The COVID-19 pandemic has shaken the world by its overwhelming impact on not only our health but also our businesses, institutions – practically every part of our lives. While we may encounter a fair share of COVID skeptics and denialists, nobody is immune to social and economic struggles. Companies that had to halt their activities took a real, unexpected beating that forced some of them out of business. To avoid similar dangers in the future, we must implement dynamic planning and strategies to provide a quicker response to the crisis.
In this article, we will focus on how this extraordinary pandemic transformed our approach to company planning and business activities. COVID-19 has affected every business and coming back from lockdown is not an easy transition for anyone. We will talk about solutions that would make similar processes in the future more bearable or in some cases – even profitable.
That’s right! Top proactive businesses that have the data and resources to prepare for the future find ways to profit from extreme circumstances while less fortunate companies start bleeding. If your company or livelihood has suffered due to COVID-19, we suggest transforming your approach to planning.
In order to thrive in today’s market, businesses have to maintain a high level of technical skills. While some conservative companies may not be as dependent on IT and like to take their time with the transition, the COVID-19 pandemic has turned technologies into a necessary part of survival. Let’s discuss the benefits of IT for company planning and activities that will protect your business in the future. We will also gloss over great assistance tools, such as proxy servers from a legitimate proxy provider. Learn more about Smartproxy if you are interested in the usage of these intermediary servers. At the moment, let’s focus on the ways to use IT and revitalize your business in the twilight of the pandemic.
Set up an online shop
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An obvious no-brainer, most companies who managed to withstand the onslaught of COVID-19 complications continued generating revenue thanks to purchases in online shops. Proactive companies that invested in online shop infrastructure and e-commerce have not only prepared for the time of isolation but also created a much more convenient way for customers to order and receive desired services.
IT and e-commerce investments are the smartest decisions that allowed tech giants like Amazon to thrive during the pandemic. If you plan to run a business during the economic restart, take care of a website and online shop as fast as you can.
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Of course, with a necessity for an online shop comes responsibility for customer data and the well-being of your website. Proxy servers from a respectable proxy provider can help you balance the internal load of your online shop, as well as limit DDoS attacks and other cybersecurity threats.
While an online shop already brings more revenue by making your services accessible to clients, partnerships with third-party advertisers can help you use collected public data for additional profit.
Use web scraping to stay ready
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No matter what your current business goals are, web scraping is an inseparable part of most company activities today. You can plan for a restart, digitalization of your business, and even small personal projects, and web scraping will assist you in every step of the process. Nobody can argue with the power of knowledge, and a company that uses data extraction as a fuel for improvement and innovation will always stay versatile enough to survive and thrive in the future.
We can use the same example of Amazon to highlight the biggest success story that heavily involves web scraping. With continuous e-commerce investments and a watchful eye on the competition, the company uses extracted data for extremely aggressive price changes to stay on top.
Although competitive price monitoring is arguably the most important process that derives from web scraping, it is only the tip of the iceberg. With good residential proxies from a legitimate proxy provider, a business owner can scale up their scraping operations and make them much more efficient. The security provided by intermediary servers protects our IP addresses, so even if your scrapers get recognized by third parties, you never put your network identity at risk.
The COVID-19 pandemic has put an even stronger emphasis on the importance of IT and e-commerce for businesses. Companies that utilize automated web scraping with proxy servers from a legitimate proxy provider can collect and process data to transform company planning. Alternative approaches to marketing campaigns, competitor analysis, aggressive price tracking, and many other data-related processes are now more versatile, precise, and efficient in the hands of tech-savvy businesses.
With a much more proactive approach to company planning, we can not only steer away from possible danger at the right time but also utilize new opportunities that can come and go in a matter of days or even hours. Transform your business activities with IT solutions and stay prepared for a brighter tomorrow!
News
Even more of the Gay Village will be turned into outdoor seating this summer
Daisy Jackson
The Gay Village is set to get even more outdoor seating this summer, with the council moving to partially close several key streets to traffic.
The news lands mid-heatwave when thousands of Mancs are clamouring for a seat in the nearest beer garden or cafe terrace – with a huge proportion of those flocking to Canal Street.
Now, plans have been revealed to bring ‘a touch of cafe culture’ to the Gay Village, with even more outdoor seating space created for businesses in the area.
Initially running as a trial this summer, it will mean new terraces for New York New York, The Goose and The Eagle on Bloom Street, plus more locations on Richmond Street.
Manchester City Council has said that similar schemes on Thomas Street and Stevenson Square have been hugely popular with both punters and businesses, especially during the summer months, and can give local operators a huge boost.
So now it’s time for this thriving corner of the city to get the same treatment, as part of the ongoing work through the Gay Village Action Plan identified the need for more outdoor seating areas.
The two locations which will have the changes will be Bloom Street, between Abingdon Street and Chorlton Street; and Richmond Street, between Sackville Street and Chorlton Street.
In order to put these protected spaces into effect, some changes to the existing road network will be made:
Bloom Street becomes one-way from Chorlton Street towards Princess Street
Richmond Street is closed to through traffic between Chorlton Street and Sackville Street.
The scheme will initially run on a trial basis from 10 July throughout the summer to evaluate if it could be a viable long-term solution.
During this, plans will also be in place to ensure that deliveries and loading can go about unhindered, as well as daily waste collection and access for residents.
Councillor Mandie Shilton Godwin, Executive Member for Clean Air, Environment and Transport, said: “The Gay Village is one of our most precious communities. For decades the queer community has been able to call this neighbourhood its own, establishing a long and proud place in the history of the fight against bigotry and discrimination.
“Needless to say, it’s one of the most-visited places in Manchester and sees thousands of people tread its cobbled streets every year. Because of that we’re always looking at how we, as its custodians, can continue to support its legacy and ensure that it meets the needs of people who live and work there.
“We’re excited to be trialling additional outdoor seating for these streets, and we hope to bring the same success that we’ve seen in the Northern Quarter after putting similar schemes in place.
“But, above all this has to work for everyone, so I would urge people to take part in this consultation and help shape the future of the Gay Village.”
Fire service urges Greater Manchester public to ‘act responsibly’ as heatwave continues
Emily Sergeant
People across Greater Manchester and beyond are being urged by the fire service to ‘act responsibly’ as the heatwave continues this week.
Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) has issued an urgent plea residents and visitors to take extra care on moorland and in rural areas as part of the annual ‘Be Moor Aware’ campaign – which is aimed at preventing wildfires and reducing the impact they have.
GMFRS has issued the plea alongside its partners at United Utilities, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), neighbouring fire and rescue services, and local councils.
It comes as Amber Extreme Heat warnings and heat-health alerts have been issued by the Met Office and the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) through to Thursday this week – with temperatures widely exceeding 35°C nationwide, and in some areas – particularly on the south coast – potentially even reaching 38°C.
Heatwave conditions in the UK are met when a location records a period of at least three consecutive days with temperature values meeting or exceeding the heatwave temperature threshold for that location.
The fire service urges the Greater Manchester public to ‘act responsibly’ as the heatwave continues / Credit: Mick Garrett (via Geograph)
It does seem, however, that northern parts of the country – especially the North West – are missing most of the extremely hot conditions, with current forecasts indicating peak temperatures of 33°C.
But this doesn’t stop the wildfire risk, and the fire service is warning that prolonged periods of dryness but the countryside in danger.
GMFRS data shows there have been 83 wildfires across Greater Manchester since 2021, including a significant rise in 2025, when 38 incidents were record, and there has already been six wildfires recorded in 2026.
“Wildfires can spread rapidly, especially during warm and dry weather, putting lives, wildlife and property at risk,” explained GMFRS Wildfire Lead, Adrian Taylor.
“Many of these fires are preventable, and we’re asking everyone to take responsibility when visiting our moorland areas. Small actions, such as not using disposable barbecues and taking litter home, can make a huge difference in preventing devastating fires.”
The Manc -
20th July 2021 
