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Serving 5,000 deciSion-makerS in and around Peterborough

ESSENTIAL READING FOR LOCAL EXECUTIVE LEADERS

SCENE FREE!

Inside this issue Latest news and views, including: Happy families Plan now to take time out this summer eBayers beware Tax amnesty for sellers closing

Get set for the Olympics How business can bloom this summer

Drive your organisation Harness Burghleyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s horse power

HEADlines Up close and personal with Internet Marketeer Gordon Diffey

MAY 2012

ESSENTIAL READING FOR LOCAL EXECUTIVE LEADERS

Welcome The first time I visited Burghley and its famous horse trials, I watched Princess Anne ride to victory, amid thunderous applause, then I joined my horsey chums as we walked the long and very dusty cross-country course. On a similarly hot day, many years later, I managed to enjoy an entire day there without seeing a single horse and the only walking I did was between delightful food stalls, unique shops and the beer tent! The event attracts thousands of consumers, as well as hundreds of competitors from around the world, and corporate hands guide the reins with meticulous attention to detail (see page 19). It provides a massive boost for local businesses – think of beds for the night for all those weary riders and meals for hungry visitors. I was once part of that service industry, and our strategy in catering for the ‘Burghley invasion’ – from staff levels to stock deliveries – was minutely planned months in advance. We had the benefit of years; knowing what had worked and what hadn’t. Now, businesses around the country are being advised to hone their strategy for coping with, and making money during, the London Olympics. Without the advantage of previous experience, it isn’t easy, but on page 7 there are ideas to help make it as straightforward as possible. Firms are advised not to leave it until the last minute to adjust travel plans into the capital, to rearrange meeting places or route deliveries. Whether you are looking forward to enjoying the Games or aim to avoid them completely, they will almost certainly affect you and your business in some way. An example was set in 2010 at the Vancouver Winter Olympics, after which businesses reported that careful planning had made them 20 per cent more efficient. Take steps now to take the gold and topple the Canadians from that podium! All the best, Sally Hooton.

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News – Good credit management is key to surviving the fuel crisis, says Julie Thompson

Legal Eagle Are you making money out of sales on eBay? Beware of the taxman, warns Ken Craig. Plus, expert Nick Ash has advice on life insurance

Drive – Motoring correspondent Rob Taylor goes on an ecomomy drive, testing three classy diesel hatchbacks

Clicks & Mortar – Join the ‘self-build revolution’, says land specialist Russ Compton

Webwise – Digital marketing expert, Stan Nyokas says firms should add YouTube to their marketing strategy

Health & Safety – Spring clean your workplace strategy, says our H&S guru Colin Nottage

Skillset – Value yourself and your time, says life coach David Grundy

Off Duty – Jane Price points you in the direction of some great destinations for happy family summer holidays

What’s On – Dates for your diary. Plus, Perkins’ runners put the fun into fundraising

HEADlines – Embrace the web, says Internet Marketeer Gordon Diffey

The Business Scene Team Publisher Heidi Semple Editor Sally Hooton Sub editor Carol Randall Design Jim Counsell Advertising Charlotte Charlesworth

CONTENTS

Serving 5,000 executives in and around Peterborough

Get set for the run-up to the Games: Ben Plowden has advice

Death of the high street is highly exaggerated, says Andy Wood

Drive your business: harness some top-level Burghley horse power!

Tigers, Benji and Milly work their animal magic for a national charity

NEWS

MAY 2012

NEWS Luxury hotel nominated for three world travel ‘oscars’ Stapleford Park

tapleford Park, near Melton Mowbray, has been nominated for three World Travel Awards – which acknowledge and celebrate excellence in global travel. Cited by The Wall Street Journal as the travel industry’s equivalent to the Oscars, the awards rank the 55-bedroomed Stapleford Park highly in three categories: England’s Leading Boutique Hotel, England’s Leading Resort and England’s Leading Golf Resort. Set in 500 acres, the historic stately home will compete with hotels such as Blakes London, Bovey Castle, Chewton Glen, Clivedon House, Draycott Hotel and The Grove. Award winners will be announced at a

European gala ceremony later in the year. Shuif Hussain, director of the independently-owned hotel, said: “We are delighted with the three nominations, which we feel reflect all the hard work and dedication put into Stapleford Park by the team over the last 12 months. “If we continue to secure the support from our guests in voting for these awards, we would hope to be considered as a strong contender.” The World Travel Awards focus on finding the best customer experience around the world. They were established

18 years ago and run in 162 countries. The nomination entries are vetted by a board of tourism industry experts to create the final list of nominees. To win an award, the nominee must have the most votes, which are cast by the public as well as travel agents.

Looking forward to a lazy Sunday? Brands should get busy being S

undays used to be considered a day of rest . . . but times have changed, along with consumer expectations. Now, brands are being advised to talk to potential customers via Sundays, compared social media on a Sunday. to 0.06 per cent Digital analytics firm, on Tuesdays and Socialbakers, has shared Thursdays. It seems insights from its platform, telecoms fans start Jan Rezab. which shows that Sunday is their day browsing the most engaging day for brands Facebook in bed, resulting in using social media, such as engagement peaks for brands Facebook and Twitter – especially such as Vodafone UK from 7am for fast-moving consumer goods on Sundays. (FMCG) and telecoms brands. The However, for automotive fans, latter experience engagement Tuesdays and Wednesdays elicit rates of 0.11 per cent on the biggest response from fans,

‘social’, analysis shows

Share secrets, entrepreneurs urged uccessful business owners flying high despite the global economic turmoil are being urged to share their secrets to inspire others, as part of a campaign by the Forum of Private Business. The forum is promoting its Get Britain Trading drive to make 2012 the year of small businesses and hopes that learning about how to succeed in a tough climate will spur other

entrepreneurs to grow businesses. Phil Orford, the Forum’s chief executive, said: “We are calling on all small business owners to get in touch and pass on the secrets of their success so that, in turn, other entrepreneurs can benefit – and we can spread some much-needed positivity.” Email: getbritaintrading@fpb.org tweet using #britaintrading or visit The Forum of Private Business LinkedIn group.

with car manufacturers attracting average engagement rates of 0.11 per cent on Tuesdays and 0.10 per cent on Wednesdays. In the automotive space, the greatest triggers of consumer interaction are posts containing visual content, such as videos. Jan Rezab, Socialbakers CEO, said: “To maximise fan engagement, brands need to tailor social media updates according to their audiences’ browsing habits. “They must maintain engagement throughout the week, but should consider posting their most compelling content at times of peak engagement to ensure the greatest online brand buzz.” Socialbakers’ results also show the responsiveness of brands to fan posts on Facebook is rising, with response rates up 15.5 per cent since last October, when just five per cent of posts elicited a response from a brand. This indicates brands are learning the importance of interacting with their fan base.

Calling all eco warriors! O you care about the environment; are you interested in energy conservation; have you the knack for recycling junk into something amazing; or are you passionate about growing your own fruit and vegetables? If you answer ‘yes’ to one or more of the above, you could be helping local sustainability by volunteering to be part of a roadshow at this summer’s East of England Show. The Start Roadshow with B&Q is making its first appearance at the show on July 6, 7 and 8, promoting simple yet achievable ways of saving energy, conserving water, making the most out of recyclable rubbish and more. The roadshow will offer useful tips and provide an opportunity to try out some practical projects. Start is now looking for local people with an interest in all the above to get involved with the roadshow and help spread the message! Volunteers will welcome visitors to the exhibit and encourage them to take part in some of the interactive activities, talk to them about the Start ethos of ‘doing more with less’ and will hand out goody bags to visitors. Volunteers will also receive free entry to the show plus food and travel expenses. Grace Sung, events assistant at Start – a charitable initiative inspired by HRH The Prince of Wales – said: “We are really looking forward to welcoming a small army of like-minded volunteers willing to come and help out with the roadshow.” If you would like to volunteer, contact Grace Sung via email:

grace.sung@bitc.org.uk

Safer future for NHS service erco, the international service company, has secured the future of a Cambridgeshire-based NHS shared services organisation. Anglia Support Partnership (ASP), which currently employs about 600 people across the east of England, is now being run by Serco, in a £120m four-year contract. ASP provides back-office support functions to a number of NHS organisations.

MAY 2012

NEWS

Fuel crisis: improve your bottom line s the threat of a fuel strike continues to make headlines, businesses battling to keep their vehicles on the road amid spiralling costs and a challenging economy are being urged to look again at their credit management system as a way out of the crisis. Hauliers, couriers, removal companies and other firms who run a vehicle fleet are facing huge increases at the petrol pumps, along with competition from overseas competitors filling up with cheaper fuel on mainland Europe. Market Deeping-based credit management specialist Cremanass believes firms could see a dramatic improvement in their bottom line with a few simple changes

designed to improve cash flow. Cremanass director, Julie Thompson, said: “By speaking to a credit management specialist, businesses can free up vital cash and gain themselves a cushion to help them survive this difficult climate. “It can cost anywhere between £600 and £1,000 to fill up an HGV and, with the price of fuel rising all the time, it’s pushing many companies to breaking point. “It’s absolutely vital for many businesses that cash is freed up to stop them going to the wall. If they are not being paid on time they may be losing contracts to overseas competitors filling up in Europe.”

Economic confidence increases for a third of global experts onfidence in the state of the global economy has reached its highest level in four quarters. The World Economic Forum’s Global Confidence Index says a third of global experts from business, government and civil society report they feel confident or very confident about the state of the economy over the coming 12 months – up from just 13 per cent of respondents in the previous quarter. Fear of a major economic disruption also decreased this quarter. The number of respondents worried about this dropped from 63 per cent in the previous quarter to 46 per cent. However, the perceived likelihood of a major geopolitical disruption remains high: 57 per cent of respondents still think it is likely or very likely in the next 12 months, while only 15 per cent are not worried about it. Business is especially concerned, with 65 per cent saying a geopolitical disruption is likely or very likely, compared with only 39 per cent of

respondents from government. Lee Howell, managing director at the Swiss-based World Economic Forum, said: “This quarter’s survey results do not signal a ‘cautious optimism’ returning, but merely caution as the global economy remains fragile. “The perception that a significant geopolitical shock is possible in the next 12 months is a clear signal in this regard, given the interplay of global economics and geopolitics.” More than 1,200 global experts from the public and private sectors were sent the survey for the Global Confidence Index – a joint initiative of the World Economic Forum’s Risk Response Network and Global Agenda Councils.

Lee Howell.

Julie suggested we can help them to businesses should do this with our free take another look at assessment. By how they are funding working with them on their fuel costs: “A lot their processes we can of businesses have help free up cash and been placing this on enable them to bulk account or are using buy fuel which means bank facilities to tide they may be able to them over. But it’s negotiate a better rate. important to “Not only that, but remember that the if cash is freed up, they Julie Thompson. bank can call in that may start to think about facility at any time. how many extra runs they could “What happens if you have do, then they win extra business built up a relationship with a client which, in turn, helps them increase and then the bank tells you that profit as well. you can’t deal with this great “It’s a really simple, painless customer any more?” step to take, but it could make all Cremanass says UK the difference between a business businesses need to examine how surviving and thriving or failing.” they buy fuel and, if needed, should For more information on credit seek advice to tighten up their management issues go to credit management processes: “It’s www.cremanass.co.uk, email: really important that a business info@cremanass.co.uk or rethinks the way it buys fuel and telephone: 0845 5198895.

NEWS

MAY 2012

Are we really being served? e may lead the world in embracing e-commerce, but Brits are really bad at providing an online customer service, a survey of 2,000 firms and consumers has found. We’re still relying on the telephone when there’s a problem, even though we may have bought the product or service online. Retailers seem happy to sell their wares in cyberspace, but don’t encourage consumers to talk through problems there. Why do we wait for hours on the phone, or days for an email reply? Experts say ‘live chat’ gives almost instant resolution and, most of all, satisfaction. But nine out of ten UK firms don’t offer it as a customer service option. On the rare occasion it’s available, we tend to jump at it – despite its scarcity – more than 25 per cent of Brits used live chat in the past 12 months.

The survey, commissioned by and on their customer’s terms. live chat software provider Netop, Bager said: “Live chat resolves found that today’s customers want almost all the problems of a call to connect fast and engage live centre and does so much more with a human customer service quickly. At the same time, it allows representative at their bank, businesses to give a personalised building society, retailer, grocer or service experience making indeed any other provider they use. customers feel more valued and Customers also prefer to bringing them closer to their engage online, using a brand. Hands down, live chat tool such as live chat beats listening to hold music to help avoid call centre and saves you having to pop misunderstandings that arise into town to sort something from strong accents. out that could be easily Kurt Despite this, the vast addressed online.” Bager. majority (93 per cent) of UK Neil Humphries is IT/web businesses are failing to take marketing manager at UK advantage of live chat to enhance watchmaker Accurist, a company their customers’ service experience. which uses live chat software to Kurt Bager, chief executive handle customer support inquiries. officer at Netop, believes many He said: “It can take just one bad businesses are missing an easy experience for some customers to opportunity to engage more switch to another brand. To help closely with their customers, avoid this, we have made live chat

Figures show consumers are dissatisfied with customer service and would choose ‘live chat’ over call queuing. a key part of an holistic customer service strategy, which includes phone and email support. The live chat tool helps us resolve most issues easily and in a very personal way. As a result, it helps us to generate positive outcomes from online customer queries and keeps customers close to our brand.” More details about live chat here: www.netop.com/live-guide

MAY 2012

COVER STORY

Get set for London 2012 On your marks for a smooth run-up to the Games: Ben Plowden has advice for firms in the region on how to prepare for the Olympics. ondon is just a few weeks away from hosting the biggest sporting event in the world. The Olympic and Paralympic Games, which run from July 27 to August 12 and August 29 to September 9 respectively, will attract nearly 15,000 athletes, 11 million spectators, 4,000 technical officials and more than 20,000 media to London. Transport for London (TfL) has been working with hundreds of businesses around the UK for well over a year to help them prepare for the logistical challenges presented by the Games. As a result, many employers across the country are well advanced with their travel action plans. However, there are still firms that are yet to develop a plan. There’s still time, but organisations in Peterborough and the surrounding areas may be affected if they are receiving deliveries from, or making deliveries to London. Similarly, any firms with offices or clients in London may be impacted, so it’s important they plan ahead and test travel plans to take advantage of the business benefits the Games will bring. Hosting events on the size

and scale of the Olympic and Paralympic Games undoubtedly brings with it certain challenges. It’s anticipated that an additional three million journeys will be made on London’s public transport network on the busiest days of the Games, against a backdrop of 12 million journeys made on an average working day. For this reason, employees from firms in the East of England who plan to use public transport to travel into London during Games times may be affected. For example, King’s Cross St Pancras, a station used by people travelling from Cambridgeshire into London, will be in high demand during the Games. Similarly, the road networks into London may also be busier at certain times and in certain locations. Firms delivering into London or in the vicinity of Games venues across the country may also be affected. The warm-up One way for firms to get ahead of the Games is to develop a travel demand action plan and test it before the Games begin. To kick off a plan, businesses need to identify where the ‘hotspots’

are, talk to staff, customers and suppliers, and look at delivery schedules which could be impacted. By planning ahead, firms in and around Peterborough will be able to pinpoint which areas of their business may be affected. For example, if staff regularly meet suppliers in central London, consider alternatives during Games times. Could these meetings be carried out through a conference, video or web call – or maybe re-scheduled for outside of Games times? Employers also need to be aware of the spread of Games venues across the capital and the rest of the country. For example, the Lee Valley White Water Centre at Cheshunt & Waltham Cross is hosting the Olympic Canoe Slalom from July 29 to August 2, meaning the road and public transport network in this area will be busier than usual on these dates. Businesses are encouraged to plan ahead, test alternatives, and use the support available at www.getaheadofthegames.com Choose a game plan To keep running smoothly during the Games, it is essential to consider whether

staff travelling into or near Games transport ‘hotspot’ areas could reduce the number of journeys they make, re-route their journey to avoid the ‘hotspots’, re-time them so they’re avoiding the road and public transport networks at peak times or re-mode their journey by, for example, walking or cycling part or all of the way. Non-essential meetings could be organised before or after the Games, or employees could consider substituting face-to-face meetings with conference calls, video or web conferencing, reducing the need to travel. While it may not suit all businesses, where possible encourage flexible or home working so employees do not need to travel, or only do so outside of peak times. Consider facilities for home working including supplying virtual private network (VPN) software on laptops, or setting up extra conference call lines. Review these facilities and ensure remote working solutions are tested to iron out Continued on page 8 >

COVER STORY

MAY 2012

Continued from page 7

issues before the Games begin. If journeys are essential, think about re-timing them: travelling outside of peak hours or re-routing to avoid the busiest stations or roads at the busiest times. If employees must travel into London during Games times, firms can encourage them to consider using an alternative mode of transport for part of their journeys. If arriving by National Rail services, for example, bosses could encourage staff to walk the remainder of their journey from King’s Cross St Pancras or Liverpool Street to their final destination. Other alternatives include hiring a Barclays Cycle Hire bicycle or using the Thames Clippers, the high speed catamarans on the river. It is important for businesses to work with employees on making changes to the way they travel during Games times. Encourage them to visit: www.getaheadofthe games.com or follow the official TfL / London 2012 Twitter feed @GAOTG, for the latest tips, travel information and advice on how to plan ahead. TfL has also devised a journey planner for the road network during Games times, which advises motorists of the additional time needed for any car journeys in the capital.

Deliveries and servicing It is also crucial to consider requirements for deliveries and servicing activity during Games times. As with employee travel, TfL is advising businesses that deliver to firms in Games transport ‘hotspot’ areas to liaise with their customers and suppliers now, to discuss whether deliveries will be impacted and, if so, what can be done to mitigate this. There is plenty of information on getaheadofthe games.com/travel-advice-forbusiness to help businesses manage deliveries and servicing activity during the Games period so they can keep running smoothly. For example, alongside providing road ‘hotspot’ maps for each day of the Games, TfL has made data available at getaheadofthegames.com /what-will-bedifferent/changesroads.html which allows businesses to check whether their postcode, or any they deliver to, will be affected. If businesses need to use the road network into or around London, then they will need to allow extra time to travel. It is also important that firms and staff familiarise themselves with the Olympic Route Network (ORN) – a network of roads linking all the competition and other key

venues. The ORN aims to ensure reliable journey times for athletes, officials, sponsors, members of the media and others working to ensure the successful running of the Games. A variety of different traffic interventions along the ORN will be put in place, including banned turns into side roads and parking restrictions. If firms are affected, they should work with clients and suppliers now to investigate any changes to normal operations and test out viable alternatives. Maps of both the ORN and the Paralympic Route Network are online: www.getaheadof thegames.com /what-willbedifferent/changes-roads.html.

Practical guidance One way to reduce non-essential deliveries is to consider stockpiling non-perishable goods, such as printer cartridges, toner, paper and toilet roll. For goods that cannot be delivered in advance of the Games, businesses should try to supply or receive them outside of peak times – so earlier in the morning, later in the evening or even overnight, if possible. To help with out-of-hours deliveries, TfL has published a Code of Practice, developed with the Noise Abatement Society and the Freight

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Transport Association. It provides businesses and delivery companies with guidance on how to minimise noise from night deliveries, view it here: www.tfl.gov.uk/ gettingaround /london2012 /21958.aspx. Firms of all sizes should take time to test measures, ensuring the smooth running of deliveries during Games times. The website also provides information to help businesses implement and test their travel action plans. Finally, the importance of planning for the Games is underlined by Vancouver’s experiences in 2010. Research commissioned by BT Global Services into the Vancouver Winter Olympics and Paralympic Games, shows that thanks to advanced planning, firms were 20 per cent more efficient. Coupled with Deloitte’s research, which found that 81 per cent of companies across the UK anticipate an economic boost from the Games, it’s clear that if businesses plan now they should be able to profit and enjoy the benefits the Games will bring. Ben Plowden is director of Surface Planning at Transport for London. Pictured below and on cover: the Olympic Park. Photo courtesy of London 2012.

Businesses are encouraged to plan ahead, test alternatives and use the support available at: www.getaheadofthegames.com

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MAY 2012

EDUCATION

Balancing work with family life alk into many boarding school houses today and you should expect the unexpected. Once, you may have expected to meet only the offspring of the privileged there, or those whose parents were living overseas. But now you may find many children who actually live an hour or less from their school and whose families have opted for boarding to guarantee a better education and life balance, in line with parental career pressures. Busy professionals are realising the benefits of their children boarding at schools which offer excellent facilities, care, education and social environments that can give them complete peace of mind. Many parents are up at dawn and home late with limited time in the week to spend with their children. Weekends become

precious family time. The increasing costs of childcare is also a factor, especially for younger pupils, as boarding can present a cheaper, more holistic alternative to after-school care. As well as traditional full-time boarding, many schools now offer a range of boarding options to suit modern families, including Monday to Friday and flexi (once or twice a week or when required), enabling family and school life to sit harmoniously, side-by-side. From day pupils to staying pupils The Singleton family from Derbyshire are one such family. Mum Rebecca is a marketing director for Morrisons and dad Richard commercial director for SGP Property and Facilities Management. Both parents spend

It’s a sign of the times – not the size of a bank account – which prompts busy professionals to send children to boarding school Pictured left: Boarding students chat to one of their tutors at Trent College.

long periods away from home in the week. Their sons – sixth former Tom, and Will, who is in Year 9 – now board at Trent College in Nottingham, the school where they were previously day pupils. Rebecca believes both boys have flourished as part of a boarding community. She said: “When the boys suggested they

board we were unsure if they would like it. On reflection, it has been the best thing for them. They recognised the benefits, ranging from less travel time to and from school to more structured study time, as well as making the most of extra-curricular activities. “They have totally immersed themselves into the boarding community and developed their confidence and independence. “They are articulate, sociable young men, who are great ambassadors for the school.”

LEGAL EAGLES

MAY 2012

LEGAL EAGLES Bosses ‘put Taxman focuses on eBayer profits off’ by rules T any employers are fearful of taking on staff because of regulations. So says a recent survey for the UK Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS), which discovered that 40 per cent of bosses find employment rules such as dismissal and disciplinary action seriously off-putting. However, around half of SMEs and larger organisations polled agree that employment regulation is fair. The findings come at a time when the Government is consulting on proposals that could implement no-fault dismissals for micro companies (defined as those employing fewer than ten people). Micro firms and SMEs were the most worried about legislation. Larger firms are more concerned about flexible working rights.

effectively run a business here are just a few weeks through selling on eBay to left of a three-month declare it and then pay the amnesty for those who make tax they legitimately owe.” money through online auction HMRC has recruited extra sites to come clean. staff and is promising to use HMRC is set to crack down the full force of its investigative on traders operating through powers to catch e-sellers who eBay and similar sites who fail don’t declare their earnings for to declare their income. The the sake of tax. Those caught tax authority has given online will face penalties of up to marketplace sellers time to 100 per cent of the tax owed come forward and to and could be subjected to arrange full payment of tax a criminal due, including interest investigation. and penalties. “Those who use Peterborough eBay to sell their own accountancy firm unwanted items Rawlinsons is warning won’t be affected,” prolific users of eBay to said Ken. ensure they declare their “The amnesty is interest to avoid facing particularly targeting penalties – or even a Ken Craig. online traders – those criminal investigation. who use online marketplaces Rawlinsons partner Ken to buy and sell goods as a Craig, said: “HMRC is holding trade or business without what it calls an ‘e-Markets mentioning it to the taxman.” Disclosure Facility’, otherwise The amnesty runs until June known as an amnesty. It’s an 14. Those who arrange for full opportunity for those who

Making life relevant f you work for a big organisation, chances are that among your benefits would be a ‘death in service’ insurance linked to your pension scheme. As an entrepreneur, you probably don’t have that luxury. However, there is a way you can insure your life through your business without falling foul of the ‘benefit in kind’ rules. And while most death in service benefits are at four or five times your salary, a relevant life policy can, in certain cases, offer cover of up to 25 times the salary.

Sounds great, but who is it for and how does it work? The plan is aimed at three groups: company directors; high earners; and smaller companies which don’t warrant a group life

insurance cover, but want to protect key staff members. The policy must be written on a single life basis and the only benefits which can be provided under the relevant life policy are terminal illness cover during the employee’s employment and lump sum death benefits. In other words, the policy can’t be used to provide other benefits, such as critical illness, income protection or disability cover. Cover can be taken on a fixed-term basis of up to 50 years in some cases. However, the policy can’t continue beyond the life assured’s 75th birthday. The employer pays the premiums to maintain the policy. If the employee leaves the original employer, there are two options: (a) The employee could choose

payment before September 14 this year will face a maximum penalty of ten per cent of the tax owed – some will face no penalty. “HMRC is using robot software to scan the Internet for regular transactions so there won’t be anywhere to hide,” said Ken. “We’re working with clients to ensure those who need to register, do so. There is some judgement involved when HMRC considers whether an online seller is trading or not, so we would always suggest taking advice first. “Generally, those selling unwanted personal items now and then for less than £6,000 p.a are fine. It is those who buy items with the intention of selling them on who could fall foul.” For more details, visit the website: www.hmrc.gov.uk/ campaigns/emarket

Financial expertise from Nick Ash

to let the policy lapse (b) The life policy could be maintained by the employee personally. However, under the terms of the policy the terminal illness cover would terminate. The premiums paid won’t form part of the employee’s annual allowance. The annual allowance is the amount that can be contributed by, or on behalf of, an individual to any registered pension scheme with the benefit of tax relief. So, the employee is still able to make full use of their annual allowance to make contributions to a registered pension scheme.

Premiums paid by employers are not normally assessable on the employee as a benefit in kind, so they’re not subject to income tax. Neither are they normally assessable for employer or employee National Insurance Contributions. A relevant life policy could be worth serious consideration if you are looking to cover yourself or your key staff. But seek professional financial advice about your particular circumstances.

Nick Ash is director, will and probate services, Tancreds. Email: nick.ash@tancreds.co.uk or call: 01778 341490. Details here: www.tancreds.co.uk

MAY 2012 LEGAL EAGLES

Google: privacy policy akin to Marmite ecently, search engine giant Google launched changes to its privacy policy, designed to make the Internet search process more intuitive for users. But the changes haven’t gone down so well with some users, leading to a love/hate divide sometimes termed The Marmite Effect. Recent changes mean that instead of operating under a number of different policy documents, Google has now created one main privacy document governing all of its products. Google can now pull information from one service and deliver it to you via another, improving the relevance of Internet searches. Experts at search marketing agency, QueryClick, have been monitoring the effect the changes have had and suggest that, while initial reactions were wary, so far so good for Google. Initially, the majority of the backlash surrounding the changes has concerned the safety of personal data, with many users worried about whether Google was taking

privacy for granted in order to maximise corporate profit. Donald Stephenson, search marketing account manager at QueryClick, says that so far, this has not been the case. He said: “The privacy policies may have changed, but this does not mean Google has access to any more information than it had access to before – the only difference is it is now able to use the information it has and cross reference it between Google products. “This essentially makes for a more intuitive user experience, which is immediately noticeable in the relevance of the search results produced. “Whether or not people find this helpful is subjective but, generally, the search engine’s ability to provide us with the most relevant results based on our location and past search history is pretty impressive.” Another concern surrounding the privacy changes was how they would affect search marketing and whether agencies and in-house teams would have

Love it or hate it, the search engine can now pull information from one service and deliver it to you via another, improving the relevance of Internet searches, explains Donald Stephenson.

to adapt their current search tactics to suit themselves. While the changes have so far had very little impact on search engine page results, their real effects have been felt in web analytics results, in particular the search engine’s own software product Google Analytics. Previous privacy rules meant that analytics were able to provide information on all search query data – giving a fairly accurate picture of web use and the number of key phrase searches carried out. However, QueryClick reports that now, with Google pushing its more intuitive user experience, more and more

Are your staff sitting comfortably? mployees who can’t get comfortable at their workstations are costing firms an average £3,279 per person per year in revenue lost through time off sick and reduced productivity. The nationwide bill comes to some £52billion, research shows, as 70 per cent of employees say they spend around 51 minutes each day rearranging their workspace – that’s 24.4 working days per employee per year lost through just fidgeting. The research for office specialists, Fellowes, involved 1,000 workers across the UK and found that, despite being a legal requirement for all businesses, only 45 per cent of

those polled had been given a Workstation Risk Assessment – a process designed to identify and resolve ergonomics issues which might cause poor posture and pain. Employees reported suffering from headaches (32 per cent), tense shoulders (29 per cent), neck ache (28 per cent), eye problems (27 per cent) and sore wrists and arms (25 per cent) – affecting their ability to work productively. Almost one in five employees said they have no help or support from their company in creating a comfortable workspace. But the study also found that a

company seen to take a proactive approach to ergonomics can also bolster its reputation and employee commitment: 46 per cent reported they would feel proud to work for a company that took employee well-being seriously, and nearly a third would feel more motivated. Dave O’Neill, chief executive of the Institute of Ergonomics and Human Factors, said: “This research provides further support to the view that good ergonomics is good economics. Employers should use this asset to boost productivity rather than expect employees to endure poor working conditions.”

people are logging on to their Google accounts before they carry out their searches, making it harder for analytics software to track what these users are doing as their data is private. Campaign results garnered from analytics software will become more and more redundant, as the number of people logging onto their Google accounts increases and this, according to QueryClick, is where some search marketing agencies will struggle. Stephenson adds: “With analytics being unable to provide an accurate representation of web use, campaign results could be skewed, which means agencies will need to change the way they showcase the result and value of their client campaigns. “Content and the effect it has on users will be key over the next 12 months and we have already seen shifts in its importance in the weeks leading to the policy changes. “There is now a greater need to produce informative, engaging content which can not only be viewed but shared across a range of social channels such as Facebook and Twitter, in order to provide demonstrative, valuable campaign success in the long run. “Regardless of whatever changes Google has made or may make in the future, businesses still need to ensure their websites are fully optimised to ensure they get the search engine rankings they want.” http://uk.queryclick.com

MOTORING

MAY 2012

DRIVE

Can a warm diesel hatchback ever catch – or even dispatch – its equivalent petrol hot hatch?

Thrills, with he man driving behind me in the Nissan 350Z is clearly disgruntled. Things have not yet degenerated to rude hand gestures or hostile horn honking, but after a number of abortive attempts to overtake, he is more animated than a cartoon. Right now, he’s Wile E Coyote and I’m The Road Runner! And the cause of his chagrin? A little diesel hatchback – Mini’s new Cooper SD – which, on our tight, demanding and technical B-roads, is more than a match for his over-endowed monument to OPEC. As the road straightens, he does finally overtake (is he shocked by the ‘D’ badge affixed to the rear, I wonder?) but not before the Mini has made its point. It’s on a mission to disprove the well-worn notion that frugality and fun are mutually exclusive. Also along for the ride and itching to upset the status quo are

The car to beat in this class: Mini Cooper SD.

the Seat Ibiza FR CR TDI and the Citroen DS3 1.6 HDI DSport. All three of these sporty diesel hatchbacks promise fun and frolics, monumental fuel economy – over 60mpg – and release less harmful gas than their average owner after a lunch of baked beans on toast: just under 120g/km. All well and good, but just how great a disparity exists between official fuel economy figures and those achieved with some vigorous and fancy-free driving? After all fun is fast, isn’t it? Beep, beep! So I hopped into my Acme Corporation time machine and set the dials to 1965, when fuel cost pennies and the roads were clear, eager to put them to the test. The Mini SD faces the toughest test, not only because it must deflect the usual sneer from petrol-heads, but it must also answer the expectations awoken in anyone familiar with the illustrious ‘S’ badge, too. ‘S’ must indeed stand for ‘super’ and while the SD is not quite ‘super-dooper’, it doesn’t disappoint. It is without doubt the car to beat in this class.

MAY 2012 MOTORING

Rob Taylor.

This month’s motoring correspondent ROB TAYLOR takes three sporty models on an economy drive to find out.

lower bills The 2-litre 143bhp engine propels the turbocharged style icon from 0-62mph in 8.1 seconds and rides a torque wave of 225lb ft on to a top speed of 134mph. It is a thoroughly advanced engine, too: it isn’t especially noisy at low speed or start-up, which is good, since it insists on deploying stop/start technology at every turn. Bold statement The pretty and stylish Citroen DS3 makes do without such cleverness and despite appearing the most avant garde it’s relatively old school, making do with an ethos of less weight, less power. Weighing 1050kg, it gets just 110bhp and 199lb ft of torque from its 1.6 litre engine, but that’s all it needs to hit 62mph from rest in 9.8 seconds and a top speed of 118mph. However, its engine feels less refined, having more lag and sounding a little crude. A lack of firepower is of no concern for the Seat Ibiza. Styling by Machismo, prodigious torque of 236lb ft, 0-62mph in 8.2 seconds and 143bhp speak clearly of its intentions.

Pretty stylish: Citroen DS3. It certainly feels quick and that’s good, as adding a Formula Racing badge to any Seat is a bold statement. This three-door model has stiffened suspension and XDS – a ‘virtual’ limited slip differential – so it really hangs on in the bends. Predictably though, the ride is hard on your spine if not your wallet.

And if the gulf in interior cabin quality between the Mini and the Citroen is evident, it isn’t glaring. However, the price difference is: the as-tested SD costs £23,830; the DS3 is £18,186 and the FR is £18,750. This matters a great deal. So do the fuel economy returns I achieved: SD, 52.9mpg; FR, 53.8mpg; DS3, 60.7mpg. The DS3 also scores well in terms of driving range (courtesy of its 48-litre fuel tank), since in the real world nothing stifles progress like refuelling. Man in 350Z take note!

Good and quick: The Seat Ibiza.

And so to the matter of fun Do these oil-burners excite the motoring juices like their petrol-powered siblings? Well, not quite, but the margins have never been tighter. Riding a relatively small band of torque is no substitute for seeing the revs climb to the top-end but, as a total package, a jack of all trades, these cars are outstanding: a true motoring panacea. Accessible low-down torque makes overtaking a cinch, a well-engineered chassis and – particularly in the SD – accomplished handling make for almost all of the thrills and none of the exorbitant fuel bills. You’ll be laughing all the way to the bank instead of crying over the petrol tank. And nothing is more satisfying than that. I know, as I last saw the man in the 350Z parked up at the pumps. The Road Runner always wins!

CLICKS&MORTAR

MAY 2012

CLICKS&MORTAR Join the ‘self-build revolution’ he UK is not building enough homes, but it’s hoped that a ‘self-build revolution’ can help repair the gap between demand and current housing stock levels. And Peterborough could be part of that revolution, a local land developer claims. In 2010/11, Government figures showed that less than half the number of houses needed to keep up with demand were built. Peterborough is viewed as an likely area for a rise in self-build properties, as there are numerous small to medium sized plots of land available for development – although many remain unsold. The area’s potential has been identified by EMC Land, a company specialising in small scale self-build projects.

Britain has one of the lowest proportions of custom-built new homes in Europe. In Austria 80 per cent of new homes are self-build and in Germany and France,the figure is around 60 per cent – compared to less than 20 per cent in the UK, where Housing Minister, Grant Shapps, has made it clear he wants the self-build industry to become a mainstream housing option. Self-build mortgages have been an obstacle, but this is set to be improved by a £30million self-build fund to be launched by the Government soon. EMC Land has launched a solution for homebuyers wanting to design their dream home: an all-in-one overall cost package, including land, planning, design and build. EMC is working with Fenland estate agents Harrison

Murray to market custom-build properties. Russ Compton, managing director of EMC Land, said: “Lots of people would like to build their own home – but they’re not sure where to start and who to contact. EMC provides it in a complete package, taking you from buying the land to moving in to your dream home. “Self-build or custom-build is now being taken Russ seriously in the UK Compton. and will continue to grow as more communities get a say on developments in their community. Self-build properties are certainly not the off-the-shelf homes the UK has got used to.” For more details, email: steve@athene-communications.co.uk

Legal and IT sisters join forces for SMEs eridian Legal Systems – which provides legal software to small and medium sized (SME) clients – has rebranded to bring it in line with sister company Meridian Network Solutions. The new corporate identity reflects the firm’s ability to provide high class IT consultancy to the legal and private sectors. Director Jane Cooling, said: “We have wanted to bring the two brands closer together for some time. We offer complete solutions and needed our branding to reflect that. With the growth in cloud computing, we are now able to offer our legal software as a hosted solution, in ‘the cloud’, as well as through our more traditional means.”

MAY 2012 CLICKS&MORTAR

Death of the high street Hone your ultimate social highly exaggerated media strategy via YouTube There’s a co-dependence of offline A and online shopping for the modern consumer, says Andy Wood he high street is still a vital stop in the customer journey although it is rarely used as the sole channel for shopping. Modern consumers use shops as showrooms to peruse and try out many products before ultimately buying them online. Understanding the logic behind customer behaviour must, therefore, become a top priority for retailers in order to create specific, focused strategies to boost loyalty, increase the amount of money spent per transaction and encourage patrons to spend more often, whether online or in the high street.

The role of digital And yet, retail marketing consultant, Mary Portas, gives scant attention to the role of digital in her recent review of the British high street, published at the end of last year. Portas says a third of high streets are failing and, given that retail makes up about ten per cent of our economy, suggests high streets must be re-imagined as ‘destinations’ people want to visit. Despite recognising the multi-functionality of high streets – namely social, as well as commercial – Portas, nicknamed ‘Mary Queen of Shops’, appears to have overlooked a fundamental aspect of British retailing today: the importance of the Internet in most customer journeys. The future of the high street is now linked to online activity. Portas is right to say high streets are ‘in crisis’, but there is more going on in the retail sector than just physical stores. For most brands operating shops, it is overly simplistic to position the web as the enemy. In fact, our research reveals that 63 per cent of Brits buy from their favourite brand’s website and its high street store, confirming it is vital for brands to be on both ‘sides’. Technological progress (such as smartphones, tablets and

Wi-Fi Internet) has Andy Wood, managing made shopping a director of more complex GI Insight. process – beyond ‘the high street versus the web’. Consumers have a number of touchpoints when shopping, often browsing via one channel and completing the transaction through another. The research also shows that consumers use physical stores as ‘showrooms’, examining products before actual purchase, regardless of whether this takes place online or in-store. Type of product seems to have a major impact on the channel used, with 73 per cent of the consumers surveyed likely to visit a store when considering the purchase of bulky items (bicycles, playpens, garden tools, furniture) and 69 per cent heading to the shop to try fashion items (clothes, shoes, sunglasses, accessories), even if they make final purchase online. Sixty per cent prefer to look at and test electronic products such as televisions, DVD players and computers in-store before buying. But the reverse is seen when it comes to more uniform products, such as CDs, DVDs, books and even kitchen utensils, with 69 per cent happy to miss out the high street and buy directly online. Multi-channel loyalty Consumers today feel no obligation to be tied to a single channel – so brands should not try to limit them. Indeed, true multi-channel customers are often the most loyal and, in many cases, more valuable than those who use a sole purchasing point. British consumers’ journey to purchase is rarely linear, yet it is not wholly unpredictable. Using data analysis to understand the behaviour of individuals and respond with appropriate communications is the key to nurturing stronger relationships across all channels – and thus improving profitability.

lmost every business, large or small is engaged in some form of social media today. But what is social media? Many people confuse it to mean the use of Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn. Unfortunately for many businesses, there is confusion between the tools of social media and the science which is social media marketing. One of the benefits of social media marketing is to push websites up in search engine rankings, such as Google and Bing. Almost every successful Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) company uses social media tools, such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. But there is an SEO formula which is very powerful and will blast your website onto the first page of Google! But before we reveal that formula, let’s talk about YouTube, the least-used of the social media marketing tools.

IT expertise by Stan Nyokas As a business, you should have a customised YouTube channel for interacting with your customers. Why? Simple; YouTube videos can help you create a bond with your current and future customers; they will help customers spend more time on your website (assuming you will also be putting these videos onto your website); will help you dominate the first page of Google; double your sales and get new clients. There is also the potential for your videos to go viral. Now, for that powerful formula used by very few expert marketers: it is a combination of the right social media marketing tools. It took us a few months to figure out how to apply the formula. Twitter is the network where

everybody talks and very few people ever listen, while Facebook is the tool whereby you talk, some people listen and some people speak. YouTube is neglected – even though it is the only tool where you speak and everybody listens! So, why is this social media tool not being used more often? Because most businesses do not consider it to be a powerful marketing tool. We beg to differ! YouTube is the only social media tool where – if used properly – you can interactively and proactively answer your customers’ questions and concerns. Our formula will help even those companies carrying out retail SEO campaigns – bearing in mind retailing SEO is one of the toughest in Search Engine Optimisation. Combine your website (it must have unique and quality content), with your YouTube channel, linked to your Google+ social media presence – you can be sure to outperform the competition for a specific set of keywords or phrases (ideally you just want to target three keywords). However, there is an order you need to follow to make this formula work and you need to publish your content at a specific frequency for both your YouTube videos and Google+ content. There is another item in the formula which needs to be part of your website content which we have missed out on purpose for you to find out! The formula will get your business onto the first page of search engines within two to five days if used in the right order. For the best SEO results, use your website in conjunction with your YouTube channel and Google+ with few and sometimes no backlinks to outperform any competition.

Stanislas Nyokas is founder of iTotalMarketing, Peterscourt, City Road, Peterborough. Call 01733 294551. www.itotalmarketing.co.uk

CLICKS&MORTAR

MAY 2012

Environment scheme Spring cleaning for sponsorship renewed health and safety ourne-based Lark Energy, part of the Larkfleet Group, has renewed its sponsorship of a prestigious environmental accreditation scheme for businesses in the Eastern region. The Investors in the Environment scheme gives businesses a practical framework for reducing waste and energy use. It is being delivered by Peterborough Environment City Trust, in partnership with Peterborough Chamber of Commerce, Opportunity Peterborough, Greater Peterborough Partnership and Peterborough City Council. The scheme ensures that measurable environmental savings are made before accreditation is awarded. More than 600 businesses have pledged support for the scheme with almost 20 per cent of them already taking part. Lark Energy was a major

Jonathan Selwyn.

sponsor of the scheme last year and is renewing its sponsorship to help finance Investors in the Environment for a further year. The scheme’s project officer, Kim Coley, said: “By pledging support to the scheme, businesses not only reduce waste and energy use but can streamline their businesses by saving costs. “Working closely with a network of organisations like Lark Energy, Investors in the Environment is providing a series of events, courses and seminars that can help create a better workplace by educating businesses about the resources which are available to them.” Jonathan Selwyn, Lark Energy managing director, added: “As a local company focused on sustainability and green building practices we are proud to pledge our continued support to Peterborough’s Environment Capital Initiative. I hope this scheme will help Peterborough become the country’s environment capital.”

Boot-up your online marketing expertise eterborough PR and marketing agency, Media Matters, will be hosting its third online marketing business bootcamp on Thursday May 17. Places are limited, so register now as the event is

increasingly popular, providing insight into the latest online marketing trends for business. The free bootcamp runs from 8.30am-10.30am to avoid breaking into the working day and is easily accessible with free parking at Peterborough Arena, off Oundle Road. The last bootcamp focused on changes to Google’s ranking techniques, Google+, mobile marketing, QR codes, apps and latest e-commerce changes. For full details, contact Media Matters’ Angie Bull, email: angie@mediamatterspr.co.uk or phone: 01733 371363. Pictured left: Media Matters’ managing director Peter Corder with marketing director Karen McNulty.

Practical advice from H&S expert, Colin Nottage t’s that time of the year again! You get the urge to sort stuff out, have a good tidy up, empty the garage, chuck out those clothes that don’t quite fit like they used to. It can be very therapeutic, I have been told… So, have you thought about doing the same for your business? Businesses do get cluttered – here’s a few simple ideas to help sort them out. These approaches can be applied to all your business, but I am focusing on health and safety issues. Look at your overheads: what are you paying out? When did you last get a quote from another insurer? Do they give you a discount for good health and safety performance? If not, why not?

Good value How much are you paying for retained health and safety support? Is it good value, when did they last call you? When you needed help, were they there? How often are you getting fire extinguishers and portable appliances tested? I hear so many office managers say they are having kettles portable appliance tested (PAT) every six months. Why? Look at your health and safety policy and procedures: How long are they? Are they relevant? I recently visited a company in Stamford which manufactures windows. It had been supported by one of the big health and safety providers recommended by its bank or insurers. This company turned

up, dumped a thick management system on the firm’s desk, placed the invoice next to it and disappeared. When I had a look through what had been given, there were some good documents – but there were also a lot which were not relevant or needed. The firm had a rigorous risk assessment akin to a funeral director working next to the grave! That tells me two things: 1) It had no ownership of the documents as they had never been explained 2) The provider was lazy and cut and pasted a folder together that had little bearing on the business. Most importantly, look at your people. In difficult times we need to ensure we check all our assets and that includes our people. To do that it may mean you need to invest in them. What are their competencies? When were they last given any health and safety training? When were they last challenged to improve their (your) place of work? Set up a housekeeping initiative, chuck out those items that you know you will never need, tidy the canteen, clean the fridge, get people to be a bit more proud of their place of work and you will reap the benefits. If you need help with challenging your workforce, insurers or health and safety providers, give me a call.

With a background in engineering and manufacturing, Colin Nottage runs Stamford and Bristol-based consultancy Safety Horizon. Email him: colin.nottage@safetyhorizon.com or call Freephone 0845 689 0075. Find out more, here: www.safetyhorizon.com

MAY 2012

BUSINESS BREAK

BUSINESS BREAK Horse power ontrary to popular belief, you don’t need green wellies, a plummy accent or even a particular love of horses to enjoy the benefits of the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials. Established in 1961, this premier equestrian event is held every year in the grounds of the spectacular Burghley House at Stamford. And, as well as drawing increasing numbers of visitors from more than a dozen nations – some 155,000 attended over the four days in 2011 – it’s a major boost for businesses in and around the region. There are more than 600 stands exhibiting at the event, offering a wide selection of goods and gifts to tempt all tastes. Over the years, Burghley has evolved to become the toughest of challenges for top-level riders, but has also established itself as a progressive event for the general consumer and high-end user, too. In fact, its trade stands provide some of the best shopping outside London and the legendary Food Walk has

The Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials: August 30-September 2, 2012: Stamford, Lincolnshire For ticket details and more information, visit: www.burghley-horse.co.uk or call the Box Office: 01933 304744. an international following. New this year, the event will also host the Green Lifestyle Pavilion in the Exhibition Village. Run by Just Brilliant Events, the pavilion will bring together a whole new group of exhibitors with innovative, natural, organic and eco-friendly products that offer visitors ever more attractive buying choices, together with expert advice on ‘greener’ alternative lifestyles – from conservation to sustainability. Jill Button, managing director of Just Brilliant Events, added: “We have already secured

bookings from a number of companies with very interesting and attractive products that we know will appeal to the Burghley audience.” Leading the field Ever innovative, Burghley is frequently viewed as a leader for new ideas in the outdoor event world and, over the last few years, has significantly invested in its social media networks; launching its first app in 2011. Its forward-thinking, corporate clout has attracted significant names for sponsorship – Land

Burghley: a major boost for business (and some of the best shopping outside London)

Rover has been the title sponsor for a number of years; Rolex and HSBC Bank signed again last year for another three-year associate sponsorship; Pedigree, Dubarry and Musto are among other major companies which have enjoyed and gained from partnerships with the event. Hospitality at Burghley is second to none – set within the beautiful parklands of Burghley House, the exclusive facilities are ideal for entertaining customers or as a reward scheme for staff. The glass-fronted marquee, complete with private gardens, offers superb views of Burghley House and is a short stroll from the famous ‘shopping village’. Private facilities are available for numbers in excess of 30, with smaller numbers being accommodated in the Burghley Restaurant. For details regarding hospitality at Burghley, contact AR Events, tel: 01484 539432.

Pictured: Barely a green welly in sight as businesses and consumers from around the world enjoy the delights and benefits of the premier equestrian event: The Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials.

Get your enterprise featured on our Business Break page. Email your details to: info@businessscene.co.uk

WORKFORCE

MAY 2012

WORKFORCE Facebook: it’s work, not play f you thought the younger generation wastes precious work time browsing Facebook and Twitter, think again. Figures from innovation consultancy, Decode, show that fewer than one in three of those aged 15 to 34 believe organisations should allow social media use at work. Robert Barnard, CEO of Decode (www.decode.net), said: ‘With so many new ways of accessing social media, including smartphones on the move, people are not so worried about camping in their social media sites as employers might think. However, firms are now seeing the value of staff being well connected online and a collaborative approach is thus needed for brands to benefit.”

Campaign begins to attract social workers to city n extra £3 million has been made available in Peterborough City Council’s latest budget to bolster the number of experienced social workers in Children’s Social Care. The aim to attract 25 staff will help support vulnerable children and families in Peterborough. The city council wants to become the employer of choice for social care staff and is offering a range of benefits for people who apply, including a comprehensive training programme and flexible working. Applicants will need to demonstrate a passion for helping families and children in crisis, a commitment to protect children in their families and an

understanding of child development and children’s needs. They will also need to be able to form good relationships with families, possess good skills in communicating with children and families and be organised and hard working. Councillor Sheila Scott, Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, said: “We are determined to make Peterborough one of the best Children’s Services in the country. When most councils are cutting their investment in Children’s Services, we have injected an additional £3 million into the service to recruit an additional 25 social workers. “Our vision is for Peterborough’s Children’s Services to be outstanding and meet the needs of every child in Peterborough, in every part of Peterborough. In order to raise aspirations we need the very best

Councillor Sheila Scott.

social workers to help us through this exciting journey. If you think you’re that person, come and work in Peterborough.” Sue Westcott, assistant director for Safeguarding Families and Communities, said: “We are determined to become the employer of choice. If you’re passionate about helping children and families in crisis and are committed to protecting children, we’d love to hear from you.” For more information about a career in social work in Peterborough, call 01733 864581 or email socialcarejobs@ peterborough.gov.uk

Employees stay late to impress the boss ore than a third of office workers deliberately spend longer hours in the office than needed in a bid to impress their manager, a study has revealed. Research by office rental service, Officebroker, found that in the last year, 39 per cent of workers regularly stayed late or arrived early, in a bid to seem more dedicated to their job than their colleagues. More than a quarter say they consistently work longer days than are needed – and they are most likely to stay late when a pay review is imminent, a new boss has been appointed or redundancies are looming. Those working extended hours commit between an hour and two hours extra a day, adding a minimum of half a day extra to their working week, with time-wasting tasks of choice included browsing the Internet,

emailing friends and doing menial, non-urgent tasks such as filing emails and organising their calendars. Chris Chris Meredith, Meredith. head of UK sales for officebroker.com, said the ‘faking it’ office phenomenon has poor long-term implications for both employee and employer: “The general consensus is that many workers across the country are putting in longer office hours than ever before. “However, many are doing it in a bid to improve their office image and win favour, rather than because their workload demands it. People are sitting idle in their offices in a bid to stand out from colleagues. This means a poorer work-life balance and increasingly tired workers, which benefits nobody.”

MAY 2012

Join the team putting the world on a plate ne of Peterborough’s restaurants is changing its name and bringing more of the world’s cuisines to the area. Formerly Jimmy’s Spices on New Road, the family-run business has changed its name to Jimmy’s World Grill and Bar, creating 20 new jobs, adding to the existing workforce of 40. The change marks the fourth Jimmy’s World Grill to open in the UK, with a total of ten to open this year, including a high profile location in the London O2 Arena. The restaurant offers some of the world’s finest cuisine, all for one price: the all-you-can-eat concept offers Chinese, Mexican, Italian, Japanese and Indian food – more than 100 dishes freshly prepared and cooked by a team of 16 experienced chefs on site, in the open kitchen or at the live stations for customers to tailor their dishes as they wish. The 11,000-square foot restaurant seats 350 customers over lunch and dinner sittings

for two separate prices. Marketing manager, Amandeep Uppal, said: “At lunch we offer a huge variety of dishes for a Amandeep set price but our Uppal. evening service is even larger, which is appropriately reflected in the price. We know Jimmy’s World Grill is exceptional value for the choice and quality we offer. “We pride ourselves on the quality and freshness of our food as well as making sure every customer leaves feeling satisfied in every way. Jimmy’s World Grill and Bar is a complete dining experience and we are excited to become part of Peterborough’s lively community.” After the launch of Jimmy’s World Grill and Bar, £1 from every meal was donated to a local charity – more than £2,000 was raised. To apply for a job at the restaurant, email your CV to jobs@jimmysworldgrill.co.uk

Pets galore for Tigers R and digital communications specialist Turquoise Tiger has been creating some animal magic over the past few weeks, having clinched the contract for the charity, National Pet Month. The Cowbit-based firm, run by Alison Bowie and Taz Thornton, scooped the business after a strong pitch in London. National Pet Month – which ran throughout April and ends on May 7 – is a UK-wide celebration of responsible pet ownership, encouraging people to celebrate life with their pets, running competitions and various events in aid of animal charities. Alison and Taz have been running the press office for the National Pet Month (NPM) during the campaign as well as promoting the key messages of good pet ownership, the mutual benefits of living with pets, the role of pet care specialists and

Pictured: Alison Bowie and Taz Thornton with their dogs, Benji and Tilly.

the value of working and assistance companion animals. Alison said: “We are huge animal lovers and this is a cause close to our heart. At a time when so many animals are being abandoned it’s more important than ever that we help spread the responsible pet ownership message. So take a look at the website and get involved.” Find out more here: www. nationalpetmonth.org.uk or: www.turquoisetiger.co.uk

WORKFORCE

SKILLSET

MAY 2012

SKILLSET Upskill marketers cost effectively hort courses – particularly about digital marketing methods – are leading the way in marketing training and development, allowing businesses to upskill their marketing departments on a tight budget, the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) says. David Thorp, director at CIM, said: “Digital marketing is the discipline with the greatest uptake of courses. Businesses David are increasingly Thorp. realising it is an essential skill that all marketers must possess to effectively do their job.” More details here: www.cim.co.uk/training

Grab a grant for apprenticeships he National Apprenticeship Service is offering up to 40,000 apprenticeship grants to small and medium-sized businesses. The grants – each to the value of £1,500 – are available to those firms which employ fewer than 250 staff, recruit their first apprentice aged 16-24 and those which have not employed an apprentice in the last three years. The aim is to help eligible firms to offer young people jobs through the apprenticeship programme, by providing wage grants to assist employers in recruiting their first apprentice. The £1,500 is in addition

to the training costs of the apprenticeship framework, which are met in full for young people aged 16 to 18 and 50 per cent for those aged 19 to 24. Priority will be given to SMEs recruiting an apprentice for the first time. Although larger employers (more than 250 staff) are not eligible for support through this initiative, the scheme hopes to encourage take up within their small and medium enterprises’ supply chain. For more details, visit: www.apprenticeships.org.uk/ Employers/Steps-to-make-it-happ en/Incentive

Work experience to career success spell of work experience at city accountancy firm Rawlinsons set Leanne Smart on the right track for her chosen career. Now, 11 years on, Leanne is celebrating becoming a fully-fledged accountant with the firm, having passed final exams. Leanne was a student at Orton Longueville School (now Nene Park Academy) when she spent two weeks working at Leanne the firm’s Lincoln Smart. Road office. Later, she successfully applied to join the firm’s trainee scheme and has since combined working with studying.

MAY 2012

Time is not refundable Y

ou already know time can equal money and you may well think you are already spending it wisely. Or perhaps you think you just don’t have the time to read this article. But investing five minutes in reading it will give you a great return. I know you don’t waste time deliberately; it’s just so easy to become involved in the detail and create unhealthy processes, procedure and politics. Time management is simply another term for self-management, for which you are responsible. Frederick Herzberg, in his with research into ’human satisfiers or motivation’,

Skills expertise David Grundy

discovered that people are more motivated, and remain so for longer periods, when they feel a sense of achievement. Which brings me to the To Do list, a favourite tool of many business owners. How can you feel a sense of achievement if, at the end of the day, you still have uncompleted tasks on your list? It builds up the guilt and stress levels, reduces motivation and detracts the benefit from tasks you did achieve. The effective way to use a To Do list and maintain motivation is via a strategy based on priorities and goals. Without these, you will struggle with time management. The passion for your business you

SKILLSET

❝

Until you value yourself, you will not value your time. Until you value your time, you will not do anything with it.

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M Scott Peck, author. started with will slowly dissipate. The proposed strategy will make your time management and decision making easier and faster. Consider these ideas: 1. Review how you are spending your time 2. Start to block tasks together. 3. Control meetings with a task-timed agenda 4. Know how much your time is worth by the hour 5. Prioritise your task and link to goals/outcomes. Contact me to find out more or check out my blog. I know YOU CAN DO IT!

David Grundy is managing director of Tuit Achievements and offers a free 30-minute taster session. Email: david@tuitachievements.com or telephone: O1733 210464 or 07894 705293. Twitter: tuitdoit Facebook david@tuitachievements Web: www.tuitachievements.com

TRAVEL

MAY 2012

OFF DUTY

Happy he long school summer holidays are not far away and, for those of you who haven’t booked yet, there’s still time to choose an ideal break for all the family. Use the insider knowledge of your travel professional to make the most of hundreds of great options on offer and to source the most suitable resorts and hotels for your family dynamic. My advice would be to go all-inclusive whenever possible when travelling with the family. You may well pay more initially for your holiday, but when you take into account the endless demand for ice-cream, drinks and snacks that you’ll have to pay for, it really makes sense to choose a holiday where it’s already included in the deal. With options covering three, four and five-star hotels, there’s something for all budgets. And, if you like a few ‘sundowners’ of an evening, all the more reason to make sure that’s covered in advance!

Above: Happy children mean everyone travelling with them can relax, too! Right: Head for Cyprus for an ideal break and an all-inclusive deal. Below: Sun, sea and swimming in Tunisia – another all-inclusive offer. Bottom: Ephesus in Turkey brings a little grown-up culture to your family travels.

Location, location, location he location is all important when planning a holiday to suit all ages. If your pockets are deep, the Caribbean, Mexico and the Windward Islands (St Lucia, Antigua) are all perfect choices for families, with endless white sands for the smaller ones and a vibrant night life for the older offspring – and mum and dad, of course! A little more affordable, the Dominican Republic and Cuba represent very good value for money, while still offering the same as their more expensive cousins. These locations also offer an enormous array of water sports, such as wind surfing and snorkelling, while most hotels have

For water, water everywhere, St Lucia is an ideal choice.

multiple pools and lots of activities to keep the children happy and allow mum and dad some down time. For those who like a little culture with their sun, choose a resort near places of interest – Cyprus and Turkey, to name but two, are steeped in history and offer huge opportunities for exploring when you can tear yourself away from the beach, and have hundreds of good, family-friendly hotels to suit every pocket.

MAY 2012 TRAVEL

If you haven’t already booked your family holiday for this summer, our travel correspondent JANE PRICE points you in the direction of some great destinations.

families

A shorter hop for those who want to ‘flop’: The Holiday Village Kamelya, Turkey.

‘Fly, flop’ or go exploring little closer to home, several big tour operators have holiday villages dotted around the Mediterranean and Red Sea. These hotels usually offer all-inclusive accommodation and endless activities for the youngsters – no matter what their ages. This allows mum and dad to enjoy spa facilities or visit nearby golf courses. The idea behind this kind of holiday is that you don’t need to leave the complex for anything, so it’s really suitable for those who just want to ‘fly and flop’. Meanwhile, an AquaPark is unrivalled for keeping your little darlings occupied! Hotels with their own AquaParks are

Above: AquaParks are scattered all over the Spanish Costas and on the Egyptian coastline.

dotted all over the Spanish Costas and in the Red Sea area of Egypt. For the more adventurous family trip, try exploring Morocco or Egypt with your toddlers . . . or taking your teenagers to Costa Rica, Thailand or Cambodia, Laos and Thailand. If you’re feeling energetic, take a cycling break in the USA. There are dozens of destinations from Burma to Vietnam, and all points between. But no family holiday article would be complete without mentioning Disney . . . whether in Paris, California or Florida, ALL members of the family become kids when entering the Magic Kingdom!

Left: If it’s magic you are after, visit Disney, or try a family cycling adventure in the USA.

or details of the breaks featured here, contact: Jane Price at Hays Travel.

Tel: 08000 141 833 or 01733 808330 or email: jane.price@hays-travel.co.uk

or visit the web page: www.hays-travel.co.uk/janeprice

DIARY DATES

MAY 2012

DIARY DATES May 10 (7.30-9.30am) Louth, Fairfield Enterprise Centre Bank of England Business Panel Event, providing the latest economic information from the bank’s experts, organised by the Lincolnshire Chamber of Commerce. More details from Charlotte Robson on: 01522 523333. May 24 The William Cecil Hotel, St Martin’s Stamford, PE9 2LJ The Rutland and Stamford Business Network (RSBN) evening seminar series. Jez Allman, What and How, ’The Hedgehog Principle – growing your business without getting run over’. Also, on June 21 – Robert Ashton, best-selling business author, ‘Why making a difference will make you more money – how social impact is fast becoming the best way to differentiate your business’. The RSBN meets every other Friday at Barnsdale Lodge Hotel, from May 4 and 18 for breakfast (£10 cash on entry): informal networking followed by a business feature speaker. Limited space, so book by email to Deborah King: deb@rsbn.biz June 17 Milton Country Park Wacky Races: a fun local business fundraising challenge – teams of up to eight people are encouraged to enter to win the title ‘Business Gold Star 2012’ and take advantage of networking opportunities. In aid of the Arthur Rank Hospice, the 2km river race is organised in partnership with Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce. Sign your team up here: www. methodcreative.co.uk/wackyraces June 23-24 Peterborough, Cathedral Square Peterborough Heritage Festival 2012: a living history event. More: www.vivacitypeterborough.com/festivals June 30 Peterborough Town Bridge, River Nene Embankment Dragon Boat Festival in aid of East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices. Companies are encouraged to enter a team: call 01780 470718 or visit: www.dragonboatfestivals .co.uk/peterborough/ June 30 – July 8 Peterborough, various locations Peterborough Arts Festival 2012. Featuring the Olympic Torch event July 3-4. More here: www.vivacitypeterborough.com/festivals

Perkins: a run for your money he Perkins Great Eastern Run is joining forces with the Peterborough Community Foundation to match race sponsorship to city charities pound-for-pound. It means those taking part in either the half marathon or the fun run could double the amount of sponsorship they raise for local good causes. Peterborough Community Foundation’s first wave of match funding was launched earlier this year with the support of local businessman Mike Greene, who was the subject of the TV programme ‘Secret Millionaire’ last November. Mike has said that in total he wants to help 100 local groups by building a match fund of up to £100,000. The announcement means there will now be a second wave of match funding to tie in with the Perkins Great Eastern Run and the thousands of pounds that are raised for local charities each year through the race. The size of the second Peterborough Match Fund will not be known for a while but it will open to match sponsorship in advance of the Perkins Great Eastern Run, which takes place on Sunday October 14. In order to support a greater

number of Peterborough charities, the second round of match funding will match up to £1,000 of sponsorship and donations per organisation. However, for charities and voluntary groups to benefit, they must register to create their own profile page on localgiving.com When the match fund is launched in October, those taking part in the half marathon or the fun run should ask all their sponsors to make a personal donation to their specific charity through the charity page on localgiving.com The earlier this donation is made after the fund is launched, the better chance they have of their sponsorship being matched by the funding pot, as

It’s nearly showtime! he countdown has begun to a premier event held annually in Peterborough. The East of England Showground will be opening its gates to thousands of visitors from all around the region, July 6-8. An outdoor evening concert, Friday’s Ladies Day, a brand new ‘green’ business hub, shopping village, a programme of interactive children’s events, food court and, of course, more than 1,000 animals on show will make this year’s event unmissable. The show is now in its 44th year at the showground. Andrew Riddington, show committee chairman, said: “We want the show to be a true celebration of the countryside, in all its many guises and one that has something for everyone.” For full details, visit the website: www.eastofenglandshow.co.uk

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the process works on a first come, first served basis. Although the second match fund will look to maximise the amount of money going to local charities through Perkins Great Eastern Run sponsorship, online donations will still be matched if raised through other events. Jane Darlington, from the Peterborough Community Foundation, said: “Joining forces with the Perkins Great Eastern Run is brilliant for the Peterborough Match Fund programme. Charities can encourage their supporters to take part in the run and the sponsorship money they receive can be doubled – everyone wins!” Stuart Hamilton, race director for Peterborough City Council, added: “This is a call to action for all those who say they can’t run – you don’t have to and you can still raise hundreds of pounds for local charities. “Get people to sponsor you to take part in the fun run – you can walk, hop or crawl if you want! The main thing is that you get some sponsors. We’ll be producing leaflets to go in the race packs to really promote the Match Fund and to get people’s sponsorship doubled for local good causes.” More about Stuart the race, here: Hamilton. www.perkinsgreateasternrun.co.uk or telephone: 01733 207207.

MAY 2012

PROFILE

MAY 2012

HEADLINES

We should all embrace the web and modern technology or risk being left behind, says Gordon Diffey.

Business Scene gets up close and a little bit personal with executives around the region. Here, we put the life and times of the Rutland-based ‘Internet Marketeer’, Gordon Diffey, under the spotlight. Full name: Gordon Diffey. Card details: Digital marketing consultant, The Internet Marketeer. Telephone: 01572 495007, email: gordon@theinternet-marketeer.co.uk or visit the website: www.the-internet-marketeer.co.uk

Biography: I grew up in Hereford, trained as a land surveyor and then spent 23 years in the RAF, followed by nearly six years as CEO of sight loss charity, Vista. Finally, I set up my company, The Internet Marketeer, some six years ago. I have lived and worked in Rutland for more than 11 years and we spent about eight years living in Manton before moving to Oakham just over two years ago. I have a lifelong passion for rugby, first as a player then as an administrator and spectator. I have been married to Sandra for more than 37 years and have three children, a daughter-in-law and a lovely granddaughter – all of whom are very important to me. My first job was: Working in a chicken factory directly after secondary school to fund my way through polytechnic. It taught me so much about the

importance of people, team work and hard work. But my dream job would be: Being a professional rugby player – but alas, I am too old and can only dream. To be paid to play the game I love would be a dream come true. Are you a technophobe or a technophile: Definitely a technophile; I like to see how we can exploit new technology, especially on the Internet. Technology is with us all in all parts of our lives now, so I believe we must embrace it or get left behind. I like to spend my time off: Following Gloucester Rugby. The sport has been a huge part of my life since I was 11. I also value time spent with family. Favourite brand: Virgin – I know you either like it or loathe it, but it has simple principles and a track record for testing and bringing to market some great ideas. Despite what many people think, Virgin is very focused and has a sense of humour, as well as being able to laugh at itself. My finest hour was: Being born, without that hour nothing else would have been possible!

I hate it when: I am late for an appointment – I hate it even more when others are late for appointments with me. I am surprisingly good at: Getting along with people. I have to say it always seems easier to try to get along with people than to be awkward. I would hope people like to work with me because I have a sense of humour and am not too tied up with my own importance. I have lots of energy and determination and do not give up easily, so working with me gets results. My dream dinner party guest would be: John Eales, the most successful Australian Rugby Union captain – his nickname was ‘Nobody’, because ‘Nobody is perfect’! I have

admired the way he leads by example, his determination and attention to detail. The food would be: Starter, antipasti of mozzarella, chilli, and lemon crostini; main course, beef and ale pie; followed by Italian ice-cream and more ice-cream. At my funeral, please play: Louis Armstrong – We Have All the Time in the World. If I ruled the world: I would try to change it for the better by removing inequality. I don’t mean that in a twee, beauty queen ‘mother and apple pie’ way, but I have seen some terrible things in the world and much of them could be avoided if people in power were able to truly put people first.

Get into Business Scene’s CEO spotlight. Email your HEADLINES responses to: info@businessscene.co.uk