FERNDALE, Mich. (WXYZ) — A Ferndale-based tech company has developed a new online portal that allows employers to track staff’s COVID-19 test results and vaccination status among others.
The company, Fuse Technology Group says the application fills a void that has left many business owners frustrated over the past 2 years as they try to keep up with all the changes since the start of the pandemic.
The company's president, Pete Sanders says when COVID hit, just like other establishments, Fuse too struggled to keep up with the rapidly changing guidelines to operate in the new normal.
"We wanted to protect our business, we wanted to protect our client’s health are employees' health, and trying to juggle all of that was very difficult. So I figured that had to be an easier way," said Pete Sanders, President, Fuse Technology Group.
Right from mask policy to vaccination status there was just way too much data to follow and that’s exactly why Fuse created VaxTracker.com.
"It adds tremendous peace of mind to a business, one to know that they are adhering to all the guidelines if they are ever required to report on them, I think it streamlines, the process and knowing when your staff will be at work and when they will be quarantined?" said Pete Sanders, President, Fuse Technology Group.
Before developing the app, Fuse was using excel spreadsheets, which Pete says was just way too cumbersome.
As for the moment when Pete realized the application can be used for the greater good, "I was speaking to one of my friends about how we were tracking, in comparison to how he was tracking, right then he said, are you selling this?" said Pete Sanders, President, Fuse Technology Group.
Since then, several companies have signed up. One of them is Credit Union One and their HR person, Ayren Hurst says Vax Tracker has enhanced efficiency.
"Not only are we managing the daily house screenings that are coming in, we are also managing weekly testing for those that are not vaccinated, but on top of it all, we are managing, employees that have been exposed to COVID or have tested positive for COVID," said Ayren Hurst, Interim Chief HR officer, Credit Union One.
Fuse Technology Group developers have not only made the portal customizable to meet the needs of various industries but also adaptable for future changes to the pandemic-related guidelines.
"Everyone can hope that the pandemic will kind of settle down, but part of me believes that this is our new norm going forward, and we will definitely be using software like this in the future," said Ayren Hurst, Interim Chief HR officer, Credit Union One.
Currently, the App is called COVID19employeescreen.com, but Pete says by next week it will be changed to vaxtracker.com, and it’s all part of the evolution process because in the new normal we all need to adapt.
