A Positive Pivot

There is a term used in Business called “pivoting.”  This is being flexible enough to change your model, market, and sometimes product to react to the latest trends and changes.  This has always been true for start-ups, but COVID19 showed us that traditional and established businesses must also be willing to pivot.

Since early March we have seen entire industries change their path to market due to the world shutting down overnight.  Today March may seem like it has been years, but in fact it has only been 4-short months.  Yet retailers, restaurants, airlines, hotels, and many other businesses have had to turn the switch and change their entire sales process.  This period has fueled the new Social Marketing industry and safe online shopping has spiked to new all time highs.

A friend told me “that to pivot is to survive.”  I would add to his statement “to pivot is to thrive.”  Here are a few examples.  In Ohio we are seeing restaurants, cleared for inside dining, instead sticking with their new curbside pickup models.  This may be partly due to the increased profit spared by lower overhead.  Big box stores like SAMS and food stores around the country continue to roll out more curbside pickup  even with states lifting the stay at home orders.  Lastly I will ask the reader, have you ever ordered from Amazon?  Better yet, are you a Prime Member with them?  Maybe the correct question is, how many days a week does an Amazon truck stop at your home?

While business has had to pivot to survive, the consumer has also been forced to pivot.  Current trends suggest that in the process of adapting, the American consumer found out that some of the new normal wasn’t that bad.  Ordering groceries on Friday night and picking up Saturday frees up more weekend time.  Curbside at Texas Roadhouse is convenient and better than the old pizza, Chinese, or fast food options.  Ordering anything on an app is faster, and social product recommendations are a good source of information.  Online ratings and reviews are a good thing.

Because of COVID19 the world, including you and I, did a positive pivot. 

Todd Tannehill is a Technical Sales Manager in the drilling industry, a writer, and Social Marketer based out of Northeast Ohio, USA. All views expressed are the opinions of the author and no claims are made.