{"id":7890,"date":"2020-08-04T10:00:21","date_gmt":"2020-08-04T09:00:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/?p=7890"},"modified":"2026-01-29T10:12:15","modified_gmt":"2026-01-29T10:12:15","slug":"trends-shape-your-business","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/trends-shape-your-business\/","title":{"rendered":"9 trends that will shape your business due to coronavirus"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tTrends & Insights<\/a>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t9 trends that will shape your business due to coronavirus\t\t\t\t\t<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

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\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\"Jennifer\t\t\t\tJennifer Wilson<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

As your business emerges from lockdown, you\u2019ll be moving from reactive \u2013 solving the immediate challenges of the coronavirus<\/a> (COVID-19) pandemic \u2013 to proactive: creating a new long-term vision for your company and capitalising on changes in your marketplace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Costs have been cut, efficiencies have been made, and now is the time to look to a new future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here, we look at some of the trends that are likely to affect your business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Supply chains may have to change, if they haven\u2019t already<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s not just a case of finding alternatives to China, by far the largest source of goods incoming to the West.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Companies now realise that single supply chains, while economical, are most at risk of disruption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They are moving to supply networks: multiple suppliers which may be slightly more costly to maintain, but which also spread and therefore mitigate risk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With a new political landscape (Brexit<\/a> in the UK, America First in the US), there’s also a drive towards onshoring<\/a> and pride in \u2018built at home\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Labour will focus on high-value work<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Business Process Automation (BPA) has been a trend for a couple of years now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

BPA uses robotics, artificial intelligence (AI) and even old-style macros to allow jobs which are repeatable (and in many cases rather boring) to be done automatically, freeing up labour to do more useful, strategic and meaningful activities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As businesses look to cut costs, it makes more sense than ever to automate where possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Using data effectively will keep businesses agile<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In these times of change, agility is a more prized asset than predictability. Being able to respond to market complexity (and indeed competitors who are equally hungry) is key to success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And nothing enables agility better than data.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Understanding complex supply chains<\/a> in real-time, keeping expensive staff focused on high-value work and optimising operations all need data to feed decisions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To do this effectively, you\u2019ll have to think about the following points:<\/p>\n\n\n\n