The new normal?

8 January 2021

­Couldn’t be better

How many Zoom meetings have you been in lately?

The current coronavirus situation certainly has changed the way we conduct business and operate as a society. This is a difficult time, for sure, but I think a lot of the ‘new normal’ is good. Take the way we have all adapted to different conditions with technology, for instance.

COVID-19 has made people think twice about the need to fly interstate for a one-hour meeting, the absolute necessity of having a boardroom full of physical bodies, and even the way we buy and sell goods and services.

Small businesses were amongst the first to adapt, with restaurants offering takeaway and deliveries, florists bumping up their online offerings and providing improved e-commerce solutions, and hairdressers extending their opening hours or visiting vulnerable customers in their homes.

The auto industry has adapted very well too. Your local automotive business is possibly offering contactless vehicle pick-up and delivery, SMS repair authorisation, and complete vehicle sanitisation.

It’s great to see how businesses are changing with the times and providing value-add services. Some of my favourites include contactless key drop boxes, alternative payment options, and e-receipts and worksheets.

The provision of hand sanitiser in waiting rooms, offering disposable gloves at service stations, and conducting online virtual test drives is innovative and also great to see.

So, the next time you sit down to yet another Zoom meeting, why not take a moment to appreciate some aspects your new normal?   

Words: VACC CEO, Geoff Gwilym. As featured in the Herald Sun 8 January 2021.