With the disruption and challenges we face today, our focus is naturally on the here and now. To deal with the rapidly moving situation and protect their employees it has been essential for companies to modify their operations. This is unprecedented and effects all industries on a global scale.
Understandably, the priority now is to control and minimise the damage. But when normality resumes, businesses cannot simply pick up where they left off. The disruption is likely to continue as the world assumes a more stable footing and gathers its normal breakneck speed.
Whilst the immediate priority is upon critical business issues, non-critical but essential tasks may be neglected. The situation is exacerbated by staff who are ill or self-isolating, and the challenges of working remotely. Many businesses have furloughed all but their core teams, which means that they have less staff to process these non-critical tasks. This can be sustained in the short term, however a fast and effective return to full capacity will be crucial.
What will differentiate businesses is the elegance with which they handle this process. As the whole world stops there are critical advantages to be gained by those who can use the situation to adapt. Businesses are operating differently, and those with well structured continuity plans are likely to manage the situation more effectively. We cannot know how long this pseudo normality will last; we cannot know what the new normal will look like in the future. But at some point, companies will need to deal with the entirety of their business functions, including those that have been paused during the crisis.
When normal trading does commence , the last thing businesses need is to be trawling through backlogs. The cumulative effect is likely to cause increased costs and long-term disruption. Whilst businesses are closed or skeleton-staffed, it is a good time to consider what solutions and tools can be employed to get the business fully operational on day one of trading. This would give a strong competitive edge at a time when many businesses will be trying to catch up.
At Maximise IT we are working with our customers to identify how end to end process optimisation can assist in reducing workloads for their overstretched teams. Harnessing technology takes some of the strain to support businesses in their return to normality. Efficiencies, cost savings, and quality customer service can be achieved with the application of the right automated systems. The future may be uncertain at the moment, but there will continue to be valuable opportunities for those businesses that can move fast and adapt while weathering the storm.