RIDING THE WAVE OF CHANGE

The need to effectively manage and adapt to change has never been more prevalent - 2020 showcased the agile abilities of many business owners who aligned the direction of their business to the rapidly changing needs of the nation. Now, in 2021, our ability to continuously adapt will be tested again. For me, two key turning points stand out: an ability to recognise and act upon changing behaviours, and the maintenance of digital momentum.

RECOGNISING CHANGING BEHAVIOURS

Evolving to meet the needs of 2021, the pandemic has switched global markets’ focus to an extended range of sectors.

Aside from the obvious need to underpin healthcare and education, we’ve seen demand for distribution, food manufacturing and digital expertise soar.

Whilst the markets and opportunities around us continue to change, so too do the behaviours of those closest to us:

l New client needs

Our customers’ wants and needs have diversified to encompass new expectations driven by new circumstances.

Aligning products, services and platforms to manage their new outlook is critical to engaging effectively with these evolved audiences and satisfying their needs.

l A new team culture

l Remote working quickly changed from an interim fix to a cultural shift, transforming people and project management with immediate effect.

This change in professional habitat created a tangible gap into which company culture could easily fall. Aligning decision making with the new cultural needs of dispersed teams, as well as sustaining business objectives, is no easy task, but it is an essential one.

MAINTAINING DIGITAL MOMENTUM

Those who adapted the quickest, meeting new demands swiftly and efficiently, did so by rapidly changing or upscaling their actions and processes. Accelerated adoption of technology and embracing all it could offer - from cloud-based technology to communications channels, booking systems, virtual events and many more - saw these forward-thinking businesses trial, roll out and lead the way with effective working practices that will offer further benefits as we progress through 2021 and beyond.

Investing in technology to diversify product lines, to communicate more effectively and to reach a more widespread base of stakeholders will pay dividends - not just because it enables businesses to compete beyond local boundaries, but more so because it empowers organisations to engage quickly and effectively to improve the experience of both their customers and their employees.

Those who think differently whilst remaining mindful and true to the needs of their stakeholders, will gain a competitive advantage, not just this year but well into the future.

by KIeron Goldsborough, Narrative

Kieron Goldsborough is an entrepreneurial leader with over 20 years’ experience in marketing communications. In 2011, Kieron became Creative Director at Press Ahead, where the Narrative story began, and since then has worked with a number of large blue-chip clients as well as a series of dynamic start-ups. Having moved into position as Managing Director at Narrative, Kieron continues to work in a hands on fashion across all of Narrative’s accounts.