it states.

FOR EMPLOYEES
OPPO has ensured the supply of face masks for all its employees worldwide and is encouraging staff to work from home by following local policies. While some staff members are required to be onsite, the company is practising preventative measures to maximise interpersonal space and maintain social distancing. Its HR and IT departments have developed an intranet system for employees worldwide where staff will report daily health updates. The company is also reducing business travel and asking teams to deploy online communication as much as possible. If employees must travel, a 14-day self-quarantine is required when they arrive back at their location.

FOR THE COMMUNITY AND CUSTOMERS
OPPO is committed to helping communities thrive during the current situation. It has donated to the relevant institutions to help purchase medical supplies. During the early days of the outbreak in China, OPPO also dispatched some of its workers to help aid in the production of face masks in other factories. Recently, the company donated face masks to certain European countries and Japan to support local healthcare professionals.

OPPO is also sharing the preventative actions it has undertaken with global suppliers to help decrease the spread of Covid-19. For customers, to maintain its service quality, the OPPO online service team is currently working round the clock to ensure all user enquiries are being answered, with most units working remotely from home. Importantly, for users whose warranty expires between March 23 and May 23, OPPO will ensure that the warranty period will be automatically extended until May 31 – free of charge.

SAFETY FIRST
To continue preventing the spread of Covid-19, OPPO is carrying out a disinfection programme daily at its retail store. It is providing non-contact delivery to customers to ensure the health and safety of both parties. For overseas retail stores, the company is following the local policies in each country. For onsite staff, OPPO also conducts preventative measures, including daily disinfection and temperature checks. In the current situation, the company is encouraging consumers to use its online channels to explore products and services.

MOVING FORWARD
“We will continue exerting our efforts to help our nation and the whole world fight this pandemic. We thank our global and local staff at the OPPO community for doing their part. Our determination and camaraderie give us confidence that we can continue supporting each other during these tough times,” the company states. “OPPO is also excessively grateful for our global partners and community for helping us during these hard times. We hope our customers stay healthy and stay at home at this time,” it adds.