There are various options available, which includes remote working and downsizing your office or workplace. This can provide enough cost-cutting measures to survive this latest lockdown in London. We’ll go into more detail on a few different approaches to see if it fits your business’s requirements.
Preparing for a Local Lockdown in London –
Just like you, there are hundreds, if not thousands of small business owners and employees feeling uneasy with the latest developments. Our first piece of advice is to avoid overly negative or catastrophic thinking. Your business can keep trading, even if another set of lockdowns occur. The primary way to survive it is by reducing your overheads.
While everything feels overwhelming, it’s time to be proactive and put your best foot forward. Start by taking an honest inventory of where your company is at regarding expenditure. Then you can identify areas where savings are possible. You’ll obviously need a cash flow and stock, but other things, like company cars, might have to go.
Additionally, always keep an eye on the news, both in your area and nationally. It’s vital you’re aware of restrictions ahead of implementation. Furthermore, seek guidance from local authorities and the Chamber of Commerce. Your municipality providers will have the latest information for businesses. Also, they’ll assist with any grants you might be eligible for.
Do as much research on possible pandemic related funding to see what levels of support are available. Then you can discuss the situation with your employees and members of your supply chain. It’s worth getting on top of things early, so don’t delay, start planning today.
Evaluating Your Current Workspace –
There are so many problems businesses in London face when a lockdown happens. We know this because many of our customers from the previous lockdown told us about their issues. In every single case, their concern was about staff wages, but there was assistance from the government. What is never taken into account is outgoings.
Some landlords were good enough to do their part with rent holidays, but this had a time limit. And it’s highly unlikely the same thing will happen again. Rent is going to be something every company struggles with in the event of an upscale of restrictions. You must evaluate your company’s expenses now.
While some businesses were relocating anyway and it was a coincidence to happen during the pandemic, others had to make quick decisions. In some cases, outgoings were too high, and it was a case of downsizing to something more affordable or face closure. And there’s a solution that might fit a lot of small businesses.
The first is to send as many of your staff home and have them work there. This is remote working, and it has been a lifesaver for hundreds of companies in London. Aussie is adept at setting up home offices, and we’re on-hand to make it happen now. Additionally, self storage is available to store goods and work equipment. In some cases, it’s even possible to run an entire business from our storage facilities.
Consider Remote Working and a Home Office –
Small businesses with some element of office duties can usually allow their team to work from home. This is known as remote working, and it might be the lifeline your company needs to reduce your costs. There will be some initial expenditure, but your monthly overheads can decrease by moving to somewhere with a more modest rental price.
In most cases, all you need to do is have a network connecting your remote workers centrally. This is an IT thing, and we strongly suggest leaving this to the experts. If you don’t already work with anybody for this, we’ll gladly refer you. Then you can hold meetings via an online video conferencing platform like Skype or Zoom.
Remote working is now part of the business landscape which will likely be a permanent change. That’s because it helps companies reduce their overheads. After all, they don’t need huge office blocks. And it’s not as difficult as you’d think to help your employees separate their home/work life and be productive.
Aussie has a range of additional services which makes it possible for us to create home offices. A simple room conversion enables people to work remotely and meet deadlines. From your side of things, it’s then possible to downsize to a cheaper office or workspace and keep physical meetings to a minimum.
Finding an Office Removals Service in London –
Aussie works with thousands of business clients every year, and we regularly relocate companies of all sizes. It’s not uncommon for us to work with a small business one week and then relocate a large multinational corporate the next. We have a range of removals and related services to match any business’s requirements.
Our Business Removals service can accommodate any situation, even last-minute moves. This isn’t just for offices – we work with various business sectors. We offer IT migration and installation part of the package, which also extends to specialist furniture and other items. Our main aim is to cut any downsize to a minimum and have you ready to start operating again straight away.
Aussie might have five branches in Greater London, but we work in every neighbouring county every week. Furthermore, we undertake national and European relocations regularly. Every business relocation includes a move manager who oversees the whole job. This includes everything, from planning to unpacking the final piece of furniture.
This allows you to take care of other more important tasks while we create an individual relocation strategy. It’s possible to have a mirror office set-up, or we can develop a new layout for you. We’ll assess everything in detail before providing you with a free, no-obligation quote without any hidden fees.
The Benefits of Self Storage for Businesses –
It seems fitting to use the term looming, as any new lockdown will have worrying connotations for small businesses. The best way to approach this is by taking action and initiative, rather than hoping things turn out a certain way. Even if your specific area doesn’t go up to a higher tier, it’s vital to have an idea of what steps to take.
If you need somewhere safe and secure for your goods and work equipment, Aussie has the right storage package for you. We can also take over your company’s warehousing and stock management duties while streamlining them with a removals service. Furthermore, some start-ups and SMEs even use our self storage units to run their entire business.
Aussie has excellent storage facilities, and our staff are always available to discuss your storage requirements. Flexibility is one of our key assets, and it’s the reason why so many businesses in London work with us. There is no lease to worry about, so you don’t have to deal with any restrictions on ending your rental agreement.
Emergency Removals Available in London –
The prospect of moving at short notice isn’t something anyone takes lightly. However, it was a reality for hundreds of businesses during the first lockdown. Although the time constraints are much shorter for emergency removal jobs, the process is much the same as any other relocation. We’ll go through a thorough assessment of the items you’re relocating with and the rest of the relocation’s details.
Then, we’ll provide you with a free, no-obligation quote and advise the most suitable removals package. We only recommend the most cost-effective service that’s as efficient as possible. After we agree on everything, we’ll book you in and arrange to send over our removal’s team as soon as possible to start the process.
In situations where things need to happen even faster, we can dispatch our team out straight away. If there are any specific things we need to take into account, we’ll likely send someone to ensure we know the finer details. We’ll safeguard your possessions during the packing, relocation and unloading stages. The main thing to remember is to contact us now, and we’ll work out the level of urgency.
Aussie Man & Van London – Helping Your Business Prepare for Lockdown –
While no one wants another lockdown, hoping it doesn’t happen isn’t a good plan. You might feel overwhelmed and downbeat, but there’s always something you can do to be proactive. By putting in some preparation work now, you can take control of the situation.
Aussie is the ‘can-do’ removals and storage company, and we’re here to help wherever possible. Excellent customer service is the foundation of our business, and we’ll be with your company at every stage of the moving process.
If you’re a small business owner in London, please contact us today. We can discuss your situation to see if moving will help reduce your costs in the event of a local lockdown.
