Just a few weeks ago the post-Covid19 business world was a giant question mark in the minds of politicians, business leaders, economists, entrepreneurs, and workers alike.
As everybody around the world struggled to understand as quickly as possible what was happening and, more importantly, what was the best response to this global emergency, going back to business ranked very low on priority lists around the world.
Information was scarce, data was blurry, and a sense of panic took over every single communication channel. Not even the experts knew exactly what the world was up against and so everybody did their best to stay informed and follow the government’s guidelines.
Days went by and more data kept coming in from all over the world. With more and better information people could all start making more informed decisions and once it was clear that the fear of being completely wiped out was unrealistic, people started thinking about other important aspects of their lives besides their health.
During this time businesses struggled to adapt to a completely different reality than the one they were created in. Almost overnight companies had to rely on a completely remote workforce and came to understand that what was once thought to be only a temporary solution was starting to change the behavior of all the economy’s actors.
Workers found that they were more productive when working from home, long commutes were exchanged for family lunches and dinners, customers now expected better e-commerce platforms, better online customer service, faster deliveries, and easier online transactions. These behaviors are most likely here to stay so it is important that you take them into consideration when planning for your post-COVID operations.
Take for example the fact that most people will likely develop a higher sensitivity to germs and an aversion to unnecessary contact. For your business this means being ready to cater to customers and workers by implementing new measures such as installing automatic hand sanitizer dispensers, shoe sanitizing mats, sanitizing wipe dispensers, and making sure that cleaning protocols are set in a way that everything is wiped down and sanitized more often than before.
Remember that your business needs to not only be cleaner but also look cleaner while conveying the impression that this is a top priority for you. Your customers will notice this and value your service more for it.
Another thing to take into consideration is the fact that avoiding unnecessary contact also means moving almost all operations into the online world. A lot of businesses have expanded their operations online due to the coronavirus, but most have taken this action in a rushed and improvised manner. This was ok during the first few weeks of the emergency but now it is time to revise all the processes and operations that have been moved online in order to optimize them and make them a permanent feature for your business.
Invest in a website with clear calls to action and a well thought out buyer’s journey so you can convert visitors into paying customers. Perform a full audit of all your online sales and marketing channels in order to trim the fat and keep only those that at the very least have the potential to become profitable in the long run. Look into investing in online ads such as Facebook and Google ads. Review your customer service practices in order to cater to your online customers.
The post-COVID business world is starting to become clearer as time goes by, and it is the perfect moment to be proactive and think about how your business can adapt to behaviors that are here to stay.
