I traveled to Portugal this week for a friend’s birthday.
Two years ago during the pandemic I traveled here and was massively overwhelmed by the information required to travel regarding Covid-19 vaccines and certifications.
It reminds me of how we are helping clients to navigate a mess of information regarding their businesses.
Here is a summary of my research to understand what I need to prepare for travel:
www.visitportugal.com says that with a vaccine passport you do not need any Covid19 tests before entering Portugal from the UK
www.gov.uk says travelers from the UK with a vaccine passport MUST take a Covid19 test before entering Portugal. Specifically a rapid antigen test - however, this cannot be from a free walk-in test centre. Preferably it’s a test done at home. I have rapid antigen tests at home but how do I register them as proof for travel? It’s not clear what I must do.
I ask #1 friend who is currently abroad in Portugal and she tells me I need the NHS app on my phone to show evidence of my vaccines. I set this up. Success. She also tells me I do NOT need a Covd19 test to enter Portugal. Confused.
I ask #2 friend who is currently traveling around Europe asked what they did and they suggested going to a pharmacy to get a rapid antigen test.
Go to my local pharmacy and explain I’m traveling abroad and need a Covid19 test to enter Portugal. The Assistant tells me I need to go to the walk-in test centre and get a test there. Confused.
I then went to a walk-in clinic and took a PCR test. Results will be emailed to me in one day. The day I fly. Fine. Get the results of the test quickly. I’m clear of any symptoms. Still confused about how to register these results on the app.
#3 friend who has traveled recently tells me a test from a walk-in test centre is not valid and I need a paid test with a certification to take to the airport or I won't be able to board the plane.
Check with #4 friend who visited Portugal recently and he told me he got a rapid antigen test. He went to Boots Pharmacy and the results came back the next day. I don’t have 2 days left to fly.
Check with #6 friend who tells me she went to a travel doctor who gave her a same-day test and certificate to fly. I found the ‘Fit to Fly’ test at the pharmacy and booked a same-day test en route to the airport.
Arrive at the pharmacy and take the test. They tell me the results will be returned by midnight. When I tell them I need a same-day test because I’m flying today they tell me I booked a PCR test instead of a rapid antigen test. They help me get a refund, order me a rapid antigen test then give me a certification to take to the airport. They also help me order the Day 2 test and return Fit to Fly. They give me their clinic number to ring if I need support.
Arrive at the airport which requires printed evidence of my recent Covid19 test but do not check my vaccine passport on my phone app.
Fly to Portugal.
I tell this whole long story because it’s clear to me what we do for our clients when we create a service or solution.
We 𝐄𝐀𝐓 𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐏𝐋𝐄𝐗𝐈𝐓𝐘 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐂𝐋𝐈𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐒.
We take a mess of facts and data that exists in libraries and online.
We sequence it, we prioritise it, we define it, we troubleshoot it.
We remove jargon and confusing terms.
We anticipate confusion and things that might trip them up and misdirect them.
We remove any contradictions and supplement gaps in their knowledge and experience.
We make it user-friendly. We sequence it so it’s logical and coherent.
We build the solution in steps, in bite-size pieces.
We get them to their desired solution in the shortest possible time and make all that work invisible.
We help them bridge their challenge to their desired solution and allow them to get on with their life.
You don’t get paid because you have secret information that no-one else has.
You can paid because with your experience you can 𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐱𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐜𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬.
