BUSINESS
February / March 2015
CONNECTED SUFFOLK
THE LEADING COUNTYWIDE B2B MAGAZINE T H I S M O N T H F E AT U R I N G :
ActionCOACH scores a hat-trick of award wins See pages 6-7 Leading B2B Magazine
Business Networking
Featured Local News
Rise offers a unique mobile Augmented Reality solution for iOS and Android. Augmented Reality gives your customers the power to view 3D models in 360Ëš glory on their mobile phone or tablet, against the backdrop of the real world! To take part in the live demo, please download the app on itunes or Google Play store - search for RiseAR. Follow the instructions on the day to see RiseAR in action!
Need help? Call us on 01787 223674
SCAN THE IMAGE TO SEE AR IN ACTION!
SCAN THE IMAGE TO SEE AR IN ACTION!
www.cgeyeltd.com
BUSINESS
February / March 2015
CONNECTED SUFFOLK
THE LEADING COUNTYWIDE B2B MAGAZINE T H I S M O N T H F E AT U R I N G :
ActionCOACH scores a hat-trick of award wins See pages 6-7 Leading B2B Magazine
Business Networking
Featured Local News
Get In Touch Tel: 01702 513113
Email: info@businessconnected.co.uk
Or Visit: www.businessconnected.co.uk
Welcome... Welcome to the latest Business Connected Suffolk magazine. This edition is packed full of news, features and events. Our cover story is brought to you by ActionCOACH the worlds No.1 business coaching company. We have many features to showcase this month and below is a full breakdown of what’s on offer. Last time out we showcased the Anglia Business Exhibition and further details are on page 10. For more information on all things Business Connected and our other services including social media, events, training and Premier Partners then please turn to page 5. On the centre pages you can find our recommended networking events brought to you from our networking friends from around the county. If you are a keen networker you might want to check out the Business Connected events we hold around both Suffolk and Essex, full details on the following pages. Our sister publication Business Connected Essex is also available on request, for more details please visit www.businessconnected.co.uk If you would like to feature in the next magazine then please give us a call on 01 702 5131 13 or email us at info@businessconnected.co.uk. As always I would like to thank all of our readers, advertisers and most of all our partners for your continued support.
Richard Pond Managing Director
Contents 06 Lead Feature 07 Suffolk Firm Awarded ‘Best Franchise In The UK’
Follow us on Facebook www.facebook.com/ BusinessConnected
08
HR Update HR Forward Focus 2015
Follow us on Twitter @Connected_Essex
12 14
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or in part in any way without prior written permission of Business Connected Ltd. Whilst every effort is made to ensure accuracy, no liability can be accepted for any errors or omissions. Printed in the UK by Printwize www.printwize.co.uk
16 17 18 22 28
Business Advice Stationery and How Much Does That Pen Really Cost?
Suffolk Round Up News From Around The County
Suffolk Networking Events Recommended by Business Connected
H&S Update Safety Culture
Business Coach Six Keys to a Winning Team
Charity News A Weighty Problem for Chaps
www.businessconnected.co.uk
03
BUSINESS
CONNECTED SUFFOLK
To book tickets for any Business Connected event please visit: www.businessconnected.co.uk/our-events or call 01702 513113
About us Business Connected helps businesses across Suffolk and Essex to be seen on a variety of platforms. Our aim is to bring local businesses together via our unique countywide b2b magazine which is printed and distributed to over 6000 businesses in each county as well as our online version which can be found on our website and is emailed to over 50,000 businesses. Our website www.businessconnected.co.uk gets 1000s of visits daily from companies and individuals who want to stay abreast of all the business news from around the county. Our news stories are updated daily and sit comfortably next to our business directory, our events page and our online magazine. If you are like us and still like to see potential customers regularly face to face then our networking events might be just the answer. We hold four quality business networking events. Details of our upcoming events below.
the social media platforms but couldn’t find a company that could cater for everything. That’s until they came across Business Connected. Why not give us a call today and maybe we can help you too. Call us today for a chat on 01702 513113.
As social media becomes more popular Business Connected leads the way with our social media service, we can set up, run and plan your social media campaign, so if you haven’t got that Twitter account set up yet or your LinkedIn company page isn’t showing the sorts of returns you had hoped for, then why not let Business Connected take a look. We will even throw in a free review. We handle many email campaigns and our technical guys love nothing more than playing with data and arranging amazing looking monthly newsletters. Many of our loyal customers came to us in the first place as they wanted to be seen in print, online, at events and across Business Connected
Business Connected
Business Connected
Business Connected
@Ipswich Town FC
@Essex Cricket Club
@Southend Airport
@Colchester United
3rd Friday
1st Friday
2nd Friday
4th Friday
of the month
of the month
of the month
of the month
To book your tickets, please visit www.businessconnected.co.uk
04
www.businessconnected.co.uk
The Business Connected
Premier Partner Scheme Exclusivity – We only work with one company of any type within the county.
Business Connected Magazine – A full page advertisement in every edition of this magazine, we print and distribute 6000 copies, email 50,000 copies as well as uploading to the Business Connected website and social media sites.
Social Media – Yes you may have a Twitter / LinkedIn / Facebook account but how about a helping hand, we can set up and run your account, interact as a “raving fan” or simply come over and give you regular training to all your staff.
Email Campaigns – Need to get the message out to the masses? we have a number of options which we can tailor to suit the needs of your business. From monthly newsletters, your logos and links on our email campaigns or simply a help with data.
Networking Events – Many people know Business Connected from our countywide events and we want you to be part of them, fancy being a speaker or displaying your banner at all our events? Being a Premier Partner of Business Connected gives you tickets and access to all of our events from Ipswich to Southend and everywhere in between.
Website – Our Business Connected website gets thousands of visitors a day, being a countywide news based website we are the number one place to find business news. We are offering our premier partners prime advertising space throughout the site.
Account Manager – Probably the most important feature of the partnership scheme. Our account managers are working around the clock to find our partners leads, from the many networking events we attend and run to the list of leads. Our staff are introducing and passing referrals on a daily basis.
To find out how to become a Premier Partner and to see if your business category is still available then give us a call today and we can pop in for a chat and run you through the many features of becoming a Business Connected Premier Partner. 01702 513113.
Suffolk firm awarded ‘Best Franchise in the UK’ Business Connected reports on a clean sweep for a groundbreaking white collar franchise at RBS’s Best Franchise Awards ceremony. Bury St Edmunds based business opportunity provider ActionCOACH won the Best Overall Franchise Awards for 2014 in the £25k to £75k investment category and was also presented with their 2nd consecutive 5-Star Franchisee Satisfaction Award and became the 1st franchise to be presented with the Award for Continuous Improvement. Business Connected examines what these achievements represent and the reasons why so many investors are delighted they chose ActionCOACH.
RBS’s Best UK Mid-Priced Franchise At the Best Franchise Conference, attended by some of the biggest names in UK franchising, consultants Smith & Henderson announced the winners of their 2014 Best Franchise Awards sponsored by RBS: • Best Franchise: Less than £25k investment Puddle Ducks. • Best Franchise: £25k-£75k investment ActionCOACH. • Best Franchise: £75k plus investment TaxAssist Accountants.
Julie Wagstaff, Recruitment Director at ActionCOACH, added: “We’re absolutely delighted to win this award - we work extremely closely with our Franchise Partners to ensure that they have all of the support, resources and guidance they need to be a success, so it is wonderful to be recognised for our work. We’d like to thank everyone in the ActionCOACH Support Team and within the franchise network for your skill, passion and commitment in supporting each and every Franchise Partner. It’s your combined efforts and dedication that has culminated in winning this award.” Representing sponsors RBS, David Williams, Director of Franchising at RBS England & Wales, said: “The Best Franchise Awards bring together some of the UK’s finest franchisors and celebrates their success and the opportunities available for franchisees. With increasing numbers of new business start-ups following the franchise route, it is vital franchisors set high standards for the implementation of the franchise and make their business model stand out. RBS is delighted to be supporting the Best Franchise Programme and I would like to congratulate the winners of the awards, which have all set themselves apart from the competition.”
Uniquely, the winners of the Best Franchise Awards are based on feedback from thousands 5-Star Franchisee Satisfaction of actual franchisees in a Benchmark Satisfaction Status for 2014 Survey; franchisors with outstanding results are David Williams of RBS, automatically entered into the awards. The ActionCOACH has again been awarded the 5-Star which sponsored the survey asks franchisees to anonymously score their Franchisee Satisfaction Award at the recent 2014 Best Franchise Awards franchisor on everything from training and support Best Franchise Awards, sponsored by RBS. Previous to rewards and how it has compared with their expectations. winners of the award include global giant McDonald’s. Last year The results are then compiled into a report, giving the franchisor ActionCOACH became the first franchise to be presented with this a detailed insight into franchisee satisfaction and areas for award and has backed that up with even more impressive levels improvement. of satisfaction this year. This fantastic award is given to franchisors who took part in a benchmarking programme and received above Smith & Henderson Partner Steven Frost said: “Our awards are average feedback across all six areas measured: based on what really counts - the experience of thousands of actual Training & Support. franchisees - which means all our finalists already feel like winners Franchise System. because they know how highly rated they are by their franchisees, Culture & Relationships. something every good franchisor strives for. The winners today all Leadership & Stewardship. demonstrated good training, communication skills, support and an Value & Rewards. active network necessary to build a great franchise operation and General Satisfaction. we are proud and delighted to be recognising them today.”
The 5-Star Franchisee Satisfaction Award was given to just 10 franchisors who were rated as ‘above average’ by their franchisees across all 29 key areas that the benchmarking programme measures, including work-life balance for Franchise Partners and how proven to deliver success the franchise system is. The winners included:
Steven Frost, Partner at Smith & Henderson
• ActionCOACH. • Home Instead Senior Care. • Tatty Bumpkin.
The benchmarking programme is run by Smith & Henderson, a leading independent franchise consultancy. Unsurprisingly, Smith & Henderson Partner, Steven Frost, shared at the Best Franchise Awards ceremony that it’s easier for a franchise with fewer franchisees to achieve positive responses, going on to reveal that ActionCOACH achieved the highest score in the four-year history of the annual survey for a franchise with more than 40 Franchise Partners. Julie Wagstaff, Recruitment Director at ActionCOACH, said: “We are very proud of all our franchise owners, who work closely with the Support Team members to ensure that we continue to deliver the highest quality business growth services for business people and also make a real difference in their local community at the same time.” Steven Frost, Partner, Smith & Henderson, which coordinates the programme, added: “With hundreds of franchisors all shouting about the quality of their support and franchise system, it’s difficult for prospective franchisees to determine what the very best franchise opportunities are. 5-Star Franchisee Satisfaction will improve transparency across the industry and help outstanding franchisors stand out from the crowd. It will help prospective franchisees to make better informed investment decisions.”
Continuous Improvement Awards New for 2014 was the Continuous Improvement Award, designed to recognise franchisors that have improved their Franchise Satisfaction Survey results for at least two years running. Winners in this category included: • ActionCOACH. • Mac Tools. • TaxAssist Accountants. ActionCOACH became the first franchise to be presented with the Continuous Improvement Award in the RBS Best Franchise Awards 2014. This award is presented to franchisors that have improved their results in the independent and anonymous Smith & Henderson Franchise Satisfaction Benchmark survey year on year, demonstrating their commitment to continuous improvement. This is the first year that the Continuous Improvement Award has been presented and ActionCOACH was one of only 8 companies to receive this accolade.
Facts from The Smith & Henderson Survey, Sponsored by RBS: 74 per cent of Franchise Partners rated the services they provide compared to the local competition as the highest score possible (21 per cent rated the services very good and four per cent good). 96 per cent agreed that ActionCOACH believes in continually improving the services and franchise system. 90 per cent of Franchise Partners rate the long term prospects for their franchise business as being good, very good or excellent (10 per cent rated their prospects as average). 99 per cent agreed that the support of fellow Franchise Partners is strong and we regularly communicate and share best practice. 96 per cent of Franchise Partners rated the initial training and support provided positively. 96 per cent agreed that there is a proven system and if I follow this I will be successful. 91 per cent of Franchise Partners rated the non-financial rewards from running ActionCOACH as good, very good or excellent (nine per cent rated this as average). This year, ActionCOACH achieved a Franchise Satisfaction Benchmark overall score of 87 per cent positive responses in the survey, beating last year’s already outstanding result by two percentage points. The major areas that ActionCOACH improved year on year were: Field Support improved by 11 per cent on 2013 and is now 28 per cent above the Franchise Industry Average. Marketing Support improved by 13 per cent on 2013, 22 per cent above the Franchise Industry Average. Commenting on the awards, Ian Christelow, Co-founder of ActionCOACH UK, said: “We are delighted to be the 1st recipient of the new Continuous Improvement Award, which demonstrates that we are an outstanding business that is consistently looking for ways to improve upon its already world-class business opportunity offering. The Continuous Improvement and 5-Star Franchisee Satisfaction Award are critical, because they are based on feedback from our Franchise Partners. Only a tiny number of franchisors have ever scored above average results across all of the 29 critical question areas measured in the survey. We achieved the record Franchise Satisfaction Benchmark score for a franchise network with over 40 Franchise Partners and my role is to ensure that we all continue to strive to better our performance.” For more information: Call Rainy or Sam on 01284 701648 or email: ukevents@actioncoach.com You can watch a six-minute overview video at: www.actioncoach-franchise.co.uk/overview
HR Update
HR Forward Focus 2015
T
his month we present the key changes that will affect you, your people and your organisation throughout 2015.
Shared Parental Leave Introduced Regulations came into force on 1st December 2014 in relation to Shared Parental Leave. It will allow partners to share their maternity or adoption leave in a much more flexible way than they currently can. These new and complex regulations will apply to employees with babies due on or after 5th April 2015, so requests from employees to take up this leave could start coming in now. As a minimum, you should have policies and procedures in place to guide your employees on their entitlement and help you to manage the minimum requirements you should be providing as a business. We would also recommend you consider now any additional best practice elements you may be able to accommodate, some of which may actually benefit your business, such as the flexibility over when the leave is taken.
Adoption Pay and Unpaid Parental Leave Changes In April adoption pay will be extended to match the current levels of maternity pay. Unpaid parental leave will be extended for those with children up to the age of 18. Policy updates and forward planning need to be your main concern here.
Equal Pay Reviews Since October 2014 employment tribunals have had the power, where certain exemptions do not apply, to request an employer who has lost an equal pay claim to carry out an equal pay audit and publish certain information. We wait to see how widespread these audits become and can only imagine the negative impact on publicity this may cause.
Overtime and Holiday Pay Holiday pay and overtime have been all over the media recently but what does it mean to you and your business? Have you answered the following questions in relation to your organisation? Is overtime “sufficiently regular” and are employees obliged to it? Do you pay additional contractual holiday or just statutory as the two are treated differently in relation to overtime payments? What risks do you expose yourselves to by not doing anything following the recent case law? In practice how are your holiday pay and overtime procedures run? How far back would you need to go if an employee was to claim backpay? Would you be able to rely on the 3 month gap ruling for backpay? Do you also need to consider other variable pay elements in your holiday pay calculations? Do you treat different groups of staff differently in relation to overtime and holiday pay?
08
www.businessconnected.co.uk
At the time of writing, regulations are expected to come into force in July 2015 to limit the claims for unfair deduction from wages in respect of holiday pay to two years and we are expecting an influx of claims to come in so would advise you to analyse your risks and consider your options now.
Recruitment and Retention A recent study by the Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM) found that over a third of the UK workforce were planning to change jobs in 2015. This was an increase from the results a similar study found in the previous year. We all know there are benefits to some staff turnover but how would this large rate of turnover impact on your business? Have you got suitable recruitment and succession planning processes in place to tackle a sudden influx of resignations? Are you aware of the most up to date recruitment methods?
Fit for Work Scheme The Government’s fit for work scheme will be rolled out during the early part of this year. The main focus of the scheme is to help manage long term sickness and to help people back to work. The scheme includes work-related health advice through a website and telephone line and occupational health advice. You as a business will need to know what is expected of you, how to get advice on long term absences and how best to implement this advice. As a minimum we would recommend a review of your absence management policies and procedures and an analysis of management skills to see if you have the skills inhouse to manage the process.
Case Law and Pending Reviews of Legislation There is a raft of pending employment law cases and legislation reviews that may impact on your business. Areas we will be mindful of relate to the tribunal system and fees, obesity as a disability, holiday pay and commission, statutory cap of one year’s salary in unfair dismissal, travel time as working time, redundancy, to name but a few. Unfortunately we do not have a crystal ball to show us what these changes may be but we do have the skills and expertise to understand how these changes may impact on your business and to be able to advise you on how best to manage these.
Tel: 01206 752100 Email: wendy.twydell@parkcity.co.uk Wendy Twydell, Park City
Navigating your business through the HR landscape
Talk to the experts Call us on 01206 752100 or visit us online at www.parkcity.co.uk
Real people, real experts, real time Park City Consulting Limited Tel: 01206 752100 Fax: 01206 752400 Email: consulting@parkcity.co.uk 894 The Crescent, Colchester Business Park, Colchester, Essex CO4 9YQ
/angliabusiness
2015 WEDNESDAY 6th MAY
> >
> >
@anglia_business
Business Advice
Stationery and How Much Does That Pen Really Cost?
I
n this article I will turn my thoughts to a cost that every company incurs, but often one that companies do little to manage, and that is stationery. Often spends in this area are below those of the big-ticket items such as communication or energy, and yet it is an area where there can be significant savings achieved with minimal effort. The Institute of Purchasing estimate that the stationery spend per employee is £500 per annum, so it is easy to understand how costs in this area can quickly add up.
Core v Non Core One of the easy ways to drive savings is to agree a core price list with your supplier. In its simplest form this can be as easy as asking for specific prices for the 100 most frequently purchased products in their catalogue. However, as with any cost management strategy the devil is really in the detail. Do the 100 most purchased products from your supplier’s catalogue match the spend profile of your business? To do this exercise properly investment in time is required in order to reap the greatest benefits. Below is a simple ‘how to’ guide: • Analyse your businesses’ stationery spend over 12 months. Enter the detail into a spreadsheet which will help with analysis later. This step need not be as onerous as it sounds as often suppliers can supply this data in electronic format, reducing the time required in manual data entry. • Apply the Pareto principle, and analyse the products that make up the top 80% of overall spend. • Ask your supplier to provide core pricing for the products that make up the top 80% of spend. • Agree a discount with your supplier for all other items purchased, but beware of how this discount is calculated. Is it a discount on catalogue price, RRP or MRRP. What is the difference? RRP is the recommended retail price and can be a price that is arbitrarily set by the supplier, it is not necessarily linked to a manufacturers recommended retail price or MRRP. While a discount may appear attractive, 40% off RRP for non core items could still mean the discounted price is greater than the MRRP. • Continually review the core list. Buying habits and the needs of businesses constantly change and so the core stationery list should also.
12
www.businessconnected.co.uk
• Review non core spend in detail. Understand why a non core item is being purchased. Is it because of an internal buying decision, or is it due to a supplier not being able to supply a core list product. If the latter then make sure your supplier will honour your core list price, as the lack of a core list product is not your fault. If the former then understand why the non core item has been chosen.
Stationery Catalogues Agreeing a non core list can take time, and often companies may decide that the time required undertaking this exercise properly, may not be worthwhile. There are some easy steps that a company can take to manage stationery spend and the easiest one that any company can do is to simply collect all the stationery catalogues dotted around your business and throw them in the bin. As soon as you give people choice you can guarantee that they will choose different products to do the same job. One week they will buy pen of brand A while the week after it will be brand B. Is there any difference in the pen itself, probably not, but it dilutes spend across a larger number of products.
Take What You Need Often organisations have a central stationery cupboard and leave the ordering of stock for that central store with one or two people. By doing this they believe that they are controlling spend in this area, and in one aspect they are, by centralising purchasing, but even this is open to abuse. How often have you gone to a stationery cupboard needing a pen, to then take the whole box and put it in your desk drawer thinking I will use them. The next time your pen runs out do you remember the box of unused pens in your drawer? A simple area such as stationery can realise savings for any organisation, but again it is about investing time to reap the rewards.
Tel: 01279 722167 Mobile: 07803 246737 Email: lee.freeman@auditel.co.uk Lee Freeman, Auditel
Ipswich Town Football Club Portman Road Suffolk’s Number One Venue
Meet At The Number One Venue! Are you planning an event, conference or meeting? If so, then why not hold it at ITFC? Ipswich Town Football Club is a unique venue, with excellent facilities and an award winning hospitality and catering team. The venue provides an inspirational backdrop for any meeting or occasion With easy access and on-site parking facilities, our venue is in a prime location for your next meeting, evening event or exhibition.
Contact our experienced Conference & Events team on 01473 400580 to find out more or visit: www.numberonevenue.co.uk
Matchday Hospitality 2014/15 Seasonal Hospitality and Advertising now available. Contact the sales team on 01473 400594 or email sales@itfc.co.uk
www.numberonevenue.co.uk
Ipswich Town Football Club, Portman Road, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP1 2DA Tel: (01473) 400594
Suffolk Round Up
News From Around The County New £4.7m cancer centre announced for Ipswich Hospital Cancer care for patients served by Ipswich Hospital NHS Trust will be transformed under plans announced today (Nov 28) for a new £4.7 million state-of-the-art cancer centre. The Woolverstone Macmillan Centre, due to open in 2016, will bring to an end patients’ current experience of often cramped conditions, not always having the privacy and dignity they deserve and sometimes having to be admitted overnight or travel to other hospitals for treatment. The Woolverstone Macmillan Centre will bring together outpatient chemotherapy, oncology and haematology day services. Planned new chemotherapy suites will be able to treat 30 people at a time, a significant improvement on the current over-subscribed capacity of 12. The centre will be able to treat nearly 21,000 people each year, more than double the current number. For the past five years, the Woolverstone Wish appeal has captured many Essex & Suffolk people’s imaginations with a vision of transformed cancer services at the hospital. In that time they have raised more than £770,000. A further £250,000 committed by The Ipswich Hospital Charitable Trust means that already £1 million has been raised toward the new centre, announced today. Macmillan Cancer Support has now joined forces with the Trust and is launching a fundraising appeal for the remaining £3.7 million needed to build the new centre.
New £300,000 regeneration project aims to boost Felixstowe’s economy
Suffolk coastal tourism strategy given £490k government funding A project to boost tourism along the Suffolk coast has been given a boost of nearly half a million pounds from the Government. Developing prospects on the Suffolk Coast: Economy, People, Environment, is being run by the Suffolk Coast Ltd Destination Management Organisation (DMO) and Suffolk Coast & Heaths Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, working alongside Suffolk Coastal and Waveney district councils.
Fresh impetus is to be given to regenerating Felixstowe with a new £100,000 a year project to boost the resort’s economy. The three-year scheme – supported by district, town and county councils – will replace Felixstowe Futures, which was criticised for under-achievement, secrecy and a lack of momentum. Changes will be made to ensure in future that the new group’s work is much more public and that it works more closely with the town council and other organisations at the resort. The team will continue to be based at the Town Hall and the lead officer will attend town council meetings. Felixstowe Futures acted as an “honest broker” to try to get bodies involved in projects to work together, to manage tourism projects, and to seek funding for various schemes. It helped co-ordinate the controversial Hamilton Road shared space scheme, worked with the council and agencies to assist the pier redevelopment, and set up the Visit Felixstowe website.
It has been given £490,000 from the Department for Communities and Local Government’s Coastal Communities Fund. The project will develop key assets and deliver events and more activities, particularly off-season, in a bid to protect jobs by encouraging more tourists to stay longer and visit all year round. Tourism is worth more than £500m annually along the Suffolk coast and provides around one in every nine jobs in the area. Andy Smith, deputy leader of Suffolk Coastal District Council and cabinet member for economic development, said: “This is great news for the area. It will help us to hugely expand the scope of our work as the public and private sectors together build a strong local tourist economy.
For more from around the county and to find the sources to all of these and many more Suffolk news stories please visit www.businessconnected.co.uk Business news stories are updated every day.
14
www.businessconnected.co.uk
David Lloyd Leisure The Havens, Ipswich, Suffolk IP3 9SJ 01473 717600 | www.davidlloyd.co.uk
SPECIAL OFFER
Free
£50 Family Pass worth
Family time is precious, and here at David Lloyd
Rest assured, in our activities for kids they’ll be
Leisure we ensure that you can make the most
well entertained and safe. David Lloyd Leisure is
of every moment.
your family’s home from home.
David Lloyd Leisure clubs are fantastic, friendly places for all the family. Your family might come to relax and chat together in DL Cafébar at the end of the work day and school day, or better still, to join in our great range of family activities.
Activities for kids are supervised by our qualified and well-trained staff. So at David Lloyd Leisure, activities for children mean your family can learn and have fun in a safe environment.
You may prefer to workout while your kids have
And as a club that really cares for your family,
fun in one of our many activities for children.
most of our clubs have crèche facilities.
With that in mind we want to give all readers of Business Connected Suffolk a free Family pass worth £50. One pass per family. Please call us to book your pass in advance on 01473 325971.
Suffolk Networking Events Recommended by Business Connected
Feb
Feb
Feb
Feb
Feb
02
03 & 17
03 & 17
04 & 18
10 & 24
Office Drinks Ipswich
Expert Circles Ipswich
4N Bury St Edmunds
Expert Circles
4N Ipswich
L’apres Bar,
The Cameo Hotel,
Bury St Edmunds
Sudbury
The Oyster Reach,
Tackett Street, Ipswich
Copdock, IP8 3JD
Golf Club, IP33 3PH
Newton Green
Ipswich, IP2 8ND
7.00pm to 9.00pm
6.45am to 9.00am
8.00am to 10.00am
Golf Club,
8.00am to 10.00am
Cost: £10.00
Cost: £17.00
Cost: £12.00
Sudbury, CO10 0QN
Cost: £12.00
6.45am to 9.00am Cost: £17.00
Feb
Feb
11
11
Feb
Feb
Feb
16 18 20
Felixstowe
Office Drinks
Ipswich
CoastalNet
Business Connected
Business Lunch
Bury St Edmunds
Entrepreneurs’ Lunch
Ufford Park,
@Ipswich Town FC
The Brook Hotel,
Abbeygate Cinema,
The Cameo Hotel,
Melton, IP12 1QW
Ipswich, IP1 2DA
Felixstowe, IP11 7PF
Abbeygate Street,
Copdock, IP8 3JD
9.30am to 11.30am
7.30am to 9.30am
1.00pm to 2.00pm
Bury St Edmunds
11.45am to 2.00pm
Cost: £5.00
Cost: £20.00
Cost: £10.00
6.30pm to 9.00pm
Cost: £20.00
Cost: £9.00
Flexible, productive net You can network at any 4Networking breakfast. With over 5000 4Network Our meetings are relaxed, friendly and open to anyone, so pleas 16
www.businessconnected.co.uk
For more information on any of these events please call Richard on 01702 513113
Sponsored by
Mar
Mar
Mar
Mar
Mar
02
03 & 17
04 & 18
10 & 24
11
Office Drinks Ipswich
4N Bury St Edmunds
Expert Circles
4N Ipswich
Felixstowe
L’apres Bar,
Bury St Edmunds
Sudbury
The Oyster Reach,
Business Lunch
Tackett Street, Ipswich
Golf Club, IP33 3PH
Newton Green
Ipswich, IP2 8ND
The Brook Hotel,
7.00pm to 9.00pm
8.00am to 10.00am
Golf Club,
8.00am to 10.00am
Felixstowe, IP11 7PF
Cost: £12.00
1.00pm to 2.00pm
Cost: £10.00
Cost: £12.00
Sudbury, CO10 0QN 6.45am to 9.00am
Cost: £10.00
Cost: £17.00
Mar
11
Mar
Mar
Mar
Mar
16 18 20 31
Office Drinks
Ipswich
CoastalNet
Business Connected
Ipswich
Bury St Edmunds
Entrepreneurs’ Lunch
Ufford Park,
@Ipswich Town FC
Professionals Lunch
Abbeygate Cinema,
The Cameo Hotel,
Melton, IP12 1QW
Ipswich, IP1 2DA
K Bar & Grill,
Abbeygate Street,
Copdock, IP8 3JD
9.30am to 11.30am
7.30am to 9.30am
Ipswich, IP1 1TW
Bury St Edmunds
11.45am to 2.00pm
Cost: £5.00
Cost: £20.00
12.30pm to 2.30pm
6.30pm to 9.00pm
Cost: £20.00
Cost: Free
Cost: £9.00
tworking across Suffolk king meetings a year across the UK, you can network anywhere, anytime. se book into one today. For full details visit www.4networking.biz www.businessconnected.co.uk
17
H&S Update
Safety Culture
A
s a Health and Safety consultant that visits many different businesses I am getting told more often that “We need to get a safety culture”, it is seen as something new that will solve all safety matters of a business, well, it’s not new, and you already have one. Working safely, risk assessment and control measures have and always will be part of human nature. It is passed down from generation to generation and safety is part of every culture. The safety goals of a business should not be aimed at creating a safety culture but improving on the existing culture that already exists; this is created by the everyday hazards that face all employees and their life experiences. Rather than asking the question “Do we have a safety culture?” you should be asking “Are we managing our safety culture? Or is it managing us?” According to cultural anthropology and now common knowledge, safety has played an integral role in groups since the beginning of documented mankind. As we developed into societies, what to do and what not do contributed to the longevity of life and was passed from one generation to another. Every organization has a safety culture. In fact, every culture has a safety focus. Similar to the English phrase, “Better late than never” we all want a safety culture of excellence, and we all want it aligned on the most important areas of focus. And here lies the challenge. Not understanding a safety culture creates the desire to want one, this ends up being communicated as the hot topic or focus which is ultimately unsustainable as the business is striving to achieve something it already has, just doesn’t understand. Cultures are not a program; they are the interconnectedness that explains why efforts work, don’t work, succeed, and fail. Safety cultures need to be considered, leveraged, and managed just as importantly as contractors, projects, and key performance indicators. Businesses are either managing the safety element of the culture or are being managed by it. Stop searching to create a safety culture. You already have one, but is it as effective as it could be? Your culture is one of the primary contributing factors to why initiatives fail or succeed and why you are able to achieve basic compliance or are still struggling to create obedience with rules, policies, and procedures. Your culture is your most effective sustainability mechanism, working hard to maintain balance and, if used properly, the most effective tool available to a leader.
How do you gauge the safety culture in your business? A few simple pointers for gauging the safety culture in your business are as follows:
18 10
www.businessconnected.co.uk
A poor culture • Widespread procedure violations: do you have rules and signs up that staff just don’t adhere to? • Failure to comply with Health and Safety Systems. Are your fire doors kept shut? Do people take short cuts in their work? • A view that “Health and Safety gets in the way”. Signs of a good culture • Visible management commitment to all levels of the business • Good knowledge and understanding of requirements by all employees • A clear understanding by all of the desired culture • Safety before production, quality and cost.
How to begin Cultural Evolution Ten questions to ask yourself: 1. What areas do we need to focus on to change our existing culture? 2. Apart from hearsay, why do you think you need to change your culture? 3. How many employees share this desire to change the focus? 4. What is the current focus within our safety culture? 5. How wide is the gap between the desired and existing cultural focus? 6. Once alignment is established, how would this benefit the cultural beliefs and behaviours? 7. What is the individual (not business) value-add to the employee to obtain the cultural focus? 8. How will achieving a culture of safety excellence benefit the employee off the job? 9. Who are the individuals at each level that can help carry the message forward? 10. How will you measure progress, rather than activities and results? Raise these 10 questions in your safety committee meeting. Research and experience has provided extensive validation that beginning cultural evolution starts with questioning the strategy and status quo. Leaders at all levels must move from the desire to create a safety culture to the realization that one already exists. Then, focus on how to strengthen the cultural beliefs, decisions, behaviours, and stories that influence the individual decisions carried out when no one is watching - the most important part of cultural reality, safety or otherwise. Paul Goodchild, SVC Group
Health & Safety The SVC Group provide health and safety support, in Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex and across the UK.
Fully Qualified Practitioners Our SVC health and safety team are fully qualified, experienced
Health & Safety Support Services
H&S professionals, with qualifications from the National Examination
HEALTH & SAFETY AUDITS
Board Occupational Safety and Health (NEBOSH) and also chartered
HEALTH & SAFETY MANUAL
membership to the Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH).
STRONG AND UP TO DATE H&S POLICY
Peace of Mind
GENERAL RISK ASSESSMENTS
We provide our clients with the assurance that we have knowledge of, and adhere to, the most up to date health & safety legislation.
SPECIFIC SITE/BUSINESS RISK ASSESSMENTS
We provide advice and support based on good business ethics and
MANUAL HANDLING RISK ASSESSMENTS
sound business reasoning.
COSHH ASSESSMENTS
If you had a visit from the health & safety executive would you feel
VDU ASSESSMENTS
confident that you are doing everything in line with current health
DRIVING POLICY
and safety legislation?
MATERNITY RISK ASSESSMENTS
THE FUTURE DEPENDS ON WHAT
WE DO IN THE
PRESENT 01206 262117 | www.svcgroup.co.uk
don’t be a
chicken with
your marketing!
01279 311 454 hello@dcsr.co.uk
BUSINESS OBJECTIVES WITH NO LIMITS DESIGN
CREATIVITY
STRATEGY
RESULTS
How VORTEX paid for Sponsorship with Spare Capacity VORTEX EXHAUST TECHNOLOGY are experts in improving efficiency of vehicle engines and wanted to expand their brand awareness by creating a marketing budget they currently didn’t have.
1. Vortex opened a
account. 2. BBX sold Vortex’s Spare Capacity (Exhaust Systems) within the BBX Community.
3. Vortex received BBX pounds. 4. BBX sourced a sponsorship opportunity (Legends Cars) for Vortex. 5. Vortex paid for the sponsorship with their BBX pounds leaving their cash flow intact.
Result = Vortex have paid for Sponsorship with Exhaust Systems. (picture below)
Turn your spare capacity into something you want. Call BBX on 0333 400 2014
Business Coach
Six Keys to a Winning Team
W
e hear the overworked phrase ‘No I in TEAM’ resonating across the UK workplace, ‘Together everyone achieves more’… another overworked acronym… or, how about this from Tom Peters (http://tompeters.com). ‘Most employees are motivated energetic, committed enthusiastic and loyal… except for the 8 hours a day they work for me!’. Most business owners find it hard to let go of parts of their businesses and hardly surprising that we might be reluctant to step into the world of becoming an employer or extending our commitment to the 76 employment rights an employee holds on day one; or that management can be so time consuming that we only start work when the others go home. Management can be full of mine fields, selfish, self-important, lazy or disrespectful employees that try to manipulate the overworked business owner based on being the lynchpin of the organisation or that you can’t do without them! So what and how can we help you? How can we leverage our valuable time as entrepreneur’s and get our team(s) working faster harder, stronger, and become more lively and motivated that ever before? At ActionCOACH we show our business owners how to implement what we refer to as the Six Keys to a Winning Team:
1. We encourage and provide tools and techniques to become Strong Leaders so that employees can be managed from the beginning of the recruitment process through the duration of their employment and career development with the business. 2. We enable our business owners who definitely do have a business plan to share the Common Goals of that plan with the employees. We establish the common goals that they can help the business owner to deliver, through the management of key performance indicators and innovative campaigns. 3. Rules of the Game. Your game. How do you want things done or completed, customers met and treated, what are your beliefs, values and standards - your Unique Selling Proposition? If the employees understand this and you have trained them then they will be positive ambassadors at all times for your business and use the systems to serve the customers, creating loyal ‘Raving Fans’ that will buy from you time and time again . 4. Establishing the Action Plan that the team can help deliver against the goals. They know what they are to do and when and how they are to accomplish it. 5. Supporting Risk Taking. Recognising that we are all human and to err is not a planned activity, it is more likely a breakdown of a business system, whether it is a hard or soft in the business structure or a lack of training within the role or the skill set of the employee. 6. We encourage 100% participation in the business growth and deliverables rewarding great performance; and 100% involvement in the business, to encourage employees to take ownership, be accountable and to take responsibility for their actions.
22
www.businessconnected.co.uk
ActionCOACH programmes enable the delivery of the Six Keys along with sound business Mastery in the areas of Finance, Vison and Destination, Customer Service and management of Time; something we all have very little of, so that the business can grow to meet its finished destination; the value in the business develops as its infrastructure and skills grow and are honed. As we achieve Mastery we can go on to drive Marketing in Sales strategies that can deliver the planned growth for the business, knowing that the team can run the systems and service the clients returning the profits back to the entrepreneur/owner. At ActionCOACH East Anglia LLP we deliver business coaching programmes to suit any size of business from start up to the mature SME, with a multi million revenue stream in congruence with the ActionCOACH franchise model. In addition ActionCOACH East Anglia specialises in team development, HR policies and practices and Talent Dynamics (http://www.tdprofiletest.com/talent-dynamics-profiles). DISC Insights (https://www.insights.com/540/products-andsolutions.html) and Emotional Intelligence Leadership profiling (http://www.rochemartin.co.uk/about/emotional-intelligence.html) So whether you want to understand the team you have, their strengths weaknesses and your opportunities to have them leverage more of your time and money, explore how they can work together or who to bring into the business next or your very first employee, we can support you on a one-time or business coaching basis. We also offer courses in Effective Delegation and the ActionCOACH 4- hour recruitment process, along with many individual topic based business workshops. ActionCOACH East Anglia is pleased to offer readers a complimentary place on their Entrepreneur’s workshop held alternate months in Ipswich and Bury St Edmunds; or alternatively or a 90 minute complimentary coaching session, by appointment. Suzanne MacDonald-Carr started her career in Leadership and Management training in IBM and subsequently in Operations, Sales & Marketing at board level in a number of SME organisations, holding MD, Director and VP roles before becoming a consultant/coach with the Institute for Independent Business (IIB),Watford, Herts. Subsequently, joining ActionCOACH International in 2009, Suzanne is also a Director of the International Business Coaching Institute and a Director of Business Network International (BNI, Franchise, Watford, Herts) for Cambridgeshire & Suffolk.
Tel: 01473 359248 / 01359 245077 Mobile: 07739 990768 Email: suzannemacdcarr@actioncoach.com Suzanne MacDonald-Carr, Business Coach
Transform Your Email Marketing Today
Call us today - we’re here to help!
Software • Coaching • Consultancy • Managed Services Data • CRM Integration • Copywriting
Tel: 023 8000 1105 Email : service@inboxincome.co.uk
www.inboxincome.co.uk
RMJB Marketing Providing you with the best opportunities available. Bringing you the service that your company needs.
Here at RMJB Group we concentrate on putting private investors in contact with reputable investment companies. And bringing exciting opportunities to them!
LEAD GENERATION FOR OUR BUSINESS PARTNERS
EXCITING OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR CUSTOMERS
To win new business, to successfully grow your revenue and market-share you need to feed your Sales force with a continual flow of well-qualified Sales Leads. Our experienced Telemarketers take an intelligent, relationshipbased approach to Lead Generation.
We work closely with a number of different investment companies who offer exciting opportunities! If you are an investor looking to boost your portfolio then we are the company you want to contact! We will take a description of your criteria as an investor and the needs you have, we will then look to put you in contact with the best company that suits you!
We understand that each of our clients is different. So we start by building a detailed knowledge of your business, your target market, your sales proposition and what qualifies as a lead for you. We will then allocate the campaign to a team of Telemarketers that have the right skills and experience specifically and exclusively for your business. Contact one of our business relations on: 01702 410 070.
To talk to one of our experienced team about broadening your portfolio call: 01702 410 081. To talk to one of our experienced team about becoming a trader and attending our forex seminar then call: 01702 401 080.
Call 07876 688996 or email mark.reynolds@grouptrader.com to see how Grouptrader can deliver for you and your business.
www.fleximize.com 020 7100 0110
“Needing some short-term cash flow help for my business I applied to Fleximize. Within an hour or so my application was progressed. Information quickly exchanged via email between myself and a very responsive relationship manager. Funds were in my account 48 hours after my initial enquiry, it would have been quicker than that had I not been out at an off-site meeting. Highly recommended!” Steven borrowed £8K over 4 months
Get funded in three easy steps...
Apply Online
Receive Funding
Receive a decision in principal
Speak with your dedicated relationship manager
After signing your agreement,
within 2 days
We talk you with to set up a financing
you’ ll receive funding
proposal customised to your needs
Contact Us Today For More Information On Growing Your Business Speak to our Suffolk-based relationship team T: 020 7100 0110 E: hello@fleximize.com
Do you have a LinkedIn account but need a helping hand to make it work for you? Our bespoke training course will help, this includes: • How to download your contacts to Excel including their email addresses • What to post and when • What groups to join and how to set up a company page BUSINESS
CONNECTED
• Privacy settings to see who is following you or to hide your profile Plus much more…
We can offer 1-2-1 training or group training to suit your requirements at your offices or our training suite Call today for more details 01702 513113
Elections for Directors May 2015. Are you interested in becoming a director of your local Co-op?
The Board is made up of members just like you. Directors are elected to act in the best interests of the members of the East of England Co-op and they are responsible for governance, policy and strategic decisions. If you are a member of the Society and interested in serving on the Board we would be delighted to hear from you.
Learn
about this responsible role – come along to our Candidates’ Event Wednesday 4th March 2015 6pm – 8pm East of England Co-operative Society Wherstead Park, The Street, Wherstead, Ipswich IP9 2BJ
To book, contact Mike Faulkner, Secretary
01473 786005 m.faulkner@eastofengland.coop
Charity News
A Weighty Problem for Chaps
xcessive weight is now the number one socio-medical problem in the western world – 10% of middle-aged men are obese (BMI >30) and childhood rates are rising alarmingly. Once above the normal BMI of 25, the risk of premature death rises 30% for every 5 unit increase!
E
Obesity is the underlying cause of many serious problems such as diabetes and the number of linked conditions we discover continues to increase. So far all the conditions cited below are commoner in obese men. As a urologist I see many men who first present with prostatic problems or erection difficulties, but a high proportion already have weight-related problems by this time. For this reason urologists are widening their clinical field to cover these associated problems and are taking a leading role in campaigning for better men’s healthcare. Locally we now run a Men’s Health service at The Oaks Hospital precisely to do this.
Weight Gain and Weight Loss Our weight depends on the simple balance of energy used versus energy stored. If our body has utilised sufficient energy in the food we eat and we fail to burn off the excess during physical exertion, we will gain weight. It is as simple as that. Excess energy is stored as fat which in men is typically deposited inside the abdomen producing a “beer belly” shape. Simple waist measurement is thus an excellent monitor of obesity and, like BMI, is an accurate predictor of problems ahead.
consider this: a 10kg weight loss will produce a 5-10% drop in blood pressure, a 10% drop in cholesterol, a 30% drop in triglycerides and a 50% drop in the premature death rate!
Next Steps Get a health check and risk assessment. This will give you a baseline from which to progress. You may be able to get this from: • Your GP’s surgery • The NE Essex Health Trainers • The Oaks Hospital, Colchester. Once done, the next step is to act on specific dietary advice and embark on an exercise programme, which can be discreet and personally tailored to match age and lifestyle on an individual basis. Why not start by ringing the numbers below to get started.
Obesity Related Problems • Diabetes • Strokes • Heart Disease • Prostate Cancer • Low Sex Hormone Levels • Gall Stones • Bowel Disease (diverticulitis) • Arthritis.
Men’s Attitudes Most overweight men are well aware of many of the problems associated with obesity. But men by nature are reluctant to seek medical help until something has actually gone wrong – for instance, a heart attack whilst playing squash. Even the most motivated of middle-aged men may find it daunting to enter anew the lycra-clad gym environment. However,
28
www.businessconnected.co.uk
Tel: 01206 321253 Email: chris.booth@chaps.uk.com Chris Booth, FRCS, CHAPS Clinical Director
What What What does does does What What Whatdoes does does success success success mean mean mean success success successmean mean mean to to to you? you? you? to to toyou? you? you? more more more money? money? money? more more moremoney? money? money?
more more more freedom? freedom? freedom? more more morefreedom? freedom? freedom?
more more more time time time with with with more more moretime time timewith with with the the the family? family? family? the the thefamily? family? family?
your your your own own own business? business? business? your your yourown own ownbusiness? business? business?
Get Get Get in in in touch! touch! touch! Get Get Get in in in touch! touch! touch! Get Get Get in in in touch! touch! touch! ItItItmight might mightjust just justchange change changeyour your yourlife life life It might might just just change change your your life life ItIt ItIt Itmight might might mightjust just just justchange change change changeyour your your yourlife life life life Freephone: Freephone: Freephone: 0800 0800 0800 11 11777 11777 777 097 097 097 Freephone: Freephone: Freephone: 0800 0800 0800 777 777 777 097 097 097 Freephone: Freephone: Freephone: 0800 0800 0800 1 1777 1777 777 097 097 097 www.whatisyour1priority.com www.whatisyour1priority.com www.whatisyour1priority.com www.whatisyour1priority.com www.whatisyour1priority.com www.whatisyour1priority.com www.whatisyour1priority.com www.whatisyour1priority.com www.whatisyour1priority.com
BUSINESS
CONNECTED SUFFOLK
BUSINESS CONNECTED IS LOOKING TO WORK WITH YOU
Designed to support companies who need to introduce a co-hesive and co-ordinated marketing strategy or a company who wishes to enhance an existing marketing strategy. We provide companies with an effective, structured marketing solution at an affordable price.
WERE YOU HAPPY WITH YOUR LEVEL OF BUSINESS IN 2014? How often do you promise yourself that you’ll invest more in social media, run regular email and print campaigns but simply don’t have the time or expertise to do it?
Our fantastic marketing offer could be the answer! Our package includes: Exclusivity We only work with one company of any type within the county. Business Connected Magazine A full page advert in every bi monthly magazine which reaches over 6,000 businesses. We will even design the advert for you.
Networking Events Regular Networking events in your area. Invites to all our events which gives you the opportunity to distribute your promotional materials and a platform for you to be a speaker if required. Account Manager Provide you with a dedicated Account Manager. Working with them will help you devise a personalised marketing strategy which is right for you and your business. Bottom Line – What will it cost you? Representing great value at £500 per month. Including all the services mentioned.
If you want to lock out the competition you’ll need to act quickly. We look forward to hearing from you. Call us on 01702 513113
Social Media Running social media campaigns for you. This includes Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook. If you already have a presence we can enhance your existing programme through retweeting, mentioning, liking and so much more. Email Campaigns Creating email campaigns including supplying data, set up, running the programme and monitoring the outcome on a monthly basis.
Business Connected Ltd - www.businessconnected.co.uk - 01702 513113
Show your business in the best light
printwize.co.uk Printers of Business Connected
Instant boiling water whenever you want it How £1 a day can save £1000 a year
It’s hard to believe that spending only £1 per day could save you £1000 or even more per year, but here’s how… If you have a kettle, not only does it eat up electricity to boil it, but you are also paying salaries while your staff watch it come to the boil. Then, to make things worse, for every single millimetre of scale on the element, it will be costing you an extra 7% in electricity.
If you rent a 100C drinking water boiler from us, it will use less electricity, it will give you instant boiling water, it will be filtered for great taste and scale reduction… and there is no capital cost so you start saving immediately.
Throw away your kettle and start saving now! 01449 723200 sales@boilersense.co.uk | www.boilersense.co.uk