How Businesses have adapted to COVID
We are approaching a year since shut down in the Western hemisphere due to the COVID pandemic, and it has challenged us in countless ways, mentally, socially, and economically.
One of the things we can do at this time, especially for those businesses that are still waiting to re-open their doors to full capacity, or open their doors at all, is look to others undying perseverance and creativity.
Many businesses took the “build-good-will-now-to-see-payoff-later” approach. Others, like the food industry found ways to ramp up their take-out offerings. Here are some other examples of how businesses have extended their services or introduced new verticals to their offerings.
In health care, CareSignal is a SMS and IVR health care intervention service that helps healthcare workers stay connected with their patients for disease management. When the company could not attend their usual conference tour, a key to building awareness and sales of their service, they extended their reach with the “COVID Companion,” a free text-messaging service helping people and healthcare workers access location-specific public health care resources and recommendations. Read more about it here.
One of the hardest-hit groups was business start-up. Depending on the offering, businesses were either forced onto a fast-track, or to find ways to stay afloat. Companies like the Canadian start-up, Hyr, built awareness by waiving fees for independents and essential businesses, as well as connecting volunteers to non-profits and charities, such as the food bank. Their software connects people with employers and shift work, as well as an easy payment system.
Travel consultant, Julie Bekdashe, keeps contact with her clients by offering virtual tours and webinars from countries, states and cities we all dream of visiting right now, such as Spain, Kauai or New York City. This building of good will and sharing her expertise is a great way of informing clients about great places they have not visited before—a bucket-list builder—not to mention, she instills hope that jet-setting days will return soon.
Ring Reno was born of two jewelers listening to their customer base. “I’d love to turn the jewellery I never wear into something new,” Josh O’Kane reported in the Globe & Mail. The goldsmith pair have refashioned their business to stand out in a flooded market. “Customers – lots of them – now send Ms. Dyck and Mr. Humphries pictures of their old jewellery for a free evaluation, then shop online for designs to which their old diamonds and gemstones can be affixed.” The couple’s business came to a halt in the early days of the pandemic. This new offering now accounts for 70% of their business.
Whether you are an apparel business that started producing face masks or a restaurant that ramped up your take-out offerings and added a covered, heated patio extension, it’s a challenging time we will look back on and see how truly innovative and persevering we can be as business owners.
Sources:
https://iosh.com/coronavirus/how-businesses-have-adapted/
https://thinklouder.com/companies-successfully-adapted-covid19/
https://blogs.constantcontact.com/great-examples-of-how-small-businesses-are-adapting-to-covid-19/
https://abcnews.go.com/Business/businesses-adapting-coronavirus-pandemic-economy/story?id=69748107