Awaiting the resumption!

During the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, the provincial government announced confinement measures last March 23, instructing members of the public to stay at home, which resulted in the closure of numerous businesses. This announcement directly affected the vast majority of Gatineau Valley businesses. Some had to close down completely, others had to drastically cut back their operations, and some others had to step up their efforts to meet demand. However, regardless of their situation, businesses had to react, adjust and think of ways of how to do more, with or without the various proposed government assistance programs to prepare for the resumption, which will come eventually. However, until then, it is important that you continue running your business.

Stay in touch with your customers! If possible, keep making sales on line, over the phone, by email or, for essential services, in person. Take the opportunity to find out if they are satisfied with products or services previously sold to them. Find out what they will need when you resume operation. Will they change the way they consume? Take advantage of this down time to really gauge how they feel and understand them.

Pamper your employees! Maybe you had to lay them off or they are busier than ever. Regardless of your situation, do keep them informed. Of course, it is difficult to say exactly what will transpire in the future, but do contact them. Take the time to carefully analyze the situation. Do you believe that everyone can be recalled all at once? If not, maybe the Employment Insurance job sharing arrangement could be one option to consider. Wouldn’t this be a good time to offer some of them training which would improve their performance when you do resume operations? Financial assistance along these lines is available through the Programme d’actions concertées pour le maintien en emploi (PACME) of the Ministère du Travail, de l’Emploi et de la Solidarité sociale.

Catch up with your suppliers! When you resume operation, what will your inventory be like? Will you have too much stock? Will you have some major orders to fill? How will your suppliers be able to work with you in that specific situation? Will they be willing to deliver abnormally high orders? Do they offer to buy back inventory? What win-win solutions can be negotiated, if needed?

Keep your banker in the loop! Come what may, the current situation will have financial repercussions. Some will be able to return to normal faster than others. Since all cases are unique, share your situation with your banker. Solutions do exist, and the exceptional crisis we are living through will demand that everyone adapt, including your banker. However, the latter must receive relevant information to be able to help you. They will thus be more attuned to what your needs are when you resume operation.

Think about it! Your company is indeed still alive! You are still able to speak and listen. At the very least, you can continue communicating with others, while maintaining ties and contacts, which will be essential as your company progressively returns to prosperous times.

In closing, we remind you that Gatineau Valley SADC advisers are available to provide advisory services on the topics we raised above or to discuss any other situation relating to your business. Please feel free to contact Nathalie Patry at (819) 449-1551 or at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or Julie Bénard at (819) 449-1551 or at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

The situation is changing from day to day. Watch for regular information from the Gatineau Valley SADC