Freelancers who work from home have long luxuriated in the fact that they can start work when they want, and can stay in their dressing gowns while getting on with the job and even while talking to clients on the phone. Video calls may have put paid to the latter, but by making good use of new technology, they don’t even have to get out of bed before checking their emails, posting social media updates, performing research, working on drafts of proposals and reports and so on. Similarly, those entrepreneurs, directors, managers and employees who roll into the work place after 10am, could easily have been hard at it from before dawn.
Recent Statistics
Digital market research company, Toluna, recently revealed that around 70% of UK participants in a survey check their smart phones as soon as they wake up in the morning. Are you one of them? If so, you are probably starting your working day in bed.
Price comparison website, Give as you Live – which raises money for charity from transactions through the site – has also been doing research. It found that nearly half of its UK shoppers were in bed when they made purchases.
What This Means for Businesses
Outsourced bookkeepers and their clients recognise that these trends have implications for business. The shop is never closed when it operates on the web. Whether they are using mobiles, tablets or laptops, users can access the internet in their homes, gardens and bedrooms, and out and about wherever WiFi is available.
Paul Twite is the Managing Director of Toluna in the UK. He advised that, ‘As consumers use multiple devices to access the internet, it is becoming more important to understand how habits are changing.’
‘With UK consumers active on the internet at all times of the day, and in all locations, it is important for marketers to be able to provide engaging content outside of traditional time frames. It is also vital to react quickly to trending themes and stories in order to meet the high expectations of an audience that is always switched on.’
If your business sells goods or services on the internet, you may need help to ensure you are making the most of its opportunities. Your bookkeepers know your finances and where your risks lie. If you make sure they know what you are trying to achieve, they will be happy to discuss it with you and may be able to introduce you to people who can help you get there within your budget constraints.
