As of right now, England is looking at finally moving on from the pandemic. The government is putting an end to many measures put in place to stop the spread of COVID. It means the country is about to start a new chapter; one that represents a different world than what it was before this all began.

That change is going to ripple into every industry, including the retail sector. And charities aren’t exempt. So as we head towards a new start, it’s time to think about how we can put our best foot forward. How we can make the most of the situation. And how we can get ahead when we’ve fallen behind.

For many, this will mean looking at the way we work now and how that can be improved. To us, shifting to a monthly subscription model – a SaaS – could be the right answer. Here’s why.

Aiding financial recovery

The average charity shop lost around £30,000 in revenue between January and March 2021. And this doesn’t count the other months spent in lockdown or under varying levels of restrictions. 

There’s still a lot of ground to make up. But SaaS technology allows organisations to regain control of their finances. Instead of large upfront costs, your charity can pay for solutions out of operating expenses, making it easier to predict spending for the year. You also remove your organisation’s risk of hefty bills for a broken till or faulty back office computer. Tech support, maintenance, and repairs can all be included within your scheduled monthly payments. 

All this means that charities are able to gain peace of mind and turn their full attention towards recovery, such as increasing or diversifying revenue. And there’s no predicting what value and opportunities this freedom to look ahead and invest in innovation could bring for the wider sector.

Flexibility and accessibility

With SaaS technology, you’re not faced with an all-or-nothing decision. There’s much more flexibility in your options for investment.

Some providers will have different tiers of pricing. Meaning you only have to pay for what you will actually use. Or, if you don’t need the latest functionality, you may be able to customise the features based on your needs at that moment. But, importantly, you do still have the ability to add this extra functionality in the future.

Flexible options also make for more accessible pricing. This is key for smaller charities who might not have the funds to invest in large, complex solutions right now. And greater access to innovative solutions for charities of all sizes will help push the whole industry forward. It will increase digitisation and help boost profits for the beneficiaries of all causes.

Attracting talent

The charity sector isn’t immune from the pandemic’s influence on remote working. Around 16% of jobs listed in the sector are remote, with it offering the third-highest ratio of remote job roles across all industries.

SaaS technology can be accessible from anywhere if it’s cloud-based, lending it extremely well to flexible working arrangements. Staff can access data, reports, and communications at any time from home, or wherever else they might be working. They could even access it on a mobile or tablet device.

This flexibility is what will allow charities to attract the top talent to guide the sector forward. Nine in 10 workers say they want flexibility in their next role. And SaaS technology means more charities can begin to offer it.

The sooner the charity sector recovers fully, the sooner your organisation can do more of what it does best: helping people. SaaS technology boasts an impressive range of benefits, many of which we have a hunch will pave the way for the sector’s future.

Nisyst’s CHARiotWeb is a SaaS solution designed with the charity sector in mind. With software, hardware, and cyber support all included in one accessible monthly price, it’s the ultimate charity retail solution. To find out more, get in touch on 01204 706 000.