In the period behind us, we steered our marketing activities in raising awareness of the importance of prevention, promotion of healthy habits and being responsible to ourselves, and our loved once
When you have a well-established system, founded on knowledge, clearly defined procedures and implemented standards, a professional and educated team ready to learn and accept changes, I know that we will always seek for the best possible solution for every situation that awaits us in the future”, said Ivana Adžić, CEO of Esensa.
To what extent has the current virus outbreak affected your business, and how have you organized yourself to continue to work smoothly and ensure the safety of your associates?
During the pandemic, we dedicated all our resources to protecting the health of our patients and colleagues, health workers. 24 hours a day, seven days a week, Esensa employees were at their workplaces ensuring the availability and continuity in supplying the healthcare facilities and providers with our products, predominantly dietary supplements and disinfectants. We understood that our primary task was, and still is, to prevent the spread of the virus and preserve the health of our citizens, fully aware that we must show professionalism, responsibility and solidarity. That is our duty and obligation. At an important time for the health of the nation, we were just doing our job and staying at your service. With good organization, quick and responsible decision making, application of adequate protection measures and a high degree of personal responsibility of all of our 200employees, we managed to ensure the business continuity, tackle any obstacles along the way and ensure seamlessness in our operations.
“Because only preserved health brings harmony, the Power of joy and nourishes all the positive qualities that a person has”
Has the virus pandemic transformed the business in your company and if so – in what way?
New circumstances required businesses to reorganize fast and adjust to changing market demands, regardless of the industry. Being traditionally committed to innovation and continuous digitalization of our internal processes we, as a company, were able to show agility and adapt to new working conditions. We managed to maintain our supply chains and secure resources for production. Our colleagues worked around the clock to supply the market with disinfectants and biocides: in one day we produced 4 tons of Alkoseptol and Aseptan in different packages! Also, we are proud that our leading trademarks, including Marisol (winner of a prestigious award “Best of Serbia”) Propomint, Imunobeta, Magnevital, Ferimed and EsenBak probiotics, were main allies in preserving our health and helping our immune system to stay strong.
Moreover, in the period behind us, we steered our marketing activities in raising awareness of the importance of prevention, promotion of healthy habits and being responsible to ourselves and our loved once. That is why we in Esensa have created a new motto: “Guarding the best in you” because only preserved health brings harmony, the power of joy and nourishes all the positive qualities that a person has.
Are there any predictions of what businesses in your industry will look like in the future and what risks/possibilities they might face?
There are no obstacles and threats for the Esensa team, only opportunities and challenges, to which we have been successfully responding for the last 12 years. New circumstances required us to make new strategic decisions and reposition our product portfolio. By analysing the market, we focused on products that are in demand and accordingly redefined priorities in our production line. We are aware that products for strengthening the immune system, nose and throat care, as well as disinfectants, are, and probably will stay a priority for our patients, partners and market in general. As a company that has over 200 products in its portfolio, we know that we will have the right therapy and the right answer for the needs of our patients at all times.
I would like to emphasize that our products are developed by our devoted R&D department, found on knowledge and experience, latest trends in the global pharmaceutical market, cutting-edge technologies and unique formulations based on tested active ingredients of predominantly natural origins. Professional service and quality of our products are also recognized by our foreign partners, as Esensa exports in 28 countries in the EU and globally.
What are your expectations regarding the pandemic? Do you have a prepared strategy in case a similar scenario occurs and is your business model flexible enough to recover from the impact of a crisis?
I am, as my colleagues say, a realistic optimist as I do not acknowledge optimism without grounds. I always believe we can do more and better. However, we must not underestimate the pandemic and the risk of a potential crisis that may arise from it. A quick response to a crisis situation is becoming a new competitive advantage today. As much as it is a challenge for processes in a company, it is also a challenge for teams and employees- a way to maintain motivation, show devotion and collegiality and exchange information. According to Nassim Taleb, a renowned professor of risk analysis, the essence of crisis management is to get out of it better than you got into it. And that is what we are doing. Our management team is setting our priorities wisely, we are adjusting and constantly challenging our business strategy, but we are also are learning along the way and are open to advises and different opinions. We are focused on what is important and what we can influence. Brave, quick and responsible decision making is a priority in an environment as this one.