THE islandwide public anxiety caused by the uncertain and ever-changing nature of the COVID-19 pandemic has required large-scale responsiveness by the Government, and as part of its Disaster Risk Management strategy, the Administration launched the ONE LOVE hotline at the end of February.

For its part, Jamaican-owned global services provider itelbpo, through its 4Ys Foundation, has already donated over $14 million in essential contact centre services and will continue to donate $2 million per week to assist in managing the ensuing public health crisis, the company said in a press statement.

“Itelbpo has dedicated a large team of front line contact centre ‘super agents’ and several administrative staff in its Montego Bay operations, who are delivering 24-hour, 7-day-a-week in-bound phone support to the nation. The team handles thousands of incoming calls per day from individuals across the island,” the release said.

“Through these interactions they answer questions, provide important updates, and capture data that assist the Ministry of Health and Wellness [MOHW] in managing the potential spread of the virus. Some people are really in a panic when they call us and it’s our responsibility to guide them through the situation – even emergency situations where they feel their life or the life of a loved one is at stake,” said team supervisor, Monique Frazer.

“As their supervisor, I am committed to guiding my team to doing their best and showing people that we care,” added Frazer.

The members of itelbpo’s hotline team were previously assigned to a travel account that closed when the tourism industry went on lockdown. As a result, they are well-equipped to offer a warm and caring touch to the many persons who call daily. They have been further trained in answering sensitive calls from civilians, dissecting and prioritising information, as well as transferring critical data to the Ministry of Health & Wellness.

Itelbpo’s Founding Chairman and CEO Yoni Epstein said that through this private and public sector collaboration, his team was able to “support the public, even the most vulnerable, at a time of critical need. There are many Jamaicans, especially in rural areas, who still do not have access to the Internet, and the hotline gives them a channel to receive critical updates and make reports. We feel both a sense of privilege and responsibility in having this opportunity to help Jamaica weather this storm”.

Itelbpo launched its 4Ys Foundation in September 2019 to institutionalise the company’s commitment to supporting community endeavours in the areas of sports, innovation, education and environment. Since its launch, the foundation has helped itelbpo as a company, as well as its individual team members, to be responsive and make an immediate and direct impact in times of crisis.

Last year the foundation raised U$60,000 in relief funds for its Bahamas team within two weeks after Hurricane Dorian. The hotline further demonstrates “the foundation’s ability to mobilise quickly and utilise its team’s talent and dedication for purpose-led initiatives”, the release said,