We are preparing to return to some kind of normalcy in our lives, including reopening our businesses. When we open the doors, the business situation will be very different from what it was before the pandemic crisis began. You had a vision for your business and a plan to drive you there, but now everything is different.
It is time to sit down and reflect on the future. The starting point will be to understand the challenges that are coming right to us. With the help of your team, answer the questions below and then update your business plan. Things like the sales forecasts, costs, and other assumptions will change.
- Reopening implies changes, what needs to change in your operation?
- Do you need to invest in protective equipment, such as acrylic panels or floor markings?
- What new recurrent costs you will have to fulfill new safety requirements?
- How the market will change?
- Do your customers would need something different?
- Does your value proposition need to change?
After adapting the business plan to the new environment, establish your new objectives and strategy. Rethink your business strategy carefully, how you guide your decision-making process from now on can be your competitive advantage.
Your business plan is your guide to the future you envision, but you also need short-term plans to prepare the operation for the new requirements. What processes have to change? Do you need to implement new processes to ensure your team and customers’ safety? Does the work area need changes to adapt to social distancing? How will you control traffic and flow?
Many tools will help you to analyze, design and test solutions, PDCA is one of them. To ensure everybody does the same thing standard work and visual management are important. Sometimes there is no time for a long analysis, but you can still practice continuous improvement. If you are not doing it already, build the habit to have daily meetings with your staff. We call them stand-up meetings, or daily huddles.
During them the team do a quick review of the operation the day before. The key here is to ask two important questions, what went well and what needs improvement. You want to discover the reason for the gap between desired and current state. A quick 5 Why discussion can lead to simple solutions that can be implemented during the shift.
From now on, the way to conduct business should be different. This is the time to prepare yourself and your business for the future. Given how fast everything changes with the development of the COVID-19 pandemic, the business of the future demands good leadership, employees and leaders engaged in common goals and flexibility. Continuous improvement and lean thinking promote that kind of behaviors.
Focus on the things you can control, take a deep breath and start creating your future. Be safe, stay well.