If you told me six months ago that we’d be facing a deadly global health pandemic, my response would probably be a mixture of my best Wisconsin “oh yeah, you betcha,” delivered in a wheelbarrow full of sarcasm. But this, in fact, is our new reality – our new normal. I’ve witnessed the best and the worst of humanity in the past month. I’ve seen the hoarders fist fight over the last pack of toilet paper. I’ve watched perfect strangers clap and cheer for the healthcare workers at shift change. Thankfully, I’ve not been personally affected by COVID-19 or know anyone who has. But I will be one of those to raise my hand and say, let’s do our part to flatten the curve.
If you’re like me, the corona virus has caused your work or office world to be turned upside down. Many larger companies and organizations are allowing their employees to work from home (my husband is one of them). Many of my friends and co-workers are furloughed, terminated or their business has altogether closed due to fiscal and technological constraints. In some cases, the company does not have the ability or infrastructure to support their staff to work from home. Every day, I am seeing many fellow small businesses fold from the loss of revenue. They are closing their doors because they feel they do not have the right solutions in place to continue operations. And that is only just the beginning. I fear that more of that is on the horizon.
“Necessity is the mother of invention … and now, adaptation.” Shep Hyken, Forbes Magazine
I’ve been asked on multiple occasions over the past several weeks what a company could do to furlough-proof their business. The answer is, there are many things that a business can do to ease the impact of a situation like this and to be as productive and efficient as possible. Now is a time to pick low-hanging fruit and implement those ideas and changes. Next, get creative and use social media to get the word out!
We saw it begin with service-related businesses such as hair stylists and nail salons that are offering gift certificate sales for future use when they are able to operate again. Plumbers are now delivering groceries, museums and art galleries are offering virtual online viewings, state parks are conducting virtual field trips, even upscale restaurants are arranging for curbside pickup and delivery when they previously said, “they would never!”
In reality, there is not a magic bullet that will keep a business from closing its doors. However, creative solutions are leading to extraordinary ways companies are adapting to these unprecedented times. The key is, you’re not in this alone. We hope you’ve got a network of loved ones you can lean on to get you through this. If you’re in need of some additional support or are thinking that a virtual assistant might help you reach your business goals, contact us and we can talk about what might be the right solution for your business.
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