Dave Sutton February 3, 2021 The COVID pandemic has had a devastating effect on businesses in just about every industry across the country. Business owners have had to deal with a constantly changing landscape, remaining as flexible as possible just to keep their doors open. Coronavirus has also presented a set of issues surrounding remote work—this has been a straightforward transition for some, but a difficult one for many others.
While the future is still uncertain, now is the time to bolster your brand so that you can regain a strong footing when the world returns to something like normal. Taking measures now will prepare you not only for what lay ahead, but for future crises as well. The savvier among us have already transformed their operations, ensuring that their company is organized and prepared for whatever happens next. Have you?
Let’s take a look at five ways you can prepare for the post-COVID era.
Improve Time Management
During a global health pandemic, it’s important to look after your staff and pay attention to their needs. As many businesses have moved to a remote setup, it’s important to put systems in place to manage your employees.
An employee timesheet app, for example, is a great way to keep your staff work hours up-to-date. Tools like this not only make it easier for you to manage employee timesheets but it also allows your team to plan their time away from work with greater ease.
Explore New Sales Channels
The pandemic has changed consumers buying behavior, with more people opting to buy online than ever before. Many consumers who were hesitant to buy online were forced to explore e-commerce during lockdowns, and the impact has been a huge growth in online sales.
Many services, such as fitness companies or educational providers, have started providing their services over video-conferencing calls and other online tools. Exploring new ways of offering your services and adapting to these new trends will be crucial for success post-COVID.
Bolster Online Presence
In the modern economic landscape, it’s vital that you have a strong online presence. Creating an easy-to-use, visually-appealing, functional website for your business can help to increase your sales and connect you with more potential customers.
Building a social media presence is important as it provides you with a direct channel to communicate and market to your customers. Throughout the coronavirus crisis, many have improved their online identity in order to stay connected with their clients, and even improve their standing with—or gain!— new audiences. It’s critical to continue this important work in 2021 and beyond.
Delight Your Customers
In such unusual times, your customers need to know that you are there for them. You need to consider how the needs of your customers have changed and what your business can do to provide them.
For example, you might extend your customer service hours or provide phone or video consultations. Perhaps you can start selling more online and offering a range of contact-less delivery options. In-store or at your business premises you can install signage, provide cleaning stations and encourage your staff to take the right precautions throughout the premises to make customers feel safe and protected.
Treating your customer’s needs, as your number one priority will help your business to become the company of choice in your niche when the world begins to return to normality.
Think Positively for 2021 and Beyond
2020 is a year that most business owners will want to quickly forget. Now is the time to start looking forward, preparing for the future and setting your business up for success.
Taking the right steps now will help your business to regain a footing in the market in 2021 so you and your team have a positive future to look forward to. Focus on what you’ve learned from this crisis and how it impacts your specific audience, then update your online channels and think about taking a new approach. You should not just satisfy, but delight your customers and give them a reason to care, listen, engage, buy, and stay with your brand as we move into a post-coronavirus world.
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