16th March 2020: the whole of the UK went into lockdown to try and prevent the spread of Coronavirus and to protect the NHS. Since then, the UK has been in and out of lockdowns with varying restrictions, meaning businesses have had to adapt how they run to keep up and push on to be the best.
To allow us to run smoothly here at CBS, we made several adaptations to stay on top of our game and ensure that we provide the best service for our clients.
Now that the end of lockdown seems to be approaching (and has already come to an end in some parts of the UK), we thought we would take the time to explain what adaptations we have implemented that have allowed us to keep providing our services and excelling through the Covid era!
Increased Communication
We have always been a business that likes to be open and honest with our clients. So, we increased contact with our clients. We kept up high levels of communication to better understand what was happening in our client’s organisations and provide support. This also allowed us to evidence our commitment of being ‘shoulder to shoulder’ with our clients, so that we could openly discuss the challenges they were potentially facing and offer tailored support for what was needed.
Re-assessed processes
With the quiet time that came along with the initial lockdown, we took the time to reassess our internal processes, highlighting areas for improvement and laying a solid foundation. We were able to streamline our processes, saving time and enabling us to reinvest in other areas. Re-assessing our processes allowed us to identify simple changes that have significantly enhanced our services and client experiences.
Analysed spending
We took the time to analyse our spending, which led us to the realisation that we were not as good at managing our purse strings and sticking to our budget as we had first thought. While we have a robust spend process in place to manage ratios, it became very clear that there was more that we could be doing to not only reduce our spending but create a more environmental workplace. These are key values of CBS and taking the time to refocus and assess our spending means we’re in a strong position for growth and the future.
Increased Marketing
In these times of uncertainty, we knew that most other businesses would be tightening their belts, and legitimately so! However, we had an opportunity to take some calculated risks that would potentially pay dividends and increase our exposure. We believe in what we do and how we do it, so we’ve carried on shouting about it! Increasing our marketing budget has shown the world we’re available, ready to deliver and excel at what we do, irrespective of global challenges.
Focused on the Team
Our team means everything to us here at CBS. Without our people, we’re nothing! We have always focused on our team; but it was even more important during the height of the pandemic. The pandemic affected people very differently and in a number of ways; some staff lost their loved ones, while some felt isolated or anxious. As a result of this, we offered mindfulness and wellbeing programmes that have proven to be invaluable to some. We also had others that appreciated our kindness and enjoyed our events. Our Sports and Social committee organised activities that provided a small amount of normality and enjoyment in a changing season for all.
We know that people are the key to a successful business. The health, well-being and commitments of staff is paramount to the success of CBS. This is why we go above and beyond to ensure our staff are healthy and happy in the workplace.
The adaptations we have made since the beginning of the lockdown have allowed us to keep everything running smoothly, which in turn has allowed us to keep offering services fully to our clients. However, beyond that, they have ensured we continue to push on to be the best, improving and taking every opportunity to develop and fight complacency.
If you would like to know more about our background screening services, contact us today on 01443 799900 or email us at info@cbscreening.co.uk