Chicomm Blog

A recent article in Fleet Management Weekly noted that when the COVID‑19 pandemic hit the United States, many fleets were riding the high of an economic boom. The fall from full‑time employment and growing fleets to lengthy lockdowns presented fleet management with new challenges. The ebb and flow of restrictions across the country means that safety is still a fundamental concern — but in business, productivity matters too.

As essential workers across the country continue performing their jobs each day, they must maintain strict social distancing protocols. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) recommends workplaces keep desks and chairs 6 feet apart and avoid employees from facing each other. Of course, keeping your distance while communicating in fast‑paced environments such as assembly lines, healthcare facilities, and schools isn’t easy. That’s where technology like two‑way radios, loudspeakers, and text‑based communication comes in.

When schools closed their doors to slow the spread of COVID‑19 in March 2020, many teachers and students found themselves scrambling to navigate new online learning platforms, video conferencing calls, and a sudden absence of face‑to‑face interactions. Standard classroom challenges were quickly compounded by technical difficulties, including.

• Unstable internet connections
• Inadequate capacity on the school virtual private network (VPN)
• Cybersecurity threats
• Long call wait times for campus IT support

Whether you’re supervising the manufacturing line or the bus lane, at a medical site or a construction site, you need your two‑way radio to operate continuously. Reliability is key.

Your radio can’t stop when it’s dropped, break when it’s shaken, fail when it’s shocked by static electricity, or lose power when the temperature drops.

As one of the Field Service Technicians on the Chicago Communications team, Grant Glashagel spends a lot of time on the road. He sets up radios in police patrol cars. He fixes communications equipment in loading vehicles at manufacturing plants. Regardless of where his work takes him on any given day, you'll find him completing mobile installations for ChiComm customers.

“I have an Associate’s of Applied Science Degree in Automotive Technology and a Bachelor of Science in Management,” he says. “My degree in Automotive Technology and all of the years I spent working on cars and trucks provided a good foundation for me to begin working full‑time at ChiComm.”

When it comes to stopping the spread of COVID‑19, advice from health experts is clear: Wash your hands. Practice social distancing. Wear a mask. 

Of these three recommendations, the easiest to enforce is face masks. That’s why governments around the world, from international leaders to local mayors, have implemented mask mandates. For instance, the Illinois Department of Health states that anyone over two years of age must wear a covering over their nose and mouth in public places.

Across the country, many communities, schools, and businesses are reopening. But in some states, spiking COVID‑19 numbers are triggering a second wave of restrictions. Regardless of the current data in your region, doing business safely is still a top concern. The pandemic has fundamentally changed the way we interact with one another.

As the Marketing Director at Chicago Communications, Lisa MacGillivray is responsible for building the company's brand. That includes managing everything from advertising to ChiComm's website and social media pages. In the end, her goal is to make sure future customers know what ChiComm has to offer.

"My job is always evolving, that’s my favorite part," she says. "Marketing teams today have to be content creators, website designers, and Google algorithm experts. The communication industry is also changing quickly. We now have digital two‑way radios, radios with WiFi capability, and radios with nationwide coverage."

Lisa's ability to keep pace with ever‑expanding technology and communication devices is exactly what makes her so good at her job. She's kept her finger on the pulse of communication needs and solutions for more than 12 years at ChiComm—and for several years at Maytag International before that.

Workers are returning to plants, businesses, schools, and more after months of isolation. But workplaces and workflows look different than before. To comply with local and state guidelines, many organizations have enforced strict social distancing protocols. However, maintaining distance while communicating in fast‑paced environments like assembly lines and hospitals. So, what can your business do to minimize the spread of COVID‑19? How can you keep workers safe and connected during a pandemic?

Hospitals are incredibly fast‑paced work environments. New lifesaving technologies are developed each year. Life‑or‑death crises arrive in the Emergency Room each day unannounced. And the grind continues 24/7. 

It seems there is never a good time to update your hospital building's secure communication systems. Rewiring networks or going offline for even a moment can have serious repercussions. So what can you do to ensure your hospital team can connect quickly and reliably on a moment's notice?

Considering updating your networks to 100% wireless coverage.