Uncertainty makes strong pressure on the business world of today. At the beginning of 2020 when lockdowns started in the first wave of the coronavirus pandemics, as you know, businesses nearly came to halt. Businesses stopped their operations without knowing when exactly they would be able to open and what would happen in the future.
For many business owners, this uncertainty caused fear and indecision. They were waiting to see what would happen and were wondering the most these: When can we get back to normal? How can we make a plan in such a changing environment? Where are we going after this?
It is necessary to stop waiting and take action.
The problem is that some businesses were stuck in the waiting room. As days, weeks and months passed, as far as I see, many business owners were still waiting and expecting that the life would get back to the normal in a short time.
My question to them is: What was the normal?
Although economic activities started to move, if slowly, again in Spring and Summer, and business places opened, many things were not as they had been. The priorities and habits of people had changed- from working and socialization to shopping and eating habits- and businesses had to get aligned with it to survive.
The time for businesses to stop waiting has already come. Starting from tomorrow, maybe more restrictions and lockdowns will come. Uncertainty will continue, and many things will be out of your control. Despite all of these, don’t let your indecision make your business worse. To be successful in the future, start now to re-educate yourself and re-structure your business.
For those who are saying ‘From where and how can I start ’, I advise a couple of steps.
1. CHANGING YOUR MINDSET
Get rid of the thought that dictates you to neglect problems and deal with them later. Get rid of the mindset saying ‘Pandemics has affected not only my business but also all businesses in the world. Whatever I do, I can change nothing’ and do not wait for others do something. Now, you have to admit that the world will not be old world it used to be.
The world has changed, that is it.
Together with this, what support do you need to be able to change? How can you be prepared for the worst while you still expect the best?
Figure out what you can do rather than focus on what you cannot do. How can you change your business model to meet the present needs of your customers? How can you discover new opportunities arising during the crises?
Decide on where you want to go and what factors you can control to reach there. For example, restaurants and cafes have been affected very badly by pandemics. They will close again with new governmental resolutions. Some restaurant or café owner did not update their working style and got stuck in uncertainty. However, other restaurant and café owners aligned themselves with new conditions and are presently developing.
One of my clients bought the space next to his existing space to enlarge the open space to eat and enlarged the open space. Although this investment, made in the middle of the crises, is seen by many as a wrong investment, he will have an ROI in a shorter time than a normal period. Another client, rather than establish a takeaway system himself, made a deal with two companies with an existent takeout system and started to give service to his customers.
Some restaurant or café owners re-defined their target masses and product range and started to offer takeaway service and delivery service to industry zones where production is carried out. In this process, they can control their cost better and are more prepared and cautious for new closures and lockdown resolutions.
A client of mine, who sells musical instruments and gives face-face musical tutors, has been able to make her sales and carry out 95 % of her tutors online in this process. Now, she is going through a process where her customers, students, teachers and she, herself, enjoy.
2. MAKING A STRATEGIC PLAN
Be conscious about planning for the future. Many large companies have a detailed strategic planning process in place, but small businesses, usually, do not work in the same system.
If you have not made a strategic plan for your business yet, you can start it by making an online search or getting help from your friends professionally working in large companies.
Meanwhile, ask the following questions to yourself:
-While you strive for learning yourself, how secure and sufficient do you feel yourself?
-In what areas do you need help?
Most businesses perhaps never got to this stage. Therefore, do not avoid admitting that you need additional support. Making an investment to learn and apply strategic planning or change management services today may help your business to be afloat tomorrow.
3.FINDING BETTER WAYS TO IMPLEMENT YOUR BUSINESSES
In this economic crisis, not all businesses had a hardship. Many of them could analyze the changing situation and align their businesses with the new normal in a way that they could meet developing demands.
To find new ways, you can start by admitting that old ways of doing business are completely gone. Search new and developed ways of giving services to your customers. I suggest asking these questions to yourself:
-What was faulty and inefficient in your previous business model?
-How can you find solutions for the ongoing problems of your customers?
One of my clients works in the bulk food sector. He is the distributor, predominantly in the Marmara Region, of major fast- consumption brands in Turkey. Does he have competitors? Yes, a lot of… His target mass is predominantly groceries, delicatessens and markets. While he met the high demand in the first lockdown, the business owner carried out one-to-one meetings with producers himself. He did meticulous and intense work to meet high demand from customers timely.
Later, in the summer months when the business got a little easier and less intense, the business owner himself visited or called all of the distribution points (+200) that he made sales. We conducted a customer satisfaction survey. With markets, delicatessens, mini markets and groceries, we talked about how we could give better support to achieve 100 % final customer satisfaction.
The information we obtained was very precious. Learning changing habits first hand and preparing the stock & supply flow accordingly provided both him and his clients with unbelievable comfort and mutual confidence. Establishing the right relation became a successful first step for both parties to illuminate the road in an uncertain period.
Uncertainties are difficult, and it may be frightening to make decisions under stressful conditions.
Don’t wait anymore. Taking action now is important for the future of your business
ALWAYS stay happy