COVID-19 has resulted in several changes around the world. In our personal lives and our business operations, drastic changes are happening daily so that people can survive.
From a business point, how can you ensure the survival of your company? Let’s explore some of the technology that’s available to you as a business owner to see how you can work through these challenging times.
Talk to Your Customers
Your customers are the core of your business. It’s crucial to understand how their needs are changing with the impact of COVID-19 around the world. By tapping into sentiment analysis, how your clients feel about you and your company on an emotional level, you can get a clear direction concerning what their needs are.
This also allows you to keep your finger on the pulse and control supply and demand. If customers’ needs have changed, but you are continuing to produce goods that no longer suffice, you will face excess stock levels that are no longer needed.
Allowing Your Team To Work Remotely
In several countries, businesses are not allowed to continue trading. Some places are restricting operations, only allowing essential services to continue with business as usual. While this is happening, it might be a good idea to enable staff members to work from home.
Technology allows this to take place in many ways. You can conduct virtual meetings by using a variety of platforms and programs available on the internet. Microsoft Teams will enable you to have video calls with your team over the internet. Large groups can accept a group invitation and stay in close contact with what’s happening in the business using this format.
Be Secure
Email and VPNs allow staff members to stay in contact with suppliers and customers. Many people use email as their primary business tool when it comes to communication. VPNs enable staff to use secure systems to access work emails from home or places with shared open networks.
Moving Your Business Online
If your core business is selling products in a physical shop, you might want to consider creating an online set-up so that your customers can continue to make purchases. If you don’t already have an online store, you can enlist the help of a web development team to assist you.
You will need to map out the logistics too. Many courier services are actively ensuring that businesses can stay afloat, helping to collect and deliver goods to clients.
Use Social Media To Promote Your Business
Social media platforms can be a great tool to stay engaged with customers. This platform is growing faster every year. For example, Facebook now has an estimated monthly user base of over 3 million. Engage with your customers on social sites so that they know you are still around.
You can create a business page and use it for advertising specials and promotions. Reach out to your customer base to ensure them that even though times are changing, you are working on adapting your business accordingly.
E-Learning
Encourage members of your team to utilize their working from home time productively. Many online establishments are offering free e-learning courses to keep people occupied while they have these restrictions.
Share interesting information with staff so that they can keep up-to-date with the latest trends in the market. You can use cloud-based sharing services so that your team is stimulated and well-informed.
Automated Systems and Processes
Change is always tough when it first happens, but people are resilient, and they can adapt quickly. If you are accustomed to administration teams performing standard back-office tasks like invoicing, find software that you can use to make these processes more automatic.
Many software companies and tech firms are reaching out and offering great deals on packages that can assist the company in setting-up home-based offices. One of the significant advantages of this is that if you have any challenges with software installations, the tech assistant can log-in to your PC from wherever they are with your permission.
Programs like Team Viewer can enable tech specialists to gain access remotely and get you sorted in no time at all. This is a great way to sort any technical challenges you or any member of your team face working at home, without opening the door to anyone.
Conclusion
The internet and the world of technology offer solutions for all businesses to succeed. As technology can function solely in the cloud, you can sort out glitches without having to leave your home or request, someone, to come to you.
Ask friends who are already running home-based businesses to refer to tech companies they have used. This is a great way to get to know who the reputable firms are out there.
