Adaptability the Answer to COVID-19
The world has been buffeted by COVID-19 in the past five months. Everyone is now aware and accustomed to " washing hands", "social distancing" , "wearing masks" and seeking medical attention if you have flue like symptoms such as high temperature and persistent coughing. Governments have instituted lockdowns, some stretching into months. The impact has been severe on individuals, companies and governments as revenues have sharply declined. Demand for goods and services has drastically fallen or collapsed in some industries such airlines, hotels and tourism . How can you survive under these conditions?
Individuals and companies that are making it have a high propensity to adapt and change course as events unfold. Highly adaptable organizations have perfected the art of telecommuting and providing superior customer experience even during lock down. Their employees are adequately provided with mobile resources such as laptops, mobile phones and generous broadband service connectivity to the organizations' information and knowledge repositories to ensure they can discharge their duties quickly, efficiently and effectively wherever they are.
COVID -19 Effective Teacher of Digital Transformation
Adaptable employees are mastering new skills to design, produce and market new products and services. Daily they are looking at ways to delight customers by reducing friction at touch points. They are also learning new ways to collaborate and support each other. Some customers have also learnt to resolve queries and provision new services on the go without visiting service providers. Those that continue to seek physical engagement are getting disappointed as service centres are closed. COVID-19 is the single most effective teacher of digital transformation. For those who are quickly adapting and entering the digital highway, they find themselves effectively managing their business operations due to strong linkages with cloud computing. Being linked remotely ensures business operations are monitored and controlled with minimum downtime. With high reliability and availability of operations, customer satisfaction is guaranteed. COVID 19 has accelerated customers of all walks of life into self service. This was planned by most digital technocrats to happen maybe in 2025 but its happening now. That's the only good part of COVID-19, accelerating nations, companies, families and individuals to use transformative digital technology. Even some old manufacturers of clothing, shoes and steel products in downtown Harare now have online stores. That's progress.
Acclimatize with the new normal
Therefore, the key to survive especially during COVID-19 economic turbulence is to adapt to new practices and be willing to change as events unfold. You cannot continue with practices of 2019 and before because it's now business unusual. You should not take a wait and see attitude because COVID-19 has brought a new economy and new culture. It is time to acclimatize with the new normal. Either you adapt and survive or you continue with the old and perish.
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