Illawarra businesses are putting plans in place to combat potential fallout from the recent outbreak of the coronavirus.
The spread of the virus has led businesses to change their daily operations to ensure they are profitable and minimise the spread of the disease.
Critical Success Solutions managing director Fleur Hannen has put strategies in place to combat the changes associated with COVID-19 and continue to deliver services.
“The biggest impact on our business is around how we deliver our services, we do a lot of face to face education and not being able to go on site and provide that has changed the way in which we do things…requests for online education has increased,” Ms Hannen said.
The federal government has also announced a $17.6 billion stimulus package will support businesses affected by coronavirus, with $6.7 billion allocated to small to medium-size businesses that have a turnover of less than $50 million.
Ms Hannen said the financial arrangements made by the government are adequate but would like to see more funding for the aged care sector.
“I would love to see more in age care for my clients because I think that it’s really important and they’ve got such a hard job to look after all of the residents now,” Ms Hannen said.
Some business owners have embraced change and have taken the opportunity to help community members in need.
Piccadilly Travel Service owner Karen Dinsdale-Whitby has remained positive amid the pandemic, and has offered her travel services to people who need to reschedule travel plans.
“Yesterday a lady had booked her own flight online, she couldn’t get online to change it or cancel it, she didn’t know where to go. So we did that, that’s what you do,” Ms Dinsdale-Whitby said.
“I’ve put plans in place for the next three months but I’m also still quite busy with new bookings for 2021.”
Despite the impact the virus may have on her business, Ms Dinsdale-Whitby is optimistic about Australia’s resilience during this time.
“I think we will recover and I think we will bounce back, we always do. Australia is good at that,” she said.