Understanding how businesses have functioned in response to Covid is key to better understanding the immediate effect on their operations and identifying which areas have been most heavily impacted. To do this, Axis conducted a survey of its partners in UK and Ireland to find out more about their most prominent challenges and future concerns, while gaining insight into the current and future market environment.
It is likely that the COVID-19 pandemic will have long lasting effects. At the outset, businesses needed to react to significant challenges, with some floundering and others better able to adapt to the new social and economic reality. But as many now come to the conclusion that we will be dealing with further mutations of COVID-19 in the medium term, industry will need to plan for the uncertain times ahead, ensuring appropriate measures are in place to mitigate further recurrences.
What our survey revealed
As we might expect, a primary concern for partners is economic recovery. This was closely followed by worries about ongoing supply chain management. Fear of losing customers also sits high on the list of concerns, pointing to anxiety about the current state of the market and the impact of the pandemic on the future climate. Through partner responses, we were also able to learn about the views of the wider customer base too which will influence how we go about helping to mitigate concerns and maximise opportunities.
Just over half of our partners surveyed stated that their customers were also concerned about economic recovery and their ability to effectively function remotely. Their ability to comply with new regulations also appears to be a larger worry for customers than for partners, and they are understandably concerned about both short-term and long-term ROI, and the knock-on effect that this might have on relationships with suppliers.
How technology can help
Understanding how a new security solution can improve or add functionality to existing systems is central to equipping partners with the right tools for ensuring their own success, and to help them maintain client relationships. Customers cited an increasing demand for contactless entry solutions and technology that would help to lower personal exposure to COVID-19. This was deemed to be essential for continued operation. Crowd and queue management solutions and the use of IP audio to communicate relevant health and safety announcements also ranked highly.
Encouragingly, a third of respondents said that their customers will be more open in the current climate to exploring the use of IP based solutions and accepting technologies driven by artificial intelligence. Customers appear to be wise to the fact that these technologies can offer tangible benefits to improve and enhance their businesses. A continuing demand for physical security solutions is the greatest incentive for the industry to forge ahead and face its challenges head on. While economic anxiety remains a common thread, these concerns seem to have manifested themselves in a re-energised focus on keeping businesses active and customers engaged, which in turn strengthens Axis’ resolve to continue to innovate for a smarter, safer world.