Businesses hope to emerge from COVID-19 emergency ahead of the pack

Damian McCarney

 

When a local business networking group found that their meeting venue was closed due to the COVID-19 emergency, they took their weekly get-togethers online.

BNI Drumlins normally meet each Tuesday morning in the Cavan Crystal Hotel, but last Tuesday they instead held a virtual meeting through the Zoom conferencing app for the first time. The app allows each participant to appear on each other's screen.

"It took a while to set up," says Des Lowry, with a chuckle that suggests it was a long while. "Some of the members wouldn't be techies, like myself, but once we got up and going it flowed well. Everyone knew what they had to do."

Des is qualified financial adviser with Amatino Partners accountants in Cavan Town. He is also the director consultant of Drumlins BNI, and he helped to set up the group about five months ago. In that short time they have generated approximately €350,000 worth of business for each other. It's little wonder then that they were unwilling to call a halt to their meetings.

"On Tuesday there were about 28 members on their computers using Zoom. It meant we could have a meeting, much like we have ordinarily. We went around the people and they gave us a 60-second presentation on their business, and what they are looking for."

For those unfamiliar with the concept of BNI, Des explains: "We have a meeting once a week and we try to see what referrals we can get for people. The main philosophy of BNI is 'Givers Gain'. If I get business for someone, they'll try to get business for me - it'll always come back."

"Say you are a member of Drumlins - there's 35 more people on your sales team. If they know a bit about your business and what phrase to listen for, they can give people your card and say, there's a person who might be able to help you that I'd recommend."

They also do work to help the community. For example, during Tuesday's meeting there was a 10-minute presentation by Frances O'Callaghan of Positive Age, and the Zoom app enabled her to display slides to the other participants.

"They do great work and we have members who are going to try to help them out," enthused Des.

Obviously COVID-19 featured prominently during the meeting. Des said that a recurring theme coming out of the meeting was "getting positive".

"BNI are being positive - we are going to help out our members and the greater community. And when this passes over we'll be ready to help other people out there."

Noting that members from other chapters are willing to help out where they can, Des says there is a wealth of knowledge and expertise available worldwide for members to draw on to try to get through this crisis.

The Anglo-Celt notes that Maudie's on Bridge Street are using the shutdown as an opportunity to revamp their cafe, and will emerge on the other side of the COVID-19 emergency with an enhanced premises. Can Des see others making the most of what may be an unexpected pause in business?

"There are some people who are relooking at their marketing, revamping their websites, their branding, their packaging - things like that. They will stand out when it [the crisis] does pass," Des predicts.

He adds that Drumlins BNI boasts  good website designers, marketeers and others amongst their membership who can help.

"It's going to mean radical change for some businesses, but people are starting to think outside the box."

These days shopfront after shopfront is closed on Cavan Town's Main Street and you can only assume that business people of the town are in some form of entrepreneurial hibernation. Des is however eager to embrace the positive outlook of his BNI chapter.

"More than ever BNI is going to help people, well, stay in business if at all possible. And this will pass. It's already happening in China where the Chinese consumer is spending more and more money already. When this does pass, at least the BNI members will be ahead of the pack maybe, up and running and ready to do business straight away."

Can he see any positives coming out from the COVID-19 emergency?

"People's attitude will maybe change a bit - there will be more 'Givers' Gains' out there and people more willing to help each other. I think that's what will come out of it," he said, adding that the 'Givers' Gains' will be needed.

"There will be a lot of businesses needing help to get back up and running again."

Do you look forward to meeting up again in person when this is all over, or will you stick to Zoom?

"No we'll go back to meeting face-to-face," Des says without hesitation. "Zoom's okay but you have a good bit of banter when you are at the meeting as well."

To become involved with BNI Drumlins, find them on Facebook.