SERVICE NETWORK SUPPORTING COMPANIES by Jasmin Repo | jasmin.repo@espoo.fi
Photo: Lisbeth Iversen
Espoo’s local economy has been hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic. Many companies, particularly small businesses, are struggling in the crisis. Even though Finns rediscovered homeland travel during the summer of 2020, the metropolitan area Finland did not receive nearly as many tourists as it had lost due to the global pandemic and international travel restrictions. Most recently, severe restrictions are also threatening the survival of many restaurants and bars. Espoo is actively looking for solutions to the economic effects of the pandemic with national level authorities, partners and stakeholders. In spring, with the help of funding from the Finnish government, the city opened an application process for operating support for sole entrepreneurs, a one-off payment of EUR 2,000, intended to cover the costs that arise from business operations during the coronavirus situation. Over EUR 4,000,000 have been distributed to nearly 3000 sole entrepreneurs. New services developed The Business Espoo business service network of 7 organisations offers information and services for entrepreneurs and companies during the coronavirus pandemic. This support includes, for example, information on financing opportunities and digital services available for companies through the network. The global crisis has also sparked further development. Business Espoo’s reputation has been built during the pandemic, as the exceptional situation has required not only rapid communications but also the development of new services. The close cooperation of the network has contributed to the smooth management of tasks by remote connections, and the operators within the network have created new services and service channels, such as sole entrepreneurs’ operating-support application, processing and payment process; 6
ChatBot Bertta, which serves 24/7 in Finnish and English; and the BE-Studio webinar series for the different service needs of companies. In the running for European Enterprise Promotion Awards 2020 Cooperation of different organisations all serving the same customer – the entrepreneur or company needing support – has played a significant role during the crisis. If the Business Espoo network had not existed before the pandemic, it would not have been able to react to the crisis with the same speed and quality and to provide customers with related services and the necessary information. The success of Business Espoo has not been left unnoticed either. The BE service network has made it to the final of the European Enterprise Promotion Awards 2020 in the ‘Improving the business environment’ category.
