I hope you are all well and staying safe.
I know that you will have been very busy dealing with the challenges brought about by school closures due to the Coronavirus and the ever-changing priorities that this has led to. In addition to this, many of you will be ensuring that your school is a safe environment for children and staff to return to over the coming weeks.
My business like most others has been affected by the lockdown. We have however used the time during lockdown productively, we have tweaked our processes and bought in new software and hardware to further strengthen our business.
As Social Distancing rules are going to be with us for the foreseeable future, we expect that the number of visitors allowed into schools will be restricted over the coming months. I am pleased to say that the changes we have made within our business will enable us to continue providing all our audit, cost saving and procurement services remotely without the need to visit schools.
We have just completed a Telecoms Planning Audit for a MAT with 15 Schools during the lockdown, the entire audit was completed remotely using phone and video calls, PC screen sharing and email. It was a great way to test out our new processes, everything ran like clockwork, resulting in yet another very happy client.
We have also successfully delivered six Phone System Procurement projects remotely during lockdown, with several more lined up over the coming weeks. Before the lockdown I would have thought it impossible to deliver these projects remotely, it just goes to show when you are forced to adapt there are solutions to all problems.
The Coronavirus has had a major impact on us all, forcing us to make changes to many aspects of our lives, some of which are for the better. If I look at my business, my team and I have enjoyed working from home. We have benefitted from spending more time with our families, reduced travelling time and a better work life balance. We have also found new ways of working that have increased productivity. I think most of us have had similar experiences which will no doubt benefit us all over the coming years.
Although schools may be shut to visitors, we are very much open for business and are here to help you, albeit remotely. Many of you will have realised shortcomings with your phone systems during the lockdown that need to be addressed. Making changes to phone systems can also help with Social Distancing in schools. If you have not done so already you should also start planning for the BT Network Switch Off.
As independent advisors our mission is to put money back into children’s education, by providing expert, honest advice, tailored to your school. Over 700 schools have benefitted from our services, collectively saving over £3m. Whatever challenges you face with your telecoms, broadband, cost savings and general communications we are here to help.
You can get in touch with our team by calling 01937 420052 or emailing us at info@tgesolutions.co.uk