Things we would normally do in person such as meeting clients, going to socialise at the golf club and so on are now put on hold for the foreseeable future.
Business owners are facing real financial difficulty and fear for the future of their livelihoods, even though the government has said it will pay 80 per cent of employee wages up to £2,500 a month to help support businesses.
Business owners are facing real financial difficulty and fear for the future of their livelihoodsMany advisers will be thinking about how their own business moves forward in the short and even longer term, so when it comes to helping other company’s clients navigate this difficult time, you will not only be able to sympathise, you are likely to empathise too.
Hopefully the crisis will be limited to a few weeks or months, but the chances are even once we are through this, the way we live and work could be changed forever.
The plethora of online services that help us keep in touch are essential at present and are likely to be increasingly used even after this crisis passes.
So, if your business has been lagging behind when it comes to technology and the different ways to interact with both your colleagues and clients digitally, now is the ideal time to catch up because it could save your business.
There are many ways to work remotely, and it is vital to ensure your client data is secure and that any methods you use are approved by the regulator.
The Financial Conduct Authority has said it recommends that advisers record calls with clients so that if there is a complaint at a later date, then you are able to produce the recording in defence of the actions you have taken.
With the fear some clients may be feeling now, given the volatility in markets, it might be wise if they are asking you to make significant changes to their portfolio for you to use a service that will allow you to record any remote interactions you have with them in case things go wrong later on.
So, here is a trot through just some of the services you might want to consider using while we are all in lockdown to keep in touch with colleagues and clients:
Zoom.us – some of you may use this already, but if not then it is worth a look.
For personal meetings it is free, and you can also use this version for a limited time of 40 minutes per meeting for group conferences.
As you do not need to have this software on your computer or smart phone to connect with someone, if you need to contact a client you can simply send them a link to the Zoom meeting invite, which they click to participate.
This is a particular benefit over some other virtual meeting software.
You can also host webinars on Zoom, which again could be useful if you want to offer your clients some information en masse in relation to the current market volatility.
Zoom is acutely aware that its services can be of real use at a time like this, and has even created a shortcut outline of how its services can help during the Covid-19 outbreak.
Teamviewer – This is screensharing software that allows you to link up with clients or colleagues and even take over their computer screen and mouse operation.
This is particularly useful for clients who may be struggling to access online services that you may offer as you can actually take over their screen and get them to the information or service they are looking for remotely.
If you need to talk to colleagues while you are in lockdown, you can also initiate instant messaging chats with other members of your team and you can also use it to access your computer remotely if you need to.
Slack.com – Slack is a workspace that allows people working for the same business remotely to keep in touch in real time as if they are all in the same office.
The instant messaging facility on Slack means there is no delay in asking colleagues questions and getting answers, providing they are logged on.
Slack is free for small teams with prices for bigger teams available online. They start at relatively small amounts per month.
Microsoft Teams – If you already use Microsoft in your office, then this is definitely one to check out.
This system incorporates many of the services of all three of the above.
The free version of each of the chat apps on Slack and Microsoft Teams is pretty similar, but where Microsoft Teams has the edge is in web conferencing, where you also have the option to record meetings – something that is not possible on Slack and could be very beneficial at present.
No matter what system you use, keeping in touch with clients and colleagues now is essential.
It helps them to feel more secure and could help your business no end.
Alison Steed is a freelance journalist
