This year began amid a scare over a new variant of the SarsCov2 virus. Already then the end of the health crisis that has us on the ropes to this day was beginning to glimpse. At this time, several countries in the world are beginning to turn the page and have lifted most control measures to reduce the spread of the disease. The reasons for making this decision have been several: a world tired of so many months of restrictions, a lethargic economy, and greater vaccination coverage are among the main ones.
Although the relevance of these steps right now is debatable, we want to take the opportunity to talk about the lessons that COVID-19 left for those of us who are dedicated to Market Research; with a special emphasis on LATAM. It is not for less since such an abrupt disruption in daily life has not been remembered for many decades. In light of the events that are happening at the moment in Europe, it does not sound unreasonable to review these lessons because we do not know when we should react to the next contingency.
The new technologies and internet access had allowed us to streamline a few processes in our countries, there was still a lot of commitment to face-to-face work. This scheme involves investing in your own real estate or allocating a budget for renting offices. The loss of man-hours in traffic and commuting from home to the workplace was also encouraged. The pandemic accelerated the transition to a hybrid or fully remote scheme. In many cases, this had an impact on a better quality of life for analysts without loss of productivity for companies that knew how to manage it properly.
At the beginning of 2020, nobody knew how to combine work with COVID-19. It was then that the capacity for innovation and flexibility had to be put to the test. Many projects were abruptly stopped or had to be postponed to be carried out at a better time. As the months passed, we learned more about the disease. The latter encouraged us to be attentive to new discoveries and news from health authorities to adapt our work in favor of the safety of all stakeholders. Without health there is nothing else worth.
There are stages of life in which it seems that we know everything or we resign ourselves to not learning what we want due to lack of incentives. In recent months, many people have rushed to take some of the hundreds of webinars that have been broadcast around the world. Those who chose other paths acquired new skills and abilities thanks to video platforms. The atypical circumstance that made many people gain quality free time was the perfect opportunity to satisfy learning needs that today have led to changes in habits and a greater boom in online classes and courses.
Physical distancing would have implied social distancing if the pandemic had occurred a few decades ago. Thanks to social networks and video call platforms, many people were able to keep in touch with their loved ones. Even those who had stayed away from online communication alternatives turned to them so as not to be isolated. The media were also strengthened by becoming an option for entertainment and to find out the latest news on the world situation. Let us remember that in Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking America there is a segment of the population that only has access to radio and/or television.
It is true that what we have experienced these years no one could have guessed. However, this is not entirely true. In Market Research we aim to reduce uncertainty to accompany decisions that involve large investments. Prevention is a maxim to reduce damage in the event of an adverse event. Repairing and reacting to a disaster is a very expensive task. For years, experts in the field had warned us of future pandemics that could put the entire world in check. Today the next risk we could face is that of bacteria super resistant to all known antibiotics. Threat forecasting and response plan design can make us more competitive and reduce learning curves tomorrow.
There are many more lessons that we can draw from the current health crisis that we seem to be on the verge of overcoming. However, that does not mean that we should rush back to the old normal without caution. The world will not be the same and more transformations are already at the door. Therefore, the findings and studies developed by market analysts are always welcome to strengthen brands and people. Acertiva is ready to be your ally in Latin America to meet your market knowledge needs. Write us today.
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