Page 9 - BOSS Today Issue 50

BOSS Today #50

to keep adapting to the opportunities and Simon Drakeford: Stock and supplier “Positive to get a trade deal,
threats that we can see and those we have optimisation, end customer targeting but a lot of clarity needed
not yet seen. technology roll out and diversification.
on financial passporting.
Sean Starkey: Reaching new channels Thoughts on Brexit Hope that the ports settle
with new products remains even more
important than before. And looking after Sean Starkey: I guess it’s too early to say, down quickly.”
your people even more – they are our but we are certainly relieved that we are
most important asset and it has been a not experiencing high tariff levels. Simon Drakeford
tough year for everyone.
Frances Stephen: I am quite relaxed about BOSS Chairman
Emily Jones: Priorities for 2021 are to Brexit. We have implemented a plan, and and CEO, EO Group
maintain our strengths as a business, made as many preparations for it as we
but to focus more on our weaknesses, can. We will see the impact of it trickle
areas where we have gaps, and not only through the supply chains, but we are all
to understand what and why they are, in the same boat. There will be increased “I think we will eventually
but how we overcome them and prove difficulties initially, but these will be look back on it as having
ourselves successful in these areas. smoothed out as time goes on, and we will
adjust and adapt to the new way of doing been a catalyst for much
Frances Stephen: Ensuring the continued things. needed positive change.”
safety of staff. Training will continue to
be key as the development of staff is vital. Simon Drakeford: Positive to get a trade
The BOSS apprenticeship scheme helps deal, but a lot of clarity needed on financial Steve Haworth
with this. passporting. Hope that the ports settle EVO Group
down quickly.

BOSS Business Impact Survey - November 2020

BOSS conducted their latest online survey between the 18 some redundancies once the JRS ends. The top three further
and 27 November 2020. The results were used to represent support mechanisms desired from Government were an
the office product industry, lobby on its behalf and represent ‘extension of the job retention scheme’, ‘business rates relief’
BOSS members. and ‘grant funding’.
Order Levels Brexit Concerns
Findings showed that 79% of respondents reported a Respondents cited ‘supply chain security’, ‘tariff barriers’ and
decrease in order levels since September 2020, with the ‘cost inflation’ as their top 3 concerns, while the top three
average change in order level being -20%. The responses opportunities were viewed as ‘a general swelling of home-
ranged from a low of -80% to a high of +60. The top cited grown support for British businesses’, ‘increased pressure
reasons for decrease were ‘customers having less people in from Government to support SMEs’ and ‘reduced regulatory
their office’ and ‘customers have temporarily closed due to compliance and red-tape following UK exit from the EU’.
restrictions’. 68% of respondents said they had extended or 65% of respondents felt a no trade deal would be ‘slightly’
diversified into PPE provision and ‘schools (52%) and ‘offices’ or ‘very’ negative. Now that a deal has been agreed and the
78% were the biggest recipients of this provision. transition period ended on the 31 December 2020 BOSS will
be conducting further research on the impact of EU Exit on
COVID-19 Concern the business supplies sector and conducting a full SoS Survey
41% of respondents were ‘very’ or ‘extremely’ worried about in Feb/March.
the financial impacts of COVID-19. 27% had over 50% of
their workforce on furlough at the time of responding and * Responses obtained from 42 companies, covering 3,237
41% of companies highlighted they would be considering employees and a combined turnover of over £842 million.

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