It’s Labor Day! An annual tradition celebrating the workforce that helps keep the economy afloat in many countries all over the world. This single holiday honors the ingenuity, creativity, and hard work of individuals as well as their loyalty to the businesses they represent. Although the Coronavirus Pandemic has halted many growing and established businesses, there are industries blessed to keep on amidst this crisis. Business sectors that have come up with ways to keep their employees earning and customers happy.
First off, the food industry. Food has always been a source of comfort regardless of where you’re from and Filipinos, we love to eat. We find comfort in preparing dishes for ourselves and our loved ones. Especially now that we are all confined to our homes, we’re even learning new recipes. We explore cuisines from everywhere which is probably why the Philippines is such a great location to open up a food business. Filipinos adore variety and a good story that comes with the food we consume. To ensure that Filipinos continue to enjoy savoring delicious dishes, some brands have re-opened their establishments to cater to take-out and delivery services. Some have beefed up their online presence to reach more people. And homemakers found an opportunity to share their kitchen skills with nearby communities and have turned into entrepreneurs overnight by cooking for them and having them delivered hot and fresh.
Another industry worth mentioning is the BPO industry which has contributed to the economic growth of the Philippines for over a decade. Providing jobs to hundreds of thousands of Filipinos who cater to clients from all around the world by providing all kinds of solutions from complex technical service requirements to ordering food online or over the phone. And despite restrictions on commuting in and out of the city’s capital during this quarantine period, BPO companies have found solutions to ensure their employees maintain job security during this unprecedented turn of events. Together with health and safety measures in place, BPO brands such as Concentrix, VXI, Alorica, and Teleperformance continue operations. To address the commuting issue, they have provided services to transport employees to and from their homes and to an extent, have even billeted employees to nearby hotels to serve as temporary accommodations.
Small and mid-size enterprises (SMEs) have also transitioned from offline to online selling. For years, digital and e-commerce have seen a steady growth but with the changing times, adoption from offline to online has never been faster and seen as a more important platform for entrepreneurs and consumers. A smart move considering that Filipinos are slowly appreciating the enormous value of online shopping. This provides an income not only to SME employees but also to the delivery services hired to complete transactions with loyal customers.
The kind of business ecosystem we’ve all grown accustomed to has had to change with the times. As a community, it’s amazing to see how a majority of us are open and flexible to these changes and even more amazing to see more customers supporting SMEs while remaining loyal to brands they have loved over the years. As a brand, SweetEscape has also adapted to the changing times, proudly supporting growing start-ups and SMEs through FOTTO by SweetEscape by providing them with affordable business photo and video services to give them impactful online content and get the attention they deserve.
Together, we can help grow businesses and provide job security to employees. We can still address our customers’ needs, while continuously learning how best to serve them in the future. Times may be tough, but we are tougher. By working together and taking care of each other, we win.
