“Never let a good crisis go to waste.” — Winston Churchill
The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated our journey to what we now know as the ‘new normal.’ Definitely, things will get better very soon. But it doesn’t mean we’re going back to the way we do business and the way we operate prior to this global pandemic.
The new normal requires business leaders like you to adapt quickly to the changes that happened almost overnight. Your goal now is not only to survive the crisis but to ensure that the whole organization is prepared for the post-pandemic world.
The 3 Ps: Enhancing business operations to thrive in the post-pandemic world
Companies have reacted differently to the pandemic. Some have closed; others have been cutting down on costs. Many laid off employees. As a result, millions of Filipinos have lost their sources of income. And executives were not spared; many have been declared redundant.
What do we need to do now to prepare as we recover from the global pandemic? I recommend focusing on three aspects: People, Process and Platform.
The next six months will be critical to your preparation as you move towards the new normal in the next year. So how can the 3 Ps help?
#1: Prepare the people
Preparing your people means optimizing all team members by creating a continuous training program and providing them a platform that will help them not only to perform their duties very well, but also to guide them towards the company’s vision.
Psyching up and inspiring our people consistently is the key to optimizing our human capital. What can you do as a business leader to prepare your people?
- Develop training programs for the people
- Let your employees feel that they are not just numbers. Make them feel their value in the company and how important they are in attaining the company’s goals, vision and mission.
- Consistently guide your employees. Reach out to them daily.
#2: Review process
To outlast this global crisis, organizations need to review their processes. In big businesses, processes are sometimes too stringent. To adapt to what’s happening right now, you need to rethink your organizational processes by making them client-friendly.
So here are my recommendations:
- Adjust existing processes. Cut down on steps needed to do business with your clients. So instead of having a series of approvals required in one transaction, why not simplify the process and make it really easy for your clients to do business with you?
- Simplify forms that customers need to fill out. This will help boost sales.
- Develop a quick and responsive customer service that can be done online.
So more than reviewing, you also need to update, enhance, adjust existing processes — both internal and external — to quickly adapt to changes. This is critical to your success as you recover from the pandemic.
Now to address these concerns on people and processes, you need to have a platform.
#3: Set up the right platform
Look into reallocating your remaining budget for the year in developing a platform that will benefit both your clients and employees.
For example, if you still have budgets for travel or advertising, why not re-allocate them to building technologies and a platform that will empower your organization to thrive in the new normal?
Is your company like many other companies here in the Philippines that seem to be not digitally prepared yet to conduct business online? Are your processes and systems optimized for virtual success?
With the right technologies and platform, you would be ready to emerge stronger and boost your sales through seamless and faster processes and transactions.
Use this time as a golden window of opportunity to prepare
Instead of laying off people — especially those in the sales and marketing side — you need to take care of them. Now, more than ever, your employees are also counting on you to keep them employed during these tough times.
Prepare your people. Allow some flexibility on your processes. Develop a very good platform. And you’ll see — you’d be on your way to thriving when the global pandemic is over. It’s going to be over very soon. And you’ve got to be prepared.
There’s a golden window of opportunity for us to prepare. Let it not go to waste. With the right preparation, you’d be on your way to winning the battle and thriving in the post-pandemic world.