It was almost like the market came to a complete stand-still as the advent of the novel coronavirus (COVID19) in 2020 resulted in a nation-wide lock-down for 3 months in Singapore. Most companies had to halt operations, or in some unfortunate cases a complete cessation of business. In the months that followed, companies experienced how going digital can, or could have helped overcome the challenges brought forth by disruptive events such as the pandemic. Meetings and discussions were conducted online, delegation of work, whether a simple task or a multi-dimensional project, was done through applications that help ensure everyone involved was in-sync and looking at the same picture. The pandemic sped up wide-spread adoption & acceptance of digitalization which otherwise would (still) be an exploratory event for many SMEs . Good or bad, in order to remain relevant, transformation and adaptation is no longer an option.
Just as we were about to send proposals to some of our local clients on services related to Digital Transformation, we lost the initiative when instead, they are one step ahead, engaging us on the same subject right after the complete lock-down was lifted. One such example was P3 Project Pte. Ltd. (P3), which sent us an e-mail with a link to an e-business card.
Do we do e-business card? No we don’t.
Can we do it? Yes sure, and better than the example you sent.
The example P3 sent to us is actually a single-page, responsive web page with contact details and shortcuts to quickly contact the sender. P3 needed to create eNamecards for 21 of their staff, to be used for an upcoming online conference where most participants were meeting for the first time. We made our proposition and design layout with the following specifications;
- Quicklinks
- Scan & Save Contact to Device
- 1-click & Save .VCF to computer
- Share contact through email, sms, whatsapp, linkedin
- 1-action click to call, sms, whatsapp, e-mail, visit website
- 1-action click to add linkedin account, view location, view bank account details
- Downloads
- Company Profile
- Certificates & Licenses (Company)
- Textual introduction of the sender
Each eNamecard is built as a sub-page of the primary domain or alternatively, it can also be a sub-domain (If your hosting plan offers you unlimited sub-domains). View an example from P3 below;
Benefits of digital businesscards
The benefits of eNamecard are apparent in-light of the pandemic. The pros have outweighed the cons, especially if environmental concerns get thrown into the picture. In the opposite camp, fans appreciate the intangible value tagged with printed cards; an effective ice-breaker, a gesture of sincerity. To the Japanese, the actions or gestures in a card exchange is an art by itself as it spells of etiquette, professionalism and sincerity.
In summary, the eCards designed for P3 Project (a) Saves time, (b) Optimize Space, (c) Saves Money, (d) Save the trees and (e) is Pandemic-ready.
a) Saves time – Scan and save contact to both your mobile device and computer with just a click; doing away with manual keying in of details. Even without saving to device, receiver can still call, message, whatsapp and e-mail the person directly through the eCard.
b) No space constraint – The eCards can include picture(s) and much more information about the company beyond the limitations of printing dimensions. Every employee’s business card now includes a direct link to download the company profile, company bank account details, certificates and licenses etc.
c) Saves Money – Cost of printing the cards can be eradicated with a one-time payment for creation.
d) Save the trees – This is definitely an environment-friendly move!
e) Pandemic-friendly – No direct contact and exchange means no risk of transmission. If ever a lock-down takes place again, let’s meet online and exchange our eCards!
We hope that by taking the initiative, we can encourage our stakeholders to follow suit. Especially if harnessing available technologies to improve efficiency also help take care of our employees’ safety and wellness, it is definitely worth a try.
Ms. Wong Li Shun, General Manager
P3 Project Pte. Ltd.
We think that the initiative by P3 is definitely laudable. They were quick to transform, even for the most basic workplace application such as the namecards. Of course, P3’s digital transformation is evident through their joint-initiative to create a B2B e-commerce platform to streamline processes through technology. With various processes, which includes discussions and meetings conducted online, what better way than making eCards available for all participants to download and view.
COVID-19 will not be the last to hit mankind, for the evolution of viruses is relentless, fast and unpredictable. As COVID-19 did caught the world unprepared, we should perhaps start evolving (mindsets) too. Perhaps, we can all start from the most fundamental of things, one that isn’t disruptive to implement – business cards.