Most businesses today have experienced something in the last 10 – 15 years that’s made us have to adapt to a sudden or impending change in the economy, be it the GFC, recessions, or the floods that hit Brisbane in 2011 and impacted countless local businesses. But no one was really ready for what we’re facing right now, and it’s not isolated to one city, state, or country – this is a global situation that the modern world wasn’t prepared for. One day we will look back at these words with hindsight, and through a completely different lens.
Right now we’re all worried, and we’re scared of the uncertainty of what faces us in the near future. It’s that same feeling we got when we were kids, when we were left in the dark and couldn’t see what lies ahead. And it’s ok to feel that way.
The fact is we’re all in this together, we’re all trying to ensure the continuity of our businesses and are scrambling to find some form of predictability and equilibrium in this time of fear. For many, this is going to be a tough time, and you’d be naive to think that anyone is invulnerable to the state of the world and economy as it is right now. People will lose jobs, businesses will close down. We hope for the best, but prepare for the worst.
Driven have been slowly implementing measures over the last year or two to allow our team to work completely remotely, and thankfully that paid off for us when it came time to make a decision to shift our whole team out of our Spring Hill office, and into their homes. We made this decision to not only to ensure the safety of our team, but to try and do our little part to help the health care system flatten the curve. While Australia has had fewer diagnosed cases of COVID-19 than many other countries, the reality is that the situation is going to get worse before it gets better, and we need to all do our part to help the authorities and medical professionals manage the situation as best they can.
Like us, many of you are finding your way through the dark right now, trying to find the light to give us some sense of certainty in these times. But we’re here to help you, and the reality is that businesses are going to need to keep operating to keep the economy strong, and to survive and come out fighting when things do settle. Your customers are going to be getting their information in different ways, in the immediate future, and in the next 6 – 12 months. Digital and social are going to be placed high in your priorities for keeping them up to date, and promoting your business.
Because our team have been setup to work at 100% capacity remotely, we’re here to support your business to get your ready for when the dust settles, and to also shift the way you communicate with customers right now. To help our clients, we’re also going to extend payment terms for new work, and will be offering discounts on new projects to help keep your business running and healthy.
Most importantly, above all else, we ask that everyone focuses on their health and of those around them. These are indeed trying and uncertain times, and we’ve seen some of the more unfortunate, ugly sides of humanity in the news. But it is in times like these that we also see the best, where we come together and do what’s best for those who need it most. Where science and medicine makes leaps and bounds, and we notice things in the world around us that we haven’t before, simply because this whole situation has forced us to just slow down a little. Here are some things to help you see the great things that surround us, and are happening – even though the media yells the loudest when things are bad:
– South Korea reports more recoveries than new cases
– The canals of Venice have become clear, and dolphins are visiting the ports of Italy because human activity has drastically slowed down in the waters
– Arnold Schwarzenegger apparently has a tiny horse and donkey
Just remember that not all is bad, and together we will get through this. The Driven team are here to help.
