The global pandemic has forced many of us to adapt and change the ways we think about things. This is, of course, true for businesses too, especially smaller companies that have had to be creative about finding ways to survive the challenges posed by COVID-19.
With vaccine rollouts and the lifting of restrictions, there is now some sense that we can hope to begin returning to ‘normal’ in the near future. There are, however, several lessons learnt from COVID-19 that can be carried forward, helping small businesses to thrive!
The Ability to Embrace Change
When you’re busy running a business, it’s easy to get stuck into an everyday routine, where you don’t feel like there’s time to enact changes or try new things. However, the past year has shown just how important the ability to embrace change can be.
With the challenges and uncertainty, there also comes opportunity. Not being afraid to try something new and explore these opportunities has been a central ethos for businesses that managed to gain a competitive edge.
The Importance of Contactless Technologies
Another key aspect of life in the pandemic that we can expect to see become an even more established norm is the use of contactless technology for smaller businesses.
Things like contactless payments and means of contactless registration not only help reduce the spread of the virus but they also boost efficiency and help businesses cater to a wider customer base.
Making payments or accessing things on your phone is a convenience that many customers now expect and demand, so continuing to integrate contactless methods into your business is a must!
The Need to Establish a Firm Digital Presence
As new practices have emerged and the online world has become even more instrumental for business operations, the importance of a firm digital presence has become evident.
Many small businesses have seen how useful social media and an online presence can be when building up a brand and connecting directly with customers.
If businesses weren’t online before the pandemic, you can be sure that they are now - and they will continue to be, as many customers find and engage with companies through a digital medium.
The Value of Collecting Customer Data
The pandemic has also highlighted the importance of collecting data like customers’ emails or information about demographic and interests to help communicate with, and better understand their audience.
Facilitating efficient data capture boosts your customers' experience by allowing you to more seamlessly communicate with them via email lists, for example. Collecting data on demographics and interests can also significantly boost small businesses’ marketing opportunities.
If you’re still getting to grips with data capture, RapidReg can help! With our services, you can easily create online forms catered to your needs, giving you efficient and secure data collection methods.
With these vital lessons under their belt, we expect many small businesses to continue to thrive in a post-COVID world!
