There has been talk that 2020 was one of the most challenging year in the last three decades.

Unless you are one of the “lucky ones”, your business faced difficult times within the past year. It is safe to say that no matter what line of work you are in, we can all agree that 2020 showed no mercy. At Access, we believe success is not defined by what happens to a business, but how it perseveres through difficult times. As Abraham Lincoln once said, “It’s not about how many times you fall, but how many times you get back up.” With that, it was crucial to our success that we as a company learned how to pivot and adapt accordingly to all the trials that 2020 brought along with it. 

When asked how Access managed to navigate through the pandemic Shane Sloan, Access CEO and Owner states, “I really love our staff and the resiliency they’ve shown. We have so many dedicated people who have shown a can-do attitude. There was very little complaining, and many people offered good ideas. They rolled up their sleeves and helped us get through it.”

In 2020, Access learned how to survive and persevere during the pandemic. Thanks to our amazing culture and employees, Access responded quickly, made adjustments in operations, and understood what our customers needed most. While events of 2020 caused intense business disruption for many, teams learned how to communicate effectively with customers and ensure their trust. Access increased communication and relied more on technology to stay connected with customers to foster relationships.

It’s time that all businesses turn inward and ask themselves the questions: What did we learn, and how can we benefit moving into 2021? Research, surveys and common sense show the following concepts will be necessary to move from surviving to thriving in 2021 and beyond.

Flexibility

Expect the unexpected. If we have learned anything, it’s that we can’t predict the future. Yet we can learn from the past. It is important to learn from changes in your customers business model, and adapt accordingly to maintain strong relationships with clients. Ensuring your business is elastic and appropriately adjusts to your customer’s ebbs and flows is vital to the partnership’s success. Next, be flexible and provide solutions that support their success, ultimately creating the opportunity for both businesses to thrive. At Access Systems, the one constant has always been change. This concept was tested more in 2020, but what was evident is those organizations that do well with change, or have a strong change management strategy in place, are better positioned for success.

Build Resilience

In a recent communication to “people managers”, SHRM shared: Athletes often talk about resiliency when they've bounced back from a defeat or a less-than-ideal training day. But resiliency is also sorely needed in the workplace, especially in these times of uncertainty, anxiety, and economic worries amid the pandemic. Teams need to learn how to deal with the challenges and setbacks in new/different ways. Being versatile and staying consistent with your company’s progress can be the key difference in helping your business break through the noise.

Accountability and Trust

Given today's climate, companies need to foster, and create an environment of employee accountability. Employees who are trusted and given a “voice” are more engaged, more committed, and more productive. Plus, those who are trusted with responsibility typically do not wish to disappoint their leadership.

Customer loyalty and customer retention are very important, now more than ever. At Access Systems we have seen that happy, dedicated employees create happy and loyal customers.

Ease of Doing Business

We all appreciate when someone or something makes it “easy” to do business with them. Make things simpler, not more complex – we had enough complexity in 2020! The customer experience has been, and should continue to be, a focus moving forward in 2021.

Operational Efficiency

Sales were back for most industries but when analyzing spending and business models, companies were able to safeguard their bottom line. What measures should you continue through 2021? As the economy rebounds and your revenue increases, this may be the trifecta to the road to thriving once again.

Marketing Strategies

In the past year the “virtual meeting” became a necessity and more commonplace. As we’ve seen, technology was essential in 2020, but studies have shown that traditional marketing tactics are proven still very effective with customers and prospects.

Many of the traditional aspects or “going back to the basics” may provide surprising ROIs. Despite the shift towards digital communication in recent years, studies show that consumers still prefer phone calls over discovering businesses through websites or emails. Think direct mail is past it’s time? Not quite. The data has also shown that consumers tend to consider direct mail items such as newsletters and postcards when they are closer to making a purchase. Due to social distancing guidelines, consumers now rely on mail more than ever. For sales and customer retention, face-to-face communication is highly effective. A survey by Management Events found that 79% of top-level executive use face-to-face meetings for lead generation.

Perhaps in 2021, its time to go back to the marketing roots and utilize traditional marketing tactics to improve consumer engagement with your brand. What traditional marketing tactics will your business reengage?

New Year, New You

Embracing these key concepts are vital to business success in 2021. As your business heads into the new year, consider these aspects, as well as lessons learned from 2020, to help your company achieve desired outcomes in 2021.

Your business needs a brand it can trust. Access Systems wants to be on your team and help you soar into 2021 with great office technology solutions. The trust we instill in our customers is the foundation of our strong relationships. As 2021 brings on trials of its own, Access is committed to being by your side every step of the way. Access is dedicated to providing office technology solutions that will help you grow and thrive by Keeping Your Office Connected.