As business owners, partners, managers and sometimes even as young executives, all of us have the responsibility of pulling our socks up and responding to the need of the hour. In a highly volatile world with numerous challenges being thrown at us everyday, businesses face circumstances that have never been imagined. When the unexpected hits us, it is not growth, expansion, product development or traction that is important; instead, the buzz word becomes survival. Businesses, irrespective of how large or small, old or new, need ‘doers’; people who are unafraid to get down on their hands and knees
and work hard; those who are not going to watch labels or titles and will ensure that the job gets done and those who know what needs to be prioritised.
If your business is facing a setback or needs to first survive before thinking of thriving, adjust your resources so that these fighters are put to the main stream. At the same time, train, guide and coach all the other staff to become resilient and turn on survival mode for the betterment of themselves as well as the business. Here are a few roles of survival that have to be played by teams when the demands are high in that aspect.
01. Handling the Cash Flow
The cash flow of a business is similar to the blood circulation in our body and for everything in the business to function there has to be sufficient cash or prudent cash handling. Having a trusted financing partner such as Purewin can be a source of relief in crunch situations, but the team that handles the cash flow must be adept at understanding crucial business requirements and adjusting the operations to make the most of the available liquidity.
02. Running the Daily Operation
Seasoned hands that are able to handle issues and face challenges in day to day business running need to be put in charge. The core functions of a business need to run smoothly irrespective of the circumstances to ensure business continuity. The team that handles the core functions have to be able to adapt and change the operations to suit the macro environmental factors within a short span of time.
03. Facing Customers and Answering Difficult Questions
Ensuring that the most patient and attentive staff are employed to handle the customer service desk is equally important. Customers tend to be more cautious during difficult times and if they are reassured of a smooth operation, if their complaints are attended to without delay and if their concerns are looked into, they would be more relaxed about obtaining products or services from your business. The front line staff should be trained and educated on handling the complicated questions that can come from customers as they will only be able to put a customer at ease, if they are confident about the
issue.
04. Handling Technical and Technological Lapses
If systems are not working as expected, if technical issues keep popping up, keep the tech gurus at hand to resolve the issues and have a spokesperson who can handle the queries. The principal task is to get the issues fixed, but the users, customers and other stakeholders who are worried, need to be given reasonable answers and assurances of service resumption. Quickly sketch out a plan with the fighters heading the teams to take the business through the rough patch. The plans may not be perfect, but with the survival mode being switched on, there is a lot that can be achieved during a crisis.
