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Edition 291 – The Pit Crew

Written by Dean Robinson.

Here in Sydney, it’s looking like we might exit hibernation around the 18th of October, 2021. This is premised on the hope that 70% of the adult population in New South Wales will be double vaccinated by that day. If that indeed ends up being the day, it will be one week shy of four months that Greater Sydney will have been in lockdown. That’s a long winter and half of spring been and gone in that time.

When businesses do open back up, it’s my guess that things will be rusty for a little while. I know of a number of businesses where staff have been furloughed for more than two months. I know of others where staff have been working from home, some productively, others whilst wearing their pyjamas and ugg boots all day. Re-entry is going to be a little bumpy, just as it is for any spacecraft heading back into the earth’s atmosphere.

The time to start preparing for re-entry is now and I know this for one reason only – I’m hearing stories that things have gotten a little loose of late. Whilst the world is a little different at the moment, here’s what’s been happening in some family businesses:

  1. Staff turning up at 8.59am – after the customers are already on the door step.
  2. Machines not fired up first thing – so you’re not ready to start the day when the day has actually started.
  3. Equipment not being in use for a while.
  4. Vehicles sitting around, idle. Sure, they’ve been maintained – but have they been started?

Over the next five weeks, every family business has a golden opportunity to train like a motor racing pit crew to be ready for Monday the 18th of October. You see, pit crews perform at lightning speed because:

  1. They rehearse.
  2. They prepare for a scheduled pit stop before the pit stop occurs.
  3. All the equipment is in place and ready to go at any point in time.
  4. Unscheduled pit stops have been role played – and various scenarios played out.
  5. The team has been rested – but also know when it’s time for “game-on”.
  6. The team leader is looking at their opposition, their own track position, the weather and the adjoining pit boxes to know what factors can come into play that will benefit, or jeopardise, track position.

Don’t wait until Monday the 18th of October to figure out that you’re not ready in any shape or form. Start the process now. When the sun does rise on that Monday morning, people will want to do business with your business….immediately. If you’re still dusting off the cobwebs when they roll up, chances are you’re creating a very poor first impression as to whether you’re the right fit for what they need for their business.

This Week’s Tip

A message to the large corporates – one size does not fit all!