By Hugh Lightbody
AFTER a year of almost constant stop-start operations, businesses across Scotland are now seeing restrictions easing. This has been undoubtedly facilitated by the phenomenal pace of the vaccine deployment across the country, and according to a recent Business Gateway survey of over 1400 businesses across Scotland, 40% are feeling positive about the future of their business in 2021.
This is a welcome finding and shows that, for many businesses, attention is beginning to shift to the future. Businesses don’t just want to survive, they want to thrive, and the challenges of the last year have made this a difficult mindset to maintain, with businesses firefighting and focused on the immediate challenges. Our teams across Scotland have seen this first hand, and over the last year, have supported over 34,000 businesses adapt and respond to the pandemic.
As we head into spring, businesses should continue to review their business plans and identify areas that can be tailored or modified. For some, the past year has presented the opportunity to showcase a new service offering, and if that is the case, businesses must now plan on how they will capitalise on this change and ask themselves if it will still be viable during the reopening stages of lockdown.
For others, it is important to reflect on the seismic changes that have taken place across society and whether they are truly providing the strongest service possible. Investing in your digital platforms is a vital part of this strategy, and throughout the pandemic, we’ve seen businesses use social media and websites as key tools that have increased their levels of customer engagement. Our DigitalBoost programme, which helps business owners upskill digitally echoes this interest with over 680 1:1 projects carried out over the past year.
It’s also important to acknowledge that the impact of the pandemic hasn’t been uniform. For some, working from home has allowed work to continue uninterrupted, while for others, their entire industry has been shut down. For those that fall into the latter category, taking small steps will be crucial and will help put your business in a stable position.
Looking forward, it’s clear that businesses, regardless of their size or sector, still need practical help as they move forward through this period and beyond. For guidance and support, businesses have a variety of options to pick from as we work with other agencies to provide up-to-date advice on how to cope and adapt as restrictions are eased. At Business Gateway, we have also introduced a series of webinars featuring our industry partners who have been sharing key advice on all aspects of reopening.
Ultimately, I am confident that Scotland’s entrepreneurial and innovative spirit will come through, as it has done throughout the pandemic. Across our network, the wealth of business success stories is truly inspiring and highlight the resilience of Scottish business owners, who have never stood still. We have seen a Tayside-based Physiotherapy centre deliver virtual Pilates classes and an Aberdeenshire cocktail events company launch a virtual drinks experience on a global scale. Going forward, these types of innovative and creative strategies will serve businesses well and ensure they can focus on securing future growth and opportunity in 2021.
Hugh Lightbody is Chief Officer, Business Gateway National Unit
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