Farmers Review Africa March/April 2020 Farmers Review Africa March - April 2020 digital ( | Page 5

NEWS
Businesses must support each
other during Covid-19 crisis
A
ll South African business leaders have
a responsibility to stand together to keep
business moving, protect employment
and the economy ticking over. According to
Frank Mullen, CEO of Zinia, a leading mid-sized
telecoms and ICT provider, “How decision-
makers adapt to the Covid-19 national disaster
will determine the knock-on effect to businesses
and livelihoods around the entire country.”
“Now is not the time to stop doing business or
bring a halt to spending,” he says. “If we do so, it
will negatively affect those we do business with,
impacting employment and ultimately worsen the
current economic situation.
“Our ability to bounce back will be severely
affected and by the time the worst of the virus is
over, the damage will be done.” He makes his
point strongly: “think about what will happen if
your customers stop buying from you or you in
turn stop purchasing from your suppliers due to
Covid-19; what will the impact be? This would
have a severe impact on your business as well
as your suppliers.
“We are all in this together and have a
responsibility to collaborate with our suppliers,
customers, employees and peers, to find ways
to keep business going, even if it is not how we
traditionally would operate,” he says.
He believes that if every business in the country
stopped their normal buying behavior, then every
business could be impacted, and the ripple
effect will be felt throughout every sector of the
economy, ultimately hurting society.
From travel bans, quarantines, to social distancing
and behavior change, Covid-19 will continue to
affect South Africa in the coming months - he
believes these measures will be around for at
least three months. As a nation South Africans
are particularly resilient and he believes we
should challenge all negative decisions, and not
react out of fear. He believes leaders need to
adapt quickly and he provides the following as a
guideline:
Implement Covid-19 education and take actions
to protect the health of those within your company
and those who come into contact with your
business. This includes putting in place sanitary
and protective supplies, educational information
and make sure that the right behaviour patterns
are adhered to.
Frank Mullen, CEO of Zinia
limit the risk of spreading the virus, this means
doing things differently than we would normally,”
explains Mullen. “For example, find another way to
get the information you need to make a decision,
instead of cancelling a face-to-face meeting - by
not making a decision you are further damaging
the economy.”
Create a new 90-day business ADAPT action
plan that includes dealing with further restrictions
on travel and other decisions taken, should the
situation worsen as a whole. Continue business
as usual as far as possible. Do not stop spending
entirely or take the attitude that your business
needs to shut down. This behaviour will damage
the economy.
“We absolutely must continue the buying cycle,”
he says. He emphasises that some sectors like
tourism will be majorly affected, but if it is within
the control of a business leader they must do
everything to support local tourism, businesses
and co-workers.
Give all staff the ability to work from home. Check
that your business has the right technology and
if not, put them in place quickly. This includes
giving tools, such as access to data, devices,
internet and remote access to work systems,
so employees can continue working in isolation
if need be. You will do more damage to your
business if your employees are unable to work in
isolation.
“We should not panic and allow the country to
go further into recession. We must rally together,
support each other and speak up - including
putting pressure on Government to come up
with economic reforms and stimulus packages to
boost and assist businesses during these times.”
Mullen concludes there is a silver lining: “as the
price of oil drops, the price of fuel will lower, and
interest rates may come down too, effectively
increasing spending power and improving
budgets.”
Manage the productivity of employees who
are working at home. Instead of travelling use
video conferencing and telephony systems.
“As business leaders we need to be open to
Irrigation with sprinklers or flood (Draglines & Permasets)
High volume water (Up to 11 hours per day)
Irrigation with pivots & “Kanonspuite”
Stock & Domestic Water
79 Kempston Road, Sidwell, Port Elizabeth, South Africa
March - April 2020 | 3