5 Things We Can Learn From Businesses that Have Adapted During the Pandemic

Since it’s often fundamentally more difficult to make rational and data-based decisions in times of ambiguity and uncertainty (when there isn’t an immediately apparent rational solution), businesses were forced to take a different approach: creativity. Creativity is the source of all innovation, and one could say that encouraging creativity is one of the few positive things the pandemic brought about.

It’s Time to Leverage Technology

Business models are changing, and so must the tools and tactics businesses use. To expand on this point, we can focus on a relevant example within the restaurant industry — the emergence of ghost kitchens. These are kitchens that operate exclusively through delivery, as they have no in-person seating and no storefront.

When consumers order food from one of the various delivery apps, kitchen staff prepare and package it for delivery and send it out from commissary kitchens. Of course, this new form of food service wouldn’t be possible without the help of delivery apps such as Uber Eats, Grubhub, and DoorDash.

Leveraging collaboration and this (relatively) new technology in a novel and creative way is what allows ghost kitchens to thrive, and this concept can help other businesses thrive as well.

Put Energy Into Creative Adaptation

Commercial kitchens and restaurants are changing their processes in more ways than one. Restaurant owners that want to maintain a brick-and-mortar location but also recognize the dangers of sticking to the same pre-pandemic business model are getting creative with their menus. 

Many kitchens have redesigned their menus to create delivery-only options that one can’t find if they’re dining in. This ensures that the restaurant can streamline its procedures for the staff without compromising the experience for the consumers.

Another notable example of creative adaptation in business models can be seen in the beauty industry. A study by McKinsey & Company shows that ‘traditional’ cosmetic products saw a decrease in popularity during the pandemic, while self-care and do-it-yourself products grew in popularity in the United States. Companies have had to shift everything from production to creative direction to compensate.

Additionally, e-commerce and online marketplaces have become significantly more important to businesses' bottom lines in spite of cosmetics originally being a primarily in-person market.

Don’t Be Afraid of Prototyping

The faster you try and fail, the faster you can return to the creative process and try again. Prototyping is a must for any business that wants to innovate and develop something entirely new. Fear of experimentation can ultimately lead to stagnation. 

When done with an appropriate amount of caution and planning, prototyping new ideas unearths solutions businesses may have never thought possible. 

For example, many ghost kitchens fail. According to the CEO of Ghost Financial, John Meyer, an estimated 35% of ghost kitchens don’t make it. This prototype failure doesn’t have to be seen as the end of the line for many restaurant owners. Since in-person dining is now permitted in most places, those who have an established brick-and-mortar restaurant can learn from their ghost kitchen experience and innovate in different ways (think redesigned menus).

Challenge Your Assumptions

Cosmetic companies are a fantastic example of how businesses can innovate by challenging their assumptions. Traditional makeup products are still in demand, but many consumers in the beauty industry have pivoted their priorities to self-care and maintenance.

This has encouraged businesses in the industry to reassess what they consider to be a “beauty/cosmetics company.” Since the pandemic, we’ve seen a massive shift in the products these businesses produce and the way they market them. 

One example of this widescale business model shift is Lamik Beauty, a vegan makeup company that specializes in creating products for women of color. Trailblazing founder Kim Roxie and her team created online quizzes to personalize recommendations to customers so they can find the right products in the safety of their own homes. Additionally, Roxie herself hosts virtual Facebook events to discuss wellness and beauty with followers. 

Challenging assumptions allows you to step into creativity and look at things from a different perspective.

Don’t Wait for the Customer to Come to You

Don’t play a waiting game with your customers. If you notice a gap that needs to be filled and a population that needs to be served, be the one to do so — and make sure people know about it.

Ghost kitchens can’t just get themselves listed on delivery apps and hope hungry customers come across them. They have to market on- and off-app. Innovative beauty brands that create DIY products can’t just hope for their products’ success. They have to introduce their new direction to previous customers and seek out opportunities to connect with untapped audiences on social media.

If one business doesn’t take proactive outreach seriously, another one will.

Takeaway

Though the negative circumstances surrounding the pandemic necessitated it, many businesses accelerated their innovation and adapted to large changes in the past three years.

Businesses that want to make a positive transformation should start from a place of creative ideation. Remember to experiment with new concepts, be in constant pursuit of falling in love with customers’ problems, and use technology to your advantage.

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