Page 19 - Louisiana 811 Magazine 2020 Issue 4

Stronger Together: One Call Concepts and Louisiana 811 Thrive Under COVID-19
Safety is the number one priority for the damage prevention industry at large, and also for the many one call notification centers operated by One Call Concepts, Inc. (OCC).
Due to the effects of the novel coronavirus pandemic, OCC actively worked to ensure notification center services remained unaffected. Keeping employees connected is no small feat under ordinary circumstances, and
if there was ever a company built to handle dramatic change, it’s OCC.
The pandemic acted as a catalyst
for many companies’ digital transformations, especially when it came to collaboration, and collaboration is inherent in OCC’s structure. In early March, the company issued a stay- at-home order for all nonessential personnel. OCC took necessary precautions to preserve the safety and
well-being of its remaining office- based staff while encouraging member utilities, locators and contractors to file locate requests online via OCC’s NextGen software as often as possible.
As construction season unfolded in
the spring, online ticket submissions continued to rise. Moving traffic online was a crucial step in streamlining processes that came with the added benefit of taking some of the pressure off of call centers.
Every notification center is equipped to handle tickets from any state in which OCC operates. OCC’s vast redundancy network also includes an overflow office in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, called the North American Support Center (NASC).
The NASC uses a hybrid staffing model of both office-based and telecommuter staff to provide maximum coverage in
case of emergencies, such as inclement weather. Telecommuters can provide ready support within minutes of
being notified of an urgent situation from any of OCC’s call centers. These changes allowed for a seamless shift in procedures without an interruption of services.
Louisiana 811 (LA811), the notification center for the state of Louisiana, effortlessly made its transition during the lockdown. LA811 was able to shift to remote operations without missing a beat thanks to the careful planning and forethought of OCC.
Since 1982, One Call Concepts, Inc. provides end-to-end call center management and software to its notification centers. OCC is pleased
to put its collective strength to work
on behalf of the members of the 18 notification centers it serves throughout the United States.
2020, Issue 4 Louisiana 811 • 17