Chamberlink Issue 2 2020 - Building Resilience

chamberlink ISSUE 02 2020

Building resilience

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C O N T EN T S TRANSFORMING CORK

08 Shaping Our Future

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Stepping Towards Recovery

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Moving Forward - Europe’s Green Recovery

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Increasing the Liveability of Our Urban Spaces

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Investing in Public & Sustainable Transport

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Shaping Our Future

COVER Story 10 Building Resilience

EMPOWERING YOU

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3 Financial Planning Tips for the Current Market Environment

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Achieve Business continuity with a Cloud-based Phone System

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Economic Trends Q1

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Connecting You

GROWING YOUR BUSINESS 20 International Solidarity

International Solidarity

22 5 Ways to Start Selling Online Really Fast 25 Meet the Team - Membership 26 Member to Member Support 28 New Members 30 Members News 32 Stay Secure to Ensure Business Continuity

Welcome I thank you, your family and your work colleagues for playing your part in ensuring the current pandemic does not strengthen its hold. As the situation evolves, we must all continue to play our part to support the public health guidelines.

practice and experience from friends across our global network. We are here to guide government and stakeholders as we plan a sustainable recovery for Cork. Your concerns are ours. Your ideas today influence government direction tomorrow.

It is not easy. I know that there is anxiety and even pain in the business community, with actions being taken that would have been unthinkable two short months ago.

I am confident that the prompt initiation of our Sustainable Cork Programme will provide a positive focal point to bring businesses together and to create a shared vision for recovery and our long term future, and look forward to getting stuck into the detail with you.

The Chamber continues to provide full service, uninterrupted at this time. We are here to listen and to help. Our events and training are in full swing online, being attended in record numbers. Our international team is working hard to collate best

Please share your thoughts on what recovery means for your business with me on conor@corkchamber.ie or 087-9471858 or any of the team

Chamberlink is published by Cork Chamber and is a bi-monthly publication exclusive to members. The opinions expressed in Chamberlink are not necessarily those of Cork Chamber, Chamberlink main sponsor neither do they accept any responsibility or liability for any legal implications arising there from. Registered in Ireland no. 13918

at Cork Chamber, as we continue to ensure that Government and business work together to improve our resilience.

Conor Healy Chief Executive, Cork Chamber.

T +353 (0)87 9471858 E conor@corkchamber.ie

Fitzgerald House, Summerhill North, Cork, T23 TD90.

CorkChamber.ie

Chamberlink Main Sponsor

TR ANS FO R M ING CO R K

Stepping Towards Recovery I would like to share some essential points that I believe will be critical to our economic, societal and political stability. While it is important to recognise that the current Government measures are very helpful and appreciated by the business community, it is clear that further steps must be taken to minimise economic damage along with greater clarity on how the economic recovery plan aligns with public health requirements.

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The following points form an overview of our key messages to Government over recent weeks, a conversation which continues to evolve daily.

Short Term

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Deeper cashflow interventions The April Chambers Ireland national survey shows that 76% of businesses report a two-month deferral of Commercial Rates payments will not be enough to have any meaningful impact on their business and 95% of respondents report that there is a need for liquidity grants.

Medium – Long Term

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Minimising cashflow challenges over the coming period for SMEs and certain larger businesses is essential and the focus needs to be on the following.

Government related charges such as VAT & PRSI need to be deferred for a minimum of 6 months while commercial rates need to be waived for 6 months or longer where businesses remain closed, with local authorities reimbursed to facilitate continuity of services.

Financial Institution charges such as mortgage and loan repayments deferred for a minimum of 6 months with flexible repayment arrangements.

Utility charges such as water, broadband, electricity etc. deferred for 6 months.

Rent payments also need to be deferred for minimum 6 months.

Additional sector specific supports across these areas for tourism/hospitality/retail also need to be provided.

Acting on these measures will provide a lifeline to businesses and save jobs.

Short – Medium Term Infrastructure led stimulus •

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Absolute commitment to the urban and rural regeneration funds is essential. Greenways, walkways, countryside access, parks, woodlands, planting and amenities must be improved and accelerated. They are to key to recovery, mental health and long term quality of life. Quality, people focussed amenity must always be within a 2km radius of home.

A bid for Cork to be European Green Capital would provide a framework for progress in our City region.

Construction must be at the forefront of infrastructure led stimulus, with housing and sustainable mobility as a focus. The Cork Metropolitan Area Transport Strategy, and significant NDP projects such as, roads, schools, hospitals and the Cork Event Centre are prime opportunities. This can be enabled by the approval of a social distancing working code that construction can adhere to.

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Support for the EU Green Deal as central to the recovery of Europe and commitment to a strong national green agenda. 10 EU countries have already committed to this and Ireland must be a leader.

Support for the Renewable Energy Subsidy Scheme is essential to ensure business is powered by green energy, which is becoming an important factor in investment decisions.

Government must leverage all appropriate models of funding for infrastructural delivery.

The mobilisation of a strong indigenous tourism campaign and investment in quality of life infrastructure that enhances the offer.

A phased roll back of supports at point of recovery commencement. A steady scaling down rather than an abrupt stop point is essential for economic continuity.

There is a challenging but positive pathway for Ireland to further distinguish itself internationally and to be a better place for companies and people locally. There is a long-term reputation benefit to getting the public health dimension and stimulus package right. Quality of life, environmental awareness, and business competitiveness are intrinsically woven together. We have an opportunity, through ambition equivalent to a contemporary Marshall Plan to lay the foundations for a stable and better economy and society and to leave a legacy of resilience and sustainability for generations to come.

As ever please share your thoughts on what recovery means for your business with me and the team at Cork Chamber, as we continue to ensure that Government and business work together to improve our resilience.

Best regards conor@corkchamber.ie

TR ANS FO R M ING CO R K

Moving forward – Europe’s

green recovery?

Best laid plans Before the Covid-19 crisis created a shift in the priorities of European leaders, the newly appointed European Commission shared its vision, launching the European Green Deal in December 2019. The deal outlined ambitious goals which included carbon neutrality by 2050 and a drive towards zero pollution.

It provided a roadmap for making the EU’s economy sustainable by turning climate and environmental challenges into opportunities across all policy areas and making the transition just and inclusive for all.

March 2020 saw the publication of the Commission’s European Industrial Strategy for a globally competitive, green and digital Europe. It set out initiatives that aimed to support European industry, tackling issues in different areas, including skills, tax and raw materials. A new Circular Economy Action Plan was launched as one of the main building blocks of the European Green Deal. In addition, a dedicated strategy for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) aims to reduce red tape and help Europe’s SMEs to do business across the single market and beyond, access financing and help lead the way on digital and green transitions.

Coordinating a green response to crisis However, since the onslaught of Covid-19, the EU, national governments, society and businesses have rightly been managing their immediate response to the crisis. Day-by-day the Covid-19 pandemic is teaching us that unless we cooperate, we cannot move forward. The same may be said for the move towards sustainable business – towards what is good for the environment and climate, people and the economy.

In every crisis there is opportunity, and it is evident the decisions and

investments made now will be those that shape our societies and economies for years to come.

In mid-April, an alliance of 180 European politicians, business leaders, MEPs and environmental activists urged for increased green investment in the EU to develop “a new model of prosperity”. Instead of stimulus and recovery packages which may lock in ‘business as usual’ – there is a call to refocus, by investing in the new economy to come out of the crisis in better shape than we went into it, fit for the future: sustainable, inclusive and competitive.

In an open letter to industry groups and MEPs, Frans Timmermans, Vice-president of the European Commission who is responsible for the European Green Deal, declared that the EU should not return to a sluggish, linear economy struggling to increase employment rates and quality of life, while depleting natural resources, producing waste and pollutants. Instead, we must aim “for qualitative growth, with a circular, sustainable and highly competitive economy”.

National Government supports and stimulus packages offer an excellent opportunity to decouple economic growth from resource use – a priority of the Green Deal – by boosting investments in clean technologies and for example renewable energy based on solar, geothermal, biomass, ocean energy and wind power.

Green Recovery for Ireland At Cork Chamber, we are calling for the medium- to long-term recovery to support the EU Green Deal and have recently communicated this to Taoiseach Leo Varadkar TD and Micheál Martin TD. This is the opportunity to commit to a positive agenda and in doing so commit to a sustainable economic, social and environmental recovery regionally, nationally and globally.

Moving forward, our challenge will be to secure the alignment of public policies for economic growth, job creation and investment with the transition towards climate neutrality and the goal of a sustainable future for all.

Investing in modern, clean and efficient infrastructure may create more jobs and increase GDP.

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TR ANS FO R M ING CO R K

Increasing the liveability of our urban spaces Now more than ever we’re in a situation that tests the resilience and robustness of our urban and community spaces. To aid the society-wide response to COVID-19, we must initiate a review of shared public realm and the spaces allocated to pedestrians and cyclists, and where possible and appropriate adapt the urban and community recreation spaces to meet this challenge going forward.

While it’s true that there is a reduction in vehicular traffic throughout urban areas, we are at the same time seeing the reclaiming of road space by walkers and cyclists doing their best to adhere to the 2 metre social distancing guidelines.

To improve the current situation where pedestrians and cyclists are obliged to enter road space to ensure sufficient distancing, which in itself is a safety issue for all road users, we’re calling on our local authorities here in Cork to link in with local community groups to identify these pinch points and instead allocate this road space safely. Increasing certainty and safety for all road users. The availability of urban amenity space, be it green park space or car free amenity space is a necessity for city residents to enjoy their community and locality. While acknowledging

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the work and dedication ongoing by Cork City Council and Cork County Council to expand and accelerate the provision of these spaces, their importance for all age groups, family sizes and mobility abilities is now more important than ever, and this will likely be a lasting outcome of the pandemic crisis.

There are quick wins to be had here, for example in the City, the prioritisation of the Marina for cycling and walking on a permanent basis would be an ideal re-designation of existing space.

While recently undertaken as a temporary measure to facilitate the Covid-19 testing centre, the permanent prioritisation to facilitate non-vehicular usage would prove hugely beneficial to increase the overall available amenity space for city centre residents. Enforcement of re-designations can persist as a challenge, the use of a barrier system allowing limited access for emergency services and residents could be beneficial in seeing this change of use observed.

In the longer term, there is a case to be made for slower vehicle speeds along priority pedestrian routes and throughout the city centre, and stronger emphasis on planting and greenery, bringing an immediate

benefit to all residents. Increasing the nature and biodiversity of our city centre while increasing the liveability and appeal. In the coming years, the introduction of a ban on HGV traffic through the city centre, which could be facilitated through National Development Plan investment in the North Link road network, would be hugely beneficial, making journeys and communities safer, quieter, and less polluted. In the short to medium term, there’s an opportunity to investigate the potential for quietway cycling routes, using laneways and backstreets that give cyclists priority, as have been developed in the UK, US and Netherlands and which could be really significant in promoting a change in mode to cycling at a modest cost. Alongside projects such as the Lee to Sea Greenway these could enhance the accessibility of interurban residential to amenity, education and work locations.

The provision of amenity space is a priority for the Cork business community, identified in a previous quarterly economic trends survey to members within their top three priorities for increasing the liveability of the city, alongside housing, and public transport.

TR ANS FO R M ING CO R K

Investing in Public & Sustainble Transport Cork Public Bike Scheme In the context of Government formation, the commitment to delivering the Cork Metropolitan Area Transport Strategy must be kept solidly on the national and regional transport investment agenda. CMATS is a crucial building block to ensuring the sustainable development of Cork, and nationally we must avoid the difficult lessons of the previous recessionary period where investment in public transport became a good to have instead of a must have, a legacy we are still overcoming today.

A key element of our public transport offering in Cork City is the public bike scheme. Cork Chamber has recently called on the National Transport Authority to continue their commitment to enhancing the scheme, and deliver the ten additional bike stations, originally planned for 2019. The scheme has undeveloped potential

to connect existing transport routes, increase the accessibility and permeability of Cork City, and diversify commuter options.

In a previous survey conducted

by Cork Chamber to the business community, there was a clear demand for the employment and student hubs of Cork University Hospital, Blackpool Shopping Centre, Cork Institute of Technology and commuter locations as Douglas to be connected to the scheme.

Over the last number of years and across the rail and bus services there has been a significant increase in passenger numbers, reflecting the appetite in Cork for enhanced public transport services and network connectivity. However, the pandemic may impact on public transport usage in the short to medium term, creating a further immediate and acute need for pedestrian, cycling and e mobility infrastructure.

In a recent communication with the NTA, we highlighted the importance of the scheme, its ongoing expansion, and the issues around maintenance. We will continue to advocate for support for this scheme and for the whole of CMATS. Without a doubt, to realise metropolitan locations that are sustainable, it is crucial that alongside the larger infrastructure projects, the less costly but highly impactful infrastructure projects continue to be supported.

Engineering our Future Joe Gantly Prize in Engineering 2020 Joe Gantly, who was a Civil Engineering graduate of Trinity College Dublin, made a significant contribution to industry and education in the Cork Area. He served as Director of European Operations at Apple, President of Cork Chamber, Chairman of the Cork Airport Authority and as a Governor of UCC. In order to commemorate his contribution to Cork’s business community, Cork Chamber established the Joe Gantly Prize in Engineering awarded each year to the best student on the Work Placement module in the BE (Hons) programmes at UCC.

Pictured at the awards: Prof. Jorge Oliveira, Head, School of Engineering with 2020 Overall Winner Sean Cahill, Electrical & Electronic Engineering; Colm Power, Process and Chemical Engineering; Ciara O’Connor, Civil, Structural & Environmental Engineering; Vincent Tierney, Energy Engineering and Thomas McHugh, Cork Chamber.

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TR ANS FO R M ING CO R K

Shaping Our Future Sustainable Cork Fund receives 66 applications from across Cork Cork Chamber’s Sustainable Cork Fund was launched earlier this year, in partnership with Social Innovation Fund Ireland (SIFI). An astounding 66 applications were received from across Cork, and the SIFI team are now in the process of reviewing the applications, in what will be a very competitive process, to select between 3-5 awardees.

The environmental, social and economic approach embedded in the Sustainable Cork Fund is in line with Cork Chamber’s mission to create a strong and supportive ecosystem for business in Cork. Central to this mission is a vision for a more sustainable Cork in which to invest and live.

Of the organisations that applied for the Fund, 96% identified a key focus on social inclusion, and over 60% of the applicants stated that their projects were targeted at more than one of the key themes identified in the application criteria, which included ‘environment’ and ‘economic empowerment’ as well as ‘social inclusion’. With the ‘new Cork’ that we are living in, this fund will be beneficial in helping these organisations on the road to recovery post-Covid 19.

Cork City supporting Social Enterprise Cork City Council sees strategic value in social enterprises and since 2017 has been involved in the Atlantic Social Lab project which works to support social enterprises.

The Atlantic Social Lab project (funded by the EU’s Interreg Atlantic Area Programme) has built on this potential and enabled the council to identify and address issues being faced by social enterprises, and the team has been working with experts and key social enterprise activists to provide networking and training to social enterprises through the organisation of workshops on topics such as funding, finance, governance, storytelling, measuring social impact and procurement.

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Churchfield Community Trust (CCT) ‘Compass Crafts’ carpentry team, design and produce garden furniture, playpark items and creche furniture.

TR ANS FO R M ING CO R K

One of these enterprises is Churchfield Community Trust (CCT), a communitybased organisation which believes that all people should have the opportunity and supportive environment to overcome challenges around alcohol, substance misuse and offending behaviour.

CCT collaborates with key statutory and voluntary agencies to establish safer communities through reduction of recidivism; promote re-integration of offenders; provide key strategic addiction interventions; create sustainable employment opportunities and develop pathways to adult education and training.

The CCT Garden CafĂŠ initiative provides training and mentoring in a live cafĂŠ environment to men and women who are interested in progressing to employment in the catering industry. Mentoring and certified training is delivered to employees who engage as part of the Garden CafĂŠ initiative. The Compass Crafts carpentry team, design and produce garden furniture, playpark items and creche furniture.

Special category community employment and continuing adult education initiatives provide a platform for progression to sustainable employment and reintegration within communities of origin for CCT participants. During 2019 the organisation engaged with 316 participants through several interventions.

Churchfield Community Trust remains operational in the context of brief and crisis intervention while the core team have adapted to the current challenging circumstances and are collaborating as part of an inter-agency community response re: Covid-19.

For more information see: http://atlanticsociallab.eu/

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Cov e r Sto ry

Building Resilience Paula Cogan, President, Cork Chamber explores the junctures of moving through this crisis and beyond, how we need to take onboard and apply the learnings from the past, to grow our national economic and social resilience in the decades ahead.

It’s fair to say the eye of this storm will be nothing like we’ve weathered before. We are in unprecedented times for our public health services and personnel, for business, for communities, for families and for those unemployed or facing unemployment, or reduced earnings due to this crisis. There is a difficult road ahead. Though interestingly, if we have learned anything about ourselves over the past few weeks it’s that we are resilient, we have strong communities.

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If we have learned anything about ourselves over the past few weeks it’s that we are resilient, we have strong communities.

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What happens as we move through this crisis and beyond will be our next great test. At Cork Chamber, we are initiating a comprehensive new Sustainable Cork Programme which specifically tailors our activities to support our members in building a culture of safety, confidence and trust during these unforeseen circumstances and to set forth a path to recovery. The Sustainable Cork Programme will harness the knowledge and insights of the people and companies of Cork. We must do all that we can now to ensure that as many people as

possible avoid unemployment, that jobs are protected, that businesses are supported, that the construction of housing and apartments recommences appropriately, that commitment remains to our transport and infrastructure projects and services, and that the growth of sustainable thriving communities is prioritised even more on the national agenda.

If we don’t, we will face the reality of navigating a major public health crisis, only to be met with the full impact of an economic crisis. We must take on board the lessons from the last recessionary period in Ireland where investment in public transport, infrastructure, essential amenities and services became a nice to have instead of a must have.

This is not where we want to be in another 10 years.

It’s hard to believe that it was only a few weeks ago that the Covid-19 threat to Ireland moved from potential to imminent and is now a very real part of our daily lives.

At this time, the Economic and Social Research Institute published its quarterly report, basing its predictions for unemployment on a 12-week pandemic scenario.

Though hard to accurately predict due to the lightning fast pace of the evolving situation and the uncertainty around the 12-week duration, this scenario presents us nationally with a stark reality.

Predicting a 7% contraction of the domestic economy, with a rise in unemployment nationally from 4.8 percent in February to 18% percent in Q2 2020. Unemployment will be likely to drop back to

12.5% by the end of the year. Even more recently the Central Bank, in its latest quarterly outlook, costed the current Government measures at €8.2billion, estimating unemployment as likely to reach 25% by the summer as a result of the economic shock to output and productivity, while GDP is on course to drop back by 8.3% for 2020.

Government recently announced a revision to the total cost of state income and wages supports up from the previous estimate of €3.7bn to €4.5bn, all based on a 12-week period, with nearly 800,000 people now totally relying on income from the state, bringing it to over one million those who are either fully or partially dependent on state supports for income. It’s hard to see where this might land right now, and while stark these are the measures that must be taken to give businesses and communities a fighting chance.

While nationally we face into the eye of a public health emergency, one which remains the foremost priority, it is crucial too that we work now to proactively take all steps to alleviate the societal and economic pressures and effectively manage the likely aftermath. We must take the learnings from the 2007 - 2008 global financial crisis and the years of austerity that followed, and avoid repeating the measures that stifled economic, community and social resilience.

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The global financial crisis saw Government in the subsequent years focus away from public transport and housing as the construction sector crashed. These are critical areas that in recent years we’ve been grappling with. These issues will be waiting for us after we move through our health crisis into an economic suppression. It’s so important that as we navigate the ‘beyond’ phase of this crisis that we do so in a way that supports investment in essential services but also the fundamental building blocks of strong communities and thriving economies.

Currently Ireland is ranked at the lower echelons amongst our eurozone counterparts when it comes to spending on public transport. Longer commute times, growing congestion, rising emissions, and decreasing air quality are all symptoms of this, although the current temporary respite is now well documented. We must now grow public investment in these

areas, and not cut back this essential investment as we have done in the past. We can’t afford as a nation to curtail essential activity. If we do, we will end up spending more money in the long run, exacerbate the housing crisis, develop unsustainably and plan to fail.

While the crisis provides an unprecedented challenge to the exchequer, it is equally clear that austerity is not the route to recovery.

A discussion must begin on the use of infrastructural investment as the vital core of this phase, ensuring our construction sector has the continuity required to support our whole economy. Projects outlined in the National Development Plan, the development of affordable, private and public housing stock, and investment in public transport infrastructure through the commitment to delivering the Cork Metropolitan Area Transport Strategy must remain solidly on the national agenda for the incoming government. It is the right thing to do economically and the right thing to do for our community.

Cork Chamber promise to play our part and to leave a bright and resilient legacy that future generations will be proud of. We must be agile and energised. We must retain our vision for the future, and use the crisis to find new ways to work and thrive as a community. There is a tough road ahead, but we must always seek out the opportunity amid the crisis. 100 years ago Cork was all but burned to the ground, yet it evolved and became the place we know and love today. By working together now, we can build a thoughtful, sustainable and resilient Cork inspired by our shared experience and passion.

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By working together now, we can build a thoughtful, sustainable and resilient Cork inspired by our shared experience and passion.

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We can’t afford as a nation to curtail essential activity.

If we were to do so, we will end up spending more money in the long run, exacerbate the housing crisis, develop unsustainably and plan to fail.

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e m p ow e r i n g yo u

Three Financial Planning Tips for the Current Market Environment Colm Power, Director, Financial Planning, Davy Private Clients Barry Kennelly, Director, Tax & Wealth Structuring, Davy Private Clients The impact of the Coronavirus on our lives has been enormous and continues to wreak havoc as we navigate this new unchartered territory. Financial asset values have fallen at a rate faster than most of us have ever seen, presenting challenges for investors as they come to grips with the impact on their portfolios. At a personal level, we continue to experience stress and anxiety from this massive evolving change.

In a period of such unprecedented uncertainty, it may help to exert some level of influence on some aspects of our lives which we can alter. Social distancing has meant that many of us find ourselves with extra time on our hands. Having to spend so much unexpected time at home might be an opportunity to look at completing things we’ve put on the long finger.

One thing definitely worth considering at this time is your financial plan which can help keep you on track by allowing you to reposition in times of uncertainty or market volatility.

1. Defer non-essential drawdowns

The worst time to draw money down from a portfolio is when assets have fallen significantly. For some, there won’t be any other choice, as lifestyle needs may dictate an immediate requirement for funds.

However, not all drawdowns are essential in the short term and any portfolio withdrawals or encashment from invested assets should be reviewed. Deferring for a period of time may allow for asset recovery and access at a more suitable time.

2. Retire pensions that are close to the tax

efficient limit.

The bull market that followed the global financial crisis provided plenty of growth to pension savers in the time period since. Many clients would have seen their pension grow over the €2m tax efficient limit, known as the Standard Fund Threshold (SFT).

There is an immediate 40% tax charge when drawing pension benefits on any chargeable excess amount above the tax efficient limit, although a credit available from tax paid on retirement lump sums can increase the efficient value to €2.15m before 40% tax arises.

A dip in pension values may present a good time for some clients to tax efficiently draw benefits as the market movements may have eliminated some or all of the amount subject to punitive tax.

3. Lifetime asset transfers

If you’re considering transferring assets to the next generation, this may still be appropriate.

A time of low asset values typically means that a transfer will give rise to less exposure to capital taxes i.e. capital gains tax (CGT), capital acquisitions tax (CAT) and stamp duty. The hope is that the growth in asset values will be in the hands of children when values recover, rather than being subject to tax at some point in the future. It is possible to tax efficiently transfer wealth to the next generation in such a way that control can be maintained by parents.

Of course, there is a possibility that the rates of tax will increase in the future.

At Davy our strength lies in the close working relationships we have with our clients. In recent years, we have invested heavily in highly-skilled people to ensure that we are well positioned to plan for your future while mitigating risks. Our thinking is balanced and long term. We provide frequent accessible financial planning and wealth management advice which is able to weather the storm and adapt to market forces.

If you need any information, advice or reassurance during these challenging times, why not request a call at davy.ie/cork and talk to one of our advisers.

Please note that this article is general in nature and does not take account of your financial situation or investment objectives. It is not intended to constitute tax, financial or legal advice and is based on Davy’s understanding of current tax legislation in Ireland. Davy does not provide tax or legal advice. Prior to making any decision which may have tax, legal or other financial implications you should seek independent professional advice. There are risks associated with putting any financial plan or strategy in place. The value of investments may go down as well as up.

J & E Davy, trading as Davy and Davy Private Clients, is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland.

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e m p ow e r i n g yo u

Achieve Business Continuity

with a Cloud-based Phone System

Sean Dowling, Director of Telecoms, Radius When An Taoiseach Leo Varadkar asked the people of Ireland to stay at home during Covid-19, most businesses had to think on their feet and put in place workarounds so they could still function from out of the office.

As we know communications are paramount in business and the phone plays a huge part in that.

Cork-headquartered accountancy practice, Murray Cloney and Associates, invested in a Radius Cloud-based phone. Managing Director Michael Cloney, remarks “thanks to the new phone system, we continue to offer the same high level of customer service to our clients throughout the Covid-19 pandemic. The phone system gives us business continuity for now, and for the future in case of further disruption”.

Sean Dowling, Director of Telecoms for Radius, sheds some light on how to achieve business continuity with Cloud telephony: How can this approach to a company’s telecommunications help with business continuity?

As we have seen, a lot of offices closed and had to deploy employees to work from home. The Radius cloud-based phone system is completely accessible from remote locations with smartphone Apps, software on employee’s laptops (softphones) or bringing home their phone handsets. Those of our clients who had moved to the cloud before the Covid-19 outbreak are now running their business customer contact from home.

Every company should have a plan when it comes to business continuity and the phone system is

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a huge part of that. The Cloud-based phone system ticks all these boxes no matter what situation arises.

What are the biggest changes you would see from a move from a traditional phone system to cloud telephony?

At a basic functionality level, you won’t see any major difference when it changes over. You keep all the same phone numbers, menus, hunt groups and extensions. The major change they will see is increased accessibility. So when there’s an ad hoc closure to the business, then the management would either have to get to their premises or call out the phone provider to come to the location and put an out of hours message on the phone. With the Cloud you can access the admin panel and by remote connection taking away the need for a physical call-out.

Is there a cost-saving when moving to Cloud telephony?

You’ve got to weigh up cost bottomline cost against bigger picture costs and efficiencies. So the cloud model is a per user per month model, while the traditional on-premise is per line per month plus an upfront investment in hardware. On-premise lines are shared amongst all the users on an on-demand basis.

Whereas the cloud has unlimited lines and resources.

We do an analysis for each customer.

We look at the current cost and we compare that to what that cost would be in our cloud. The big bonus is the per user per month cost includes both remote support and onsite on-site technical support whereas that is usually priced separately.

How long does it take to configure a new Cloud phone system?

It’s quick from time of order to installation. We can have a business up and running within 1-2 days without any interruption to service.

Employees are up and running in a matter of minutes.

What does the future of business communications look like?

The future of business communications is device agnostic and be able to work from anywhere.

Then you add a company-wide communication tool like Microsoft Teams. You can integrate Teams with your Cloud phone system to give users a seamless experience.

Then you have a real end-to-end communication system for your business.

To help with Covid-19 and business continuity measures, Radius is offering new clients 6 months Free Cloud Phone Apps for PC or Smartphone.

Contact Radius by email sales@radius.ie or by phone lo-call 0818 592 500.

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Contact: DAVE McCARTHY (086-145 2774) or DAVID COOKE (086-2593 185) A4-WFH-CC.indd 1

16/04/2020 11:45

C O R K

C H A M B E R

QUARTER 01 2020

ECONOMIC TRENDS

Sponsored by

DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION The first economic trends survey of 2020 captures the sentiment of the Cork business community at a time of unprecedented uncertainty due to the Covid-19 pandemic shock.

COMPANIES WITH ACTIVE POLICIES 65%

Yes

57%

No

43%

Previously we had asked members about their organisational experiences of diversity and inclusion in the workplace, and their own professional perspectives on the broader perceptions and challenges in this space. These questions had been asked originally in the first quarter of 2018. We have now asked these questions again, 2 years later. While it is still clear that persistent challenges remain, there has been a marked increase in business activity, policies and supports.

30%

2020

2018

WE ASKED WHICH POLICIES ARE SUPPORTED CURRENTLY 2020 2018

75%

72%

77%

71%

74%

60% 42%

36%

45% 36%

34%

28%

6% Flexible working hours

Work from home options

3%

Childcare facility/ support

Employee Assistance Programme

Continuous professional training & education

Health & wellbeing programme

Education for inclusion & diversity in the workplace

WE ASKED MEMBERS WHAT THE SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGES ARE (NOT SPECIFIC TO YOUR OWN BUSINESS BUT BROADLY), HERE’S WHAT YOU TOLD US Agree Disagree

61%

64%

61% 51%

Neither

26%

16

57%

24%

13%

15%

Equal pay for equal work

Flexible working hours

28% 21%

23%

22% 21% 13%

Remote working options

Education for inclusion & diversity

Access to childcare

Of the 24%, 20% of these businesses are reporting difficulty filling the open roles (i.e. remaining unfilled for greater than 3 months since initial advertisement). As has been the trend in previous surveys, this is mostly in the area of engineering, with a shortage of skilled chefs also coming to the fore.

BUSINESS CONFIDENCE CONFIDENT 54% NOT CONFIDENT 46%

In Q1 2020 we saw a sizable decrease in those reporting business confidence, now at 54% from 93% in the previous quarter.

TURNOVER AND NET PROFIT ESTIMATIONS AND PREDICTIONS Increased

51%

Decreased

NUMBER OF BUSINESSES WITH VACANCIES ADVERTISED CURRENTLY

YES 24% NO 76%

CONFIDENCE IN THE IRISH ECONOMY

47%

No change

33% 24%

25%

20%

Very Confident 1% 19%

Confident Not Confident

TURNOVER

NET PROFIT

The survey shows that 11% of businesses expect an increase to turnover over the coming quarter 2, with 71% expecting a decrease to turnover over the same period. In relation to net profit, 9% of responding business expect an increase, while 75% expect a decrease.

For context, in Q1 2019, 80% of businesses expected an increase in turnover, while 67% expected an increase to net profit (note: in Q1 2019 the question asked to forecast for the 12-month period ahead).

80%

The survey reports a dramatic rise in those reporting as not confident in the Irish economy.

In the previous quarter, 13% of respondents had reported as not confident, with 8% reporting as very confident and 79% reporting as confident. In the same quarter for 2019, the survey had reported 79% of respondents as confident.

TOP 3

EMPLOYMENT OUTLOOK EXPECTED CHANGES TO EMPLOYEE NUMBERS OVER THE NEXT 12 MONTHS INCREASE 16% DECREASE 35% STAY THE SAME 49%

THREATS TO BUSINESS GROWTH 1. Covid-19

3. Changing consumer spending / reduced orders

RESPONDING BUSINESSES Sole Trader

The latest quarter reports 24% of businesses as having open vacancies. Also, in the previous quarter this had been at 39%.

34%

Micro Enterprise (2–10) 11–50

For context, the same quarter in 2019 reported 4% of businesses expecting a decrease to employee numbers over the 12 months ahead, while 43% had expected numbers to stay the same, and 53% had expected employee numbers to increase.

2. Managing cashflow

51–100

12%

16%

23%

101–200 201+

7%

8%

The responding businesses represent a broad range of sectors: Industry/ Manufacturing (10%); Science & Technology (12%); Tourism, Travel Culture & Arts (15%); Construction (5%); Multisectoral (4%); Services incl. financial (47%); Transport (3%) and Digital Economy (4%).

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e m p ow e r i n g yo u

Connec ting YOu Busin ess Br e akfast The March Business Breakfast, in association with Ronan Daly Jermyn and media partner The Irish Examiner, featured the impressive Jane Howard, CEO of Ulster Bank. Jane spoke of her early career and her valuable experience in the banking industry. Click here to view gallery.

Richard Martin, Managing Partner, Ronan Daly Jermyn, Katherine Fitzpatrick, Director of International Relations, Cork Chamber, Jane Howard, CEO Ulster Bank Ireland, Aidan Forde, Head of Advertising, Irish Examiner, Paula Cogan, President Cork Chamber. Photographer: Dan Linehan.

March Business Breakfast in the Clayton Hotel Cork City. Photographer: Philip Daly.

New m e mbe rs Br e akfast Our New Members Breakfast held in association with AIB brought together nearly 50 new members to The Metropole Hotel on the 28 February. Each member got the opportunity to find out the many ways they can utilise their membership. Click here to view gallery.

John O’Doherty, Head of AIB Cork, Paula Cogan, President Cork Chamber, Annie FitzGibbon, Director of Membership Services Cork Chamber.

Annette O’Keeffe, Cork Chamber and Eileen Walsh, Grafton Recruitment.

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Melissa Curley, SocialBee and Sara De Miguel Hernandez, Flowithme.

Photographs: Diane Cusack

Billy Mulcahy, AIB Cork with Michael O’Leary, Patrick McNamara & Associates.

Melissa Kiersey and Andrew O’Sullivan, Print Shark Ltd.

e m p ow e r i n g yo u

Thoug ht Le ade rs Council Our first Thought Leaders Council meeting of the year was held in The River Lee Hotel on Friday 6 March and featured guest speaker Niall Cussen, the architect of Ireland 2040 and the National Development Plan. Click here to view gallery.

Thomas McHugh, Director of Public Affairs Cork Chamber; Paula Cogan, President Cork Chamber, Niall Cussen, Planning Regulator, and Conor Healy, CEO Cork Chamber.

Annie FitzGibbon, Cork Chamber; Damien Burns, Thermo Fisher Scientific; Heather Randles, Davy and Conor Jones, Indaver Ireland.

Thought Leaders Council Workshop. Photographer: John Sheehan

Colm Leen, Carbery Group; Clodagh O’Donovan, Arup and Niall Kenny, AB Sales.

John Higgins, EY with Eoin Motherway, Willis Towers Watson and David Brosnan, Clearstream Global Securities Ltd.

NET WOR K ING AT N OO N

The first Networking at Noon of the year kicked off in KPMG’s new offices on South Mall. Over 80 members got the opportunity to mingle and make new connections whilst enjoying fresh pancakes to celebrate Pancake Tuesday. Click here to view gallery.

Dafydd Lewis, Carrigaline Court Hotel; Sinead O’Keeffe, Enable Ireland; Niamh Kenneally, Cork City Gaol and Muriel Cuddy, Health & Fitness Ireland.

Eadaoin Looney & Tom Wilkinson, Brightwater Recruitment with Olivia Cussen, Cork Opera House.

Laura Heald, Hays Recruitment and Sean Cooney, Paula Cogan, President Cork Chamber with Michael Lynch, Castlemartyr Resort.

Partner KPMG. Photos: Niall Barry

Alison O’Brien, Fuzion, Paul McSherry, Crowleys Opticians.

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International Solidarity The past weeks of global pandemic have seen a strange return to the raising of ‘borders’ throughout Europe and further afield, as countries and economies have struggled to find a balance between keeping trade and supply chains open, and protecting their people and goods in the name of public health. However, societally, the pandemic has exposed great solidarity at national and global level, demonstrating how international co-operation, human assistance and kindness can be transformative and powerful tools in the face of a global crisis.

In difficult times, the soft power of diplomacy is critical. It is important to acknowledge the role of the Department of Foreign Affairs, and in particular the Irish Embassies and Consulates abroad, whose teams have worked tirelessly to repatriate our fellow Irish citizens since the crisis began.

Over 5,000 Irish citizens have been brought home to Ireland in the past month alone and in the past weeks Irish missions abroad and consular teams have helped Irish citizens return from places as far flung as Vietnam and Cambodia, New Zealand, Nigeria and South Africa.

Delegates at the PPE donation ceremony in Shanghai Foreign Affairs Office

Global village

Ireland is part of global village and our interdependence has never been more evident. In strong recognition of the importance of pan-international collaboration, Simon Coveney, Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade has not only committed 10 million euro to the UN’s Covid 19 humanitarian appeal, but has also announced that Ireland plans to quadruple its normal annual financial contribution to the World Health Organisation (WHO) to €9.5 million for 2020 after the US suspended their WHO funding contribution.

Ireland’s long-standing international relationships have borne dividends in recent weeks, as evidenced by the extensive public-private collaboration and pro-bono work undertaken to produce, source and hasten the arrival of much needed Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for frontline workers. Cork’s Sister City Shanghai has made generous donations of PPE, as have several other sister cities, Chambers, bi-lateral business organisations and individuals both in China and Ireland. The significance of our international diaspora and their generosity at this time, too, cannot be overstated. The Irish expat community in China raised almost €20,000 for the purchase of PPE for Ireland, and Irish diaspora and community groups in the US are playing their part to raise funding for Irish expats and Irish communities who have been been impacted by Covid 19.

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Lord Mayor of Cork Cllr. John Sheehan delivers a donation of PPE from Wenzhou Chamber of Commerce (China) to The Mercy Hospital, Cork.

Fostering international business relationships from Cork

Nurturing and maintaining international relationships requires time, patience and understanding, however if this time is invested, then our international relationships can pay huge dividends and reap rewards.

While international travel has all been put on hold, and is unlikely to resume in the short- or even medium-term, the Chamber continues to support Cork businesses by maintaining communications with our international partners, supporting the exchange of information and advice through our networks, promoting international business partnerships through Enterprise Europe Network (EEN) and supporting exporters with an extensive Certificate of Origin documentation service.

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Irish Consul General in Shanghai Therese Healy receiving a donation of PPE for Cork hospitals from Shanghai Foreign Affairs Office.

At Chamber CEO level, we are keeping up regular contact with other Chambers around the world, to receive and share learnings and advice to respond to the crisis. The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) together with the WHO are surveying the private sector: the three minute survey is the first global survey of its kind in response to Covid19 to understand how business are responding. It further demonstrates that beyond a medical emergency, businesses play a vital role in responding to its societal and economic impacts.

Never waste a good crisis

While many sectors have been extremely hard hit in the last number of months, hospitality and tourism in particular, Enterprise Ireland, has highlighted opportunities for growth in a few core sectors, such as healthcare, pharma, digital health, cybersecurity and medical devices as well as solution providers for retail, business process outsourcing, food production and tools to engage remote teams.

The movement of people and products will begin again, but as the fog of crisis lifts, shifts in consumer and business demands are to be anticipated. We have already seen how Cork SMEs have shown that they are flexible and responsive to change, many of whom have already taken advantage of opportunities to deliver customised solutions or pivot into a new sector.

Cork Chamber encourages member companies to stay connected and take advantage of the shift online, to invest and engage in client and customer relationships and to consider fostering international relationships to promote their business. Using this time to invest in research, validate new ideas and analyse competitors will help businesses to be resilient and to prepare for new opportunities as they emerge now and post-crisis, both at home or abroad.

Get in touch to find out how we can support your business to forge international relationships in the future.

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GR OWING YO UR BUSINESS

5 Ways To Start Selling Online Really Fast Zahid Aslam, Cork Institute of Technology Need to start selling online but don’t have an Ecommerce site?

There are plenty of options…

Our current situation has put a massive strain on all members of our business community – not least traditional retailers who are now paying rent for closed premises.

Some retailers have focused on their existing Ecommerce websites. However for those without an Ecommerce site there are plenty of options that can tide you over, and might even lead to bigger and better things.

A Bit of A Checklist

No matter what sort of Ecommerce activity you decide upon, at a minimum you’ll need the following: a) b) c) d)

e)

a way for your customer to select products a way for your customer to give you their order a way for you to accept the money a delivery method (usually the customer collects, you deliver with your own vehicle or you use AnPost or a courier service) . depending upon your setup, you may need to update your inventory once the goods have left the shelf

If you can sort out the above, you are well on your way

Method 1 - The Bare Bones Option

If your customers already know what products they want (e.g. your restaurant might already have your menu on a website or most people will know the products a butcher sells) this is the simplest and fastest solution.

Customer places order over WhatsApp / Email

Retailer checks whether order can be fulfilled.

Confirms with order number, price and delivery details via WhatsApp / Email

Customer pays for order using PayPal mentioning order number

Retailer receives the confirmation of payment, fulfils the order and notifies the customer of delivery info.

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There are clearly a lot of variants to this method – in particular the communications channel and the payment method. It’s generally best to stick to one or two communication channels – choose from email / WhatsApp / FB Messenger or wherever you think most of your most loyal spending customers are. Similarly there are plenty of alternatives to PayPal, and some retail banks have facilities that allow customers to ‘send’ money to anyone using just a phone number. However Payment Solutions such as PayPal (or Stripe, though it’s not quite as easy to set up if you don’t have a website) allow for easier refunds and have other features aimed at retailers.

PROs • • •

Fast and easy to set up No start-up costs Fairly low ongoing costs (Paypal charges from 3.4% plus a transaction fee)

CONs •

Quite labour intensive - checking order numbers to payments and answering queries about products by WhatsApp could drain your time and energy.

One of the most interesting things about this method is that it allows a customer to deal with a person – and now that face to face contact has been removed from daily life a ‘wonderful to hear from you’ might, more than anything else, be what your customers want.

Method 2 - Facebook / Instagram Shop

Facebook (and its subsidiary, Instagram) has been trying to win a slice break of the Ecommerce market for years. One of their more meaningful offerings is Facebook Shops – the ability for small businesses to add an Ecommerce tab in their Facebook Page and manage inventory using either a 3rd party or Facebook’s own Catalogue management function.

Unlike the Bare Bones method above, this (and all other methods listed below) means you’ll need to manage a catalogue of products. Each item for sale will need one or

GROWING YO UR BUSINESS

more photos, a description, a price, delivery info and other details. Getting the shop set up on Facebook might be the easy part – but if you don’t have a catalogue, creating one from scratch could take a while. Focussing on products that are likely to sell well, have high margins, are easy to deliver and where you have plenty of stock can provide an entry point.

Two small points – you’ll need to have a Facebook page rather than a profile, and Facebook generally only allows physical goods to be sold (so online gift vouchers could be a problem).

PROs • • • • •

•

The store itself is fast and easy to set up (although the catalogue might not be) No start-up costs Ongoing costs are relatively low Provides a way to benefit from an existing Facebook and/or Instagram following.

Facebook and Instagram Stores use the same functions.

Managing a Facebook Shop and Instagram Shopping at the same time is fairly convenient.

Once you are on these platforms the tools to reach both existing customers and new audiences (or at least those using the platform) are right in front of you.

for home-made crafts and I have to give a shout-out to Jack Crotty and Martin Poucher’s Neighbourfood. There are plenty of others, and during the Covid-19 shutdown several such services are having a ‘moment’. If you’ve previously considered and rejected such a service, now might be a good time to revisit.

A ‘Horizontal Marketplace’ sells lots of different types of goods, with the best know being Amazon and Ebay. If you think they’ll be happy enough to buy from these services, this could be a good option.

Amazon also offers ‘Fulfilled By Amazon’ (FBA), where you ship your goods in bulk to an Amazon warehouse and they send the goods out. However the Covid-19 crisis has seen Amazon introduce an Essential Items policy which has introduced major restrictions to FBA sellers.

Whether to pursue an Amazon / Ebay route can be a tough question, and a careful exploration of costs is even more important than usual.

PROs •

•

CONs •

•

Not all products are well suited to Facebook.

Consumers might be tempted by beauty products, fashion and food – however the platform is less well suited to other sectors.

Whatever you do on Social Media, whether it’s talking about your products or just chatting, there’s always a chance the trolls will find you. Sometimes even the most innocuous posts can draw unwarranted criticism, which can be difficult to deal with.

CONs • •

•

•

Method 3 – Use Amazon, Just Eat or the many alternatives

The function of a marketplace is to bring buyers and sellers together and provides handy services to both. Such companies usually have all the infrastructure (their own websites, policies, methods of taking payment, etc.) in place, and it’s in their interests to make Ecommerce as easy as possible.

Sometimes people talk about Vertical and Horizontal Marketplaces.

A ‘Vertical Marketplace’ specialises in on one sector or service – JustEat and Deliveroo for take-away food, Etsy

Many people who want to purchase products go straight to these marketplaces. Selling via them can open you up to new markets.

The Ecommerce infrastructure (website, payment gateways, dispute and refund mechanisms) are provided for you.

Cost – Amazon’s costs in particular can end up being significant Both Amazon and Ebay, in their different ways, do promote tried-and-tested sellers. It may take a while to build up a good reputation.

It’s difficult to build up a loyal customer base – your customers may end up creating a relationship with the marketplace rather than you.

In the case of disputes, the marketplace makes a decision (and may often decide in favour of the customer)

A key question for me is what sort of transaction will give your customers most satisfaction. If you want to access new customers, or your customers want to browse and purchase your products alongside others in a fairly fast, efficient and well-trusted way then a marketplace may provide the answer. However if they want the emotional gratification of supporting a small business, a marketplace such as Amazon or Ebay may not provide that.

continued p24

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GR OWING YO UR BUSINESS

5 Ways To Start Selling Online Really Fast Method 4 - Create a DIY Ecommerce Website Websites are usually seen as the exclusive domain of graphic designers, HTML programmers and web agencies.

However there are a variety of tools that allow nonprogrammers to create a website without any specialist knowledge.

The standard method is to browse through a set of templates and choose one that fits your needs, then customise it with your choice of colours, fonts and imagery.

Populate the site with your own information and then plug in your payment processing details.

Platforms include • Wix and Weebly, both of which put the emphasis on providing simple and easy-to-use tools.

• SquareSpace has a slightly steeper learning curve than Wix or Weebly, and some people would say their designs are better and more reliable.

• If you already used WordPress before, WordPress.com (the hosted version of WordPress) might feel more familiar.

• Shopify has developed from an almost zero base a few years ago to become a major player today. It’s aimed squarely at shopkeepers who want to run both a shop and an Ecommerce site, and has a large number of integrations with third party services.

Charging models are typically based around a subscription fee and a % of sales, whilst adding in extra functionality and third party tools can also cost more. Unless your requirements are quite simple, you may not know what functions and tools you need until the website build is almost compete.

PROs • • •

A website can provide a digital ‘home’ for all online and regular marketing Costs are typically ‘per month’ rather than upfront which can help to reduce your financial risk No waiting for a busy web agency to be able to start your project

CONs • •

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Depending on your product range, a full Ecommerce catalogue must be created and maintained Taking the DIY route can take longer than you initially expect

Method 5 - Add Ecommerce Functions To Your Existing Website

Assuming you already have a website (and are happy with it), Ecommerce functions can usually be added on.

If the website is built on a hosted service such as Wix, Weebly and Squarespace, turning on Ecommerce functions may be relatively straightforward (although again the product catalogue will need to be built).

If your site is built on WordPress add-ons such as WooCommerce can add in Ecommerce functionality.

However, unless you have some technical experience, using a web agency will be preferred. Alternatively a kluge might be to build an additional website containing just your Ecommerce pages on WIX, Weebly, Shopify (or any platform with subscription costs). Although the transition from one website to another will never be seamless from a customers’ perspective, using the same styling and layouts across both sites can help to maintain customer’s trust. Other issues can arise but I have seen this kluge used fairly successfully and, once again, it can reduce your upfront costs.

Useful Snippets •

•

•

•

Google are offering free credit for their existing SME advertising clients (you need to have paid for ads in 10 of the last 12 months: https://support.google.com/ google-ads/answer/9803410 Facebook might be offering Small Business grants – these have been launched in the US and they say they hope to roll it out to other countries soon: https:// www.facebook.com/business/boost/grants Ebay’s Up And Running Programme offers free listing and no final value fees, which would make selling on Ebay very economical: https://www.linkedin.com/ pulse/ebay-ireland-launches-up-running-immediatelybring-small-mccallion/ Up to two Trading Online vouchers of €2,500 are available for up-and-running businesses and can be used to cover the cost of developing or upgrading an Ecommerce Site, or fees for platforms such as Shopify.

Unlike in previous years, the applicant now only has to match 10% of the voucher cost. https://www. localenterprise.ie/Discover-Business-Supports/TradingOnline-Voucher-Scheme-/ or see your local LEO.

About The Author Zahid Aslam has worked in various roles in online and ecommerce businesses. He now lectures in Digital Marketing in Cork Institute of Technology, on their 15-week Certificate in Digital Marketing and a follow-on Masters in Digital Marketing Strategy (for those who are really keen). These courses are aimed at people in full-time employment and offer hands-on, practical learning via both online and on-campus delivery.

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Me et the Te am

Helena O’Keeffe Membership Executive

Helena is responsible for recruiting, onboarding and engaging with Chamber members on an ongoing basis to ensure that they are maximising their membership. As part of the membership services team, she is often the first point of contact for membership enquiries, ensuring effective communication of all member services, and encourages membership engagement. Helena also manages our Chamber Ambassador programme.

With over 10 years’ experience in managing executive level client relationships, Helena has worked in several sectors including the medical sector as a Recruitment Consultant.

Much of her time was spent identifying quality candidates and negotiating contract renewals. Her passion lies in customer service, developing new relationships with clients, and coordinating beneficial relationships with members.

Annette O’Keeffe Membership Executive

Annette has recently returned to Ireland having worked in the UK for a number of years as a Business Development Manager within the business travel industry for companies such as HRG UK and most recently Hays Travel For Business.

Bringing a wealth of experience, Annette is very passionate about her role as Membership Executive. As part of the membership services team, Annette is responsible for the implementation of membership processes and oversees the Member’s Area assisting members to showcase their expertise and brand by sharing relevant News, Supports, Offers and Events on our website and through our weekly e-Bulletin as well as on the Member Directory.

Interesting fact about Annette: She once was an extra in the making of movie film ‘Echoes’ by Maeve Binchy.

Interesting fact about Helena: She played Gaelic football for Madrid Harps during her time living in Spain!

Ma ximise Your Membership Meet Helena & Annette at our upcoming ‘Maximise your Membership’ session on Wednesday 13th May at 10am.

Register here.

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Member to Member Support

William Fry COVID-19 Hub - How to Handle the Impact

Take care of your body and mind with the ‘Keeping Cork Healthy’ campaign

William Fry has appointed a dedicated group of legal experts to their COVID-19 team. The team is constantly monitoring the situation and publishing guidance and insights on the William Fry COVID-19 Hub. William Fry invite all Cork Chamber members to access the hub here.

The Mardyke Arena UCC have teamed up with The Echo for our new campaign ‘Keeping Cork Healthy’ series to give the Cork community weekly tips on how they can stay fit and healthy during this lock down period. #KeepingCorkHealthy Read more here.

Himalaya Yoga Valley running Free Virtual Live Yoga Classes during Covid-19 Pandemic!

Anxiety levels have increased during these challenging and uncertain times and yoga can greatly help to reduce anxiety through movement and breathing exercises. Up to 300 people have been taking part in these daily classes with people from all over the world joining in. Over 10,000 free virtual live classes have been given to the public since March. Find class details here

Happy Feet Reflexology publish videos with simple hand reflexology tips and moves as part of your daily routine What we are experiencing is unprecedented, and regardless of whether you or your employees are working from home or attending their workplace, it is affecting their emotional and mental wellbeing. The uncertainty of the situation, the pressure of social distancing, the effect on finances is serious and none of us knows the long-term consequences yet. Easy to follow videos can be found on my Social Media platforms with simple hand reflexology tips and moves, which everyone can include in their daily routine. Find further detail here

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Free ECDL eLearning for your staff

Through a new free government initiative to help Ireland stay connected during the Coronavirus crisis, ICDL (ECDL) is now free on fetchcourses.ie to anyone over 16 with a PPS number. Students can now access 10 courses for free. See here for courses

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Cork Web Services Offer a Free Website Audit and follow up consultation

Cloud Phone Deal - Free Softphone Apps for 6 months Futureproof your company’s communication requirements by moving it to the Radius Cloud. Ensure your telephone system can be operated from anywhere using a laptop, PC or just your smartphone. Order your Cloud Phone system today and Radius will give you 6 months free desktop or smartphone Apps. See further detail here

Find out if your website is working hard enough for you through a free online presence consultation. We will prepare you a complete report of your online presence and performance. In the follow up consultation we will go through your free report in detail and advise you on areas for improvement. Get in touch here

Plus Promotions offer free website fixes Cork International Film Festival Free 3 Month MUBI Film Subscription

Watch Festival Films from the comfort of your own home. As our beloved cinemas are closed for now, Cork International Film Festival have teamed up with MUBI to offer Cork Chamber of Commerce Members 3 months free MUBI membership so you and your colleagues can experience the latest films and festival favourites on your small screen. Request your free 3-month membership here

Now more than ever the internet can be an important tool to keep in communication with your customers, other staff members and still provide services that your company offers in this difficult time. We are offering free fixes to websites for anyone who is providing essential services to the economy, for example, any services delivering food or providing logistical services. Let us know here if we can help.

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New membe rs We welcome the following new members

AdvanceHR Limited Services Trusted advisor that helps small and large businesses across all sectors successfully navigate employment & HR matters.

T: 087 9888478 E: clodaghodonovan@advancehr.ie Ardmore Shipping Services (Ireland) Ltd Freight Forwarders/Shipping Agents Ardmore Shipping commenced operations in 2010 and is engaged in the ownership and operation of product and chemical tankers in worldwide trade.

T: 021 2409500 E: mholden@ardmoreshipping.com W: http://www.ardmoreshipping.com Bluechip Financial Consultants Ltd Financial Services/Pensions/Investment Bluechip Financial Consultants offer advice on all areas of financial planning, including pensions, protection, investments home mortgages. We place particular emphasis on pre and post retirement planning, wealth management and estate planning. In addition, our advisers are professionally qualified and have worked with both private company and public sector pension schemes.

T: 021 2427093 E: pdennehy@bluechipfc.ie W: http://www.bluechipfc.ie/ BayWare Fuel/Energy Our mission is to improve renewable energy. Our combined expertise and proactive attitude make us an ideal partner on whom you can rely from start to finish.

T: +447384266186 E: declan.cullinane@baywa-re.co.uk W: https://www.baywa-re.co.uk/en/ Cullaun Capital Financial Services/Pensions/Investment Cullaun Capital is specialist lender, providing development finance for multiple asset class construction projects across Ireland.

T: 01 5294120 E: funding@cullauncapital.ie W: http://www.cullauncapital.ie Cork Ríméad CLG Arts Participative Art Project connecting people to their place.

T: 086 2500841 E: fergus@email4us.com W: http://www.rimead.org

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Cork Volunteer Centre Charities Cork Volunteer Centre supports volunteers to find meaningful opportunities in the non-profit sector in Cork. We also support non-profits to recruit and retain volunteers.

T: 021 4251572 E: julie@volunteercork.ie W: http://www.volunteercork.ie DATUM Architecture Studio Architects/Town Planners DATUM Architecture Studio is an innovative architectural and design practice. We deliver high quality and imaginative design solutions that surpass expectations.

T: 021 4205684 E: info@datumarchitecturestudio.com W: http://www.datumarchitecturestudio.com FRKelly Solicitors/Legal Services A reliable, consistent and dependable Intellectual Property firm, founded in Ireland, working in Europe.

T: 021 4300261 E: marketing@frkelly.com W: http://www.frkelly.com G-Net 3D Architects/Town Planners G-Net 3D are an award-winning 3D, CGI & Animation company. With our expert team, we provide clients with the highest quality Architectural Visualisation Services.

T: 021 2307043 E: info@gnet3d.com W: https://www.gnet.ie/ Green Towers Food/Drink Ireland’s first vertical aeroponic Tower Garden farm. We sell, install and maintain Tower Gardens and Farms.

Helping grow indoor, eliminate food miles and eat local.

T: 087 9028715 E: info@greentowersireland.com W: http://www.greentowersireland.com Horizon8 Software/Software Services Operating at the intersection of business and technology, Horizon8 applies world leading scientific expertise with extensive industry experience, to deliver unique solutions to our clients.

T: 021 4244110 E: info@horizon8.com W: http://www.horizon8.com

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Imagine Network Services LTD. Services We are an Irish company delivering much needed broadband with speeds of up to 150MB to homes, businesses and communities across regional and rural Ireland.

T: 086 6016976 E: gerry.fenton@imaginegroup.ie W: https://www.imagine.ie/ M&K Commercial Ltd. T/a Candlemania Retail Candlemania is an independent local retailer based in the heart of Cork City. The owners, Marta & Kris, both originally from Poland, have been running this business for 12 years, hiring 5-10 people.

T: 021 424 8984 E: office@candlemania.ie W: hhttps://www.candlemania.ie Martin Scaffolding LTD Building Contractors/Providers Industrial scaffolding contractor.

T: 021 4859032 E: info@martinscaffolding.ie W: http://www.martinscaffolding.ie Michael Kelly Productions Audio/Media/Publishing/Video Production I am a full-service video specialist supporting Brands, Agencies and Individuals in and around Ireland.

T: 089 4411524 E: mike@michael-kelly.ie W: http://www.michael-kelly.ie Murphy Mediation Solicitors/Legal Services Murphy Mediation specialises in resolving civil and commercial disputes.

T: 087 2655847 E: paul@murphymediation.ie W: http://www.murphymediation.ie Pixiie Advertising/Marketing/Market Research We are a digital marketing agency specialising in social media advertising. We help business owners create brand awareness and drive revenue using highly targeted adverts.

T: 083 4855535 E: kevin@pixiie.co W: http://www.pixiie.co

Poster Displays Ltd Advertising/Marketing/Market Research Poster Displays supplies premium billboard space, sitted in high footfall, high dwell locations in Cork city & suburbs.

T: 086 1579444 E: managingdirector@posterdisplays.ie W: http://www.posterdisplays.ie Progress Coaching Services Leadership, Recruitment & Career Coaching.

T: 086 0279618 E: killian@progresscoaching.ie W: http://www.progresscoaching.ie Rawlinson Marketing Consultancy Advertising/Marketing/Market Research Leveraging 20 years of brand marketing and commercial experience with companies across the industry, I love building brands and helping companies maximise their marketing mix.

T: 087 3691593 E: fionamrawlinson@gmail.com W: http://www.brandinfuse.com Serity Limited Software/Software Services Serity is an online, self-check data protection audit platform designed by lawyers, computer scientists and specialist consultants. Serity is supported by specialist consultants in Ireland.

T: 021 2348890 E: philipa@serity.io W: http://www.serity.io Six Seconds Network Europe Education/Training/Languages Supporting organisations and individuals to develop and practise Emotional Intelligence.

T: 087 3337653 E: katharine.roff@6seconds.org W: http://www.6seconds.org Urban Design Studio Graphic Design Graphic Design, Brand Development, Retail Design, Signage and Display, Print production and Full Commercial Fit Outs.

T: 021 4345742 E: katie@urbandesignstudio.ie W: http://www.urbandesignstudio.ie

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GROWING YO UR BUSINESS

members news Tree of Life - BioMarin Pharmaceutical commissions new sculpture BioMarin Pharmaceutical commissioned a new sculpture for its site in Shanbally, Cork, to signify the company’s commitment to supporting rare disease patients. The theme for the commission, which is being held in association with the National Sculpture Factory, is a Tree of Life – this follows in the footsteps of an installation at BioMarin’s US headquarters. In the run up to Rare Disease Day 2020, submissions for the new sculpture from a number of artists across Ireland were reviewed by a panel of judges, including leading patient advocate, Avril Daly, Vice-President of EURORDIS, former Chairperson of Rare Diseases Ireland, and CEO of Retina International.

BioMarin is a global biopharmaceutical company focused on developing firstin-class and best-in-class therapeutics that provide meaningful advances to patients who live with serious and lifethreatening rare genetic diseases. Ireland

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is home to BioMarin’s headquarters for operations in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. The facility at Shanbally is BioMarin’s only manufacturing base outside the US, and work on a €38 million expansion at the site is currently in progress.

Mike O’Donnell, VP of Operations, BioMarin International Limited and Site Lead at Shanbally and Avril Daly VicePresident of EURORDIS, former Chairperson of Rare Diseases Ireland, and CEO of Retina International at the announcement of a commission for a sculpture at BioMarin’s site in Cork, to signify the company’s commitment to supporting rare disease patients. (Adrian O’Herlihy)

Partnership International expands

New Partners at O’Flynn Exhams

Leading Irish-owned firm Partnership International has announced an expansion of its leadership team, with two new senior appointments. Emily Reen has been appointed as Director of Sales and Business Development and Christopher Bennett has been appointed as General Manager, Ireland.

O’Flynn Exhams are delighted to announce that Judith Curtin and Joan Byrne have been appointed as partners to the firm. Both of these appointments come at an exciting time for OFX, as they continue to expand and develop their team based at 57/58 South Mall in Cork City.

GROWING YO UR BUSINESS

Developing Careers - Johnson & Johnson’s WiSTEM2D Awards The Johnson & Johnson Family of Companies in Ireland recently presented five students with scholarships as part of its Women in STEM2D (WiSTEM2D) Award Programme at a ceremony held in University College Cork (UCC). The acronym WiSTEM2D refers to Women in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, Manufacturing and Design. The WiSTEM2D programme underlines J&J’s commitment to developing and implementing high-

impact strategies to support female students undertaking STEM2D degree courses at UCC and in universities around the world.

This year’s five winning students are: Jenny Redmond, Chemical Sciences; Saoirse Trought, Mathematical Sciences; Ciara Hickey, Chemical Sciences; Katie Phelan, Biological & Chemical Sciences and Caoimhe Doyle, Mathematical Sciences.

Pictured at a UCC event to mark the award of scholarships by global healthcare company Johnson & Johnson (J&J) as part of its WiSTEM2D Programme, are students Caoimhe Doyle, Jenny Redmond, Saoirse Trought, Ciara Hickey and Katie Phelan.

Picture: Clare Keogh

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GR OWING YO UR BUSINESS

Stay Secure to Ensure Business Continuity Niall Tuohy, Security Product Manager, Vodafone Ireland COVID-19 is rapidly changing how we work and do business, and with companies across Europe, and the world, continually taking steps to ensure business continuity, whilst managing the health and safety of their people.

However, as more employees are encouraged to work from home, the risks for a security breach multiply. Whether your business is a large bank or a small firm, security must be built into your COVID-19 continuity plans.

Phishing in the era of Coronavirus Many people are relatively cyber aware today and understand that they should not open emails asking for sensitive information, insisting you act upon something immediately.

However, reports from the FBI and other international security bodies show an increase in phishing attacks, as criminals seek to capitalise on the pandemic.

New scams or ‘scareware’ through email, text and social media are designed to exploit public fears about the virus and business fears about our new remote reality. According to the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau in the UK, victims lost over £800,000 to coronavirus scams in February. For example, scammers are offering information or statistics on coronavirus, deals on surgical masks or free VPN offers for businesses, but when you click on the link a malware, or malicious software, is installed allowing them to take control of your computer, log your keystrokes and access company and/or customer data. These phishing emails may look like they come from an internal address, but if it looks any way unusual, it is important that you contact the sender before opening the link. And be aware of free or limited offers from unknown parties and untrusted websites – if it’s too good to be true, it usually isn’t!

Secure home working – connect with confidence Securing your devices is key to secure home working. For businesses who already have security built into devices, make sure your solutions are up-to-date and operating on the latest versions. At this time, you may want to add a feature so employees can clearly see when an email was sent from an external source. Company devices should

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have a VPN or virtual private network so employees can access company email and applications, without risk, preferably with a two-step authentication process.

Businesses may also want to blacklist certain websites and install more robust device management software for an added layer of security in these uncertain times.

For people working from home, malicious attempts to gain entry to your WiFi are possible. To mitigate this, and as a best practice, you should always change your home WiFi password from the generic admin password provided to a personalised one. Another option is to ‘hot spot’, using the mobile data from your device, if it is secured through robust management software.

People may be working with a combination of personal and company devices as an interim step to ensuring business continuity. Without the security of a firewall or the ability of updating or enforcing the latest anti-virus, at a minimum, devices need to be using up-to-date anti-virus software. Solutions such as, Palo Alto Traps can be easily sent to an employees’ device and can provide an enhanced feature set. Traps replaces legacy antivirus and secures endpoints with a multi-method prevention approach that blocks malware and exploits, both known and unknown, before they compromise laptops and other devices.

Securing personal devices Some companies are in a situation where employees need to use personal mobile devices for email and other tasks. If employees do not have a laptop, and are using a phone or tablet to access email, there are mobile device management tools available to help secure the device

and push email profiles and applications directly to it. Employees should also be encouraged to change their password regularly on the device they are using, but enforced password change and time out options can also be activated through the mobile device management tool.

Back it up in the cloud Most companies now work with cloud tools. If you are not using a cloud-based file sharing solution, the good news is Microsoft are currently offering their Teams solution for free. Also, in the last minute rush to work from home, many people may have downloaded company files directly to their laptops, but working off these files means they are not backed up in the cloud and are prone to ransomware attacks. Encourage employees to use your cloud solution remotely and deter them from using personal cloud storage solutions that are not secured by your company’s data protection protocols.

Industry is being responsive to the impact of COVID 19 in so many ways, with restaurants offering delivery services and supermarkets adopting innovative ways to ensure people can socially distance in-store. Cybercriminals are adopting new ways too and businesses must ensure data, devices and any endpoint that an employee is using are fully protected.

The team at Vodafone Ireland Business are on hand to offer guidance and support for any customers going remote.

Find out more here

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