Success in a Pandemic A COVID-19 response mantra in five words

by: Jim Kahrs, Prosperity Plus

In March of this year, our world changed in a way that no one could have predicted. The COVID-19 pandemic has forced businesses to transform themselves on an almost constant basis. We have learned terms we would have been happier not knowing: social distancing, shelter-in-place, personal protective equipment, herd immunity, contact tracing, Economic Injury Disaster Loan, Paycheck Protection Program and the list goes on. As we get further acclimated to this new jargon that drives much of what we do, I’d like to submit a few more terms that can make a huge difference to the future of your business.

Agile (adjective): Able to move quickly and easily. Able to think and understand quickly.

Now, more than ever, your business must be agile. I can’t recall a time when things changed so broadly, so quickly. The rules of personal interaction have changed daily. We don’t have the luxury of time to sit back and contemplate future direction. By way of example, here in New York, businesses were shut down overnight. We had to figure out how to operate remotely in a matter of hours. Later, the Paycheck Protection Program was announced and the first wave of funds ran out in less than a week. Each of these was a test of business agility. There will be more tests of your agility going forward. There are predictions of a significant shift from cities to suburbs. If you’re based in a large city you need to be ready to react quickly to these trends. It may mean expanding territory or developing new vertical markets. There is a big push to shop locally. How quickly can you mobilize a plan to market your local presence?

There will be governmental requirements changing in the coming months. Could there be more business shutdowns, requirements for better tracing of employee contacts, addi tional training or certification requirements? Will customers request things you’ve never considered before? Will customers go out of business or downsize? You’ll need to be ready to turn on a dime to meet new challenges as they arise. What happens if one of your employees or a customer contracts the virus? You’ll need to be agile to respond quickly and decisively to keep the business on track while protecting your

staff, your customers and their families. Will there be good, talented employees available during these times? You’ll need to be agile enough to react quickly to hire strong people. Ner vous candidates will likely jump at the first good opportunity presented. A slow, lumbering recruiting process will lose good candidates.

Flexible (adjective): Capable of bending easily without breaking. Able to change readily to meet new circumstances.

Every business out there has had its flexibility tested to one degree or another. We have clients who have been challenged with employees who can’t get childcare. They needed to be flexible in how they allowed employees to work. Though it wasn’t always ideal, it did allow them to bend without breaking. As face-to-face meetings were not possible, we had to be flexible and use video meetings, conference calls, etc. This was the only way to get in front of customers or to have sales meetings. Some companies did break, in that they did not find a solution and simply stopped doing these vital meetings.

These challenges to flexibility will conIt meant that all sailors were to report to tinue. One change I expect is a move to Efficiency...is paramount the deck to help handle an emergency. No multiple shifts in many business environin emergency situations, matter what their regular post, all sailors ments. One way to keep the production of a business at a viable level while meeting the guidelines for social distancing is to have especially when prolonged. During this were expected to pitch in. In a dealership this could affect several staff members. Technicians could call for meter reads or more than one shift. As office technology time, finding ways to be do deliveries. Salespeople may help sanidealerships, we may need to be flexible more efficient will pay tize the office or deliver parts. The service enough to service customers outside the big dividends. manager could help on sales calls. The normal 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. schedule. president makes A/R calls or any one of

I also expect there will be a move toa hundred others. The key is to be flexible ward more online shopping in our world. It may not be in the and get the job done however necessary. form of the big online retailers, but there will likely be a need Lean (adjective): Efficient and with no wastage. for dealing with customers online. We have clients closing Efficiency and lack of waste are paramount in emergency sales via a video meeting with documents signed electronisituations, especially when prolonged. During this time, findcally and the initial payment being made via ACH. ing ways to be more efficient will pay big dividends. We have

Your flexibility to meet these conditions while still maina client that landed a large hospital sale. The business creattaining control of the sales cycle will be critical. One area ed a new set-up process allowing it to get the systems set up where I am seeing the need for flexibility is in the assignments quickly, wrapped for delivery and into the hospital in a very given to employees. The current situation calls for an all handsorchestrated manner. In the past, this level of efficiency was on-deck approach, a term derived from nautical applications. not a part of its standard process.

Another client decided to hire some new The level of discipline your business technicians to help with a few large out-ofWhen considering practices may be the biggest indicator of state installs. This cut out the waste of paycutting waste, it will be future success. One thing I have seen during for hotel rooms, travel time and expense as well as overtime of the current team. Monitoring workloads very closely will important to monitor expenses. There may ing this crisis is that it has made the strong stronger and the weak weaker. Much of this comes down to the level of business be critical to the overall success of most be areas that can be discipline. Those with good business rules dealerships in the near future. Running cut back without hurting and standards in place and followed by the lean means adjusting headcount to the future business. organization have weathered the storm far workload quickly. While no one wants to better than those shooting from the hip. furlough or lay off employees, it may be This level of discipline starts with strong necessary if workload or cashflow indicate a change is needleadership. In a crisis, staff members look to their leader. When ed. Consider having some utility players who can fill different that leader has already built a disciplined environment of acroles. Do you have a tech who could handle parts ordering countability, it shows. This discipline applies to things like or dispatch? How about a receptionist who can handle A/R work schedules, expected output or results, following company calls? Having people who can fill multiple roles can help you policies and inspecting what you expect. keep the business lean. When times are good, businesses can succeed in spite of

When considering cutting waste, it will be important to mistakes and shortcomings. During an emergency you need monitor expenses. There may be areas that can be cut back to hit on all cylinders. You’ll want to be sure that sales reps are without hurting future business. You may want to trim entermaking the number and type of calls they should be making. tainment expenses or consider changing the cell phone serTechnicians should be efficient in their routing and the calls vice to a new carrier with better rates. Inventory is another they do. Managers need to hold all of their people accountable area to consider. Can you cut back on what you have on hand for a high level of production. Some people confuse a disciwithout sacrificing efficiency? Bringing down the inventory plined approach with an iron fist. It doesn’t take a tyrant to be will increase cash on hand. It is always better to have cash disciplined. In fact, the best leaders hold their people accountduring difficult times. able, but do it in a positive way. Lackluster performance is not

Innovative (adjective): Featuring new methods or ideas. permitted, but no one is getting beat up. Most employees in

As the saying goes, necessity is the mother of invention.As nately understand the need to be more disciplined during an we’ve navigated the COVID-19 crisis, there has been a tremenemergency and react well to good leadership and direction. dous necessity to be innovative. We’ve had to find ways to stay I imagine the last thing you expected when you started the in front of prospects and customers, we’ve had to figure out day today was getting a vocabulary lesson. When I set out to how to effectively work remotely and we’ve had to learn new write this article it was the last thing on my mind. However, I government programs. We’ve all heard the term “new normal” realized how important each of these terms are to the future too many times. However, it is a new normal and we must be of our businesses. If you can be agile, flexible, lean, innovative innovative in our approach. We will have to do more things and disciplined, you can greatly increase your overall results. remotely. This will include service calls, sales calls, paperwork I would suggest using these terms as your COVID-19 response and more. We will need to innovate new ways to have touchmantra. If your team members truly embrace these concepts less systems. This innovation will also provide new opportuand apply them in all they do, you will be in a great position nities. We have clients that have picked up new products to to achieve your goals for 2020 and beyond. As always, if there answer the needs of their customers. These include temperais anything I can do to help, please don’t hesitate to reach out. ture and tracking kiosks, access control systems, sanitizing Stay well, flourish and prosper! n products and systems, contact tracing software, as well as Jim Kahrs is the founder and president of Prosperity Plus. basic cloud solutions, high-end video conference systems and Prosperity Plus has been working with companies in document management. The concept of bringing new meththe office technology industry since 2001 building ods or ideas to the table will become more and more imporrevenue and profitability, and tant. COVID-19 will change the landscape of business for the planning successful exit strategies. foreseeable future. Embracing that change and looking for Prosperity Plus has helped more new ways to succeed will likely separate the successful from than 400 dealerships. Kahrs can be those that struggle. reached at (631) 382-7762 or

Disciplined (adjective): Well organized and following rules jkahrs@prosperityplus.com. or standards. Visit www.prosperityplus.com.