Eight months into the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s safe to say life won’t be normal for a while. Companies around the world have had to adjust in accordance to local mandates and guidelines. Here are a few ways you can pivot your business to stay relevant (and open) during these unusual times.
1. Listen
The first step in pivoting your business is listening. Gather information and pay attention to the needs within the current market. See what opportunities there are by evaluating new problems within the market and how your business can provide solutions. Understand the needs of the community. Stay current with local news to find out what your community is asking for. Finally be sure to listen to your customers’ needs. It is important not to forget your customers and figure out how you can retain them by continuing to meet their needs in a safe and effective way.
2. Be creative
Know that pivoting your business will require some innovative thinking. Utilize input from team members, more minds are better than one. Be mindful of what your business already has and how you can work with that. Create new business models and additional revenue streams with the tools you have.
If you are a clothing store, create masks from extra fabric. Hotels can offer day rates for remote workers or provide accommodations to frontline workers. Restaurants can sell groceries to customers, liquor companies can pivot to make hand sanitizer. Bauer, a hockey equipment company, switched from making hockey equipment medical gear. The possibilities are endless so get your thinking caps on and determine what needs you can meet with what you already have.
3. Move online
What in-person business functions can you move to a digital platform? Can you implement an e-commerce platform? Can your company provide digital solutions to limit in person contact? If you’re a fitness center allow your community access to online classes. To retain clientele offer virtual personal training sessions to incentivize customers to keep their memberships. If you’re a realtor offer virtual tours, move in-person events or meet with clients online, or use your expertise to teach a class in your field.
4. Implement a home delivery model
The COVID-19 pandemic has forced many stores and restaurants to close, but there is no better time for businesses to pivot to a home delivery model. It’s no secret that delivery services are in high demand as people are stuck at home under quarantine. If you have not already, this is the perfect time to launch delivery for your business.
Due to restrictions and local guidelines in person dining is not always an option, but hiring a delivery driver is. Take advantage of this opportunity to offer delivery services for your business to meet customer needs. A home delivery model is not limited to the restaurant industry. Retail shops, grocery stores and dry cleaning businesses alike can hire delivery drives to offer personal shopping and home delivery, providing another avenue to revenue.
Leverage the gig economy by hiring a delivery driver to help you scale your delivery workforce fast, accommodate the needs of your customers, and ensure a smooth experience for both the customer and your business. Hiring a delivery driver with the Get Workers app is quick, easy and cost-effective. You’ll find pickers, packers and delivery drivers to get your delivery service rolling.
5. Reduce fear
Change is scary especially during a global pandemic. Be vocal about how you are taking measures to keep the community, customers, and staff safe. Humans do not like feeling stuck or unsafe. Provide options so consumers feel more comfortable doing business with your company. Whether it’s installing sanitizing stations, providing free masks for customers, or temperature checkpoints, little things like these go a long way to help ease the fear customers have toward doing business with your company.
6. Empower employees
Remember your human capital is one of your company’s most valuable assets. In order to continue to grow your business, you need to make sure you have happy employees. Satisfied employees will be more productive and generate higher quality work. Keep a positive company culture through virtual events and contests. Invite open communication and feedback. Measure your staff’s work satisfaction regularly to keep informed about how they are feeling to avoid surprises, decrease in quality of work and idling. By keeping up with staff satisfaction you can make changes to improve attitudes toward your business. Actively demonstrate gratitude toward staff. Encourage remote productivity through recognition.
We understand the holiday season will look a little different this year. An in person holiday party won’t be possible for many in 2020 (both businesses small and large). There are other ways to show appreciation, such as an extra paid day off, a hand-written note, or an inexpensive gift.
7. Take advantage of talent pool available
Unfortunately, due to the pandemic companies have had to administer layoffs. If your company is pivoting in a new direction chances are you may need additional help and need to create new roles. If your company is in a position to hire, this is an opportunity to take advantage of talent available in the market. If your needs are temporary, post a shift Gig on the Get Workers app to find and hire hourly workers on demand (think, hiring a delivery driver). If your needs are long-term, use the GigSmart job board to post full-time and part-time positions to source skilled employees.