INSPIRING BUSINESS SUCCESS
ISSUE 76
The official monthly magazine for Chamber members
POSITIVE CULTURE How a strong organisational culture can have a positive effect on your business
PLUS. . . all the news from the Chamber Network Chambers of Commerce 100 YEARS inspiring business success
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this issue
CONTENTS
24
5
30 5
19
43
34 Chief Executive’s highlights
6-7
Connections
8-9
Influence
10-11
Global Reach
12-13
Knowledge
22-23
Cambridge & South Cambs Chamber news
24-25
Out & About
27
Fenland Chamber news
29
Huntingdonshire Chamber news
30-31
Peterborough Chamber news
14
Protection
15
Ask the Expert
33
16-17
New members
34-35
New Behaviours
18-19
Charity
39
Signpost 2 Grow
20
Cambridgeshire Chamber news
41
Marketing Insight
21
Ely Chamber news
43-47
Stamford Chamber news
Events
Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce 100 YEARS inspiring business success
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welcome from the
EDITOR Welcome....
Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce 100 YEARS inspiring business success
Chief Executive John Bridge OBE DL
As we approach the end of the financial year, we welcome a new charity of the year – East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices. We thank our members for their support of Romsey Mill over the past 12 months and look forward to sharing details of our cheque presentation to them in the next issue. This months’ guest article talks about organisational culture, in response to a recent survey sent out to our HR & Recruitment contacts. The article offers advice on implementing a cultural change programme within your organisation. Please note there will be no edition of connected landing in April. To appear in Issue 77, please submit your content by Wednesday 21 April. For details of events taking place in April and May, please turn to pages 43-47.
Sadie Parr Editor, connected s.parr@cambscci.co.uk
Editor Sadie Parr Published by
Print xlpress Design Jill Rowbotham Advertising Caroline Baker caroline.baker@trinitymirror.com Membership team Bren Coleman 01223 209811 Paul Gibbons 07759 934111 Cambridge Enterprise House, Vision Park, Histon, Cambridge, CB24 9ZR. Tel 01223 237414 Peterborough 6 The Forum, Minerva Business Park, Lynch Wood, Peterborough, PE2 6FT. Tel 01733 370809 Email enquiries@cambscci.co.uk Visit cambridgeshirechamber.co.uk @CambsChamber Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce
Views expressed in connected are not necessarily these of Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce. Acceptance of advertisements does not imply official endorsement of the products or services concerned. Whilst every care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of editorial content, no responsibility can be taken for any errors and/or omissions. The editor reserves the right to make amendments without notification.
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APRIL 2019
10
1
Informal Networking Evening, St Ives
11
3
3
Informal Networking Evening, Stamford
Informal Networking Evening, Ely
17
18
24
Amazing Benefits of Chamber membership, Cambridge
Informal Networking Evening, Peterborough
Safari Networking Breakfast, Peterborough
MAY 2019
Health & Safety update workshop, Peterborough
Informal Networking Evening, Stamford
15
15
15
16
Amazing Benefits of Chamber membership, Peterborough
26
Amazing Benefits of Chamber membership, Peterborough
1
Meet the Neighbours, Biggleswade
Informal Networking Evening, Peterborough
16
22
Informal Networking Evening, Cambridge
8
Huntingdonshire Business Fair, St Ives
Informal Networking Evening, Wisbech
Informal Networking Evening, Cambridge
Informal Networking Evening, Chatteris
1
13
Grow Your Business, Ely
23
Safari Networking Breakfast, Cambridge
Informal Networking Evening, Ely
16
Amazing Benefits of Chamber membership, Cambridge
view from the
BRIDGE
I enjoyed the opportunity to visit Corkers Crisps recently to meet with Managing Director, David Glennan, and then tour their crisp making facilities. Corkers Crisps has real positive leadership where, regardless of all the political uncertainties taking place around us, are getting on with driving their business, developing products and responding to the needs of existing and potential customers. I was intrigued with following through the complete process of making parsnip crisps and, of course, being able to sample the most excellent product afterwards. Corkers Crisps was created by friends Ross Taylor and Rod Garnham in 2010. They have now secured their place as one of the most iconic brands of crisps in England with their quirky packaging and flavour combinations. They grow their own vegetables which means they are in complete control of their supply chain from seed to packet. Do not miss the opportunity to enjoy them. It was extremely beneficial to have the opportunity to meet with Ken Toole, Chief Executive of Stansted Airport, for a discussion on the development of our local and regional economy and the key role Stansted Airport can play. Stansted Airport is a significant strategic infrastructure asset, not only serving the growing economy in our area, but the entire East of England region. Over the next five years Manchester Airport Group have clear ambitious plans to transform the airport and attract new airlines – both short and long haul – to serve the growing business community in our area in addition to driving tourist, exports and investment into our region. With new services planned, it is a clear statement of Stansted’s long term potential that will help all businesses, and in particular growing hi-tech and life science sectors in the county, to easily connect with the global marketplace.
I was delighted that we have, at last, positive news on the A428 with the recent announcement on the preferred route and Black Cat roundabout upgrade, both of which were supported by the Chamber. Following this I met with Councillor Bridget Smith, leader of South Cambridgeshire District Council, to discuss with her the need to continue engaging with the decision makers to ensure the delivery of the road turns into a timely reality. Additionally, in light of the road announcements, it is a necessity for us to link up to lobby for the CamBed RailRoad proposal to create a multi-modal transport corridor between Bedford and North Cambridge, via St Neots. This will provide the most sensible fast and sustainable local transport option, as well as linking up the major hubs on the Oxford – Milton Keynes – Cambridge corridor.
John Bridge OBE DL Chief Executive, Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce
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We provide Chamber members with many opportunities to widen their network of business contacts – building connections, creating opportunities and maximising the benefits of being part of Cambridgeshire’s most vibrant business network.
MEMBER BENEFIT As a Chamber member you have access to an exclusive offer from AXA PPP Healthcare. Up to 50 per cent off your Chambers membership for up to three years when you take out business healthcare cover with AXA PPP healthcare*.
The benefits for your business Building a business takes hard work, dedication and focus. But without a healthy and productive team to support you, success can begin to feel unstable. Private healthcare cover can help you and your employees to get the care you need quickly, with less impact on your business. And you’ll show your employees that you really value what they do – and you’re ready to invest in their health and wellbeing. Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce are pleased to introduce AXA PPP healthcare to provide flexible and affordable business healthcare cover. At AXA PPP healthcare we help you
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to protect your most important assets – your people. We’ll be there for them when they need us the most, helping to get them back to health and work quickly. With business healthcare cover you can: • Build a plan tailored to the needs of your business and budget • Have prompt access to eligible treatment • Access a private network of over 23,000 specialists • Receive up to 50 per cent off your Chambers of Commerce membership for up to three years* • Access our free Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) for all members of staff at no additional cost • Contact our Fast Track Appointments team. If your GP says you need to see a specialist our team can get an appointment at a time and place that’s right for you To find out more visit www. axappphealthcare.co.uk/chambers or call 800 387 754. Lines are open 8.30am -5.30pm Monday to Friday. We may record and/or monitor calls
for quality assurance, training and as a record of our conversation. *Terms and conditions apply. See axappphealthcare.co.uk/ chambers for more details. Offer is only available to direct new customers and members of participating Chambers. 50 per cent off your Chamber membership is up to a value of £125 per employee covered per year, for up to three years, as long as the business healthcare policy remains in place on a direct basis. We reserve the right to change or withdraw this special offer at any time. Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce are introducing AXA PPP healthcare to provide business healthcare cover. The healthcare plans are underwritten by AXA PPP healthcare. AXA PPP healthcare is authorised by the Prudential Regulations Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulations Authority. Registered in England number 3148119. Registered office: AXA PPP healthcare, 5 Old Broad Street, London. EC2N 1AD
widen your
CONNECTIONS
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF ENTERING BUSINESS AWARDS?
Chamber launches Global Awards 2019
3. CREDIBILITY
Here are four reasons why simply entering an award could be good for your business.
A business award win, short-listing or nomination can act as a third party endorsement for your business. A win can give a seal of approval to your activities and is a sign of quality for potential customers, so can form part of your sales pitch. It can also help with relationships with suppliers. It’s a great way of differentiating your company from competitors and will send out positive signals to customers.
1. FREE PROMOTION Just being shortlisted can improve brand awareness and promote your business to new customers. Make sure you maximise PR exposure and update your marketing materials with the award logo. Awards celebrate hard work and success and are great PR opportunities. Remember to submit your news for publication in connected!
Open for entry Tuesday 26 March!
A series of awards will recognise Chamber members that have achieved success in overseas markets. The four Global Awards will be presented to members at a Global Leaders Lunch taking place at Downing College, Cambridge on Friday 14 June. The four categories are: • Award for International Service Provider • Award for Achievement in New Markets • Award for Overall Growth in Exports • New Exporter of the Year The awards are open to Chamber members only and are free to enter until Tuesday 30 April. Application forms and award criteria is available on the Chamber website.
4. MOTIVATION Awards recognise the hard work and achievements of your employees so winning one can help boost staff morale and improve motivation. Employees are focused on what’s great about the company they work for and can feel proud to be a part of it. This can be maximised by making sure staff feel they get the recognition they deserve by holding a staff meeting to celebrate your victory. Staff could be invited to an awards lunch or dinner which can yield networking opportunities as well as being a great night out.
2. BUSINESS REVIEW The application process can often force you to look at your business from a different perspective and compare yourself to your competitors. You’ll need to make sure that you stand out from the competition whether that’s through innovation, diversity, growth, customer service, investment in people and strategic thinking. You may even come up with ways to improve your business.
CHAMBER BUSINESS AWARDS 2019
Open for entry until midnight, 28 June Key Dates
28 JUNE – Closing date for entries 23 SEPTEMBER – Regional winners announced 28 NOVEMBER – Gala Dinner, national winners announced! Recognising and rewarding excellence in British business, the Chamber Business Awards is one of the UK’s most contested and prestigious business awards programmes. Each year, from Aberdeen to Cornwall, organisations of all sizes and from all sectors compete for the coveted titles and national recognition they bring.
Our 2019 Chamber Business Award categories • • • • •
Small Business of the Year Export Business of the Year Best Use of Technology Employer of the Year Workplace Wellbeing Award
• • • •
Customer Commitment Award High Growth Business of the Year Family Business of the Year E-Commerce Business of the Year The entry process couldn’t be simpler, with full category details and submissions made online at www. chamberawards.co.uk This year, only fully paid members of Accredited Chambers of Commerce can enter eight of the nine categories for the 2019 Chamber Business Awards programme. However, the E-Commerce Business of the Year award is open to non-members, should a non-member win the national award for this category, they will not be eligible to win Business of the Year. connected 7
As a Chamber member you have the power to influence key decision makers and play a leading role in tackling the issues that are preventing your business from reaching its potential, while an experienced team of lobbyists represents your interests in Whitehall.
UK SME MANUFACTURING SECTOR BUOYANT AND CONFIDENT ABOUT FUTURE GROWTH MHA, MHA MacIntyre Hudson and Lloyds Bank Plc have launched the latest Manufacturing Survey Report for 2019. The survey details that overall UK small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) manufacturers remain optimistic and confident about future growth, despite Brexit uncertainty, rising production costs and skill shortages, with 71 per cent of respondents having achieved revenue growth during this last year compared with 65 per cent the year before. Despite concerns about the impact of Brexit, this year’s results show that manufacturers and engineers in the London and South East region are more optimistic than last year, with 80 per cent predicting growth, which is up five per cent in a year. 90 per cent of companies surveyed in the region are investing in R&D, which is two per cent above the national average of 88 per cent. 48 per cent of respondents are anticipating increasing staff numbers in the next 12 months, not including taking on new apprentices. However, 48 per cent of respondents have had difficulty recruiting staff with relevant skills. Therefore, it is not surprising that expanding skills training for the future work-force was the highest ranked action the government could take to help businesses in the region. Stuart Manning, Partner at accountants and business advisors, MHA MacIntyre Hudson, said: “The sector continues to grow and maintain a positive attitude despite current uncertainties and challenges. The sector once again has demonstrated how resilient it is by outperforming most forecasts this last year. It is a key sector for this country and therefore we must
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do our utmost to ensure it thrives in future years. Part of doing this must be to work together as an industry to encourage the next generation to work in the M&E sector. It is an innovative industry so therefore we should be innovative in our thinking to achieve this!” Interestingly only 34 per cent of respondents have a Brexit Strategy in place with 66 per cent feeling that they cannot plan for the impact until they know the government’s strategy and the EU’s response. Other key points nationally from the survey include: • 51% have high or above average business expectations over the next 12 months (increasing to 54% over the next three years) and 50% are looking to increase their capital investment spend in the coming year • 58% of respondents export products and all exporters currently do so to the Eurozone • 93% believe their main competitors are based within the UK and 35% agree they’re within their own region • 92% believe rising production costs will impact their business next year, but in a positive move, 67% intend to absorb any price increases, rather than pass them onto customers,
and 52% intend to achieve this through improved productivity and efficiency. The manufacturing and engineering survey - compiled by MHA, the UK-wide group of accountancy and business firms and supported by Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking in association with the Institution of Mechanical Engineers – reveals a buoyant sector that’s not letting political and economic uncertainty drag it down. To download a full copy of the report please visit www. macintyrehudson.co.uk/
the power to
INFLUENCE
Cambridgeshire achieves record year for new businesses Figures published show that more new businesses were established in Cambridgeshire during 2018 than in any previous year – despite the challenges of political and economic uncertainty surrounding Brexit. In terms of new companies, 6,786 were registered in the county compared to 6,384 in 2017 which represents an increase of 6.3 per cent. This brings the total number of registered companies in Cambridgeshire to 48,390, up from 46,059 at the end of 2017, which equates to 5.1 per cent growth. The statistics come from the Inform Direct Review of UK Company Formations using data from Companies House and the Office for National Statistics. Peterborough formed the most new businesses (1,790), followed by South Cambridgeshire (1,759) and Huntingdonshire (1,325). John Korchak, Director of Operations at Inform Direct, said: “These record high figures for new company formations in Cambridgeshire show a very positive picture for business against a background of political and economic uncertainty. It is clear that the county continues to provide a supportive environment, both for new business ventures and existing enterprises. “It is heartening to see entrepreneurs making their mark with increasing numbers of new businesses being formed. This picture is mirrored elsewhere in the UK, with a number
of regions seeing more new formations in 2018 than at any time in their history and the UK as a whole achieving a new record total of registered companies.” Across the UK as a whole, a record number of new companies were formed– 669,855 compared with 634,116 in 2017. The number of registered companies in the UK also continued to grow, finishing the year with a total of 4,308,022. To see a more detailed picture of company formations in Cambridgeshire – including a full local breakdown, visit: www.informdirect.co.uk/company-formations-2018/ cambridgeshire/
CAMBRIDGE REGIONAL COLLEGE STUDENT ORGANISES CONSULTATION WITH LOCAL MP Student Union President and Level 3 Sports Studies student, Sophie Day from Cambridge Regional College invited Daniel Zeichner, MP for Cambridge, to attend the college for a forum with students and staff about the importance of fair funding for further education (FE). Mr Zeichner, who recently referenced the region’s colleges during a parliamentary debate speech on FE funding, addressed a full room, fielding questions from both students and staff about the role of FE in local economies and college funding. On visiting Cambridge Regional College, he said, “I am a strong supporter of FE colleges and have recently called on the Government to reverse the ‘near invisibility of Further Education’ in policy and Parliament. FE colleges are engines of growth and skill generators for the country’s regions. It was great to see such interest and drive from the CRC students campaigning for the sector during my recent visit. The Student Union representatives are clearly passionate about the cause and Sophie in particular was keen to tell me about her plans to get students and staff involved.” Following her attendance at the NUS FEstival conference in Sheffield late last year, where the impact of funding cuts to the sector was a prominent theme, Sophie felt passionately about raising awareness of issues affecting colleges across the country. One of the first steps she took with the Students’ Union was to encourage fellow students
to sign the petition on fairer funding for FE colleges which Daniel took to and led a parliamentary debate on. Sophie was delighted to host Mr Zeichner’s visit, saying “FE Colleges do amazing things, providing the opportunities to transform people’s lives, so imagine what could be done if more funding was available. I was delighted and a little surprised when my invitation to Daniel was accepted, it just goes to show that students do have the power to make a difference. I would like to thank Daniel again for visiting as this was a great way to raise awareness and get more people involved in finding solutions.”
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We’re your gateway to international trade, providing a unique combination of expert knowledge, essential documentation and the business connections needed to capitalise on new market opportunities overseas and succeed in a global marketplace.
Volatility and price pressures weighing on UK exporters
Accredited Training in International Trade The Chamber runs a rolling programme of training courses that culminate in the nationallyrecognised Foundation Award in International Trade. The courses provide the knowledge to assist with your international trade activities and you will receive detailed notes to take away to build up a toolkit of reference information. Import: Customs Compliance and Savings Tuesday 16 April, 9.15am5.00pm Understand the rules and intricacies of goods crossing borders. We’ll look at when import duties and taxes are applicable and ways to reduce, or event abolish, the charges. Cost per course: £300.00 (plus VAT) Chamber members, £360.00 (plus VAT) non-Chamber members. Venue: Marriott Hotel, Peterborough Business Park, Lynch Wood, Peterborough, PE2 6GB Full course outlines can be found at www.cambridgeshirechamber. co.uk To book, please call Rose Griffiths on 01223 209817 or email r.griffiths@cambscci.co.uk
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The percentage of both manufacturing and services exporters who are expecting to increase their prices has risen in the past three months, as international traders struggle with the value of the pound and pressure from the cost of raw materials and other overheads, according to the latest Quarterly International Trade Outlook from the British Chambers of Commerce, in partnership with DHL. The report, based on a survey of over 2,600 exporters, and export documentation data, shows that nearly half (49%) of manufacturers and 39 per cent of services companies plan to raise their prices, up from 41 per cent and 34 per cent respectively. Exchange rates continues to weigh heavily on the minds of businesses, with 69 per cent of manufacturers citing it as a source of concern. Weaker sterling is also pushing the cost of raw materials up for exporters, with 84 per cent saying that they are a source of pressure driving prices. For services, other overheads such as office rents is the leading source of price pressure (59%). Elsewhere, the BCC/DHL Trade Confidence Index, which measures the volume of trade documents issued by Accredited Chambers of Commerce for goods shipments outside the EU rose by 4.06 per cent on the quarter, and stood 1.03 per cent higher than in the same time last year. Despite these issues, however, many exporters remain bullish – 57 per cent
of both manufacturing and services exporters say that their turnover will improve in the next 12 months. Key findings from the report: • 37% of manufacturers and 29% of services saw an increase in export orders in the last three months, a slight pick-up from 35% and 24% respectively • 18% of manufacturers and 15% of services sector firms saw a decrease in orders • 69% of manufacturers and 49% of service firms are more concerned about exchange rates than the previous quarter • 80% of manufacturers and 73% of services firms who attempted to recruit, struggled to find the right staff. This is up from the 76% seen in Q2 for manufacturers and 69% for services • 84% of manufacturers cite the cost of raw materials as a leading source of price pressure, while 59% of services firms cite ‘other overheads’, away from raw materials, finance costs, and pay settlements • 57% of both services and manufacturing exporters expect turnover to increase in the next 12 months The BCC/DHL Trade Confidence Index, a measure of the volume of trade documentation issued nationally, rose by 4.06% on the quarter and stood at the fifth highest level on record. The full report can be downloaded from the Chamber website.
extend your
GLOBAL REACH
BUSINESSES ‘HUNG OUT TO DRY’ WITHOUT ANSWERS IN EVENT OF UNWANTED ‘NO DEAL’ Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce, in association with the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC), has published a list of 20 critical questions that remain unanswered for business in the unwelcome event of the UK leaving the EU without a deal on 29 March. Many of the unanswered questions reflect fundamental aspects of how companies operate. For instance, the terms of trade agreements can affect pricing decisions, margins, even choice of business location and the geography of supply chains.
The absence of clarity and precision has already stifled investment and growth, and is resulting in unnecessary costs, inability to plan and, increasingly, loss of business as customers look elsewhere. Business has been clear that it does not want a messy and disorderly exit from the EU on 29 March. While firms understand that negotiations are still ongoing, they are hugely concerned that the UK is not prepared for all eventualities – and that the sluggish and patchy nature of government planning for ‘no deal’ would become all too
apparent in the economy if it is allowed to happen by default. Chambers nationally - representing 75,000 firms of all sizes and sectors across the UK, employing nearly six million people - are demanding answers to these 20 questions. While government agencies urge business communities to prepare for all scenarios, BCC says they are failing to give firms the tools and information needed to do so. As a result, businesses risk being left hung out to dry. The 20 questions can be downloaded from the Chamber website.
All-new East of England chapter launched for South African Chamber of Commerce Tania Verdonk, co-founder and Managing Director of Spirus Marketing in Burwell, has been appointed Chapter Leader of the newly launched East of England chapter of the South African Chamber of Commerce. The South African Chamber of Commerce aims to promote trade, community and investment into and out of South Africa, working worldwide within communities to encourage networking and business opportunities. Until recently in the UK it has been largely London based, but in 2019 it has announced plans to extend across the country, including the all new East of England chapter. With a general election imminent and the rugby World Cup waiting in the wings, 2019 is looking like a very important year for South Africa. In Africa there is a saying that it takes a village to raise a child. For many, their business is like a child, and the idea behind the Chamber’s regional expansion is to make that village more accessible to a wider group. With international politics in a state of ongoing upheaval, it seems a particularly important time to be fostering relationships with other countries and building strong networks to benefit business and communities alike and promote post-Brexit trade opportunities. In his recent and heavily oversubscribed speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, SA President Cyril Ramaphosa spoke positively about the need for strong
relationships and partnerships – both domestic and international – to overcome challenges in economic performance after the difficulties of the last decade. Uplifting, spontaneous and inspiring, the speech resonated strongly with the audience with its outward-looking perspective and embracing of international co-operation and relationships, and was very well received. The new chapter, which will incorporate businesses and interested individuals across Suffolk, Essex, Cambridgeshire, Norfolk, Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire, is to be headed up by local business owner Tania Verdonk. Tania has lived and worked in the
region for almost 20 years and is an active member of the local community, as well as owning and running her own marketing consultancy, Spirus Marketing. She said: “I was thrilled to be asked to be the leader of this new chapter. This region has a thriving and very forward-thinking business community and I’m excited to be in a position to bring people together across a wide range of industries. I love living here in the UK and have raised my family here, but I remain very connected to my roots in South Africa, and this opportunity gives me a wonderful chance to bring the two sides of my life together for great community and business benefits.”
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Chamber membership provides access to key information, expert advice and legal protection, enabling you to stay informed, legally compliant and free to focus on what you do best – building your business.
Do price lists need to be on show?
Joining the dots to make your content work harder for you Mike Sewell, Managing Director, CPL
You might be investing in creating some great content. But are you making the most of it? That’s a challenge we often put to our clients, whether they are membership organisations, corporate and commercial businesses or those in the not-for-profit space. Let’s be honest – you’re often investing significant amounts of money and time in creating high-quality journalistic content. So it seems crazy not to promote it to as many people as possible. Our argument is that the content you create – or we create on your behalf – can be made relevant and engaging for more than one target audience. At CPL, we believe this is an opportunity many organisations fail to exploit. You’re already talking to a lot of different people, but why not consider engaging wider audiences with content, such as: • Friends, family and colleagues of potential customers • Media, which could promote the story further • Existing and potential colleagues • Investors, government and a host of other stakeholders. That’s where CPL comes in. Our Cambridge-based in-house team of content strategists, journalists, designers and video experts are skilled in making all kinds of content relevant for different audiences, channels and platforms. Whether it’s a 2,000-word thought leadership piece, a one-minute animation, a 200-character tweet, or an impactful infographic, we can tell your stories in a way that will grab the attention of your many audiences. 12 connected
I recently had an interesting conversation with a member of the public that called me in relation to pubs and bars not having a clear price list on display. He had seen an old article of mine and asked why pubs and bars were no longer showing price lists. I got onto a contact that used to be the head of Trading Standards in the local area. I asked him this exact question and this is what he said: “The old Food and Drink Premises Order is no more.” This means that pubs and bars no longer need to have a price list on show. However, most professionals
with Trading Standards would agree that a failure to show prices is a misleading omission. By not showing prices the pub or bar is not giving the consumer an informed decision about buying drinks at their premises. While there is no direct requirement by Trading Standards, here at Sterling Stock Auditors, we would recommend that pubs and bars do display this price list to avoid the risk of misleading consumers. It is important to note that the Consumer Contracts Regulations also require price information to be displayed. Guy Porteous MILSA, Sterling Stock Auditors
Dispelling the myths surrounding B2B telemarketing
By Blue Donkey – Intelligent Telemarketing Done well, telemarketing is an incredibly powerful business tool. However, many internal telemarketing campaigns are not executed properly which effects the quality of your calls and gives rise to the myths that have built up around the telemarketing industry. MYTH: Telemarketing can’t work for complex products or services Skillful telemarketing is all about distilling key business benefits down to a few pithy points. Whether you’re talking about scientific equipment, or a simple consumable, what captures the interest of your buyer will always be associated with business benefits, namely improved time, effort, cost or security advantages delivered by your product or services. MYTH: You need a written script for your telemarketing to work Scripts are designed around assumptions about what a buyer will want and the basics of the product or service on offer. It’s far more rewarding for the maker and the receiver of a call if the dialogue is based on sensitive questions and sound product knowledge. After all, people buy from people. MYTH: People hate cold calls Our experience tells us that people only perceive a call to be a cold call when it leaves them feeling cold.
Most business decision-makers accept that being effective depends on them keeping the channels of communication to the outside world very much open. People don’t want to receive irrelevant or scripted calls, but they might welcome a call from a supplier who can help their organisation achieve its objectives. MYTH: Everyone who works in telemarketing is young and inexperienced Most professional telemarketers undertake significant, ongoing training, even holding the Investors in People accreditation and encouraging staff to continually add to their expertise, improve their technique and innovate. One of the most powerful business tools available, telemarketing can be used for a wide range of purposes and in a variety of industries.
grow your
KNOWLEDGE
Nearly half of Britons would prefer to be self employed – but research suggests that few know where to start
Emilia Cybulska, NatWest’s business growth enabler for the Fenlands, gives her top tips on starting your own business Setting up your own business is a common dream. In fact, when NatWest did some research into entrepreneurship it suggested that 46 per cent of people would rather be their own boss - but that just 38 per cent knew where to start. While every business is different there are some things that all would-be entrepreneurs need to make sure they’ve ticked off the list. • Firstly, be aware of some of the most common trip hazards for start-ups. A key one is not knowing your customers’ needs. Other stumbling blocks are having insufficient capital, a lack of planning, doing too much too soon, or choosing the wrong location for your fledgling business. • The key is doing your homework. Research how other successful businesses have begun. Make sure you know your customers - who are they, why they will want your product or service and
how you will you reach them. As well as your customers, know your competition - who are they, where are they and what do they do well? Approach your local enterprise agencies for business advice. Consider whether you will need to take on staff, either straight away or in due course. And write a business plan which identifies your aims, strategies, market and financial objectives. • Make sure that you own your idea. Having the right type of intellectual property helps prevent others stealing or copying your product, brand, invention or design. You could register your trademark to protect your brand, for example the name of your product or service. A registered design protects any aspect of your design and prevents others from using it for up to 25 years. A patent protects your invention by giving you the right to take legal action against anyone who makes, uses, sells or imports it without your permission. • Consider where your business will be based. If you are planning to work from home find out if you’ll need planning consent or permission. Will you have to pay business rate charges? Make sure you know the insurance implications; different businesses have varying health and safety requirements. And give careful thought to your work/life balance – it can be difficult to switch off if
home is also your office. If you’re planning to work from business premises, find out if planning consent is required for change of business use. Think about how customers and suppliers will get to you and where they will park. And research whether there are any competitors nearby. • Do your sums - running out of cash is one of the biggest causes of business failure. Forecast your profit, know where your breakeven position is – and remember you need to pay yourself a wage. Complete a cash flow forecast to estimate how much money will come into and go out of your business. A good start is to break down your personal income and expenditure using your last three months’ bank statements, making sure you know how much existing personal or business debt you have, and getting a realistic valuation of any personal assets. Succeeding as an entrepreneur takes commitment and desire, the support of family and friends, self motivation, and the ability to handle difficult situations and challenges. You are the defining factor as to whether your business will be a success. Emilia Cybulska will be at NatWest Cathedral Square branch in Peterborough every Monday afternoon to offer support on starting your own business. To book an appointment please email emilia. cybulska@natwest.com
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enhance your
PROTECTION
To access these services please visit the protection page on the Chamber website or call our membership team on 01223 237414.
PROTECT YOUR BUSINESS WITH FREE ADVICE As a Chamber member you have access to four key services as part of your Chamber membership – ChamberHR, ChamberLegal, ChamberH&S, ChamberTax. These services are provided by Quest.
ChamberHR Are restrictive covenants in an unsigned contract of employment enforceable against the employee? Quite often HR Advisors at Quest get this query, especially where the employee has moved on to work for a competitor. The starting point is quite simple, where employees have signed their employment contracts, they are bound by its terms even if they do not bother to read it (subject to misrepresentation or fraud on the part of the employer). To be legally binding, a contract of employment does not have to be in
This month Quest provide advice on Restrictive Covenants.
writing however under the Employment Rights Act 1996 there is an obligation for the employer to provide each employee, whose employment is to continue for more than one month, with a statement of written particulars of employment within two months of the employee’s start of employment. However, there is no statutory obligation to have the contract of employment or the written statement signed by the parties.
employee in particular.
In looking to decide whether or not an unsigned contract would be enforceable, the court will consider the behaviour of both the employer and
To prevent the possibility of complications and uncertainties, it’s still good practice for employers to iron out any possible ambiguities by following up on any unsigned contract early in an employment, or each time the contract is updated by arranging a meeting with the employee to identify the reasons why the contract remains unsigned.
Has any money changed hands for the services provided by the employee? i.e. if salary has been paid and the employer and employee actually conducted themselves within the terms of the contract to give rise to presumed acceptance of the terms (as long as the terms are reasonable). Prevention of the possibility of complications
Where the contract remains unsigned and the employer thereafter is looking to enforce the terms herein like restrictive covenants, case law suggests that there are certain circumstances when terms in an unsigned contract may be enforceable. For more information, log-in to https://chambercambs.questcover. com/ Unsure of your user details as a Chamber member? Give Hilary a call on 01223 209807. 14 connected
ask the
EXPERT
Gaining a competitive advantage with Synergy
Companies inherently find it easier to concentrate on direct cost of sales and developing their top line; partly because this is what motivates them, and this is where their expertise lies to drive the business forward. However, few may be aware that through cost management and procurement, generating a cost saving on your indirect costs of £1 will require the equivalent sales uplift of four to five times, in some businesses, to
match that £1 in terms of profit. What are Indirect Costs and why not to be ignored? Let’s start with the opposite - direct costs are the cost of producing goods or services. Direct costs are only reported when the goods are sold. Indirect costs or ‘overheads’ are those expenses that do not fluctuate according to the amount of sales a company makes or put another way; general business expenses that keep you operating. A spike in sales will not necessarily translate to an increase in these particular expenses. Complacency is a silent and menacing problem in relation to Indirect Costs. Supplier inflation is often small and gradual hence often goes unnoticed or is tolerated. In a KPMG survey of 1000 SMEs, 72 per cent of senior decision makers stated they had neither the resource of time or labour to dedicate to reviewing let alone managing overheads and procurement. Inflation and The Profit Challenge
Inflation is inevitable; your options: 1. Raise prices: and contribute to inflation whilst losing market share 2. ‘Rationalise’ staff: Less effective at increasing EBITDA than reducing nonlabour overheads 3. Cut profit: Sure, the shareholders will accept it; it will only be this year, right? 4. Reduce costs: Identify and realise genuine cost savings to revive budget and optimism. Option 4 is Synergy’s ‘Joie de vivre’. All the other options involve degrees of uncertainty. By engaging with Synergy, we have a exemplary reputation for reducing your overall overhead costs by an average of 20 per cent. Responsible companies can in fact gain market share and drive back down the cost of doing business thus ensuring the profits enjoyed today remain for the future. Time invested now pays dividends in the future. Contact local Director Damian Clarke on 0330 133 1713/ 07778 967 519 or email: damianclarke@synergy-procurement.co.uk
WHY YOU SHOULD CARE ABOUT CSR
Karen Gallagher, Trust & Corporate Partnerships at CBM UK, explains why Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is so important to your business. What exactly is Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)? At its heart, CSR is about an organisation taking responsibility for the impacts of its decisions and activities on all aspects of society, the community and the environment. Even though CSR is often attributed to larger multi-national companies, it is becoming increasing
more important for small and medium size companies to have a CSR policy and be seen by their customers and stakeholders that they are thinking about their community. How can a small/medium size company get started? This starts at the top. You must have a long-term vision and commitment from the executive level when building your CSR programme. Think about what you want to give in to it and what you want to get out of it. The first approach is to look at the business you are in, does it link to anything that your community needs. Could you offer services, volunteers, old equipment, or expertise to a local charity? Does CSR improve employee satisfaction? Yes! Getting your employees involved in the charity is a fantastic way of demonstrating to them that you are a caring company. Encouraging fundraising or volunteering activities boosts employee morale, increases opportunities for teamwork, which all impacts employee satisfaction, staff retention and increases profits.
How do we make an impact? Encourage a small committee who are enthusiastic to choose a charity for the year, ask them to find out about that charity and perhaps make a presentation to the committee or employees. Allow employees time to develop ideas and support them with their efforts. Consider match funding their donations. Communicate on your website, social media, blogs, how your employees are getting involved and how proud you are as an organisation to support them and the charity. How do we choose a charity to support? This will depend on whether there are personal links to specific causes. Choosing a charity of the year gives the most impact to the charity. Look at match funding opportunities that the charity might have, contact them and ask if they have fundraising materials, or ideas for you to get involved. Charities depend on the support of generous people! To see if CBM would be a good fit for your organisation, contact me on 01223 484700 or email kareng@ cbmuk.org.uk connected 15
Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce 100 YEARS inspiring business success
Would you like to become a Chamber member? Get in touch today to find out the many benefits. Tel: 01223 237414 Email: enquiries@cambscci.co.uk
NEW MEMBERS this month 2 GO 2 GLOBAL LTD ATLANTIC CEDAR LTD BOURN GOLF & LEISURE @BGOLFANDLEISURE BRADLEY ENGINEERING LTD
Bourn Golf & Leisure Eight miles out of Cambridge city centre, Bourn Golf and Leisure Club offers a par 72 parkland championship course, 120 seater wedding marquee, conference room, conservatory, terrace, gym and pool. For corporate team building days there is an assault course, archery, bush craft skills, laser shooting and pitch and putt course available, finished off with delicious food from the restaurant. www.bourngolfandleisure.co.uk
CANCER RESEARCH UK LOCAL FUNDRAISING TEAM – EAST ANGLIA REGION CLARIAN HEALTH & SAFETY TRAINING INFINITI MEDIA GROUP LTD @INFINITI_MEDIA_ JEREMY HEAD ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTING LIGHTHOUSE WEALTH LTD MIGSOLV @MIGSOLV PERSHAWS LTD PWR MEDIA UK LTD SHOOTING IMAGE LTD THE TAMBURLAINE HOTEL @THE_TAMBURLAINE TRAVEL COUNSELLORS (MELDRETH) @GFITZGIBBONTC UNIQUE EMPLOYMENT SERVICES LTD VIDEOWORKX WHITEHILL PELHAM LTD WILSONS LTD XPERT RESOURCING @XRESOURCING
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AIM COMMERCIAL CLEANING LTD AIM Commercial Cleaning have been delivering high quality daily cleaning services for 40 years this year! They are a family run business, and that ‘personal touch’ comes through in the ownership and pride they take in their work. Our 1,200 staff are well trained, motivated and incentivised. Call Richard Jolie on 07384 259463 or email richard.jolie@aimcleaning.co.uk to find out more. www.aimcleaning.co.uk
news from
NEW MEMBERS
Cancer Research UK The Cancer Centre in Cambridge is one of the major hubs of research in the UK, and they spent £53million on research in the region last year. As they receive no Government funding, they are totally reliant upon the support of individuals and corporate partners. As your Local Fundraising Team, they support with bespoke fundraising planning and materials, cancer information and health engagement/wellbeing services for your employees, volunteering opportunities, as well as CRUK events and projects that you can support. With your support, we will beat cancer sooner. www.cancerresearchuk.org
Huntingdonshire FA Huntingdonshire FA is a service driven charity that is determined to constantly seek ways to improve the service they provide the football family in Huntingdonshire. They are responsible for providing the support structure that enables all participants to enjoy football in a safe, enjoyable environment. www.huntsfa.com
See your name in print in connected We list new members to the network in our magazine each issue, but that’s not all - this is your chance for an enhanced listing for free! Our friends and fellow Chamber member Keystone Marketing are all set to write a 75 word introductory article for you, at no charge. Just email the Keystone team on enquiries@keystone-marketing.co.uk to book in your chat with Keystone, and they’ll do the rest! To request a copy of the New Member Toolkit, containing content pieces to help you maximise your membership from the very beginning, please email s.parr@cambscci.co.uk.
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EACH THRILLED TO HAVE BEEN SELECTED AS THE CHAMBERS’ CHARITY OF THE YEAR East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices (EACH) is a charity that cares for lifethreatened children and young people across East Anglia, as well as supporting their families. Our family centred approach includes specialist nursing care, symptom management nursing, short breaks, end of life care and counselling, all meeting the individual needs of the child or young person, and their family. Our staff also organise personalised activities for the children we offer care to, as well as dedicated days for siblings, parents, grandparents and other family members. We offer a range of wellbeing activities including hydrotherapy, art therapy, music therapy and specialist play, all designed to meet the needs of the individual and complement their physical medical care. While people often think of hospices as sad places, our ones in Milton, Quidenham and Ipswich are often happy and fun, offering young people
opportunities to live their lives to their fullest potential. They are places where families can feel safe, at home and where they can spend quality time together. We deliver our specialist medical and emotional support completely free of charge. The more funds we have, the bigger difference we can make to children, young people and their families in East Anglia. We are thrilled that Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce has decided to support us this year and know its support will make a real difference to families facing unimaginably difficult times. “Having a child with such complex health needs can be very draining, though rewarding on all the family. EACH understand that and give care and support to every member of the family. I feel blessed we have them to give us that emotional and physical support.” – Kirstie Latta, mother to Michael, aged 3
Telephone: 01223 800765 Email: cambs@each.org.uk Web: www.each.org.uk Twitter: EACH_hospices Facebook: EACHhospices Registered Charity Number: 1069284
Charity rated as ‘Outstanding’ by CQC
Haines Watts Peterborough City have donated £340.82 to Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice The staff at Haines Watts raised this money through weekly ‘dress down Fridays’, and were delighted to be able to support this deserving local charity. Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice delivers specialist care across the region, not just at the hospice but in the community through its hospice at home, befriending and family support services, which is all provided free of charge. Donations like this helps them to support people living with conditions like cancer, heart failure and lung disease. They offer a range of support to people going through the most difficult times of their lives, from inpatient care in our hospice, to day services and Hospice at Home that help people stay at home longer and provide respite to the carers. To continue to provide that care and be there when it matters for local people, the team at Sue Ryder has to raise £2.4 million this year. 18 connected
Arthur Rank Hospice has been recognised as outstanding by CQC. CQC attended the Hospice on the 5 December and visited again on the 18 December 2018 for an unannounced follow-up inspection. During their visits they reviewed the Inpatient Unit, Day Therapy, Arthur Rank Community Team consisting of Hospice at Home and the Specialist Palliative Care Home team, patient and family support, lymphoedema, therapy and education services. Five domains were inspected: safe (good); effective (good); caring (outstanding); responsive (outstanding); and well led (good), leading to an overall rating of ‘outstanding’. ‘Good’ is defined by CQC as “the service is performing well and meeting expectations”, with ‘outstanding’ meaning “the service is performing exceptionally well”. Dr Lynn Morgan, CEO at Arthur Rank Hospice Charity, comments: “It is a credit to our staff, volunteers and trustees that we have retained the quality of our care and the attention to detail which always puts patients first.”
chamber supports
CHARITY
QUALIFICATIONS AND NEW SKILLS FOR YOUNG MUMS Romsey Mill is the lead response in Cambridge and South Cambridgeshire for teenage mums and young dads up to 25 years. Its Young Parents Programme provides expert personal, educational and parenting support, helping to equip up to 200 young parents each year, and their children, for a positive future. Part of the ongoing support for young mums, who have often disengaged with education as a result of their pregnancy, is to provide them with opportunities to help them reconnect positively with learning. Gaining qualifications and moving towards future employment helps them to financially contribute towards the cost of having a family. Each year, Romsey Mill delivers a series of 10 week courses for young mums, across a range of subjects, including: self-esteem, English and Maths, cooking and the Bronze Arts Award. Earlier this year, 10 mums have been taking part in the Bronze Arts Award course, which Romsey Mill delivered in partnership with The Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge. The course had an enthusiastic response from the young women, as they looked at the portrayal of mothers in art through the ages from ancient Egypt to the Impressionist era. The mums were tasked with making observations about the art; critiquing certain pieces of art; making sketches; and creating a spoken word piece, or poem, on motherhood. Throughout the course they also made a short film about their experience of the Fitzwilliam Museum. Ben Wilkes, Young Parents Worker with Romsey Mill, said: “The course is a good re-introduction to education for the young mums. They enjoyed the experience, as it is a creative, interactive subject, which helped them to develop communication skills and learn other new skills, like filmmaking in this instance. “It is so good to see them grow in self-esteem through the course, and have a real sense of achievement when they received their qualification at the end. “Working with the Fitzwilliam Museum is really important, because most of the mums had not previously thought that this was a place where they could enjoy themselves, or even consider it as a place they could go to with their children.” One of the mums wrote the following poem about motherhood as part of the course:
THE LION AND THE YOUNG MOTHER I feel like I am in a cage like a lion, I am your front page when I am in site, You look at my child you might get a bite, Don’t worry she isn’t right like her mother, You make me a cover with your judgements, But you don’t see me making adjustments, I might look fierce, But you look curious, I have love, You have to act tough, I get cuddles or hugs, While you get puddles like thugs, I will always show my daughter to be strong, Not a young lady sticking her tongue down men’s throats, I will roar for the protection of my child, You better get a shield out, As I ain’t, You can be so taint, But you are not getting me down, While you are acting like a clown, I am the head, You are my thread, But you gave it a read, Lucky for you I am not the lion, I am a mother young or not.
Thank you for your support
Romsey Mill has been delighted to have been Charity of the Year for the past 12 months. We have shared stories of transformation in young lives, made possible through the work of Romsey Mill, thanks to the support of local businesses, organisations and individuals. Thank you to everyone who carried out fundraising activities and events to support the work of Romsey Mill. If you would like to continue to receive updates on our work, or news about our events volunteering opportunities, please email development@romseymill.org or speak to Neil Thompson on 01223 213162.
Romsey Mill: www.romseymill.org Twitter / Facebook/ Instagram: romseymill
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news from
CAMBRIDGESHIRE CHAMBER
Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce 100 YEARS inspiring business success
PAB Languages team have further strengthened their team by welcoming a new member of staff PAB is delighted to welcome Dominika Ozga-Gruszka to their PAB Boston office. Dominika is an energetic and confident lady who describes herself as ‘an open, straight forward person who likes to face challenges’. Dominika who used to be a Polish language teacher in Clifton USA now has found her passion in helping families to engage in local community within the Best Start project managed by PAB Languages Centre. She has graduated Visual Advertising Study and holds a Higher Vocational Diploma from Wyzsza Szkola in Poland. She is a Polish native-speaker and fluent in English. Virga Steponoviciene, from PAB Languages, commented: “I am pleased to announce the recent hiring of Dominika Ozga-Gruszka
to the position of Multilingual Coordinator based in Boston. Since September 2017 Dominika worked as our call in / call out nominated Polish interpreter and regularly attended PAB internal training and seminars for linguists, so is very familiar with the company and the job role. “Dominik proved to be reliable person, who could undertake offered assignments at a very short notice and the feedback from the customers about her performance was always great.” Dominika’s favourite quotes: “Never give up on what you want to. The person with big dreams is more powerful than the one with all the facts. “Never fear shadows, for shadows only mean there is a light shining somewhere nearby.”
We’re Auto Enrolment ready. Are you? Auto Enrolment reporting as standard Enhanced services for all main pension suppliers Complete solution enabling full AE compliance Hassle free payroll and HR data management pscpayroll.com GET IN TOUCH 01223 506366 20 connected
news from
ELY CHAMBER
CHIPPENHAM PARK WIN UK OUTDOOR VENUE OF THE YEAR AWARD Chippenham Park are delighted to announce that we are the proud winners of the UK Outdoor Venue of the Year award - hosted by Bridebook.
friends who took the time to leave such amazing reviews for our venue. This award truly means so much and we are super excited to see what 2019 has in store!
Out of thousands of participants, we have won this category in the Bridebook Wedding Awards 2019. We are absolutely over the moon and would like to take this opportunity to thank all of our couples, suppliers and
If you would like to know more about our venue please visit www. chippenhamparkevents.co.uk. We cater for a huge round of events including weddings, corporate functions, away days and exhibitions.
KING’S ELY STUDENTS PAY THEIR RESPECTS AT HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL SERVICE Students and staff from King’s Ely Junior and King’s Ely Senior came together at Ely Cathedral to mark National Holocaust Memorial Day. The theme of the school’s moving Service of Remembrance was ‘Torn from Home’. The service was held to commemorate the liberation of Auschwitz Birkenau; to mark the 25th anniversary of the Genocide in Rwanda and 40 years since the ending of the Genocide in Cambodia. Prior to the service, all students in Years 7 to 13 were encouraged to read and reflect on the life of Sokphal Din, who was forced out of his home by the Khmer Rouge in April 1975,
aged just 17. Sokphal endured hard labour in the Killing Fields and eventually survived the Genocide in Cambodia by escaping to Thai refugee camps where he lived for seven years. A short poem written by Karen Gershon, entitled ‘I was not there’, was read out at the service. Karen was rescued as a child on the Kindertransport. Students were invited to light candles in memory of those who lost their lives. King’s Ely Junior and Senior students have also taken part in the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust Postcard Project this year, where pupils have learnt
about the history and explored the life stories of people affected by the Holocaust and the Genocide in Cambodia, and then written personal postcards to them. Holocaust Memorial Day is a national commemoration day in the UK dedicated to the remembrance of those who suffered in the Holocaust, under Nazi Persecution, and in subsequent genocides in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia and Darfur. It was first held in January 2001 and has been on the same date every year since. The chosen date is the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz concentration camp by the Soviet Union in 1945. connected 21
DOMINO PRINTING STRENGTHENS COMMITMENT TO CUSTOMERS Domino Printing is making significant strides towards best-in-class customer satisfaction following two senior appointments – Marianne Wright as Customer Experience Director and Eddie Storan as Head of Global Services. Marianne has an extensive background in customer experience and strategy. Before joining Domino, she ran her own consultancy business, delivering advisory services to a number of major blue-chip organisations, as well as holding Board level positions in customer experience and customer service, across a number of industry sectors. Eddie has over 25 years’ experience in senior technical service positions in leading-edge technology capital equipment manufacturers. He brings expertise in enabling businesses to deliver best-in-class customer services, supporting Domino’s growing portfolio of coding and marking solutions. Following strategic investment in the customer service teams and process reviews and technologies for service engineers, Domino has seen its Net Promoter Score rise significantly over the past 12 months, a measurement of customer willingness to recommend a company’s products or services to others. Marianne says: “Domino is a company that prides itself on a commitment to delivering the best possible customer experience and as a business, we are dedicated to helping them create added value and greater profitability.” Eddie adds: “One of Domino’s key differentiators is its people. Our Service Engineers often go the extra mile to support our customers in the field and really do live the Domino values and ‘Do more’.”
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Pupils rise to the enterprise challenge with Form the Future Careers education experts Form the Future ran an Enterprise Day with more than 60 students from St Mary’s Junior School, who invented a diverse range of exciting business ideas that included robotic housekeepers, Tupperware that can cook your food on-the-go, smart water bottles to track your hydration levels and a pet hotel and restaurant. Groups of Year 5 and 6 students were challenged to develop innovative, new ideas for a business by Form the Future and their inspiring team of volunteers. The pupils were asked to consider target audience, brand, competitors and cost as part of the fun, hands-on activity day. The Enterprise Day’s aim was to provide young people in the local community with an insight into entrepreneurship and the different job roles across a business; as well as enabling them to develop and enhance their creativity, teamwork, presentation and leadership skills. The volunteers were from a vast
range of organisations and through the volunteers’ excellent guidance and mentorship, all teams were able to create outstanding pitches for their product or service, which they presented to our panel of judges, their peers and their teachers. Michelle Yung, Marketing & Communications Manager at Form the Future, said: “It is amazing to see how much insight and excitement the young students have gained by participating in this event. We hope it has inspired many of them to consider the skills they’ll need to succeed at school and in their future careers.”
GREATER ANGLIA APPOINTS NEW ENGINEERING DIRECTOR Greater Anglia has appointed Martin Beable as Engineering Director to oversee the maintenance, professional engineering and safe, efficient operation of its fleet of trains. Martin brings a wealth of experience to the role having a Masters degree in Mechanical Engineering and previously holding senior roles in the industry, including Fleet Director at London Overground Rail Operations and Fleet Production Manager at Chiltern Railways. Greater Anglia’s Managing Director, Jamie Burles, said: “I’d like to welcome Martin to the team and know this his passion for delivering will help build upon the forward-thinking maintenance approach and reliability improvement schemes that our engineering team has been developing over the past few years. “It’s an exciting time as we start to introduce our brand new fleet of trains and Martin’s experience will help our
fleet and depot teams rise to these new challenges as we continue to strive to provide punctual, reliable services to our passengers.” Martin commented: “I’m delighted to be joining Greater Anglia at such an important time. We have a tremendous opportunity to change the way our passengers experience rail travel and I look forward to working with the team to deliver the biggest improvements on our railway for a generation.”
news from
CAMBRIDGE & SOUTH CAMBS CHAMBER
St John’s College demonstrates commitment to customers with new training initiative
St John’s College has rolled out a training programme designed to broaden the skillset of its catering and front of house staff to meet current and future requirements, with internal and external courses covering a range of topics from allergens to the importance of teamwork. For all catering establishments, dealing with food allergies has become increasingly important and vital to ensure customer safety. As a result Allergy in Action, which carries out allergen training for the college’s full-time staff, was invited to run a course for 16 casual staff, providing them with up-todate information so they can respond to queries accurately and knowledgeably. External training has included front of house skills for members of the team run by The University Catering Organisation (TUCO) at University College Birmingham and the growing popularity of vegan dishes, with workshops run in Cambridge for the Cambridge Colleges Catering Committee, which uses locally-
sourced products. The College’s Deputy Fellows’ Butler is undertaking an 18-month management course in conjunction with Kendal College to help with the skills needed to lead an effective team. St John’s College also has an Apprentice Scheme, in partnership with Westminster College in London, where the last two Apprentices have won ‘Apprentice of the Year’. Bill Brogan, Catering & Conference Manager, said: “The ‘Customer Experience’ is top of the agenda and we wanted to ensure the service we provide for all our customers – whether it is Fellows, staff, students or conference delegates – is of the highest possible standard. “That’s why we have renewed our commitment to training for the year ahead, looking at current hot topics such as allergens, food safety, chef skills, vegetarian cooking and preparing and cooking Chinese dishes, as well as more general team and managerial skills.”
One Broker announce Papworth Trust as its Charity of the Year Local independent insurance broker, One Broker is proud to announce that the Papworth Trust has been selected as its official Charity of the Year. The disability charity, which supports people across East Anglia, has been working with WeLoveLettings, One Broker’s tenants and landlord insurance scheme, for a number of years. 2019 will see One Broker’s support of the charity ramp up with more fundraising activities planned. Alongside One Broker’s company sponsorship, staff members will also be getting their hands dirty to raise money for the Papworth Trust. Employees will be donating their time to redesign the Trust’s garden at their Cambridge Centre, while two intrepid staff members will be taking on the London Marathon to raise donations. Cambridge One Broker Director, Shaun Lenton commented: “We are mightily pleased to announce our full corporate support behind the Papworth Trust. So far we have raised over £3,000 for the charity through our WeLoveLettings scheme. We look forwards to raising even more for the Papworth Trust through the fundraisers and volunteering we have planned for 2019.”
MEET CAMBRIDGE HOSTS EVENT MARKETING MASTERCLASS Thirteen event organisers from different businesses across the region have recently attended a marketing masterclass to enhance their skills in promoting meetings of all kinds. Hosted by Meet Cambridge, the conference and events bureau for Cambridge and the region, the Event Marketing Masterclass was run by guest expert Luan Wise at The Wellcome Genome Campus Conference Centre. The programme for the afternoon included: the three stages to event marketing, how to create an event marketing plan, the content needed to market your event and how to use social
media effectively. Kelly Vickers, Director of Meet Cambridge, said: “This was an excellent introduction to marketing your event and all the delegates went away with lots of ideas to put into practise in their own organisations, as well as a series of checklists to help in the process. “Highlights of the session were how to use innovative social media tactics to identify and attract the right delegates to populate your event and the importance of pre, during and post-event communications to extend reach beyond the event and deepen relationships.” connected 23
Send us your photos each month and we’ll include the best of the bunch! Email images direct to s.parr@cambscci.co.uk
NEW VENUE FOR #ECBB2019 East Cambs Business Boost returns on 14 November at Littleport Leisure Centre. Helen and Stella from the Chamber joined East Cambs District Council and the Combined Authority at the venue recently to measure up!
University Catering Competition showcases culinary excellence The Cambridge University Colleges Competition is a biennial event that was first held in 1961. This year’s competition recently took place at the Cambridge Regional College Park restaurant and comprised of 16 classes with 86 competitors from across the Cambridge University Colleges.
BRAMPTON MILL RE-OPENING
The Chamber were delighted to be invited to the reopening event for the Brampton Mill which was attended by Paul Gibbons from the Chamber and Stuart Searle, Chair of the Huntingdonshire Chamber committee plus their guests. It was an excellent evening with wonderful food and attentive service.
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it’s happening
New staff, extended license and new projects at Mick George
OUT & ABOUT
Directors’ lunch success The Chamber held a Directors lunch at the recent Peterborough Biscuit event where over 20 directors and senior decision makers came together to meet other business leaders.
NETWORKING ACROSS THE COUNTY Each month companies are offered the opportunity to widen their connections with business people across Cambridgeshire for free. Photos show our recent events at Barclays Eagle Labs in Cambridge, St Ives (Hunts) Golf Club, Poets House in Ely and KingsGate Conference Centre and Metro Bank in Peterborough.
Having grown revenues by 51 per cent (YOY), Mick George Environmental been rewarded with an extended two-year license from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). Mick George Ltd have begun Earthworks on one of the Northstowe Education Campus build and Dean Newton has been appointment as Commercial Manager.
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news from
Fenland Chamber of Commerce
FENLAND CHAMBER
CWA students help to raise awareness of modern slavery with Cambridgeshire Constabulary Uniformed services students from the College of West Anglia’s (CWA) Wisbech campus visited Huntingdon Police Headquarters to help raise awareness of modern slavery. Students listened to a range of presentations from police officers from Cambridgeshire Constabulary about several different topics related to the theme of modern slavery, including exploitation. Uniformed services lecturer John Yare said: “The 11 students that attended were a credit to the department and CWA. They were the first to answer questions and participated throughout. Considering the competition from other colleges I was impressed to see them perform to a high standard.” Cambridgeshire Constabulary used the event to launch the SAFE competition, challenging students from
colleges from across the area to produce a poster and a video or narrative around the theme of modern slavery. The students’ work will then be judged by Cambridgeshire Police at CWA’s Wisbech Campus. The winning team will then go forward to a county competition at Huntingdon Police HQ in June. Cambridgeshire police are ultimately looking to use the winning entry countywide to raise awareness of the subject. Ally Wicking, PSV Administrator, Cambridgeshire Police, said: “The aim of the SAFE Award is about taking a current policing topic such as modern slavery and working with students in higher education to promote understanding of the type of crime,
how it’s recognised and how the police deal with it. It is a good opportunity for students to work with the police and for us to forge better working relationships with young people. We hope that students embrace the opportunity to participate in the competition. It is a great chance for them to be creative, relay a message and have the possibility to see their work used as official advertising material.”
FENLAND WINTER WARMER On a cold dark night in February, 25 businesses gathered in Wisbech at the College of West Anglia and enjoyed a comforting bowl of chili prepared by Richard from the Fenland Roaster.
The evening provided a wonderful opportunity for members to meet Shaun Hindle, Chair of the Fenland Committee, and get to know each other a little better. Peter Watts from the Chamber refreshed people’s memories on the wider benefits of Chamber membership, which proved
very useful as many were unaware of the services and support available for members, outside of the networking opportunities. We are now connecting members with our Westfield Cash Plan and Quest HR services. If you feel that you could benefit from having a chat about these and other additional services to ensure you are maximising your Chamber membership please contact Bren at b.coleman@cambscci.co.uk. We invited members to share ideas on strengthening the membership of our committee and ensuring that we are connected to the right business and organisations locally. We intend to hold another meeting in the spring or early summer to share progress on forming a new Fenland committee that can help to identity the local priorities and drive the local programme of events and support.
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Talent spotters We know where to look for the right people.
news from
HUNTINGDONSHIRE CHAMBER
ENERGY EFFICIENT CAMBRIDGE SENSOTEC RECEIVES £6,000 GRANT Cambridge Sensotec recently welcomed members of the Business Energy Efficiency (BEE) programme to mark their efforts to reduce energy use. The firm, who specialise in the design and manufacture of gas analysis equipment, had previously invited the team from BEE to help them identify potential energy saving measures that could deliver cost reductions. Following a site visit from a BEE advisor and detailed analysis of half hourly data, a number of priority measures were suggested that would generate the most significant financial and carbon savings. Cambridge Sensotec subsequently submitted a grant application to BEE towards the costs of upgrading to energy efficient LED lighting and controls and extensive insulation work on the roof of their building. The grant facilitated c£24,000 of
investment in LED lighting and roof insulation work, and they were successful in securing just under £6,000 contribution towards project costs. The improvements are expected to realise c£1,800 in cost savings and reduce carbon emissions by 9.63 tonnes, as well as enhancing the working environment for employees. Commenting on receiving the grant, Dr Mark Swetnam, Managing Director at Cambridge Sensotec Ltd said: “The BEE grant money allowed Sensotec to move forward with a full LED lighting upgrade and provide new thermal insulation on the factory roof. These energy saving upgrades would not have been considered without the financial assistance from the BEE. Apart from the fact we now live in a brighter and warmer building, our energy bills have noticeably decreased. Overall the grant application process was one of
Making an impact on pedestrian safety worldwide Cellbond, developers and manufacturers of vehicle passive safety test equipment, have received a massive boost to their business after consumer organisation, EuroNCAP, approved one of their products for use in tests involving all new vehicles in Europe from 2022 / 2023. The Advanced Pedestrian Legform Impactor (aPLI) represents a pedestrian leg during collision with a vehicle. The decision by Euro NCAP implies that it will be used by all major vehicle manufacturers worldwide to develop safer vehicles, as well as by test labs working for Euro NCAP to establish individual vehicle safety ratings. The Cellbond team have been working on the aPLI project since 2016 in collaboration with an international working group. There was strong competition from a US-led project, however, Cellbond’s design was found to be more effective following global comparison tests. It is expected that other road safety organisations will follow Euro NCAP’s lead over the next few months and specify Cellbond’s aPLI for use in their tests, opening up the market in the USA, China, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, India, and Australia. Dr Mike Ashmead, Founder and Chairman of Cellbond, said: “We are delighted to be able to make such a significant contribution to the future of pedestrian safety. Our team has worked tirelessly to develop and produce a biofidelic leg which accurately represents a real-life pedestrian and we are very pleased with the feedback from Euro NCAP and our colleagues in the industry.” Serial production of the aPLI is now underway in Cellbond’s Stonehill manufacturing plant. “The future looks bright with steady growth in employees and turnover for Cellbond,” Dr Ashmead added, “and we are already working on the next innovations which will enhance our product portfolio and support the Automotive Industry worldwide.”
the more simple and straight forward ones to be involved with and we are grateful for the support we have received.” Since the Business Energy Efficiency (BEE) programme launched in spring 2017, the programme has supported over 170 SMEs, identifying cost savings of over £1.1million and potential carbon reductions of over 5,900tonnes.
WEBTEC RECOGNISES YOUNG TALENTED ENGINEER Webtec, the hydraulic measurement and control company, has announced George Crooks as this year’s winner of the Roy Cuthbert Scholarship. This award, is part of the wider UK Arkwright Engineering Scholarship Scheme, and was named after Webtec’s founder, a passionate engineer and entrepreneur who passed away in 2013. The Arkwright Engineering Scholarships act as a beacon to the most talented STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) students in the UK schools and help to ensure that high-potential young people stay engaged in the engineering careers pipeline, in the critical 16 to 18 age range. The Scholarships are supported by more than 200 different sponsoring organisations including commercial and industrial companies, universities, Government and trade organisations. Some 393 students achieved a coveted Arkwright Engineering Scholarship award as part of a drive to inspire future leaders in engineering. Those honoured were handpicked from 1,600 hopefuls who applied for the scholarship in 2018 following a rigorous selection process, which assesses their academic, practical and leadership skills in engineering disciplines. Webtec recognises the importance of encouraging young talent in engineering and in addition to the Arkwright Scholarships the company also actively supports other programmes including the Secondary Engineer® Fluid Power Challenge in both the UK and the US and the Engineering Education Scheme (EES). “The Arkwright Engineering Scholarship Scheme is a fantastic way to nurture and celebrate the engineering talent that we have in this country and we are proud to support and encourage young people into our industry”, commented Webtec’s Managing Director, Martin Cuthbert. “We would like to congratulate George on being awarded the Roy Cuthbert Scholarship and look forward to welcoming him to Webtec”, he added. connected 29
Do you have some exciting news to shout about that could be featured on this page? Get in touch. Tel: 01223 237414 email: s.parr@cambscci.co.uk
TREE CHEERS FOR BUCKLES SOLICITORS! Employees at Buckles Solicitors got their hands dirty to help Peterborough Environment City Trust (PECT) in their Forest of Peterborough initiative. Under the guidance of Project Officer, Simon Belham, a group of eight employees planted 300 trees at Grange Farm, near Wittering, as part of PECT’s 20-year campaign to plant 180,000 trees in and around the city by 2030. This marks the fifth consecutive year that Buckles has taken part in the project to help improve the local environment. In 2018, the firm received a Green Apple Award for demonstrating environmental best practice. Also, 10 employees helped to raise £2,150 in support of the national homeless charity, Crisis, after they completed a ‘sleepout’ challenge. Led by Roger Clarke, a partner at the firm, the group slept outside Buckles’ Peterborough office for the night in temperatures hovering around zero. Those
taking part who managed to get some sleep, awoke to snow flurries the next morning. Roger said: “We know it was only one night and therefore not the same experience as being homeless. However, it gave us an insight into the discomfort endured night after night by those unfortunate enough to not have a home. We would like to give huge thanks to everyone who was able to support us by making a donation.”
Cross Keys Homes (CKH) announce new youth sports satellite club In partnership with Peterborough City Council (PCC) and with funding from Living Sport, the new satellite club will be based at two locations in Bretton - CKH’s own South Bretton Family and Community Centre in Tyesdale and the Pyramid Centre in North Bretton. In a joint bid, CKH and PCC gained £9,600 funding from the National Lottery and Sport England, awarded through Living Sport, to run the Satellite Club, with coaching being delivered by Youth Dreams Project. The Living Sport Satellite Clubs will offer a range of activities such as UV table tennis, dodgeball, boxercise, dance and fitness classes, and the young people who attend the club will decide the activities they want to do. Kate Newbolt, Service Manager - Customer, Community and Stakeholder Engagement, said: “This grant from Living Sport has given us and PCC a fantastic opportunity to provide the young people of Bretton with a great facility to meet up, have fun and of course, get fit, right in the heart of their community. We are looking forward to working with the brilliant Youth Dreams Project to give young people the chance to run their own sports club and do the activities they want to do, in a safe environment.”
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70 EAST MIDS CHARITIES GATHER FOR MASTERCLASS Charities from across the East Midlands gathered for a charity masterclass hosted by Roythornes Solicitors to gain insight from a variety of experts. The event, held at Doddington Hall in Lincolnshire, saw more than 90 people from 70 local charities come together to prepare for challenges and opportunities they may face in 2019. The expert panel included Julia Seary from Roythornes, Liz Cartwright from Cartwright Communications, Paul Colcomb from Wright Vigar, John Hebblethwaite from JCH Wealth Management, John Pennick from Berkeley Insurance and Steve Warren from the Star Trust. Mark Dodds, Marketing Manager at Roythornes Solicitors, said: “We work with a number of charities and we were finding that many were asking questions beyond just legalities so we decided to host a masterclass sharing knowledge of not only the law but also accounting, investment, insurance and PR and marketing. “The event went really well and we are delighted with the positive feedback from the attendees. I must also say a huge thank you to all our panellists for sharing their expertise and giving up their time, it is very much appreciated.”
news from
PETERBOROUGH CHAMBER
Sphere RHSM are award winners! Sphere RHSM are very pleased to announce that we were chosen as the Best Health and Safety Consultancy 2018 award winners for Eastern England, by the CV Magazine HR & Training Awards. This award means so much to us, and is great to have been recognised in our industry as a company that goes above and beyond to help and support our clients. CV Magazine and the HR & Training Awards are created by Corporate Vision. These awards were designed to shine a light on the very best companies, individuals and teams out there. Corporate Vision feels that at the heart of every successful business there are a team of dedicated and
committed staff that work hard to ensure their clients have a happy, healthy, motivated and safe workforce. Corporate Vision is aware that the HR and Health and Safety parts of a business are often outsourced, and these heroes of human capital will often go unnoticed. This was the main reason that these awards were created; to celebrate these unsung heroes of the HR and H&S world. Sphere RHSM were judged by an entirely unbiased internal panel for the Best Health and Safety Consultancy award. We would like to take the chance to thank those judges on the panel and to thank the people that
nominated us for the Best Health and Safety Consultancy award. This is an award that we are very proud of, and it is currently in pride of place in the office.
STREETS APPOINT LEADING TAX SPECIALISTS TO HELP SUPPORT BRITISH BUSINESSES POST BREXIT Streets, a UK top 40 firm of Chartered Accountants, tax and business advisers, is delighted to announce that a number of key and well-respected tax specialists have recently joined its practice to support a growing number of clients who are trading internationally. Gerry Myton, joins the firm as a Partner and Head of Indirect Tax. Gerry began with Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs before moving into senior positions within UK Top 20 accountancy firms. He has extensive experience of assisting companies in navigating the complexities of VAT with particular emphasis on companies setting up and trading in the UK and from the UK into Europe. In his new role Gerry will head up Streets’ Indirect Tax team based in London and Slough and will look after clients nationally. Gerry is joined by team members Leo Donovan, as a Senior VAT Manager with almost 20 years’ experience, much of which was with HM Revenue & Customers, and Christina Forson as a VAT Consultant. Along with the expansion of its Indirect Tax offering, Streets has also made a further strategic appointment with Brian Mulholland joining the firm to head up its International Tax offering. Brian is an international tax structuring expert, with big four and previous midtier accountancy firm experience. As a tax advisory partner, Brian will
be based in the firm’s London office and will look after UK and international tax advisory projects for high net worth private clients, UK and international corporate groups and funds. Commenting on Brian’s appointment and the development of Streets specialist indirect and international tax offering, Paul Tutin the firm’s Chairman and Managing Partner, said: “We are delighted to have secured such specialists who are well respected by the profession and their counterparts. Whilst we have experienced increased demand for specialist tax advisory work, given the uncertainty around Gerry Myton
Brexit, it is important that we are best placed to support clients that not only operate in continental Europe but also elsewhere in the world. “The creation of specialist indirect tax and international tax teams augments the work we started last year when we were instrumental in forming SBC Global Alliance, a new and exciting global association of leading independent accountancy advisory firms. Whatever the outcome on 29 March and in the years ahead, we believe we have high calibre advice and support in place for our clients both within the UK and overseas.” Brian Mulholland
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news from
STAMFORD CHAMBER
Strawman Agency turns five Twenty-foot-wide dresses, giant sheep, and sharks in Manchester, all before your fifth birthday – Stamford-based creative agency Strawman has made some interesting memories over the last half-decade. Strawman’s work with national and global clients has made its way to print publications, city-wide billboards, rebranding and packaging designs, social media channels, and websites. The production crew have been lucky
to film in varied locations, from Holland to Manchester. They’ve helped deliver an independent Dutch pilsner, on tap, to UK pubs for the first time ever, and established a new brand direction, raising the profile for a prominent wool bedding brand – all through working with businesses they believe in. Half a decade’s a long time in business, so Strawman are thankful to have seen and done so much.
If you’re interested in joining the Strawman family, or have any good recommendations for birthday cake, pop by Stamford – we’d love to chat!
NEW COLLEGE STAMFORD AHT COMPETITION SUCCESS New College Stamford students smash AHT awards and have come away with 22 place finishes, and five first place finishes! New College Stamford’s Borderville campus played host to the 2019 regional AHT competition. Various colleges from the surrounding areas enter into the competition and compete in a variety of different categories which is then scored by a panel of expert judges from the AHT
(Association of Hair and Therapists). The competition has grown year on year and this year was no different, the number of competitors and the level of work was better than ever before which made for some hard judging from the panel of experts. Over the course of the day, there was a variety of categories covering all different skill areas of hair, beauty and make-up. Categories included ‘Cut and Blow dry’, ‘Blow dry’, ‘Classical
Make-up’, ‘Bridal’, ‘Fantasy’, ‘Gender Transformation’, ‘Ladies Evening Style’ and ‘Body Painting’. The Level of work that was on display was amazing and to see all the different ideas that the students had implemented was fantastic. The judges were so impressed by New College Stamford’s students that in some of the categories, the college took a clean sweep taking home first place, second place and third place! Finishing in the top three in any of the categories means that you will progress on and represent your college at the National Finals which will take place in the iconic Blackpool Tower Ballroom later this year! We will be routing for all of our super talented students when they travel there and hopefully they can bring home even more silverware. We would like to thank once again all the colleges that participated in the competition, and Borderville Sports Centre for being such an accommodating host, and finally to congratulate our students on their brilliant achievements!
Do you have some exciting news to shout about that could be featured on this page? Get in touch. Tel: 01223 237414 email: s.parr@cambscci.co.uk connected 33
POSITIVE CULTURE POSITIVE PERFORMANCE Charles Whattoff
L
Let’s talk about organisational culture. This was one of the most prominent topics of concern emanating from the Chamber HR & Recruitment survey. This feature explores organisational culture in more depth, why it is critical to performance and provides concepts and strategies to help you examine and develop your own unique organisational culture. The concept of culture implies structural stability, depth and breadth, shared experience and is a learned, evolutionary phenomena. It is often an unconscious part of an organisation, less tangible, less visible but it has a powerful influence on behaviour and performance. A strong organisational culture has a positive, moderating effect on staff
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turnover, employees are more likely to develop trusting, co-operative working relationships, be more resilient and work together as a higher-performing team. Creating a strong culture requires the fusion of inter-related elements that collectively defines your organisation: • Routines…. behaviours that define how things are done internally and externally • Rituals…. events that mark milestones and achievements • Stories… told by employees on issues, practices and personalities • Symbols…. logos, themes and language that becomes the ‘shorthand’ representation of the organisation • Control systems…. measurement, management of activity, delineation of responsibilities • Hierarchy… how relationships are
defined through leadership, power and position. As leaders create groups, culture will emanate and evolve though the leaders’ beliefs, values, norms and projection of expectations and what will be tolerated. Where organisations find dysfunctional behaviour and deviations from cultural values, it is a leadership responsibility to
report from
address and manage the evolutionary direction of the organisation’s culture. In the 1970s, following extensive research Charles Handy proposed four generic types of organisational culture: • Power orientated… depends on a central source with rays of influence from a central figure. These cultures are predominately found in small businesses and rely on trust, empathy and personal communication for effectiveness. A few individuals manage control and there is little bureaucracy with decisions taken on the balance of influence • Role orientated… characterised by bureaucracy, working logically and rationally upon strong organisational pillars; e.g. finance, sales and production. Control is managed by procedures through senior managers. Role or job description is often more important than the individual and is the main source of power • Task oriented… this is job or project focused, and common in matrix type organisations. Task culture seeks to bring together people and resources and utilises the unifying power of the group. Influence is generally widely spread and can be based on expert knowledge • Person oriented… here the individual is the central focus where the structure exists to serve the individuals in it; e.g GP Groups, solicitors and consultancies. Management hierarchies and control mechanisms are generally by mutual consent. Individuals often have complete autonomy and influence over them is by personal power.
NEW BEHAVIOURS
Whilst there are more typologies of organisational culture, the key point is that culture is not binary and to understand its impact on your business, it is important to acknowledge its character pertaining to your organisation; what is it signalling to your employees and future employees? However, changing and developing culture is akin to turning round a super tanker, it takes a long time. By engaging with the next psychological layer, the organisational climate, you are working in the much more malleable space of relationships determined by interactions amongst goals and objectives, formal structures, styles of leadership and the behaviour of people. In this space, initiatives and interventions can be orientated towards higher-level cultural values. In pursuing strategies for developing a strong culture, a starting point is drawn from the work of Edgar Shein (an emanate academic and leading authority on organisational culture) who proposes examination of your organisation from three distinguishing levels: • Level 1 – Artefacts: What are your visible and tangible structures, and, what behaviours do you observe? • Level 2 – Values: What are the ideas, goals and aspirations of the organisation? Values and beliefs are part of the conceptual process by which group members justify actions and behaviours. • Level 3 – Basic Underlying Assumptions: These are unconsciously held and learned responses. Prise off the organisational lid and then
examine what is taken for granted, as this actually determines behaviours, thoughts and feelings. Once defined, establish your desired cultural vision and engage strategies that connect the organisational climate to the vision with measurable actions. For example: 1. Examine the integration of organisational goals and personal goals. We naturally orientate ourselves towards ‘meaning’ and this promotes our state of flow in which we can become more motivated and happier 2. Align leadership styles to appropriate work situations. Qualify roles that require transactional or transformational leadership to determine best performance 3. Examine how you deal with conflict. Healthy organisations encourage open discussion of conflict and promote avoidance of confrontations 4. Review your approach to the quality of working life and job design. Where are the opportunities for creativity, personal development and progression? 5. Introduce initiatives that create a sense of identity and loyalty to the organisation and, a feeling of being a valued and important member. Charles Whattoff is the Principal of New Behaviours and a member of the British Association of Business Psychology. If you would like to have an informal chat on this article or how New Behaviours can support a cultural change programme, please email hello@ newbehaviours.com.
Review your approach to the quality of working life and job design. Where are the opportunities for creativity, personal development and progression?
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SIGNPOST 2 GROW
Sales Closing Closing a sale is the ‘make or break’ moment of any company. It’s the final verdict that determines whether the effort that you have put into your product or service. Several techniques have been developed over the years to assist sales professionals generate the best possible outcome from your pitch. There are three traditional closing techniques that appeal to a client and are designed to give your pitch the extra edge it needs to close that sale: 1. THE NOW OR NEVER CLOSE This technique includes an offer or promotion that will often prompt an immediate purchase. It creates a sense of urgency and provokes the need to ‘impulse buy’. The process of buying to get a good deal or promotion before anyone else. 2. THE SUMMARY CLOSE This technique consists of reiterating the key facts about your product. By doing this you are helping your potential clients to visualise what they’re getting from the deal. 3. QUESTION CLOSES Ask your buyers probing questions. This way you strategically eliminate every objection or query that the client might have and gaining their opinion of your product or service. There are other variations of these closing techniques that have been modernised, but the majority follow
these key principles. Other techniques include: • The Trail Close • The Direct Close • The Pressure Close • The Alternative Close • The Rebound Close The Trail Close This technique tests the buyer’s intent and checks to see if you are meeting the client’s needs therefore decreasing the chance of objections when it comes to signing the contract. The Direct Close The most straightforward technique of the modern day, the direct close simply requests for the buyer to commit to making the purchase. However, the technique should only be used when you are completely sure that the client is ready to buy. Do not let this confident technique become a cliché, turning you into a typical pushy salesperson tactic. The Pressure Close The Pressure close is used to make
the buyer realise that your product or service is something that they have a specific need for. This technique is often used with the Trial Close to ensure that you’re able to influence the client without making them feel pressured. The Alternative Close If the general impression of the pitch is that your buyer isn’t satisfied the alternative close is one of the best techniques to use. It gives the client options and makes them feel like they can complete the sale at their own pace. These options could add value or an entirely different product that is shaped to meet their specific needs. The Rebound Close Fairly similar to the Alternative Close, this technique uses the opportunity of a client’s request to gain a commitment to move to the next stage of the sale. This can be highly effective in accelerating the sales process. To find out more about sales please visit the Signpost 2 Grow website by visiting http://signpost2grow.co.uk/
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pem.co.uk
A new angle on a Cambridge firm Delivering certainty in an uncertain world.
If we were to tell you that PEM’s financial services combine tradition with innovation, solid accountancy knowledge with personality and reliability with energy, you might think that it doesn’t add up. But it does. Beautifully. Choosing PEM means you’ll enjoy an honest relationship with someone who understands your needs and manages your finances in the best way possible.
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How to write a successful Press Release It’s claimed a good press release is as effective as six front page adverts! Sarah West from award-winning Full Mix Marketing shares her tips for writing a successful press release: Grab attention So, you’ve identified an update or development you want to publicise. The first challenge is to persuade a website, paper or magazine to publish your story. The second challenge is to convince their readers to read it. Both begin with the headline. A great headline hooks the reader in, gets them thinking and makes them want to read more. Alliterative headlines (using
words beginning with the same sound) are particularly effective, as is a play on words. However, if language isn’t your strength, keep it short and simple but don’t give so much away that the reader doesn’t need to read further. Pack out the beginning There’s a chance many readers won’t go beyond the first paragraphs, so they need to be powerful. The opening paragraph should expand on the headline and include the who, what, where and when. The following paragraph should expand on the why, explaining the significance of what’s happened and how it helps your business stand out for all the right reasons. Quote, unquote You may be eager to include lots of detail and superlatives about your business, what you deliver and the great thing that’s happened. However, too much self-promotion may put readers and publishers off. Both prefer press releases written as if from an unbiased third party. An effective way to include all the great
SARAH WEST
things you want to say is by adding quotes. Choosing the right spokesperson is important. Quotes should be from someone who’s fundamental to the press release, such as your Managing Director or new client. Here you (or they) can sing your business’s praises and it will appear appropriate and add credibility. So What? Ultimately, readers will ask themselves ‘Why is this of interest to me?’ To be effective at creating positive awareness of your business, you need to convince the reader of the story’s relevance. The key is to clarify why it’s important and how it may benefit the reader (particularly if they are a potential customer). Weave your ‘so what’ messages throughout the article so, when the reader’s finished, they know exactly why your development is newsworthy and of value to them. For more details and help creating the perfect press release, visit fullmixmarketing.co.uk
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Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce 100 YEARS
chamber
EVENTS
inspiring business success
AMAZING BENEFITS OF
CHAMBER
MEMBERSHIP DATE Wednesday 10 April, Wednesday 15 May TIME 9.30-11.30am LOCATION Peterborough Chamber, 6 The Forum, Lynch Wood, Peterborough, PE2 6FT DATE Thursday 11 April, Thursday 16 May TIME 9.30-11.30am LOCATION Milton Hall, Ely Road, Milton, Cambridge, CB24 6WZ PRICE Free to attend, please register in advance CONTACT Bren Coleman on 01223 209811 or email b.coleman@cambscci.co.uk Come and learn the real, tangible benefits of membership in terms of financial savings and increasing revenue and profitability. Whether you’re looking to generate interest in your services and increase sales, develop your professional skillset, explore new opportunities to do business overseas, or take advantage of the costsavings and protection available, our extensive membership package offers it all. You will also discover our latest promotional opportunities and get connected with our benefit service providers. We will also explain how we can help you engage with others in the Chamber network and across the wider business community.
Trading in the UK and abroad in a post-Brexit world DATE Tuesday 26 March TIME 8.00-10.30am LOCATION Alconbury Weald, Huntingdon, PE28 4XA PRICE £15.00 (plus VAT) Chamber member, £25.00 (plus VAT) non-Chamber member CONTACT Helen Bosett on 01733 370809 or email h.bosett@cambscci.co.uk Organised by the Chambers’ International Sector Whether you are currently exporting or importing to the EU or not the business environment will look different post Brexit. We invite all members to join us for a moment of reflection prior to 29 March to meet some of the Chamber members who are willing to share their views on how the changes will impact on businesses. At this event we will: - Set out the current position - Confirm what we know and what we don’t know - Provide an update on key topic areas for your business such as the impact on currency, the workforce, customs declarations and managing finance for import/export - Invite businesses to tell us which topics they would like us to focus on as we develop our programme of support - Launch our Global Awards 2019 Sponsored by
Chamber members can book events online at www.cambridgeshirechamber.co.uk connected 43
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chamber
Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce 100 YEARS
EVENTS
inspiring business success
INFORMAL NETWORKING EVENINGS
March 2019
27
Cross Keys Hotel, Chatteris 5.00-7.00pm
April 2019
1
3
8
St Ives (Hunts) Golf Club 5.00-7.00pm
The Crown Hotel, Stamford 5.00-7.00pm
Poets House, Ely 5.00-7.00pm
17
18
24
Barclays Bank, Peterborough 5.30-7.30pm
John Lewis of Hungerford, Cambridge 5.00-7.00pm
Cross Keys Hotel, Chatteris 5.00-7.00pm
May 2019
1
The Tobie Norris 5.00-7.00pm
15
TBC, Peterborough 5.00-7.00pm
BCC Annual Conference DATE Thursday 28 March TIME 9.00am-5.00pm LOCATION QEII Centre, London, SW1P 3EE PRICE ask to be part of the Chamber Group for a discounted price CONTACT Bren Coleman on 01223 209811 or email b.coleman@cambscci.co.uk A programme of speakers including senior politicians, business leaders, decision makers and opinion-formers from across the United Kingdom will discuss the following key themes: • Innovation • People • Infrastructure “As a business owner, it’s important to me to make sure I take time out of day to day delivery to think about the business more widely. The 2018 British Chambers of Commerce annual conference certainly was a source of inspiration, for a network described as by BCC’s Director General Adam Marshall as ‘the grassroots voice for business in every part of the country’. “I was struck by the positive mood for small and growing businesses from the speakers, with Dr Liam Fox MP describing this as ‘a time of historic opportunities if we have the courage to grasp them’. I was particularly interested in the Future of Work discussion which touched on areas such as apprentices, artificial intelligence and the importance of best practice.” Hayley Williams, Managing Director, Keystone Marketing
13
Poets House, Ely 5.00-7.00pm
16
TBC, Cambridge 5.00-7.00pm
22
Elgood & Son, Wisbech 5.00-7.00pm
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Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce 100 YEARS inspiring business success
Your essential business calendar for the next months.
SAFARI NETWORKING BREAKFAST DATE Wednesday 3 April TIME 10.00am-4.00pm LOCATION Burgess Hall, Westwood Road, St Ives, PE27 6WU STAND PRICE £125.00 (plus VAT) Chamber and FSB members, £175.00 (plus VAT) non-members. Free to attend as a visitor CONTACT Bren Coleman on 01223 209811 or email b.coleman@cambscci.co.uk At the region’s biggest B2B event, featuring over 80 exhibitors and popular speed networking, the day is a great opportunity to showcase your business and to get connected. You can expect to meet hundreds of business people from across Huntingdon, Cambridge, Peterborough and beyond. Stands are still available, please contact Bren Coleman or visit www.huntsbizfair.co.uk
DATE Friday 26 April TIME 7.45-10.00am LOCATION KingsGate Conference Centre, Peterborough, PE1 4YT PRICE £17.00 (plus VAT) Chamber members, £24.00 (plus VAT) non-Chamber members CONTACT Bren Coleman on 01223 209811 or email b.coleman@cambscci.co.uk Meet new business connections from a wide range of industry sectors through our popular safari networking. After breakfast we welcome Karen Gallagher, Trust & Corporate Partnerships at CBM UK, the overseas disability charity. CBM UK transform the lives of people with disabilities, their families and communities in the world’s poorest places. They work with local partners to treat diseases and conditions that cause disability and transform the lives of disabled people.
Health & Safety update workshop DATE Wednesday 1 May TIME 9.30am-1.30pm LOCATION GKL Group, GKL House, Club Way, Peterborough, PE7 8JA PRICE Free to attend, Chamber members only CONTACT Bren Coleman on 01223 209811 or email b.coleman@cambscci.co.uk Keep up-to-date with your risk management responsibilities under health and safety legislation at our free Risk Assessment seminar, designed to help Chamber members understand what the law requires and how it affects your business.
SAVE THE DATE
Grow Your Business DATE Thursday 16 May TIME TBC LOCATION Ely Cathedral PRICE free to attend, but places must be registered CONTACT Helen Bosett on 01733 370809 or email h.bosett@cambscci.co.uk This event is designed to encourage businesses to think about business growth, develop their employees and consider the skills required to attract and employ people for the longer term. This year the focus will be on artificial intelligence (AI). This event forms part of the Celebration of Business 2019 event. For the first time, there will be outdoor space for people to exhibit. Visit www.elycathedralbusinessgroup.org/celebrationof-business for further details.
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COMEDY NIGHT AND BLACK TIE DINNER Meet the Neighbours DATE Wednesday 15 May TIME 4.00-6.00pm LOCATION Jordans Mill, Langford Road, Langford, Biggleswade, SG18 9JY PRICE £7.00 (plus VAT) Chamber members, £11.00 (plus VAT) non-Chamber members CONTACT Bren Coleman on 01223 209811 or email b.coleman@cambscci.co.uk We’ve joined up with Bedfordshire and Luton Chamber of Commerce to provide a unique networking experience for like-minded businesses across two counties. This is your opportunity to meet with up to 20 different business people in an informal atmosphere, share knowledge and skills with like-minded professionals and catch up with familiar acquaintances.
SAFARI NETWORKING BREAKFAST DATE Thursday 23 May TIME 7.45-10.00am LOCATION Quy Mill Hotel & Spa, Cambridge, CB25 9AF PRICE £17.00 (plus VAT) Chamber members, £24.00 (plus VAT) non-Chamber members CONTACT Bren Coleman on 01223 209811 or email b.coleman@cambscci.co.uk
DATE Friday 28 June TIME 7.00pm until late LOCATION Holiday Inn West, Thorpe Wood, Peterborough PRICE £550.00 (plus VAT) per table of 10, £60.00 (plus VAT) per individual ticket CONTACT Helen Bosett on 01733 370809 or email h.bosett@cambscci.co.uk If you are looking for an event with a difference to entertain clients, use as team building or rewarding for your staff we have just the event for you. The ticket price includes a welcome drink, a three course dinner and some complimentary wine plus entertainment from our guest comedian Ian Irving. Essex born, Ian is one of the first black comedians on the circuit. His humour is fresh, original, contemporary and amusing today as it was 30 years ago. Ian specialises as an after dinner comedian and has been a warmup artist for leading acts including Jim Davidson, Lionel Richie and The Jersey Boys. We look forward to welcoming him back to Peterborough. We expect another sell out event so booking early is advisable!
You’ll have two minutes at three different tables to make those initial introductions and explain what sets your business apart from its competitors, with additional networking over a full English breakfast for the tables you don’t meet the first time around. After breakfast we hear from Sue Keogh, Director at Sookio.
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