Prepared for coronavirus: Measures taken by AEB

We have been following the development of the coronavirus crisis with great vigilance since the beginning and are constantly evaluating which measures are necessary. In March, the World Health Organization has declared the coronavirus crisis a pandemic. AEB's contingency concept includes an emergency plan for this scenario. It is designed to ensure that operation and services can continue while minimizing the risk of infection. Here, you will find detailed information.

AEB’s contingency concept (click here for details ) distinguishes between measures to prevent emergencies and measures to deal with emergencies. Please note the following: According to our definition, no emergency has (yet) occurred. For this reason, we have so far only activated extensive preventive measures at AEB. Their ultimate goals: Avoiding infection risks and continuing operation and services at the usual high level.

Operation continues without restrictions

AEB employees can carry out most of their work from the home office. This enables us to act flexibly to avoid possible infection risks without sacrificing performance. Thanks to state-of-the-art AI-based mechanisms, customers and employees can be confident that even in the current situation, data, applications, and processes are protected and available as usual. Rest assured:

1. The operation of our cloud solutions and the data center continues without restrictions. By means of appropriate precautions and a high degree of automation, we can guarantee stable normal operation to you – even if a large number of AEB employees were infected. 
2. Our services such as support are also available to you to the full extent as agreed.
3. Projects will continue to be implemented as scheduled – but restrictions for on-site appointments apply (see below in section “Meeting remotely instead of on-site"). 

Meeting remotely instead of on-site

The recommendation of the authorities in Germany is clear: Those who can work at home should do so. Since AEB employees can perform most of their work from the home offices as described above, we follow the recommendation of the authorities. 

All AEB employees who do not need to be at AEB headquarters or other locations to ensure operations or for other compelling reasons work from their home offices. This works smoothly thanks to years of home office practice, mobile equipment for each employee, appropriate hardware in AEB's data centers, a reliable VPN connection, and cloud-based structures. 

The fact that AEB employees work from home means the following for scheduled appointments with customers and partners:

• Planned appointments on site at customers and partners must take place remotely, for example by telephone or video conference, or be postponed to a later date. 
• Scheduled appointments at AEB must be held remotely, for example by telephone or video conference, or postponed to a later date. 
• Planned trainings can also only take place as remote trainings. Since remote trainings and seminars have been our daily business for years, we have very good technical equipment and our trainers are well prepared for them.

Our motto: level-headed, decisive action

In order to safeguard operation and avoid the risk of infection, we have initiated intensive internal communication on the subject. We are in active exchange with all AEB colleagues on recommendations, instructions, and information about possible further measures. 

In general, the following applies at AEB with regard to the coronavirus epidemic: Our motto is “level-headed, decisive action”. 

All AEB employees have been informed about personal hygiene measures and recommended behavior. In addition, all colleagues who continue to work in the AEB offices in order to secure operations strictly adhere to the hygiene measures recommended by official bodies. This includes behavioral measures in the following scenarios: 

• If an infection is suspected: When typical symptoms such as fever, dry cough etc. occur, employees are to stay at home. If the symptoms are serious, employees are asked to inform AEB, contact their family doctor, and work in the home office for at least the next 14 days.
• If someone was in contact with infected persons: Anyone who was in contact with people who are proven to be infected with coronavirus will work from their home office for at least 14 days. Affected employees will inform AEB.