The new normals in a post covid-19 world include one major shift in the way business will be conducted, and that is working from home. Multiple MNCs have already announced their work from home policy even after Covid-19 is defeated.
In a world post-lockdown where the rules of the game are set to change, or rather have already changed, the way forward for co-working spaces in the country is certainly an unknown road.
The nation-wide lockdown is slowly being lifted across orange and green zones and life is slowly crawling back to a new-normalcy. Businesses and brands are now are making their way back into the business; planning their communication plans for a new world post the covid-19 lockdown.
In this story of Medianews4u’s, Back to Business, we spoke to Chulamas Jitpatima (Amy), Country Director, MQDC India who own and operate the co-working space Whizdom Club.
Read on.
How are you coping with the impact of Covid-19 on your Whizdom Club? How effectively have you used the lockdown period?
Like most industries office spaces, and co-working spaces have been impacted during the lockdown imposed across nations in a bid to contain the COVID-19 pandemic. Co-working spaces are not just traditional office spaces, providing a space for organizations to run operations, but stand for inspiring people and building a community. While social distancing and the overarching lockdown have impacted the footfall in co-working spaces, it has also given rise to other ways to stay connected and offer services to the member community
At Whizdom Club by MQDC India, we have held a number of cultural and educational webinars allowing us to create a special connect with all our stakeholders. We did not want to miss any opportunity to create community engagement due to the lockdown and hence have migrated to online platforms, wherein we held a number of webinars and online events in order to stay connected with our members and stakeholders. Our webinars have been in association with our partners, focused on mental well-being as well as mentorship and career guidance sessions for students and entrepreneurs.
MQDC as a brand stands ‘For All Well-Being’ and we have been constantly working to create better and more sustainable workspaces to ensure well-being for all our stakeholders. All the necessary precautions based on the guidelines by the government have been implemented in order to ensure the highest levels of safety and hygiene as we move ahead to bounce back for a brighter, better future.
The quest for a solution to a particular crisis helps invent new business opportunities and sometimes leads to a revision of existing business models, what sort of innovation has or will the Covid-19 pandemic bring to your brand/industry/category?
The co-working segment will have to prepare for the new normal through a massive realignment of strategies. We, as an industry,will need to introspect and adapt to the changing landscape in accordance with the current scenario. The membership plans and offerings would evolve, the spaces will have to be re-shuffled to create a more spacious area and most importantly a safe and hygienic work environment would be imperative.At Whizdom Club by MQDC India, we have prepared a long-term strategy as part of which we will also be providing special offers to students, entrepreneurs as well as enterprise clients to facilitate businesses. We have also ensured that all the necessary precautions are undertaken to provide a safe working environment for our community. Also, we constantly engage with our community through online activities.
The DTGO Group lays special emphasis on sustainability and wellness. In line with the core philosophy the group consists of two companies committed to “For All Well-Being”. The Research & Innovation for Sustainability Center (RISC), a knowledge-sharing environment which devises sustainable solutions for healthier ecosystems and Future Tales Lab which focuses on finding future trends and exploring key insights in Well-Being across various industries, even beyond Property Development. MQDC India gains from key insights from these two entities that are incorporated into our strategy and functioning for the benefit of members and community at large.
While some parts of the country have become Covid-19 free, cities like Mumbai and Delhi are still in a lockdown situation. How are you planning to resume business across cities that are not in the Red?
Whizdom Club by MQDC India is the first Indian venture by MQDC (Magnolia Quality Development Corporation, Bangkok, Thailand) and we are currently present only in G.K.-2, Delhi. We have reopened the club on 1st June 2020, in line with Government guidelines and directives with necessary safety precautions such as social distancing and mandatory health checks for all members, staff and guests.
What will be your communication strategy post the opening of the lockdown? what will be the objective of the communication/marketing strategy?
Whizdom Club by MQDC India has always been ahead of the curve and has key features in the club design that promote health and wellness. We take pride in our innovative and sustainable space. Our Club has in-built facilities and measures which promote wellness. At Whizdom Club, in a bid to promote “For All Well-Being”, the philosophy that underlines our existence, we have adopted several sustainable practices such as optimal use of natural lighting, owing to our retractable roof; the complete absence of carpets and AC ducts along with facilities such as Treated Fresh Air and Plasma Air Purification technology to improve air quality in the premises.
Our communication strategy will focus on highlighting the innovative and secure space that we offer. Our internal and external communication will emphasize on implementation of precautions and guidelines underlined for COVID19 by the government, in order to reassure all our stakeholders and new members/customers that we are a safe space to work. We would also share messages from our members, staff and partners on our social media platforms to stay connected and provide a platform for the exchange of ideas and thoughts in the current scenario. At Whizdom Club by MQDC India, we not only provide a space to work but enable our patrons to build a community, to work for the overall well-being of all our stakeholders.
How did you keep the morale of the employees during this lockdown period? On a personal note, what kept you positive?
The team has been connected right through the lockdown. We constantly support each other and openly communicate about our thoughts and ideas. Having an open culture has helped us keep strong and even adapt to the new working style during the lockdown effectively. Regular team calls and an open culture has helped us stay connected. We are all staying optimistic in these times and are continually planning and strategizing for the future with a long-term growth perspective.
What are some of the post-lockdown business strategies that you will use to bring the business back on track or at least get it in the right direction and also create demand for yourself?
At Whizdom Club by MQDC India we have constantly been in touch with all our existing customers and members’ throughout the lockdown through a number of initiatives. Through our communication strategies we have also been exploring newer customers, and trying to understand what their requirements would be in terms of a workspace post the lockdown. We are constantly working on evolving and providing the best possible flexible solution as per changing needs amidst the new normal.
