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April 23, 2020

Business owners navigate the ‘new normal’

Webinar panelists (clockwise from upper left) Sheehan, New Haven Economic Development Administrator Michael Piscitelli, Peralta, Hoskie, Helget and Pedrick.
By Michael C. Bingham

Business owners and managers across a spectrum of area industries on Wednesday discussed how they have pivoted and adapted to survive the coronavirus crisis — and how their industry segments are likely to be permanently altered when Connecticut — and the world — return to some semblance of commercial normalcy.

The occasion was a  webinar, “Planning for the Reopen: Best Practices from Businesses That Are [Now] Open,” presented by the Greater New Haven Chamber of Commerce and moderated by GNHCC President Garrett Sheehan.

The seven panelists described the adaptations the COVID crisis had forced on their companies — in sectors from real estate to restaurants to retail — but also how the “new normal” offers a wealth of opportunities for businesses that are willing and able to let go of past paradigms and embrace a transformed commercial landscape.

Real estate was deemed an “essential” industry by Gov. Ned Lamont when he ordered the business shutdown in late March. But the business was anything but usual, said Roberta Hoskie, CEO of Outreach Realty Services in New Haven, as showings of residential properties went completely virtual.

Another unforeseen hurdle the crisis created for residential Realtors? “We’re directly linked to the mortgage industry,” said Hoskie, “and because of the financial crisis, many of the mortgage companies and banks are unable to make loans at this time,” in part because they have been inundated with applications from small businesses seeking emergency federal stimulus loans.

Restaurateur Steve Bayusik at first closed Shell & Bones Oyster Bar & Grill in New Haven (he also is director of operations for Geronimo Tequila Bar & Southwest Grille in the city), but the Water Street eatery soon reopened to offer takeout service on weekends. “It’s definitely been a challenge to pivot our business,” he said. “Being so focused on customer service we’ve had to maintain that standard of customer service while pivoting to the takeout model.”

Bayusik said he sees that “Market confidence is starting to come back, and we’ve had an outpouring of support from all our loyal customers — and we’re grateful for that. Obviously, in restaurants [customers want to feel assured] that you’re being sanitary and clean — and have confidence in what they’re eating.”

Retailer Kimberly Pedrick closed both of her Chapel Street retail stores — women’s clothier idiom and gift boutique dwell — and switched primarily to social media avenues, especially Facebook and Instagram, to reach out to customers. She has also begun making videos for her customers to remain front-of-mind.

While clothing sales are down drastically worldwide, Pedrick said that dwell was still doing an active business in the gift market with orders for care packages and baby gifts.

Sherri Helget heads human resources for one of New Haven’s legacy manufacturers, C. Cowles & Co., which operates a 100,000-square-foot factory on Bailey Road in North Haven. While staff such as engineers and purchasing employees who could work remotely are now doing so largely from home, many plant workers still must be on the factory floor producing metal components for U.S.and Japanese automobiles.

Workers who are coming to work have their temperatures taken when they report to the plant to make sure no one has a temperature above the 100.4-degree safety threshold. “Everyone has been really working well as a team,” said Helget. “And while I really appreciate our employees, I think they appreciate that they’re actually working and not having to worry about unemployment.”

All the panelists agreed that the keys to surviving and even thriving in a time of crisis — communication, flexibility, transparency, creativity — will similarly be the cornerstones of success as the economy transitions into the “new normal” of the post-COVID world of commerce.

“Now is the time to communicate, and even ‘overshare,’” said Ramon Peralta of Peralta Design in Shelton. “We’re not going to go back to the way things were,” he added.

“I’ve come to terms with that.”

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