One thing the Covid-19 pandemic has thought entrepreneurs is that you can never really be over-prepared. If you asked the average business owner a few weeks ago what impact they anticipated the Covid-19 pandemic would have on their businesses, most would never have anticipated having their businesses completely closed or the huge fall-off in customers visiting. Faced with the uncertainty of how long it will take to bring this pandemic under control, the reality is beginning to sink in for many that business is not likely to ever be the same again.
Every Entrepreneur is now forced to look into the uncertain future and now determine whether their business is ready to survive the new reality. As the world continues to struggle to bring the Covid-19 pandemic under control, the practice of "social distancing" may remain with us for a long time to come. How then will your business respond to this new reality?
Existing in a virtual space
For most businesses, the only avenue for revival and survival in the current reality is by making the business "E-ready" and capable of serving customers in a virtual environment. Whilst it is relatively easy to have a website built for your business however the solution does not just end there. How capable is your business of collecting your revenue without customers having to directly interact with you? Are you "E-commerce" ready? Having a website is only one piece of the puzzle. It will allow you to tell customers what you offer and showcase it but without E-commerce, trading will have to happen in the traditional way.
Being E-commerce ready will allow you to collect payments virtually. Customers will be able to complete payments for products and services using their credit cards, online banking or mobile money facilities. To collect using these options you require a website that is coded to conduct e-commerce transactions with your specific provider. This will allow you to fill in another piece in the puzzle but is the picture complete yet? You have showcased your product or service, collect payments but you are still missing the logistics of how you are going to deliver.
Delivery options can range from virtual to physical. If you are a service provider, it is essential for you to work out the dynamics of delivering your services virtually. You may now have to explore the world of video conferencing with customers, webinars, podcasts and other online video services. If you provide a physical product, you will need to develop alliances with a courier service or set up your own delivery service to deliver your products to customers in a timely and efficient way.
Making your business e-ready is critical but not a simple walk in the park. It requires detailed planning to ensure that the solution you offer is best suited for your objective. Many businesses believe that maintaining a social media presence means that they are e-ready. This is actually very inaccurate. Your social media is a hook designed to lead your customers to the business's website where they can now get comprehensive information about the business and all its products and services.
Need to learn more about making your business E-ready? Contact Business Lifeline now and one of our marketing agents will be happy to assist you to prepare your business for the new reality.