The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted businesses globally and will likely transform how companies operate going forward. Companies should consider changes to their external interfaces like focusing more on online sales and domestic customers. Internally, companies need to re-examine their structures, processes, and resource utilization. This includes restructuring organizations if needed for survival, streamlining and automating processes, reducing redundancies, outsourcing non-core functions, and focusing resources on essential needs rather than "nice to haves". Adopting these internal efficiencies will help companies emerge from the crisis stronger.

1. Transfiguring your business post
COVID-19
The phrase “we are living in unprecedented times” has probably never ever
been used more often in history than in the last few weeks.
As the world is still grappling with the Covid19 crisis that has brought almost
every nation on the earth to a standstill physically and economically, much
has been written about what the new world reality will look like.
From the perspective of most companies, these could mean changes in the
way they approach their external interfaces. These could mean
 Focusing on online v/s offline sales channels
 Greater focus on domestic customers
 Reducing overdependence on specific sectors
 Focusing on more robust supplier networks etc.
These changes are to be expected soon and are certainly factors that any
business leader should consider sooner rather than later.
However, along with the external preparedness come the more interesting
and probably the so far undiscovered area of internal structures, systems,
processes and resources. Adversity has made businesses realize that there
are tremendous opportunities for building internal efficiencies.
Any organization that is planning to come out of the current adversity will need
to seriously consider addressing the following areas.
 Structure: What is the right structure that the company should adopt going
forward? Can we proceed with tweaks to the current structure or is there a need
to restructure? Certainly, restructuring is not a decision that companies should
take in haste. However, if it is a question of survival or restructuring, the choice is
quite obvious.

2.  Business Processes: There have been drastic forced changes to several
processes that companies have undertaken in the last few weeks. Are these
changes sustainable? Is there more that can be done? Are there any new risks
that have emerged due to the process changes?
o Process redundancies: Are some processes being done because you have
always been doing them? Are there ways to redesign those processes without
compromising on controls or risks?
o Process Outsourcing: Are there some noncustomer-facing / backend
processes that are being done by in-house teams that could be efficiently
outsourced? Are there functions that do not really need full-time personnel?
o Process Offshoring: If the last few days have taught us anything, it is the fact
that most employees can work as effectively from their homes as from their office
desks. Taking this further, are there opportunities to offshore processes or
move teams to less expensive locations?
o Process Automation: Are there potential savings in costs by automating
processes? Even if there is a seemingly fully functional ERP in place, what are
the efficiencies possible by taking it to the next level by investing in areas
like Robotics Process Automation?
 Resource Utilization: Another important learning from the world’s collective
experience of the last few weeks has been the sudden realization that companies
have been utilizing vast amounts of resources which fall into the “nice to have”
category and not necessarily in the “need to have” area.
Utilization of human resources is usually the first thing that most
organizations consider – and such utilization can be understood by
undertaking exercises in workload analysis, time and motion studies,
automation studies etc.
However, there are other resources such as office space, vehicles,
warehouses and such which at times get ignored. Such resources also come
with accompanying cost elements such as manpower, maintenance, utilities
and fuel – and all of these over a period tend to result in cost creep.
Once we win over the pandemic, the next real crisis would be putting the
pieces together and re-shaping the future. We can capture the opportunity to
invest in the real growth pillars and not the ones that belong to the “nice to
have” category.

3. Get Free Consultation
Transfiguring your business post
COVID-19
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PO Box 32665
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