by Nigel Hilton
Overnight, pandemic life and the lockdowns it imposed saw the vast majority of companies scrambling to implement flexible work overnight. Over a year later and even as restrictions draw to a close, experts claim that workplaces will never be the same again. In fact, with 74% of companies altogether scrapping the idea of a return to the office, and many more offering remote work at least a few days a week, we’re in the midst of the largest workplace shift in generations.
However, for business owners, ticking the flexible working box needs more consideration than simply keeping employees happy. After all, while clients were understanding of teething issues or potential remote setbacks amid a global pandemic, they’ll be less accommodating if flexible work is to become a norm. Hence why, before they can make even a partial remote switch, managers need to find ways around the following seemingly unbendable client challenges inherent in flexible arrangements.
Security wide open
Improving office security both physically and technologically was a pressing business concern even before Corona was anything more than a beverage. Now, with cyber breaches increasing by 400% and with employees using their own devices as standard, ongoing success relies on adaptable, improved security processes. Specifically, businesses need to focus on secure file transfers through the implementation of end-to-end security processes, provided either by in-house implementations like cloud transfers or by an outsourced security company that can guarantee compliance for client peace of mind no matter where or what your employees choose to work from.
Convoluted contacts
Getting in touch with any company was once as simple as calling reception for transfer. As teams disperse, clients are instead having to chase up a range of different business numbers, many of which leave them at a dead end. To overcome this, companies need to think about how they employ the benefits of in-office phone systems in a distributed context. VoIP systems are perhaps the most obvious example, but even these have limitations as they rely on personal connection. By comparison, something like a virtual reception team operating out of a grade A virtual office can consolidate remote communications far more effectively. This way, it’s possible to ensure all calls are answered and that messages are always taken for callbacks that keep clients onside.
A lack of accountability
Flexible and remote working setups generally throw employee accountability into question in terms of workload/hours spent on the job, but this impacts clients too. After all, with employees scattered, employees are more easily able to pass the buck or fail to chase up an account with no one to ask them why. This can lead to annoyance and lost accounts on a wide scale, and the only real way to overcome the problem is to implement collaboration tools that enable oversight and delegation at office-level, regardless of where employees are coming from.
Flexible work might tick many in-house boxes, but it isn’t always the best solution for clients. Make sure that you’re keeping all sides of the sales divide happy by overcoming these hurdles every step of the way.
