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Supply chain specialist proudly attains Earned Recognition with TruTac How to grow a small business after year one The latest data from the ONS shows that around 10% of businesses fail after year one. Spotting the keys to growing your business after the first year is vital if you’re to escape this cycle and create lasting success. After a full year of trading, you should be able to use your sales data to identify which products have sold the best and what you’ve done to drive traffic to your website. Therefore, finding what’s most reliable and lucrative for your business should be relatively straightforward. If you’re confident you’re already well-positioned to meet your customers’ needs, you could investigate expanding your brand into new product categories. Growth from diversifying works on two fronts: existing customers recognise your brand in the new products they find, while new customers find an established and reputable brand available to them. Refining your marketing strategy can also be an effective way to grow your small business. You can generate revenue by making your advertising more targeted and effective at demonstrating your business’s value. Find more ways to grow a small business in domestic and international markets on the WorldFirst website. www.worldfirst.com/uk/marketplacesellers/e-commerce-guides/how-togrow-a-small-business/
Trucklink EU, the freight distribution and e-commerce supply chain specialists, have gained Earned Recognition status via the DVSA scheme and have officially become an ‘exemplary’ operator in the UK’s palletised freight sector. “For the most part, this has been made possible by TruTac,” says Depot Manager Paul Whelan. “We are able to apply the requisite monitoring and reporting procedures which demonstrate that our driver and vehicle performance consistently meet the high standards set by the DVSA scheme.” In a bid to gain tighter control over general fleet and driver data, Trucklink EU began using TruTac software products around three years ago. Since then and by switching compliance reporting processes from manual to digital, procedures are easier to implement and accurate real-time data regarding every driver and vehicle is immediately accessible, for auditing and ongoing management control. “We download remotely, all driver and vehicle info,” explains Paul “and then send the verified tacho data directly to TruTac for analysis, so we can view the results via automated email reporting. This gives us complete visibility and insight, enabling immediate corrective actions to be taken and forward planning to be done.” As part of TruTac’s integrated TruAnalysis package, Trucklink EU use TruChecks, TruLicence, TruView and TruFleet – each module playing a dedicated role in assisting with day-today vehicle and driver control.
“For example,” adds Paul, “using the TruTac app, our drivers can do their daily walk-round and vehicle checks and remotely report any defects as they arise. These are immediately logged and viewed by the workshop so repairs can be scheduled and then entered in the system once complete. Trucklink EU also point to the ‘very significant’ reduction in driver infringements achieved by enabling management and drivers alike to see exactly where and when mistakes have been made, so the appropriate consultation and advice can be given. “The system allows us to connect fully with our drivers and because of their own proactive input, each one is able to feel part of the solution rather than the problem. Plus,” adds Paul, “the easy-touse dashboards and screens have gone a long way to reducing driver stress.” With a mixed fleet of over sixty vehicles, driver hours and tacho data
could normally be difficult to monitor, interpret and retrieve, says Trucklink. However, with TruTac’s compliance control software and Earned Recognition under their belt, the company says it has never been so on top of compliancerelated data and is going from strength to strength. “Our reputation is built on consistently delivering trusted and efficient logistics solutions” sums up Paul Whelan. “TruTac has been instrumental in helping us to achieve our performance targets and are always there when we need them. We regard them as part of the Trucklink team.” As a share-holder member of the Pall-Ex network and using 170,000 sq. ft of strategically - located warehousing throughout the UK, Trucklink EU Limited provides end-toend supply chain solutions for local, national, and global freight movement.
Apex Pledges to Make Good Grow! Apex are delighted to have become a Make Good Grow Good Business. We’ve pledged to supply a free refurbished Konica Minolta copier to a Good Cause! We will deliver, install, and set it up. And there is an option for on-going service support.*
recognised that many of his team were happy to use their skills to help good causes solve their business problems but could not always find the right projects or opportunities. Hence Make Good Grow was born.
Fellow members of the Coventry & Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce, Make Good Grow is all about making a difference to Good Causes. The online Make Good Grow “Pledge Marketplace” enables Good Businesses to post products, services, and other support they can offer for the benefit of Good Causes. Good Causes (charities and community organisations) are then encouraged to browse the support on offer – and basically go shopping for free!
Initially launched in the Warwickshire and the West Midlands region, it has now started to branch out nationally. It has evolved considerably since the initial matchmaking concept. The Pledge Marketplace revolutionises the way that businesses can help and support Good Causes and since launching the e-commerce style platform in February 2022 they have already welcomed more than £320k worth of pledges to the site from altruistic businesses like Apex Connected.
Make Good Grow is the brainchild of Nigel Shanahan, who as the former business owner of Rant and Rave,
In addition is the Make Good Grow Podcast – Behind the Cause, which puts leaders of Good Causes in the spotlight,
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looking at the highs and lows of running an organisation, personal achievements, and the biggest challenges in the sector today. Richard Lamb, Apex’s Sales Director commented; “When we heard about Make Good Grow, we knew it was right up our street! We are thrilled that we've already had two Pledge matches and are installing copiers for them both shortly. Apex has always been committed to giving back to good causes. Through Apex Action, our own funding and volunteer initiative, we’ve undertaken school garden makeover projects, bought football bibs, tickets for Lego Land, raised £1000’s for nominated charity Cheshire Without Abuse, and much more. We are delighted to be sitting alongside other Good Businesses such as Twycross Zoo, Coventry Building Society, Warwickshire County Cricket Club,
1 Mill Street, and Wasps sporting professionals. All with a common goal – to make good grow!” If you are a business who wants to Make Good Grow find out more and sign up via their website today www.makegoodgrow.com * Terms and conditions apply.
www.cw-chamber.co.uk
