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Your Total Guide To Business
When did you realise the Coronavirus could be a problem for you and your business?
As soon as deaths started happening outside of China, I knew this was not going to be contained and the world would need to shut down to stop it. So as soon as the social distancing kicked in, we had to start changing operational practices and get used to things taking longer than usual.
What has been your plan to continue?
We have continued on sites where we can get labour and materials and keep social distancing, which usually results in one person only being on site at a time, and multiple material deliveries having to take place when materials have become available. We have still been able to remotely pick up and settle claims with the insurers so have a healthy volume of work when restrictions ease.
I joined Aspray knowing that it would be partially recession proof as there will always be building insurance claims to manage. Although the virus has delayed projects we are working on vacant sites where we can and agreeing claims settlements.
How have you changed your business as the weeks are passing?
Business practices have changed to carrying out surveys remotely, so a reliance on the policyholder to take photos and do a sketch of the property as opposed to us physically surveying ourselves.
Face to face meetings with the Insurance company’s representatives have all been cancelled, so video calls with them along with our photos and detailed schedules of works have enabled us to settle claims during lockdown.
Have you accessed any government support or funding?
No, as we are working on both new and existing claims, however, if I had put the business on hold, we would have been able to make use of the scheme.
Unfortunately, there was no option to part time furlough, which would have been a good solution for us, as we are not working full time and therefore are not gaining our normal revenues.
With regards to the grants, as a new business and operating from home with no business premise therefore the grant was not available.
What have you seen about business which has been positive?
Overall companies seem to have adapted to home working and have accepted that this is possibly a permanent solution and will become the new normal.
Also, many businesses now understand that less travel will be needed in the future, as the use of Zoom and Microsoft Teams have become a way of doing business. The need for face to face meetings, that often involve hours of travel and pollution, will likely be reduced going forward
I also have great admiration for local butchers, greengrocers and the like, that have changed their way of working, their products and their route to market, which has allowed them to flourish in this environment and scale up to feed the nation. One company that we have started using personally used to supply vegetables and fruit to schools and commercial businesses, but within a week they had started an online veg, fruit and salad boxes delivery service and, therefore, when we come through this they will likely have an improved business model.
What have you seen about business which has been negative?
As always there are likely to be companies that are maximising the Government benefits to their advantage and furloughing staff, although they have millions in the bank and are expecting further Government grants to bail them out. Also, I believe that at the end of the furlough period, some of the 6.3m furloughed staff are likely to be made redundant, so it could just really be a delay in people applying for benefits.
What advice would you give to others in business?
Review your core strategy and look at what made you successful before the virus. Look at where you could see a negative impact but also focus on the new opportunities.
What can we do to help each other?
Stay connected, keep your regular suppliers busy where you can, pay invoices on time and keep in constant contact with your clients.
Your parting thought?
I believe many of us came into 2020 believing this was going to be our year. I believe it still will be with a better work life balance, better ethics and consideration for others, rediscovering old skills and developing new, along with the hope for less pollution going forward.
For more information visit aspray.com/aspray/swindon/
Scott Media is run by a UK-based journalist with more than 20 years' experience in the media - print, radio and television.
6 Gold View, Swindon, Wiltshire, SN5 8GZ
Website Email 07789 270030
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