Interview with: Svetozar Janevski, President of Management Board of BB Tikves
Published on: November 27, 2020
- What type of initiatives has Tikves undertaken over the last months, to make you be recognized as a company – leader in the country?
Our initiatives were directed on two levels: individual or company level and group or industry level.
At company level we made sure that we continued the crucial investments planned and even though we made a lot of operational adjustments, we made everything possible to secure the employment of our people and the future of the company. Thus, we realized important investments in new vineyards planting, essential for the production of high-quality wine in the future, demonstrating that we are focused on the long-term development and sustainability of the company.
Furthermore, we invested in the development of an online platform for the sales of wines and into a home delivery distribution system to adjust to the new situation and conditions of limited movement of the consumers, providing more options and convenience for them to access the products.
We also invested a lot in our employees’ physical and emotional health in this situation by taking proper preventive activities and also providing assistance in assuring their emotional and psychological stability in times of crisis.
On industry level, we rose up to the existing circumstances and through the association Wines of Macedonia, we were at the forefront of the industry in protecting its interests and articulating and fighting for measures that would firstly assure the existence of the industry and secondly its long-term sustainability.
We also continued taking an active role in national and transnational projects, cooperating with various donors to ensure funding that would assist N. Macedonia as a wine region and as a country to acquire the much-needed technical assistance in its further development and recognition as a wine producing country.
2. What was the main motivation behind this initiative/s?
The main motivation was ensuring security in the short term and prosperity in the long term for our employees but also for all business partners and suppliers, as well as the community. Actually, for all whose success and existence are closely related to Tikves Winery. We wanted to make sure that Tikves Winery will be able to continue to contribute to the economy and be the driver of the economic development in the country by the production and export of high-quality wine. We have done a lot to set and maintain the high level of standards in the industry, to introduce innovations and advanced solutions, so that was part of that strategy that as an industry leader we have to implement. That is what is expected of us and we take it as a serious responsibility.
3. What is the message you would like to send to other companies in such uncertain times?
The message to the companies is to follow daily what is happening on the market. Be ready for repetitions, stay away from fake news, analyze… Do not waste time on fruitless discussions about which facts are better and make various scenarios based on the facts. This is a time of war and in times of war, you don’t have much time to think. Use reliable sources, carefully forecast. The mistakes you’ve made in the morning have to be corrected in the evening.
Also, keep preparing for the “day after”. Look for possibilities and always know that crises have an expiration date. Adversity will eventually finish and that is not a permanent situation. Adjust to the circumstances, do not dwell on them.
And last but not least, the communication in the company is of crucial importance. Now is the time to give encouragement to your employees and instill them with confidence that you are moving forward as a team, all together. Show a sense of togetherness and solidarity, leadership and cooperation. It is expected people to feel anxious in uncertain situations and you have to address this in a timely manner and support them so that the anxiety does not transform into fear and the fear into stress. Stress has a negative impact on employees’ well-being, their everyday functioning, and ultimately on their contribution to the company. Provide advice and support to employees, so that they can feel confident, focused, and stable and avoid getting into a state of fear and stress.