Unless you’ve decided to tune out of the news completely (and we wouldn’t blame you) you’ll have seen the Chancellor announce a series of steps to take the country out of lockdown. 

Back when lockdown began and the impact of Covid-19 really started to take a toll on businesses, we shared a blog with advice on how to come out stronger on the other side. There were some problems that needed immediate fixing in many businesses as a result of the pandemic – loss of custom meant loss of cash. 

But for many owners the pandemic highlighted problems that had gone unnoticed when it had been business as usual. Areas that may have needed rethinking for some time – like their team, services, internal processes. 

As we keep our fingers crossed we’re safe enough to meet these deadlines and come out of lockdown, now is the time to get your processes working the way you want and need them to, to be the most productive when it happens. 

Make sure your business is working the way you want it to as we come out of lockdown

Some of us will have been forced to get online, especially those in retail businesses. Though retail has taken a hit overall, e-commerce just keeps on growing and growing. There will likely be areas of your business you can move online, or automate.

  • Your finances – We’ve talked about many of the wonders of Xero in this blog alone, but the benefits are endless. Having all your finances online means knowing how well your business is performing at any given time and you can use your data to make smart decisions. We’ve made it easy for you, by mapping out the ideal process here. If you want help getting set up with a better finance system, let’s chat. 
  • Make the most of time saving apps – Talk to us about the apps that integrate with Xero. There are hundreds of apps designed to streamline your processes and make running your business easier. 
  • Your client process – Are you still using physical paper and the postal system to collect  client information? Try and get these online (even using something as simple as a Google Form) or at least send these via email to your clients and prospects. This will save printing and paper costs (and the planet) and will also save on time and storage.
  • Your marketing – Make sure your website is working as best as it can be for you. Get on social media. Use email marketing software. You’ll find plenty of digital ways to speed up the buying process, and many of them are free!

This is just a small sample from the blog we shared back in 2020. There’s a load more advice on how to come out of this lockdown stronger and more resilient in the full blog here. 

Here’s a reminder of the timeline we’re aiming for in the coming months

March 3rd 2021

Rishi Sunak delivered his Budget statement. More eagerly anticipated than usual, it seemed that everyone was waiting to see what would happen. Here’s our breakdown of the Chancellor’s announcement. 

March 8th 2021

  • Every primary school to reopen, followed by secondary schools between March 8 and March 12.
  • You will be able to leave home to meet a friend in a public place, such as a park.
  • Care home residents will be allowed one regular visitor again.

March 29th 2021

  • The rule of six will come back, meaning six people (or two households) will be allowed to meet again, but only outdoors or in private gardens.
  • Outdoor sporting venues (such as tennis and golf clubs) will be opened and people can take place in outdoor sports.
  • The stay at home order will end. Advice will be to “stay local” and people will be actively discouraged from travelling long distances. 
  • Working from home, where possible, will remain

April 12th 2021

  • Hairdressers and Nail Salons will reopen. 
  • Hospitality venues such as restaurants and pubs will reopen for outdoor custom only. There will be no rules about buying a meal in order to have a drink in a pub garden, and no curfew this time. However you must be a seated customer to order anything.
  • Social mixing rules will continue as groups of six (or two households) outdoors only. 
  • Indoor leisure facilities such as gyms and swimming pools will reopen.
  • Events such as weddings, wakes and funerals can be held for up to 15 people. 

April 15th 2021

The deadline for vaccinating everybody aged 50 and over. If the Government misses this deadline then there may be some delays to the lockdown release timeline. 

Once everyone over 50 is vaccinated, vaccinations take place in this order:

1) People aged 40 to 49

2) People aged 30 to 39

3) People aged 18 to 29

May 17th, provided vaccinations are on track and deadlines are met

  • Indoor hospitality will reopen. Pubs and restaurants will be allowed to have customers indoors.
  • Cinemas will reopen.
  • Outdoors social limits will be lifted – a maximum of 30 people will be allowed at any outdoor gathering, eg in a park or garden.
  • Different households will be allowed to mix indoors again – You will be able to visit family members in separate households who are not in your bubble for the first time. 
  • Entertainment and sporting venues such as football clubs and concert halls will be allowed to reopen for the public, but there will be limits on the numbers of spectators.
    • Indoors, the limit will be 1,000 people or the venue half full, whichever is lower.
    • Outdoors the limit will be 4,000 people allowed or half full, whichever is lower.
    • In the eg major football clubs up to 10,000 people or a quarter full, whichever is lower.
  • Up to 30 people will be allowed at weddings, receptions, wakes, funerals. Bar mitzvahs and christenings will be allowed.

June 21

This is the date the Government hopes to reopen all businesses left off the list, including night clubs. 

  • All social distancing restrictions and limits will be lifts
  • Restrictions on live events and performances will end 
  • An end to all restrictions on weddings.

If you need help building up some strength before reopening, now is the time to get support

In order to predict your cash flow for the next six months to a year as we make our way out of lockdown, you’ll need to have an accurate picture of where your business stands now. 

If you’re not getting your numbers regularly, please speak to us. We can help you get set up with Xero so you have instant access to the financial numbers you need to guide your upcoming decisions. 

Keep your hopes up!