Bolt Body Wellness (Belfast) is a fast growing microbusiness, supplying the health industry with health and beauty supplements. Before Covid, business owner Michael, faced a healthy future financially, customer, sales and systems were all growing steadily. The business largely relied on word of mouth and everything was run from one computer. From the moment lockdown happened, Bolt was affected in two ways, staff were unable to come in to work (which was an issue with only one computer) and all face-to-face meetings stopped.
Home workers and furloughed employees suddenly had more time on their hands and took more of an interest in their fitness, which saw a 10% increase in demand for Bolt products – this was all the encouragement needed to make a change to the business.
Michael embraced the concept of virtual meetings to connect with staff, and connect his staff with clients, with savings in time and money invested in essential digital technology. He also signed off on a new software ordering system, and client-facing online catalogue, supporting automated product orders 24-7. He’s since invested in an HR system, with an annual £2,000 subscription, that manages the majority of personal staff data and a mobile app giving his employees a secure self-service platform to help organise their own work-life balance.
Having been forced to adapt the business by a national pandemic , and to accelerate his own learning curve, Michael is embracing the new digital world and won’t be returning to his digital methods.
