Corona pandemic forges bonds: SMEs help SMEs
Extraordinary situations require extraordinary measures: The federal government has decided on a comprehensive aid package for companies threatened with financial difficulties due to the partial lockdown. But companies also need support in many other areas. And that's where SMEs also offer each other help.
Money is not everything. In many places, many very practical questions also need to be answered during the Corona pandemic. How can a company network and coordinate employees who are now "forced" to work at home? How can a minimum turnover still be generated despite the official closure? How can processes be digitized when the company headquarters is orphaned in terms of personnel? Or how can surplus resources be made available to other organizations? Many service providers are currently opening their caskets and offering appropriate support - not for free, of course, but at conditions that usually promise a longer-term return on investment.
Simple and cost-effective home office solution
Countless employees have had to work from home overnight. Many employers are finding that they are inadequately prepared for this scenario: For example, employees have no access to data and IT infrastructure. The solution: a VPN connection or cloud computing. But these options require some IT support, which usually only larger companies can afford. The Valais-based company HOOC AG now offers an alternative: It has about a productwhich enables companies without their own IT department in particular to let employees work from home on a permanent or temporary basis. Companies can order a device the size of a credit card from HOOC. This is then delivered by mail and can simply be connected to the company's own network. Employees then just need to download the HOOC app, log in and they are ready to work from home. Up to 10 employees can easily access the company IT at the same time without any delays, the company says.
Digitize workflows
In the current environment, solutions are needed that simplify processes and channel the flood of data. Enterprise Content Management (ECM) is now taking on a new significance. One such solution is AMAGNO, represented in Switzerland by isaac Schweiz GmbH. This ECM solution helps to map data management with many parties at different locations in a transparent and traceable manner. AMAGNO is offered in an on-premise model as well as a flexible cloud service. Thus, for example, no installations are required for home office workplaces. For interested parties there is a free cloud account with 300 MB and full functionality is available for testing.
How are employees doing during the Corona pandemic?
Employee management is a particular challenge in crisis situations. How well managers succeed in communicating and implementing measures and how these are perceived by employees are key questions here. The Zurich-based start-up echonovum supports companies free of charge with appropriate employee surveys. The findings from these surveys enable coordinated action between managers and employees. Interested companies can access echonovum's survey database, which is already geared towards the Corona situation prepared surveywhich they can send immediately and anonymously to their employees. If desired, the surveys can be adapted to company-specific cases.
Help in marketing and communication
How do SMEs get customers in times of crisis? How can you still do marketing when sales are plummeting? The advertising agency TBWA\Zurich wants to provide unbureaucratic support: "We want to support companies that are in crisis and looking for help with free advice in marketing and communication," says Matthias Kiess, CEO of the agency. To this end, a small digital campaign was developed to target entrepreneurs and marketing professionals of SMEs and offer free support. "Because we are also part of the Swiss economy and have a great interest in keeping the damage to all of us as small as possible and making solidarity tangible," Matthias Kiess continues. Interested companies can apply by e-mail (kmu@tbwa.ch) contact the agency.
Support local businesses
Even big companies are showing heart for SMEs in the Corona pandemic: for example, the two big insurers in western Switzerland, Groupe Mutuel and Vaudoise, are uniting with the liveshopping platform QoQa to help small traders and producers in difficulty. Effective immediately, QoQa offers Swiss citizens a new platform to support the economy by purchasing vouchers. The vouchers can be redeemed at local merchants. The Groupe Mutuel Foundation is committed to this concrete measure to support local businesses. "In this critical time for many SMEs, the Swiss economy must stand together and show solidarity. Through this project in collaboration with QoQa, merchants are receiving concrete help," says Thomas Boyer, CEO of Groupe Mutuel.
In the Corona pandemic, sharing takes on new meaning
Offer excess capacity or search for missing resources? As of now offers Share-it for SMEs this possibility - free of charge until further notice. After all, one of the biggest challenges for SMEs at present is to deploy existing resources and funds quickly, efficiently and in a targeted manner where they will bring the greatest benefit. The platform, which is available immediately, offers Share-it a quick and simple solution. Whether raw materials, labor, machinery, personnel, premises, transport and storage capacity, or IT - on the digital SME marketplace for resource allocation, SMEs can now offer existing overcapacities or request resources according to the principle "We search - We offer". In addition, experienced SME experts accompany the process to ensure that suitable cooperation partners find each other quickly.
