The COVID-19 pandemic quite literally turned the world inside-out. Business owners implemented drastic changes in their practices to stay afloat, and those who were unable to adapt sunk. The sudden change in the world’s lifestyle has spurned innovative business practices. Check out these business trends that will likely transcend the pandemic that inspired them.

8 Business Practices From The COVID-19 Pandemic

1. Cashless Transactions

While cashless transactions have been around for some time, the pandemic pushed this method at the forefront. Nowadays, almost all establishments accept card payments as well as digital payments. Not only is this method more hygienic, it also makes businesses less vulnerable to theft.

2. Contactless Delivery

Food deliveries are not revolutionary. However, with the pandemic, not only did deliveries become more widespread, but contactless delivery became an option. Made possible by cashless transactions, more retailers and restaurants have hired either their own delivery driver or a delivery service to reach their clientele. Deliveries have proven to be a great way to increase sales, and the same will likely be true post-pandemic.

3. E-Commerce

E-commerce is another trend that established itself during the pandemic. Both businesses and consumers tried or saw the necessity of e-commerce. By the end of 2020, 93.5% of global internet users have tried online shopping, according to Scurri. Now that more people are comfortable shopping online, we can only expect e-commerce to become a requirement for businesses.

4. Stronger Local Supply Chain

With borders closed, businesses, as well as consumers, were forced to look for local alternatives. Businesses started sourcing materials from local suppliers while consumers preferred nearby shops. In the past, businesses and consumers preferred international suppliers for their lower prices, but now, they value their safety. This transition is likely to stay especially since it is also favorable for the environment—localizing supply chains will decrease businesses’ carbon footprint.

5. Sanitation

Cleanliness has become a big deal during the pandemic, and we predict it will be so for years to come. Once we are able to go outside, sanitation will be central to the shopping and dining experience. Businesses will most likely have to conduct regular disinfection and make alcohol stations available.

6. Work From Home

The pandemic forced businesses to realize that working from home is a feasible option. Contrary to expectations, the work from home set-up has proven to be efficient and productive. Since the start of the pandemic, 67% of companies are considering making work from home a permanent feature according to Small Business Trends. 

7. Video Conferences

Zoom became a household name overnight—businesses, schools, organizations all held meetings, classes, and lectures over video call during the pandemic. Video conferences are essential to the work-from-home set-up, and they will likely be incorporated into the workflow. However, video conferences may also be incorporated in marketing, particularly in customer retention.

8. Virtual Events 

As mentioned earlier, marketing has also come to adopt video conferencing. The most innovative companies have held various virtual events, such as webinars, to promote their products or reach out to customers. Virtual events are a great substitute to in-person marketing. Virtual events are at the top of marketing best practices from 2020, and businesses should gear up to hold their own virtual events in the near future.

Conclusion

These business practices quickly became part of people’s lifestyle, and they will surely become central to the “new normal.” Some of these business trends have been around before and were advanced by the pandemic. These trends are no doubt here to stay and improve our work and shopping experiences. Businesses will do well by adapting these practices as early as now.