Running a business during a global pandemic…where do you begin?
As we navigate through a strange and unfamiliar world, we hope that you and “yours” are safe and healthy; and hope that your business is successfully moving forward through this unprecedented time.
For us, the past four months have been filled with stressful learning curves. We have changed our daily operations to include
social distancing, sanitizing stations throughout the buildings, and wearing face masks. Honestly, I never would have thought that we would need to create a
protocol for possible exposure to COVID-19, or purchase thermometers in bulk. But, they are a part of our everyday life, at least for now.
BEB has remained open during the pandemic. We have been fortunate to retain 100% of our staff, and business has been (surprisingly) busy.
Our employees have been amazing. We have always been a tight-knit group that come together when times are crazy. Their willingness to “jump in” whenever or wherever needed are core reasons that we are extremely flexible for our clients. Our cohesiveness and camaraderie have increased over the last few months, and I am grateful for their bravery and commitment to our organization and clients.
The current economic climate makes it difficult to project and prepare for the future, especially since we don’t even know what the next week will look like. Even so, we are continuing with our planned system upgrades that started in the spring, and we have contracted with an outside firm to review and solidify our processes and procedures to ensure maximum efficiency and superior quality output.
Some mail delivery has been negatively impacted by COVID-19. First-class mail is taking up to 10 days both locally and regionally. On the opposite end of the spectrum, we recently had a client that received a flat-sized marketing mail piece within 24-hours after submission into the local mail stream.
Direct mail is gaining momentum during the pandemic as the number of people working and staying at home has substantially increased, and will remain that way for the foreseeable
future. It’s a perfect way to reach out and touch people safely. Mail is tangible, interactive, and sends a powerful message.
In turn, the digital world is booming. If you aren’t utilizing your website and social sites to communicate with your client base, you’re missing an enormous opportunity. As self-serving as it sounds, more than ever before, your business should be focused on marketing and retaining connections to your customers.
We hope that you enjoy this edition of The Bureau. It is the first since the pandemic started. Enclosed are items that review the latest marketing trends and we included a reference page for COVID-19 that lists numbers, websites, and general information that may be helpful with your day-to-day operations.
It is during tough times, such as these, that we reflect on how grateful we are to you, our clients, partners, and staff. Without you, we would not be here. We hope that you and your family and loved ones stay healthy and safe and hope your business continues to thrive as we weather through the storm. As always, thank you for your business and partnership.
Ron Royall
President
