A few months ago, when we were adapting to the idea of the existence of a global pandemic, many enterprises were faced with the dilemma of how to become sustainable and overcome the crisis. Fortunately, social networking sites have opened the doors for us to do so. Restructuring, adapting, interacting and growing have been the priorities in these months.
The physical isolation required to curb the pandemic occurred in a context in which 4 million Cubans have access to the Internet through mobile data. According to a survey carried out by professors of the Faculty of Communication at the University of Havana, the most used social media in this period were WhatsApp, Telegram, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Therefore, the main initiatives were also developed in these spaces.
Initiatives linked to e-commerce stood out, mainly through WhatsApp groups. Many included home delivery services, which facilitated the satisfaction of some basic needs, without having to leave home. Some ventures expanded their social object and took advantage of their tools in such a way that they expanded their services. Such is the case with the Cuber transport agency, which during this period offered deliveries of agricultural products, an initiative that has been maintained to date.
Ciclo Ecopapel, one of the city’s ecological enterprises, initially saw its sales affected. Its store, located in Old Havana, lost its biggest clientele: tourists. To improve business in this scenario, the team first modified the prices of their products, adjusting them to the national market, and began online sales. They also created a blog containing catalogs of the products produced by the workshop and by other artists and entrepreneurs, which they sell locally.
“We wanted this to also be a space to teach people how to implement initiatives linked to recycling, reuse, care and promotion of green spaces. For example, how to set up a kitchen garden. We offered remedies and solutions with natural products such as skin masks and others,” Communications Manager, Maxwell Barbosa, told Negolution.
“We also incorporated, along with online sales, the home delivery service. We do this by bicycle, since it promotes our environmentalist concept, in harmony with nature,” he added.
Meanwhile, the Clandestina brand, with the launch of the clandestinaencasa.com site, allowed users to make online purchases. Likewise, the enterprise received orders through e-mail, their whatsapp groups or phone calls, and expanded their delivery services to the nearby province of Matanzas. At the same time, the team promoted the brand’s presence in digital spaces, which has characterized the business since its beginnings, due to the importance awarded to the maintaining contact with the community.
Revel Estudio, specialized in youth photography, mainly for fifteen-year-old birthday celebrations, also saw its work affected. “The lockdown prevented us from receiving clients here, or undertaking our sessions outdoors. We resorted more strongly to the social networks Instagram and Facebook, and expanded to Whatsapp, in order not to lose communication with our audience and clients. We continued to showcase our work in these spaces, with messages of optimism, so that we didn’t lose the closeness and the feeling that we have established with those who visit us once they are here. We also began to accept online reservations,” director Indira Buigas explained.
The new normality presents us with new challenges, in which these spaces play a key role. While such challenges may have appeared far-off or insurmountable before, today we are able to overcome them. Here we have brought you just a few examples, but we are sure that in the face of the upcoming challenges, we will achieve an even better “digital experience.”
