Delivering EU Exit Capability Programme

Challenge

In October 2019, V4 Services embarked on a programme of tailored and targeted support for SME business owners and leaders in the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority region. “Delivering EU Exit Capability Programme” – this was initially business consultancy support to over 250 local/regional SMEs preparing for Brexit, ensuring business owners were informed and ready to do future business. Support was delivered by our business growth coaches; SME experts trained in advising on the understanding, interpretation, and impact (appraisal) of policies and emerging strategies/protocols for doing business once the UK has exited the EU.

Solution

A comprehensive, co-designed, and tailored marketing and engagement process followed our kick-off inception meeting with CPCA, including an approved campaign, stakeholder mapping and engagement, a marketing toolkit, access to a GDPR-compliant database (outbound), and referrals from the Growth Hub and its partners or email communications (inbound) - tracked interactions on CRM. The programme included: stakeholder engagement, a marketing and engagement campaign, interactive recruitment, dedicated website portal, eligibility diagnostic evaluation assessment, business assessment, action planning, 1-2-1 business support, programme evaluation, and evaluation reports.

Recruitment to the programme – interactively conducted through a dedicated website 'brexit4business' and an eligibility diagnostic evaluation conducted by the V4S project lead on each applicant/SME to identify those companies most suitable to join the programme, based on agreed eligibility criteria; in this case:

• Ambition to grow/scale-up
• Currently importing/exporting
• Export potential
• Involvement in previous government funded programmes
• Willingness to learn, change, and innovate

The Outcome

Through this approach, we delivered support to over 250 businesses. The team supported local start-ups and SME businesses with their individual (evolving) Brexit business strategy, conducting a business diagnostic and assisting them to build capacity and knowledge to improve productivity for competing internationally by:  

• Identifying growth opportunities. 
• Providing specific (tailored) ‘Brexit’ advice and support on 1-2-1 basis, evolving as economic factors/Brexit protocols emerged; requiring our business growth team to review policy to understand the impact(s) .
• Delivery of workshops & webinars to over 150 attendees (both face to face and remotely as Covid-19 lockdown restrictions were applied) – programme development, management, and delivery on topical, Brexit-related, themes aligned to importing, exporting, sustainable employment.

Marketing and Engagement included:

• Approved campaign plan to attract breadth and depth of participants.
• GDPR compliant database accessible by advisors and using CRM to track and trend interactions.
• Stakeholder mapping and engagement with local partners.
• Marketing campaign and toolkit.
• Press release, use of social media channels and PR through CPCA and Growth Hub websites.

Due to Covid-19, halfway through this programme we pivoted our delivery and support into an impact recovery and agile pivot and remobilisation programme for local SMEs affected by Covid-19. Support in resilience, retention/recovery and return at scale - positively impacting the regional economic recovery plan. 

V4 Services rapidly mobilised our team, engaging with over 250 businesses during April-August 2020 on a 1-2-1 basis, providing advice and support as required by the business on addressing:  

• Immediate challenges and impacts of Covid-19 to their business and processes. 
• Near term and broader resilience issues.  
• Adaptability – explore other ways of conducting their business (providing their services or product) and explore opportunities to diversify or pivot, including online strategies/digitisation of existing or new offerings.
• Understanding and mitigating impacts on clients, staff, suppliers, and associated third parties.  
• Supporting the initial foundation for a return to business in a post Covid-19 environment which will help scale the business back to original levels.  

"Working with V4 Services, we have delivered an extensive support and guidance programme to over 500 SMEs on EU Transition process and EU Exit capability. V4S extended this service to deliver a COVID Impact Recovery programme at very short notice."

Chris George | Growth Hub Manager – Cambridgeshire and Peterborough CA 

To find out how V4 Services can help you with your next project, please get in touch.