December 2018
Connect to the Cloud: Preparing for Brexit
Brexit is dominating the headlines this week, and uncertainty is only growing after a particularly difficult week for the UK government. Small business are being left mostly in the dark about what the Brexit deal will mean for them, their spending, their access to skilled workers and their viability to continue in a post-Brexit UK. That’s where the Cloud comes in to play.
Many small businesses are already harnessing the potential of the Cloud, with Cloud-based CRM solutions really opening up options for sourcing talent and reaching potential customers beyond borders. So how could the Cloud help you and your business not just survive, but thrive after Brexit?
Cutting Spending
The biggest appeal of a Cloud-based small business is the lowering of costs. This reduced cost is due to a number of factors:
- No costly IT equipment.
- No personal server hosting costs.
- Offices are optional with the Cloud.
- Reduced costs of IT staffing, with full support provided.
With a CRM solution hosted in the cloud all you’ll need to access your work is a compatible device, a laptop or smartphone will do, and internet access. There’s no need to host your own servers, with a Cloud based CRM that’s all done for you. You’ll have full access to your business 24/7 from anywhere in the world, so long as you can access the net.
Broaden Your Options
As you’ll have full access anytime and anywhere, so will any potential employees or freelancers you choose to work with. Brexit is predicted to cause a huge skills shortage in the UK across a number of sectors. With more and more people trying to get out whilst they can or EU nationals unsure of their rights post-Brexit, the workforce of Britain will shrink. Overall, there will still be a good pool of skilled workers in the UK, however Brexit may see those number dispersed across the country.
A Cloud-based business has no borders, meaning if you’re in an area with a shortage of local skills, there’s nothing stopping you from looking further afield. One of the best ways to adapt for this predicted skills shortage is to open up to remote working and tapping in to skills elsewhere. There’s an abundance of freelance talent in the UK and beyond that could be the solution to your worries about a skills shortage. There’s also the option of moving yourself – as you won’t be tied to any particular place, with a remote workforce, you can move to where the skills are.
Free from the Office
If your employees or freelance team don’t need an office to work with you, what’s to say you need one? As a cloud based CRM only requires a single internet enable device to access your business, a fixed office space might be a cost you needn’t worry about anymore. As Brexit rolls in, more and more small businesses will be looking to reduce costs and offices are definitely one to consider. Other options are shared offices and hot desking spaces which can be used as little as one or two days a week.
For the environmentally conscious small businesses, choosing to go without a permanent office is a great way to reduce your carbon footprint. Many Green activist groups are worried about the impact of Brexit on the environment without EU regulations. So as a small business, going office-free is one step you can take to be more environmentally friendly. Without an office you and your team won’t be creating as much waste, or consuming as much electricity in powering an entire workplace.
Adapt and Survive
The Cloud is an ever evolving resource. Similarly, bespoke Cloud-based CRM tools are also adaptive, and constantly changing to meet the requirements of both their users and any legal regulations. As many Cloud systems adapted when GDPR regulation arrived, they will adapt when any regulations regarding Brexit and online business arrive.
The Cloud is always updating with new apps that means better third party support, which can be integrated with a bespoke CRM solution. The growing network of the Cloud and its uses also means you can provide your team with more support and tools to empower them to deliver better results for your business.
For now we can assume Brexit will eventually arrive, and it will arrive with uncertainty for small businesses in particular. However the Cloud is everywhere, and it is connecting more and more people, which means more access to skills for businesses and more access to work for skilled people and freelancers. Ultimately a Cloud based solution to your business will lower your outgoings and grant you much more flexibility with your business, ensuring that you’re ready for whatever challenges Brexit may bring.
Are you interested in finding out how a Cloud-based CRM solution could help your business through Brexit? Get in touch to request a demo or take a look through our website to find out more.