Pandemic has brought sales and businesses on their knees. The changes are immense and forced the world to emerge into newer operations and opportunities. Small, medium, and even large businesses are all experiencing challenges. To explore the SMB (Small and Medium business) manufacturing of post covid & issues; you must foremost comprehend the extent of the damage.
A recent survey by a renowned insurance company reveals the exact picture of the loss by Covid. More than 40% of small-scale businesses are experiencing a significant impact. It not only affected the revenue generation but the workforce and overall performance. According to the US Chamber of Commerce, one in five businesses shut at some point in time during the pandemic (either partially or fully). The impact has been so extensive. Almost all business sectors have felt the brunt of this pandemic.
The impact has been such that several people were left unemployed due to loss of income and revenue generation. Whether it’s fitness centers, small eateries, spas, salons, or any other business, most of them faced difficulties continuing their operations. Such a situation emerged mainly due to the series of lockdowns and governmental restrictions taking place from time to time with the fear of the spread of the virus. Moreover, approximately 80% of the companies brought significant changes to the business operations to survive or stay afloat. Another fact from the Wall Street Journal revealed that additional 200,000 businesses shut permanently after Covid -19. Here is a roundup on SMB manufacturing companies post the pandemic.
Work from home: Working from home became new normal as it was the most sensible option to control the spread of the virus. Even though many large and medium to large companies practice work from home culture, on and off (pre-pandemic), it is new to SMBs. The trend soon picked up in smaller manufacturing units making it more accessible for all the employees. Fact sheets reveal that by the end of the year 2025, more than 75% of businesses shall embrace remote working. Many businesses like the hospitality industry, sales, and construction are still struggling to recover from the pandemic as remote working is not an option for all.
Audio and video conferencing: Top-notch and even small businesses are switching to free conference calls to improve the B2B and B2C relationships. Technology-driven meetings and conferences are opening positive avenues for the crashing business. Post pandemic and even during the pandemic, digitalization, and technological advancements are increasing productivity by resulting better and faster connections.
Third-party connection: When the SMBs were losing connections between the B2B and B2C; third-party services boomed. Restaurants started tying up with delivery agencies, and logistic companies that pitched in for deliverables, and supply chain became the future thing.
Digital marketing: From contactless payments to application-based banking are some recent developments taking control of the financial sectors. Social media will be playing a pivotal role in supporting and amplifying the market by increasing real-time consumers and potential business partners. Videos, Blogs, and simple phone texts are the next-generation marketing tools helping businesses expand their outreach.
In conclusion, one thing is for sure – digital boom and technological adaptation are the future business strategies!