Avoiding Submarines As you Cross the Road
Nobody, literally nobody, could have predicted how all of our lives were to change this year. But if we knew the world would go into lockdown what would have been different? And in the procurement world, would projects have been procured, and what type? Would suppliers have bid for work knowing they might not be able to deliver? It is a difficult subject and an even trickier set of questions to answer.
But what we did want to know was how our suppliers were coping. How were they able to continue delivering projects without human interaction? We wanted to showcase the different types of projects they were working on or how service offerings had changed, so we held a small webinar with representatives from 4 of our trusted suppliers – Peopletoo, Red Quadrant, Eden Brown and Ignite Consulting.
You can see the recorded session by clicking here. I would implore you to do so as there is real insight (not just opinions) to be gained.
https://www.matrix-mm.com/news/how-the-consultancy-sector-has-adapted-to-the-new-norm.aspx.
But here are some of the key messages we learned:
Projects Have Not Been Cancelled And There Are New Projects To Be Won
None of the participants had any ongoing projects cancelled. Only one had a project delayed but the resource had been redeployed onto a new project for the same client. Interestingly, there seemed to be a focus on new projects in the north of the country.
Technology Was Allowing Projects To Be Delivered Effectively
Everybody referred to the use of online platforms to replace offline activity – whether that be for communication, project management, collaboration or workshops. The general sentiment is that, in some instances, efficiency was greater than before – particularly in getting decisions or arranging gateway meetings.
SME Consultancies Can Make A Difference
They have the agility to change and to develop new service propositions as well as being able to quickly mobilise. All the participants are doing great things directly or indirectly linked to COVID-19.
But there are concerns that the SME market is being overlooked for new requirements because of the misperception that hiring a big firm is less risky. Or perhaps that big firms have now got bigger benches of junior resource which are being offered out for little or no charge.
Business Will Be OK If This Doesn’t Last For Too Long
There will come a point that all ongoing projects will end. New projects reacting to COVID-19 and its unintended consequences will diminish. If at that point, the end, or at least the beginning of this is not in sight, what new projects will there be?
As discussed, there was also a recognition that the perception of change has changed – positively. Consultants are often in the business of driving change. In just over 6 weeks, the world has seen more change than anyone ever imagined possible, so clients are likely to have a larger appetite for change or transformation programmes. And less resistance!
One project which we’d like to see is a resilience strategy in the event that submarines emerge from under the road