The crisis is cleaning house: Here’s the Key Factor to stay in the game

Every economic crisis is a test—an exam that separates businesses built to last from those that will be wiped out.

In the coffee industry, this natural selection is happening right now. Yes, prices have recently come down from their peaks, but they’re still significantly high, and letting the guard down now could be a costly mistake.

Margins have tightened, consumers have become more price-sensitive, and competition, more aggressive than ever, is playing dirty just to steal a few extra customers.

Faced with all this, the most instinctive reaction is to grit one’s teeth and defend whatever is left—cut costs, tweak quality, chase the lowest price. But the problem with this strategy is that it only works in the very short term.

In fact, it often accelerates the decline. Because what is truly disappearing from the market isn’t just economic stability—it’s something even more fundamental: trust.

As uncertainty grows, companies start behaving differently. Suppliers cut back on service to reduce costs. Customers become more demanding, more skeptical. Employees shut down, stop sharing ideas, and work with the brakes on.

The result? Relationships weaken, perceived value drops, and the market—already driven by impulsive choices—becomes even more ruthless.

It is in these moments that a company’s true nature is revealed. Some businesses retreat into their shell, treating customers and employees as mere numbers, unknowingly sealing their slow decline.

Others, however, make a different choice: they invest in trust.

Not in an abstract way, with empty words, but through concrete actions that show customers, suppliers, and employees that they are here to stay. That the value they offer goes beyond the price tag and that the quality of the relationship matters more than immediate profit margins.

Businesses that focus solely on price are stepping into dangerous territory. Because there will always be someone willing to go lower. Chasing the bottom without creating value means becoming a commodity—easily replaceable. And when the market shifts again, these models won’t hold up.

On the other hand, those who invest in trust can turn the crisis into a competitive advantage.

And trust isn’t just about customer relationships—it’s about employees and collaborators, too. Because a company that doesn’t instill confidence within its own team will struggle to project it externally.

Not all customers are the same. Some will always chase the lowest price and won’t hesitate to switch suppliers at the first opportunity. Others, however, understand that real value isn’t about saving a few cents today, but about the stability of a long-term partnership.

These are the customers worth investing in.

A relationship built purely on price is fragile. It’s better to focus on authentic collaborations, relationships based on mutual trust. The market rewards businesses that remain consistent, those that don’t compromise their values, even in tough times.

Self-generated image on Ideogram.ai

It’s easy to make promises when things are going well. But during a crisis, you see who truly keeps their word.

Then, there’s customer experience—something that should never become a casualty of difficult times. Those who continue delivering excellent service, even under pressure, retain their customers.

A customer may accept a price increase, but they will never accept being treated with indifference. What truly keeps them loyal isn’t just the price they pay—it’s how they feel when they interact with your business.

But the trust that makes a business strong isn’t just built externally. A brand can have loyal customers, but if its team is demotivated, insecure, and disengaged, the entire structure crumbles.

A company that faces a crisis without involving its team in key decisions is making a critical mistake.

When employees sense uncertainty, they go into self-preservation mode. They hold back effort, limit their contributions, and do only what’s necessary. Not because they don’t care, but because the company itself no longer projects a clear future.

Leaders who build trust do things differently. They communicate openly with their team, explain the situation honestly, and provide a sense of direction.

They foster an environment where people feel safe to propose ideas, innovate, and take risks. A workplace where individual value is recognized, and collaboration isn’t forced—it happens naturally because of a healthy company culture.

When a team trusts its leadership, it works harder, adapts more easily, and faces difficulties with a positive mindset. But if employees feel abandoned or overlooked, energy drops, productivity declines, and service quality suffers. And ultimately, that reaches the customers.

This is why companies that invest in trust—both with customers and their team—aren’t just protecting their business today. They are laying the foundation to be even stronger tomorrow, once the crisis has passed and natural selection has run its course.

In the end, the right question to ask is this:

Am I the kind of leader or company that customers and employees can trust without hesitation?

If there is even the slightest doubt that the answer is not “YES,” perhaps it is time to change something both as a person and as a company.