How Covid and Brexit have changed how we do business

Martin Roberts, managing director of Derby-based managed service provider Neuways reflects on the acceleration of digital systems in business in the wake of the pandemic and Brexit and predicts a bright future for those who prioritise expanding and updating their systems.

THE past 12 months have seen a host of changes sweep across workplaces. The UK has had Covid-19 to deal with as well as the impact of Brexit.

In among these changes has been a digital revolution. With plenty of businesses forced to send employees from the workplace to their spare bedrooms and dining rooms, they’ve also had to adapt and upgrade their digital capabilities.

Digital Transformations

The digital transformations that many companies have undergone are nothing short of groundbreaking. Where there were previously rigid systems and ways of working, these have given way to agile systems that allow for flexibility and different processes.

Martin Roberts has overseen a lot of digital transformations over not only the past 12 months, but 15 years. He says: “It has truly been a transformational period for businesses. Having dealt with digital transformations and implementing enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems within businesses, we are used to helping people adapt to a different approach.

“While ERP is about ensuring processes are covered across the business and removing any kind of ‘silo mentality’, we’ve been applying this process-based approach to work and business to help companies adapt to the changing times.”

Martin sees businesses typically having three types of plans: “One thing we’ve learned over the last 12 months is that digital transformations have been accelerated by necessity.

“We see people as having plans – the immediate plan timeline, these are your things to do today and tomorrow, they’re at the forefront of your mind and you’re clear on what they are and how you’re going to achieve them. Then there is the mid-term, tasks that you must do but they require plans to be made to carry them out when the timing is right. And then long-term, which is more aspirational ideas and tasks that one day we hope to achieve.

“What happened is those mid-term ideas, regarding changing business processes and improving communication, accelerated from the mid-term to the immediate as businesses realised the wealth of changes they’d have to make to continue to successfully operate.”

Covid-19 and Microsoft Teams Applications such as Microsoft Teams have been invaluable during the pandemic. The collaborative tool has eased the workplace-to-home transition for businesses, by simplifying communication among colleagues, customers and suppliers.

Martin emphasises the importance of realising how far we’ve come in a little under a year: “Credit to tech companies and Microsoft with Teams in particular. They have aided the acceleration required by being very responsive to people’s needs and problems and recognising what can be achieved.

“At Neuways, for the last nine months we’ve held almost all of our meetings online, as well as our internal company get-togethers, and even our festive party – to imagine that being possible even 12 months ago, would’ve been quite difficult! The way business meetings are held now has totally changed. The expression, “necessity is the mother of invention”, has been proven now more than at any other time.

“We will have this way of working for the next six months at least, and whilst we may return to some societal norms over the next six to nine months, a lot of the innovations we’ve experienced will be kept as many of them have proven to be very efficient.”

Brexit’s impact

While Covid-19 has affected business in plenty of ways, the effects of Brexit haven’t yet been truly felt. But Martin is optimistic technology will help ease the way. He says: “People are beginning to understand the forms and VAT implications that come with Brexit. There may well be two types of reactions to any difficulties encountered. One, most will probably say ‘I won’t bother’. They may source alternative products locally, which will then be bought or sold to the local market instead. Or the second reaction would be to utilise systems which ease the new ways of doing things.

“Eventually once Brexit has been fully understood and broken down, we will see a flood of technology built in response to the challenges that it may bring us. Tech will be created to make workflows including form filling and the passing of data from place to place faster. People will want to continue trading, and tech will be the answer to easing the problem.

“Just as with the Covid crisis, things have been made better with time. Functionality has developed rapidly with Teams and Zoom, among others, to help and the same will happen with solving the Brexit challenges in this new world.”

The Future

Martin says: “Some companies have adapted quickly and have seen the possibilities offered by technology. Going back to Teams, we want to ensure that all are aware of the full capabilities of the software available to them.

“As much software has been iterated upon throughout a year full of change and challenge, some might not realise what their software is capable of.

“In Teams alone this year, there have been whiteboards implemented, the ability to share presentations and hold interactive quizzes online, as well as creating a form to take votes on a subject. Even the ability to record a meeting and have the minutes transcribed into a document is staggering.

“As we emerge back into the world, people should take a step back, look at these tools and remind themselves of what they can do.

“Many of us now have these tools, it would be remiss to not take the opportunity to accelerate. Those who commit to these will be the ones that benefit from the current situation the most.”