The platform that moves with you

‘Self-isolation’ is clearly a contender for biggest buzzword of 2020; dominating headlines, newsfeeds and conversation. Despite an uneasy sense of something unknown lurking just around the corner, it’s worth remembering that mandated changes in behaviour can sometimes lead to unexpected revelations.

UK government advice on self-isolation begins: “Remain in your home. Do not go to work, school or public areas. Home delivery instructions need to state that the items are to be left outside. Separate yourself from other people.” It seems increasingly likely that millions in the UK could be adhering to this advice, even just for a while, over the next few months.

Self-isolation asks you to do exactly that, but it doesn’t mean or imply that you can’t continue to work while following government guidance. Technology is going to play an important part in creating and accommodating the adjustments needed to support this.

Since the telephone first rang in 1876, instant communication over distance has been a normality. Now, we can do much more than just talk. Workers can collaborate without needing to be anywhere near each other and working from home has a number of additional benefits. It can increase productivity, improve work-life balance and could even be the key to reducing the UK’s carbon footprint.

As growing numbers of people work from home, studies show that changing the way we work brings positive environmental impact. For example, doubling the UK’s number of home workers would drastically cut cars congesting city streets and CO2 emissions.

Prof Sir Ian Boyd, a polar expert with a chair in biology at St Andrews University, said “We need to change our behaviours and change our lifestyles. We certainly won’t be able to travel so much as we have in the past, so we have to get used to using modern communications methods”.

The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) energy and emissions projections forecast the UK to miss its fourth and fifth Carbon Budgets in the mid-2030s, so a shift in attitude and habits could be what is needed to claw it back.

Passenger products mirror our values as a business. We have long been a proponent of remote working and our products give you the freedom to be flexible. Passenger Cloud enables bus operators to manage customers remotely if they need to, without needing to use a specific computer that’s only accessible in a single building. It’s a platform that can move with you and your team, wherever they need to be.

For transport operators who need to keep people moving, Passenger Cloud allows you to manage your services, support your customers and co-ordinate every aspect of communication in a rapidly changing situation. This could be crucial for your business in the coming months. With organisations being asked to report on energy use and carbon emissions for the first time at the end of this financial year too, remote working is highly likely to be a key tenant of the environmental overhauls that many businesses will need to make.

Our partner-led strategy shapes what we deliver, how our system evolves and the value it has in times of huge disruption. Resilience has always been high on the agenda, enabling you to continue to deliver services in the face of unexpected challenges. Just like this one.