Covid 19 coronavirus: Kiwi businesses evolve in their own fight against virus

Kiwi businesses are adapting and evolving to the impact of Covid 19 as they settle into a four-week lockdown.

Some businesses, which can operate remotely, are using the lockdown to retrain staff, promote their company online or are reassessing how they deliver their service.

Others have changed what they sell and what service they provide to stay relevant in a fast-changing economy.

Website GrabOne switched from promoting restaurant and beauty treatments to essential products such as hands-free soap dispensers, packs of face masks, first-aid kits and cleaning products this week.

General manager of GrabOne, Greg Cassidy, said the site quickly changed focus but was still dedicated to keeping all of the businesses it worked with trading during tough times.

"We have focused on what we can deliver at the moment so we have our Everyday Essentials and Groceries on the Go," he said.

"It's about keeping our merchants trading and supporting New Zealand businesses."

The company was supporting restaurants and other services not available during lockdown with a "Grab Now Go Later" option.

"We have worked with our restaurants and cafes so people can still support them but they get to enjoy the deal later," Cassidy said.

"We have worked out an extended validity so people can buy now and have until the end of the year to enjoy."

There were deals people could have delivered during the four-week lockdown such as face masks, hand soap, and even crayfish.

Alternative health specialists have started conducting appointments via conference calls and craft beer brewers have used their distilleries to produce hand sanitiser for the community.

Other companies were retraining staff, through online sessions, so they could be involved throughout the lockdown.

Solar energy provider Solarcity was training its installation crew to answer customer queries on the phone and online until the lockdown was lifted.

With people at home with time on their hands, CEO Neil Cowie said there had been more messages to the contact centre.

"People are assessing things at home and having conversations around the dinner table about how they can save money and reduce their carbon footprint going forward," Cowie said.

"We've had fantastic engagement through our social channels and people are taking stock, looking around and thinking how they can live more sustainably."

Cowie said the team was using the lockdown to improve the way the business operated so it could "hit the ground running" when things returned to normal.

• Covid19.govt.nz: The Government's official Covid-19 advisory website