2020 Retrospective

At the end of the year, as tradition dictates, it is time to review the past months. Of course, I grant you, 2020 is a special year that many want to forget as soon as possible. To relive these last months, even for a few moments, could be masochistic. However, as we do every year, we must learn both positive and negative lessons from the period that is coming to an end.

Bad, very bad ...and a little bit of good

We have to admit that we have had many different experiences and we learned a great deal about our organizations, our markets and also about ourselves. Basically, the corona crisis, the interminable discussions on Brexit, authorities slow to act on everything, and other worries of 2020 have taught us several things:

Retail to the rescue: this year, faced with the closures of restaurants and other out-of-home consumption points, faced with concerns (often spread with anxiety-provoking messages by certain media), faced with the pandemic reserve phenomenon... It must be acknowledged that food retail has been put under pressure. But fortunately, retailers and especially their staff have responded to the call.
E-commerce, a solution that is on the rise, but not yet almighty: E-commerce has experienced an enormous acceleration this year. Crises are often catalysts and this year the online sector has been able to take advantage of it. However, it soon became clear that, faced with sudden demand, e-commerce was finding it difficult to meet expectations (e.g. in terms of delivery times, ...). In a way, this is an indication that the online sector still has a lot to develop and that jobs can be created in it.
Corona is a good excuse, but ...: some retailers have had to close down, and no doubt others will unfortunately follow. But if the pandemic has been a death blow for some, we have to be honest and acknowledge that some groups were already in difficulty before the crisis.
Essential vs. non-essential: Unfortunately, the authorities have taught us that some sectors are essential and others are not. A necessary vision to fight the crisis and the spread of a virus that must obviously be stopped. But this restrictive, arbitrary and often unenlightened vision, as well as the authorities' blatant lack of logic, have caused serious and even irreversible damage to the businesses concerned.
Teleworking is possible: Forced and coerced, we have had to get used to working from home. It is true that some people have proved that they can work their emails in one window and binge-watch a Netflix show in another. But this trend towards teleworking is likely to continue in the future and offer opportunities both for e-commerce and for other working methods, especially in the digital events sector.
The events sector will have to fend for itself: Unfortunately, the events sector had a rough ride this year. The authorities have left the sector in a total blur, and 2021 promises to be another gloomy year. It seems that for politicians, fairs and other shows only serve as a parade when they are in the middle of a campaign. Fortunately, trade fair organizers, well aware of their economic role, are trying to find solutions on their own. In addition to taking the necessary measures to ensure the safety of participants at their events, we have seen that major groups have been working on the development of digital events. Clearly, the future of the event industry is becoming digital and will be secured thanks to "hybrid" events.

In short, this year, in which more alcohol was consumed with one's hands than with one's mouth, is finally coming to an end. We will keep different memories of it, sometimes good and sometimes bad depending on our experiences. But there is a lesson to remember for the coming year. We must never forget that, in the end, a lot depends on our own actions and reactions to the events around us. In short, if you want 2021 to be a better year, remember that a lot will depend on you.

PS: Don't miss the 2020 top of 20/CENT Retail on the next article

Retro 2020 My 20/cent