Business Fitness

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As business activity increases and more people are returning to work. It is important that leaders look at their current company’s Business Fitness and how they might improve it over the coming months.

Currently, the news is around how we have experienced the biggest dip to our economy on record, and what type of recovery will we experience. We have heard many recovery shapes being described V, U, and W as well as others, being discussed daily.

However, the hard truth is no one really knows. The recovery will be different for each sector and businesses within each of those sectors.

What can we say with confidence, if we deal with what is in our control, if we make your business, fit, and build stronger foundations to deal with the current environment? This will give the business the best chance of a V recovery.

As a business leader, it is important that everyone in our team understands and feels comfortable about the path ahead. At this stage, you cannot overcommunicate your vision with the team. Now is a great time to increase communication around what the business needs are, why action is required, and what the business will be focusing on, along with how the team will deliver.

In my opinion  there are three key elements to Business Fitness;

  • business structure
  • team wellbeing
  • delivery of customer experience

Business Structure

Business structure for many has already been discussed, agreed and action taken. You will have asked yourself many questions, around requirements for today, this year, and what 2021 will look, and feel like.

Based on your own personal view of potential future growth, you will have included the headroom to maximise the opportunities as they arise and have the talent around you to make it happen. 

These are difficult times. Many difficult conversations, decisions have happened and will continue to happen, giving the correct support, demonstrating empathy, and consistently reassuring the team will test your leadership qualities.

Team Wellbeing

Team wellbeing, the flexibility, and agility that will need to be demonstrated from you the leader will be tested over the coming months. This will test your resilience and energy levels to mention but a few. 

There are so many circumstances and variations to be considered, anxiety expresses itself in different ways for us all. We may potentially have our teams spilt between the office and working from home. Communicating a phased team return, giving as much notice as possible to allow for the adjustments at home to be made.

Adjustments needed for returning to work from furlough, any role responsibilities changes. The team dynamics may be different, and some relationships will have changed some may be lost others strengthened. 

Keeping the team aware of all changes, the reasons why and need for these changes however small will eliminate surprises and give you the opportunity to pull the team together to become stronger. 

Remember, this economic downturn has affected everyone at some level, emotionally.  

Customer Experience

We all set out to give a great customer experience. When was the last time you asked yourself these questions?

What is it like being a customer to our business? 

How easy was it to get what you want? 

How easy was it to buy a product/service and was it transactional or value-led? 

We have experienced a rapid change in our lives, around work, the way we communicate, how we shop, our home life, and how we entertain ourselves and our family. 

Has your business adopted sufficient changes to your customer offering, has your team’s behaviour adapted to increase the experience you give during the sales journey? 

We need to make it easier and quicker, while still being able to build value at all touchpoints. And when we sell big-ticket items, we should look to create a memorable story for our customers to tell their family and friends, in fact, anyone who will listen.

If you would like to explore our thinking further, on how small changes can impact the effectiveness of your team’s performance and customer experience, my contact details are below:

Paul

Paul.canning@gmdpeople.com

https://gmdpeople.com/

01327 831371

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