While many creative and digital agencies across the UK are adapting to the ‘new normal’ by implementing remote working policies and diversifying service offerings, Manchester-based business collective Inc & Co is suggesting something a little different: collaboration. To effectively maintain operations during the COVID-19 outbreak, the Inc & Co team believes that it’s more important than ever for agencies to work together, citing collaboration as the future of digital success.

Following nearly 12 months of uncertainty – and with the potential for many more to come – Inc & Co says that the ability for agencies to share with each other how they are dealing with the effects of the global health crisis and closures of client sites is vital. With offices across the country, Inc & Co is encouraging its expansive business network to discuss tactics that are working – as well as those that aren’t. Building a knowledge pool that allows agencies to learn from each other during this difficult time, and more easily identify the best methods for adapting to new ways of working.

Jack Mason, Group CEO, Inc & Co says, “Businesses are always looking to get that competitive advantage, but right now trying to navigate the choppy waters of the pandemic alone could do more harm than good. We shouldn’t be looking at other agencies as competitors, but as valuable resources that we can learn and grow from. We’re all in the same boat. Now isn’t the time to challenge the competition; it’s time to support each other, help each other, and work together to succeed.”

The advice from Inc & Co comes at a time when many digital agencies have struggled through project terminations, delays, and postponements as clients across multiple sectors have revised growth and development plans due to economic uncertainty. The global health crisis has had a sizable impact on many industries, particularly travel, retail, hospitality, and leisure sectors that have been significantly affected by the restrictions that have been put in place during the UK lockdowns.

Inc & Co’s best advice for surviving this period of uncertainty, according to Mason, is to “build and nurture relationships with other agencies that complement your own”. And in doing so, Mason believes that organisations could see massive benefits.
“Collaboration has always had its advantages, for example, smaller agencies can work together to bid on larger, more valuable projects, expand their knowledge, and build their reputation amongst bigger business networks, but the need to beat the competition has meant many agencies haven’t always seen these benefits.”

Through its collective, Inc & Co is keen to empower teams to do more, to deliver more, and to achieve more, transforming the pandemic into a unique opportunity to build stronger, more resilient foundations that can support bigger, better things.