The necessity of quarantine over the last few months has presented unique challenges for businesses and organizations across the board. As COVID-19 made its way across the Midwest, our office took the precautions that many others adopted in an effort to keep our staff and clients confident of our investment in their well-being. As we reopen and get back to business as normal, we are glad for the success of our measures and grateful for the patience and understanding granted.
My work in farm management is dependent on trust – the client’s trust in my ability and commitment for their investment and heritage and/or legacy, as well as the trust and assurance in the relationship with our farm operators. I believe in handshakes and looking someone in the eye when we talk because it’s important to know who you are working with. Other companies may function solely through online transactions, but we find that interaction is vital for mutual understanding and shared success.
In navigating frustrations, I was surprised by the discovered opportunities. Our IT team armed us with new tools to overcome the limitations of social distancing. During a typical phone call with a client and his sons, we opted to try our video conferencing abilities. We are spread out geographically across the US, and can rarely meet as four. Once we were logged in, we were live and in-person in each of our “new offices”. We were able to communicate much like a normal face to face experience; and the ability to use the shared screen feature made it possible to discuss a farm report with all of the relevant information right there on my computer. We were limited by distance before coronavirus, but as an unexpected result of the circumstances, we found a better way to connect.
Einstein said, “in the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.” In the coming months as the world reopens, meetings will once again take place in person, as well as face-to-face via video. Soon, I’ll be on the road performing my annual crop tour, as well as able to remote-connect with my office. AG Farm Management prides itself