Maybe this has been a good test for how we all can adapt and change?

It has shown the best of behaviours too.

There have been so many articles for how difficult this period has been and the understandable economic fallout which may well bring harder times for many. However, there have also been great examples of how many businesses have adapted and changed and also some heartwarming reports of genuine compassion being shown by many businesses.

It is, of course, easy to focus on the negative but the good too should be highlighted for they offer great examples of how many entrepreneurs adapt and change to the circumstances. This crisis has highlighted great behaviours as much as poor behaviours. It has been maybe the greatest leveller of our time.

There are a whole number of homemade music recordings being made by bored senior executives at home and in just the last week, we have a number from all across the world. They are of good quality too. We could even create a record of lockdown music tracks recorded.

There is one local restaurant in a Surrey village who is issuing online their menu every day, taking orders from their local customer base to which they deliver in the evenings. They note that they are actually serving more meals, making more money with less cost and working less hours.

One reader reported a similar example of their local ice cream van, who takes pre-booked pre-paid orders and then pulls up outside homes at an agreed time, for a customer to collect the product from the counter.

Clearly for many with children in private schools, fees have been a topic of great debate with children homeschooling. There is a report of one private school who has not only reduced their fees but also cut them further for those parents in Industries that seemingly may take longer to exit from the crisis such as Hospitality. This has exceeded expectation and arguably will create greater goodwill for under pressure parents.

There is one local town bookstore which is delivering free some Children’s books to the homes of local residents with bored children to entertain. They have found that as a result they are gaining sales in other purchases from parents and have also created an online book club. They believe that there is a greater level of reading going on than is the norm which they say is a positive as it promotes books and literature.

There are a number of companies that are organising a box of fresh produce to be delivered each week to their employee’s homes so show their care for their employees and families.

Of course, there are also numerous examples of hospitality workers giving up their time and volunteering to help good causes at this time – asking for nothing in return but having great pride in that they are contributing to combating Covid 19.

Of course, the examples are of local businesses (and schools) going the extra mile for their customers/clients. Maybe this supports the argument that many are valuing their local shops and businesses during this time and that we will see a resurgence in trade with local stores once the crisis is over?

As bad as this crisis is, we will take memories from this period which have been both good and inspiring too.