Daman Grewal—Co-founder, Partner, and Operations Manager at Centurion Trucking—quickly recognized the need to adapt and shift focus as he watched the pandemic unfold in China.
To ensure his business was able to adapt and survive the impact of the pandemic, Daman and the management team at Centurion Trucking followed 4 basic but effective strategies to adapt and thrive.
How To Survive A Pandemic?
- Be proactive. Keep a keen eye on the economy and trends, and plan accordingly. Daman saw what was unfolding in China in the wake of Coronavirus and the lockdowns occurring overseas. He quickly realized what was coming for North America and its potential impact on his business. So he shifted his focus to food and beverage suppliers and medical suppliers—to name a few.
- Communicate with your people. Employees require communication from their managers and ownership at the best of times. During a pandemic, management should be over-communicating with their employees. They should keep them informed about how their business is adapting and what may be required from beyond “usual.” Daman maintained constant communication with his drivers and office employees. He was countering some false information that was being spread, and ensuring their employees knew what was happening.
- Communicate with your customers. Your customers needs and priorities are shifting. Think about the new challenges your customers are facing, and how you can help. Ask them questions, listen to their answers, and learn from where their needs are today—and what they might be in the future. Discovering and fulfilling those needs will help you stay relevant during a crisis, and all the more likely your customers won’t forget you when the dust settles.
- Stay positive. Operating a business during a pandemic is scary. But don’t let fear and negativity immobilize you. It’s critical to keep a positive mindset when seeking out opportunity, communicating with your staff, and while listening to your customers. Daman was able to maintain a positive mindset through a turbulent time, and his business was able to thrive because of it.
Daman pivoted early which proved to be valuable insight on his part. It’s never too late to pivot and it’s certainly never too late to listen to your customers.
Click below to listen to Daman’s complete interview on the podcast with Clearbridge founder & CEO, Ryan Kononoff.
For more interviews with entrepreneurs and business owners that are learning, adapting and even thriving during COVID-19, check out Entrepreneurs Vs Coronavirus, a podcast brought to you by Clearbridge.
