In New Zealand, Vodafone is giving its employees $100 dollars with which to shop at their preferred local shop or small business. With COVID-19 and pandemic restrictions having posed major challenges for tranders and small businesses in Aotearoa New Zealand, this initiative is a small step to help local businesses get back on track.
Part of Vodafone’s Pay it Forward campaign, this initiative will see the Company helping small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) in the country back on their feet. Local companies, such as New Zealand Media & Entertainment (NZME), Stuff (a media company in New Zealand) and Radically, a business consulting company are also taking part in this campaign.
This is Vodafone New Zealand’s way of contributing towards reviving small businesses, including shops, hairdressers, gyms and food outlets, which have been adversely affected by the lockdowns imposed during the pandemic.
“We’re encouraging our teams to buy $100 worth of additional products for future customers, for instance, so that their favourite café could give out a free donut with coffee, local florist can upsize some bouquets, personal trainer can do a free session to secure a new customer, or to say thanks to hairdressers who are probably taking longer to trim those post-lockdown locks!,” says Joe Goddard, experience & commercial director, Vodafone NZ.
The Company is also asking the employees to spread the word on social media by sharing their Pay It Forward campaign experiences on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, Workplace and other such platforms.
“We’re also putting the challenge out to other corporates to get behind the Pay It Forward movement and support Kiwi SMEs,” adds Goddard.
The Vodafone employees are asked to submit their participation in the campaign by October 22 and they will need to spend their $100 by Friday, 17 December.
In India as well, since the employees have not been working remotely, local shop vendors who were in and around the workplaces have been struggling. Many have had to even close down their businesses. Indian Inc. can take inspiration from this initiative to support SMEs in India.