The COVID-19 pandemic has forced a new frontier upon businesses, startups, and entire industries. Companies that traditionally operate in a face-to-face context have had to adapt to a sudden digital shift. As some businesses fold, startups slow down, and entire industries collapse, there are still some who not only survive, but thrive in this economic Wild West.

Roy Dekel, CEO and co-founder of SetSchedule, knows that every industry has pain points upon which technology and innovation can disrupt and improve. After years of working as a real estate professional, Dekel found room for improvement at the intersection of service and software. With the digital era flourishing and new technology making way for better innovation, he knew that the old school way of buying and selling homes was soon to be an antiquated system. In 2014, Dekel and his co-founder Udi Dorner set out to pioneer that shift. 

SetSchedule, a suite of software services, uses big data and artificial intelligence to help real estate professionals adapt seamlessly to the era of tech-based services and sales. By leveraging data technology and delivering it directly to sellers based on their location and preferences, a buyer is connected to a seller, and to their new home, within minutes. 

Other popular software-based real estate applications are designed with solely the homebuyer in mind, leaving the real estate professional lost in an endless sea of competition. SetSchedule was designed with the buyer, the agent and the industry professional in mind. The SetSchedule app and software suite enables the real estate industry to conduct business in a more refined and funneled process.

One of SetSchedule’s most recent additions to the suite of services includes a response to help small businesses and startups survive through the pandemic. Dekel established the SetSchedule Continued Community Contribution Program app in August 2020. The program allows local businesses to offer their goods or services to be contracted by SetSchedule for the upcoming fiscal year. SetSchedule disburses the funds to the business immediately upon acceptance to the program, regardless of when the applicant will fulfill their end of the contract.

“Small business owners and entrepreneurs are the lifeblood of American business. Fierce competition and ingenuity have driven the US to be the de facto technology and industry leader because it brings out the best in us,” said Dekel in an interview with BusinessWire. 

“It is our responsibility as a community to support startups, so they can survive in this new environment.” As a venture capitalist with a background in real estate, business, and sales, Dekel knows that startups and small businesses are the backbone of economic health. “People around us have lost so much already. They have lost people, employment, and businesses and are forced into isolation. The only thing that can build up the morale of our entire community is banding together to show our support for those businesses.”

Needless to say, not every company has the ability to imbue their local economy with stimulus funds from their own ledgers, but Dekel offers his expert advice on how businesses at any stage can adjust to endure the economic trickle.

Dekel urges business owners to take a proactive approach in monitoring their accounts during the financial filibuster. “When times are tough cash is king. In order to survive, you have to work out your revenue, funding, debt, and establish a strategy based on current projections, and scenarios,” said Dekel. “Don't operate blindly, know your cost to do business, and be proactive to continue and nurture long-standing clients.”

From his point of view, the ability for businesses to survive and thrive amidst the uncertainty of COVID-19 also depends on the ability of the team or individual to swiftly innovate and pivot with the disaster. “Innovation is the creation birthed from destruction. Every crisis offers opportunity,” said Dekel, demonstrating his grit and leadership. “Ideas and strategies that had once taken years to perfect and launch, have been fast-tracked and fueled by a pandemic timeline. It is the urgency of the situation that makes things happen.”

In order to address a crisis with a steady head, and a broad but manageable scope, Dekel believes that business owners should hire employees based on a strong and diverse patchwork of complementary skills and experience. He approaches crisis management from a team-building perspective, stating, “Times like these really highlight the need for diversification. The more well-rounded an employee, education, experience, investment, the more options you have to stay stable, grow and avert a crisis through inevitable ups and downs.” 

Dekel also encourages business owners to stay connected and places an emphasis on employee outreach. “People still need that connectivity, so it pays to have a digital mindset and interact via webcam or video whenever possible.” 

Tools such as Zoom, Skype for Business, Slack, and Google Hangouts are helping businesses stay connected, even at a distance. He encourages teams to make use of these virtual meeting platforms, as they enable employees to interact and to maintain effective communication between employees and managers.

“You forget how much is lost in translation from missing tone, and body language. Try to think long term, and replicate your culture much as possible,” said Dekel. “If you have team building events, take them online, don't cancel them. If you normally do a happy hour, do a happy hour.”

Maintaining company culture remains an important aspect for teams that have swapped to a behind-the-screen format, as it encourages an environment of normalcy, collaboration, and security. His people-first mode of doing business is at the heart of SetSchedule culture. “Take care of your employees and your employees will take care of you.”

Dekel’s keen insight and collaborative practices have placed SetSchedule as a leader in both the real estate and technology sectors, and will be there to help real estate professionals, local businesses, and startups manage their work despite COVID-19 challenges and setbacks. 

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 03, 2020 11:32 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).