A difficult and strange year is beginning to reach its end and we are many who are looking forward to a new and exciting 2021. A new year means that you get the chance to start on a new slate and maybe see a turn towards us returning to a little more normal world.
The end of the year is usually a time when you often look into the crystal ball and predict about what is to come. So what can entrepreneurs expect from the coming year?
The same demands from consumers
Even though the vaccine is starting to roll out, worldwide, experts do not seem to believe that everything will return to “normal” immediately, anyway. Something that applies in particular to entrepreneurs.
2020 was a year that, for companies, was about being able to change quickly according to the new needs and requirements set by consumers and society. And even though we may have a more mobile society with a vaccine, the requirements will not change much for companies. This is because customers now, to a greater extent, expect to be able to continue to receive contactless service.
When you before had to go to bigger cities to see a concert, in 2020 you have been able to see them live streamed, directly in your home. Instead of going to a hospital, many met with the doctor via video call and more and more restaurants focused on take-away and home delivery instead of physical restaurant visits.
Even if consumers will want to be able to eat at a restaurant, talk to a doctor face to face and go to grand concerts, they will continue to demand to be able to choose to receive the same service remotely. Something that, in turn, will continue to place demands on companies’ ability for simple communication routes and smart technology.
The same demands from workers
Our working lives, too, have changed drastically during the year. The trend to work from home has been on a steady up going curve for many years, but 2020 was the year when it exploded. It has been a big change, both for companies and employees, but thanks to the technology, it has gone surprisingly well for a lot of companies. Even though the world may soon be moving towards the normal, workers will continue to want the opportunity to work remotely, from home, the cottage or that cozy café on the corner. As an entrepreneur, you need to be able to deliver working methods and collaboration tools to be able to retain and attract new competent staff.
On-boarding, training and continuous meetings still need to be able to be kept at a distance.
Digitization continues
Companies must continue to digitize and find ways to be able to deliver services and goods in a contactless way. Cloud solutions and smart collaboration tools will be just as important in 2021 as they were in 2020, in order to keep productivity up with colleagues who work remotely.
So entrepreneurs, now is not the time to stop, relax and stop evolving. It is instead now that you have the chance to create the conditions you need to stay relevant in a changed world.
In conclusion, I want to take the opportunity to wish you, yes you, a happy new year!