FINANCE
Advice – Anne Cowley and fellow Baines Jewitt director Trevor Cook .
PICTURE : TOM BANKS
PEOPLE
8 . Contingency What plans do you have in place to handle staff absences ? Consider your legal and financial obligations and how you can manage absences without overburdening other team members .
9 . Recruitment and redundancies Handle recruitment , people management and , if needed , redundancies carefully . Ensure you follow the correct protocols and have good processes in place .
10 . Expectations Be clear about your expectations of staff if they are unwell , or test positive for Covid , even if they don ’ t feel ill .
11 . Wellbeing reviews Conduct regular wellbeing reviews . Record the outcomes and act on them .
12 . Communication Ensure you are communicating regularly and appropriately with all staff , whether they are working from home , in the workplace or absent due to illness .
13 . Support Are your managers equipped to support their teams ? Find out what help they might need .
14 . Technology Have your employees got the right technology to do their jobs effectively ? This is especially critical for those working from home or remotely . Do you need new technology as part of service delivery ?
CUSTOMERS
15 . Customer experience Consider how staff absences , or changes in processes , might impact the customer experience . Can customers contact you and visit you ? What , if any , changes to your services have been made and have you communicated this clearly to your customers ?
16 . Communication Use this opportunity to re-engage with customers and reassure them that you are there to help , especially as many will be concerned about increased prices and the availability of some products and services .
17 . Make sure you can deliver If you are reliant on others others , such as suppliers or transportation , check your supply chain . Put in place contingencies in case of staff or product shortages , or other issues .
18 . What do your customers need ? Identify the key things that your customers need from you right now . This may have changed from “ normal ” times . The easiest way to do this is to ask how you can help .
19 . Review and refine your products and services What worked before , might not now . Think about alternative ways you can make life easier for your customers . Review packaging , delivery options and promotions . Be creative and find ways to make your products and services accessible and attractive .
20 . Be visible Talk to your existing customers in person , over the phone or in writing . Also , post messages on social media channels and keep your website up to date . Be highly visible with relevant , helpful information and content . Your loyal customers already know , like and trust you , so look after them as a priority .
Anne added : “ Although many of these key points boil down to common sense , it ’ s important for businesses to know that small steps can make a difference and that they ’ re not alone . These continue to be challenging times for us all , but especially for business owners and managers .
“ It ’ s imperative to keep the channels of communication open , whether talking to employees , partners , suppliers or customers . There is also plenty of professional support available to those who want an impartial sounding board .”
For professional help and advice with business , financial management or tax issues , contact info @ bainesjewitt . co . uk or telephone 01642 632032
The voice of business in the Tees region | 129