The new normals in a world where Covid-19 unfortunately is becoming a part of our life will bring about many changes in the way businesses will be conducted, and more importantly the way we live our life.
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 new brand series, Back to Business, we spoke to Pankaj Tiwari, Business Development Head, Nexzu Mobility.
How are you coping up with the impact of Covid-19 on Nexzu Mobility? How effectively have you used the lockdown period?
In my humble opinion, we have been able to sail through the lockdown period with concerted efforts from all our stakeholders, both internal and external. We have been connecting through Zoom calls for several CFT meetings and ensuring employee engagement. We’ve also been updating the team and stakeholders about company happenings through emailers.
Our tech innovations have been a major focus area during this period, and our technology team has worked on solving customer problems by introducing many innovative ideas. We have invested time and resources in digitization to cope with the normal post the COVID-19 lockdown. A big part of this is the development of service videos for DIY/self-service in line with the social distancing norms.
Evidently, it has been a rather productive period for Nexzu. We have been working on backend operations and streamlining systems and processes to make them more robust for the future. Our research and development teams have worked on ideas on product development and validation which will further strengthen our customers’ trust in our brand. We have also been developing the backend for our new product line, which will be introduced soon. For our team, we introduced online training and development programs to strengthen their skillset amid these challenging times.
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?
Nexzu Mobility is second to none in terms of innovation. Thus, during this period, we have reached major milestones first and foremost, we developed PPE face shields to protect frontline warriors and the general public against the deadly coronavirus. Our teams are working hand in hand with our suppliers and dealer partners to help with PPE requirements.
Apart from this, we have increased our focus on the e-bicycle segment to introduce cutting-edge features. Our International channel partners and suppliers have worked alongside with us for our future generation e-bicycle development.
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?
We plan to assess the market needs and present our products accordingly across different regions. In a bid to boost business for our partner dealerships, we are supporting dealers with digital marketing tools and enabling online booking and sales of our products. We are also working on digital campaigns to target a larger section of potential buyers.
Our leadership has taken painstaking efforts to ensure the safety of people. Across our offices and manufacturing setup, sanitization has been done in line with industry best practices. We are also sanitizing our showrooms wherever the markets are open. Therefore, we are leaving no stone unturned to ensure a smooth and safe transition back to work.
What will be your communication strategy post the opening of the lockdown? Understandably bringing customers back to you would be difficult. What will be the objective of the communication/marketing strategy?
On the other side of the lockdown, our prime objective will be to reconnect with our existing and new customers. At this point, our communication will not be that of a product sales pitch but of making people feel empowered. We will share uplifting and motivating anecdotes to lift the spirits of the people. Apart from this, we will also inform them of how relevant our products can be in the current times and how they can add value to the lives of those using it.
How did you keep the morale of the employees during this lockdown period? On a personal note, what kept you positive?
I believe that being able to stay home to stay safe in the wake of the pandemic in itself is a motivating factor for employees. On our part, we are staying in touch and communicating every development across departments. In doing so, we are creating transparency and making employees feel like they belong to the larger Nexzu family, even when we are not all together.
Further, we are carrying out several employee engagement initiatives and on-the-job training sessions. We are also encouraging employees to take up online courses and certification programs to upskill themselves amid the lockdown. Additionally, we are inviting the interactive participation of the employees in creating a roadmap for the post-lockdown period. Again, this helps them remember that they are crucial parts of our organization.
On a personal level, I have been able to remain positive by staying connected with stakeholders, both internal and external, throughout the lockdown.
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?
As mentioned above, we are developing an overall business roadmap to bring the company back on track. This will focus majorly on enabling online booking across multiple platforms, investment in marketing SCM and manufacturing technologies, agile and responsive budgeting, and remote customer servicing. We are also looking to promote the DIY culture in the interest of social distancing and safe business operation.
The protection of our stakeholders is a prime area of focus for us. Therefore, at our dealerships, we will ensure adequate safety and sanitization measures. Additionally, we will uphold stringent safety measures for employees at the workplace and monitor their health data at regular intervals.
Is there anything else that you would want to add?
Going forward, we will be working on adequate cost sizing with various departments, minimizing intercity traveling, and creating the best hygiene at the workplace. With a keen focus on leveraging digital, there will be a heavy reliance on modern marketing as compared to traditional marketing.
