The Pandemic Pivot: When Things Don't Go as Planned

We are fast discovering the variety of responses the business world is choosing in this crisis. Most are varying degrees of fear, grief, anger, appreciation, grace, kindness, and an inexplicable determination and optimism that Americans thrive on in times like these.

As the owner of two businesses, I certainly took a moment to grieve that 2020 would not be the year we thought it would be. That key members of our team who we love and appreciate beyond words would have to be laid off to survive the storm as revenue came to a screeching halt and cash was burning as fast as the virus was spreading.

But there comes a time when leaders have to stop railing against the ”what is not” and start looking for the “what is.” There is always opportunity in setbacks. Always. We are seeing it across the US and around the world. Hotels that were ready to shutter because no one was traveling, shifted gears to offer rooms to quarantined first-responders and alleviate overcrowded shelters. A Denver high end car polish company, Adams Polishes, recently shifted their production to hand sanitizer to battle the scarcity. Wedfuly, pivoted from online wedding planning - to establishing themselves as the experts in Zoom weddings!

Small business pivots are all about getting creative to help the business grow - and sometimes just survive - when things don’t go as planned. The essential step to a successful pivot is to identify what your customers want or need from your business that you haven’t anticipated in the products or services you currently offer - and then go do that!

In December 2019, we opened a grab-and-go market called Platte Street Mercantile to function as a lab for Impulsify's self-service kiosks and retail philosophies. The 1,100 sq ft convenience store would provide affordable grab-and-go meals and convenience items to serve thousands of employees that office around our booming Denver neighborhood on historic Platte Street.

We began to grow leaps and bounds as nearby office workers embraced the arrival of a lunch option under $10. We welcomed them and steadily got to know them with our friendly branded approach of “Hello, Neighbor!” We were killing it.

And then...

They were gone. All of them. Not a single essential business in the heart of a tech neighborhood left to serve. Everyone closed their doors and went home.

Should we close, should we limit hours, should we default on a brand new lease? Or should we pivot? When we realized we were an essential business because we provided food and beverage…

We chose the Pandemic Pivot.

Immediately, we used our supply resources to shift from gourmet chocolate, Colorado trail mix, and CBD Mac-and-Cheese (yes, you read that right), to grocery staples like milk and eggs, cereal, pasta, frozen dinners, fruit, and the much needed, highly sought after… toilet paper! It became our #1 seller in one day as nearby residents in the apartment buildings surrounding our community found Platte Street Mercantile a comforting local grocery in the midst of their crisis.

Our self-service kiosk for purchasing went from a cool retail feature to a social distancing essential. With only one attendant in the store and multiple kiosks for our guests to scan-and-go with minimal interaction, we quickly found a new and unexpected benefit to ShopPoP and the cashless model our store adopted. No cash and no touching of customer’s food provided reduced cross contamination in a time when so many are nervous to grocery shop.

It got me thinking of Impulsify's hotel clients in residential neighborhoods or near essential services like hospitals. Why can't they do the same? It isn’t room revenue - but it is revenue. And in times like these, every dollar matters. HELPING those in harm’s way matters.

Consider the opportunity within your lobby store. Can it be better stocked with meals for essential workers staying with you? Can you market the store to locals? Can you change your assortment to be a benefit to your neighborhood? Can you bring something positive and helpful to people terrified of scarcity?

Better yet, can you partner with a local restaurant or bakery to package sandwiches and salads to help a restaurant maintain sales while providing a valuable meal to those who need something quick and easy at your hotel. We partnered with Colorado companies - Santiago’s and Olive & Finch - to provide pre-packaged meals. Their items make up 8 out of 10 of the top sellers in our store now.

We have revenue. They have revenue. Our neighborhood has affordable food without entering large, overcrowded supermarkets.

Look for the win | win | win.

We came to a business fork in the road: to roll up our store or to pivot. Rather than throwing in the towel, because people weren’t buying what we planned, we examined our new opportunity - our new normal - and how we could help bring calm and comfort to our neighbors in a time of fear and anxiety and scarcity.

It has made all the difference.

If you want to explore the idea of expanding retail for your hotel – please reach out to me on LinkedIn. Happy to help any hotelier talk it through, provide retail advice, find the right supplier for a new assortment in your area. No charge.

Because if we help each other survive the worst, there will be more of us to celebrate the better days ahead!