An Ottawa software company that’s seen its revenues nosedive during the pandemic is adding a COVID-19 screening app to its product offerings in anticipation of employees heading back to the office in 2021.
Intouch Insight officially launched the new service on Monday, saying it will help ensure a “safe return to work” for employees as vaccines against the coronavirus start rolling out around the world.
CEO Cameron Watt said the app will allow for “robust reporting and tracking” of employees who show symptoms of the virus. The tool, which can be installed on any mobile device, tablet or computer, alerts management via email if an employee or visitor fails a screening questionnaire and will allow for “centralized reporting” of COVID screening data from various office locations, he added.
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Offering a screening app would seem to be a logical step for Intouch Insight, which helps clients track customer satisfaction as well as collect data on issues such as employee health and safety concerns.
In addition to aiding a public-health cause, the product could also help boost the firm’s financial prospects.
Revenues plunge in recent quarter
Intouch Insight reported revenues of $2.97 million for the three-month period ending Sept. 30, down from $4.9 million a year earlier. The Ottawa firm, whose customers include the likes of A&W and Sobeys, said in recent financial filings that the COVID-19 crisis has pummelled many of its key market verticals.
“Many of the industries that Intouch serves, including retail, convenience stores, grocery, pharmacy, hotels and restaurants, continue to feel the ongoing impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic,” the company said.
Still, Intouch Insight’s net earnings rose to $510,000 from just under $137,000 a year earlier thanks largely to aggressive cost-cutting efforts. The company says it expects to bounce back strong once the pandemic subsides, predicting “double-digit” revenue growth in 2021.
Intouch shares were unchanged at 72 cents on the TSX Venture Exchange Tuesday afternoon. The company’s share price has nearly doubled in the past two months since bottoming out at 40 cents in early November.
