Just as the movements of the tectonic plates cause many changes that later settle, some transformations caused by Covid-19 will also settle. We are adapting to the new reality. The question is: what will be settled?
In retail, for example, there was an urgent need for a new balance of inventories. Products that sold little started to sell a lot and some that sold a lot started to sell less.
Which products will remain in the bestseller basket? What moves will need to be made to improve the level of disruption of assortment consumption in the store?
What about brands?
Own brands took on another proportion. They had the opportunity to be tried, tested and approved. Does it change the way consumers see them for good? What hitchhikes with this variant? Certainly new perceptions.
According to my point of view, I would list what has settled down as follows:
- e-commerce first. Global sales continue to rise, with a steady increase in sales volume. Therefore, it definitely ceases to be seen as an innovation and becomes an indispensable tool in the daily lives of people and companies;
- the use of big data, which increases efficiency in choices and improves investments, thus increasing assertiveness, which is a critical success factor, with technology being its greatest ally;
- the choice for agile management. After all, there is no way to face a world with so many vulnerabilities, complexities and uncertainties without good management. A model that listens to its stakeholders, invests in the development and constant training of its employees. And, of course, it understands the relevance of the strategy combined with innovation, making it necessary to combine experience and modernity;
- and the importance of all areas of a company being seen as a strategic part of the business. For example, there is a new look at support processes.
With the “new normal”, support areas such as information technology and facilities have become even more essential. They play a leading role in the company’s health, not only because of the demand for technology and innovation, but mainly for the preservation of physical security and information. Therefore, they generate an inversion in the value chain, which inevitably leads to a change in the prioritization of processes.
Currently, it is necessary for most companies to reallocate resources, reduce unnecessary costs and increase investments in technology. But, how to find out where there may be leftovers, without knowing and understanding the processes?
One of the requirements of our day is the complete knowledge of the processes and the constant visit to the strategies, since processes not aligned with the strategies become ineffective. It is necessary to have a positioning to have a direction. That is why it is essential that the processes are linked to the company’s strategic objectives and vision.
I would also like to highlight the home office, the last on this list of what has been consolidated, but in nothing less important. This is because human capital is the greatest asset of any organization.
The home office brought the possibility of reallocating resources previously invested in buildings and furniture. It also brought greater efficiency in time management and the expansion of hiring opportunities. After all, proximity to work becomes much more proximity to the company’s purposes and technology than physical proximity.
The gains are many and, as in all new times, the adaptations too. It is important to remember that as the days pass, the new reality becomes segmented. But, as practically nothing in life is static, one must always be attentive and as prepared as possible for the next transformations.
The lack of flexibility takes us to the risk of becoming like the Choluteca bridge in Honduras. A solid and very resistant project, but today it has no function, as it is a bridge that connects nothing to nothing and is not even on the water.
Cristiana Aguiar’s article published on E-commerce Brasil on 08/25/2020.
