Hope!
Someone said that there is no strategy like hope. Well, if you have been around the last few weeks, you know that we are all hoping for the best. Hope!
There are two kinds of people during this period. Those who sit it out and hope for the best and those who are taking this time to learn how to better themselves. How to survive. How to cope.
Some are curious. Some are learning another language. Some are learning how to bake. Some are learning more about their partners. Some are learning new skills like photography and videography while some are taking online lessons.
Well, guess what? All of us are right. We do what we do to survive. Looking into the future, we all ask ourselves, ‘Where will i visit when this is over? ‘What will i do when this is over?’ ‘ How will i turn my business around when this is over? ‘
A lot of businesses have had to go online abruptly while for some, it has been a smooth transition. For businesses that have been able to use technology during this period, they are in luck. What are doing for your business?
New business models are taking shape across sectors, one characterized by:
- remote work
- distance education
- remote healthcare
- online shopping
- mobile money.
These business models span transportation, security, finance, medicine, education and entertainment. Is your business taking advantage of these?
Since we are all home, we have taken advantage of ordering products online as well as paying online. A first time customer will rate your business based on how easy they can access information about the product, how easy it is to order and pay and how fast the product is delivered to them. All these depends on how technology can help your business to be seamless.
Let us see how we can all prepare for the next phase
Chen Li, President of Huawei Southern African region puts emphasis on laying the foundation for constant evolution.
As a small company operating in Kenya, are you preparing for the next phase? How? We need to be aware that most companies are laying the foundation for the next age of society’s technological advancement – the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
True enough, preparation is essential to being effective. Incorporating technology in your business will ensure that your business is prepared for the next phase after this pandemic.
Chen Li has been inspired by different creatives who are horning their skills while observing social distancing as they prepare for the next phase of their lives.
One of the creatives is young South African dancer Hlumelo, who has been practicing his steps for when he and his friend can perform together again. Hope! YouTube video
Another group of creatives are the members of the Shanghai ballet continued to practise – wearing facemasks – for their upcoming performance of Swan Lake. They took precautions, but remained focused on the next phase of their development. Is your business focusing on the next phase?
So, what do we do when we finally open our economy?
Personally, i feel that there will still be social distancing in the workplace while othes work from home, depending on technology to keep working together.
According to Chen Li, Huawei has secured their workers and their operations as well as looked at ways they can support businesses around Africa though ICT as listed below:
- The video conferencing systems they have provided in many African countries has enabled information sharing domestically and experience exchange internationally between epidemic prevention experts in China and Africa.
- Their remote video conferencing systems have helped medical institutions communicate more efficiently.
- Implementation of AI- based diagnosis solution in several medical institutions.
- CT scan reviews can now be completed in two minutes, 80% faster, saving critical lives.
Huawei will continue using our core information and communication capabilities to support Africa’s epidemic control efforts.
The epidemic has brought home to policymakers the importance of ICT in national development. This is likely to accelerate the establishment of a national data centres, optical fibre networks and communication base stations.
We are seeing the first signs of digital transformation not just in healthcare systems, but across entire economies, and society itself.
I personally feel that this period has exposed us to the possibility of the future with ICT. As a business, maximize the use of technology and after all this, your business will be among the few that will be prepared to deal with the aftermath.