Locked in with…….. Gurpreet Bassi

As we near the end of week 3 in lockdown, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Gurpreet Bassi talks about his experience of working from home.

How have you found working from home so far?
I have never really considered working from home before, but our team have worked so hard to get us operational to work remotely and I have been surprised how much I can still get done without the need to go to the office. I am lucky to have an unbelievable team around me and they have all adapted fantastically well and are working as hard as ever and we communicate regularly with one another over video call.

I must admit that home schooling has given me a new found respect for teachers – who knew that Year 1 science was so tough.

The lockdown has been a bit surreal really; I like to get out and about both with work and socially, so I have to make some changes but they are irrelevant in the grand scheme of things and we must all do what we have to do in order to stop this spread and help our wonderful NHS staff as much as we can.

What have been the positives of working from home?
I have realised how little quality time I have spent with my wife and son, particularly during the setting up and launch of Bond Wolfe Auctions, so it has been nice to be around them (although I am not sure they would agree). It is frustrating that due to the Covid-19 pandemic we can’t get out and about as much especially when the weather has been so good, however we recognise and appreciate that we have to do our bit and stay home to save lives.

What have you missed most about office life?
I miss the buzz of everyday life in the office and having the ability to just go and see family and friends whenever you want to. I also really miss the football – as a Liverpool fan, we are so close to finally winning the league and I can’t wait for it to start up again (obviously when it is safe and appropriate to do so.)

What are the biggest lessons you’ll learn about running a business from this extraordinary period?
I think I placed far too much importance on meetings and sitting in traffic jams in order to get to them. This period has proved that we can be just as productive without the need to rush around to various different meetings. The seriousness of this situation and the loss of so many lives will make us re-evaluate what really is essential in our lives and the truth is that our health – physical and mental – and our loved ones are what is really essential.

What are the changes you have made to your business that you plan on continuing when restrictions are lifted?
Definitely the flexibility with working patterns. There is no need to be tied to your desk or in boardrooms all day – with modern technology I think that we can all make an adjustment to how we work. I think a hybrid of the old way and the way in which we are currently working is the way forward for us.

What is the first thing you will do when isolation ends?
Go and see my family and friends face to face (less calls/texts/emails/Whatsapps) and then get working on the biggest auction ever to be held in the Midlands – breaking our own records.

If you have a property you are considering selling by auction or for more information about our property auctions, please contact our dedicated team.  We will be happy to offer you the best advice we can during the uncertain times that we find ourselves in due to the Covid-19 pandemic.