Kramer's Seven Commandments for the "Post-Corona" Era

In a crisis we often learn more about ourselves and our environment than with the best ambitions in regular times. It's hard to give good advice at the moment, because not everyone may have the head or the opportunities. However, if you count yourself among the lucky ones, here I would like to share with you a few theses about our new beginning. And, no, they're not "commandments" in the strict sense, of course (I owe that tabloid-esque headline to the editors of m&k), but I imagine they can provide a similar amount of guidance.

Appreciates the DNA of things.

It sounds like a phrase - and yet it is so true: It is precisely now that we recognize what is really important to us.

Digitization teaches us on closer inspection to recognize the value and DNA of analog things. Just now reinforced: It's not about good or bad, but the difference: Forty million songs in the app and still we want a live concert, an experience of human connection. Do we build business relationships via "token meetings" or do we do a few VCs and then just specifically meet for dinner? My call: Let's recognize and value the DNA of things!

There can be no more anti-digital stubbornness.

What was long considered just a nice alternative to the office routine is finding its place in the "new normal": digital is everywhere.

Home office, remote work, networked, flexible working: It's been going on for a few weeks now. The tools were there, the culture around them is developing rapidly - keyword "video call etiquette". Those who can work digitally and remotely may and do so. Those who can't find solutions have only one alternative: to close down completely. Certainly, many things currently involve friction losses - but we will be able to test very precisely how productive we are in "New Normal". Yes, we are already looking forward to seeing our colleagues in the office again. But the long battle of change-hostile stubbornness, out of habit, out of fear of losing control, out of distrust of employees, that's lost forever. Let's talk now about how to bring the best of both worlds together in the future.

New safety nets are needed.

Because we can no longer do some things the way we are used to, we have to re-establish continuity.

As the old ways, trade shows, business travel and walk-in customers erode, we can cast digital safety nets: E-commerce, digital documents, communication tools and personalized customer interaction help us keep our businesses open. For our customers, but also for our employees, who are helped by automation and scalable cloud services. The tools have been available to mid-market companies for a few years now, can be deployed "remotely" securely and without infrastructure costs, so they're always up to date. Let's build a more sustainable, resilient business world now. It is long overdue.

Privacy and security are your litmus test. Pass it.

The GDPR has created a framework that protects customers. This should not be an inconvenience for us, but should make clear to us the paramount maxim of all actions: Transparency.

Privacy and security are becoming a litmus test for businesses. A recently popular video conferencing provider found itself in the searchlight of the international tech press: It had prioritized ease of use (laudable in principle), but in doing so had taken shortcuts that were highly questionable for privacy and IT security reasons. Whether these were forgivable mistakes by a start-up - or whether a listed company acted in this way on purpose - is a matter for discussion elsewhere.

For companies, however, this means in concrete terms that the GDPR has created a framework for Europe that protects consumers. Through the "Internet of Things", even more data will be collectable in the future. Data economy and trustworthy data processing require companies to consolidate data silos internally as well as to pay attention to "Privacy by Design" with their service providers. Let's look twice now: Trust and privacy are long-term issues.

Be really close to the customer - and don't just pretend!

If you give love and care - and don't just see it as a business model or strategy - customers are guaranteed to pay you back in kind.

What do restaurants selling coupons on Instagram; DJs spinning in streams for donations and the end of third-party cookies have in common? In the future, more than ever, customer relationships will be based on positive customer experiences, trust and mutual appreciation. Customers are willing to keep "their brands" afloat even in crises if they feel they are being treated respectfully. Those who understand their customers, offer them the best possible customer experience, earn trust and optimize their customer journey will be rewarded with 1.7 times retention. Let's design the experiences now that we will be judged on after the crisis.

Crises like Corona rarely happen (thank goodness). So take full advantage of them.

Crisis catalysis is in full swing and what seemed impossible yesterday is becoming a matter of course. The time is - now!

Stanford economist Paul Romer once said, "A crisis is a terrible thing to waste." What sounds cynical describes two things: a new reality and the endlessly fascinating resilience of our human creativity. Who would have thought that sending out cooking boxes would boost stock prices - or teach a hopeless case like me how to cook, in combination with YouTube? That a bank is able to process more soft-help applications with digital forms than before in the branches, and even faster
to do? That a camera manufacturer passes all purchases in its online store directly to its local franchise partners and dealers to digitally support their business where they cannot do so themselves?

In the crisis, the idea finally counts more than the concern again! And ideas come from everywhere. As leaders, let us now learn to listen well to everyone. Let's boldly put forward all ideas from now on! At the same time, let's pay our respects to those who lead by example, the artists, visionaries and media creators. We should support them so that they can continue to inspire us to think "out of the box".

Buckle up and enjoy the ride as much and as often as you can.

If you want to simply wait for what is already there and what is yet to come, you will have to wait a long time. Therefore: Enjoy the time as best you can!

We are forced - as we rarely are on a collective journey - to deal with the changes. This time, we can't wait and see. All our decisions are currently being made on the basis of data and science - a first for our society!

Various countries are engaging in revolutionary thought experiments: Basic income, universal health insurance ... and even in Europe, people are considering in which situations the voluntary, earmarked and temporary sharing of data such as movement profiles or anonymized health data might even be good for society as a whole. We will not forget what is happening at the moment for the rest of our lives. We can't stop it, we can't bury our heads in the sand - but let's work on the attitude with which we face the crisis. After all, we all now have the chance and perhaps the time to think about the big questions. To rediscover and appreciate what really enriches us, and how fulfilling it can be to solve problems, try out new things, simply read a book again. One thing is clear: it will continue. Take care of yourself, stay healthy and - the last commandment for today - be the change you want to see.