Blogs Archives - Page 17 of 34

One of the most contentious topics in PR is measurement. What to measure, how to measure, and most importantly, do you need to measure.

The answer to the last question is: absolutely. Whether it’s to report back on the success of a PR programme, adapt and improve future efforts, secure funding for the next campaign, or to justify the importance of PR to the senior management team or board, measurement is vital.

We’ve come a long way from AVE (advertising equivalent value) and while measurement in PR is fluid, controversial and challenging at times, it can be done. But how?

This was the focus of our most recent Team Talk Session, attended by a selection of our clients who shared their own experiences and insights.

PR measurement is possible

We believe there are three key ingredients needed for successful measurement:

Support from your client in gaining access to the right tools and data
Clear objectives on what you’re measuring
Including measurement throughout the campaign lifecycle

But what does that look like in practice?

When working with our clients we focus on audience-centric measurement; that’s looking at audience visibility (how the campaign reached the right audience, with the right message via the right channel), engagement (response and reaction of those audiences), and impact (the effect of the campaign and how it contributes to the business’ overall goals).

Different approaches

For some clients in the session, they use measurement to both track awareness of their brand and demonstrate to management and investors that PR has a role to play in lead generation. This includes looking at web traffic, referral traffic, SEO, conversion ratios and the quality of leads that PR has a hand in influencing.

For other clients, it’s more about looking at the volume of coverage and share of voice generated from thought leadership campaigns. While it is possible to determine the link between leads generated from a specific piece of content, it can be expensive and places additional strain on budgets.

Blurring lines

This began a discussion around the merging of PR and marketing, and the rise of integrated campaigns. It is becoming increasingly difficult to pick out the PR or earned element from a campaign. Looking at a research project, for example, that starts off as a PR campaign with the creation of an idea, report and press release and ends with marketing developing MQLs off the back of that idea. While the assets have been provided by PR, it is marketing that gets the credit for lead generation even though it is the earned element that provided the platform. This is why it’s so vital that PR and marketing work closely together and complement (instead of competing with) each other.

The data challenge (and opportunity)

One of the challenges highlighted in the discussion was data. With the use of different platforms (HubSpot, Google Analytics, etc) there’s often a disconnect between them resulting in varying metrics, with varying interpretations. And that’s not to mention metrics from other areas of the business, such as sales, that also needs to be taken into account.

One significant opportunity that measurement data represents, however, especially for social media, is that there is a lot you can tap in to in terms of channel performance, content performance, campaign data and so on. Importantly, the discussions highlighted that measurement should just be about more than the numbers; for example, looking at who is engaging with what content, and what the quality is of your followers versus just the amount.

Regardless of whether it’s social media, PR or an integrated campaign, the key takeaway was that you need to understand which metrics to report on and consistently bring them back to your overall business objectives to ensure you’re seeing the bigger picture. This sentiment also means getting buy-in from senior management or the board to ensure the proper alignment with those business goals.

To find out more about the Whiteoaks approach to measurement, read our COO Hayley Goff’s blog.

In our next Team Talk session on 29 May we’ll be talking about our latest research into the Secrets of Tech Growth. Keep an eye on your inbox and our social feeds to find out more.

Two months into lockdown and the carpet is starting to wear thin from virtual Zumba classes and on-the-spot marching.

Sure, it’s not the same as throwing yourself around a dance studio. But for me at least, maintaining some form of daily exercise is a little oasis in the storm of this situation – and if my flooring bears the brunt, then so be it.

Because this is the new normal – for now, at least. And in this unprecedented time of social restrictions and remote working, we’ve all got to find ways of keeping calm, carving out some ‘me’ time and focusing on our mental and physical health. Whether that’s running a marathon on the balcony, baking brownies with a housemate or keeping in touch with loved ones via video chat (Zoom quiz, anyone?) it’s important to identify the things that keep us going in times of crisis.

This week is Mental Health Awareness Week, and I for one think the timing is impeccable. While a lot of people have taken lockdown in their stride, others have found it harder. Being separated from friends, family and loved ones, as well as being restricted from the activities of normal life, can have a major bearing on mental health. In such an unusual and uncertain situation, it’s no surprise that feelings of isolation and anxiety have hit an all-time high across the nation. However, despite ever-increasing awareness of mental health conditions and a collective understanding of the difficulty of the current situation, a lot of Brits feel duty-bound to maintain the ‘stiff upper lip’ stereotype that defined our nation in years gone by.

No more.

This year, the theme of Mental Health Awareness Week is kindness. Research shows that kindness and mental health are deeply connected, and this makes a lot of sense. Whether it’s sending a text to a friend in need or making a cup of tea for a family member who’s having a bad day, random acts of kindness make the world a better place. But while being kind to others is important, being kind to yourself is essential.

So, if you’re struggling to concentrate, don’t be hard on yourself. If you think you should be running 5k every day, but you can’t quite bring yourself to put your trainers on, put the kettle on instead. And if you need some extra support, the NHS has released a number of fantastic apps and online courses to help deal with the emotional impact of the current situation:

Big White Wall – round-the clock support from therapists to help you deal with stress and anxiety
Catch it – support to manage negative thoughts and look at problems differently
SilverCloud – an eight-week course to help you manage stress, anxiety and depression at your own pace
Ieso – an instant messaging app to quickly and confidentially connect you to mental health professionals

Being kind – to yourself, and to others – costs nothing. So, indulge in some self-care, download an app (or two), and remember that help is never far away – even if it is socially distanced for the time being.

#MentalHealthAwarenessWeek

#BeKind

As the UK nears the end of week seven in lockdown, attention turns to Number 10 and an anticipated announcement this weekend outlining the framework of the country’s exit plan. In particular, the nation’s retailers will be hoping for guidance to enable them to reopen their doors, with 69% of non-food retailers “significantly” impact by the virus.

However, with scientists warning that social distancing measures of some kind are looking likely to remain in place for the next few months at least, how will the high street need to adapt, and what kind of changes can we expect to see?

Maintaining employee and consumer trust will be paramount to ensuring brand loyalty and custom on the high street, especially with competition from the comparative convenience and safety of online shopping higher than ever before. Retailers that are seen to have robust procedures and policies in place to ensure the safety of all, and those who offer a customer-centric experience focusing on the personal touches that online retail therapy cannot deliver, will be viewed most favourably.

In the first instance, it’s likely that we’ll see many following supermarkets’ lead, with strict social distancing measures and limits on the number of customers in-store at any one time. In the US, we have seen many big retailers ban customers from inside shops altogether, opting for a ‘click and collect’ style system, where the customer parks up while a retail worker brings their order out to them. While some shops in the UK were beginning to introduce these measures prior to the pandemic, it’s likely that we’ll see a scaling up of this beyond supermarket and DIY stores.

For retailers, this opens a Pandora’s Box of new considerations, with stores fulfilling the role of an end-of-supply-chain distribution centre in this scenario, rather than offering the immersive retail experience that has been the focus of recent years. The role of a retail worker will become more labour intensive, so more employees may be needed with a different set of skills.

Beyond this, we’ll see retailers amending their policies and procedures to consider the practicalities of operating in a pandemic. Robust health and safety has always been an important consideration for shops, but never before has it been so critical. To build and maintain trust, retailers will need to ensure they have measures in place which not only safeguard their employees, but also their customers. For example, increasing time allocated to deep cleaning – and perhaps closing mid-shift to do so – and tracking which employees work together for potential contact tracing, in tandem with reconsidering their sick policies to encourage workers to remain home if they feel unwell, will all be important considerations.

Communication will be key, and retailers need to be confident in the technology and channels they have in place in order to be able to deliver clear and concise information to employees as and when guidance is released, enabling them to comply with any new rules.

With so much still uncertain, looking to the future, what is clear is that the COVID-19 pandemic and its undeniable fallout will leave long-lasting marks on the retail industry. For brands currently without any online channels – such as fast fashion favourite Primark – the pressure is sure to be on to review their digital transformation strategies and attitudes by way of necessity.

What is the one piece of tech/software/device that you discovered you can’t live without during lockdown?

SG: It’s a tough one. My phone continues to be a vital additional limb but without my Garmin watch I’d be lost.

JK: Zoom (closely followed by Microsoft Teams).

What has been your favourite lockdown activity so far?

SG: Family quizzes have been great but I’ve been taking part in a virtual running challenge which has been a great distraction!

JK: A Cavapoo puppy (Dave) joined our family just before lockdown began. I try to take him for a lunchtime walk every day.

What is your favourite lockdown snack?

SG: The demand for crisps in our house is out of control!

JK: I’ve recently discovered Malteser Mint Buttons (best if kept in the fridge) – they’re very good.

What are you currently watching/reading/listening to?

SG: Ozark on Netflix is taking up all my spare time!

JK: I usually have a chill-out playlist on in the background during the day. We also recently binge-watched the second season of After Life.

Have you learnt or tried anything new?

SG: Homeschooling. Not for me. No career change imminent!

JK: I’m definitely doing a lot more cooking, usually with my 12-year-old son as ‘assistant chef’. The results are ‘varied’.

What’s the first thing you’ll do when lockdown is lifted?

SG: Visit family for much needed hugs and catch-ups.

JK: Take Dave to see my parents. I might stop for a pint on the way home too 😊.

A few weeks ago, the BBC’s Technology Correspondent, Rory Cellan-Jones read my mind. I’d been trying to focus on the positives in the difficult and unfamiliar situation we all find ourselves in and this led me to wonder what things would have been like if COVID-19 had hit say 15, or even 10 years ago. The next day the BBC published this piece, exploring exactly that.

The things keeping many of us sane at the minute are video calls with family and friends, digital pub quizzes or virtual exercise classes, social media live stream cook-a-longs with famous chefs or our favourite restaurants. But 15 years ago, before the first iPhone had launched, when Facebook was only a year old and only used by US college students, and our beloved Instagram wasn’t even a pipedream – how different our lives were!

It doesn’t sound like a vast amount of time, but when you look at the evolution and development of consumer technology in the last 15 years, it poses the question – what should we expect in the next 15?

If this year’s CES was anything to go by, there are some weird and not so wonderful gadgets which we could see making their way into our homes in the next decade or so. There are, however, a number of slightly more practical technologies which look set to impact the lives of the average consumer before too long.

Autonomous cars

One of these technologies is autonomous vehicles which I’m sure we’ve all heard a lot about in the press, but it still seems like a long time until you can order a driver-less Uber. Nevertheless, the prospect of driver-less cars is very exciting and it seems certain that with some more refining they will eventually become mainstream, bringing with them cost savings, reductions in road accidents, and potentially revolutionary impact for industries including e-commerce.

Augmented reality

For those of us that enjoy shopping but prefer the comfort of our sofa with a cup of coffee, augmented reality is on the horizon. The technology will enable consumers to pick up products, try on outfits, position a new table in their dining room, read allergy labels, ask questions and then finally make the purchase all using AR. Some are even predicting that Coronavirus will force the hand of retailers and accelerate the automation of the industry.

The smarter home

The ‘Smart Home’ is a phrase that has truly taken hold in recent years and the concept looks set to evolve in the coming decade as home technology advances and it becomes more affordable. You can already purchase fridges, washing machines and other appliances which are fitted with smart displays and sensors and some are even internet ready. There’s definitely a conversation to be had around what data big companies would gain access to and how we balance ethics with convenience, but I for one am looking forward to the days when my fridge can prepare me a ice-cold G&T as I finish work on a Friday.

While it may be doubtful that anyone really knows exactly what will happen in the next 15 years, if technology continues to accelerate at the speed it has for the past 15, then we’ve got a lot to look forward to!

What is the one piece of tech / software / device that you discovered you can’t live without during lockdown?

TA: Workwise, Zoom and Teams have been hugely helpful to keep in touch with the team during WFH. But I’m very grateful for my SONOS system that I got a while ago, having music on throughout the house makes staying inside much easier.

JK: Definitely my AirPods. Whether it’s listening to the Harry Potter audiobooks whilst I work or music whilst getting my daily exercise, they are a lifesaver!

What has been your favourite lockdown activity so far?

TA: Not having to commute has given me a lot more time to run and walk so I’ve been able to explore lots of different routes in my area.

JK: Whiteoaks’ virtual quizzes and bingo aside, my friends and I have kept ourselves entertained by setting each other challenges which have so far included seeing who can eat a full apple or carrot the fastest. If anyone has any ideas, get in touch!

What is your favourite lockdown snack?

TA: Easy. Crisps. A cupboard full of crisps has been my go-to.

JK: I’m not really a snack kind of guy but a cold beer at the end of the week is a treat, especially now that the weather is improving!

What are you currently watching / reading / listening to?

TA: Unlike everyone else, we haven’t watched Tiger King yet…but we have just finished season one of Fargo on Netflix and I’ve nearly finished reading Stephen King’s 11.22.63, proving to be quite tense near the end!

JK: I am currently reading a book called ‘Everything is f*cked’ by Mark Manson. Whilst it sounds pessimistic, it raises some interesting points about human values and motivation. A timely read for sure.

I am also using the time to listen to sports and fitness podcasts. The Peter Crouch podcast and The High Performance podcast are my current favourites.

Oh, and obviously the Harry Potter audiobooks.

Have you learnt or tried anything new?

TA: I love pasta, so when all the panic buying was commencing it meant that we had no pasta. So, I resorted to making my own and after a bit of trial and error it actually ended up being pretty good. I’ve also attempted to make bread during lockdown so my culinary skills are being tested.

JK: As my team know all too well, I have been trying my hand (or fingers) at learning the piano. So far I have mastered ‘Mary had a little lamb’ and have moved on to ‘You’ll never walk alone’. Beethoven’s legacy is safe for now…

What’s the first thing you’ll do when lockdown is lifted?

TA: I would like to say go on holiday as we have one booked in June, but I don’t think that’ll be happening. So, we’ll probably just end up seeing family and friends and sitting in a pub garden — hopefully, the weather is still good!

JK: This is something that I have given a lot of thought over the last few weeks. I will get a haircut, go to the gym and then to the pub to catch up with friends over a cold one.

Whiteoaks Team Talk – Session wrap-up

In these times of adjusting to new living and working practices it’s vital that we keep the lines of communication open and keep conversations going. With that in mind, we recently hosted our first Team Talk Session, an informal forum for our clients and businesses we’d like to work with to chat about their PR and marketing experiences. The conversations were structured around two key areas:

To campaign or not to campaign?
Social media strategy in an uncertain climate

While each client had different perspectives, everyone agreed that the world is still turning, businesses have to keep going and do what they can to survive. The challenge is in finding a balance between that business-as-usual approach and sensitivity around our current circumstances. For the most part it’s communication and messaging that plays the critical role here.

A softer approach

The general consensus was that the so-called “hard sell” approach had taken a back seat to more authentic conversations, focused on longevity of relationships and helping customers with their current needs. Ultimately, people still want to feel connected; it just means approaching PR and marketing slightly differently.

Participants also said they were focusing more on building / maintaining existing relationships with their clients and less on establishing connections with prospects. However, that’s not to say they are not communicating with them at all.

Overall, communication needs to tick three boxes. It needs to be:

Authentic / human
Relevant
Supportive / empathetic

This also applies to social media. Before the current crisis, social media messaging was aligned to business objectives and target audiences. That hasn’t changed. Instead, just as with other PR and marketing activity, the content priorities and tone have been adapted.

Social media is being consumed more now than ever before and for brands it’s not the time to walk away from social media. The key is to create smart and informed content based on customer need. Many companies are using it to keep both staff and customers up to date and engaged and are actively monitoring social conversations to find ways to engage with audiences to create stronger connections.

Importantly, companies are re-assessing their paid campaigns to ensure the messaging is still relevant.

Try new tactics

We also talked about adjusting our approach — if content, such as video for example, generated in a home office, isn’t professional enough or doesn’t set the required tone, rethink it. In the same way, with so many events and trade shows being placed on hold, organisers have turned to virtual environments to bring people together. Whether this is through a pre-recorded webinar or a live-streamed event, businesses that are using these events as part of their PR and marketing campaigns also need to adjust their approach.

This discussion raised another important question, one that won’t be answered in the near future. That was: what does the future of the events industry look like? Once we come out of lockdown and the country is once again truly open for business, will the appetite for live events still be there? Or will this new virtual approach change the landscape forever?

One element that may sway thinking is the fact that some of our clients that have been participating in these virtual events say that the quality of their lead generation is actually better. On the other hand, it does remain a challenge to balance the conference or keynote discussion activity with networking activity, which is where the real human interaction typically takes place at a show and is arguably some of the most important time spent with audiences.

In it together

The session finished off with us all sharing the virtual activities we are doing to keep staff engaged and motivated, from pub quizzes and bingo, to photo challenges, lunch and learn sessions, and digital drinks.

Our next Team Talk Session is scheduled for w/c 20 April — keep an eye on your inbox and our social feeds to find out more.

As Easter fast approaches, we’re all wondering what to do with ourselves now that the shops are shut, the beaches are a no-go and heading outside is a once-a-day luxury.

But hope is not lost. As we all reach for the TV remote to settle in for a four-day marathon session, leave it to a team of booklovers to prepare the itinerary for a long lockdown weekend. Yes, that’s right – the Whiteoaks content team, affectionately known as the Writers’ Pen, is on hand to fill the weekend with all the things they’re watching, reading and planning to do… indoors.

Hannah

I’m a big TV fan at the best of times, so the current situation is giving me even more time to work my way through different series. I’ve just finished Hunters on Amazon Prime Video, which stars Al Pacino as the head of a group of Nazi hunters in 1970s New York. I loved everything about it – from the fashion and glimpses of retro New York, to the twists and turns and backstories of each of the characters. Next, I’m going to re-watch Spooks on BBC iPlayer. It used to be my favourite programme, so I’m pleased that the BBC has made it and many other older series available online – something I discussed in a recent blog.

I’m also currently reading Queenie by Candice Carty-Williams, I’m about halfway through and really enjoying it. It’s set in and around South London, which is where I’m from so I like that I can picture a lot of the places the main character visits. It’s also a refreshing portrait of being a young woman in today’s society.

Richard

I’ve been listening to even more music than usual in the current lockdown. I’m currently revisiting some of the best tunes of one of my favourite 1980s bands, the Go-Betweens. Their music is very accessible but also blessed with clever, literate lyrics. The compilation Bellavista Terrace is indispensable but all the albums, even those in the 2000s, are well worth listening to also. It is also great to have a chance to do a little more reading for pleasure and I’m currently also pressing on through an excellent history of the Second World War by Anthony Beevor, which I started some time ago. Next on my list is David Goldblatt’s ‘The Game of our Lives’ which is a deconstruction of football in the Premier League era. On the television front, I’m catching up with ‘Life on Mars’ which I somehow missed first time around but is very funny, imaginative, well-written and well-acted.

Ollie

I’ll be spending the long lockdown weekend living vicariously through an Antonio Tabucchi novel called Pereira Maintains. I’ve chosen this book because it’s set in Lisbon and I was supposed to spend last weekend in the nearby coastal town of Sesimbra. The novel is about a political awakening and an act of rebellion – not exactly how I would’ve spent my time in Portugal but I’m sure it will make for a gripping read. After the sun’s gone down I’ll be retreating indoors to watch Ozark – one of Netflix’s best creations, in my opinion. I’ll also be racking up the points playing against my girlfriend on Drawize, which is basically a low-grade online version of Pictionary, and competing against my friends in a pub quiz on Houseparty.

Hugh

I’m trapped in Cornwall for the lockdown, which isn’t a bad thing. Although, a closed pub makes for a monastic experience. I should attack the three-cornered leeks and a bonfire of bay cuttings as part of garden-clearance operations. But I know I’ll bask in the sun reading newspapers, plodding on with Madame Bovary, watching trawlers and netters go out to sea and observing birds. And, the sunny weather has put me in the mood for PG Wodehouse. Let’s hope it lasts…

Nick

With two young kids demanding to be constantly entertained, the long lockdown weekend requires some serious forward planning to keep everybody happy. Thankfully, in recent weeks I have managed to persuade (gently force) my nine-year-old and four-year-old to try watch the first batch of films Netflix is showing by Japanese animation wizard Studio Ghibli, directed by one of my cultural icons Hayao Miyazaki. I started them off with the wonderful, if completely insane, My Neighbour Totoro. It features a giant ‘cat-bus’ – a large creature, depicted as a grinning, twelve-legged cat with a hollow body that serves as a bus, complete with windows and seats coated with fur. They loved it., In the same manner I’ve successfully got the kids to like my favourite films, ET, Back to the Future, The Goonies, etc. I have also managed to get them to enjoy my favourite classic video games – we are talking Super Mario, Zelda, Mario Party (if you know, you know!) This means the long weekend will also see some quality family gaming time where I get to be Competitive Dad for a few hours.

Ellie

Now, I love nothing more than a Netflix blow-out of a weekend. So, I think I’ll spend my days finishing the Netflix limited series Tiger King (if you haven’t seen it… well. You couldn’t make it up) and continuing with my quest to watch every episode of BBC’s Waterloo Road, which my flatmate and I have been steadily working our way through for the last few months. The acting is questionable but the plotlines (collective gasp) are enough to keep you hooked – and as a die-hard fan of soap operas, it’s fair to say I love a bit of unrealistic drama!

I also received a lovely birthday present last year, which was a book-box containing all the things a bookworm needs to survive in captivity – biscuits, tea and a brilliant thriller. I’m planning to lose myself in the twists and turns of The Fear by C. L. Taylor, and if I finish that, I’ll probably dig out my old favourite – Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty. This is a novel I already know back to front but what can I say – when a book is that good, it’s worth rereading time and again.

And if I should have the energy after all that, I’ll break out my workout DVDs and irritate my neighbours downstairs by star-jumping repeatedly on the spot. Got to work off those biscuits in time for summer!

Now entering our third week of ‘lockdown’ in the UK many of us have become more reliant on tech for keeping us entertained, educated, caring for our well-being, keeping us fit and helping us work from home.

In this blog I’ll share my top 5 pieces of tech I’ve been using to help adapt to life and working from home in quarantine.

Zoom

The Whiteoaks team has been regularly using Zoom, the conferencing tool which has to no surprise soared in popularity recently, receiving over 62 million downloads during one week in March — this being up a massive 90% on their downloads average in 2019. The video conference app has been great in allowing me to chat to my team, keep in touch with clients and even take part in the first Whiteoaks virtual pub quiz, which has been great for team spirit and morale!

Netflix

Netflix has been a popular ‘go to’ for me and many others if there isn’t anything good on TV to keep me entertained in the evening. So far, I’ve binge watched the whole of Tiger King, re-watched crime series including Marcella and Luther and watched a variety of films. Netflix has also introduced a new chrome extension called ‘Netflix Party’ which allows you to watch shows with your friends and family. If you’re struggling for what to watch next Forbes has created a list.

Duolingo

Duolingo is a language learning app that I’d recommend. It’s been helping me to pass the time as I’ve been brushing up on my Spanish skills. The app uses gamification to add a bit more of a fun element to the learning and is quite simple and effective to use.

YouTube

YouTube has been another popular form of entertainment for me, from playlists to keep me motivated, to home fitness workouts. Videos from the likes of Joe Wicks have been massively popular, as he received over 1.2 million new subscribers in one week while he has been hosting PE lessons through the platform for children being schooled from home.

WhatsApp

Finally, while WhatsApp is a regular app for me, I’ve increased my use of the video function to have regular catch-ups with my friends and family. Instead of the various things we’ve had planned to do we’ve made sure we take the time out to spend virtual time together.

We’re lucky that there is such a wide variety of technology to suit our personal preferences and to make life a little bit easier during this challenging time. Tech isn’t just helping us as individuals – but businesses and wider society too, a topic covered in a blog drafted by our CEO.

Moving forward, what new virtual avenues will you be exploring?

Brands the world over are putting corporate social responsibility to the fore and using their influence to help reinforce the messaging around the Corona crisis. From factual messages about C-19 on sites like YouTube, Google and Spotify to stem the tide of misinformation, to Nike and its “Play inside, play for the world” adverts, and Audi separating the rings of its logo to show social distancing.

Lending a hand

It doesn’t stop with messaging. A number of new initiatives have sprung up seemingly overnight, including Meals for the NHS, a fast-expanding service in London that is raising money and using local restaurants to feed NHS staff for free. Co-founded by tech entrepreneur Alick Varma, the initiative has already raised more than £200,000 and is delivering hot meals to 17 hospitals across London.

Then there’s the unlikely parallel between hand sanitiser and enjoying a cocktail after work; European breweries and distilleries, including BrewDog and Leith Gin are using their production sites to manufacture hand sanitiser to help markets cope with demand.

Global brands like Amazon, Alibaba, Facebook and Microsoft have donated millions of dollars, and vital equipment such as testing kits and protective gear.

Support across the board

While kindness, altruism and community spirit are certainly driving this social good, it is all being supported and facilitated in many ways by technology. Existing platforms and software are adapting to the new state of normal and trying to make remote working and remote teaching as effective as possible.

Zoom, for example, is helping remote learning by removing the 40-minute meeting limit on the free version of its accounts for schools in the US. It’s also created a list of tips to help teachers get the most out of the features of the software.

In the UK, Vodafone is offering 500,000 of its pay monthly customers 30 days of unlimited data, Virgin is giving some users an extra 10GB of data. With many worried about connectivity with the massive surge of home workers, Netflix and YouTube are reducing streaming quality to reduce the load on the network.

We’re seeing this same approach from our clients. Cyber security firm Bridewell Consulting is offering free IT health checks to organisations in healthcare and critical sectors, while ManageEngine is offering free, fully functional licences for its Secure Remote Access Toolkit that can help IT teams run their infrastructure and data centre operations safely.

Tech for good

Of course, there is more being done than just helping us live and work as “normal” as possible. Tech giants and innovators, like Dyson, Tesla, Airbus and Siemens, are working to manufacture and deliver thousands of ventilators to the NHS. Mercedes F1, working with engineers and clinicians from University College London, has even developed a breathing aid that can help patients in wards without them having to go to intensive care, freeing up resources while delivering the care they need. The Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) devices provide a middle ground between an oxygen mask and full ventilation, with the latter requiring sedation and an invasive procedure.

Moving forward

This cohesion in trying times shows what we’re capable of as communities, as nations and most of all, as human beings. The examples of individuals, communities and brands working together to do good are almost endless and will certainly continue.

This new operating environment could well be the new norm for business. But importantly, moving forward it will be about achieving a balance between what works for society and what works for business.

For now, with all this good will and technology in support, it’s gratifying to know that big or small, businesses are making a difference.