Posted in: Comics | Tagged: coronavirus, coronavirus comics, diamond, distributor wars

Diamond Comic Distributors Enact New Policies Over #Coronavirus Fears

Published Fri, 13 Mar 2020 14:05:54 -0500

Last updated Sat, 25 Apr 2020 13:20:28 -0500

While some comic book publisher staffers are able to work from home, it's a little harder at a comic book distributor. Chris Powell, Chief Relationship Officer of Geppi Family Enterprises, has issued the current advice to customers of Diamond Comic Distributors and Alliance Game Distributors.

Diamond Comic Distributors and Alliance Game Distributors take our vital role in the supply chain very seriously. Our existing Employee Wellness and Business Continuity Teams have had their charters expanded to include the Coronavirus outbreak and its implications.

Our Employee Wellness Team has been focused on the immediate issues surrounding the teams in our various facilities, such as updated cleaning regimens recommended by the CDC, a waiver for employees who want to take sick days but may not have accrued time, increasing our work-from-home capabilities, testing of our employee emergency contact system of emails and text messages, and new or updated policies relating to business and personal travel. I've summarized our travel policies at the end of this message.

Our Business Continuity Team is focused on assessing each of our individual locations and identifying our path forward should the workforce at that location be diminished by the virus for some period of time.

Both teams are meeting several times a week to identify weaknesses not covered by our existing disaster recovery plans and document remedies, because we recognize the importance of weekly shipments to our retailers and vendors.

While both teams have prioritized internal communication, we are now working through the early stages of a plan to keep the supply chain informed through regular updates like this one. We will be working in concert with publishers, printers, logistics/freight providers, and numerous other vendors crucial to our operations.

Retailers may be affected by travel or social gathering restrictions, and we will work with those retailers on a case-by-case basis, as we do with natural disasters. If you are in such an area and would like your shipments held for a period of time, contact Retailer Services at service@diamondcomics.com and we can discuss options with you.

Free Comic Book Day books have already shipped from the printer and are going to be processed for retailers. Recognizing the effect this situation can have on some retailers' events, we are discussing options with our publishing partners and will be sharing more information as it becomes available.

I think these steps should provide some level of comfort as we move forward, for all involved, and will keep you in the loop as we make other changes / improvements.

Interim Travel Policies

Business-related domestic travel: Air travel is suspended. Non-air travel requires approval from a senior member of management

Business-related international travel: All international travel is suspended until further notice

Personal air travel: We ask to be informed of travel in advance, so that we can identify precautions we may want to take, up to and including self-quarantine at home for some period upon the employees' return.

Conferences: All attendance is currently suspended.

In-person meetings: All vendor meetings are to be held via conference call or video conference, and internal meetings are to be kept to a minimum.