Here we go, we are now in 2021. 2020 is now part of the past and it is time to focus on a new year. Right? But where to start…
Brexit is somewhat over but newer restrictions are in place to trade with the UK. COVID seemed under control with vaccination coming but a new strain, highly contagious, was discovered.
Businesses are still under threat with limited opportunities to trade due to lockdowns and mainly relying on Government support…
So, here is the thing, we won’t be able to control everything. We will be able to influence some things and directly act upon others. That’s what we would like to focus on today with a series of best wishes from us to you..
What can we wish your business in 2021 apart from a brighter and sunnier Dublin?
1- People fulfilment
People have been hammered in 2020. Lockdowns, lack of human contact, home schooling, pressure to deliver more from home, everything became a bit more difficult and dramatically different.
In 2021, we wish you can reconnect or connect better with your people, the ones who made your business rock or survive in 2020. We wish that you have more meaningful conversations on their purpose at work and how you are going to grow your business together.
One tip? Use the V2MOM from Marc Benioff at Salesforce.com. Write down as the leader your Vision and Values animating the business. Investigate the Methods you will use to reach your objectives, the Obstacles you might meet and the Metrics you will use to measure success.
Share this with your teams and ask them to do the same exercise, from your leadership team to your interns. Then, talk, exchange vision and align objectives with rewards.
2- Healthier finances
COVID has challenged many companies’ finances. Digitalisation, remote working and integration of new processes have been costly for those who were not used to it.
The beauty of this year is that surprises should be somewhat limited. The Brexit saga is over and a deal, even if imperfect, has been reached. COVID is still on but vaccination is on its way.
It’s now more a question of time than a question of anything else. Time to analyse the state of your finances and adjust them to give you room to invest in company growth.
One tip? The zero based budget. Forget past budget, forecasted budget.. Use zero based budget where every department needs to start their budget from 0. Then, only spend what is necessary to keep the teams going.
You would be surprised how much is carried over from past periods and granted de-facto while unnecessary.
3- Process Automation
Digitalisation is something you have heard for a long time. You have certainly started it for some processes or for a good part of them. However, some excel files are still running around with crucial forgotten numbers. Sometimes, clients are calling and your operators are not capable of retrieving key informations from them.
Let’s be realistic, this has to change. With staff working remotely for at least the next 6 months and certainly as an option for the foreseeable future, this is not possible anymore. Unfortunately, tools are sometimes expensive to implement and consulting budgets can be hammering for smaller businesses.
One tip? Avail from your Government grants specially dedicated to rebound from COVID or assess your digitalisation readiness. Often funded from 50% to 100% of their value by local Governments, it will allow you to get a better idea of your business automation level and what tools could be used to improve it.
CRMs for instance don’t need to be expensive and you could run Sales, Marketing and Customer Support in the same platform like Hubspot with its Starter Growing suite for 46€/month only…
4- Business planning & execution
Going far means strong business planning and smooth execution. As we start a new year, it is key to be able to see where you want to end 2021 in terms of results, both financial and non-financial.
Planning and execution were complex, at best, in 2020… 2021 is certainly offering better perspectives. Time to be bold but also realistic. Time to assess your team capabilities. What can you do? What should you delegate? Think about efficiency over time to deliver the results you envision smoothly..
One tip? Involve your experts internally to know how you can overdeliver in 2021. Selling on value is the only way of growing business in the so-called “new normal”.
Enlightening, inspiring and motivating your team to reach their goals is key to success. If you need help, have a look at Peter Turley, who has mastered the topic for years.
5- Sustainable operations
The pandemic has demonstrated that only global solutions can tackle true problems. Wherever we want it or not, we are living in a global world where our actions have an impact on others, today or tomorrow.
Responsibilities are huge for businesses to follow environmental guidelines but also to lead the pack when governments slip up to the challenge. The triple bottom line : people, profit and planet is the winning tryptic in 2021.
One tip? No need to overcomplicate the topic. Just think holistically of your actions. Are they benefiting your people, their families, their communities? Are they helping to grow your profits and your business which is necessary for survival?
Finally are they making an impact positively or not on the planet? If any of those answers are negative, think about what you can change to make an impact too.
Best wishes for 2021!
2021 is going to be a year of promises and certainly one of transition. It is going to be a year where trade will continue to happen differently, more digital but also more global and local at the same time. It will be a year to implement all learnings of 2020 and get back on track.
At Partner-Eye, we make international expansion easy. We believe that bold tech companies have the potential to solve many challenges in Ireland and abroad.
Why not contacting us today for a free assessment of your business based on those wishes ? We would be delighted to help you position your services in Europe and grow your business with partners you deserve.