How to keep your business healthy during the Covid19 Pandemic
The present situation of the Covid19 Pandemic is a difficult phase for everyone. Most of the businesses are shut and suffering losses; the owners are worried about the uncertainty of the future and are worried about their survival. A number of small businesses have been closed either to take preventive measures or they have been forced to temporarily shut down due to the bans and lockdowns in their countries. There is no clear picture about the future and there is no clarity on when things will normalize. People are panicking, businesses are afraid they will not be able to sustain and will go bankrupt. First advice is Donât Panic; you are not the only one in this situation. Businesses and companies not only in your country but across the world are in the same situation as you.
Think positive, look around, there may be some opportunities which you can work on, once things are better and in control. The Coronavirus pandemic has taught businesses to adapt to the new normal, and start digitalizing. The life under lockdown and all kinds of restrictions is the online life. Businesses will need to adjust to this life under lockdown and start making their presence stronger in the online world. Businesses which are ready to adapt and take the right decisions at the right time, will be the ones which will come out stronger even in these testing times. Â
In these changing times, life is very fluid. But as a business you can do a number of things to help ease the uncertainty. Below mentioned are a few tips which can help you keep your employees and your business healthy during Covid19 Pandemic:
During this Covid19 Pandemic, the focus of your business should be the safety of your employees and customers. To promote safety you may need to rework on your business policies. You can consider implementing remote work access options, bring a change to the sick leave policies and also improve the hygiene practices followed. The customers and employees are the backbone of your business, it is important that know that you are taking all the possible measures to offer a healthy work environment.
It is important for the businesses to follow all the guidelines issued by the health ministry or the government on how to maintain a safe and healthy work place. Revamp the sanitization methods for the safety of the employees and customers. Limit physical contact at work and provide personal protection equipment if required.
Change your business model to service the customers without flaunting the social distancing norms, many restaurants and food joints have stopped in dining and have started servicing only take-outs or drive through. Many concert venues and large events which cannot be held, have shifted to offering special live streaming concerts, most of which are offered for free.
Communicate transparently
You might be tempted to keep a strong front for your employees and customers, however it is better to be transparent and show the real picture to them. Both your employees and customers will understand the situation and be support you if you are frank with them.
Social media can be a strong tool for your businesses. Today people are glued to the various social media platforms, to keep a check on any news from the officials about the situation. This is the best time to regularly post on your social media accounts, keep the customers updated about your business and how it is available to them. Put in notes on what measures you are taking to ensure the safety of your staff and customers during the Covid19 Pandemic. The more you become active on the social media; you will start seeing favorable insights on your pages than usual. In times of such pandemics, people are turning to social media apps as they have been asked to maintain social distancing.
Continue Advertising and Promoting your business in Covid19 Pandemic
You may feel that it is not right to promote or advertise your business in such tragic times of the coronavirus pandemic across the world. However you have to understand that if you want to survive through the Covid19 Pandemic, it is important to keep the business alive in local communities. So if your business is operational whether completely or partially, you should advertise and let the people know that you are operational. Promote your business on the various social media platforms or send them emails. Keep updating your social media accounts about the status of your business and availability.
With the lockdown and number of restrictions on the movement of people, except for essentials, most of the non-essential services businesses are suffering. Â The best way to continue business in such times is to go online. If you do not have a online store for selling products, you can use platforms like Shopify which can help you set up an online store easily. Â Work on your website and design it in a way to ensure the visitors are able to resonate with your business in-store as much as possible. If you do not want to create your own online store, then you can collaborate with online platforms like Amazon or eBay and sell your products online through them.
Offering Home delivery is an important strategy, through which customers can purchase non-essential items without having to actually move out of their houses. By offering home delivery you are allowing customers to continue buying your products in Covid19 Pandemic, whereby allowing business continuity. It is not easy to completely transform your business model if you have not been into home delivery earlier, however by outsourcing your delivery to courier companies or delivery agents can be really helpful. Study your customer base and understand its coverage. Depending on whether your customers are local or widespread you can decide whether to need to outsource your delivery to courier companies or not.
Create a Goodwill, Give Back to the Community
In this difficult time of the Covid19 Pandemic, many people are suffering and are unable to fulfill even their daily needs. This is a good time to give back to your community; you may host a food drive to collect food for the needy or give away essentials. Or you may incentivize the customers to also participate in your community services by offering discounts and offers for their donations or help. Standing by the community in these trying times, will help build a strong goodwill for your business, which will be remembered by the customers even after these difficult times are over.
We at Velocity Consultancy are available for any help your business needs during the COVID-19 pandemic. We understand that you may need to adapt your business in these difficult times and you may need support with your digital marketing requirements.
Visit us at www.velocityconsultancy.com and get in touch with us for your website development, designing and other digital marketing needs.
