As much as COVID-19 quickly became a legitimate danger to public welfare, the pandemic has proven to be a legitimate danger to businesses. While some industries have been able to thrive for obvious reasons (such as the cannabis, alcohol, and e-commerce industries), many companies have struggled to stay operational.
Whether it was the mandatory economic shutdowns, enhanced facility sanitation requirements, social distancing enforcement, reduced building capacity limits, or plastic partition installations, running a business is more challenging than ever.
As more and more people in the U.S. become vaccinated, the light at the end of the tunnel is brighter. Following the CDC announcement that fully vaccinated people no longer need to wear masks, many states and businesses are quickly eliminating mask requirements and reversing capacity restrictions. While some may misinterpret the CDC announcement as a declaration that proves the pandemic has ended, others remain cautious to protect their employees and customers. To be sure, this is a difficult time for businesses, and the path forward might be unclear.
Despite the lack of consistency from the CDC and government officials, there are still several things that businesses can do to help ensure post-pandemic success.
Standardizing Operations
Making sure that everyone is on the same page is critical to achieving post-pandemic success, but even without the additional problems caused by the pandemic, this is challenging.
Read More: Is ERP your mechanism for business growth?
Integrating an ERP solution into company operations significantly increases operational fluidity, centralizing disparate business division systems into one inclusive solution. ERP solutions take the place of Accounting Software, Business Management Solutions, Workforce Management, Warehouse Management Systems, Administrative Software Solutions, and other vital software systems that businesses depend on, providing a homogenous solution that facilitates interdepartmental operations.
Product and Service Re-evaluation
The pandemic has not only changed the way many businesses operate, but it has also changed the expectations and needs of end consumers. Facility shutdowns during the pandemic forced many industries to transfer operations to the digital sphere, and many consumers have become partial to this mode of conducting business. Companies can no longer expect to return to the same way they did business before the pandemic and see the same results.
Moving forward, companies must reevaluate the products and services they offer and how they deliver these products and services to consumers. This could be as simple as integrating remote point of sale options or as complex as revising products and services altogether.
If a company has integrated comprehensive ERP solutions that provide advanced metric data, identifying the efficacy of product lines and service programs becomes a much easier and more effective effort.
Staffing Level Uncertainty
Many companies have suffered losses, but things are slowly getting better. Companies are starting to reopen and, moving forward, need to be highly adaptable, as the post-pandemic economic future is still fairly volatile. Maintaining adequate staffing levels powers the bottom line, directly impacting sales and labor costs. This is particularly significant for businesses operating with low margins that cannot afford to overspend.
Read More: Don’t Get Stuck with an ERP System You Can’t Use
Evaluating product lines and services will necessitate assessing staffing needs, and changes in these areas will impact staffing levels. ERP helps companies administer, track, and report employee data, performance, staffing levels, and any waste areas where time and other resources can be more efficiently allocated.
Moving Forward Post-pandemic
The coronavirus has affected businesses in every industry. Companies should not expect to return to pre-pandemic operations and figures overnight – economic recovery is projected to take years, requiring businesses to develop long-term strategies that allow for flexibility.
Successful post-pandemic operations require close attention to evolving customer demands, team member uniformity, clear standards of operations, and the right technological tools to accurately evaluate business practices and operations.
Post-pandemic success comes from understanding what your organization needs right now to make informed decisions to meet your evolving business requirements. Moving to a cloud solution brings superior features to modern organizations with expansion and process automation goals.
Are you ready to make the switch? Contact our business growth advisors and we’ll make sure you have all the answers you need to decide.
