World Wide Technology COVID-19 Coronavirus Outbreak FAQs

View our statement on COVID-19 Coronavirus

Updated: May 29, 2020

How is WWT able to assist its customers in their business continuity efforts?

Since the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, we have been asked by customers in almost all industries to help them maintain business continuity. IT organizations are being challenged to both maintain business as usual and develop new infrastructures that can support immediate needs. We have compiled a number of resources that provide actionable tips across different technology domains. We also have a list of experts who span technology areas for you to connect with virtually.

What is WWT doing to assess the business impact of the COVID-19 Coronavirus outbreak?

WWT is monitoring the situation closely. WWT is leveraging its business resiliency program to inform our decision-making and to adjust business plans and processes to keep pace with a rapidly changing environment. Our Crisis Management Team is meeting regularly, and management at all levels are empowered to provide input on any process or policy changes that are needed to adapt to changes.
WWT maintains business continuity plans by department. While WWT does not share copies of our plans due to the proprietary nature of the information, our objective is to minimize risk to our employees, clients and suppliers, while also meeting client needs. Our plans include plans for operational continuity during an incident, as well as safety, human resources, communications and post-incident recovery.

What is WWT doing to protect its workforce?

We have restricted travel to only essential business travel, which requires approval at the executive level.
We have provided guidance to employees on good hygiene practices and links to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance.
We are following self-quarantine guidelines published by the CDC and World Health Organization (WHO).
WWT has on site family health clinics in both our GHQ in Maryland Heights and our Distribution Centers in Edwardsville, IL that can advise employees that seek medical advice on non-COVID-19 health matters.
We have asked tha all employees globally use collaboration technology to work remotely wherever possible, including for customer meetings and support.
We are adjusting shifts to minimize overlaps and limit movement of employees across our various locations as a means of "social distancing."
We are restricting visitors to our facilities. Visitors will not be allowed except for essential business need and with Executive VP approval. In all cases, we will be screening visitors to ensure that no visitors are permitted to access a WWT facility who, within the past 14 days, has (i) traveled from, or through Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, South Korea, Japan, Italy or a location currently subject to self-quarantine measures by government health authorities (including transiting through an airport in these locations); or (ii) had contact with a suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19, or a person under monitoring for COVID-19.

What will WWT do if a member of its workforce tests positive for COVID-19 Coronavirus?

WWT will follow all official guidance from the CDC, WHO and other applicable governing bodies.
WWT's current direction to employees is that any employee who is exhibiting symptoms should seek medical testing, and self-quarantine pending results.
Should the employee's case be confirmed, WWT will, in accordance the protocol outlined in its pandemic plan, take steps to ensure the site is appropriately cleaned and disinfected. WWT's Crisis Management Team would make any decisions regarding closing the facility, utilizing guidance from official sources.

How is the COVID-19 Coronavirus outbreak impacting WWT's supply chain operations?

Our supply chain operations in the United States and Amsterdam are currently operating normally. At this time, our Singapore operation has been modified as required by the Circuit Breaker order, and is operating with split teams. Any work that cannot be served out of the Singapore location is being serviced through one of our other locations, and we have not experienced significant delays. Our Asia Integration Center- Mumbai was closed temporarily as a result of a government-mandated curfew and restriction on business operations, but we are beginning to resume limited operations as the restrictions are eased. In all locations we have taken proactive steps to protect our workforce, such as adjusting shift schedules to minimize overlap, and limiting movement of employees across our various locations as a means of "social distancing."
We have also asked all personnel that can work from home to do so in order to reduce social interaction in the workplace. We will continue to evaluate our operations and outline possible scenarios and contingency plans if the viral spread requires us to close facilities or reduce our workforce.

How is the COVID-19 Coronavirus outbreak impacting lead times and delivery of product and what are you doing to mitigate against lengthening lead times?

Our Supplier Management teams are in open dialogue with our supply chain to ascertain the impact of COVID-19 on lead times and delivery to our clients. While many suppliers report minimal disruption associated with the virus, the situation is fluid. We are asking those suppliers reporting impact to provide updates on any changes to expected lead times or delivery schedules. Our operations teams are continuously updating that information as and when it becomes available. If you have specific questions about an order, please reach out to your account representative to investigate the details of the order in question.
We are in discussions with many customers and their OEMs about implementing short-term supply chains to help mitigate lengthening lead times. Where WWT already has supply chains in place with existing customers, we are discussing increasing our inventories on critical products that are showing or predicting significant increases in lead times. Partnership with the OEMs will be key to managing the business impact of this situation.
WWT will need client cooperation to clearly identify client priorities (i.e., critical orders, prioritization, flexibility to manage a supply of a product that may require stock balancing and returns if inventory is not completely consumed).

Can WWT fulfill impacted orders from a different location?

WWT will continue to process orders, work with OEM supply chains and coordinate with our customers during this time.
Whether on-site in areas that have not been impacted or remotely via our remote worker contingency plan, our sales operations, order management and program management professionals will continue to quote, procure and manage orders to the best of our ability to ensure customer business continuity.
Some orders may require services or fulfillment out of one of our four global integration centers. Our largest center is spread across four separate facilities in Edwardsville, IL, with smaller facilities in Amsterdam, Singapore and India. If WWT must close or reduce workforce in one facility as a result of this situation, it may be possible to fulfill certain orders from another facility as we implement our integration facility contingency plans. Our ability to do so could be limited by capacity in those locations, the state of viral spread in the other locations, and product availability. Should this occur, any potential impact will be rapidly communicated to customers.
WWT will continue to evaluate our ability to leverage our global footprint and our supply chain network to minimize the impact on our customers and the business.

How will WWT support services projects?

WWT will work with clients to evaluate the best means of service delivery. Wherever possible, WWT will proactively look at ways to leverage technology to deliver support for clients remotely. WWT is well positioned to implement remote service support strategy. WWT has invested significantly in our technology infrastructure. WWT has also invested in the establishment of a 24/7 support offering through its services Command Center.
We will continue to observe all official advice and direction from the CDC, WHO, U.S. State Department and other applicable governing bodies on when and where it is safe to travel, and other actions that should be taken to slow the spread of the virus. We will keep our clients informed where that advice or restrictions impact service delivery.
Where services must be deployed using on-site resources, WWT will work to determine whether travel to the location is possible and prudent under the circumstances, and whether delivery schedules can be adjusted. Our objective will remain working with our clients to find the best option for supporting business needs and minimizing disruption while avoiding the risk of needless and avoidable exposure.

Inquiries may be routed to cov_response@wwt.com with usual WWT contacts on copy.

Updated: March 23, 2020

How is WWT able to assist its customers in their business continuity efforts?

Since the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, we have been asked by customers in almost all industries to help them maintain business continuity. IT organizations are being challenged to both maintain business as usual and develop new infrastructures that can support immediate needs. We have compiled a number of resources that provide actionable tips across different technology domains. We also have a list of experts who span technology areas for you to connect with virtually.

What is WWT doing to assess the business impact of the COVID-19 Coronavirus outbreak?

WWT is monitoring the situation closely. WWT is leveraging its business resiliency program to inform our decision-making and to adjust business plans and processes to keep pace with a rapidly changing environment. Our Crisis Management Team is meeting regularly, and management at all levels are empowered to provide input on any process or policy changes that are needed to adapt to changes.
WWT maintains business continuity plans by department. While WWT does not share copies of our plans due to the proprietary nature of the information, our objective is to minimize risk to our employees, clients and suppliers, while also meeting client needs. Our plans include plans for operational continuity during an incident, as well as safety, human resources, communications and post-incident recovery.

What is WWT doing to protect its workforce?

We have restricted travel to only essential business travel, which requires approval at the executive level.
We have provided guidance to employees on good hygiene practices and links to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance.
We are following self-quarantine guidelines published by the CDC and World Health Organization (WHO).
WWT has on site family health clinics in both our GHQ in Maryland Heights and our Distribution Centers in Edwardsville, IL that can advise employees that seek medical advice on non-COVID-19 health matters.
We have asked tha all employees globally use collaboration technology to work remotely wherever possible, including for customer meetings and support.
We are adjusting shifts to minimize overlaps and limit movement of employees across our various locations as a means of "social distancing."
We are restricting visitors to our facilities. Visitors will not be allowed except for essential business need and with Executive VP approval. In all cases, we will be screening visitors to ensure that no visitors are permitted to access a WWT facility who, within the past 14 days, has (i) traveled from, or through Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, South Korea, Japan, Italy or a location currently subject to self-quarantine measures by government health authorities (including transiting through an airport in these locations); or (ii) had contact with a suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19, or a person under monitoring for COVID-19.

What will WWT do if a member of its workforce tests positive for COVID-19 Coronavirus?

WWT will follow all official guidance from the CDC, WHO and other applicable governing bodies.
WWT's current direction to employees is that any employee who is exhibiting symptoms should seek medical testing, and self-quarantine pending results.
Should the employee's case be confirmed, WWT will, in accordance the protocol outlined in its pandemic plan, take steps to ensure the site is appropriately cleaned and disinfected. WWT's Crisis Management Team would make any decisions regarding closing the facility, utilizing guidance from official sources.

How is the COVID-19 Coronavirus outbreak impacting WWT's supply chain operations?

Our supply chain operations in the United States, Amsterdam and Singapore are currently operating normally. At this time, only our Asia Integration Center- Mumbai has closed temporarily as a result of a government-mandated curfew and restriction on business operations. In all locations we have taken proactive steps to protect our workforce, such as adjusting shift schedules to minimize overlap, and limiting movement of employees across our various locations as a means of "social distancing."
We have also asked all personnel that can work from home to do so in order to reduce social interaction in the workplace. We will continue to evaluate our operations and outline possible scenarios and contingency plans if the viral spread requires us to close facilities or reduce our workforce.

How is the COVID-19 Coronavirus outbreak impacting lead times and delivery of product and what are you doing to mitigate against lengthening lead times?

Our Supplier Management teams are in open dialogue with our supply chain to ascertain the impact of COVID-19 on lead times and delivery to our clients. While many suppliers report minimal disruption associated with the virus, the situation is fluid. We are asking those suppliers reporting impact to provide updates on any changes to expected lead times or delivery schedules. Our operations teams are continuously updating that information as and when it becomes available. If you have specific questions about an order, please reach out to your account representative to investigate the details of the order in question.
We are in discussions with many customers and their OEMs about implementing short-term supply chains to help mitigate lengthening lead times. Where WWT already has supply chains in place with existing customers, we are discussing increasing our inventories on critical products that are showing or predicting significant increases in lead times. Partnership with the OEMs will be key to managing the business impact of this situation.
WWT will need client cooperation to clearly identify client priorities (i.e., critical orders, prioritization, flexibility to manage a supply of a product that may require stock balancing and returns if inventory is not completely consumed).

Can WWT fulfill impacted orders from a different location?

WWT will continue to process orders, work with OEM supply chains and coordinate with our customers during this time.
Whether on-site in areas that have not been impacted or remotely via our remote worker contingency plan, our sales operations, order management and program management professionals will continue to quote, procure and manage orders to the best of our ability to ensure customer business continuity.
Some orders may require services or fulfillment out of one of our four global integration centers. Our largest center is spread across four separate facilities in Edwardsville, IL, with smaller facilities in Amsterdam, Singapore and India. If WWT must close or reduce workforce in one facility as a result of this situation, it may be possible to fulfill certain orders from another facility as we implement our integration facility contingency plans. Our ability to do so could be limited by capacity in those locations, the state of viral spread in the other locations, and product availability. Should this occur, any potential impact will be rapidly communicated to customers.
WWT will continue to evaluate our ability to leverage our global footprint and our supply chain network to minimize the impact on our customers and the business.

How will WWT support services projects?

WWT will work with clients to evaluate the best means of service delivery. Wherever possible, WWT will proactively look at ways to leverage technology to deliver support for clients remotely. WWT is well positioned to implement remote service support strategy. WWT has invested significantly in our technology infrastructure. WWT has also invested in the establishment of a 24/7 support offering through its services Command Center.
We will continue to observe all official advice and direction from the CDC, WHO, U.S. State Department and other applicable governing bodies on when and where it is safe to travel, and other actions that should be taken to slow the spread of the virus. We will keep our clients informed where that advice or restrictions impact service delivery.
Where services must be deployed using on-site resources, WWT will work to determine whether travel to the location is possible and prudent under the circumstances, and whether delivery schedules can be adjusted. Our objective will remain working with our clients to find the best option for supporting business needs and minimizing disruption while avoiding the risk of needless and avoidable exposure.

Inquiries may be routed to cov_response@wwt.com with usual WWT contacts on copy.

Updated: March 20, 2020

How is WWT able to assist its customers in their business continuity efforts?

Since the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, we have been asked by customers in almost all industries to help them maintain business continuity. IT organizations are being challenged to both maintain business as usual and develop new infrastructures that can support immediate needs. We have compiled a number of resources that provide actionable tips across different technology domains. We also have a list of experts who span technology areas for you to connect with virtually.

What is WWT doing to assess the business impact of the COVID-19 Coronavirus outbreak?

WWT is monitoring the situation closely. WWT is leveraging its business resiliency program to inform our decision-making and to adjust business plans and processes to keep pace with a rapidly changing environment. Our Crisis Management Team is meeting regularly, and management at all levels are empowered to provide input on any process or policy changes that are needed to adapt to changes.
WWT maintains business continuity plans by department. While WWT does not share copies of our plans due to the proprietary nature of the information, our objective is to minimize risk to our employees, clients and suppliers, while also meeting client needs. Our plans include plans for operational continuity during an incident, as well as safety, human resources, communications and post-incident recovery.

What is WWT doing to protect its workforce?

We have restricted travel to only essential business travel, which requires approval at the executive level.
We have provided guidance to employees on good hygiene practices and links to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance.
We are following self-quarantine guidelines published by the CDC and World Health Organization (WHO).
WWT has on site family health clinics in both our GHQ in Maryland Heights and our Distribution Centers in Edwardsville, IL that can advise employees that seek medical advice on non-COVID-19 health matters.
We have asked tha all employees globally use collaboration technology to work remotely wherever possible, including for customer meetings and support.
We are adjusting shifts to minimize overlaps and limit movement of employees across our various locations as a means of "social distancing."
We are restricting visitors to our facilities. Visitors will not be allowed except for essential business need and with Executive VP approval. In all cases, we will be screening visitors to ensure that no visitors are permitted to access a WWT facility who, within the past 14 days, has (i) traveled from, or through Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, South Korea, Japan, Italy or a location currently subject to self-quarantine measures by government health authorities (including transiting through an airport in these locations); or (ii) had contact with a suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19, or a person under monitoring for COVID-19.

What will WWT do if a member of its workforce tests positive for COVID-19 Coronavirus?

WWT will follow all official guidance from the CDC, WHO and other applicable governing bodies.
WWT's current direction to employees is that any employee who is exhibiting symptoms should seek medical testing, and self-quarantine pending results.
Should the employee's case be confirmed, WWT will, in accordance the protocol outlined in its pandemic plan, take steps to ensure the site is appropriately cleaned and disinfected. WWT's Crisis Management Team would make any decisions regarding closing the facility, utilizing guidance from official sources.

How is the COVID-19 Coronavirus outbreak impacting WWT's supply chain operations?

Our supply chain operations are currently operating normally. However, we have taken proactive steps to adjust shift schedules to minimize overlap, and to limit movement of employees across our various locations as a means of "social distancing."
At this time, no facilities are closed, and we have a full workforce capability. However, we have asked all personnel that can work from home to do so in order to reduce social interaction in the workplace. We will continue to evaluate our operations and outline possible scenarios and contingency plans if the viral spread requires us to close facilities or reduce our workforce.

How is the COVID-19 Coronavirus outbreak impacting lead times and delivery of product and what are you doing to mitigate against lengthening lead times?

Our Supplier Management teams are in open dialogue with our supply chain to ascertain the impact of COVID-19 on lead times and delivery to our clients. While many suppliers report minimal disruption associated with the virus, the situation is fluid. We are asking those suppliers reporting impact to provide updates on any changes to expected lead times or delivery schedules. Our operations teams are continuously updating that information as and when it becomes available. If you have specific questions about an order, please reach out to your account representative to investigate the details of the order in question.
We are in discussions with many customers and their OEMs about implementing short-term supply chains to help mitigate lengthening lead times. Where WWT already has supply chains in place with existing customers, we are discussing increasing our inventories on critical products that are showing or predicting significant increases in lead times. Partnership with the OEMs will be key to managing the business impact of this situation.
WWT will need client cooperation to clearly identify client priorities (i.e., critical orders, prioritization, flexibility to manage a supply of a product that may require stock balancing and returns if inventory is not completely consumed).

Can WWT fulfill impacted orders from a different location?

WWT will continue to process orders, work with OEM supply chains and coordinate with our customers during this time.
Whether on-site in areas that have not been impacted or remotely via our remote worker contingency plan, our sales operations, order management and program management professionals will continue to quote, procure and manage orders to the best of our ability to ensure customer business continuity.
Some orders may require services or fulfillment out of one of our four global integration centers. Our largest center is spread across four separate facilities in Edwardsville, IL, with smaller facilities in Amsterdam, Singapore and India. If WWT must close or reduce workforce in one facility as a result of this situation, it may be possible to fulfill certain orders from another facility as we implement our integration facility contingency plans. Our ability to do so could be limited by capacity in those locations, the state of viral spread in the other locations, and product availability. Should this occur, any potential impact will be rapidly communicated to customers.
WWT will continue to evaluate our ability to leverage our global footprint and our supply chain network to minimize the impact on our customers and the business.

How will WWT support services projects?

WWT will work with clients to evaluate the best means of service delivery. Wherever possible, WWT will proactively look at ways to leverage technology to deliver support for clients remotely. WWT is well positioned to implement remote service support strategy. WWT has invested significantly in our technology infrastructure. WWT has also invested in the establishment of a 24/7 support offering through its services Command Center.
We will continue to observe all official advice and direction from the CDC, WHO, U.S. State Department and other applicable governing bodies on when and where it is safe to travel, and other actions that should be taken to slow the spread of the virus. We will keep our clients informed where that advice or restrictions impact service delivery.
Where services must be deployed using on-site resources, WWT will work to determine whether travel to the location is possible and prudent under the circumstances, and whether delivery schedules can be adjusted. Our objective will remain working with our clients to find the best option for supporting business needs and minimizing disruption while avoiding the risk of needless and avoidable exposure.

Inquiries may be routed to cov_response@wwt.com with usual WWT contacts on copy.

Updated: March 15, 2020

What is WWT doing to assess the business impact of the COVID-19 Coronavirus outbreak?

WWT is monitoring the situation closely. WWT is leveraging its business resiliency program to inform our decision-making and to adjust business plans and processes to keep pace with a rapidly changing environment. Our Crisis Management Team is meeting regularly, and management at all levels are empowered to provide input on any process or policy changes that are needed to adapt to changes.
WWT maintains business continuity plans by department. While WWT does not share copies of our plans due to the proprietary nature of the information, our objective is to minimize risk to our employees, clients and suppliers, while also meeting client needs. Our plans include plans for operational continuity during an incident, as well as safety, human resources, communications and post-incident recovery.

What is WWT doing to protect its workforce?

We have restricted travel to only essential business travel, which requires approval at the executive level.
We have provided guidance to employees on good hygiene practices and links to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance.
We are following self-quarantine guidelines published by the CDC and World Health Organization (WHO).
WWT has on site family health clinics in both our GHQ in Maryland Heights and our Distribution Centers in Edwardsville, IL that can advise employees that seek medical advice on non-COVID-19 health matters.
We have asked tha all employees globally use collaboration technology to work remotely wherever possible, including for customer meetings and support.
We are adjusting shifts to minimize overlaps and limit movement of employees across our various locations as a means of "social distancing."
We are restricting visitors to our facilities. Visitors will not be allowed except for essential business need and with Executive VP approval. In all cases, we will be screening visitors to ensure that no visitors are permitted to access a WWT facility who, within the past 14 days, has (i) traveled from, or through Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, South Korea, Japan, Italy or a location currently subject to self-quarantine measures by government health authorities (including transiting through an airport in these locations); or (ii) had contact with a suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19, or a person under monitoring for COVID-19.

What will WWT do if a member of its workforce tests positive for COVID-19 Coronavirus?

WWT will follow all official guidance from the CDC, WHO and other applicable governing bodies.
WWT's current direction to employees is that any employee who is exhibiting symptoms should seek medical testing, and self-quarantine pending results.
Should the employee's case be confirmed, WWT will, in accordance the protocol outlined in its pandemic plan, take steps to ensure the site is appropriately cleaned and disinfected. WWT's Crisis Management Team would make any decisions regarding closing the facility, utilizing guidance from official sources.

How is the COVID-19 Coronavirus outbreak impacting WWT's supply chain operations?

Our supply chain operations are currently operating normally. However, we have taken proactive steps to adjust shift schedules to minimize overlap, and to limit movement of employees across our various locations as a means of "social distancing."
At this time, no facilities are closed, and we have a full workforce capability. However, we have asked all personnel that can work from home to do so in order to reduce social interaction in the workplace. We will continue to evaluate our operations and outline possible scenarios and contingency plans if the viral spread requires us to close facilities or reduce our workforce.

How is the COVID-19 Coronavirus outbreak impacting lead times and delivery of product and what are you doing to mitigate against lengthening lead times?

Our Supplier Management teams are in open dialogue with our supply chain to ascertain the impact of COVID-19 on lead times and delivery to our clients. While many suppliers report minimal disruption associated with the virus, the situation is fluid. We are asking those suppliers reporting impact to provide updates on any changes to expected lead times or delivery schedules. Our operations teams are continuously updating that information as and when it becomes available. If you have specific questions about an order, please reach out to your account representative to investigate the details of the order in question.
We are in discussions with many customers and their OEMs about implementing short-term supply chains to help mitigate lengthening lead times. Where WWT already has supply chains in place with existing customers, we are discussing increasing our inventories on critical products that are showing or predicting significant increases in lead times. Partnership with the OEMs will be key to managing the business impact of this situation.
WWT will need client cooperation to clearly identify client priorities (i.e., critical orders, prioritization, flexibility to manage a supply of a product that may require stock balancing and returns if inventory is not completely consumed).

Can WWT fulfill impacted orders from a different location?

WWT will continue to process orders, work with OEM supply chains and coordinate with our customers during this time.
Whether on-site in areas that have not been impacted or remotely via our remote worker contingency plan, our sales operations, order management and program management professionals will continue to quote, procure and manage orders to the best of our ability to ensure customer business continuity.
Some orders may require services or fulfillment out of one of our four global integration centers. Our largest center is spread across four separate facilities in Edwardsville, IL, with smaller facilities in Amsterdam, Singapore and India. If WWT must close or reduce workforce in one facility as a result of this situation, it may be possible to fulfill certain orders from another facility as we implement our integration facility contingency plans. Our ability to do so could be limited by capacity in those locations, the state of viral spread in the other locations, and product availability. Should this occur, any potential impact will be rapidly communicated to customers.
WWT will continue to evaluate our ability to leverage our global footprint and our supply chain network to minimize the impact on our customers and the business.

How will WWT support services projects?

WWT will work with clients to evaluate the best means of service delivery. Wherever possible, WWT will proactively look at ways to leverage technology to deliver support for clients remotely. WWT is well positioned to implement remote service support strategy. WWT has invested significantly in our technology infrastructure. WWT has also invested in the establishment of a 24/7 support offering through its services Command Center.
We will continue to observe all official advice and direction from the CDC, WHO, U.S. State Department and other applicable governing bodies on when and where it is safe to travel, and other actions that should be taken to slow the spread of the virus. We will keep our clients informed where that advice or restrictions impact service delivery.
Where services must be deployed using on-site resources, WWT will work to determine whether travel to the location is possible and prudent under the circumstances, and whether delivery schedules can be adjusted. Our objective will remain working with our clients to find the best option for supporting business needs and minimizing disruption while avoiding the risk of needless and avoidable exposure.

Inquiries may be routed to cov_response@wwt.com with usual WWT contacts on copy.