#communityovereverything: Elkhan Shabanov

At pivotal times like these, our team has been focusing on ensuring to uphold our core values above all else. As part of our Community Over Everything campaign, we aim to serve as a megaphone for our members who have advice and insight on coping with the current situation. CityCentral has a strong community of members who care not only for the success of their business but for the safety of the community as a whole. One such CityCentral member, Elkhan Shabanov, was gracious enough to share his tips on navigating the work environment during a crisis.

“WE HAD TO ACT. WE HAD TO DO SOMETHING. OUR COMMITMENTS ARE STILL TOP PRIORITY.”

Elkhan Shabanov is the CEO of Digicode, a technology and software development company with offices in Kyiv to right here in Plano. With clients including Dominos, Microsoft, and Bosch, Digicode has experience in a wide variety of professional fields. Remarkable that in times like these Mr. Shabanov has been able to maintain business flow while ensuring the safety of his more than two-hundred employees.

“WE ALWAYS HAVE A PLAN [FOR IF] SOMETHING MAY HAPPEN.”

The key, according to Shabanov, is simple; always have a plan. Elkhan credits Digicode’s business continuity plan with enabling them to address the needs of the company’s staff without any lapse in customer care. In response to the COVID-19 outbreak, Digicode has required all employees to work remotely, no one is allowed to go into the office. They have been able to ensure all of their employees have the necessary equipment to fulfill their roles from home. Additionally, their IT department was mobilized to ensure network stability leading to operations resuming without issue within two days. In addition to his rapid response to the crisis, Mr. Shabanov’s continuity plan includes contingencies that account for the uncertainty in the duration of this crisis. Digicode has plans in place to fulfill its commitments to its clients regardless of how long COVID-19 poses a threat to the health and safety of the public.

“[WE ARE] FIGHTING FATIGUE AND DEPRESSION THAT CAN HAPPEN WHEN PEOPLE ARE STUCK IN ONE PLACE.”

Mr. Shabanov takes his commitment to his employees every bit as seriously as he does his clients. Like most companies that have taken the initiative of having their employees work from home, Digicode has utilized video conferencing as a means of face-to-face collaboration for team members. This has proved invaluable as the Digicode staff have always enjoyed an open, friendly, and collaborative work environment. Beyond accounting for the professional needs of his employees, Elkhan has demonstrated a genuine concern for their mental and emotional wellbeing. In a direct attempt to combat fatigue and depression, Digicode has hired an online fitness trainer to lead two sessions a day for all of the company’s employees, ensuring they keep physically and mentally healthy. Additionally, Digicode has taken steps to supply some level of social interaction for its team members with it’s Kyiv office instituting a movie night. All of the office members were able to stream a movie together, commenting on it in real-time. Elkhan believes it was a good way to allow for the office comradery his teams have become accustomed to and keep morale high. 

“WHEN SOMETHING DOES HAPPEN, BE SURE TO REVIEW ALL SCENARIOS.”

Ultimately, if nothing else, COVID-19 has demonstrated Elkhan Shabanov’s unyielding commitment to his customers and employees alike. Maintaining the success and happiness of both groups is paramount, especially in times of such uncertainty. As a business and community leader, Mr. Shabanov believes the best advice he can give is to "… Remain calm, think through your actions and avoid reactionary decisions. Be sure to not only have a detailed plan for maintaining the happiness of your customers and employees but also be sure to account for worst-case scenarios…" These are troublesome times for everyone, it is essential that they not be allowed to interfere with our commitments to our communities. 

“BE KIND, BE WISE, AND TAKE RESPONSIBILITY.”

Additionally, CityCentral would like to encourage the community to heed the advice of the CDC. Practice social distancing, thoroughly wash your hands and avoid touching your face. Remember, we are all in this together.