Throughout the corona year of 2020 Posintra provided help and enhanced counseling for about 1000 businesses operating in the region. The businesses needed help particularly with applying for various corona subsidies, working on their coping strategies and renewing their business to survive the crisis.
The development company Posintra helped businesses in its area of operation (Porvoo, Lapinjärvi, Askola, Myrskylä) in 2020 by increasing contacts and actively offering help in surviving the crisis. The businesses needed help particularly with applying for various corona subsidies, working on their coping strategies and renewing their business to survive the crisis. Many businesses invested in renewing their operations, which resulted in growing demand for advisory services regarding starting an online store and digitalization of services.
– The corona year was naturally very exceptional and very demanding in many ways, states Posintra CEO Fredrik Pressler.
– We had to switch over to teleworking on a rapid schedule and offer counseling mainly by phone or video conferencing. Several planned training and networking events were cancelled or moved online. Webinars have proven functional, but people are longing for face to face meetings and networking.
When the corona crisis broke out in spring 2020, the need for help and information was great. Businesses had acute needs concerning coping strategies, cash flow statements, finding different channels for funding, and applying for Business Finland and ELY (Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment) corona subsidies.
Business Finland provided Porvoo businesses with 8,4 million euros corona subsidies in total, with a total of 167 approved applications. ELY subsidies for Porvoo businesses totalled 3,3 million euros, and 225 applications were approved. In addition, Posintra business counseling worked actively processing applications for Porvoo business vouchers and state sole entrepreneur support and so assisted the city of Porvoo in distributing help for local businesses. The state 2000 euro sole entrepreneur support for Porvoo businesses totalled over one million euros. In December the State Treasury opened applications for business cost support, for which the second round of applications is currently open.
– Additionally, Posintra provided entrepreneurs with personal debt counseling and tried to find new earning opportunities for businesses suffering from the crisis by selling their personnel’s expertise. This was a fruitful experiment and I believe the experiences gained will live on, Pressler says.
There were 557 new businesses founded in Posintra’s area of operation, which is 3 % more than previous years. During the corona year founding businesses came to a complete stop in the early spring, after which the situation changed rapidly. Businesses were founded particularly in the consulting, wellbeing, construction and property management industries. Starting a business is based increasingly on personal expertise and competence, and the desire to utilize them through a business. Various forms of subcontracting as a mode of operation is highlighted. Light entrepreneurship continues to increase in popularity, both traditionally through an invoicing service and through a business name with a Business ID.
During 2020 Posintra contacted over 1000 businesses in its area of operation. In the autumn a special Care campaign was launched, utilizing a callbot. The bot called about 2000 businesses in Porvoo speaking with the voice of Posintra’s CEO and encouraged to seek help with different business challenges. The campaign was well-received among entrepreneurs and got positive feedback for a new kind of approach.
Customer satisfaction with Posintra’s services has remained high despite exceptional circumstances and customers feel they have received the help they needed.
– I’m proud of Posintra personnel’s high competence and flexibility. We have worked long days throughout the crisis to help businesses in our area, Pressler continues.
Significant for the whole region was the Uusimaa corona crisis survival plan approved by the regional council in October 2020. The survival plan includes proposals for various measures and project ideas from the region’s municipalities and leading operators. With Posintra’s contribution several investments important for Porvoo were recorded in the plan, such as the biorefinery being planned in Kilpilahti, implementing the waste heat pipe which utilizes the heat for Helsinki Metropolitan Area thermal energy production and getting a passenger transport rail connection for Eastern Uusimaa.
– Regional survival plans were used as background material for the upcoming distribution of national and EU-level recovery funds. All the aforementioned development targets in our area are important not just regionally but nationally, too, when considering Finland’s competitiveness, Pressler concludes.
More information:
CEO Fredrik Pressler, Posintra Oy, +358 50 598 8821
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