EASING OF LOCKDOWN – ARE YOU PREPARED?

Given the recent Government announcement that we are slowly coming out of lockdown and the road map for how we will return to the “new” norm.

Is your business prepared for this and are you in the right mind set? Below we have noted down a view items that we feel will put you in the best position to know where you are and prosper in the easing of lockdown.

· Forecast and budgets – Given the last few months and the impact this has had on business and cashflow, it is now time to firstly look over current budgets and re-evaluate the assumptions built into these. Cashflow will undoubtable have been strained during this time so we would always recommend an integrated cashflow with the budget to ensure you are fully aware of any potential pinch points and can plan and prepare for these.

· Look at what worked well during lockdown – Rather than focus on the less successful events from the situation consider what has worked well. This may not be just a financial gain; it could be personal. We are aware of a number of restaurant’s and Café’s that have put takeaways in place during this time and say they are surprised how well this has gone down and it will be shame when have to stop post lockdown, why stop?

· Working from home will most likely become the new normal – In many industries there has been resistance to working from home. This has now been broken and will be seen as the normal, you should therefore incorporate this into any future business plans. This could mean that office space is now in excess, or that IT systems need upgrading. I think many staff have seen the benefits of working from home on would welcome a continuation of this on at least a part time basis or more flexible basis.

· IT structure – this period has proved that IT structure is key to keeping a business running during these times. With face to face contact taken away, we have all had to take to virtual meeting platforms. This has in the main proved to be successful and I have heard a number of comments from clients who would pre Covid19 spend hours travelling for meetings, when now they have seen virtual as an extra option (not in all cases) which could save a large chunk of travelling time that could be used for more productive matters.

· Marketing – As the world has effectively been closed for 3 months the opening up is your time to get noticed and gain the completive edge over your fellow businesses.

We will all have changed because of this situation and the world will not go back to the old ways fully. As always we are more than happy to discuss any issues you have and assist any way we can, call today to take advantage of our free initial meeting.