INDUSTRY
T H E M O N T H T H AT W A S
THE MONTH THAT WAS The BOSS Future Focus conference The BOSS Future Focus conference – held virtually on 16th
The panel discussed key questions such as:
September in conjunction with the BPIF and VMC to address
Q: What will the winners and losers in the BS industry look
the post COVID-19 environment – was more than a virtual
like, post-COVID?
success. With a range of topics to choose from, and the ability
A: Move online, be able to handle more small picks and have
to Zoom in and out of the conference as delegates’ needs
the ability to deliver to homes as well as to offices.
dictated, this was one of the most flexible and wide-ranging
Q: How can salespeople create added value if they cannot
events that the Federation has held.
meet customers face-to-face?
A day of wide-ranging input, from an array excellent
A: Have COVID–secure meetings, understand customers’
speakers, was kicked off by Jonathan Geldart, the director of
business strategies by speaking less with the transactional
the Institute of Directors, who used his personal experience
contact and more with the strategic contact within their
of walking to the North Pole to both challenge and assure his
organisations.
audience. “Is it true that the world is never going to be the
In the afternoon the second panel session, entitled
same again?” he asked, pointing out that the lessons learned
“COVID-19 and Its global impact on business supplies”, was
from the Spanish ‘Flu of a century ago was that such events
chaired by Steve Hilleard (OPI) and featured an impressive
accelerate existing trends, rather than create new ones.
cast of international speakers: Brad O’Brien (Office Choice),
Explaining that, “people are at their best when their backs are
Beth Wright (Fellowes) and Kenneth Borup (Lomax). The
to the wall”, Geldart noted that the response that was needed
panel’s extensive discussion showed that the impact and
right now from UK business leaders was:
effects of the pandemic on the OP industries in other
• Leadership: a clarity of purpose and direction.
countries had not been dissimilar to our own.
• Communication: we must communicate with, listen to and understand our teams.
Wright and others explained what actions their businesses are taking - make decisions quickly, improve communication,
• Responsibility: we must take responsibility for our actions.
look after the safety of staff, shift further to digital and the
• Agility: what we have always done may not be what we
mass market, become a viable supplier of PPE. Looking
need to do in the future, so we must have the ability
further ahead, the panellists believed that the ‘new normal’
to respond to change by doing things that we had not
would be a hybrid of home and office-based working and
previously thought we could do.
that sustainability would, eventually, return to the top of the business agenda, with dealers possibly providing a collection
During the day there were also two panel sessions aimed specifically at the business supplies industry: “The future of
service for single use items such as face masks. Amy Hutchinson, BOSS CEO, commented, “With physical
the UK business supplies industry” was led by BOSS chairman
events not possible we were delighted to welcome just under
Simon Drakeford, and featured Steve Haworth (EVO Group),
400 delegates to our first virtual Future Focus Conference.
Darren Lloyd (United), Richard Coulson (Complete Business
It was encouraging that so many took advantage of the
Supplies), Alex Tatham (Westcoast) and Anna Chalmers (HP).
networking facilities available, making new connections as a result of attending.”
[08] OCTOBER 2020
www.dealersupport.co.uk
