DOORS & COMMERCIAL ENTR ANCE S
Life under lockdown
In the latest in a series of regular columns, Jayne Sullivan, operations director of
Doorco, usually looks at the trends in the door market. This month she’s taking a
wider view.
It seems odd to report on the trends of doors
whilst the market has been shut down, so this
month we’re offering insight into something
different: the trends that have observed in
business behaviours during the COVID-
pandemic.
For Doorco, we shut down manufacturing in
line with the rest of the sector on March, which
inevitably meant furloughing the majority of our
workforce outside the senior management team.
Dan and I set up shop at home and quickly settled
into making a plan of action to get through this
unprecedented situation – words perhaps heard
too often but still very real. For us, the impact of
COVID- has interestingly led to a much more
complex set of dynamics and situations, none of
which could be approached in any one way and
has really put the spotlight on how the ‘whole sum
is greater than its individual parts’. We’re grateful
to have been in the same room (as opposed to
many business partners being locked down on
opposite sides of the country and communicating
via webcams) and assume our roles (me focused
on the finances and HR, Dan dealing with the
supply chain and customers), mainly due to the fact
that we have mutual trust and understanding of
each other, as both husband and wife and business
partners. Don’t get me wrong, there have been
some fireworks and very tense moments in that
shared office, but overall, it has worked because we
have the same end goal – survival.
We’re also thankful that we decided to keep a
larger than average team in place from the outset
(Œ% of staff) while other companies cut it right
to the bone. They were all amazing despite each
and every one having personal challenges to face.
They’ve been flexible, positive and supportive
throughout which led to us being part of the first
wave to open back up.
MOVERS AND SHAKERS
What has been fascinating to watch and will
continue to be interesting, is how the pandemic has
exposed the true character of many organisations
in our industry. There are leaders, demonstrating
strong direction and moving strategically and
nimbly through this ordeal. We’ve spoken to many
of our customers and suppliers regularly (some
almost daily) as we work together to navigate our
way through the crisis.
Then there are the followers: waiting to see what
everyone else is doing, hesitant and following the
majority.
Social media, LinkedIn particularly, has been a
real point of information. The media has reacted
well too, adapting to sharing instant news from
across the industry. Some organisations have
maintained a positive presence throughout and the
sense of ‘togetherness’ that exists in this sector has
been extant.
Then there have been the negative comments,
shooting someone down for ‘trying’ or even worse,
those that have gone dark.
The true ethos of many businesses has been
exposed – good and bad.
So, where next? For Doorco, we re-opened on
— May with additional unfurloughed staff joining
the trenches. We have strict safe working practices
in place, and we are monitoring the business
every day, ensuring we have the correct level of
staff against the orders being received and making
measured decisions as we go.
The longer-term effect is hard to judge. With
reports of a recession like we’ve never seen before
and rumours about companies being in dire
straits financially, giants like Everest, who at the
time of writing is on the brink of collapse, and
Insight Data’s latest report saying that % of the
fabricators and installers they analysed the credit
rating on posed a high or very high credit risk. No
one is unaffected and it is a worrying time for all.
Will homeowners invest in their properties,
or are they too worried to spend? Will they
spend more as they divert holiday funds to home
improvement? Some say that September will be
the real pinch point, and it you can make it through
to the Autumn, you stand a good chance of being
ok.
SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST
Even though most of us are operating, we certainly
aren’t out of the woods yet. Whatever the short to
mid-term looks like, one thing is sure: businesses
with strong leadership, the ability to flex and adapt
and grab opportunity are the ones that will survive.
Never has a true entrepreneurial spirit been more
important.
June www.ggpmag.com
/www.ggpmag.com
