Page 7 - BOSS Today Issue 54

BOSS Today #54

to be different across industry sectors ‘consolidating service providers’”.
and that, while agile businesses would be Some of these range extension
able to take advantage of this, the less opportunities derive from the changing
flexible might struggle. Furthermore, as nature of the workplace itself, as noted
Wilkinson explained, the return to the by Wilkinson: “Employers will be under
workplace will have hybrid and flexible pressure to ensure their employees
working elements which will generate are working safely at home and in the
opportunities for brands: “Working workplace, so health and wellbeing in the
from home will continue to be very home and workplace will be important,
important, meaning quality and design with opportunities in air quality and “[2022 will provide] the
will remain key as consumers try to fit infection control products, as well as in opportunity to open
their working life into their home life. This ergonomics and well-being products.”
will remain an opportunity for branded In addition, Drakeford believed that our channels properly
goods in particular, as consumers are the adoption of hybrid working practices to new big brands and
less constrained by the traditional office would continue to drive e-commerce:
stationery cupboard and thus have more “Businesses that can offer dynamic manufacturers.”
choice of style and design to fit their personalisation and gap analysis-led Steve Haworth,
home life.” promotions will be able to use technology Group CEO,
Indeed, there was a general feeling that to take advantage of the shifting demand EVO Group
the likely result of the ‘new workplace’ profiles and working locations.” The need
was the continued extension of the for such an increasingly sophisticated
range of products and services being online approach was echoed by Wilkinson:
demanded from resellers – what “More and more resellers will need an
Howarth described as the ”opportunity on-line strategy, as well as an offline
to open our channels properly to new big sales strategy. B2E (Business2Employee),
brands and manufacturers” in which the will continue to be a feature, meaning
industry could “improve our position as B2B consumers expecting more of a B2C

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