As COVID-19 swept across our nation, 2020 swiftly changed directions completely.

Datamax business plans that were carefully crafted in late 2019 were reevaluated, at times reconstructed, and re-implemented after a pandemic turned “everyday business” on its heels. And while questions were answered, problems were solved, and solutions were crafted, a lingering question remains:

“What are we going to look like in 2021?”

The end of the year is always a busy time at this organization. End of year budgets. Finalizing a solid sales year. Year-end promotions. Busy delivery drivers and scrambling admin staffs. Holiday plans. And, of course, the annual business plans.

2020, however, is more than a little different.

“2021 is obviously going to be an interesting challenge of how we respond to the COVID situation,” Datamax Texas President David Rhodes said. “It’s upon all the managers and company leaders to come up with how are we going to adapt to this new world.”

In the book “Gung Ho!” when addressing “The Way of the Beaver: In Control of Achieving the Goal,” the narrator explains that independent employees, with freedom to take charge of their work, don’t negate the need for leadership to validate the direction.

“Your job as General Manager is the same as any true leader’s. Decide where you are going. Make sure the team shares the goal. Help set values... Keep your eye on the future to ward off trouble and be ready to change direction,” the author writes.

Over the next two months, on the eve of business plan meetings, company leaders will do just that: Validate our direction based on all the conversation, constructive problem solving, and cross-department collaboration ahead.

Validate The Direction: Recognizing the changes.

1. Sales & Marketing

The old, tried-and true method of cold calling, or popping into accounts for face-to-face meetings, has evolved into a more remote atmosphere. In some aspects, it’s hard to do at all.

Rhodes says it’s imperative, moving forward, to figure out how we can still prospect and effectively market to those prospects in new, innovative, yet methodical ways.

2. Service

A great value-add in service is our courtesy calls. While it’s still a great value-add, many customers don’t want us just to pop into their facilities, unless there’s a distinct need.

“We have to begin to look at how we can still be relevant to customers, even though visits are going to be less… Reaching out and communicating with customers and saying ‘we’re still here’ is important. The proactive, coming out on our own probably isn’t going to be the new norm,” Rhodes said.

3. Administration/Warehouse

When more companies are working remotely, or working in skeleton crews, they’re a lot harder to get a hold of. This makes coordinating paperwork and deliveries a challenge.

“We’ve got to figure out how we can still do that with customers that have a smaller workforce,” Rhodes said.

Validate the Direction: Addressing the Changes

1. We have to have a succinct plan.

This is true for any calendar year at Datamax.

“I’ve always lived my life like any plan is better than no plan,” Rhodes said. “You cannot run an organization without a department that has structured plans and goals, daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly. If you don’t have those, how can you measure your progress of improving your department and the products and services you offer?”

2. We have to communicate better.

No doubt – we’ve worked together through some challenging times. But even better communication and collaboration is essential.

“That only happens when we can put together our best ideas, put them in writing, and make that our playbook for 2021,” Rhodes said. “It’s an exciting time to see what our managers and employees have come up with.”

3. We have to avoid excuses.

The pandemic is an obstacle – not a dead end, Rhodes says.

“If it’s not COVID-19, it’s going to be COVID-20. We’ve got to get past those objections and come up with resolution,” Rhodes said. “It’s really easy, when we have a business plan, for someone to say ‘we can’t do this or that.’ Let’s talk about it. Why can’t we? Maybe there’s another way to overcome this obstacle.”

4. We have to think outside the box.

One of the major tenets to “Way of The Beaver” is the idea that freedom encourages thinking outside of the box, and finding new ways to solve problems. Employees are not encumbered with tedium or too much protocol.

“Right now, is what I would consider the time for out-of-the-box thinking,” Rhodes said. “Nothing is a bad idea at this point. Throw it on the wall and see what sticks. What sticks is, what I like to call, meat on the bone for objectives we should pursue for the next year.”

On the back end of one of the strangest and most unpredictable years to date, the question remains: “What are we going to look like in 2021?”

But answers are coming. And the direction will be clear, well-conceived, and certainly validated.