Voices from entrepreneurship: How are small and medium-sized companies doing in the current situation?

The pandemic is threatening the livelihoods of thousands of entrepreneurs. We have collected voices on the current situation and admire their resourcefulness and strong will.

Martina Bandte is co-managing director of Karl Conzelmann GmbH, a lingerie manufacturer in Baden-Württemberg:

“Our main problem is the supply chains. Our materials come from Italy, France, Austria and Turkey. Much of that is now falling away. Our manufacture in Portugal also had to close, and our plant in Romania will probably close soon.

Here in Germany we will probably continue to operate our knitting shop for another week and the cutting shop for two weeks. After that, the majority of our 120 employees will probably go on short-time work. There is still a way out: We are trying, like some other companies, to switch. And to produce face masks instead of lingerie. That would also be psychologically important for our employees: because it takes away some of the powerlessness.”

Source: https://www.zeit.de

Julius Probst, co-managing director of Wagenhallen, a well-known venue in Stuttgart:

“The situation is also difficult for the artists. Some probably have hardly any reserves for the next few weeks. What use is it to us if we survive as a company but nobody can appear here afterwards because they are all broke?

I'm glad that we live in a functioning state that has instruments such as short-time work benefits. As entrepreneurs, we are also happy to pay high non-wage labor costs for this. But now we also need quick help, quick money.”

Source: https://www.zeit.de/

The plant shop Winkel van Sinkel from Hamburg uses digital solutions to bridge the crisis:

"The closure came at such short notice that we now have 800 plants in our store," says owner Zelda Czok. Without an online shop, you were looking for a way to at least get this perishable stock among the people. The idea: A plant sale on Instagram with the existing products. "In less than 24 hours, we had over 900 people on the new Instagram channel, which is not bad for a company of our size," says Czok. Customers can order products by direct message or e-mail and either have them sent to them or pick them up at the Hamburg store by arrangement.

"For us there are currently three priorities: reducing inventory to minimize losses, bridging liquidity and building a future setting," she says. “We have to think: Who are we? What do we do? And what does the customer need from us? We have to adjust our business model accordingly.”

Winkel van Sinkel therefore goes one step further than "just" organizing a sale. Potential customers can send the team pictures of the places where new plants should find a place. On request, there is also a video call via Facetime or the video conferencing software Zoom. "Orders are constantly coming in and we have already made various appointments for online consultations next week," says the Winkel van Sinkel boss.

Source: https://www.gruenderszene.de/