Earlier this month, the WHO officially declared the coronavirus (or COVID-19) a pandemic. All around the globe, people are practicing “social distancing,” isolating themselves within the safety of their homes to prevent the virus from spreading. Non-essential businesses are closing their doors until everything blows over, and even the Olympics have been postponed. The economy is suffering, and the companies that do remain open are cutting resources or allowing their employees to work from home. With stocks plummeting and spending being cut to just the essentials, it seems like most businesses are slowing down.

But what can we do now to survive and be ready for the aftermath? While the effects of COVID-19 can easily be viewed as an obstacle, we prefer to see them as opportunities. Your customers are being extra careful with their funding, freeing up your own resources to invest in internal growth. This situation can be called many things – new, challenging, or unfamiliar, but one thing is for certain: it will end. And the organizations that use this time wisely will be the ones who come out ahead. Here’s what we suggest.

Optimize Work-From-Home Practices

Many companies are closing their physical offices, and in order to continue operations, employees have gone remote. However, many businesses are unfamiliar with this type of model. Because of this, we suggest developing guidelines and policies for working remotely.

When implemented correctly, work-from-home policies can bring positive organizational change. Remote employees have high job satisfaction rates, and there are many online resources to help you manage your virtual teams. And with the virus keeping everyone at a distance, now is the time to develop comprehensive remote policies and practices. 

Who knows? After COVID-19 has passed, you may be able to offer further remote opportunities for your company as it continues to grow and mature.

Adjust Your Internal Processes

No company is perfect, and if you are like most, you have many internal processes that need to be adjusted or improved. Now is a perfect time to take a step back, evaluate your performance and efficiency, and implement solutions. This way, when business returns to normal, you can hit the ground running.

Identifying areas for improvement is as simple as surveying your employees. The people caught in the day-to-day operations often notice process issues straight away, but they may not have the power to initiate change. Collect a list of common pain points and crowdsource solutions from employees with firsthand experiences. In times like these, it’s best to look internally, and by fine-tuning your internal processes, you can resolve persisting issues within your organization.

Optimize Your Internal Systems

In addition to processes, you can also take a look at your technology and computer systems. There are always upgrades, optimizations, and installations out there that can help your business, and now is a great time to explore them. If there are manual processes that have become repetitive, look into automating them. If your files have become disorganized, take the time to develop a standardized filing system or naming convention. Take your spring cleaning digital and clean out any unused data that’s clogging up your systems. Or, if you’re looking for a larger project, consider refactoring your Salesforce instance to align it with your current business needs. If you need any Salesforce help at all, we at Ntegro are here to support you as well.

Leverage Remote Assistance

While many businesses have cut back, remote consultants haven’t missed a beat. At Ntegro, we are using this time to focus on self-improvement, but we are still offering our core services, and many other consultants are doing the same. There are many benefits to working with a remote consultant, but the number one is that they are available during this coronavirus outbreak. If you need help with your HRIS, your business processes, your sales funnel, or your Salesforce installation, there are consultants out there who are ready to lend a hand.

Improve Your Salesforce Skills

If you’re unable to hire a consultant, there are other ways to educate yourself and improve your Salesforce instance. Trailhead is a free resource straight from Salesforce itself where you can find resources and modules to help you improve your abilities. And if you want to earn a Salesforce certification, you can choose from 25 different credentials for 6 different roles. And the best part is that you can register and take certification tests remotely from your own home!

Stay Safe, Stay Healthy, Stay Vigilant

For everyone, COVID-19 represents a danger we have never faced before. And while this can certainly be a time for internal growth, it is always important to prioritize health above all else. Check in with your employees regularly to make sure they are doing okay, and offer them your support if they need it. The coronavirus doesn’t just attack our physical health, but it affects our mental wellbeing as well. This is a time for us to be supportive, sympathetic, and resourceful. Stay safe, stay healthy, and stay vigilant.