In many ways, this is like getting a pop quiz on the
first day of class on a new subject. Whether this is fair
is irrelevant, as it certainly will hit and hurt many more
than others. The challenge remains the same and goes
to the core of all of our business. What value can we
provide to our customers? What expenses are necessary
to provide that value? What is the most efficient way to
deliver that value?

Any established business has tried and true practices
that you have followed in some ways without question.
We have hired and trained not always because we HAD
to but because there was a pain point or we forecasted
a need. I have yet to speak to a business owner who has
now not realized they were overstaffed and had waste
within their processes. Every single company has seen
this.

All this leads me to the test, what has changed in your
business and how have these changes been realized?
The healthier the decision making process was within
your company prior to this stress test, the more resilient
and sustained your gains should have been during
the crisis. When I say healthy, I am specifically talking
about streamlined decision making. The more capable
your downline employees and managers are, the faster
they were able to respond to the data and changing
processes required of their job. The further decisions are
made upstream in your company, the longer it takes for
the data and difficulties to reach your attention.

In my reading and journaling, I have 9 different changes
I expect responsive companies to have either made or
formalized in response to these challenges. The number
that your company was able to achieve is directly tied
to the number of decision makers, leaders and key
employees you currently employ.

9 Changes for your COVID Test:
1. Increased Delegation — Where are you able to
expand the number of decision makers at your
company to meet the increased demand from
changes and problems being faced?

2. Decreased Implementation Time — Did you allow
for people to make changes and test results or did
you see an increase in prolonged analysis before
making changes? Increased iterations is a faster way
to improve.

3. Process Changes With Less Interactions — Whether
employee to employee or employee to customer
interactions, were you able to reduce the number of
interaction points?

4. Expense Evaluations — How long did it take you to
analyze expenses?

5. Strategically Pursuing Revenue — Opportunities
for where your revenue comes from were changing,
did you put together a strategic plan to adapt to
shifting opportunities? How long did it take you to
make this decision and implement a new plan?

6. Adaptability of Staff and Processes — That’s not my
job is a phrase I have heard from employees when
asked to do something different. Who stepped up?
Who made changes of their own accord? How easily
were you able to change processes?

7. Rethinking Value To Customers — How has
customer’s expectations changed? How easy are
your transactions? How do your remote transactions
compare to other industries? No contact delivery?
Direct ship options? Remote payment options?

8. Automated Sequences/Processes — How have
you adapted technology? Every company is a
technology company to some extent. Is your data
collection automated? Are emails, marketing,
photos, inventory processes automated?

9. Inventory Planning/Consistency — Do you binge
buy or at least plan to carry heavier inventory
going into the crisis? We all knew a shortage to
some extent was coming. Always prepare and be
proactive in planning for the worst. We can’t make
inventory magically appear, we must buy steady or
increase heading into
a shortfall.

To varying degrees some of these components were
parts of your business prior to this challenge. Now most
or many of these will be commonplace going forward
and if you have not passed these tests you will face stiff
competition to catch up. Peer groups, on-site visits or at
least strategic alliances with your fellow recyclers and
state associations can help you catch up faster.