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Contents

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Voice & Vision of Surrey Business July-August 2013 www.surrey-chambers.co.uk

Welcome to the Chamber from our Chief Executive Louise Punter

We are continuing to promote apprenticeships throughout our membership and if I had my way every business would take on a young person to give them a start on the business ladder as well as offering the business fresh new eyes and committed support.

This month we are focusing on Social Media and George Mikhaeil our new Social Media apprentice has taken on the Chambers networking sites and has already proved that incorporating an effective social media strategy into your marketing plans really can result in new business!

At Surrey Chambers we are very aware that a business is as strong as the people that work for it and it is crucial that our teams are fully on board with the vision and plans of the business. We have been working alongside local company youbecome who have developed specific methodology for Employee Satisfaction Surveys to help companies understand their business environment and to discover where they need to focus personal development. We will be offering Chamber members the opportunity to use the survey with their teams.

Youbecome will then provide a free summary report, pointing out essential improvement areas in your business.

We are also building a relationship with Surrey Youth Focus, which is a membership organisation for all the charities involved with young people. We are working to make it easy for businesses to have an impact on young people through various projects including mentoring, training and working together on community projects. By working closely businesses can raise their profile whilst benefiting from team building activities.

The airport debate is hotting up and we are very keen to hear from members about the impact on their business of airport changes. The business voice is crucial to make sure that the government makes the right decision on airport capacity.

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Introduction Chamber News Member News International Finance Business News Focus on Training Corporate Motoring Business Women in Surrey Cover Feature

Editorial and General Enquiries

20 24 27 28 30 32 33 34 34

Big Interview Corporate Finance Legal Business Creative Media & IT International Trade Chamber Events Member Benefits Chamber Chat Movers & Shakers

Production Manager

Surrey Chambers of Commerce Unit 14a, Monument Way East, Woking, Surrey GU21 5LY Tel: 01483 735540 Fax: 01483 756754 Email: info@surrey-chambers.co.uk

Fern Badman Tel: 0151 236 4141 Email: studio@benhampublishing.com

Chief Executive: Louise Punter Finance: Caroline Cherryman

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Media No.

Editor Ella Parkes Tel: 01483 735545 Email: marketing@surrey-chambers.co.uk

Publisher Benham Publishing 4th Floor, Orleans House, Edmund St, Liverpool L3 9NG Tel: 0151 236 4141 Fax: 0151 236 0440 Email: admin@benhampublishing.com Web: www.benhampublishing.com

Published July 2013 Š Benham Media

Advertising and Features Helen Gowland Tel: 0151 236 4141 Email: helen@benhampublishing.com

Disclaimer The Chamber is published for the Surrey Chambers of Commerce and is distributed without charge to Chamber members in the county. All correspondence should be addressed to the Editor at Surrey Chambers.

Views expressed in The Chamber are not necessarily those of Surrey Chambers of Commerce. Reprinting in whole or part is forbidden except by permission of the Editor. Š 2013.

Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy and reliability of material published in this journal, Benham Publishing and its agents can accept no responsibility for the veracity of claims made by contributions in advertising or editorial content.

Benham Publishing cannot be held responsible for any inaccuracies in web or email links supplied to us.

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Introduction

A word from our President

The High Sheriff of Surrey, Dr Helen Bowcock

It has been a busy time for the Chamber and our member organisations, since I last wrote my column, with some small but encouraging steps for economic development. We’ve had a Queen’s speech which at best, received a luke warm reception from the media, but which on balance was fairly positive for business. We’ve seen record growth on the stock exchange, or at least we had at the time of writing this, and we’ve seen the first fall in inflation several months.

It is an honour to be invited to be High Sheriff of Surrey and, two months into this year long appointment, it is providing a fascinating insight into different organisations and the way they work.

According to the latest business lending figures, lending to SMEs rose by £239m in March, which is encouraging, although many of our member businesses still cite access to finance as a key inhibitor of growth. There’s been some positive news on the export front too, with a 3.5% rise in exports in March, something that is very close to the heart of our own Chamber International Trade here in Surrey.

The fact that the UK economy avoided negative growth last quarter is encouraging and will boost confidence. As our latest economic survey shows, it is the services sector that is the main component of recent growth. More must be done to support construction, which is why we have consistently advocated more house building and immediate action to maintain our roads. While the government could claim this as a minor win, it means little when looking at the bigger economic picture. Growth is still unacceptably weak, and will remain so without radical measures to get the economy moving.

While we still believe that the government should stick to its current fiscal reduction plan, there is a need for a more promising growth strategy. We know that businesses are determined and ambitious, and want to drive growth in the face of significant economic headwinds, but they can’t do this alone. The government must consider a significant shift in priorities to boost growth within the existing spending envelope, by allocating more current spending towards capital investment over the next few years.

Personally speaking, this is my last column as Chamber President, with my two year term of office

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coming to a close at the AGM in July. It has been a pleasure to serve as President and I have been inspired by the many businesses and local organisations that I have had the pleasure of meeting over the last two years. I passionately believe in the Chamber network, ‘Connect, Belong, Succeed’ is a great mantra and I have seen first-hand the many positive outcomes for businesses that have really worked to maximise the benefits of their membership.

My thanks to the team of Directors, Council Members and of course the staff team that have worked so tirelessly in the name of promoting the unique business community in Surrey, and I wish you all every success for the future.

The Shrievalty is an ancient office that, at one time, was responsible for collecting taxes and maintaining law and order. Today the links with the system of justice remain strong and so I decided to start my term as High Sheriff by visiting the prisons within the county, five in total.

I certainly did not anticipate the hive of industry behind locked doors at HMP Coldingley where prisoners were proud to show the high quality brochures from their printworks and the air conditioning units they were assembling. Nor did I expect to be presented with a gift bag at HMP Bronzefield containing hand made cards and jewellery made by women working for a new social enterprise established there last month.

There is increasing evidence to indicate that when ex offenders have employment they are less likely to reoffend. This process has to start inside prison so that they are equipped with the skills and discipline to work. At the same time prison governors are under considerable financial pressure to balance their books and to develop links with outside organisations. There is much that companies can do, where feasible, to offer contracts to those prisons that are set up to take them and to offer work experience or employment to ex offenders.

It is a time of change for the prison service but also a time for new opportunities such as the social enterprise at HMP Bronzefield. Given the number of prisons we have within Surrey perhaps there are new opportunities too for businesses within the county. www.highsheriffs.com/surrey

ChamberNews Kevin Hurley Surrey Police and Crime Commissioner The target culture has had a negative effect on British policing over the last 20 years.

It has created a service where management has become more important than leadership. We have lost sight of the mission of policing.

We are moving past that in Surrey. My Police and Crime Plan – which sets out the strategic direction for policing and community safety in the county - sets no numerical targets for Surrey Police. It is based on the simple principle of zerotolerance. We should never turn away from a problem. We should always aim to do the right thing for the public. We should be relentless in our pursuit of the criminals and anti-social louts who blight our county. We should do all those things because they are the right thing to do.

No targets does not mean no accountability however. I will hold the

eCommerce conference back by popular demand Following its huge success last year, The BIG eCommerce Conference is returning to Surrey this September, with sponsorship from Surrey Chambers of Commerce and More Than Just Mobiles.

The inaugural 2012 event attracted over 100 delegates and 15 keynote speakers including Thomas Power of Ecademy, who will once again compère and chair proceedings.

form of seminars, workshops and guest speaker presentations. For those who attended the 2012 conference, there is much more to learn in 2013.”

The BIG eCommerce Conference 2013 promises to be another not-to-be-missed day for businesses engaged in online sales activity – from established companies already trading on the internet, to start-ups keen to enter the virtual retail market. The conference is organised by Surrey-based digital media business b:web, experts in building ecommerce websites large and small.

As well as addressing subjects such as mobiles, conversions, the user experience, and return on investment (ROI) and social media, the conference will feature case studies from companies that have actively embraced the ecommerce world. More Than Just Mobiles and Babyface will share how they approached the journey, what worked, what didn’t, and important lessons learnt. TWM Solicitors will also cover the legal pitfalls of trading online which many organisations miss.

Zoe Brown, b:web managing director, said: “The feedback from last year’s event was fantastic which is why we have chosen to run another this year with completely fresh content. The online world moves at a rapid pace, and much has happened over the past 12 months which we will cover in the

The BIG eCommerce Conference 2013 takes place on Friday 27 September from 9am to 5pm at the H G Wells Centre in Woking, Surrey. For further information and to take advantage of a £50 early bird ticket offer saving visit www.thebigecommerceconference.co.uk

Chief Constable to account for how Surrey Police is working to make our county a safer place to live and a more

Surrey Chambers at Woking Means Business

difficult place to commit crime. I will continue to do so publicly by webcasting my management meetings with her.

Nobody joins the police to chase targets. They join to do the right thing for the public. I want to liberate our police to do that. Surrey Police has outstanding people. I believe in their desire to do the best they can for our community and I believe in their ability to do so.

Read the Surrey Police and Crime Plan at www.surrey-pcc.gov.uk

Surrey Chambers of Commerce will once again be exhibiting at Woking Means Business on October 9th 2013.

We exhibited last year and had an excellent show, meeting both members and nonmembers and recruiting some new members along the way.

Just go to www.wokingmeansbusiness.com then to ‘Floor Plan’ and choose the stand you would like.

Why not take advantage of this very cost effective promotional opportunity and take a stand yourselves?

You don’t have to pay online – you will be sent an invoice by Woking Chamber of Commerce which is payable in two stages.

As Woking Chamber of Commerce is affiliated to us, the member discount applies to our members as well as to Woking members.

If you would like to discuss the event, you can call the organiser, Paul Webster on 01344 304268 or email him at paul@websterconsultancy.co.uk

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MemberNews

BitesizeNews New exhibition explores the life of Surrey based garden designer Gertrude Jekyll Gertrude Jekyll (1843 – 1932) was one of the most influential garden designers of all time, whose impact on garden design is still evident around the world today. A free exhibition at The Lightbox gallery and museum in Woking, Surrey, will explore the long and remarkable life of Gertrude Jekyll, delving into her multi-talents as a writer, interior and applied arts designer, embroiderer, artist, silversmith/blacksmith, botanist, herbalist, garden designer and gardener.

Gertrude Jekyll was born into an upper-middle-class family in 1843. Her parents, Edward and Julia Jekyll played host in their home, Bramley House, near Guildford, to a steady flow of eminent visitors from the worlds of art and science and it was in this cultured environment that Jekyll grew up. The late 1860’s saw Jekyll develop an increasing interest in interior design and by the mid-1870s, helped in part by commissions through her wide and influential circle of friends, she was considered to be one of the most accomplished artist-craftswomen of her day.

Michel Roux OBE – raising over £5000 for Charity @ Raycross Interiors, Byfleet Village The evening of Tuesday 30th April saw the world renowned Master Chef Michel Roux cook live in the Byfleet Village showroom of Raycross Interiors.

Despite her increasing success, Jekyll continued to reside in rural Surrey, developing her interest in plants and gardens. As early as 1868, Jekyll began designing gardens and by 1889 she had designed or advised on planting over 20 gardens, ranging in size from a window box to a small estate. Further success followed and by 1900 Jekyll was considered to be one of the most famous garden designers in Britain. In all, Jekyll designed over 400 gardens, many in partnership with the eminent architect Sir Edwin Lutyens, also from Surrey.

The exhibition ‘Gertrude Jekyll: Landscape Gardener and Craftswoman’ is on show until 8 September 2013.

The full portfolio of images is now available to view on-line at www.raycross.co.uk and www.raycrosskitchens.co.uk all supplied courtesy of Hayley Bray photography. Video footage is also available on both websites.

UK Home Insulations Ltd Working with Action Surrey

Over 120 guests attended the event with Michel captivating his audience with his charm, wit and awe inspiring Master Chef Skills.

Champagne flowed throughout the evening and guests delighted in mouth-watering canapés supplied by Michel. In between the 2 cookery demonstrations, Michel chatted to guests and signed copies of his latest cookbook ‘The Collection’.

ACTION SURREY work closely with our company to provide Energy Saving measures as part of the Government ECO and Green Deal Initiative Scheme.

For details see the Government website: (www.greendealorb.co.uk) Private home owners and landlords can obtain subsidies where the balance can be paid with a Government Green Loan. Whilst others might be eligible for up to 100% funding depending on criteria throughout all of the 11 Surrey County Council Boroughs we cover under the scheme.

There are up to 45 Energy Saving measures which you can apply, such as Cavity Wall, Solid Wall and Loft Insulation as well as a New Boiler and Solar Panels to name just a few.

For more information contact us on 0844 686 6000 or visit our website (www.insulation.uk.com) alternatively you can visit Action Surrey’s website at (www.actionsurrey.org)

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“It was a great pleasure to partake in the fabulous evening at Raycross Interiors to help raise much needed funds for the Nicholls Foundation. I had immense fun preparing my dishes and meeting the guests and could not have wished for a better equipped kitchen than that provided by the Cross family at Raycross Interiors - it really is an impressive family run business and worth a visit to see the latest in bathroom and kitchen design”. Michel Roux OBE The total sum of £5052.83 was raised for the Nicholls Foundation – researching a cure into spinal paralysis – a charity for which Michel Roux is a proud patron.

MemberNews Nuffield Health Guildford removes time-limits on aftercare for patients, in unprecedented move for private healthcare Nuffield Health Guildford Hospital is set to launch a unique service to local patients who require common surgical procedures.

For the first time, patients choosing to have their care outside of the NHS will have no time limits placed on their aftercare following procedures like hip replacements or hernia repair. The Guildford hospital, part of the Nuffield Health Charity, is launching the service in light of recent high profile concerns about patient care, both in the Independent sector and the NHS. Nuffield Health says it is simply making official its ethos of always putting patients first.

However, the move is significant as currently providers of private healthcare offer only short term guarantees of up to 28 days to patients following surgical procedures.

Following the widely publicised problems caused by PIP breast implants, and the recent Government review into bad practices in cosmetic surgery, Nuffield Health hopes the move will reassure

patients who have lost faith in the healthcare system.

need. As we saw with PIP implants, the NHS does not have the resources to mop up after the private sector when something goes wrong after a month or even a year.

We are absolutely confident that the service we offer here in Guildford is second to none and because of this we are able to make this guarantee to all patients having surgery in our hospital.”

Matthew Dronsfield, Hospital Director at Nuffield Health Guildford, said: “Our relationship with our patients does not end when they walk out of our hospital.

Wherever possible, we will provide follow up advice, treatment and care for as long as our patients may need it.

Patricia Lee, Chief Executive of Nuffield Health Hospitals, said: “We hope we are providing a product which will go some way to empowering patients to make informed decisions about their healthcare while removing some of the stress and uncertainty that visiting hospital naturally causes. People need to be reassured that if they need surgery that it is effective and safe and that the decisions they make are not going to trip them up further down the line because a hospital provider is more interested in taking their money than helping them get well.”

“When it became apparent that PIP breast implants were potentially harmful, unlike many other hospitals, we took the immediate step of contacting our patients, offering assessment and removing and replacing implants in those where there was

The initiative is aimed at self-funding patients who are having traditional elective surgical procedures, including hip and knee replacements, weight loss surgery, cataract surgery and hernia removal.

The new initiative also provides assurance and guarantees about treatment and treatment prices, often hidden by clinics offering cut price healthcare, and who provide neither follow up nor assistance should anything go wrong.

Whereabouts in Surrey do you live and work?

A locally-based charity is expanding; spreading its services wider across the county. They need more volunteers, and funding so that they can continue. I have been honoured to have been a Patron of the Dorking-based Brigitte Trust during a time when it has continued to play a crucial part in helping many families at a most difficult time.

The Trust provides vital emotional and practical help to people with life-threatening illnesses. Weekly visits support clients and their families through the ups and downs of serious conditions. Each Brigitte Trust volunteer visits the same family every week, building individual and professional relationships. Offering time to listen, without judgment, can be the most valuable contribution of all.

The volunteers form a network of support aimed at helping people with lifethreatening illness stay at home at the end of life. The person with the condition gets vital support. And for their relatives, those who are inevitably carers around the clock, our volunteers provide much-needed respite breaks.

I am proud to be associated with the Trust, and excited by the latest developments.

Having been founded more than 30 years ago, in 2013 we are committed to training more volunteers, thanks to a new partnership with Macmillan Cancer Support. It will mean services becoming available to more people in mid and east Surrey, and expanding to Elmbridge, Woking, Spelthorne, and Runnymede.

The Brigitte Trust is facing terrific challenges. We would be so grateful for your support. There are many ways companies can support the Trust – by adopting them as your charity of the year, supporting them with a one-off fundraising event or challenge or spreading the word about their September training course for volunteers which will be running in Weybridge. www.brigittetrust.org Thank you.

NICHOLAS OWEN

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InternationalFinance

Proud sponsors of the Reigate squash teams

Global Transaction Services (GTS) is specialized in money transmission and foreign exchange services for international businesses and those that provide services to them. The management team of GTS has unique experience in the provision of software, web-based technology, and the definition of processes for financial service providers throughout the world.

• Increasing security by ensuring that you know as soon as possible when payments are made or funds are available • Increasing security, efficiency and reducing costs by allowing, in certain circumstances, the creation of IBAN’s (International Bank Account Number) for receipt of international payments • Making it rapid, easy and cost effective to transfer funds around the world in a range of currencies

Allocation of funds

Daniel Barrs, CEO GTS itself is the culmination of those experiences: bringing innovation to one of the largest economies in the world where making international payments and crosscurrency transactions is still fraught with difficulties.

Using your GTS account, you can create subaccounts, allowing you to give your customers all separate IBAN’s. This means that when your customers pay you, the funds will automatically be segregated in your account; saving you time and giving

you full traceability.

Reduced charges on international transfers Thanks to our international banking network and liquidity, we are able provide international transfers at a lower cost than banks, but also avoid intermediary bank charges when sending funds across the Atlantic.

GTS can help corporations worldwide, of all sizes, cultures and product specialisation to limit the risks inherent in international activity on which the world’s economy increasingly depends.

Foreign exchange-cost and risk

Our unique approach will simplify your corporation’s business decision processes and improve profitability by: • Removing or reducing the cost of currency exchange • Removing or reducing your risk of loss on exchange

James Mallaburn, Compliance Officer

Danny Barrs, Founder

We offer 24 hours, 7 days a week foreign exchange services, with immediate delivery. This allows you to get live quotes, and process live FX deals online, at better rates than banks. We provide accounts in over 20 different currencies, and encourage clients to keep their funds in their original currency to avoid excessive transaction costs.

www.globaltransactionservices.co.uk Email: info@globaltransactionservices.co.uk Phone: +44 (0)1293 782 988 Address: 9 Massetts Road, Hereford House, Horley, Surrey RH6 7PR United Kingdom

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Company number: 7867696 MLR Registration number: 12672689 FCA Registration number: 577159

BusinessNews

Mercure Box Hill Burford Bridge Hotel Mercure Box Hill Burford Bridge 4-star hotel, set in scenic gardens and views of the surrounding countryside.

Within the grounds of the hotel you will find our croquet lawn and outdoor heated pool.

The hotel has 8 meeting rooms ideal for Conference, Meetings and Training, which range in size, with the Tithe Barn offering a maximum capacity of 300 delegates. The hotel grounds are perfect for team building and corporate BBQs. Flexible delegate packages are available to meet your individual requirements including Wifi throughout the hotel and onsite car parking which are both complimentary.

Three of our function suites are licensed for civil ceremonies or civil partnerships at the hotel. The unique Tithe Barn, with its vaulted ceiling and oak beams is licensed to accommodate up to 200 guests. Banqueting event and Wedding packages are available to suit individual requirements.

Enjoy the contemporary cuisine in exquisite surroundings of the Emlyn Restaurant, the proud winner to 2 AA rosettes, or relax with a drink in the Lounge Bar. The 57 bedrooms are all classically designed and furnished offering satellite TV. Our Executive rooms offer extra living space with sofa and feature an enclosed balcony with beautiful views of our gardens.

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MemberNews Striking success for Charles Russell’s Family Law Team

Lightbox receives first major gift to its permanent collection

Charles Russell’s Family Team are delighted to have won the prestigious Citiwealth Family Law Firm of the Year award 2013. This is a further accolade for the team whose solicitors in the Guildford and London offices are also ranked in band 1 of the Chambers & Partners legal directory.

The Lightbox gallery and museum is delighted to announce that it has recently received a gift of 17 works of art. The gift, which has been donated by the Art Fund, on behalf of Joan Hurst, includes work by renowned sculptors Lynn Chadwick, Sir Jacob Epstein, Elisabeth Frink and Sophie Ryder, amongst others. To celebrate the gift a number of the works will be on display on the ground floor of The Lightbox from Thursday 18 July to Sunday 25 August 2013.

Many influential and significant artists, who have helped to shape the practice of modern day sculpture, are represented in ‘The Joan Hurst Art Fund Gift’. Highlights include: • ‘Fifth Portrait of Kathleen’, Jacob Epstein - A striking depiction of the artist’s lover and muse whom he later married.

• ‘Horse and Rider’, Elisabeth Frink – An early and rare sculpture produced whilst Frink was at Chelsea School of Art. The work is based on her Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse drawings and is one of five horse sculptures included in the gift.

Charles Russell’s Family Team continues to go from strength to strength and continues to focus on providing clients with a first class service. Advising clients on family law generally including separation, divorce, the law relating to children, pre nuptial agreements and cohabitation agreements the team’s client base continues to grow.

Partner, Margaret Tyson, who heads the Charles Russell Guildford Family Team says “It’s been another strong year for the team and we are delighted to have secured some excellent outcomes for our many Surrey, London and international clients. The team continues to grow and here in Guildford, we aim to maintain our long-standing reputation as the pre-eminent family law team in Surrey and the South East”.

The Guildford team also includes Partner Karen Wilsher whose expertise in complex financial and children law matters is now complemented by her growing mediation and international practice. As qualified mediators and collaborative lawyers, Margaret and Karen are both committed to offering clients the most appropriate method of resolution of their family law issues.

Margaret and Karen are supported by a growing team of Associate specialist family solicitors which allows the team to provide an individual, bespoke and cost effective service to each of their many and varied clients. Every member of the team is also a member of Resolution, and shares a commitment to assisting clients to resolve disputes constructively and with dignity.

For more information please contact Margaret Tyson: Margaret.tyson@charlesrussell.co.uk or Karen Wilsher: Karen.wilsher@charlesrussell.co.uk or by telephone 01483 252570.

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• ‘Seated Couple’, Lynn Chadwick – The seated couple is a theme that features throughout Chadwick’s long and illustrious career.

Speaking about the gift, donor Miss Hurst said “This gift of sculpture comprises works from my collection which are very dear to my heart, and I knew that the Art Fund would choose a fitting venue to receive this acquisition. I have always valued their expertise in helping find appropriate homes for works of art within national collections and I am so pleased that The Lightbox is to be the recipient; I do hope this collection of British sculpture will allow them to continue strengthening their Modern British area of interest, for which they are becoming increasingly well-known.”

The gift complements The Ingram Collection of Modern and Contemporary British Art which is on long term loan to The Lightbox and features regularly in The Lightbox’s exhibition programme. ‘The Joan Hurst Art Fund Gift’ of 17 works of art marks the start of a significant permanent collection of works from this period, which The Lightbox hopes to add to in the coming years.

The Art Fund is the national fundraising charity for art, helping museums to buy and show great art for everyone to enjoy. Over the past 5 years it has given £24m to help over 200 museums and galleries acquire works of art for their collections.

Highlights from ‘The Joan Hurst Art Fund Gift’ will be on display at The Lightbox gallery and museum from 18 July to 25 August 2013 and entrance is free.

MemberNews Mansion reveals its secret after 50 years Former pupils of a private school in Leatherhead have returned to Fetcham Park for the first time in half a century.

Coming from as far afield as the USA and Canada, 50 ex-students and teachers of Badingham College enjoyed a reunion lunch courtesy of current owners Sandra and Malcolm Young, who have operated the 300-year-old listed mansion as a business centre for the last 13 years.

working in such a beautiful building and grounds during the week and at weekends it’s a privilege to open the doors for weddings, lunches, musical soirees and charity fundraising. Fetcham Park now buzzes again with the same energy as when it was your school.”

Many of the visitors were surprised to see Fetcham Park’s stunning murals and ceiling paintings depicting scenes from classical mythology for the first time. In their day the life-size paintings by celebrated French artist Louis Laguerre, whose work can also be seen at Blenheim Palace and Hampton Court, had either been hidden behind utilitarian panelling or located in rooms which were out of bounds to pupils.

Most of the Badingham old boys had earlier attended a special morning service at adjacent St Mary’s church, when Rev Paul Boughton marked their visit by using the school’s altar silver. Local historian Alan Pooley joined the group to gather some anecdotes and was presented with a relic of the boys’ pirate radio station, Radio Free Badingham. Past pupil Charles Alworth, who had travelled from Texas for the reunion, donated the original transmitter valve to Leatherhead and District History Society.

The mansion was used as a school from the mid-1920s until its founder died in 1965. Then, after restoration and a lengthy period as private offices, Fetcham Park’s prominent role in community life of was restored. Sandra Young explained: “Our Parallel Business Centre clients love

A free copy of an abridged history of the house by another local historian Vivien White can be obtained from sandra@parallelvenues.co.uk.

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FundRaising

Walk Ten at Denbies Wine Estate this summer with family and friends to support Marie Curie Cancer Care On Saturday the 24th of August, raise funds for Marie Curie Cancer Care by walking ten kilometres at twilight across the stunning Surrey countryside and through Denbies vineyard. Help us raise thousands of pounds for our nurses to provide end of life care to patients in local communities.

This year’s walk is targeted at recruiting over 700 participants who after the walk can enjoy a festival like atmosphere. The route is suitable for both young and old, and you will work up a healthy appetite before relaxing and enjoying the Bollywood themed live entertainment. Bring a picnic or buy Indian food, delicious desserts and refreshing drinks in picturesque surroundings.

At 10 o’clock one of our fabulous nurses will give a short speech about their work and how the money you’ve raised is spent to help terminally ill patients.

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Douglas Nairn, Regional Events Fundraiser, said: “Walk Ten Surrey is a relaxed evening with a carnival-like atmosphere. You don’t have to be super fit to walk the course, and it isn’t a race. The emphasis is on enjoyment and coming together with loved ones to have fun for charity. We have a lot of families entering together, and companies using the evening as a fun team-building exercise. Talking of local businesses, the event includes Guildford-based Just Jhoom dancers, Dorking’s Friends’ Life and Denbies Wine Estate, not to mention ‘the sound of South-West London and North

Surrey’, Radio Jackie who will cover the start. Just £20 will pay for a Marie Curie Nurse to spend one hour in a patient’s home. If you manage to raise £100, you will have paid for someone to receive 5 hours of one-to-one support.”

Registration for the event is now open and people can sign up at www.mariecurie.org.uk/walkten or by calling 0845 052 4184. The event opens at 6pm with the walk setting off at 7pm.

Children under 16 are free, adult registration before the event is £10 and for adults to sign up on the night it is £20.

BusinessNews Succession lesson

By Gordon Bromley, Surrey Academy Chairman

Leadership is usually associated with human behaviours but sometimes valuable lessons can be learned from corporate behaviours too.

Much has been written recently about Alex Ferguson’s legacy to the art and practice of leadership but I believe there are more valuable lessons to be learned for business by examining the way Manchester United as a company handled the recruitment of David Moyes to succeed him.

Celebrating a new beginning Dr Helen Bowcock, the High Sheriff of Surrey, delivered a moving speech at the opening of the new YMCA Residents’ Development Suite on Tuesday 14 May. In the presence of residents, supporters and staff Dr Bowcock spoke eloquently of the plight of disadvantaged young people in Surrey and praised the work of the YMCA in turning young lives around.

Replacing a long standing, high performing leader is always difficult but, in choosing Moyes, I believe Manchester United demonstrated outstanding corporate leadership in a number of ways:• Succession Planning. While Ferguson’s departure came as something of a shock it had clearly been contingency planned for months – there was no panic, no knee jerk reaction and they got the man they planned to get all along. Lesson – always plan succession well ahead of needing to implement it • Daring to be different. Moyes is middle aged and unfashionable; he has no international experience; he has no track record of winning trophies; he is a ‘home grown’ British coach. Lesson – don’t conform to your industry norms, break them. No other “global brand leading” club in the world would have appointed Moyes.

• Recruiting for Fit. Moyes fits United’s corporate values (and those of their fans) with his never say die approach; his strong work ethic; his long term commitment; his willingness to risk young talented players in the first team (Rooney made his senior Everton debut at 16) and his belief that the club is always bigger than the player.

Lesson – always hire for attitude and values first, skills second.

You may not be a fan of either United or Ferguson but you’ll go a long way to find a better example of corporate leadership in any industry.

For more information about joining an Academy for Chief Executives group in Surrey contact Gordon Bromley at gordon.bromley@chiefexecutive.com or call him on 07802 461431.

Guildford YMCA has been raising funds to transform the lower ground floor of the Bridge Street building to create new facilities for its work with young people. Up to 40 16-25 year olds call the hostel home who would otherwise be homeless, and a Supported Housing Team work with them offering key working support, benefits advice and social activities. To date there has never been a space in the building that these young residents can call their own, but transforming a former conference room has given them an area for recreation, learning and group work.

All of this is thanks to the remarkable generosity of YMCA supporters and their contacts, many of whom were present at the opening. The Chair of Guildford YMCA, Pete Jeffrey and Tony Hennessey-Brown, former Chair and now coordinator of the Capital Appeal, were glad of the opportunity to thank donors in person.

As funds allow, the remodelling of the building will move forward to also

accommodate the YMCA’s youth work department, Plantation. This is currently located off Market Street in Guildford and in recent years space has been at a premium as the number of projects being delivered has expanded. The Bridge Street development offers the opportunity to create a larger more flexible space from which to run a range of projects that enable young people to find direction in life.

There’s still a long way to go to raise sufficient funds and donations are most welcome. Visit www.guildfordymca.org.uk/ capital_appeal.htm for more information.

And on 13 October an evening of musical entertainment is planned for G Live, hosted by Jonathan Veira. Tickets are now available from Guildford YMCA (01483 448784) or the G Live box office.

Sponsors are welcome to offset the costs of the event so that all ticket sales go directly to the Capital Appeal.

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FocusonTraining

Introduction to ALPS ALPS Partnership Limited is a non- profit making company, dedicated to supporting learning providers, learners and employers. The aim is to maximise the opportunity to work together, to achieve opportunities for individuals in the field of work based learning and to work closely with employers to support them in finding the correct individuals for their businesses.

Apprenticeships

What does it cost?

The Statistics speak for themselves

The minimum apprenticeship wage is £2.65 an hour, however many employers pay more than this. There are also some exciting grants available, one of them is available from the National Apprenticeship Service for £1500, please discuss this with your training providers to find out if you are eligible. The other one is a Surrey grant, which is being managed by ALPS, this is £750 for a 16-18 year old who works and lives in Surrey. This is paid after the apprentice has been in post for one year.

80%of employers say that their apprentices make their work place more productive and 92% say they believe apprenticeships lead to a more motivated and satisfied workforce.

It is therefore, not a surprise that a number of organisations are looking to secure apprentices for their business.

Employing an apprentice, is it right for you?

An apprentice is not a short-term solution.

First evaluate why you want an apprentice and what you want to achieve. What do you want the apprentice to contribute to your business and what can the apprentice gain from working for you. Employer’s who make the commitment in time, benefit greatly, and the more they put in the better the experience for both parties.

The process!

At first glance it may seem like the application process is complicated, but training providers will walk you through the paperwork and provide support when you come to complete it. Following the completion of the advertisement the training company will then advertise the position, at no extra cost to you to find a suitable applicant. Applicants are then screened to ensure that they fit your needs and the most suitable will be sent to you for an interview.. Once the applicant has been selected, the training provider and employer will select the most suitable apprenticeship framework to suit your business needs and the applicants.

The framework incorporates your requirements and what the apprentice wants to get out of the programme. What makes apprenticeships so effective for employers is that it provides them with a member of staff who is trained specifically to meet the organisation’s needs. For the apprentice, it provides them with a qualification and on the job training, allowing them to develop specific business skills which will help to strengthen their capabilities and experience, positioning them favourably for future employment.

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Opportunities Fair October 8th!

ALPS is working closely with partners, Surrey County Council, National Apprenticeship Service, Surrey Chambers, Employers and Training providers to hold a massive event at Epsom Downs Racecourse for young people to come and have an opportunity to have a go at some of the hands on activities which are involved in work based learning.

Schools have been invited and are being brought in by coaches for the main part of the day and during the twilight hours all colleges and young people looking for work in Surrey have been invited. If any employers would like a stand at this event ALPS would be very happy to speak with you.

Study programmes and Traineeships ALPS network of training providers also supports young people who are not quite ready to do an apprenticeship. There is a need for employers to support these young people in offering them work experience opportunities to give them the opportunity to have some experience which they can use on their C.V or it may potentially lead to an opportunity with the work experience host.

For more details and help on your training needs please contact Sue Taylor Network Manager 07900 918357 sue@alpsurrey.co.uk ALPS website: www.alpsurrey.co.uk Apprenticeship website: www.apprenticeships.org.uk

CorporateMotoring

The new BMW X5 arrives at Vines of Redhill BMW is taking the Sports Activity Vehicle (SAV) even further into the realms of luxury cars with the introduction of the new, third-generation X5. BMW invented the concept of the SAV with the original X5 and is the global market leader in the segment, with more than 1.3 million sales of the previous two models.

The new X5, which goes on sale from 16 November 2013, delivers major advances in design, luxury, comfort, versatility, efficiency, driving pleasure, safety and connectivity. It will be available with five TwinPower Turbo engines – four diesel and one petrol – a standard eight-speed automatic transmission and the option of two or four-wheel drive (sDrive and xDrive).

In the UK it will be offered in SE or M Sport specifications.

More driving enjoyment with even greater efficiency BMW coined the phrase ‘Sports Activity Vehicle’ because it perfectly summarises the character of the X5 – a car with the allroads, all-weather capabilities and the space and versatility of an SUV, with the driving enjoyment of a BMW. Those qualities are further advanced with the TwinPower Turbo engines, standard eightspeed automatic transmission and suspension personalisation options of the new model. At the same time these are accompanied by significant reductions in fuel consumption and CO2 emissions as a result of a raft of EfficientDynamics technologies. All engines already meet the EU6 emissions standard not due to be introduced until September 2014 The range will initially be made up of the xDrive30d, M50d and xDrive50i, available from November 2013.

The 3.0-litre six-cylinder xDrive30d is 19 per cent more fuel efficient, with economy improved by 7.4mpg and CO2 reduced by 33g/km – despite power and torque increases of 13hp and 20Nm. The M50d, powered by a three-stage single turbo version of the 3.0-litre six-cylinder engine, is 12 per cent more efficient. Consumption is reduced by 4.5mpg and CO2 emissions down by 22g/km, while maintaining its high power and torque outputs. The xDrive50i has a new-generation 4.4-litre V8 engine now incorporating VALVETRONIC variable valve timing as well as twin turbochargers.

Power is improved by 10 per cent (41hp) and there has been a 50Nm increase in torque, but consumption falls by 20 per cent (4.6mpg) and CO2 emissions have been cut by 50g/km compared with the previous engine.

These three engines will be joined at the end of the year by a four-cylinder diesel – taking advantage of the new X5’s considerably reduced weight and another six-cylinder diesel. The 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbodiesel engine is new to the X5 and appears in the sole two-wheel drive model, the sDrive25d, and the xDrive25d, which provisionally achieve fuel economy of 50.4mpg and 47.9mpg respectively. The respective provisional CO2 figures are 149g/km and 155g/km. The xDrive40d, with a twin-turbo 3.0-litre in-line six-cylinder diesel engine, is expected to have average fuel consumption of 44.1mpg with CO2 emissions of 169g/km.

combination with Dynamic Performance Control integrated into the rear differential, it can be even more finely controlled. It varies the drive split between the rear wheels – torque vectoring – for even further enhanced cornering capabilities and feedback.

All-wheel-drive models now include a 3D xDrive display giving real-time details of body roll and pitch in the central information screen, as well as a digital compass display.

Design: robust, dynamic, luxurious and functional The design of the new X5 is deliberately evolutionary – a modern and eye-catching update of the style which has made the car the global best-seller in its class – while the spacious interior with seats for up to seven people now offers even greater luxury and functionality.

The new BMW X5 goes on sale on 16 November 2013 and will cost from £42,590 OTR* for an sDrive25d SE and from £44,895 OTR* as an xDrive25d SE. For more information and to book your test drive call Vines of Redhill today on 01293 831342 or visit www.vinesofredhillbmw.co.uk * On the road pricing based on provisional technical data. ** Test ride subject to availability and driver status.

A lighter version of xDrive all-wheel drive The latest version of the BMW xDrive system, which intelligently manages the torque split between the front and rear wheels, has been enhanced for efficiency and now weighs 1.4kg less. It takes information about road and wheel speeds, steering angle and accelerator position to interpret the driver’s intentions and what the car is doing to calculate how to apportion engine torque. As a result it eliminates both understeer and oversteer to deliver improved cornering abilities. In

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BusinessNews

One in seven women made redundant on maternity leave A poll commissioned by a city law firm has revealed that women are suffering escalating levels of discrimination at work with one in 7 women being made redundant while they are on maternity leave. This is despite the fact that an employer’s duties towards their employees on maternity leave are significantly higher than to those who are not.

An employee on maternity leave can only be made redundant where there is no suitable available vacancy. If a vacancy does exist the employee is entitled to be given priority for that role over other potentially redundant employees. There is no requirement for the employee to initiate, engage or even apply for the role; the onus is on the employer. Whether or not the vacancy is a suitable one is subjective and this can be determined by an employer.

However, one in seven of the women surveyed had lost their job while on maternity leave and others said their jobs had changed by the time they returned, and were forced to accept a reduction in hours or even a demotion.

Others said they had been replaced in their jobs by the person who had covered their maternity leave or were simply being made redundant ahead of worse performing men.

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Pregnancy and maternity is protected under the Equality Act 2010 which prohibits discrimination in the work place. It is unlawful to dismiss or otherwise disadvantage an employee for a reason that is related to pregnancy or maternity leave. Under the Act maternity discrimination occurs where an employer treats an employee unfavorably because she is on compulsory maternity leave or because she is or has sought to exercise the right to ordinary or additional maternity leave.

Inspired by Froome?

Stay in his room with Foxhills Exclusive Velo Package

If, like us, you were glued to the 100th Tour de France you may have been inspired by the phenomenal performance of Chris Froome.

For two weeks during the London Games, Froome and his Olympic team mates enjoyed the tranquil setting of Foxhills when they used us as their base for the duration of the 2012 Olympics.

Since then, we have worked closely with Sir David Brailsford (Performance Director, British Cycling and General Manager, Team Sky) to gain a real understanding of what it takes to be a professional cyclist. With this knowledge we have built the perfect package for keen cyclists of all levels.

Our Specially Tailored Cycling Package Includes: One night’s luxury accommodation.

Why not ask to stay in Froome’s Room?

Unfavorable treatment can include a demotion, dismissal or the denial of training or promotion because an employee is pregnant or on maternity leave.

Before the recession, the Equal Opportunities Commission estimated that 30,000 women lost their jobs each year as a result of being pregnant, and it is understood that that figure has risen dramatically since. It isn’t clear whether the number of women claiming discrimination in the tribunal has also risen. One has to assume not. This might be because employers prefer to settle out of court to avoid adverse publicity or because women don’t generally bring claims. It is easy to discriminate innocently so employers should bear in mind what a mine field the legislation can be, as mistakes can be costly.

Pre-ride breakfast Cycling Goodie Bag Recommendations on up to 4 Cycling Routes ranging from 28 to 60 miles Full use of the Country Club Facilities including Watt Bikes on Gym Floor Bike Storage Options* Join indoor Cycling Classes and weekly guided Cycling Club Packed Lunch on Ride Days £135 per person per night Based on two nights

Non-Cyclists: £110 per person per night (Single Supplement £50) To book please call: 01932 704500 or email: reservations@foxhills.co.uk *

Bike racks available on site. Bike left at owner’s risk. Indoor storage solutions available. Please ask when booking. ** Offer and prices correct at time of publishing and are subject to change.

CoverFeature

Is digital important to your business growth?

In the age of Digital it is difficult for any business to ignore the importance of having digital skills at some level within their business. Whether it is for operational benefits to increase efficiency or for simply being found on Google or even connecting through the various social networks such as FaceBook, Twitter or LinkedIn to create conversations and build knowledge.

Amplifying a company’s brand through the Internet has proven to have a massive influence on business growth. In a report commissioned by Google they found that a business that uses the Internet effectively could grow at 4 times the speed of those that don’t. It is not long ago that the Internet could be ignored by SME’s, now it is becoming a critical part of all business strategies from the Micro Business through to the Multi-National Companies. In 2011 Penny Power authored Digital Business Britain, a manifesto calling for an increase in digital skills and a change in UK SME mindset towards digital. This manifesto has brought to the market a Not for Profit Company called Digital Business Britain that will research and create localised on the ground initiatives to help SME’s evolve their businesses towards the digital economy.

Surrey Chambers have partnered with this new Regional Program called Digital Business Surrey commissioned by Surrey Connects to assist our members with you Digital Skills. This program will seek to support SME’s in their discovery of Digital and also ask you to take part on a survey to create intelligence for Surrey to benchmark the level of digital use and readiness for more support with their digital strategy and skills.

If you are interested in digital as a part of your strategy for growth, please take 5 minutes to complete this survey, naming The Chamber of Commerce as your Business Network when asked. This will allow us to bespoke the results and publish them to you in the coming months. We will not share this information on an individual level, and all information will remain confidential and is driven to help you.

To find the survey please visit www.digitalbusinessbritain.com/survey

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CoverFeature Are you using LinkedIn effectively?

For many people that I speak to, social media, whether it is Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn is seen a timesuck. With running a business, getting new leads in, keeping your profile raised and networking (let alone managing cash flow!), how do you get the time? The good thing about social media is actually that it can help with all of the above issues (apart from the cash flow one!).

Here are a few pointers as to how you can use LinkedIn more effectively.

1. Use your network on LinkedIn - spend time finding new contacts and re-engaging with old ones that you may have lost contact with (you don’t have to leave your office and it’s a lot less calorific too!!).

2. Use LinkedIn to keep everyone updated - post regular personal and company status updates.

3. LinkedIn is a great resource – use it for researching new products and services, your competition and emerging issues that are facing your customers and partners.

4. Knowledge share - take part in Group discussions to demonstrate your expertise.

CIM Surrey has a Group on LinkedIn. Questions and recommendations for email marketing, CRM systems, photographers, designers, agencies, events and content marketing are all active discussions for those looking for marketing advice at all levels. Why not join us on LinkedIn? Come and spend some time in our online community – I guarantee it won’t be a timesuck, you will find something of interest and we’d love to hear from you.

As a group we have also decided to structure our content more effectively so that information can be found a little easier and quicker. We’re using prefixes in our post titles so that in searches, the information is clearer. You can search on the following headings – CIM, Event, Question, Recommend, Resource and General. We’d just ask that anyone else posting questions or info follows suit. It makes LinkedIn more productive for all of us.

Nicky Rudd Committee member - CIM Surrey Follow us onTwitter: @cim_se Join our LinkedIn group: CIM Surrey LinkedIn Group

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Is Social Media increasing the number of personal devices used in the workplace?

How will this impact your IT systems?

A recent survey by IT Research Company, The Aberdeen Group, found 72% of companies allow the practice of BYOD (Bring Your Own Device).

65% of organisations surveyed by Information Week expect BOYD adoption to increase.

What are the business benefits to BYOD? 61% of the Aberdeen Group’s surveyed respondents felt the main reason for allowing BYOD smartphones and tablets is due to employee demands for additional mobile functionality. These devices benefit a business by supporting business transactions, interfacing with the company network, collecting global positioning data, and cost savings made by not having to purchase additional devices.

What are the issues of BYOD? 1) More Complex Network/Infrastructure/ Data Loads With more devices in use, your company’s network can be forced to grow to deal with increased demands, to cope with multiple operating systems and IT headaches, and users require help with device configuring or network connections.

2) Security Frequent use may result in a higher risk of loss/theft of devices containing access to important business information and company data. Lack of security updates and use of devices in less secure environments (coffee shops) pose a threat to your business.

3) Policies If an employee’s personal device can impact your business and put data at risk, then regulating issues for your company’s protection is paramount!

Policies and procedures are a must to protect your business.

If BYOD is to work for your business and increase employee productivity, then issues that can affect the business and IT operations must be considered.

Encryption Minimal data should be kept on devices and any confidential data that is kept on mobile devices should be encrypted both at system and file level.

Remote Access Remote access via VPN controls access and avoids the need for data to reside on a portable device.

Other Security Options Other security options to secure your data include tagging, alarming equipment, multi-factor access authentication, remote data deletion technologies and secure online storage solutions.

Dunston IT can help you expand your network to determine and accommodate new business and technology requirements. Contact us to discuss your data security options on 01252 406420 or via email info@dunston.it

CoverFeature The benefits and dangers of Social Media

By Paul Nathanson, Director, PNPR

Warning: Social Media can seriously damage your health. Just look at footballer Ashley Cole and the irrepressible Speaker’s wife, Sally Bercow, both mouthing off on Twitter and paying the price.

The restaurant ran a special with a Loseley salsa verde made from the herbs, for two evenings and tweets went out for four days before and during the promotion with links to JI’s website and a story running on the local Guide2Surrey website. The tweets we scheduled through Hootsuite to run six times a day to hit Loseley’s 1,489 followers.

The Football Association forced an apology from Cole for foul-mouthed comments last year, and Bercow is facing substantial damages for libelling Lord McAlpine. Both tweeted out of turn and paid the price; both cases show how dangerous Twitter can be in the wrong hands.

But – and it’s a big BUT – used wisely, it can be a powerful weapon in your PR armoury and a key strand in your Social Media Strategy.

For example, recently we tweeted about a story on our client Loseley Park teaming up with Jamie Oliver’s Guildford restaurant, Jamie’s Italian, which we had help launch.

The subject: a joint promotion of fresh herbs in cooking. Loseley is believed to have the largest herb garden in the South of England, and Jamie loves herbs and fresh, local produce.

This resulted in 1,489 x 4 x 6 opportunities to see (otc’s) – 35,736, driving people to the Loseley and Jamie’s Italian, Guildford websites. We at PNPR re-tweeted at least once a day to our 775 followers, making the total 35,736 + 3,100 – nearly 39,000 otc’s.

In addition, we used Loseley, Jamie Oliver and PNPR Facebook pages to run the story as a press release with a lovely photo of the Head Chef from Jamie’s Italian with the Head Gardener at Loseley (attached).

That added 2,500 likes and conveyed key messages of fresh herbs, locally grown = delicious food!

In all, this Social Media campaign delivered effective, focussed and inexpensive PR, which hit key target groups with key messages.

PNPR are at www.pnprltd.com and Tel. (01483) 82 44 58.

Introducing George, Surrey Chambers social digital media apprentice I’m George the new Social Digital Media Apprentice here at Surrey Chambers! This is my sixth month here at the Chamber and I am learning and enjoying every minute of it!

Since starting here I have seen how powerful Social Media/Networking sites really are. Where can’t you get onto Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn?

appropriately can add huge value to your company. Use social networking sites to meet new leads, and eventually turning your followers into customers!

Nowadays there aren’t many places where you cannot access these networking sites; making them very influential and instant marketing tools for your business.

If you ever have any questions regarding your Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn accounts please just email me, I will be more than happy to help in the best way I can.

Using these platforms effectively and

E: george.mikhaeil@surrey-chambers.co.uk

Social and Digital with Guildford College On a daily basis, social and digital marketing platforms are evolving and developing.

Already 17% of companies surveyed by the Chartered Institute of Marketing in the UK report that their online marketing spend has overtaken offline spend.

Remarkably, this figure is expected to rise by almost 50% within five years.

Research from the Institute also shows that whilst most forms of advertising are delivering lower returns on investment, digital marketing bucks this trend and indeed delivers significantly better ROI than other types of media.

Is your business making the most of online marketing opportunities? Do you currently employ anyone to make sure your profile is riding high on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and other sites?

Guildford College has recently introduced a Social Digital Apprenticeship in association with the Digital Youth Academy. The idea is that companies will develop their digital marketing strategy and apprentices will share their digital and social media skills leading to an increased business brand and recognition online.

The Social Digital Apprenticeship takes a minimum of 12 months to complete and is based in the workplace, with Apprentices attending college for approximately 12 days of the year.

Coursework is completed via e-learning and e-portfolio, and an assigned assessor will maintain regular contact through site visits.

With Apprenticeships remaining high on the Government’s education agenda and the continuous rise of social and digital marketing, it’s worth considering the benefits this could bring to your business. Plus, if you employ more than 1,000 employees and recruit a 16 to 24 year old, you could get a grant worth £1,500 in addition to the training costs of the Apprenticeship framework, which are met in full for young people aged 16 to 18 and 50% for those aged 19 to 24.

More information is available from Guildford College’s Services to Business Team Tel: 014863 448530 or email: employerenquiries@guildford.ac.uk

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BigInterview

Driving Sales through Social Media

by James Kelliher, Managing Director, Whiteoaks

When any new trend or business practice emerges, a wave of ‘experts’ inevitably emerges with it. These experts invariably exaggerate the difficulty of understanding and capitalising on opportunities presented by something that, admittedly, feels initially complex and daunting to traditional practitioners. They typically start consulting down in the detail, explaining the ‘bits and bytes’ without grasping the real purpose and value of the proposition or effectively explaining to their audience why they should invest in this new business model.

Often the result is a customer left bewildered and uncertain why they are adopting what is being proposed, but prepared to do so in order to state to other stakeholders within the business that “we have a social media strategy.”

So, I’m going to cut through that confusion and state that the reason any organisation invests in any type of marketing communications activity should be to generate sales. It might seem an obvious conclusion but it is one frequently lost in the excitement and enthusiasm of ‘going digital’. And the good news is the effective understanding and use of social media channels represents one of the (if not the) most effective and measurable revenue generation mechanisms ever known to businesses.

Unlike other forms of marketing communications, where establishing a tangible link with sales is often difficult and sometimes actively discouraged, with digital communications, and engagement over social media, in particular, it is possible to not only establish this link, but to make sales the objective of any campaign.

aimed at encouraging target audiences to take actions that engage and qualify them as sales leads.

Arguably, the most critical element of this process though is the creation of compelling content, which can be distributed to, and shared with, target audiences via social media, encouraging prospects and influencers to visit the business’s website to download further information. Organisations then have the opportunity to capture key prospect and visitor details prior to download which can then be passed to sales teams for followup. This approach enables an organisation to understand who a prospect is but also which content, themes and topics resonate with them, providing the sales team with vital intelligence on each prospect captured prior to engagement.

This can best be achieved by an integrated, data-driven approach led by highly-skilled digital experts focused on identifying and targeting potential customers.

Once prospects have been engaged and qualified, via information they provide during these various social media processes, intelligence is passed to the organisation’s sales function to contact and convert prospects into revenue generating opportunities. The success of this lead generation process can be measured through techniques like full tagging and tracking, on-page analysis, pathway analytics plus the vital element of competitor audits.

New business models are required that exploit the information and channels available online to reach out to influencers.

More specifically, digital specialists can employ a combination of social media channel exploitation; monitoring; datamining; and participation in conversations

This new approach to driving sales makes engagement over social media a real game changer for our industry. Think about it for a moment - if an organisation knows its average deal size (let’s say £250,000) and it knows its average prospect to conversion rate (let’s say one in five qualified leads

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convert) we know, on average, five qualified leads will deliver £250,000 of revenue, ten will deliver £500,000 of revenue, 20 will deliver £1M, 40 £2M and so on…

Importantly, with a sales-focused approach to digital communications, the start point of any conversation around social media will not be around process (i.e. features and facets), but will instead concentrate on the likely outcomes (i.e. revenue) that will be achieved from a project or a programme or on an ongoing basis. Also, using rationales such as the one illustrated above, focuses minds on the true return on investment that can be achieved via social media.

Whiteoaks is now delivering such campaigns that use social media channels to engage with influencers; identify, target and generate leads; and ultimately drive sales.

For one of our clients, leading IT solutions provider, Bull Information Systems, an online awareness and social media campaign has driven up Twitter followers by 703%, beating the target set by the client by 136% over the first 12 month period.

For another, a major telecoms operator targeting the large enterprise market, a recent social media lead generation campaign achieved a 245% increase in high-quality Twitter followers, which included key prospects, major customers and influencers, while social media traffic volumes to the client’s website increased to 150% of the target figure. Importantly, the campaign generated brand and solutions awareness, enhanced customer/prospect engagement and generated inbound, pre-qualified sales

BigInterview leads from key global target accounts.

Regardless of economic conditions, businesses must ensure they focus on the identification and conversion of high-quality leads, because this ultimately means good and sustained revenue. Today, B2Bfocused organisations are getting the message that social media engagement is key to the success of this process.

According to a 2012 report from BtoB, 32% of B2B marketers are ‘very’ or ‘fully’ engaged in marketing through social channels, compared with 21% surveyed by BtoB in 2011. For 2013, the study projected that 53% will be intensely engaged in social media marketing, with 97% of all marketers involved with social media to some degree. A 2012 report from analyst, The Aberdeen Group found that 84% of B2B companies surveyed were using social marketing in some form.

So the evidence is growing that B2B organisations are increasingly intent on practicing social media - but to optimise the benefits they need to cut through the myth and start realising the true value and potential of social media for businesses: sales.

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BusinessNews Putting customers first “2013, or unlucky 13 has meant that we have been lighter on confirmed weddings than earlier years – it turns out that love doesn’t transcend all – especially those who are superstitious! To keep our business moving forward we have looked at how we can differentiate our service from competitors”, says owner of Sugartown Paul Holgate.

With mobile communications we can answer calls and emails on the move and spend more time responding to clients needs proactively. We run active Facebook and social media sites where our clients can interact, give feedback and communicate with us and each other 24hours a day.

“This investment in time really pays dividends as you can learn so much more about a client the longer you spend with them. Business won’t be easy in this climate but we believe we can make it a bit easier simply by attending to our customer service.” www.sugartown.co.uk E: info@sugartown.co.uk

Executive coaching delivers greatest impact The economic climate continues to be uncertain.

Costs have to be driven down and yet this has to be balanced with the need to invest in leadership; leadership to provide direction, guide decision-making and manage change. Without this leadership, businesses have little chance of sustainability let alone growth, so what is the most effective way to develop these much-needed skills? According to a recently published survey*, coaching remains, very clearly, as the no.1 most effective leadership & talent development activity.

Why is coaching so effective? We believe at its best, coaching allows you to have space - space to think at your best, space to focus on what is important for you, your teams & your businesses, space to share fears & aspirations, space to be challenged and space to set courageous goals. Our clients tells us they feel different, more focused, more energised & more positive –

they often understand themselves better and are able to be at their best more consistently – they all talk about achieving greater success.

We see the impact of coaching on a daily basis however recognise it often takes a leap of faith for a senior management team to underwrite the cost of a coaching programme, particularly if they have no previous personal experience of coaching.

This is why we believe it is important to demonstrate the return on investment and incorporate this into our coaching process.

To find out more about the Intuito coaching programme and how we can help you achieve greater success, visit www.intuitocoaching.com or contact Belinda Kiely personally on 07956 349793 or by email to belinda@intutiocoaching.com.

Source: Chartered Institute of Personnel & Development – Learning & Development Survey 2013

Clandon Wood Natural Burial Reserve Surrey’s newest and largest Natural Burial ground is now open.

Clandon Wood Surrey Hills Natural Burial Reserve, is located at the foot of the Surrey Hills between East and North Clandon on the outskirts of Guildford. Thirty - one acres of wildflower meadow with newly planted native trees and a wetland site is managed as a wildlife reserve using traditional farming practices. In autumn the meadow is cut using Suffolk Punch rare breed horses and sheep graze the meadows in the spring.

Funeral and memorial services are held in the beautiful glass walled pavilion with peaceful views over the countryside.

Simple biodegradable coffins made from pine, willow, wood or cardboard are carried

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on foot or by horse and cart to a chosen plot. Funerals here are relaxed and unhurried with no set rules or time constraints.

You can choose where on the site you would like to be and a clay tablet or leaf sculpture can hang from a nearby tree to mark the grave. There are no headstones, as the site is kept as natural as possible.

The site is open to all denominations and can also accommodate ashes for internment in an eco friendly urn.

If you would like to find out more about Natural Burial at Clandon Wood, please take a look at our website and watch our

video at www.clandonwood.com or call the office at 01483 479614, we are open 7 days a week. You can also email us at info@clandonwood.com, follow us on twitter @ClandonWood and find us on facebook at ClandonWoodSurreyHillsNaturalBurial.

Natural Burial, the way it should be.

BusinessNews

5 tips for delivering memorable customer service With so much competition one sure way to differentiate your business is through the experience you give your customers. Happy customers will spend more, come back more often and far more likely to refer your businesses to others.

But it’s no longer enough just to deliver good customer service; it needs to be something outstanding that will wow your customers if you want them to return.

Here are my five tips to get you started.

1. Define what you’re looking for Everyone in your team needs to know exactly what defines outstanding service for your customers and for your business. Start by defining your values; what are the nonnegotiables and what defines your culture.

Tell your team what you’re aiming to achieve, for example making people feel welcome, relaxed and at ease, rather than dictating how to do it and precisely what to say.

2. Team development and communication Product knowledge is a must, not only to build your own team’s confidence, but also to build trust with your customers. What you offer might change frequently. Keep your team up to date - not just for their own departments, but what’s happening and available in other parts of the business.

3. Recognition and reward Give your team incentives to go the extra mile. Reward staff who put in that extra effort and give exceptional customer service.

Listen to your customers and acknowledge their feedback. This helps your team to understand what your customers

appreciate and value, and helps identify where you may be falling short.

4. Involvement and ownership Encourage your team to come forward with their own ideas and make every effort to take their ideas on board. This gives the team a sense of ownership and pride which will have a positive effect on your customers’ experience.

Trailwalker 100km Charity Challenge Barnaby Milbourn of C.A.L.M. Legal is continuing to train for the Trailwalker challenge, with only two months to go the team are stepping up their training regime. As the walk is a 24 hour endurance walk this often means training through the night, as can be seen, this requires wrapping up warm for our cold summer nights.

Encourage everyone in your team to take the complete customer journey so they see everything that your customer sees from start to finish, not just in their own departments.

5. Empower Encourage staff to think ahead and anticipate customers’ needs, rather than waiting to be asked. Demonstrate your trust in the team by giving them responsibility and authority to respond to customers’ expectations and requests in the way that they see fit.

Capitalise on strengths. Develop champions for areas of responsibility that need a specialist knowledge or particular attention.

Encourage your team to make customer service a priority. Create a culture of continuous improvement by encouraging them to ask for customer feedback.

Caroline Cooper, Naturally Loyal

The team have currently raised over £1000 for charity but have set themselves a target of £5000. They are currently looking for some corporate sponsors interested in promoting themselves locally.

With over 2000 participants, over 550 vehicles containing the extra 1000 support crew, 1000’s more spectators and news coverage a £500 donation would buy a serious amount of advertising for your company.

The team and the support crew will be wearing the sponsors logo printed on their T-shirts to ensure maximum coverage.

Please call Barnaby Milbourn for more information on 07764 691 045. Or to donate to Oxfam and The Gurkha Welfare Trust go to http://www.justgiving.com/ JustGoneOutForMilk. Your generosity is appreciated.

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CorporateFinance

Debt Recovery Defending debt claims When reviewing your debts and deciding how to proceed it is sensible to give some thought to whether or not the debtor has legitimate grounds to defend your claim before pursuing them for the debt. Therefore, this month I have set out some arguments that I have seen raised for defending the claim and the legal position on whether or not such arguments will be successful?

The work that was carried out was substandard. I expected a good finish but the job appears to be sloppy at best.

As a result I am not prepared to pay the invoice.

The question of whether the work has been carried out to an acceptable standard will depend on a number of factors including the price paid, whether a sample was provided and what the intended purpose of the work is. However, all contracts where you are selling to consumers will have a term implied into the contract that the work will be of reasonable quality.

If you are convinced that the work was carried out to the reasonable standard then you may choose to press ahead in recovery of the debt. However, if you issue proceedings and the debtor defends the case you may end up requiring an expert opinion to assist the court with whether the work was sufficient. This will inevitably add expense. Therefore, you may be better in the first instance speaking to the debtor about their concerns to see if there is anything you can do to satisfy them so that they make payment willingly.

I accept that this invoice is due but there is a problem with the other contract you are doing for me and I am not going to pay this invoice until the problem is resolved.

You will need to consider whether your terms and conditions provide them with a right to set off losses against other money due to be paid. If it does and the debtor has suffered losses for the problematic contract then they may be able to argue that the losses should be offset against the contract which is due. If no right of set off

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is provided then they do not have a legal basis to withhold the payment for the invoice on the contract which is agreed.

However, you may want to make an assessment as to how long it will take to resolve the problematic contract. It is something that can be fixed quickly you may take the view that actually it will better to resolve the complaint. However, if you dispute that there is a problem with the other contract then there is merit is pushing ahead with the debt recovery as it is unlikely that they will be able to defend that the accepted invoice is due on the basis of the problem with the other contract.

The contract was not entered by me.

Your agreement was with my company which is now insolvent and has no assets. Therefore, I am not liable to pay the debt.

You will need to check who it was that you actually entered the contract with. If it is the insolvent company then you will generally have no right of action against the directors personally. This is because the company and the director are separate legal entities.

However, if you have a directors guarantee you will be able to pursue them personally under the guarantee agreement.

If there is no directors guarantee you will only be able to pursue the directors personally for the debt in very limited circumstances such as when you can show that the directors have been guilty of wrongful trading.

If you have any questions you wish to pose or want further information on Herrington & Carmichael’s debt recovery service which starts from just £20 plus VAT, please contact Jill Robinson on 01276 686222 or drteam@herrington-carmichael.com.

Withholding tax on intragroup loans Does your UK company receive loan funding from a connected overseas company? If so, it may be required to deduct basic rate income tax (20%) from any interest payable on the loan.

The tax should be paid over to HMRC and reported on form CT61 on a quarterly basis. The lender may be able to apply to HMRC for a refund of the tax to ensure that it receives full value for the interest charged.

In many cases it should be possible to reduce the administrative burden and cash flow disadvantage of this process by making a treaty clearance application, based on the double tax treaty between the UK and the jurisdiction of the lender. The application process, if approved by the overseas tax authority and HMRC, will allow the interest to be paid gross.

For UK companies with a connected lender incorporated in an EU country it may be possible to use the EU Interest & Royalties Directive to achieve a similar result. For non-EU countries where no treaty exists between the UK and that country the requirement to deduct income tax at source is likely to remain.

If you think you should be deducting income tax from interest paid overseas or that your connected party lender may be able to apply under a clearance procedure to pay interest gross, please contact Steve Hoare or your usual Menzies relationship partner for further details on how to ensure your UK company remains compliant with this obligation.

CorporateFinance

Salary or Dividends?

The choice for shareholders If you are a shareholder, you may have the option to remunerate yourself by way of dividends rather than by taking a significant salary - this can give rise to substantial savings for you individually, as well as for your company.

Dividends can usually only be paid from the accrued profits of a company, but can be paid to individuals who are not employees (though they must be shareholders). Unlike salaries, dividends attract no National Insurance payments.

Dividends - The myth The use of a dividend remuneration policy is a long-standing and popular tax planning tool. However, it is often one that advisers do not recommend on the basis that they consider that HMRC “will not like it” or “will expect to see a certain level of salary”.

The reality is that the payment of dividends in this way is a perfectly acceptable strategy within the realms of the tax legislation and has been for a significant number of years.

Case study It is a common and non-contentious tax planning measure which can only be challenged if the operation of dividends is not compliant with company law.

Therefore as long as the strategy is carefully devised and the correct procedures implemented, it is as acceptable (and as easy) as paying a salary. You should always consult your professional adviser to ensure that this is a sensible option for you and your business.

Taylorcocks recently undertook a review of a company making annual profits of around £50,000 and paying its two director/shareholders gross salaries of around £130,000 each, this review identified savings of over £60,000 by reducing the director/shareholder salaries in favour of a dividend policy. These were annual savings which could have been available for a number of years prior to our involvement.

Taylorcocks enquiries@taylorcocks.co.uk

Smith & Williamson named as top 25 accountancy firm by Private Client Practitioner Smith & Williamson has been named as a top 25 accountancy firm in the prestigious Private Client Practitioner’s Top 25 Accountancy Firms 2013. The rankings are now in their fourth year, and Smith & Williamson has made the top 25 every year since the accolades’ inception.

The rankings aim to identify, recognise and promote the top 25 private client accountancy firms in the UK out of a surveyed 100 UK firms. The results are based on areas such as number of partners, number of fee earners, total number of staff and fee income.

& Williamson in Guildford.

“We are very proud to be included in this ranking, which recognises our work across

Tamsyn McLennan (T: 020 7131 4264)

the private client sector for a broad set of private clients from entrepreneurs and professionals to the landed estates and rural communities,” said Graham Healy, head of private client tax services at Smith

For PR queries, please contact

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CorporateFinance

Take advantage of Government finance incentives to kick start your tech business London and the South East are leading the UK tech revolution according to a recently published league table of Britain’s top 100 fastest-growing hi-tech companies.

Chris Cairns, Partner at Alliotts accountants, based Guildford, Surrey specialises in giving financial advice to the growing number of tech companies in the South East looking for help them reach the next level.

• Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme (SEIS): (April 2012) SEIS is the most generous early-stage tax break in the world, providing 50% tax relief for the first £100,000 seed investment.

“It is fantastic news that 70% of the companies on the tech league table are based in London and the South East. The good news is that there are a number of Government financial initiatives on offer to the tech market including:

• Corporation Tax in the UK is already one of the lowest in the G7. Currently 24%, it will be reduced to 21% by 2014, making it the lowest in the G7.

• Changes to IPO regulations (September 2012) a possible fast-track for companies to public listing, enabling high-growth tech companies to list in the UK • Patent Box Scheme: (April 2013) lowers Corporation Tax on the earnings from a company’s own innovations, a key source of income for many start-up tech companies

“It is really important to get good financial advice to help grow your company and you will find that the rewards are worth-while.”

• R&D Tax Credits: in April 2012, the rate of R&D tax credit for companies with fewer than 500 employees increased to 225%. Companies carrying out research or development work in technology are entitled to tax credits.

• Tax relief for the creative sector: corporation tax relief for the animation, high-end television and video games industries is being introduced in April 2013.

Financial Services Regulation: A new era 1st April 2013 saw the introduction of the new financial services regulatory regime under which the Financial Services Authority has been replaced by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA).

Under the new structure deposit takers (including banks), insurers and the UK’s biggest financial firms that may present significant risks to financial stability are now regulated by both the FCA (for conduct matters) and the PRA (for prudential matters).

The conduct and prudential regulation of all other firms (the vast majority) will be overseen by the FCA.

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FCA The FCA’s strategic objective is to ensure relevant markets work well. This is broken down into three operational objectives: • A degree of protection for consumers (widely drafted); • Protecting and enhancing the integrity of the financial system; and • Promoting competition The FCA have new powers to achieve its objectives, these include: • Product intervention - including powers to ban products for up to 12 months without consultation and / or ordering that certain features be included or excluded; • Making decisions in relation to financial promotions (ordering amendment / withdrawal); and • Giving directions to UK based parent undertakings (A

The PRA’s objective is to promote the safety and soundness of dual-regulated firms specifically for insurers in securing of an appropriate degree of protection for policyholders.

Looking forward: We expect to see more regulatory activity over the coming months as the FCA uses its new powers. These will allow investigation and influencing of financial products in the early stages of development, in an attempt to prevent potentially damaging financial products getting to market, in its quest to ensure an appropriate degree of protection for consumers and to protect and enhance the integrity of the UK financial system.

Contact Mark Chapman for details: E: mark.chapman@herringtoncarmichael.com Tel: 01276 854928.

LegalBusiness

Bring Your Own to Work Hart Brown warns of the risks surrounding privately owned devices at work.

There has been a noticeable increase in the popularity of people using electronic devices such as smart phones, laptops and tablet computers. Consequently, employees are bringing their privately owned devices to work and using them for work. A recent survey by the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has revealed that 47 per cent of all UK adults now use their personal devices for work purposes, but fewer than three in 10 users had received guidance on how to use them for work by their employer, to ensure that they complied with the Data Protection Act. As a result of this change in the workplace the information commissioner has published guidance for employers to help them reduce the risk of breaching the provisions of the Data Protection Act. The guidance by the information commissioner recommends a “Bring Your Own Device Policy” and suggests that the policy should cover the following points: • Who will be responsible for monitoring the policy?

• What type of personal data can be processed on the personal device and if it is stored on the device how can this be safely deleted when not in use • Strong passwords to secure devices • Automatic locks on devices to prevent unauthorised access of information, ensure the user knows when to delete information and maintaining a separation between personal data and data used for the purposes of work • Which documents are allowed to be accessed through a personal device?

• How controls can be put in place if the device is lost or stolen • Who pays for the cost of maintaining the device if it is being used for work purposes?

• What happens on termination of employment?

If businesses are unable to provide their employees with their own electronic devices then they should consider implementing a Bring Your Own Device Policy.

Upcoming Changes to Employment Law The Employment Tribunal system is changing. From 29 July 2013, fees will be introduced to the Employment Tribunal and Employment Appeal Tribunal.

There will be an initial issue fee when submitting a claim, followed by a further fee if the claim proceeds to a hearing.

There are to be two levels of fees depending on the type of claim, which means that claimants will have to pay higher fees for claims such as discrimination, whistleblowing and unfair dismissal. The Employment Tribunals are also trying to encourage early settlement of claims, and parties will be expected to attempt to come to an agreement before tribunal claims are issued. It is expected that from April 2014, all claimants will need to notify ACAS before they issue a tribunal claim. In addition to these changes to the Employment Tribunal system, you should also be aware of the following changes to employment law: In October 2013, the national minimum wage will increase to £6.31 for those aged 21 and over, £5.03 for those aged between 18 and 20 and £3.72 for those aged 17

years and under. The national minimum wage for apprentices will increase to £2.68.

The Government has proposed to extend the right to request flexible working to all employees in Spring 2014. It is also expected that the current statutory procedure for considering flexible working requests will be removed.

The Government has announced that a new system of parental leave will be introduced in 2015. Since April 2011, fathers have been able to take up to 26 weeks’ paternity leave. However, under the new scheme parents will be able to decide how to share maternity and paternity leave.

As long as the mother takes the first two weeks after the birth off work, it is expected that the father could take as much as 50 weeks’ paternity leave.

Just Employment Solicitors and Advocates www.justemployment.co.uk

Morrisons Solicitors LLP announce their merger with Cozens Moxon & Harts Solicitors Morrisons Solicitors are delighted to announce that on 28 May 2013 Cozens Moxon & Harts Solicitors merged with Morrisons.

Morrisons is one of Surrey’s leading law firms with 13 partners and over 125 staff.

The firm has served it’s clients, their families and their businesses since 1729 and has developed strong links with it’s local communities.

We are very pleased that the merger will enable the combined firms to offer a wider range of legal services to clients.

Graham Whitworth, Partner at Cozens Moxon & Harts, comments: “Morrisons is a modern organisation which has greater strength in depth, expertise and additional resources to offer our clients. Becoming part of Morrisons will enable us to offer a wider range of legal services to our clients including specialist advice on litigation, employment, company and commercial matters.”

Paul Harvey, Managing Partner at Morrisons, explains: “Having spent significant time with Graham and his colleagues, we are confident that we share the same values and focus on delivering outstanding client service. In recent years we have built a team of talented lawyers and have fully embraced technology to ensure that we have the resources to provide an outstanding service to all our clients.”

Upon merger, the Partners and staff of Cozens Moxon & Harts will move into Morrisons’ new offices at 8 Waldegrave Road, Teddington. They are also able to offer appointments to clients at any of Morrisons five offices.

If you have any queries, please contact Paul Harvey on 020 8943 1441 or email info@morrlaw.com

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CreativeMedia&IT Why we work with Magento (from a marketing perspective)

JRT Ecommerce is a talent pool of creative design, agile development and digital marketing specialists providing tailor-made web and ecommerce based solutions. Our team of specialists have worked with some of the biggest names in their field such as JP Morgan, Lookfantastic.com, Nokia & GHD. We always recommend a platform that will provide flexibility and deliver the best solution to fulfil our client’s needs. We have found Magento Commerce is the best platform to deliver results for our clients.

Technical advantages of using Magento include: • Scalability: as your business expands so can the functionality of your ecommerce with the Enterprise version of Magento which has a wealth of additional features and benefits • International support: Magento has built in support for multiple languages and currencies, allowing you to sell internationally.

• Continued investment and development: eBay has acquired Magento and has invested heavily in developing the software further in order to produce the next generation of ecommerce systems.

• Security: Magento is a secure and reliable ecommerce system that gives confidence to your customers.

• Acquisition. using multiple tools such as SEO, pay per click, affiliate marketing, social media, partnerships and shopping comparison to drive traffic to the site.

• Conversion. Creating a sales funnel by converting more ‘window shoppers’ into buyers, via promotional activity, personalisation, checkout best practice and enhanced content. This content will allow the customer to more readily progress from browser to buyer.

• Retention. Providing loyalty schemes targeted and segmented email campaigns, visible related and cross sell products to provide greater choice, and convert customers into brand advocates. We recommend the Sweet Tooth Loyalty programme that works seamlessly with Magento • Analytics & Reporting.

Critical for measuring ROI – what gets measured, gets done. This includes site performance management, Polls, integration with analytics package and benchmarking. Google analytics can easily be integrated into Magento.

When developing digital marketing strategies for our clients JRT Ecommerce focus on 5 central pillars that are proven to increase a business digital marketing return on investment.

We have found this strategy combined with the Magento Commerce platform provides a senior marketer and their team with all of the tools they need to manage their digital channel.

• Proposition. Developing the site usability, content management and design to create a simple and easy user experience that will result in increased sales.

For more information on how we can help you with a Magento development or help you with an existing site please contact Jason Russell on Jason@jrtecommerce.com

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How Shania Twain and McFly can help you with copywriting When it comes to writing copy for websites and marketing materials, many business owners will talk about their company – you know the sort of thing: ‘we’re the market leaders in our area; we have a list of blue-chip clients” – there’ll be a lot of “weing” going on!

Potential clients and customers, however, generally aren’t really interested in any of that, or as Shania might say, “That don’t impress me much!”. Instead, they’re asking “What’s in it for me?” so rather than talking about yourself and your business, talk about your target audience and how your product or service can solve their problem.

Remember that although you know you have a great business, you have the advantage of understanding exactly what you’re offering, whereas your prospects know little or nothing about it. Put yourself in your ideal client’s shoes and think about your

own product or service as if you’ve never come across it before, then instead of listing features, focus on the benefits and better still, the results that they could bring your prospect.

A useful exercise is to go through your copy and compare the number of times the words ‘we’, ‘our’ or ‘us’ occur, compared with ‘you’ or ‘your’. If you have more of the former than the latter, consider rewriting your copy until ‘you’ outnumbers ‘we’ by about 4 to 1. This will result in much more engaging copy.

So how does McFly help?

Well, to quote from their 2005 hit, “It’s all about you, it’s all about you, baby.”

PS For your FREE copy of our e-book “Good Design is Good Business”, visit http://www.fdk.co.uk/blogposts/good-design-is-goodbusiness Marian de Kretser, Partner Foster de Kretser Design Consultants marian@fdk.co.uk 01483 243565

Creative industries’ tax reliefs Does your company produce high-end television programmes, animation productions or video games? If so, new tax reliefs are in the process of being introduced that may entitle your company to additional tax deductions or a payable tax credit.

Productions are required to be ‘culturally British’ by the Department of Culture, Media & Sport in order to qualify for the relief. The enhanced deduction can be up to a maximum of 80% of core UK expenditure. If a loss is created by the enhanced deduction a payable tax credit of 25% of the loss can be repaid to the company.

If you undertake any of this type of work, please contact Steve Hoare or your usual Menzies relationship partner for further details as to whether the relief may apply to your circumstances.

BusinessNews Does your company use Microsoft Small Business Server?

Microsoft Small Business Server has always proved popular with our customers and has been a viable option generally throughout the SME market.

It started with Small Business Server 4.0 in October 1997 and goes through to Small Business Server 2011. It is advantageous due to it having a bundle of a Windows Server and Microsoft Exchange at a reasonable cost.

Microsoft announced last year that it will not be bringing out any newer versions of its Small Business Server which means that SBS 2011 will be the last one and its bundle of Microsoft Exchange 2010 and Microsoft Windows Servers 2008 R2 will not be upgradeable.

The decision to stop producing later versions means that companies wanting an office based Microsoft server solution for less than 75 users will now need to purchase a Windows Server that doesn’t include Exchange. Hence, Exchange will now need to be purchased separately.

Whilst Microsoft offers an email solution in the Cloud (Office 365) this isn’t an appropriate solution for all and many businesses will need to invest in the additional Exchange Server. Office 365 suits some companies but relies on fast connectivity and does not allow for access and security restrictions that an office based solution can provide.

If you want to find out more about your options contact Dunston IT on 01252 406420 or email info@dunston.it

TECHNOLOGY TIP EXCITING TIMES Tony Richards Managing Director, Computer Strategies

Are you excited about what your IT systems are providing?

Or do they seem a burden on the company with ever increasing costs?

The market for IT products and services has never been so buoyant. Good usable systems are available at very cost effective prices. Our recommendation is that you do not have to be stuck in old technology and old ways of doing things.

High quality Cloud based applications are being developed with rapid development tools in a fraction of the time and cost of traditional systems.

The way people operate is changing. No longer do people come into the office and work from 9 to 5 and turn their PC off as they go. Individuals have mobile phones and tablet devices that have always-on access to email and files.

Being able to work any time, any place on any device is truly with us.

What next? The following is a quote from Wikipedia – Bring your own device (BYOD) (also called bring your own technology (BYOT), bring your own phone (BYOP), and bring your own PC (BYOPC)) means the policy of permitting employees to bring personally owned mobile devices (laptops, tablets, and smart phones) to their workplace, and use those devices to access privileged company information and applications.

Do you see this approach being something your company would like to benefit from?

If you would like any help reviewing the issues above please contact us.

Tel: 01483 238260. Or visit www.computerstrategies.co.uk

DMH Stallard and Riverview Law Sign Strategic Alliance DMH Stallard, the innovative South East commercial law firm, and Riverview Law, the fixed-priced legal services business, have signed a strategic alliance designed to satisfy the changing legal needs of business customers.

The focus of this alliance will cover a variety of areas including dispute resolution, M&A and property. Prior to entering into this alliance DMH Stallard and Riverview Law carried out a number of market tests where they successfully combined their resources to win new business.

The alliance will enable DMH Stallard to offer an extended range of services to its customers as well as benefitting from additional work from new customers. It also extends the Riverview Law service offerings by supplementing expertise in areas where customers are seeking support. In the coming months a number of new fixed-fee services and products will be launched to the commercial market which combine the expertise of both businesses.

Tim Aspinall, Managing Partner of DMH Stallard, says: “Having watched Riverview Law’s rapid progress, we approached them when it became clear they were seeking a like-minded law firm ally to help them to deliver against customer demand in some complex and specialist areas. We can support Riverview Law as it grows just as Riverview Law can help us grow faster. This relationship is good news for customers and everyone at DMH Stallard, which is why it was unanimously supported by our partners.”

Karl Chapman, Chief Executive of Riverview Law, says: “From the very first meeting it became clear that DMH Stallard has, over many years, been moving in the same direction we are taking Riverview Law. After we had met all the DMH Stallard partners, it was also clear that there is a strong cultural fit. We have both reached the same conclusions, albeit from different starting points, about how legal services should be delivered to benefit customers. Signing this alliance reflects the huge potential we see in the legal market, particularly for our Legal Advisory Outsourcing solutions. This move enables us to provide businesses with a seamless end-to-end solution.”

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InternationalTrade International Insight with Chris Blenkiron Having reached the halfway mark of 2013 in this edition of The Chamber we will explore the massive market of Asia.

The EU are accelerating their efforts to negotiate Free Trade Agreements in Asia including South Korea, Japan, India, Singapore, Malaysia and Vietnam, therefore this month we have chosen to focus on Thailand. The UK is the largest market for Thai exports in the EU and there are constant efforts to try and grow links between the two. Last November Thailand’s Prime Minister, 50 leading business executives and over 60 other delegates came over to the UK as part of a trade mission in which they met David Cameron and The Queen to help promote more trade opportunities.

I would also like to highlight the fantastic exclusive chamber member offer from DHL. Surrey Chambers members are entitled to a minimum of 50% off shipments during their first year of trading with DHL Express.

For more information and how to benefit from this big saving please contact me on Tel: 01483 735549 or alternatively E: chris.blenkiron@surrey-chambers.co.uk Chris

A Decade of AWL This year sees Advantage Worldwide (UK) Ltd’s 10th Anniversary. Over the past ten years we have seen continual growth and improvement, and it doesn’t look like stopping. In the space of a decade the company has grown into a nationwide organisation. This expansion has grown our workforce, making the company more diverse and increasing the skills base of every member.

Medinah club in Chicago. Staff are always on hand to do their best to deal with the customers needs.

2013 has also seen us take on a major 3PL operation in London. It is now running two collections a day handling orders from across mainland Europe as well as the UK. This was a great step for us as a company as we had already been handling a lot of the company’s goods when the opportunity to take on the 3PL arose.

Advantage Worldwide started out with an empty warehouse and empty order book, however it didn’t take long for that warehouse to begin to fill. We have been able to increase our range of specialties and freight forwarding services, and in turn, build a reliable book of overseas partners, who help to ensure that whatever the shipment, we have the right people, in the right places, to ensure that the job gets done to the highest of standards.

It is through our network of partners, and other means, that we have been given some of our most interesting jobs for some well known brands, as well as some major international events; for example, sending Aston Martin cars over to Asia, Importing flower exhibits from South Africa to the Chelsea flower show, being the sole freight forwarder for Scottish sourced perishable goods for the 2012 Ryder cup at the

30 theChamber

All of this has helped to make Advantage Worldwide into the company it is today, and by continually offering a great service at a great price, we are confident that our growth hasn’t stopped here.

Find us; @advworldwide or search for ‘Advantage Worldwide’ on Facebook and LinkedIn to get in contact.

Country Fact File:

Thailand

Population: 68.1 million Capital City: Bangkok GDP: $377 billion Value of Imports: $217.3 billion Value of Exports: $226.2 billion Main Imports: Capital goods, intermediate goods, raw materials, consumer goods and fuels Main Exports: Food including rice, seafood and live animals, office equipment, textiles and clothing and rubber Exports to the UK: £872,778,300 Imports from the UK: £670,333,461 Strengths of the market: Hub of South East Asia Gateway to Indo-China and Southern China Improved and modernised transportation facilities Well development infrastructure and upgraded IT and communication systems State of the art industrial estates Rank 19/183 nations by the world bank’s ease of doing business survey in 2011 Good transport hub Low cost skilled workers and labour Government efforts to make a foreign investor friendly market for example simplified import regulations Experienced international legal advisors and business consultants Opportunities: Advanced engineering Agriculture Education and training Environment Food and drink Railways Power Automotive and automotive parts Health care, medical devices Pharmaceuticals Renewable energy Tourism Sports and leisure equipment

BusinessNews Woking’s International Connections Local firm Mackrell Turner Garrett in Woking has long been the centre of international connections. The firm is one of the founding members of Mackrell International one of the oldest independent legal associations in the world.

The 26th Annual General Meeting was held in Tokyo on the 15th to the 19th May 2013. Win Cummins and Philip Parrott both partners with Mackrell Turner Garrett attended.

Win Cummins gave a presentation on the Mackrell International Practice Groups and how they help the association’s clients with cross border issues relating to international trade, and contract matters, and regulatory matters.

Win highlighted the importance of understanding international trade and contract restrictions and requirements when doing business in an international forum.

Win says “The great thing about the Mackrell International Association is that it offers local knowledge at an early stage of a transaction which means it can be negotiated to suit all parties and it ensures that all parties are made aware of the issues that can arise before they become too problematic. The other great advantage is the speed of response. We recently had a client who wanted to go into business in Korea and we have a response within one hour setting out how the transaction may need to be structured ” Philip added that “we are finding clients have assets in more than one jurisdiction which means we have to offer a more global approach Clients have properties in Scotland Portugal and Spain and therefore they need help and assistance in their estate planning. They also have family living abroad and we can assist them in sorting out their affairs” For more information please contact Win Cummins on win.cummins@mtg.uk.net and 01483 755609

Summer 2013 Reviews This Summer was the Guildford Shakespeare Company’s (GSC) 8th open air theatre season, and the Company showcased two spectacular performances...

Yellow Storage, Thesis Asset Management and Chapters Financial, Kim Finnis Solicitor, to name but a few. Their vision and generosity go a long way in helping GSC to continue producing inspiring and exciting theatre for everyone.

The Importance of Being Earnest, Guildford Castle Gardens, 13-29 June The Importance of Being Earnest was the first non-Shakespeare play to be staged by GSC and when considering to move away from the Bard, Surrey's professional Shakespeare company wanted something that was vibrant and fun, as well as staying close to the company’s ‘classical’ roots.

As You Like It, Guildford College of Law, 17-28 July Last staged in 2008, As You Like It was set in the ‘Summer of Love’ at the University Lake. This time they took it back a bit further to July 1913, only a month after Emily Davison’s Epsom Derby incident, when the suffragette movement was at its height, when one still dressed for dinner whatever the occasion and the dark days of WWI were not even conceivable.

GSC have always worked hard to cultivate a healthy relationship with the business community in Surrey and were thrilled to once again be working with many of Guildford and Surrey’s finest small, medium and large businesses like Charles Russell Solicitors, South West Trains, Big

“Brilliant show tonight Guildford Shakespeare Company stunning performances, We were so proud to sponsor, our guests went home very happy” – Louise Punter CEO, Surrey Chambers of Commerce “Thank you Guildford Shakespeare Company for a fabulous evening. The performance of As You Like It was exceptional!” – Yvette Etcell, Gavin Jones “Saw The Importance of Being Earnest by Guildford Shakespeare Company again tonight. Like a fine wine, it just gets better... don't miss out!” – Keith Churchouse, Chapters Financial The company's next show will be Othello in February. If you would like information about the benefits of sponsoring the company please contact Matt Pinches on 07971 234141.

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ChamberEvents These are the key events coming up in Surrey Chambers’ calendar in August Tues 6th August

Thurs 15th August

Chamber Connections – Guildford Breakfast

Chamber Connections – Elmbridge Breakfast

Title: Take Pinterest In Your Business

Get connected! – This breakfast provides a relaxed and informal opportunity to enjoy a hearty breakfast and meet and discuss local issues with decision makers, share best practice and widen your network of customers and suppliers.

Get connected! – this is one of our most popular breakfasts designed to give you a regular opportunity to meet and discuss local issues with decision makers, share the best practice and widen your network of customers and suppliers.

Connect | Belong | Succeed

Connect | Belong | Succeed

Price

Price Members:

£15.00

Non Members:

£30.00

Members:

£15.00

Non Members:

£30.00

Special Members Only Offer

Special Members Only Offer

2 places for £25.00

2 places for £25.00

Venue:

The Mandolay, Guildford

Venue:

The Hilton, Cobham

Time:

08.00-09.30 hrs

Time:

08.00-09.30hrs

Thurs 8th August

Thurs 20th August

Open 18 Hole Stableford Golf Competition for the Runfold Cup at Cuddington Golf Club

Summer Cocktail Hour

Join us as a team of 3 or 4 players and entertain your clients or just book for yourself. Bacon rolls and coffee followed by 18 holes, lunch and prizes.

Price Members:

£66.00

Non Members:

£75.00

Location:

Cuddington Golf Club,

Time:

13.00-20.30hrs

We invite you to join us for an evening of fun and networking.

While away the summer evening with a cocktail of your choice and, delicious food whilst making valuable contacts. It really is work although it won’t feel like it!

Price Members:

£15.00

Non Members:

£25.00

Sponsored by:

Location:

The Lotus Lounge, Woking

CSL and Tuner Hampton

Time:

17.00 – 19.00 hrs

Thurs 22nd August - Chamber Connections – Redhill Breakfast Get Connected! – This breakfast provides a relaxed and informal opportunity to enjoy a hearty breakfast and meet and discuss local issues with decision makers, share best practice and widen your network of customers and suppliers.

Connect | Belong | Succeed

Price Members: Special Members Only Offer

£15.00

Non Members:

£30.00

2 places for £25.00

Location:

Donyngs Leisure Centre, Redhill, RH1 1DP

Time:

08.00 – 09.30hrs All prices are exclusive of VAT

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NewMembers

MemberBenefits

Surrey Chambers of First Data Does your business take card Commerce payments? welcomes its latest member companies:

Accounting4contractors Advantage Worldwide Arriva - Surrey and West Kent Audio 7 Ltd Avocado Audio Visual Services Barton Freight Services Co Ltd BT plc Cobham Studios Dreaming Fish Productions Exodus Brokers Gapcraft Ltd Global Transaction Services Ltd Grove House Investments Ltd Growth Accelerator Headway Surrey Hubbell Associates I Want To Be iCreditscore LLP Mi Piace!

Naturally Loyal nTrust Systems Ltd Nviro Limited Peninsula Business Services Ltd Penningtons Solicitors LLP Professional Distribution Services Pursuit Fitness Training RC Brown Investment Management PLC Reigate & Banstead Borough Council Source Supplies The Royal Star & Garter Homes Tudors Professional Services Ltd UK Home Insulations White Rose Finance WuWo Media

If so Surrey Chambers members can benefit from exclusive preferential card processing rates as well as no joining fee and no minimum monthly charges!

Commercial partners First Data Merchant Services are the global industry leader with over 40 year’s payment processing experience.

For more information contact Surrey Chambers on 01483 735540

50% off DHL shipping Taking your business to the world? We want to help you hit the ground running.

This offer entitles Surrey Chambers members to a minimum of 50% off shipments during the first year of trading with DHL Express.

To benefit from this great offer contact Chris Blenkiron on 01483 735549 or email chris.blenkiron@surreychambers.co.uk

Terms and Conditions Review Commercial law firm Herrington & Carmichael is pleased to offer all Surrey Chambers of Commerce members the opportunity to review their current trading terms and conditions, at no cost to their business.

The offer includes a no-obligation review of the existing commercial terms of your business together with a short report confirming their compliance in view of recent legal developments.

So that your trading terms and conditions remain enforceable, they should accurately reflect how your business operates and include adequate provision for payment obligations, termination of the arrangement and any further, bespoke provisions relevant to your business model.

For more information contact Surrey Chambers on 01483 735540

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ChamberChat

Movers&Shakers

Chamber Chat 5 minutes with...

Ian Lynch of Woby – The World Birthday Connection

Explain “The World Birthday Connection” to someone unfamiliar with the business:

What is the best benefit you have received through the chamber so far?

Woby, short for World Birthday, is a newly launched online business (www.woby.com) that helps people to share, remember and celebrate the key moments in our lives. From birthdays, weddings, Christmas, festive occasions to bucket list goals, holidays & parties, woby combines wish-lists, key dates and social interaction, to make it the place to go to celebrate and ensure you never again have to give or receive an unwanted present!

Being introduced firmly into the Surrey Business Community and feeling a part of a whole, all working together to bring prosperity and success to both the county and the UK. This is comforting and exciting, to know that help, support and new challenges are on our doorstep.

Our ethos allows you to use woby for your own level of privacy and purpose. That means you can set up wish lists simply for personal shopping, or have family members & friends share what they want for their birthdays, Christmas or any other occasion and thus save people time & money in the process. You can use it to promote your favourite charity too, as that may be on your list.

We have some fantastic features in the pipeline to add to Woby in the months ahead and we very much hope you will take a look and support us as a new Surrey business that is just setting out. We aim to be a local/global site that is practical, fun and easy to use and has at its heart, the one thing all 7 billion of us share in common, a birthday.

What 3 words would you use to explain your company?

Dynamic, Creative & Resourceful.

Why did you join the chamber?

We chose to join Surrey because we could see that it was a proactive Chamber that would support and help us as a new start-up. We have not been wrong; I am pleased to say. Louise and the Team have been amazing.

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If you were telling another business person about the chamber what would you say?

Superb, best by far all the Chambers I have been a member of in the past. They are genuinely interested in helping your business, whether large or small, as proven by the diverse businesses you will read about in this magazine and my own observation and experience to date.

What advice would you give to a company considering setting up in Surrey?

The Surrey business community is passionate, great at networking, interested in working together and has a work hard play hard attitude that fits in with the beautiful countryside and charm of Surrey’s towns and communities. The Chamber is the best place to go to help you find the ideal location and the right support to get you set up.

And finally, as a Surrey business, what do you see as the local key factors for success/growth over the next 12 months?

Understanding that we can help each other. By strengthening our links, sharing expertise, doing business together, and offering support and advice through network events, we can achieve our targets and help do our part to boost the UK economy and hopefully, have some fun along the way.

Prestigious new role for Olivia at Farnham Castle Olivia Pratt re-joined wedding caterers Galloping Gourmet at the beginning of 2013 to take up a prestigious new role as General Events and Venue Manager at the iconic Farnham Castle.

With a first class background and proactive business approach at venues as diverse as Savill Court, Rivervale Barn and Guildford Cathedral, she’s well-placed to make the very most of the event and overnight opportunities at the Castle and play a major part in establishing it as a truly great place to marry in the south of England.

New head of Intercultural Training for Farnham Castle Farnham Castle introduces Sheelagh Mahoney as Head of Intercultural Training for Farnham Castle Operations.

Sheelagh says “I am delighted to have joined the organisation at such an exciting time and my goal is to increase profile and profitability to a level commensurate with the tremendous strength of the Farnham Castle brand. It is a great company renowned for its customer service and innovation. I have been aware of the reputation of the organisation for many years and have always admired its laser focus on its people, its training programmes and its customers”.

Morrisons Solicitors boost their employment team Morrisons Solicitors, one of the leading law firms in Surrey, are pleased to welcome Laurence O’Neill to their Employment team.

Laurence has over 5 years of employment law experience, including tribunal litigation; HR support; drafting employment contracts, policies and procedures; and employment tribunal and EAT advocacy.

Laurence studied European Law at Lund University, in Sweden, before graduating from Lancaster University with a law degree. He comes to Morrisons with experience from SGH Martineau, OH Parsons & Partners and IBB Solicitors and relishes the new challenges offered by his position in the firm.

For further information regarding Morrisons Employment services visit www.morrlaw.com/employment-for-your-business.