This is a time when most companies are staring at a zero-demand situation and drawing up coping strategies to survive. But for a few companies, there has been such an unexpected spurt in demand that they have been scrambling to mobilise talent and resources to meet unforeseen requirements.

When the first phase of lockdown kicked in, the ₹1,800-crore Tenon Group, which is into security and integrated facilities management, was inundated with requests. Major Manjit Rajain, executive chairman of the group, says the company was besieged by clients asking for more security personnel as they feared pilferage at warehouses and factory premises. For instance, a unit in Bhiwadi, which had 40 security personnel, upped it to 60 as there was expensive material on premises.