Since the COVID-19 Outbreak, small businesses worldwide suffered revenue drops in a matter of weeks and some are even completely closing down their operations. Those businesses that are operating have taken proactive steps to battle the current challenges and keep their business going.

Here are three response strategies that most companies are doing:

• Same/Similar Products, Different Channels

Utilizing online shops while offering the same products seems to be one of the most trending strategies during this crisis. Most physical stores are closed and everyone is putting their inventories online for their customers to see and buy. Service-based businesses also started delivering their services to their clients through technology-mediated tools. Online meetings and webinars have been the go-to solutions for service-based companies.

Some also digitized their physical products and one example of this is Nike’s online operations in China. While Nike stores were mostly shut down in the country, they continued to offer online at-home workshops. Their online sales significantly increased and helped out to balance the losses they are having with their closed stores.

• Same Infrastructure, Different Products

COVID-19 had decreased demands for many products and services which resulted in underutilization of some infrastructures like factories, restaurants, bars, and hotels. While it’s true that some demands decreased, demand for others is high and even growing. Some businesses have taken advantage of this shift and used the same infrastructure to provide different products with higher demands.

Some examples are: (1) some perfume and alcoholic beverage companies shifted their focus to produce hand alcohol and sanitizers {LVMH (perfumes), Pernod Ricard (alcoholic beverages)}; (2) car companies and manufactories, on the other hand, had given a helping hand for producing more respiratory ventilators and even surgical face masks, {GM and Ford, BYD Co., Dyson}, (3) many hotel chains had lent their infrastructures to be used as quarantine facilities for patients and hospital staff, (4) fast food, restaurants, and bars started to offer a wider range of products that can be considered as staple grocery products, some are even offering cold cuts and ready-to-cook kits for take-out and delivery.

• Same Products, Different Infrastructures

For those businesses that still have high demands, their challenge is that their infrastructure can’t support the growing needs of the people. This leads to looking at new systems and structures that can help them provide and produce all necessary products for the public.

Amazon showed an example of this strategy as they announced that they are hiring more employees to accommodate the increased homebound online shoppers. They have also partnered with Lyft and temporarily absorbed riders to accommodate warehouse work, delivery personnel, and grocery shoppers.

Walmart and other grocery stores had also shown their efforts to upgrade their infrastructures to accommodate the increased shoppers. They have partnered with businesses under the accommodation industry who are closed down and borrow their staff to help with goods packing and restocking.

This strategy is also used to help health care systems fight the pandemic by training employees from other industries with low demands and turning them to front-liners that could help at the hospital or testing centers.

Keep on thinking of innovative and creative ways to respond to the effects of this pandemic. With the right insights and safety measures, you can keep your business floating throughout this crisis and you will also be able to help your community.

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