Stewart Nicol, Inverness Chamber of Commerce, Business Comment for Inverness Courier
I suspect I am not alone in feeling weighed down by recent developments around Covid-19? Having sacrificed so much at so many levels over many months, there was a real sense we were at least getting somewhere in terms of controlling the virus, saving lives and starting to see a way through for business. Even if that way was clearly going to be extremely tough. Then it all seemed to unravel quite suddenly and comprehensively?
One of the challenges for each of us in leadership is to deal with what is always pressing, while remaining focused on the strategic. We ignore either at our peril. While Covid-19 and its impact on business is undoubtedly the largest pressing issue to impact on Inverness Chamber of Commerce, we all remain focused on our strategic aim of connecting, supporting and representing primarily our members , but also the wider business community in our city and across the Highlands. As the region’s largest and most ambitious membership organisation we would always seek to achieve our objectives by working in collaboration wherever possible.
In recent weeks we have, along with other Scottish Chambers of Commerce, developed a service to help our businesses manage the recording of guest and customer data for visitors to their premises. In developing our version of this service, which was created in the Highlands by Cairngorm Studios from Grantown on Spey, I have been keen to ensure it is available to as many businesses as possible, in all sectors, across the city and region. As such, I’m delighted that we have been able to do this work in association with Inverness City BID; Nairn Connects, NC500 and Visit Inverness Loch Ness Tourism BID. This resource will be available, free of charge, to all of our members and business networks.
In addition to our longstanding hashtag, #HighlandTogetherNESS, I’m delighted to add a new one, #ProtectHighland