After the pandemic

Today I met with Josh from North Brewing, picking up a loaner. Sending it to the next customer who needs it urgently. And bought the treat you can see. I had to check my notes. Last in-person meeting, flesh and blood, not zeros and ones, dated back to 3/13. It felt really weird. Josh as well as me wearing masks. Being meters apart. No handshake. At least we smiled. Is this the future, post pandemic FIELD sales (or field work)? I don't hope so.

My experience during this pandemic is that I can achieve a lot using technology from home that I did in person before the stay-home order came. I am field-based, that is what I signed up for, what the company wants me to do. I was up to 4 days on the road each week. Helping customers with our devices, fixing them, tweaking them, installing, demos, meetings. Nailing down deals. Making connections. In Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, PEI and Newfoundland. How will the future after the pandemic look like?

I am measured most and foremost in revenue. Of course. But in-person interactions with customers are also a metric. Currently the metric is...on pause. How will that look like after this pandemic? It will be interesting how the job of field-based sales will change - in general and in my company in particular. There are times when I have to meet someone, I need to be there. For sure whenever it comes to the instruments. But there are lots of interactions that can be done from a distance.

One thing is for sure: At some point we will have passed Covid. The next pandemic will come. And it might be a lot worse than this. It might be this year already. This decade. For sure this century. We are so connected, you do not need to be a prophet to see it. Some industries, come companies will adapt well. Some won't.

I wish everyone good luck in their endeavour. Stay healthy, physically and mentally. I see you on the other side (of this pandemic).