Tough times generally favor making changes that would not be possible, or be very difficult in good times.

 People are far more inclined to buy into the notion that “we cannot continue doing it the way we have been  doing it” when they can see for themselves that the results that have been coming are not sustainable in a tougher environment.

Use the downturn as an opportunity to reallocate resources to higher return activities, review products, markets, brands, relationships, capital spending, development projects, recurrent expenditure, and yes, people.

Think about  a crisis as an catalyst to “commercial triage” and use the opportunity to improve in anticipation of better times to come.