It’s hard to find a business that wasn’t affected by shutdown orders in their state. Aside from restaurants and pubs, the home service industry was particularly hit hard.
But that doesn’t mean that these companies had to just stop doing business. And this week, we found one local home service business that accepted the challenge posed by the COVID pandemic and appears to be winning.
GEM Plumbing & Heating is an HVAC company whose business model revolves around its technicians going into homes on service calls. Since its abilities were limited, though, the company found another way to do business and it may actually lead to considerably more business in the future.
The company adopted the HomeX app and created a tele-service arm to their business. Using the app, the company was able to connect with customers and walk them through simple repairs that ended up saving customers money in the long run. And its technicians were able to diagnose larger problems ahead of time, before arriving at someone’s home, thereby showing customers they took their safety seriously.
You can read more about how this HVAC company adapted to the pandemic restrictions and will come out stronger on the other side in our report this week: Here’s How a Local HVAC Company Adapted During the Pandemic
And for the rest of this week’s big news for small businesses, check out our roundup below.
Small Business News Roundup for Oct. 23, 2020
Here are the big stories for small business owners this week:
75% of Freelancers Say They Earn More from Freelancing Than at a Full-Time Job
Ditching the 9-5 grind and starting something on your own can look draining, daunting, and demanding at first. But the rewards often outweigh your struggle. It is not only about satisfaction, working for yourself means more money as well. According to Upwork’s report, 75% of the freelancers earn equal or more than when they were doing a full-time job.
Federal Government Successful at Identifying Successful Startups
The US government is constructively identifying and funding successful startup ventures. This is the finding of new research conducted by the University at Buffalo School of Management. Federal Government Identifying Successful Startups The study examined businesses that received Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grants.
Most Businesses Offering More Payment Options Saw Sales Increase During Pandemic
The more payment options you provide as a business, the more likely you are to increase sales. This is the conclusion of a new study from Paysafe carried out during the pandemic. Furthermore, the study revealed businesses that increased their online presence also weathered COVID-19 best.
Consumer Habits Changing for Halloween 2020 – Is Your Store Adapting?
Consumer habits have changed dramatically in the past seven months. And it is not going to be any different for Halloween in 2020. This according to the study from RetailMeNot in its annual report and infographic about Halloween. According to the study, COVID-19 will impact the plans Americans have for Halloween. A clear majority or 80% say their plans will change because of the Pandemic.
More Consumers Plan to Shop on Cyber Monday Over Black Friday
A report by Allocadia, is projecting that more Americans will be opting to do more shopping online this holiday season. Amidst concerns of COVID-19, some 44% of consumers plan to buy online during the holiday shopping season compared to 33% in 2019. Shoppers’ attention to has also shifted online, as more people plan to participate in Cyber Monday (61%) than Black Friday (52%) this year.
A Customer’s Shipping Experience More Important Than Ever
A new report from ShipStation reveals a 33% jump over the past year in online shopping. And almost two-thirds say most of their shopping is now online because of the pandemic. As more consumers shop online, their shipping experience is becoming more important than ever.
Nationalized 5G is Bad for Small Business, Advocacy Group Says
The Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council (SBE Council) is voicing its opposition towards what it called the nationalization of 5G by the Government. SBE Council’s opposition joins a growing coalition of organizations urging the government to prevent the Department of Defenses’ (DoD’s) takeover of the 5G network in the U.S.
Calls to Businesses from Google My Business Up 61% During Pandemic
The coronavirus pandemic has changed consumer behavior. Face-to-face transactions and in-person conversations have transformed into curbside services, online orders, and phone conversations. According to the latest CallRail’s report, businesses witnessed a 61% increase in calls from Google My Business during the pandemic.
Image: HomeX/Facebook
This article, “In the News: Local HVAC Business Adapts, Wins During Pandemic” was first published on Small Business Trends