Corona have an impact on most areas

This March marks a month where we have lived with corona for a year. This calls for a status. We ask the question: How has it actually gone since Denmark closed down on 11 March 2020? Nonetheless in the rest of the world. It is undeniable that a high number of industries have been largely affected by the situation.

Some industries find themselves in a status-quo kind of situation, while others have been experiencing growth this year. This, of course, depends on the degree of restrictions that one is limited by. If the current restrictions stop you from selling your product or providing a service, then you are obviously very affected.

If we consider the industries that probably have been affected the most, we can mention everything that has to do with (international) transport and logistics. This includes the travel industry and the shipping industry among others. We have discussed the former quite a bit since we – as modern consumers - are used to traveling the world several times a year. When our summer vacation is canceled, we can feel it firsthand. Challenges in the shipping industry within logistics, on the other hand, are not necessarily something that we hear much about. It is, however, an industry that also suffers a lot under various restrictions.

Closed national borders and canceled routes are among the things that have had an impact on the industry. It means that it has been difficult to manage a shift change for the crew. There have also been cases where local ports have implemented restrictions that have had a direct impact on the work assessments. Some ships have experienced being put to quarantine the minute they arrived in a harbor. Surely, this delayed delivering the cargo that they brought.

FuelSupply: an example from the real world

FuelSupply is a company that operates within the bunker industry - that is, shipping in a maritime context. The company was founded by Babak Shahbaz and his brother.

For FuelSupply it has been important to stay competitive and focus on the services that matter to customers and thereby create value. Especially if the competition is getting tougher due to corona. You want to be the preferred supplier. As Babak Shahbaz describes, one of their most prominent brand strengths is that they are very focused on satisfying the customer and taking responsibility for the assessment. In an industry where you see a tendency to abdicate responsibility, this strength stands very strong. It is also one of the reasons for FuelSupply's success and loyal customers.

In a time when many companies are forced to shut down, it is important to stand out and to emphasize your strengths. Surely, it is also important to communicate this in an effective manner in order for future customers to realize it. Most important perhaps is the ability to offer a good service and create coherence between your expressed values and your brand image. If you make an effort to communicate your great service, then you need to have a good service. This helps to create loyal customers. If you - on the other hand - do not deliver the promised experience, then customers may perceive you as untrustworthy. This may have the consequence that customers write negative reviews, which both long and short term can harm your brand.

Back to the real world.. Or?

The question that remains is whether we will ever go back to the life that we knew before corona. Largely we probably will. However, some things could potentially stick with us. Habits that seem to have had a good effect.

Some industries may never go back to what they were before, while others will blossom. For the shipping industry, however, things will most likely go back to normal at some point.