Sparkol Stories: How COVID-19 affected our business - an interview with Zoe Taylor

We’ve had a great response to the recent launch of our new series, ‘Sparkol Stories’. In this latest episode we chatted to our very own CEO, Zoe Taylor. Zoe discussed how we’ve adapted to the challenges of the COVID-19 crisis and what we’ve learned in the process.

Zoe is the CEO and owner of Sparkol, where our mission is to help people bring their ideas to life. Our products and services are used by people all over the world and created by our employees in the UK and USA.

Zoe explained that one benefit of having products which can be downloaded online means that people can continue to use and enjoy our tools without leaving their home. “What we have by means of a product suite means we can sell remotely. In fact more people found that they had time to try the software and make the most of it.”

Similarly, Zoe commented on how the adaptability of Sparkol’s 35-strong team has helped counter some of the challenges of lockdown. She praised the flexibility of the team, although she’s sure we’re all missing the face-to-face interaction of our office. We quite agree Zoe!

For Sparkol, it’s been really important to provide additional support for our community at this time. Zoe explained that “users needed specific content very quickly and we needed to get that out. What the team has done is actually support that by getting templates and additional images out.”

She also spoke about the importance of giving users ideas about how they can utilize the software to generate the right content for them. For example, we’ve been creating a range of tutorials on our VideoScribe YouTube channel, demonstrating new coronavirus-themed icons designed to help our customers communicate effectively in this time.

So, as we edge towards the end of lockdown, what will Zoe be doing to prepare her business for the next steps forward? Since the team has been able to work so effectively at home, slowly phasing in the return to work is likely to be the best option.

Zoe importantly emphasized the team's mental health and making sure employees are managing the transition in the best way for them. With the return to offices and public transport likely to cause some stress, she believes it’s important to do this in a phased manner, allowing individuals to return when they feel comfortable to do so.

We rounded off by asking Zoe how the COVID-19 crisis has made her think about implementing new ideas. “It doesn’t take much to be just as efficient and effective working in different environments and circumstances. So I think from that point of view allowing people the additional flexibility to manage their time, workload and the way they work is probably something we’ll take forward.”

As companies realize that remote working can still be very effective, we’re sure that, like Zoe, CEOs around the world will start to think more seriously about flexibility in the workplace.

We hope you enjoyed this episode of Sparkol Stories, you can catch up on the previous episode here.