This tells me that a prediction can become accurate. When trends happen well, it becomes more than accurate-more than the expected results.

 He saw statistics that the internet was growing by 2300% monthly. He envisioned that people will start shopping online in the near future. He gave life to that vision by founding Amazon in 1995.

The venture has succeeded beyond measure. It has even surged in market performance during this period of the coronavirus pandemic economic crisis.

 According to the Bloomberg Billionaire Index, Jeff Bezos now has a fortune of $138bn as the share price has risen by 5.3%. BBC reported that the firm has recruited thousands of workers to cope with the demand.

As at April 16th, 2020, Amazon market capitalization is $1.149tn according to NASDAQ, the growth was triggered by the lockdown of millions of people at home and economic activities have become partially shutdown except non-essential businesses.

 But what is making the amazon business model perform tremendously in this time of harsh economic crisis?

 This article will analyse what is making Amazon business model perform exceptionally at this time. How to learn and adopt some of its approaches in your business?

What is Making The Amazon Model to Pass The Test?

 Well, there is always a cause of a reaction in any situation. This also includes the Amazon business surge. The simple reason is the coronavirus pandemic and its restrictive measures. See how the business model works well with what the world needs at the moment.

•  Virtual Shopping Friction

The government of every country has become aware that the Coronavirus can terminate an entire nation if it is not well contained.

 This is the reason why the government of every nation including developing countries has ordered the closure of borders, businesses and implementation of social distancing measures.

 But, while people stay at home, they must eat and that means they will be involved in economic activities but in a new way.

 That is why Amazon is thriving this period. With the online shopping technology of amazon, you can shop anything in the comfort of your lockdown location in the US and experience an experience similar to offline shopping.

 So, the number of online shoppers has dramatically increased as there’s panic in coming in contact with people.

• Online Payment Friction

The other friction in transaction is the payment for the purchases or orders. Coronavirus can also be contracted through exchange of physical money.

 That means online payment options remove the risk associated with physical money.

 When you buy on amazon, you pay through a payment gateway of your choice. You don’t have to pay with physical cash but through your debit card or Paypal account.

That means that shopping friction and payment friction has been taken care of by Amazon, then what else?

• Logistics Friction

People may be asking that if they buy a product online how will they receive the physical goods? The e-commerce business and logistics work hand in hand, one is incomplete without the other.

 With amazon logistics, your goods will be delivered to your doorstep without any problem. With Amazon logistics, fulfillment is taken care of. Delivery is one thing and fulfillment is another thing.

 When you have what you ordered for without distortion with complete features, that is fulfillment.

 During this period, Amazon workers that are in the delivery department will need to take health protective measures in order to not contract the deadly covid-19 virus. 

 Whatever is your prediction of the internet, the coronavirus is validating it in one way or the other. With remote working, online or software tools have become the best working tools and online platforms have recorded exponential growth this season.

 As you plan to pivot your business model, think more of adjustments that support remote working and automation or digitization.

My sister contacted me on the night Mr. President announced the extension of the lockdown in Abuja, Lagos and Ogun states. She said her live-in nanny was getting fidgety about the lockdown extension. According to my sister, her nanny believed that COVID-19 cases in Abuja must be getting out of hand and that is why the extension became necessary. All efforts to make her relax did not work. So when her family members added to the pressure for her “release” from Abuja, my sister had to let her go. She left for her village on Wednesday 15th April 2020.

But luckily for my sister, one of her former nannies that left to pick up a better paying job in a crèche contacted her on Monday to check up on them. She used that opportunity to tell my sister that the lockdown affected her job and so she wasn’t expecting April salary from anywhere. Being that she was a good employee when she worked for my sister, she was offered her job back immediately when the current nanny left. So this lady now has a job despite the bite of the Coronavirus.

This lady’s luck may seem trivial to a lot of people because it is “just a nanny work”, but a deeper look into her story may reveal two essential things – she was a good employer and she called to ask for a favour/job.

One thing we are sure of right now is COVID-19 is going to affect a lot of things. Changes are going to be witnessed in many sectors. New job opportunities will open and some old ones will close. Remote jobs will be on the increase and professionals that worked hard to develop themselves will pick up the jobs while those still struggling will struggle the most in their bid to find something to do. Post-corona era will indeed favour a lot of people and still be hard on many. This is why there is a need for the vulnerable ones to ask for favours right now.

• Contact those that hold you in high esteem

The thing about calling in favours is that the person being approached must see reasons to help out. For instance, my sister re-employed her former nanny because she, the nanny, did her job well then. If the nanny was the type of employee that employers couldn’t wait to get rid of, of course she would have remained unemployed today. This is why we should be our best wherever we find ourselves because we never can tell what will happen in the future.

• Go to where your services are needed

Next thing is that the nanny went to where she was needed. She knew my sister employs nannies so she indirectly asked for a job – if there is any. Some people will ask for favour from people who do not need their services. This will automatically turn their request into begging and them into beggars. The best thing to do is find out if someone really needs your “help” so that he will not think he’s doing you a favour.

• Speak-out

Another thing this lady did that earned her a job was speaking out. She did not hide her problem nor waited for my sister to call her first. She obviously knew that many domestic workers were running back to their villages because they wanted to avoid COVID-19 that is “killing Big People” in the cities so she calling my sister a day after the lockdown extension broadcast was not a coincidence. But the good thing here is that she was bold enough to voice out her needs. Most of us find it difficult to ask for favours, jobs or even our money. Maybe it’s high time we revisited that part of us and made some changes to it. Remember, the other person will not know what you’re passing through unless you told him.

• Ask for the right thing

We may also notice that this lady did not ask for financial help. Obviously she’s in need of money but she decided to ask for a job because she knew that her job will guarantee her a good salary, accommodation, feeding and some other essentials. The mistake some of us make is that we approach people to ask for money instead of a job (when we are not looking for a business capital). A friend of mine got a job into a good establishment because he met the CEO and asked for a freelance or a contract job. Luckily for him, his service was needed then and the CEO later offered him a permanent job. If this young man had met this Big Man and asked for money, it is possible he wouldn’t get the money or the job. In other words, be mindful of the favour you ask for.

• Maintain social contact

Finally this lady has been in touch with my sister after her resignation. From what I gathered, she calls my sister every now and then to ask about the child she babysat. So when she called on Monday, my sister saw it as nothing unusual. It would have been awkward if all of a sudden she called and then asked for a job. By then it will be that she called because she was in need and maybe she may not get the job. This is just to let us know that we need to keep in touch with people that have impacted positively in our lives because we may need their favours any time soon.

We cannot pretend as if we don’t know that people will lose their jobs within this period. It is possible that some employers may decide to drop some employees in order to cushion the effects of COVID-19 on the economy. As it is now, entrepreneurs are passing through a lot and will therefore not want to accrue much financial responsibilities. To avoid being dislodged when all these are over, it is time for the majority of us to find our contact lists and start placing those important calls. Remember, you can never tell what the answer will be unless you try.

The Chief of Staff to President Buhari, Abba Kyari, has died. Mr. Kyari died of coronavirus in Lagos. His death was announced by presidential spokesperson, Femi Adesina: “Chief of Staff to the President, Mallam Abba Kyari, passes on. May God rest his soul. Amen…” Mr. Kyari had tested positive to coronavirus on March 23.

On March 29, Mr Kyari issued a statement on his decision to move to Lagos for “further test and observation.”

The statement was the first official confirmation of his COVID-19 status since he was reportedly confirmed positive six days earlier.

In his statement, he said; “I have made my own care arrangements to avoid further burdening the public health system, which faces so many pressures.”

“This is a precautionary measure: I feel well, but last week I tested positive for Coronavirus, the pandemic that is sweeping the world. I have followed all protocols the government has announced to self-isolate and quarantine,” he said.