Business Survival in the Aftermath of COVID-19

By Sean O’Kelly

Challenges in owning and running a business are nothing new. While obstacles may come up frequently, they can also put incredible demands on a business, its direction and its personnel.

According to a recent survey conducted by the National Bureau of Economic Research in April to evaluate the impact of COVID-19 on small businesses, 43 percent of businesses were at least temporarily closed and had on average reduced their employee counts by 40 percent relative to January. The study also found that many small businesses are financially fragile and included the example that the median business has more than $10,000 in monthly expenses and less than one month of cash on hand.

In the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, XAPP Design, Inc., which has been providing business solutions for more than 20 consecutive years, is using its problem-solving capabilities to help eliminate and reduce the barriers of doing business online. As the world continues to turn to more of a digital workplace and digital consumption, it is imperative that businesses be available online to consumers or other companies looking for what they have to offer.

There are typically two barriers to getting a good website and web presence online: upfront costs and knowledge.

While free websites and inexpensive website builders are easy to find, clients frequently end up frustrated, and, at the end of the day, they do not deliver the results the client was looking for. On the other hand, hiring a professional firm can often come with a hefty pricetag and/or expensive monthly fees. On top of all that, if you do not work in the technology industry, it is difficult to decipher what type of website and functionality would work best for your business. Companies need the right knowledge to know which website platform should be used, how to sell, how to set up taxes and shipping, content creation, how to appear on search engines and how to market.

Obviously, cost is the most serious factor in an owner’s decision-making process right now. While brainstorming for solutions to offer potential clients facing hardship, the XAPP team took into consideration that bank loans are not an option for a lot of small businesses in the current climate due to extreme income loss and that they are likely not in a position to take on much risk. This left the team with one solution—the web creator must take on the risk of its clients.

XAPP Design knows that what businesses really need is quality guidance from a professional and be able to spread out costs manageably. In order to meet those needs, the firm came up with a plan to help small businesses succeed during this time of crisis.

The company decided to offer 100 percent approved, zero fee, zero interest financing for website builds with payments spread out over 24 months. Clients make a small down payment, typically 20 percent of the website build, and XAPP delivers a great performing web presence within 30 days.

The importance of being seen online is higher than ever before. With more companies switching to remote work and Zoom meetings replacing the board room, small businesses must adapt or die.

About the Author

Sean O’Kelly is the president and CEO of XAPP Design, Inc., a leading technology innovator located in Charleston, WV. His family ties run deep in West Virginia, with one grandfather having owned a sign company in Dunbar and the other grandfather having owned a music company in Clarksburg. He started his first company in 2003, marketing cell phones direct to consumers over the internet. Since 2005, his focus has been developing custom business applications for clients such as Toyota and the state of West Virginia. In his spare time, outside of spending time with family and friends, O’Kelly loves to hop in his Jeep and go hiking with his dog in the hills.

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