Sign in the Ladies Bathroom at the SONO Mall, Norwalk, CT

The pandemic experience was mostly bad but it forced us to tackle Covid-related obstacles. It pushed us to be resourceful. Business minds have long believed that when you feel the most uncomfortable that it will lead to growth and innovation.

“The unknown makes people uncomfortable.”- Holly Hunter

Holly Hunter’s above sentiment got it right. The unknown makes us the most uncomfortable. It brings out all kinds of negative feelings like fear, doubt, and despair, to name a few. The pandemic had all of us uncomfortable because something like that had not happened in a century. We did not know what we were facing. It was an unknown beast that took down our way of living out our daily lives. And while it did that, it also required us to create a new way of living and working.

The pandemic helped us to create new ideas, make old ideas better and implement tactics that would allow customers to feel comfortable; and company doors to stay open.

Here are my Top 5 Covid-Related Best Practices that Emerged:

Sanitizer Stations & Wipes – Now found at places from retail outlets to churches!
QR Code Menus - No need to touch another menu touched by many. Just scan the menu QR code on the table and you’re all set.
Curbside Pick-up – Yes, it existed pre-Covid; but, it has become more efficient, convenient and more natural to use!
Google classroom – Ultimately there is no substitute for in-classroom teaching; Yet, Google Classroom helped our students stay connected to teachers, classmates and learning!
Hotel cleaning – Honestly I always wondered why our hotel room had to be cleaned every single day; new towels, etc. Requesting hotel cleaning is so much more effective not only for convenience sake but for the environment too.

Most importantly it allowed each of us to respect the other’s space. It truly made it real that tomorrow is not promised; and, it showed us that we need each other. While the COVID virus has not left us, we are desperately trying to adapt to a new world. In doing so, we are creating sustainable best practices that contribute to each of our lives and businesses.

As we continue to innovate in this ever-evolving world let us not forget that when we feel the most uncomfortable, it will stretch us and lead to our growth. May you continue to grow in the New Year! Cheers to a healthy and growth-filled year!

Sonya Ruff Jarvis is an entrepreneur and Managing Member of Jarvis Consultants LLC. Sonya is a Business & Marketing Consultant; Content Creator & Connection-Maker; Thought Leader & Industry Expert and Book Author & Entrepreneur. Areas of expertise include: Retail; Marketing; Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI); and Human Resources. Sonya has been a part of the B2B retail industry for more than 30 years. Interested in Sonya’s books? They can be found on Amazon or get an author autographed copy at www.jarvisconsultants.com.

Let’s talk about your next project and how Jarvis Consultants can support your initiatives; email sonya@jarvisconsultants.com.