Staffing & the Summer of Discontent
In 1978-79 we had the Winter of Discontent, when bitterly cold temperatures coincided with more than 2,000 strikes, bringing the country to its knees in the process.
Fast forward 43 years and we’re staring at a similar situation. Exceptionally hot, dry weather has arrived at the same time as the school holidays and a post Covid travel frenzy. News headlines have been dominated by cancelled flights, slow baggage and 21-hour long queues at the Port of Dover.
So, what has this go to do with Viewber and the property market? Well, there’s a good chance agents, auctioneers and property managers will be caught up in the chaos somehow or other. Employees may request to start their leave annual leave a day earlier to beat queues, others may find themselves stranded in another country at the end of their holiday, unable to be back at their desks when needed.
Employers also need to plan for unexpected days off, especially if the weather stays fine. An unscheduled long weekend in the UK during a sunny spell sounds perfect, especially considering the current frustrations surrounding international travel. If staff have annual leave to take, it can be hard to legitimately refuse them, even if the timing is bad. Many applicants want to see property at such times too, often difficult to accommodate.
Viewber has been providing holiday cover to the industry since 2018, with property professionals calling on us to fill in gaps when staff take planned annual leave. Now, in 2022 with our ‘Summer of Discontent’ in full swing, our flexibility could be more useful than ever.
Our network can be called upon at short notice, with Viewbers ready to undertake accompanied viewings and property visits when businesses find themselves unexpectedly short staffed. If you wake up to a text message that reads ‘flight home cancelled’ or ‘stuck at Calais’ – or even ‘I’ve just tested positive for Covid – must have caught it on holiday’ – there’s no need to panic.
We have a Viewber local to every property in the UK, so check the work diary, open up Viewber’s online dashboard and delegate appointments so you don’t have to cancel any viewings or visits.
As a reminder, the Viewber network can undertake the following, seven days a week, including evenings, weekends and Bank Holidays:
- Accompanied viewings – live or via Whatsapp
- Running or assisting with open house events
- Conducting property reports, with photographic and video evidence
- Enabled services, such as meeting inventory clerks, opening/locking up for trades and waiting in for deliveries
- Drive-by and communal area inspections
- Creation of property photography, 360-degree virtual tours and floorplans
Be ready for spur-of-the moment holiday requests and emergency travel disruption with Viewber at your side. Contact the team today to set up your account.
