Let me guess, you probably are reading this from home. Yes. COVID – 19 is responsible. Did you get stuck with all your work files and documents still in the office while you are here at home now?

For a firm whose operations are paper-based and heavily dependent on physical meetings, it must be totally minded jarring.

If you were told sometime in December that you will be “ordered” to be at home by the government, you wouldn’t have believed it. It wouldn’t have made sense, but right now, under the present circumstances it is the wisest and the safest thing to do – stay home.  The best thing you can do now is to make the best out of it and learn your lessons well. Don’t ever be caught off guard again.

The inevitability of change.

In life, the only constant thing is change. Change is inevitable.  While we live and breathe on earth, all of us human beings share the same inevitability of change.  Where we are today, the advancements in technology, our current ways of life, the economic systems, financial systems, governments and so on that we are used to or make use of today are, as results of changes. It was much different sometime back.  But it changed and evolved to where it is today.

Fortunately or unfortunately depending on your views and circumstances, with the COVID 19 pandemic, life as we know it has changed. In Nigeria where most businesses, especially Law firms operate an offline model with physical files and documents, physical office locations and physical face to face meetings, the need to put systems in place for such unforeseen circumstances have now become much more apparent.

Business Lessons

There are many lessons for businesses to learn from the effects of this pandemic, especially as it relates to getting work done and keeping it going. Many businesses need to change how they have previously operated or else they will be tossed out of the reckoning by the tides of change. Businesses have to find a way to integrate online business processes to work smartly and uninterrupted wherever they are. Let this crisis be the call you need to effect the necessary changes in your law practice as you face the future. If you have not figured out before how to automate your business and work remotely, this is the time for you to do so.

Remote Business Model

There are some organizations that are already running a remote business model. The operations of such organizations or firms are not affected by social distancing and the effects of the pandemic. They have dashboards that monitor the progress of each team member’s activities. They have automated processes for routing documents or sending and receiving files from co-workers with speed and great ease. They have set processes in place for attracting and acquiring new clients to do business with them without direct physical interactions. They have systemized referral strategies in place that enable them to attract and convert new clients and gain a competitive edge over their competitors. This is leveraging change to the scale-up bottom line.

So, am I saying that you should totally migrate your office online without having a physical meeting location?  You can have a mix of both with everything fully set to allow for complete remote operations should the need ever arise.

Scenario

Just imagine a scenario where all your co-workers can work effectively in a situation like this stayed home period, without slowing down or completely unable to access and make use of vital documents, files and information that are filed away in your office drawers, cupboards or safe. Will that in any way give you an edge over your competition?  Will that increase productivity compared to the level of productivity now?  And can that ultimately lead to an increase in your bottom-line? That’s a definite YES.

Do you want to know how to set up your remote office? Let’s talk. [email protected].

To your Success

Luke Ikekpolor