Businesses Innovate
The COVID-19 pandemic is completely reshaping our lives. No longer can people socialise in groups, go out to cafes and restaurants with friends, grab a beer at the local pub or even come together in places of worship. With Australians contained in their homes, businesses around the country have ground to a halt.
But even in the face of these unprecedented challenges, the last few weeks have seen some small businesses come up with innovative ways to keep the doors open.
One Strength Gym owner Lyle Davis said they saw the writing on the wall three weeks ago and put together a plan to run a virtual gym that is keeping all their staff employed and helping their members stay fit.
“We had everything in place probably about two weeks ago and then when we got the news we had to close we just flicked the switch and converted to the digital world,” said Lyle.
“A lot of our members reached out and said they want to continue to support the gym, so in exchange for their normal membership fees that would give them access to the gym in the real world, we've invited them all to a closed group on Facebook where we are posting three different types of workout a day.”
The different workouts are targeted for those looking for muscle gain, those who want overall functional fitness or a high intensity circuit.
And it has all been designed to use whatever people have on hand in their homes.
“I know some people have gym equipment at home, but our angle with this is to use absolute bare bones, we’re assuming no one has got anything, so we are filling enviro bags up with books and doing curls and things like that,” said Lyle.
With the physical gym closed indefinitely, the One Strength team also decided to loan out their gym equipment and have delivered it to members’ homes all over Orange.
“While all this is happening and we are shut down, we're not going to use the equipment and we've got a great culture at One Strength and nothing but trust for our members, so we are just keeping a register system and loaning the equipment while on stand down,” he said.
“I can't praise our team here enough! They are used to working in a gym and now pretty much they've turned into online social media producers and couriers. But they've all put their hand up to say they are totally up for whatever task needed.”
Lyle also said none of this would be possible without the support of their members.
“Honestly, deep down I'm a massive sook and it gets me very emotional - all the people that have reached out and said they want to keep their membership running,” he said.
“We've had people who don't even train at the gym that have signed up in this last week, because they want to support us and they want to see One Strength through this thing. It has touched my heart in a very big way and the team feel the same.”
The ban on public gatherings has been a massive hit to the hospitality industry, with pubs, clubs and restaurants forced to close their doors to patrons.
Like many other food businesses Cafe Latte owner Aaron Wright has turned to takeaway and home delivery to try and keep some money coming in.
“We are just turning out a takeaway menu and posting on Facebook that we will deliver, so most of our menu is still available and our drinks are available. People can come in, collect it and take it with them or we are offering a free delivery service to anywhere in Orange,” said Aaron.
While turnover has obviously dropped, so far Aaron has been able to hold on.
“Up until now we are doing enough to keep open, which is good. Touch wood we will be able to survive with enough turnover to keep the doors open.”
Despite not being included on the banned list just yet, Orange Family Physiotherapy are also having to change the way they do business.
“Obviously there is contact in physiotherapy and we have had a lot of cancellations,” said physiotherapist Erica Eccleston.
“I completely understand that people don't want to come out and that people are staying home more, so we've just had to look at other ways to not let the business go broke.”
Erica and her team have begun offering a telehealth service, which has enabled them to maintain contact with their patients and help them through their rehabilitation.
“It seems a bit strange, but a lot of what physios do is give advice and education, exercise prescription as well,” said Erica.
Research studies have shown that telehealth can be just as good for patient outcomes as hands on treatment, said Erica, as patients take more responsibility for their own rehabilitation.”
“We can hook up via video link - there's so much good technology out there -
and we can look at how they are doing their exercises at home and make any changes to it.
“And that has been good, seeing people's home environment, so we get a better idea of what equipment they have to work with or how we can fit the exercise program into the home equipment better so that has actually been a benefit.”