Ask for Help
If you are struggling speak to your accountant, business adviser or peers and ask for advice. I welcome the package the Government has proposed, make use of it if you can. Here’s the link: www.gov.uk/business-support-helpline
Don’t be embarrassed
Communicate to your clients or customers, tell them that you would really appreciate their help and to be paid on time. Small businesses can ask bigger businesses for support. Ask for exposure and shout out’s online and chase up some good reviews. If you don’t ask you don’t get!
Diversify
Think of other valuable skills that you have. Ask customers if there is any other type of service you can provide. We all need to be as creative as we can.
Change
We all have to change how we work now. Whether we work remotely or not, it’s all hands on deck without your usual company hierarchy.
If necessary consider a staggered approach to going in to the office, warehouse or depot to ensure social distancing. Can you sell online or via social media? Just think about new ways you can still trade.
Communicate
Communication is key with your team and customers. You can still have meetings using Zoom, Blue Jeans, Teams and Skype. I recently had a very productive meeting with five people using Zoom.
Organise
Are you able to stockpile your products? Use this time to get your office, warehouse or workspace clean and organised. For example do a stock check, organise your files, move your office around. Think about the things you would love to do but are always too busy. Use this time effectively as this crisis will be over soon...
Be Responsible and Kind
Be kind to your employees if you have them, and employees be kind back. You all need to work as a team so think about how you can all help the company in order to survive. We need to change the way we work now, stick together and stay caring.
Think & Plan
You may now have some time to think about the future, focus on innovation and reassess your goals. Sometimes on the day to day hamster wheel of work you don’t get time to think about the future or your goals. You should also plan how to come back after this is over, especially if you predict a bounce in your industry, will you be ready?
