'Time to thrive', businesses offered up support

Friday, 1 May 2020

Southland Chamber of Commerce president Neil McAra is delighted the business community is working together through the launch of the Thrive campaign.

Websites have quickly become the new shop window for many businesses, and there's a suggestion that won't change in the future.

With face-to-face contact restricted on the back of the Covid-19 pandemic many businesses have been forced to think of unique ways to ensure they still can operate.

Technology Users Association of New Zealand chief executive Craig Young said a digital presence should have been a focus for businesses prior to now, and the Covid-19 situation had simply hammered that home.

While businesses have shifted their operations online to generate income during the coronavirus restrictions, Young feels the newly created consumer habits will live long into the future.

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'Even if you are a bricks and mortar cafe business, people in the future will more likely order online and pick up a coffee on the way through to work or wherever,'' Young said.

Young added that by having a strong digital operation it opened a business up from being, say an Invercargill operation, to a nation-wide business.

Southland Chamber of Commerce chief executive Sheree Carey said most businesses already had websites, but many simply provided contact details and directions to the shop.

Businesses were now quickly working on ensuring customers had the option to buy directly from websites, Carey said.

The increased importance of digital operations was just one aspect that business owners are grappling with on the back of coronavirus.

A new campaign, Thrive, has been launched in Southland to support businesses in a raft of different areas.

The campaign is a joint initiative powered by Market South, Southland Chamber of Commerce, COIN South, The Southland Times and Stuff, and Findex.

The purpose of the initiative was to help businesses 'thrive and survive''.

The campaign will see a toolkit of free resources provided to help businesses cushion the COVID-19 blow.

The toolkit will be displayed online for any business operator who would like to tap into it.

It includes various business support advice, whether it be branding or in accountancy areas.

Market South has been the driver of the campaign after the idea was pitched and led by marketing consultant Lucy Coutts.

Market South creative director Carla Forbes said 'we normally charge for these types of services but everyone that has jumped on board realises now is the time we need to roll up our sleeves and help the business community, because the business community has been good to us,'' she said.

Findex managing partner, and Southland Chamber of Commerce president, Neil McAra said it was great to see businesses rallying to help each other because the current landscape meant most businesses were in survival mode.

“What is important in these times is to understand how and where you can respond in the short-term while not losing focus on the longer-term risks and opportunities.

“It’s great to see professionals sharing their trade, with real and tangible tools,” he said.

Nick Jeffrey, Group Sales Manager for The Southland Times and Stuff, said it was a challenge for businesses of all sizes right now and a bit of unity was important given ''it's a step into the unknown''.

''My hope is that we can find more ways to work together, we can share our success and our concerns instead of celebrating or suffering in silence, and most importantly we learn to embrace the change we inevitably have ahead of us.''

The free toolkit will be available in the coming days on Market South’s website.