The Basepoint quarterly newsletter Offices | Flexi-Space | Virtual Licences | Meeting Rooms
Unique workspaces for your business
Issue #10 JAN 2017
Inside this issue
Basepoint Supports Global Entrepreneurship Week 2016 for 2 Awards Sussex Centres at 3 Success GEW2016 unveils new look 4 MP at Bromsgrove
5
All about GDPR Data Regulations
up your 6 Freshen office space this year
8 Charity update
Basepoint Business Centres Support Global Entrepreneurship Week 2016 Following a successful partnership with Global Entrepreneurship Week in 2015, which saw Basepoint Business Centres Limited receive a High Impact Award, this November Basepoint once again partnered with GEW UK to host free events across 31 locations in the south of the UK, Midlands, East Anglia and Wales. Rebecca Powell, Basepoint Regional Manager, commented, “Basepoint is committed to supporting SME’s and start-up businesses and considers GEW
basepoint.co.uk
UK a fantastic opportunity to work in partnership with the world’s largest celebration of the innovators and job creators who launch start-ups that bring ideas to life.” Centres across the Basepoint group hosted a range of events including workshops and guest speakers offering advice on a wide variety of topics from HR and marketing to finance and business growth. As well as learning something new attendees were able to meet fellow local businesses at mini exhibitions and through speed networking.
Lucy Middleton, Centre Manager of Basepoint Winchester, commented, “Basepoint Winchester saw a great turnout of both licensees and local businesses to our GEW 2016 event. We were lucky to have such a wide range of business sectors join us at this year’s event. We had various companies exhibiting, 8 guest speakers offering tips and advice and approximately 100 attendees on what proved to be an extremely busy and successful day. We were also joined by Solent Creatives who filmed throughout and Dave Dodge
photography to capture the day’s events.” Billy Schwer, ex-boxer and motivational speaker who attended our Luton event, commented, “If you let yourself create negative images of yourself, you’ll end up being who you think you are. Can you interrupt those thought patterns? Every entrepreneur has a belief in themselves and their abilities and every person has the ability to believe in themselves – just choose.” Head to page 3 to see some photographs of our Global Entrepreneurship Week events.
NEWS ROUND UP
Message from Sussex centres reach awards finals our application had made the semi-finals Centres in Crawley, the Managing Basepoint and being a finalist is even more exciting. Newhaven, Shoreham and Haywards Winning an award can bring significant Heath are celebrating a succession of Director accolades having reached the finals of benefits including prestige, media coverage, a boost for sales and marketing and Brian Andrews two local business awards. The Centre Management Teams at all four Sussex Centres reached the finals for the Large Business of the Year Award at the Sussex Business Women Excellence Awards 2016 whilst Basepoint Shoreham were also chosen as finalists in the Large Business Category for the 2016 Adur and Worthing Business Awards. Amanda Jones, Basepoint Haywards Heath and Shoreham Centre Manager commented, “I was thrilled to discover that
It’s been a busy time for our Management teams, with the final touches being added to our 32nd Business Centre at Broxbourne in preparation for the first local businesses to start their journey with us during December. In addition, all of our Centre teams became involved in organising another highly successful Global Entrepreneurship Week, with more than 40 events and activities across the group. Basepoint has always considered its Business Centres to be a home for business, not just an office or workplace. We strive hard to include as much value and opportunity for our licensees and customers as we can, whether that be through the hosting of great networking events, our free online MiBase business support service or raising money for local charities. We have also introduced our new partners, ActionCoach, helping to mentor and develop small businesses in our Centres. We hope this goes some way towards bringing our communities together and enables our licensees and customers to succeed and thrive. In this issue of Touching Base we have included some of our favourite stories from around the Centres and included some snippits of advice which we hope you will enjoy reading and are able to use in your own business.
2
TouchingBASE
increased staff morale.”
Broadcasting from Basepoint Business Centre, Basepoint High Wycombe, are pleased to announce that they are the new home of local radio station, Wycombe Sound 106.6FM. Wycombe Sound broadcast a mix of local interest interviews and features, together with local news and phone-ins. There is also lots of great music too, plus specialist programmes and outside broadcasts. The station has returned to the town following
a brief hiatus and has been awarded a five-year license to broadcast on 106.6 FM. Amy Sparling, Basepoint High Wycombe Centre Manger, comments, “We are pleased to welcome Wycombe Sound to their business community and wish directors of Wycombe Sound, Chris Phillips, Philippa Sawyer and Keith Higgins, the very best for the future.”
Charity role reversal at Basepoint Romsey The Management Team at Basepoint Romsey recently took on a role reversal challenge in support of Children in Need. Neil, the Centre Handyman, swapped places with Centre Manager Kate and Assistant Manager Sam. Neil spent the day in ladies business wear and organised tea and cake at a coffee morning in aid of the charity. Kate and Sam took on management of the ground works, emptying the bins and sweeping the car park. Sam commented, “It was fun day with lots of laughs raising money for an amazing
cause. Nearly all the licensees came to our coffee morning to support (and laugh) at Neil in his new role.” Centre Manager Kate added, “Neil was such a good sport and looked so beautiful in his Centre Manager attire. He did brilliantly on his first day in his new role, however, I must say it’s not much fun sweeping the car park on a cold November day, so we appreciated Neil going back to his normal role on Monday!” The team raised £226.07 for BBC Children in Need, a charity funding projects for disadvantaged children.
basepoint.co.uk
BUSINESS FOCUS
Basepoint Business Centres Support Global Entrepreneurship Week 2016 From workshops and exhibitions, to speed networking and free health checks we take a look at some of the exciting events across our Centres and hear from some great feedback from our attendees. @Basepoint_Gos #GEW2016 Great night@Basepoint_Gos for a #MeettheExpert for #StartUps in #Gosport #Fareham
Meet The Experts event at Basepoint Gosport.
@developedsoftwa We’ve had an awesome time #networking with local businesses in #Thurrock this week! Thanks for having us @ThurrockNetwork @ Basepoint_Tilb
@KaraKMS Great crowd this morning @ Basepoint_Winch Apologies to those who had to stand. But ace that my @watertightmkg seminar was so well attended!
Business expo at Basepoint Winchester.
@SallyDMarshall Great coffee morning @Basepoint_Folk this morning for #gew2016. Well done @AlluxiConsults for the interesting presentation #networking
@dalryroseblog #socialmedia for Really interesting session on use of atWestBusiness @N on_ britt businesses with @aaron_ ndvr int_A @GetSetSolent @Basepo
Wellbeing checks with Eforea Spa and Hilton Bournemouth at Basepoint Bournemouth.
@ian_gribble erday’s event. Thanks @Basepoint_Winch for yest nd Good to see so many people atte @MerdonFinancial 1 over bGr @Ro otos eph @ddodg
Mark Gracey, speaker on General Data Protection Regulation at Basepoint Bournemouth event.
Lucy Middleton (Winchester CM), Michelle Dumbrell (Winchester ACM), Wendy Williams (Andover ACM), Carly Thompson (RM), Kate Bunyan (Romsey CM), Jamie Banwell-Clode (Basingstoke CM) at Basepoint Winchester.
@TheWentaGroup It was great to meet local Luton lad @BillySchwer at @Basepoint_Luton today for an inspirational talk on empowering yourself #inspiring
Speed networking at Basepoint Luton.
Business expo at Basepoint Luton.
Dev Dave (Luton Receptionist), Fiona McDermott (Luton CM), Billy Schwer, Lorraine Kokas (Luton ACM) at Basepoint Luton.
TouchingBASE
3
NEWS ROUND UP
Crafty award nomination for licensee
Basepoint Basingstoke would like to congratulate Licensee, Purple Stitches, for their nomination in The British Craft Awards 2017. Howon and Viv, a husband and wife team, have run their independent fabric shop, Purple Stitches, since 2013 following their success in running the business online. Howon and Viv specialise in modern and quirky quilting cottons as well as a variety of quality haberdashery, lace, ribbons and trims as well as dressmaking patterns from independent designers. The company has been nominated for “Quilting Retailer of the Year” and “Sewing Retailer of the Year”.
Charity volunteer awarded for innovation Basepoint Canterbury would like to congratulate volunteer Sam Smedley from local charity Cobbes Meadow Riding for the Disabled who has been presented with an award for the most innovative idea in 2016 at the fourth RDA Gala Awards. Sam’s wife, Ros, has a prosthetic leg and although she uses the services at Cobbes Meadow she was finding it increasingly difficulty to use the mounting block to get into the carriages. Sam set about inventing a solution – wheeled steps with handrails. Sam’s invention, nicknamed ‘Sam’s Super Steps’, has been designed to be easier and
safer and is made of a lightweight material which makes manoeuvring the steps possible across a variety of surfaces. Basepoint Canterbury currently support Cobbes Meadow with match funding.
Ipswich slip into slippers AGE UK Suffolk hosted several ‘Slip into Slippers’ events in October to raise funds as well as awareness of the plight of the elderly in the county. The Management team and licensees of Basepoint Ipswich joined in the fun by hosting their own ‘Slip into Slippers’ event. Centre Manager, Alison Morrissey, commented, “I am delighted with the response that Slip Into Slippers received, both with licensees and local businesses taking part. It was lovely to create such awareness for charity.” The event raised
£1,959.60 which will help cover a number of local centres and activities which focus on getting elderly people engaged in social activities and helping fight loneliness and depression.
Local MP unveils new look at Bromsgrove Basepoint Bromsgrove are delighted to announce that following an exciting refurbishment their newly refurbished reception, breakout area and meeting rooms are now open to the public. With a smattering of designer fabrics, handmade rugs and an array of seating options, the new informal breakout area is a great place to relax. The impressive new reception area provides a warm and welcoming environment for all users of the centre, and combines a very modern design with a stylish recycled wood feature wall and a stunning image of the windmill at the local Avoncroft Museum.
4
TouchingBASE
To celebrate their updated look, the Management Team at Basepoint Bromsgrove invited licensees and local businesses to a grand opening event which included champagne, canapes, networking and a tour of the Centre. Sajid Javid, the Conservative MP for Bromsgrove and the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government officially opened the newly refurbished areas with the cutting of ribbon. Mr Javid commented, “Thank you to Basepoint for the continued investment and commitment to businesses in Bromsgrove.”
basepoint.co.uk
Data protection regulations are changing, what does it mean to your SME? We’ve caught up with Victoria Dyke, Head of New Business Marketing at CommuniGator, to discuss GDPR and how it will change the way businesses handle marketing data in the future. What is the GDPR? The GDPR, or General Data Protection Regulation, is a new EU law which replaces the current DPA, or Data Protection Act.
Why is the GDPR replacing the DPA? The original DPA first came into force around 1998, before the Internet became such a part of our day-to-day lives. In the last 20 years the way we use technology and the way we communicate with business has changed significantly and it was only natural that the way our data is handled by these businesses had to change as well. The main differences between the GDPR and DPA cover the definition of personal data and the way in which consent to use this data is obtained and managed. The GDPR has extended the definition of personal data and will require opt-in for the use of any data which can be used to identify a person, from name and age to cookies and internet tracking. On top of this, the regulation will require stricter processes for obtaining this opted-in data – say goodbye to pre-ticked opt-in boxes! Any data which you use for marketing purposes when the GDPR comes in effect will require a clear evidence that an opt-in has been obtained and should a customer request this evidence it will need to be given freely to them.
When does GDPR come into effect? The GDPR has been in the making for 7 years but will not be a legal requirement until 25th May 2018.
Is GDPR relevant to my business or does GDPR affect big businesses only? The GDPR affects all business which contact consumers, sole traders and partnerships. The size of your company does not matter. Currently there is no update to the way B2B marketing works, but this could all change so we would suggest that no matter what size your business or who you are marketing to you take action to protect your data from becoming unusable.
Do we need to implement any changes now of wait until it comes into effect? I would strongly suggest you start implementing changes as soon as possible. Start today by drafting a new privacy policy, a new internet cookie policy and a new consent statement for opt-ins and send them to your legal advisor for checking. If your policies are not suitable and you use them to cleanse your data you could end up having to repeat the process over again. The next stage will be to update any web forms you use to obtain data and contacting your current email databases asking your customers to opt-in again advising them of your new policies.
What data is affected by the introduction of GDPR? The GDPR applies to any data which you collect for marketing purposes whether it be digital or printed. It is important to consider how your business obtains marketing data when updating your policies. For example, if you attend a lot of exhibitions a business
card in a bowl will no longer count as an opt-in. You could consider taking a tablet computer with you to exhibitions and asking potential customers to review your consent statement, completing an online form and opt-in there and then.
Does my business need to have a Data Protection Officer? You will only need a Data Protection Officer if you are processing large amounts of data, you dealing with sensitive data or you are a public body.
Will the GDPR affect how I manage my marketing campaigns? Definitely, but there is no need to panic. You might find that following an opt-in process you have a significantly reduced data set but these people will be much more engaged with your business. We have seen click through rates on emails to opted-in customers improve from <1% to 15%! Remember that the data you collect and the way you handle your data differs from business to business. As with many regulations, there are some grey areas so you should always check with your legal advisor that the changes you make comply fully with the GDPR. CommuniGator is a marketing automation provider who can help you cleanse your data and update your data collection methods in line with the GDPR. www.communigator.co.uk Tel: 01483 411 911 Email: info@communigator.co.uk
TouchingBASE
5
BLOG
5 Ways to Give Your Office a Fresh Look When you are busy at work, it’s easy not to worry too much about what your office space looks like. However, there is plenty of evidence that mood and productivity are affected by our surroundings. Basepoint centres offer a wide range of fully serviced office space, with units of different sizes ranging from small studios to flexible space and workshops. Whichever type of unit you choose, there is plenty of scope to furnish it so that it fits the personality of your business. A big bonus for companies based at our affordable office centres is that staff also have access to communal areas, including versatile break-out facilities with wi-fi, coffee and drinks machines, in bright, light and modern buildings. These areas have a colourful, lively feel which provides a vibrant and welcoming atmosphere. Here, we look at some of the simple steps which can enhance the look and feel of an office. Freshening up the look of your workspace can boost creativity and help to make staff happier and more motivated, and it doesn’t need to cost a fortune.
Splash of Colour Opting for a bright feature wall, for instance in teal blue or green, can create a striking
contrast with surrounding white paintwork and help to give a funky feel to a small or medium-sized office. It is possible to have a wall painted in a colour of your choice within a Basepoint office if you arrange this with staff. Alternatively, you could put up paintings, prints or framed artwork to add interest and brighten up your office walls. For instance, if your company specialises in design, you may want to display key examples of your own work and impress visiting clients.
Taste of the Outdoors It’s increasingly recognised that plants and greenery in offices can enhance mood and atmosphere and promote better staff health. For all these reasons, it is a great idea to add some well-chosen plants to a small office design. The ideal is to choose plants which won’t need a lot of looking after and will carry on looking good. The weeping fig, or Ficus benjamina, is one popular choice because it retains its shape particularly well. Others include Kentia palms, money or ‘Jade’ plants, which have thick and glossy green leaves, and various different types of cacti. Just remember to water and feed them as necessary!
Changing Desk Layouts Older desks may take up more space than is needed, if they were built to take heavy old-fashioned computers and monitors rather than the smaller, space-saving models which have now replaced them. If you buy more modern desks, a number of different desk layouts are possible in a smaller office. These can include having a longer desk in the centre of the room including a number of workstations, or putting desks in pairs to create islands. Smaller chairs will also help to make the most of space and many of these are very comfortable. Moveable desks on castors are increasingly popular in smaller offices, because they make it easier to reconfigure the space as needed.
Avoiding Clutter and Improving Storage To make a small office feel more spacious, it’s important to avoid clutter building
up, and this means having enough storage. Modern office furniture can include many clever options for storage solutions, such as shelf units and desks with space to tuck cables away. The “paperless office” we were all promised some years ago may not have arrived just yet. But avoiding unnecessary printing can still help to prevent a build-up of unneeded paperwork which will only need to be shredded.
Shedding Some Light Another way to create a greater sense of space is to ensure offices are well-lit, and avoid creating dark corners. This is key to keeping staff engaged and motivated and can also boost productivity. Basepoint’s offices are well-lit and also have large windows to make maximum use of light from outside. Light wall coverings can also help to reflect light within your company’s office.
Want to read more? Visit blog.basepoint.co.uk for more useful articles
6
TouchingBASE
basepoint.co.uk
NEWS ROUND UP
Clothing drive for cancer care
Golf day for special needs activity groups Keen Basepoint golfers, Mark Chivers, Alan Paterson and Chris Pryor recently took part in a charity golf day in aid of Essex Charity, SNAP (Special Needs and Parents).
Basepoint Eastcote would like to thank everyone who kindly donated towards their clothing drive for local charity, Michael Sobell Hospice. Michael Sobell Hospice provides care, comfort and support for local people facing life limiting illnesses. The Hospice is a special place, where patients and families can spend precious time together, on the Mount Vernon Hospital site. The charity supports nearly 1,000 people with cancer and other lifelimiting illnesses a year and greatly appreciates donations for their local retail shops in the area. Clients and staff alike arrived with bags of clothing, toys and ornaments as well as large number of books.
Mark, Alan and Chris arrived at Thorndon Park Golf Club in Brentwood bright and early for the exciting event. Unfortunately, despite a fun day with some very good scores, the team did not lift the winners’ trophy. Jos Hollington, Statutory and Trusts Fundraiser for SNAP, commented, “We really appreciated the Team Basepoint support on the day, especially given the distances your guys drove to be a part of it.” In total an amazing £6,449.10 was raised for the charity which will go towards providing various services including activity groups for children and young people who have any special need or disability.
First Licensee for new Centre Basepoint’s newest Centre, The Ambition Broxbourne Business Centre, has now opened its doors to local business with The Magazine Printing Company being one of the first. Chairman, Anthony Stokes, commented, “After 44 years of carrying out production of over 300 magazine titles at our factory in Enfield, we are moving all production to our main group’s modern high tech factory in South Wales. However, we required to leave a satellite office in Hertfordshire for a team of eight account and sales executives. The new high tech
prestigious building of the Ambition Broxbourne Business Centre has been completed in perfect timing for our move and will supply us with the high profile that we require in order to maintain our industry status with our customers.”
Solent sponsor upcoming hovercraft racer Basepoint Business Centres in Gosport, Havant, Southampton and Waterlooville are delighted to announce the sponsorship of local hovercraft driver, 13 year-old Dylan Hutton. Dylan had just received his first hovercraft and passed his hovercraft test, giving him is license to race when his Mother, Karen Hutton, met Basepoint Regional Manager, Vicky Foot. Vicky kindly agreed that the Centres under her management in the Solent Region would club together to sponsor Dylan. Despite a few technical hitches in his first season Dylan still managed to finish
in 5th place, a great achievement! Dylan is currently waiting for his newest hovercraft to be built in anticipation of the 2017 season. Vicky Foot, Basepoint Regional Manager, comments, “It is a pleasure to sponsor Dylan and we are so impressed with is attitude and application that the Solent Centres have agreed to sponsor him again for the 2017 season. Dylan is looking to increase his speed with a larger engine so that he can qualify to compete in the World Championships in China in 2018.”
TouchingBASE
7
CHARITY ROUND UP
Holistic Help
Support for services in Havant Basepoint Havant are pleased to announce their latest match funding of £3,728.08 for local disability support charity, Enable Ability. Enable Ability is established as an independent charity for the care, welfare and advancement of disabled people living in Portsmouth and the surrounding area. They work in partnership with disabled children and adults, their families and carers, to provide a range of
high quality, professional and confidential services. The original funds were raised during a charity barn dance held at the Irish Club in Portsmouth. The event was very well attended and raised a lot of money. David Walther, Centre Manager at Basepoint Havant, comments, “We are delighted to support Enable Ability as our nominated charity this year. It is important for everyone to know their own potential and through
our work with Enable Ability, we hope to be able to expose some less fortunate teens and young adults to what a business environment can be and reduce any fears they may have moving forwards.” Amy Page, Assistant Centre Manager added, “We hope that this money will really make a difference to the lives of the young people who currently rely on Enable Ability for vital support.” Registered No. 276422
Complementary therapy for Crawley Basepoint Crawley, are delighted to announce their latest donation of £575.98 to local charity, The Olive Tree Cancer Support Centre. The original funds were raised by some very sporty means – a Tough Mudder event that raised £317.77 and a full marathon that raised £258.21. These amounts were then matched by Basepoint Crawley meaning the charity receives £1,151.96 in total. The funds will go towards
offering more complementary therapies to the patients to support them through their cancer treatment. The funds raised bring the match-funding for 2016 to a total of £8,943.54. Stephanie George, Centre Manager at Basepoint Crawley, comments, “We are delighted to continue our support for our nominated charity. These funds are taking us one step closer to completing this years’ pledge to match fund £10,000 .”
Registered No. 1120598
ACT now! Do you or does somebody you know with disabilities need help to become self-sufficient? ACT is a grant-making charity and we’d love to hear from you. Visit us online to find out if you are eligible for a grant and to apply. theactfoundation.co.uk Registered No. 1157386
Basepoint Centres Ltd. 61 Thames Street, Windsor, Berkshire, SL4 1QW 01753 853515 hq@basepoint.co.uk
basepoint.co.uk
The ACT Foundation were pleased to be able to make a donation of £50,000 to Centre 33, a charity that provides free and confidential services to vulnerable young people up to the age of 26 in Cambridgeshire. Centre33 offers support and advocacy, housing advice, counselling and mental health support and support to young carers. The grant will go towards the launch of a Mental Health Outreach project for 40 highly vulnerable young people aged 15-20 years. The free service will provide a flexible and holistic mental health service to those who face barriers to accessing support services such as rural isolation; poverty; caring responsibilities; social anxiety or physical disability.
facebook.com/basepointbusinesscentres twitter.com/@Basepoint_Cntrs linkedin.com/company/basepoint-business-centres plus.google.com/+BasepointCoUk blog.basepoint.co.uk