VELUX® skylights smartly launched a virtual design consultation service this spring, a massively popular move and a major contributor to recent success. Wray Ward helped the market leader in skylights and roof windows educate consumers about the new service, integrating it into VELUX’s whyskylights.com and supporting it with organic and paid social support, Google display and paid search, influencer integration and a dedicated virtual design blog post that was integrated into content amplification.

Similarly, curbside pickup for consumer customers of our Floor & Decor retail client has become a new business delivery model. Together, we worked quickly to shift the brand’s advertising messaging to focus on this offering.

This spring, TOTO WASHLETs quickly became more relevant among domestic consumers. While continuing to advertise, the brand has focused on tactics that position it as the best in the category and a creative solution to a supply crisis.

In the meantime, we have been collaborating with many of our home and building clients dealing with offshore manufacturers, supply chain slowdowns and pent-up demand to increase their emphasis on customer communications and e-commerce initiatives, both direct and through partners such as Amazon and big-box dot-coms.

Want to move to a more agile business model?

Here are a few examples of questions leaders in any category or business vertical should consider:

1. Does my organization genuinely understand the power of an agile environment?
2. Does our culture encourage agility? Have we empowered every department to think in transformative and innovative ways?
3. Does the leadership team focus on agility as a means to remain relevant in an ever-evolving marketplace?
4. Can we institute regular check-ins to identify better ways of working and collaborating among company divisions?
5. Is my company structured to move in a fast and more nimble manner? What changes can I make, both short- and long-term, to migrate to agile as an operational philosophy?

In one sense, this isn’t a new challenge. History reminds us that society has always had to adapt to shifting landscapes. However, we are now facing worldwide events that are forcing us to reinvent everything we once knew as normal. And the pace of change? It has never been so swift.

That’s largely why agility plays a leading role in our quest for survival. Every word we say and decision we make (or help our clients make) matters. Meanwhile, the domino effect has become more random. Staying connected and germane to the times is equal parts exhausting, exhilarating and challenging to our emotional and intellectual abilities. Personally, I am rethinking everything — from conducting business to running my family life to managing a financial portfolio.

Remember Einstein’s wise words? The physicist may have been gone for 65 years, but his advice still rings true. Because to become truly agile businesses, teams and team members — to continually improve — “must constantly question what could be better.”

Things are not going to slow down anytime soon, or maybe ever. A transformative, adaptive approach is critical. Flexibility is a new mantra. If your company has not yet embraced agility models, now may be the perfect time to scale up your efforts. Need help determining your next move? Email me.