Before We Start Our ‘New Normal’

4 minute read time.

How We Have Adapted

Before we start our ‘new normal’, I think it is important to reflect on how far Sage Business Cloud has come over the last few months. It has been 4 months since lockdown began, and so much has changed in such a short period of time. The SBC team have been very busy, ensuring support was not disrupted in the move to working from home. The move went smoothly and though there have been times our pets have tried to join in a team meeting, or ‘help’ us type on the keyboard, we have continued providing 24/7 support without interruption. As a team, we have navigated virtual meetings and become experts at talking in group chats. And we of course have found new ways to allow ‘Friday Fun’ team games to continue, even out of the office.

Over lockdown, we assisted 2648 customers on web chats and calls, and had a record breaking 2595 attendees in our Q&A Live sessions. And we are still here for you today. You can join our Q&A Live sessions Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm to have your questions answered, or to watch videos and demonstrations throughout the day.

 

Looking out for You and Your Employees

We have created the COVID-19 hub, which is updated regularly with current information. You can access it here to find the latest legislation and the support we can offer to help your business succeed through this difficult time. We have articles taking you through the government support available, as well as free training in Sage Business Cloud from Sage University. We are also offering extended free trials for products that can help automate your business when your focus may have other pressing needs. Auto Entry can automate data processing in Sage Accounts and is available for 3 months free. Satago can automate your credit control, and you can get 6 months free. And to look after your employees, Sage Employee Benefits can offer great support features such as virtual GP and counselling, as well as rewards and discounts from big high street stores. To help you and your employees adapt to the new normal, we are offering a free trial for 6 months. There are many more support options and extended trials available, so why not check out the hub here.

 

Looking to the Future

It feels that now, as things slowly start to return to normal, though with a few big differences, the ways in which we support our customers are more important than ever. That is why we are working daily to improve the services we provide. We have revamped our help centre so that the most current articles are easily visible on the home page. Any important messages, or updates from HMRC can be found there as well. Navigation is easy when you choose your topic on the left or search a topic in the search bar at the top. We have also included many video demonstrations to talk you through the steps to complete your tasks. We know that furlough in particular has been a difficult decision for many of our customers to make, and as we move through each stage, we have provided guidance and support along the way.

We have introduced new features, such as automating CIS and Recurring Invoices, with many more on the way. But we are always looking to do more. We encourage you to Share Your Ideas with us on how we can improve Sage Business Cloud. You can tell us what new features you would like to see, what changes you would like to see made, and vote on other customer’s ideas. You can read responses from our developers, and see which ideas are currently being worked on, and which might be considered in the future. We value your insight and are dedicated to make processing your accounts and payroll as easy as possible during this difficult time. 

We are aware that even after lockdown has ended uncertainty looms overhead for many of us, and so we are committed to ensuring our customers have the best tools available for success. That is why we have introduced a new course to enable you to Check the Health of Your Business. You can learn how to see who your debtors and creditors are, what products are selling the most or indeed those that are not selling as well. You can identify trends in the business and learn how to interpret all of the great reports available in Sage Accounting.

I know things are uncertain right now, and the ‘new normal’ is just the beginning. But at Sage we are dedicated to support our customers in any way we can. We are Here to Help.