Small businesses are times tougher than large corporations when it comes to surviving disasters.
They don’t have the same resources or manpower, and after COVID many of them were out of business because customers couldn’t get in touch with their offices for weeks on end.
During disaster situations like COVID, small businesses are hit much harder than larger companies.
They may not be as equipped or prepared – they rely more heavily on physical locations where people can come into contact with each other in person rather then online shopping which was severely impacted by the virus shutting down access points throughout the country (and world).
Due to such an event, local shops will likely see far less foot traffic than usual; so, please support them now more than ever.
What was COVID’s impact on small businesses?
There were some who were hit more severely than others. Victoria was the hardest hit geographically due to the four-month lockdown. In total, 140 days have passed, compared to 6 days on average elsewhere in the world.
Jobkeeper was a lifeline for hospitality, tourism, entertainment, and residential trades. It also failed for small businesses in the face-to-face sector. You will see plenty of ‘To Let’ signs around Melbourne.
Businesses that don’t face customers faced challenges to adapt. Zoom was discovered by many B2B services. Food services have developed delivery capabilities.
Seeing as many businesses, public and private, work from home now, I think businesses catering to city workers will struggle for a while.
I think many changes will stick because of the convenience factor. The key to a successful change is finding ways for it to be convenient, and with our increasingly busy lifestyles that are getting busier by the day, this has become much easier than before.
What sort of things can small businesses do now coming out of COVID to recover?
The face-face industry is struggling in today’s uncertain environment. When someone sneezes and there are lockouts, people can’t plan things out because they don’t know if the event will still happen or not.
Cancelation policies are one of the biggest gripes consumers have with booking services, but many businesses don’t find them to be a drawback. If people know that they can cancel at any time without consequence, then it takes some level of risk away from their decision and encourages more business interactions in general.
The concept is simple: if customers think there’s no penalty for canceling an order or service midway through what may turn out as being bad experience after all – such as cancelled trips because weather was too rough-then why not give yourself permission to bail when things start going downhill? The customer will take on less responsibility knowing you’re able to accommodate sudden cancellations if need be; this ultimately leads these same clients back into your shop again!
How important are local communities in supporting small businesses?
You know you’re not alone. You can find other people who are just as passionate about causes that matter to them, and all it takes is a little bit of groundwork on your end! Get involved in local communities by attending events sponsored by councils or any organization with similar goals aligned with yours.
Networking will also help; but don’t be afraid to venture out into the world solo too – there’s always someone else looking for a new friend like yourself so get out there and give back while meeting others interested in doing good at the same time!
Corey, the butcher we all know from his cooking show on Facebook is now branching out to pre-cooked meals. Just heat and serve your favorite dish for a good time with friends or family anytime of day!
Be active in local social media so you can keep up with Corey’s “Cooking With Corey” Shows where he does slow cooked lamb or barbecued ribs that are available as a pre-cooked meal at The Butcher Shop following day.
Create a database of people’s contact information so that you can stay connected to them by sending emails.
If you want your business’ customers to be more loyal, then create an easily searchable and accessible directory with their contact details for easy communication!
What are some of the major difficulties small businesses may encounter at the moment?
It’s been a year since your customer last visited. It might be difficult to get them back on the bandwagon, but they’re likely having new experiences in that time and may just need more convenience for their life now so you can give it all together again!
In times of uncertainty, take the risk away from your customers.
What can small businesses do to attract more local customers?
Be easy to deal with.
Be visible in the community or online.
And build your database so you can communicate regularly with your customers.
