Amid the changes and challenges brought about by COVID-19, Frederick businesses are doing what they do best: innovating.
Below we look at some examples of businesses that are pivoting their models to continue to support their community & their customers through the pandemic.
Tailoring products & services for new market environment:
ShieldCo , a Frederick-based metal sign manufacturer, has pivoted its unique abilities to help ‘shield’ our local community from this new virus. The local company is now manufacturing masks, face shields, hospital gowns, and even UV decontamination devices. Watch the powerful full story of innovation here:
As the demand for sanitization products skyrocketed, Frederick’s Distilleries realized their unique ability to fill a gap in the supply chain. Quickly, all four of our local distilleries began transferring production efforts to create hand-sanitizer. Not just an impressive business move, these local businesses were motivated by a desire to help and donated much of their products to first responders and friends in need.
photos from: Puerto Rico Distillery, McClintock Distilling, Dragon Distillery, Tenth Ward Distilling Co.
Temporarily unable to host on-site, Clue IQ– a local escape room – quickly decided to shift its creative abilities to provide ‘escape’ to families & friends stuck at home. This week, the company is launching its first full play at home escape room. Families can pick-up the game kit from the partnering location Frederick Coffee Co. The game-kit will have all the physical items needed and is accompanied by a custom website to lead the game.
Local catering companies and food wholesalers are finding creative ways to help provide critical food service to a new at-home customer base. The Savory Spoon Catering Company, for example, is offering affordable and convenient weekly meal packages which include homemade soups, fresh salads from local farms and five complete meals in each weekly box. The company is offering delivery services at no additional charge and – like several other local caterers- is even donating some of the meals to those who can't afford to pay. FoodPRO - a distributor that normally supplies to restaurants & cafeterias – recently made a similar pivot. Recognizing the community need, the company began advertising its products as available to the general public for purchase curbside at the East Street headquarters.
Gyms, personal trainers, music instructors, and even medical practitioners are finding ways to provide services over virtual platforms. Recognizing the potential duration of the shut-down early on, the recently opened Life Cycle Studio indoor cycling company made the creative decision to rent their brand-new fitness equipment to their members. The co-owners quickly pulled together a rental contract and loaded the bikes into a pick-up truck -- personally delivering them free-of-charge to grateful members. The studio is now hosting 18 virtual classes a week with cyclists following along from home.
Making a Safer Customer Experience:
Frederick’s essential businesses are pulling out all the stops to help make their customers as safe as possible. Many Downtown restaurants have embraced the new designated “Curbside Pick Up Zones” marked out by The City of Frederick, and offer virtually no-contact service directly to patron’s cars.
Other downtown stores have added unique adaptations of their own – including Serendipity Market & More’s installation of a portable handwashing station, and North Market Pop Shop’s quick fitting of a new outdoor walk-up window.
Creative new safety precautions can be found at businesses across the City and across all industries. 4 the Love Of Sweets– a Golden Mile bakery & cafe that just opened this January – can be found sporting new ‘X’ marks on the floor so that customers have clear reference for proper social distance. At the Frederick Shell & Carwash, vulnerable & uncomfortable customers are being encouraged to signal for assistance to avoid pumping gas themselves. Grocery stores are implementing clear plastic shields to protect check-out associates and finding new traffic patterns in aisles to minimize customer interaction.
Building New Partnerships:
Responding to the threat of isolation, Frederick businesses are taking the opportunity instead to build new connections throughout the local community.
Photo: Postern
Postern’s new “Community Conversations” initiative is a shining example of how this renewed spirit of teamwork is uniting even the most diverse of partners. The local marketing agency is hosting a free virtual meet-up series for business owners and managers from a wide array of backgrounds — from retail to financial institutions to education to non-profits to tech start-ups & beyond. The well-attended weekly forum provides an opportunity for participating businesses to discuss challenges, generate ideas, establish collaborations, and refine strategies for keeping momentum during turbulent times.
Addition of E-Commerce:
Photo: Edgework Knives website photo shoot
Unable to offer in-person shopping opportunities, many merchants are turning to online options and ramping up their e-commerce presence. Stores like Edgework Knives and Trail House acted quickly to catalog their inventory and build an online shopping portal to stay accessible to their customers.
Staying Engaged Through Closure:
Even for businesses that have had no choice but to temporarily close as part of the response to COVID-19, the work hasn’t stopped. In addition to adding e-commerce options, maintaining customer relations from afar has become an important initiative. One day, hopefully soon, we will be back to normal and these retained customers will be critical to moving pasts the set-backs of the past months.
Many businesses are turning to social media campaigns to nurture these relationships – such as E’cclectibles weekly product showcase videos, virtual gallery tours by the Delaplaine Arts Center, and Facebook live dance parties hosted (and DJ-ed) by AT VR.
photos: AT VR virtual dance party; E’cclectibles video demonstration; Delaplaine Arts Center