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There is no getting away from it, Covid-19 has impacted on the working practices of pretty much every business across the globe. Some businesses have been harder hit than others but all have had to adapt their day-to-day procedures to some extent.

Digital services and businesses that operate predominantly online have thrived while more traditional businesses have struggled through the pandemic and many continue to do so despite lockdown restrictions easing.

The waste management industry has had unique challenges thrust upon it with the impact of stockpiling, a fluctuating demand for plastics, cardboard and glass as well as increases in medical waste all bringing their own hurdles that the waste industry has had to try and overcome.

As demand for waste removal and management remains steady, more stringent legislation and government advice on how to keep employees and customers safe from exposure to Covid-19 remains high on the agenda as does the need to continue to conform to the expected legislation surrounding normal waste removal and transfer.

It seems that the imposed restrictions in other areas of our lives have made more and more people turn to digital solutions to everyday problems and the growing trend that saw people shifting traditional offline buying habits online has been accelerated as there is a greater appreciation for the convenience of going digital.

This move towards using streamlined digital solutions is something that businesses using digital waste management platforms have been benefiting from for some time and the benefits of software systems such as Quick Consign have been further highlighted over the past few months as they have clear and obvious advantages over paper based methods – especially when trying to stay in line with social distancing measures.

Here we will examine just a few ways in which our very own Quick Consign platform has helped lead the way for our clients when managing their waste services in line with government guidance to safeguard customers and staff against Covid-19.

The Quick Consign platform can be accessed from anywhere that has an internet connection. For those in the waste industry using non-digital systems or ‘always on’ systems like Quick Consign, working from home would have meant transferring a lot of paperwork and physical systems from the office to the home. Not only would this have been a logistically difficult task but it also could be in breach of data protection laws.

Although Quick Consign was not necessarily built to be used from home, it was quick and easy for our users to make this switch with all data stored on our own secure servers and able to be accessed from anywhere with an internet connection.

Quick Consign allows managers to take enquiries, process control forms, create quotations and manage all aspects of waste management from home working environments and all in real time while still conforming to the strictest data protection protocol.

Working from home for many people brought with it a set of unique challenges and using time as efficiently as possible has been key. Quick Consign allows for processes to be as streamlined and efficient as possible and this means staff have been able to work efficiently from home.

No searching for paperwork or having to check multiple diaries for driver availability – Quick Consign has this all managed even if there are multiple admin staff all accessing the same schedules.

Many paper-based systems across multiple industries have been adapted as a result of Covid-19 with many businesses turning to digital solutions. Think courier drivers leaving parcels with photographic evidence captured on a digital device rather than taking a paper-based signature.

Unfortunately for the waste industry, the documentation of consignment notes and hazardous waste consignment notes is something that has continued to be required and the benefit of a digital system means that the transfer of paperwork from one location to another has not been required. Another win for Quick Consign against the threat of Covid-19.

The impact of this virus is likely to be felt for years to come and it has been difficult for businesses to fully understand the short, medium and long term impact of it upon their business – both from an operational and financial perspective.

Having real time data at your disposal such as that provided by Quick Consign means that managers have been able to assess the impact of Covid-19 restrictions on their business - both operationally and financially. Having this data available allows our clients to adapt quickly to the changing landscape and in turn gives them the greatest chance of not just surviving, but thriving through these challenging times.

It is fair to say that no-one has welcomed Covid-19 and the world is still coming to terms with the full impact of this virus, but one thing that has been highlighted through it all is how our lives rely on technology and digital services more than ever – with more people turning to digital than ever before.

Quick Consign offered a real cutting edge before the pandemic, and now its teeth are just that little bit sharper. To find out how your business can benefit from a bespoke digital waste management solution contact a member of our team today.