Helping hand offered on road to recovery

On Jan 23, Wuhan was put under lockdown to prevent the virus spreading to other areas of the country. "I asked our employees to report their health status every day. It's my responsibility to help them if they become infected," Wang said.

She and her employees knew that adjustments and cutbacks had to be made to keep DyData afloat－the case with most small businesses significantly affected by the pandemic.

To ensure employees were paid in full and on time, the company's management team, including Wang, decided to take a 50 percent pay cut.

"I know how important a stable income is for my employees and their families during these tough times, so I don't want to make any redundancies. It will be quite an achievement if I can help the employees and the company get through the pandemic," she said.

Staff members can work from home, and demand for the company's services has been high, she said, adding, "As a high-tech company, we are actually more risk-resistant."

Travel restrictions resulting from the lockdown meant that investors planning to visit the company on "inspection missions" had to postpone their trips.

In addition, people returning from visits to Wuhan still need to be quarantined for 14 days in some cities, including Beijing, which has deterred many from traveling to the Hubei provincial capital.

Without investment, Wang has to be resourceful in finding money elsewhere to support the company. She has been carefully studying measures introduced by the Wuhan government to support small and microbusinesses.

Although property owners are being urged to give such businesses rent exemptions for three months, Wang has not heard any such news from management of the office building she rents from.

Small-scale taxpayers in Hubei have been exempted from paying 3 percent value-added tax up to Dec 31. The VAT rate for such taxpayers elsewhere in the country has been reduced to 1 percent.

A further measure has been introduced to help businesses in Hubei cut operational costs.

Companies such as DyData have been exempted from paying employee pension, unemployment and employment injury insurance contributions for five months from February, while employees retain their benefits.

Wang said: "For business owners in Wuhan, getting through the aftermath of the outbreak is just as difficult as surviving the pandemic. Every penny counts."

As an innovative company, DyData receives an annual grant of 600,000 yuan from the Wuhan government, which is planning to attract more startups to the city. Unlike previous years, the company had received 400,000 yuan by last month－a pleasant surprise for Wang.

"Normally, the government transfers the grant to our bank account at the end of the year. Because of the pandemic, it decided to give us the money much earlier to help us get through the hard times," she said.

"I am told that the rest of the money will be transferred as soon as possible. The grant alone can cover the company's operating costs for two months, meaning we can keep going while seeking new opportunities."