Business Edge 27

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015

the magazine for sussex chamber of commerce members

Sussex Chamber of Commerce

Thrilling, slightly terrifying and massively good fun - Ultimate Driving at Goodwood Page 22

Inside | 04 welcome | 05 business matters| 16 the expert | 22 cover feature | 24 chamber benefits | 36 new members

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contents 3

Sussex Chamber of Commerce

this month

Sussex Chamber of Commerce currently represents over 1,000 member businesses.

Membership of Sussex Chamber of Commerce offers access to invaluable business advice, money saving benefits, networking opportunities and provides a voice for businesses at a local, regional and national level. Business Edge is delivered free of charge to all Sussex Chamber of Commerce members as well as key business decision makers across the county.

It has a circulation of 4,000 copies per issue.

08 New look for smokery

8

The Weald Smokery at Flimwell, one of the last remaining traditional food smokers in Britain, has undergone a complete refurbishment.

20 Law firm looks ahead with confidence

Business Edge is a Sussex Chamber of Commerce publication.

If you have any stories you would like to tell us about or any comments please drop us an email at enquiries@ sussexchamberofcommerce.co.uk

SUSSEX CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

These are exciting times for Sussex legal firm Mayo Wynne Baxter as it continues on a strategy that has seen it grow steadily in recent years and which offers much optimism for the future.

22 Thrilling, slightly

terrifying and massively good fun - Ultimate Driving at Goodwood

Unit 4, Victoria Business Centre, 43 Victoria Road, Burgess Hill RH15 9LR

PRODUCTION & DESIGN

20

Distinctive Publishing Unit 6b, Floor B, Millburn House, Dean Street, Newcastle Upon Tyne NE1 1LE Tel: 0845 884 2384 www.distinctivepublishing.co.uk

Goodwood Motor Circuit is an extraordinary place.

regulars n 04 welcome n 05 business matters n 07 business matters n 08 business matters n 09 business matters n 10 business matters n 12 focus on n 16 the expert n 17 fine print n 18 feature: construction n 20 inspirational leaders n 22 cover feature n 24 chamber benefits n 26 feature: finance n 30 business matters n 31 business matters n 32 feature: creating the perfect event n 36 new members n 38 business matters n 40 diary n 42 five minutes with ... n 42 movers and shakers

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015

ADVERTISING John Neilson, Business Development Manager, Distinctive Publishing Unit 6b, Floor B, Millburn House, Dean Street, Newcastle Upon Tyne NE1 1LE Tel: 0845 884 2343 Email: john.neilson@distinctivegroup.co.uk

the magazine for sussex chamber of commerce members

DISCLAIMER

FEATURE EDITORS John Dean & Francis Griss email:deangriss@btinternet.com

E-BOOK

22

Sussex Chamber of Commerce

Thrilling, slightly terrifying and massively good fun - Ultimate Driving at Goodwood Page 22

Inside | 04 welcome | 05 business matters| 16 the expert | 22 cover feature | 24 chamber benefits | 36 new members

Distinctive Publishing or Business Edge cannot be held responsible for any inaccuracies that may occur, individual products or services advertised or late entries. No part of this publication may be reproduced or scanned without prior written permission of the publishers and Business Edge.

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Feedback

Please let us know if there are any burning issues you want us to take up.

Send your letters to the Editor to enquiries@sussexchamberofcommerce.co.uk september/october 2015 business edge

4 welcome

Chamber enhances membership offering I can’t believe how quickly this year is flying by. Summer holidays are nearly over and children will be back at school ready to start a new year.

Ana Christie CEO at Sussex Chamber of Commerce

My son will be choosing his options this year, which can be a very daunting task for those who are not sure what is available for them or which career path to follow. The gap between education and employment needs to be reduced.

Sussex Chamber will help bridge this gap through Young Chamber which will go live this autumn. A new membership scheme designed specifically for schools to allow schools to benefit from the Chamber’s connections with local and national business. Young people need contact with the business community to gain valuable skills, knowledge and experience.

The British Chambers of Commerce accredited network will also be delivering careers fairs in England. Having won a contract with the Skills Funding Agency, the Sussex Chamber will deliver 4 careers fairs in Sussex between January and March 2016.

Furthermore, businesses will be able to apply for a National Award, Investment in Young People, to recognise the important work that employers do in supporting a young person’s understanding of the world of work and helping them to gain the all important employability skills required to gain meaningful employment in the future. The scheme will recognise an employer’s contribution to assist young people aged from 5 to 25. Further details regarding this National Award will be announced.

The Chamber has a small team of 14 employees, 3 of which are apprentices. It gives me great satisfaction and pleasure knowing that we have been able to help young people in gaining essential basic skills. Trey, our IT & Social Media apprentice will complete his apprenticeship this summer. Trey has gained confidence whilst at the Chamber, as well as the all important skills in his chosen career. We wish him all the very best and continued success.

September sees the Chamber celebrating its 70th year. Over the years the Chamber has evolved numerous times and more recently this year from Sussex Enterprise to Sussex Chamber of Commerce, along with a much improved membership offering.

An informal BBQ will give us the opportunity to thank all of our members for their support and membership over the years.

The Sussex Chamber continues to enhance its services and events. We are now planning a full calendar year of fantastic new events, including 4 significant events, with amazing speakers and wonderful venues. How can the Chamber help you? Grow your connections through our varied networking events, Develop your skills through our training courses, Discover new markets globally and Influence ministers and government. I look forward to seeing you.

Please look out for new and exciting events and services on our website:www.sussexchamberofcommerce.co.uk Kind regards Ana Christie, Chief Executive, Sussex Chamber of Commerce

september/october 2015 business edge

Trey Taylor

IT and Social Media Apprentice Sussex Chamber of Commerce

I started at the Chamber of Commerce as an IT and Social Media Apprentice last summer and since then, I‘ve seen huge changes, both in the company and myself.

My apprenticeship offered me a doorway into a world I had no idea about. I’ve always loved IT, but I didn’t feel I learned what I wanted to learn at college, so set out for an apprenticeship and found Sussex Enterprise (now known as Sussex Chamber) on a job search site. As soon as I read the job description I knew I wanted to work there and by researching how they benefit the county’s businesses spurred a feeling of what I would be doing would be worthwhile. From there, my confidence and skill-set grew from very basic IT skills to learning about web development, server management, social media marketing and maintenance around a working office as well as learning to be more confident and in-control of myself in nerving situations. I couldn’t ask for a better first job and I feel prepared for the world of business.

Thank you Rewards Training and thank you Sussex Chamber of Commerce.

business matters 5 Team from left to right, Linda Chapman, Emma Weir, Anne Dewdney, Vicky King, Nick Evans, Gavin Farley and Adrian Bell

3 Peaks Challenge – We made it!!

What can I say…that was one of the hardest Challenges we have ever faced, the whole team really pushed themselves and the sense of achievement after Snowden was huge!

As you can see from the picture, we all started with smiles on our faces, some would say, naive! The weather may look dull in the picture but this was perfect conditions for climbing and we were all pretty pleased!

Ben Nevis began at 7.30am and was a tough continuous trek through what felt like every season possible, towards the summit it was so cold that were still snow fields.

Once we reached the summit we stopped for a quick pit stop, a few selfies and then it was straight back down. The descent was a lot harder than we had anticipated, we had to concentrate and try and choose the best route down – our guide was amazing and without him I am sure we would have got lost on numerous occasions!

Smiles still on our faces we reached the base of Ben Nevis and it was back on to the mini bus to Scafell Pike – the traveling took a lot out of you and the whole group really struggled to get comfortable.

As we were nearing Scafell Pike the sun was setting and we knew we would be climbing this mountain in the dark. A quick change of clothes, enough food to keep you going and a head torch and we were ready to begin our second mountain. This was a tough climb, the dark and lack of sleep really made you aware of your surroundings and the magnitude of the climb, there were times when you could only see the circle of light from your head torch and it took every ounce of mental and physical strength to get to the summit. Our descent couldn’t come quick enough and we were all desperate to get off Scafell – this was the climb that all of us found tough, but completing it meant we only had one more to go!!

We arrived at Snowden early in the morning and after stretching out our aches and pains we prepared our ruck sacks for the final summit. We were all tired, stiff and struggling to comprehend how this climb

was going to be possible but our team spirit and sheer determination meant we got to the summit in pretty good time – we made it, we had reached all 3 Peaks and seen some breath-taking scenery along the way. But wait, we had to get back down again!

Finally, back at the mini bus we couldn’t quite believe we made it – it didn’t quite feel real and that was probably down to exhaustion! We were so proud of ourselves individually and as a team – we worked brilliantly together and the fact that we have raised just over £7,200 for the Spinal Injuries Association is the cherry on the cake!

Now we are looking forward to our celebratory event on 10 September at the Brighton Dome and we are looking forward to thanking all of our sponsors and donating the funds raised to the SIA – there is still time to donate www.justgiving.com/GSFWSolicitors/

september/october 2015 business edge

6 advertorial

British Academy of Management annual conference to be held at University of Portsmouth Portsmouth Business School is delighted to be hosting the 29th annual conference of the prestigious British Academy of Management (BAM) from 8-10 September.

BAM is the leading authority in the academic field of management in the UK, supporting and representing the community of scholars and engaging with international peers.

Attracting nearly 1,000 visitors from around 50 countries over three days, the BAM2015 Conference is intended to facilitate dialogue and open debate in management research, education and practice.

Dr Alan Tait, senior lecturer in Strategic Management, who is organising the event with BAM says: “Hosting such a large highprofile conference is very important to the University of Portsmouth. It provides opportunities to engage with the regional business community and showcases the University as an ideal venue for similar conferences in the future.”

The University is well-placed to hold such a large conference with its wide range of quality facilities and a team of highly

experienced event organisers who will oversee the careful planning and hosting of some 400 events a year.

BAM2015 is the largest conference the University has held but David Goodwin, commercial manager of the University’s conferences and lettings team, says that with such a large and varied campus and an accommodating city such as Portsmouth, anyone thinking of arranging a conference, large or small, will not be disappointed. “The conferences and lettings team hosts around 400 external meetings and conferences each year and the University is one of the most popular choices for events in the region.

“We have a wide range of lecture theatres, halls and seminar rooms to meet every requirement. Full, top quality catering services are available, providing anything from small private lunches and buffets to large formal banquets. During the summer, award winning en-suite residential accommodation can be provided in halls of residence all within easy walking distance of conference facilities. The conference and

accommodation facilities are also accredited as Hospitality Assured, a benchmark of high quality and service.”

The conference comes just before the start of the autumn term when the University welcomes over 21,000 new and returning students including 4,000 international and EU students from over 140 different countries.

For information about Portsmouth Business School, its courses and regular events, please visit www.port.ac.uk/pbsevents

Show you mean business – do the Portsmouth MBA

Our Master of Business Administration (MBA) will develop your capabilities and enable you to bring fresh thinking to your organisation right from the start of your studies. Not only will it enhance your career prospects but it will allow you to build lasting networks with like-minded individuals.

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‘The MBA is a key to unlocking the doors to senior and executive level management roles. The pace of the course allows me to carry out a full time international sales role at the same time as studying.’

Katie Ilincariu Europe and South America Sales Manager, Fosse Liquitrol

september/october 2015 business edge

Innovative work-based learning Taught part-time in two day blocks over two years Generous scholarships

Come along to one of our Postgraduate and MBA open evenings and listen to a guest speaker, meet the teaching staff and current students in a relaxed and informal atmosphere – for details visit www.showyoumeanbusiness.com.

For more information or to apply: T: +44 (0)23 9284 4888 E: mba.admissions@ port.ac.uk W: www.port.ac.uk/ mba

business matters 7

New faces welcomed

Event turns into awards celebration It was a day of celebration at the Leasing and Fleet Management Specialists Neva Consultant’s Head Office in Piltdown on Friday 3rd July.

Originally, guests including Nus Ghani (Cons MP for Wealden) and Councillor Barby Dashwood (Chair of Wealden District Council ) were invited to open the new Reception area and internal staircase.

However, this was superseded by Neva Consultants’ unprecedented success at the Lewes & Wealden Business Awards 2015 where they won not only the two awards that were entered (Medium Size Business of the Year and Innovation Award ) but the main award of the evening, “Overall Business of the Year”.

Representatives from Wealden District Council, Uckfield Chamber of Commerce

and Uckfield FM joined the Awards main Sponsor Rix & Kay Solicitors and Faiza Shafeek from Johnston Press, who organised the event, for a buffet lunch to meet the staff and understand the business.

Graham Prince ( Senior Partner) thanked all of those who gave up their valuable time to attend.

He told the audience that the company had grown in size from 16 employees in 2013 to 22 by the end of this year and had grown from 1,400 deliveries in 2013 to being on target to exceed 2000 Leased Vehicles delivered this year, a 40% growth in two years. Graham said that it was an honour to represent this Region in the Gala Finals Night to be held in October when all the regions in Hampshire and Sussex come together at The Grand in Brighton.

He thanked all the staff for their hard work and felt that with the economic climate remaining positive for the next few years there was no reason why the company should not continue to grow.

Baker Tilly has announced the appointment of Richard Heap as an audit partner in its Gatwick office and welcomed Sarah Nichols as corporate finance manager.

In his new role, Richard will focus on growing the client base for the Gatwick office as well as the wider southern region. He will work across service lines, with a particular focus on the Technology, Media and Telecoms sector, a specialism he has worked in exclusively since 1999.

Previously a partner with Kingston Smith in London where he led the Technology & Telecoms sector group and the US Desk, Richard also spent 12 years in audit at EY and PwC. During this time, he worked in senior roles for both France Telecom and Cable & Wireless on secondment, and also spent two years in transaction services.

Sarah joins the Gatwick office’s M&A team from Baker Tilly in London having previously held a regional role in Yorkshire. With eight years of corporate finance experience, predominantly working on the sale of mid-market businesses, Sarah will lead on deals in the region, and will work closely to support the business development activities of the office in the wider southern region.

Kirsty Sandwell, managing partner at Baker Tilly’s Gatwick office, said: ‘We are delighted to welcome Richard and Sarah to the team. This is a further demonstration of our investment in the Gatwick Office and the Gatwick Diamond. We will continue to invest in key hires to broaden the strength and depth of our leadership team.’

Outside of work, Richard is a keen triathlete. Sarah is a cycling enthusiast who is also preparing for her first ironman triathlon challenge later this year. Both new starters represented the Gatwick office in the recently completed Tour de Baker Tilly – a 700 mile cycle from Glasgow to London which has so far raised more than £17,000 for charity.

september/october 2015 business edge

8 business matters

David Sheppard

Chairman of Sussex Chamber of Commerce

The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) sits at the heart of a powerful network of 52 Accredited Chambers of Commerce across the UK, representing thousands of businesses of all sizes and within all sectors.

New look for smokery The Weald Smokery at Flimwell, one of the last remaining traditional food smokers in Britain, has undergone a complete refurbishment.

Included within the refurbishment is a new brasserie restaurant, called The Kiln Room, where customers can enjoy the award winning smoked food over breakfast, lunch and tea, in a relaxed atmosphere, with a glass of wine or simply a coffee with a piece of homemade cake.

Andrew Wickham is the passion behind the operation, having bought the business in 1990 and transformed it into the multi-award-winning local gem it is today.

Set in picturesque Sussex woodland, the smokery is dedicated to using only local, ethical suppliers. The only exception is salmon, which are sourced from sustainable farms in Scotland.

The Weald Smokery shop and Kiln Room brasserie can be found at Mount Farm, Flimwell, East Sussex TN5 7QL. You can look at their new website www.wealdsmokery.co.uk or ring Andrew on 01580 879601 for more information.

september/october 2015 business edge

The Sussex Chamber of Commerce is one of those 52 accredited Chambers that benefits, our members, from the support, services and insight the BCC provides including influence within the heart of Government. Creating the environment for increasing international trade is a key BCC message to Government but whilst the UK economy is predicting modest growth (2.8% in 2015), this is entirely home grown from the retail and service sectors leaving manufacturing and export behind.

The UK trade deficit on goods and services in June 2015 was £1.6B. Despite personal efforts from many members of the government, the UK’s export performance remains stuck in low gear - little progress is being made. More radical steps are needed if the UK is to hit the target of reaching £1 trillion in exports by 2020, as on current trends the target will be missed by some 14 years.

We have to get the basics right to support exporters, including investment in better infrastructure, greater access to finance and improving the skills of our workforce. We also need to make sure that our SMEs have access to on the ground support when they are trying to break into new markets.

The British Chambers in the UK and the growing international Chamber network are playing a significant part in encouraging exporters and you will see a growing emphasis on export promotion from within the Sussex Chamber of Commerce.

Developing international business can be such an easy way of growing a business and we are providing forums and services to make exporting simpler.

See our international trade section on our website where you can have easy access to export advice and documentation or come and visit one of our international trade forum events held throughout Sussex, throughout the year, also advertised on our website.

David Sheppard Chairman, Sussex Chamber of Commerce

business matters 9

Active Sussex challenges your workplace to get moving!

According to the Office for National Statistics, 131 million working days were lost in 2013 due to sickness absences. The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) estimates the cost of this at around £14bn – an average cost of £975 per employee.

Minor illnesses, such as coughs and colds, were cited as the main reasons for absence but more working days were lost to back, neck and muscle pain. Mental health issues such as stress, anxiety and depression also accounted for a large proportion of absences.

At a time when sedentary behaviour is becoming the norm, the British Heart Foundation (BHF) estimates that we spend 60% of our waking hours at work. The

cumulative effect of long periods of time sat in front of computers without regular breaks can only serve to exacerbate poor posture and cause chronic back or neck pain, leading to increased sick days.

The Active Sussex Workplace Challenge inspires employers and employees to think about the amount of physical activity they are doing, with the aim of reducing absenteeism and driving up productivity.

‘Shake Up September’ is a month-long FREE online leaderboard challenge starting on 1 September. Each user creates a profile and logs the amount of physical activity they are doing on a day-to-day basis – with a target of 150 minutes per week (recommended by the Department of Health).

Any sport or physical activity is counted – from football, to gardening, to a weekend walk in the park. The Workplace Challenge can be used as your personal fitness diary, or to compete against others across Sussex, or nationwide.

There are some great prizes on offer for users regularly logging their activities, including: a treadmill from JTX Fitness, a personal nutrition consultation from LGM Nutrition & a 9-day detox kit from Chelwood Health Group.

Get your business signed up to Shake Up September by visiting www. workplacechallenge.org.uk/activesussex If you would like to discuss how Active Sussex can help get your business become more active through the Workplace Challenge, training your employees to be ‘Workplace Champions’ or designing some team building events, email Leon Carter lcarter@activesussex.org

september/october 2015 business edge

10 business matters

ArcEquine Product - finalist at Gadget Show Applied Microcurrent Technology (Equine) Ltd trading as ‘ArcEquine’ is an E-commerce business based in Hawkhurst, Kent which has been successfully trading since 2010.

ArcEquine the product is an innovative, non-invasive, drug-free wearable health device that has been used successfully to improve equine wellness and reduce the high care costs of horses. ArcEquine utilises Microcurrent Technology to keep horses in peak performance. The device is smaller than a smart phone, reliable in rugged conditions, and easy to use with just 2 buttons.

restores and accelerates the body’s ability for self-repair.

2015 has been a very exciting year for ArcEquine, helped by hundreds of happy customers referring the product to others.

Last year units sold grew 300% including international equestrian event users.

The British Invention project invited ArcEquine to attend National Exhibition Centre Gadget Show where they were awarded Finalist for 2015 British Invention of The Year. They were provided with a free stand, appeared on live stage everyday, were interviewed by media channels from across the world, and had high interest from thousands of attendees and large retail outlets.

In 2016 ArcPet will be launched for the UK’s 15 million dogs and cats and USA’s market of 70 million pets. A new human wearable device ArcSport is also planned for elite athletes in time for the Olympic Games in Rio, building on previous successful use by UK Olympic athletes in 2012.

ArcEquine is a caring company with a product which can help the whole Microcurrent technology uses minute, community. Public and private investors are sub sensory sequences of electrical being invited to share in the equity for About Applied Microcurrent Technologynow Limited “AMT” current to treat regenerative repair to the future profitable growth of these unique tendons, ligaments, fractures and wounds.company safe which deviceswill which reduce the costs of AMT has develope AMT is an e-commerce health technology supply global markets.

Independent tests show it has been conventional care and improve quality device which energises body micro-currents to repair and regenerate cellularthe tissue.

After 12 years deve successful in treating swelling, bruising, of has life for animals, pets and peoplewith of allnew brand tradema brand name ArcEquine the latest product patent been successfully lodged, inflammation and pain. If there is injury or ages and abilities. Revenues are expected being fullyto registered protected by the Intellectual Property Office in the UK and abroad. Device cu damage the body, and the natural electrical to double every year. For more details refined by the authority andLucy tested at University of Hertfordshire in a properties ofworld’s cells canleading be diminished andin electrotherapy please contact Thirkell Director email product is drug non-invasive, and easy to use to re-boot body energy, enhance im normalfamily processes fail free, to work properly. Ifaffordable lucy.thirkell@arcequine.com call 01580 an external source at the same level 755504 or visit www.arc-family.com sub-sensory sequences of electrical currents that safely mimic those natura reduce pain. Itenergy uses minute, naturally occurring in cells is introduced, it

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september/october 2015 business edge

advertorial 11 sales@avantguardsecurity.co.uk www.avantguardsecurity.co.uk

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Successful influencing in the workplace When did you last take stock of your influencing skills – how you communicate, build relationships and engage others?

Our roles as leaders or managers, in the ambiguous environment in which we live and work, takes great influencing skills. This requires us to draw on who we are, as well as what we do to inspire, communicate and engage our people. And it really matters as being able to effectively influence and communicate helps improve you and your team’s effectiveness – and organisational performance.

Here are five things that, if you pay attention to, will improve your influencing skills: • Know your style. Do you tend to be assertive, aggressive or passive? Do you know when to disagree without being disagreeable and when you need to listen and ask questions? There is no one right way to influence, so knowing when to use what approach is key.

• Observe and interpret. Pay attention to non-verbal behaviour such as body language, changes in breathing and demeanour and adapt your behaviour as a result.

• Listen. This isn’t about just hearing what was said, but also hearing what is implied and not said, and, in your own words summarising, so that both of you have clarity and agreement on your discussion.

• Be aware. Remember to be aware of yourself moment by moment, particularly any behaviour patterns, limiting thoughts, beliefs and reactions which are counter-productive • Stay focussed. Ask yourself “Is the way I am going about things helpful and skilful? Is this leading to or detracting from a successful outcome? If not, what else can I do?”

Roffey Park’s Personal Effectiveness and Power programme is next running in December 2015.

To find out more please contact us.

Email: info@roffeypark.com Telephone: 01293 851644 www.roffeypark.com Roffey Park Institute is a Charity, Registered No: 254591

september/october 2015 business edge

12

focus on

Charity benefits from recycling programme The Brain Injury Rehabilitation Trust (BIRT) receives over £1,000 from Quills Group Office Supplies toner recycling programme.

BIRT centre, Kerwin Court in Horsham, recently accepted a cheque for over £1,000 for proceeds raised from Quills Group toner recycling programme.

Quills Group donate all proceeds raised from their toner recycling programme to their charity partner BIRT, which is part of a national Charity, The Disabilities Trust, www.thedtgroup.org and has been providing excellence in brain injury rehabilitation for 25 years.

BIRT opened its first service in 1991; Thomas Edward Mitton House in Milton Keynes and has grown to become the charity leading brain injury rehabilitation across the UK. BIRT offers a continuum of provision to meet the needs of an individual at any stage in their rehabilitation at any of their 15 UK centres. The continuum provides the following options:

september/october 2015 business edge

n Specialist acute assessment and rehabilitation n Specialist independent hospitals n Specialist assessment and rehabilitation n Transitional living options n Near reach houses n Specialist continuing rehabilitation n Community Services Quills said “As part of our environmental programme we collect used toner cartridges from our customers which are then recycled. Our recycling partner handles in excess of 6 million used laser toner and inkjet printer cartridges a year and the recycling process ensures that every component of the used cartridge is either remanufactured or recycled.

The value of a cartridge can vary from as little as 13p to as much as £5.00 per cartridge and two years ago Quills decided to give 100%

of the proceeds generated from the recycling programme to our chosen charity partner BIRT. We are delighted to have raised over £1,000 in the last two years from the toner recycling programme and we would like to say a huge thank you to our customers for recycling their toner cartridges with Quills. Here’s to reaching the £2,000 mark by next Summer!”

Ann Buckler, Director of BIRT, expressed her gratitude: “ I would like to thank the team at Quills Group for making BIRT their charity partner in April 2013 and for their efforts which have raised over £1,000 for BIRT at Kerwin Court. The donation has enabled the centre to buy raised flower beds for our gardening club. These have been invaluable in encouraging this enthusiastic group and have enhanced the lives of those that we support.”

business matters 13

Kreston Reeves partners take on Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge for charity Kreston Reeves, one of the leading accountancy and financial services firms located across London and the South East, is delighted to announce that a group of Partners will be taking part in the Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge in aid of Odyssey and Cancer Research and in memory of a much-loved colleague, Bill Gardiner.

This year a team of 15 Partners from across the firm, led by Managing Partner Nigel Fright will tackle the peaks of Peny-ghent, Whernside and Ingleborough, all within 12 hours. These peaks form part of the Pennine mountain range, and encircle the head of the valley of the River Ribble, in the Yorkshire Dales National Park.

This is not the first time the Partners have set their sights sky high for charity!

In 2014, eight Partners completed the Three Peaks Challenge, taking on the highest mountains in Scotland (Ben Nevis), England (Scafell Pike) and Wales (Mount Snowdon) under 24 hours. The group raised in excess of £5,000 in aid of each of the firm’s four nominated charities.

This year, to pay tribute to a valued and recently passed colleague, an enlarged team of Partners will take on this new challenge in aid of Odyssey and Cancer Research. Bill Gardiner sadly passed away on 5 April 2015, aged 51 following a battle with cancer. Bill worked at Kreston Reeves as Maintenance Manager for over 13 years. Nigel Fright, Kreston Reeves’ Managing Partner said, “Last year the Challenge really pushed our levels of fitness and fortitude to the limit and put the preceding months of training and preparation to the test. Making the

commitment to train together around our busy work schedules helped us to understand the team’s strengths and weaknesses, which enabled us to work so well together when things got tough.

Climbing Snowdon totally in the dark, up and down, with strong mist and only four feet visibility is a fond memory for us all now.

This year, strengthened in numbers, we are particularly determined to raise as much money as possible for Odyssey and Cancer Research in tribute to Bill. Bill was an incredibly valued colleague and friend to a large number of people here. He was a big character who was always very willing to help everyone he knew. He will be sorely missed.

We always strive to significantly contribute to our local communities and charities in various fundraising activities and through time commitment support and will continue to find even more ways to do this”. Please follow the link to the team’s JustGiving page to leave a donation: www.justgiving.com/teams/ KrestonReevesYorkshire3PeaksChallenge Please follow the links for more information on the supported charities: www.cancerresearchuk.org/ www.odyssey.org.uk/

Fundraising under way Community Interest Company the Sail Boat Project are currently crowdfunding to provide clients at Worthing Churches Homeless Projects with an opportunity to experience sailing training.

The Sail Boat Project will be working with clients who are on the journey out of homelessness and those who are recovering from addiction.

Team members’ aim is to work with 15 men and women who are residents at Worthing Churches Homeless Projects and provide them with a two day sail boat experience.

The sailing experience will teach the participants not only basic sailing skills but also teamwork, organisation and cooking, as well as providing them with an opportunity to reflect, this will help motivate the men and woman on their next steps out of homelessness.

The Sail Boat Project has previously complete two sailing trips with some clients from the Recovery Project at Worthing Churches Homeless Projects.

Worthing Churches Homeless Projects worked with more than 1,400 men and women in the local community over the last year with anything from telephone advice to a stay at one of their residential properties. On any given day, there is 58 people staying in one of the Charity’s hostels. The Sail Boat Project allows the clients Worthing Churches Homeless Projects work with an experience they may never have the opportunity for otherwise.

Please visit www.crowdfunder. co.uk/sailingforward to pledge any amount to help fund this experience for clients of Worthing Churches Homeless Projects.

september/october 2015 business edge

14 feature: corporate social responsibility

Who are Time 4 Children Time 4 Children was established in 2005, after its founder, Vicky Chalmers, piloted a school project in Mid Sussex throughout 2003/04.

It became very clear there was little support for many local children in need of someone safe to listen to them. The project was hugely successful and Time 4 Children was born.

Vicky, manages the day-to-day running of Time 4 Children, is our Lead Practitioner working directly with children, she runs our annual Volunteer Practitioner Training Course and facilitates our workshops for parents and carers. We have a committee of Trustees and three part time staff, all working hard to ensure that local children get the support they need.

Our mission is to offer an open ended service, providing individual sessions using Reflective Listening and Non-Directive Play techniques, to support and help children who have experienced emotional upset and/or have behavioural problems. These children are unable to express and communicate their thoughts and feelings positively.

So far in 2015 we have helped over 50 children and are committed to helping many more. We are currently fundraising to allow us to run a second annual volunteer training course. This a vital step towards helping more children.

We would be delighted if you or your company would like to fundraise for us, or ideally partner with us. Additional Trustees would be welcomed as would people interested in training as a Volunteer Practitioner.

redevelopment we have to leave our current office in May 2016, we really need to secure a small low priced office as soon as possible.

We are hugely passionate about what we do – help us to make the difference!

Please contact our Marketing & Communications Officer, Gail Wickens on gailtime4children@gmail.com or call 07747 698735 to find out more.

Stop Press Can you help? We are looking for some low priced office space. Due to

Are you looking to get your business further involved in the local community?

Are you looking for a way for your employees to develop transferable skills?

If you have answered yes to just one of these questions, school governance is for you and your organisation.

Governors work alongside the school’s senior leadership team to set strategic direction, monitor school performance and oversee the school’s finances, making sure its money is well spent. Schools are accountable to the communities they serve and governors ensure that they provide the best possible education for their pupils.

“Many of the skills needed on a governing body are linked to a business environment. This benefits the business who support their employees to volunteer, as governors develop strategic board level skills that can be applied to their job” Neil Carberry, Director, Employment & Skills, CBI.

There are over 300 vacant governor positions across Brighton & Hove, East and West Sussex. It is essential every school has a full complement of skilled governors from a diverse range of backgrounds.

If you would like to discuss school governance as a personal or staff volunteering opportunity, please contact Adam Balzano on 020 7288 9540 or adam.balzano@sgoss.org.uk

For any business, adopting school governance is a fantastic staff volunteering opportunity which costs nothing to implement and support. It is a great chance for senior colleagues to ‘give something back’ to the community, and a chance for those at the start of their careers to learn new skills and gain valuable experience.

SGOSS Governors for Schools is a charity funded by the Department for Education.

september/october 2015 business edge

feature: corporate social responsibility 15

CityCoast Trust CityCoast Trust is based on an industrial estate in South Portslade.

From the outside, CityCoast Centre is unremarkable, but inside there is an incredible community space.

CityCoast Trust has not just transformed the old factory into an exciting community centre with conference facilities, but is also transforming the lives of hundreds of people in the local area and beyond.

The Centre hosts or runs essential community activities including a playgroup, The Ark Pre-school, after-schools classes in English and Maths and a thriving local church. CityCoast Trust runs very popular projects and activities for children and young people. The “Red Frogs” project for instance links with the universities and night clubs, offering alcohol-reduction support and activities for hundreds of students.

We have invested heavily in the Centre to develop a funding stream to make us more sustainable, including the creation of a 600 seat capacity auditorium. However we need

help and support to continue and expand our community work.

The Ark Pre-school for example is in need of a refurbished outside play area and we want to raise £25,000. The pre-school has been praised for its standard of care and in particular its commitment to vulnerable parents and children. Can you help us raise the money, offer building supplies, time or skills?

Our youth projects have been very successful and offer one to one support to

ulnerable young people, many of whom are isolated and unable to cope with school, work or family; this may be as a result of emotional and mental health problems and/ or drug abuse. We would particularly like to employ and train some of our younger leaders to increase our capacity to help more young people. If you feel you could offer us practical or fundraising support please contact us on 01273 433433 or email simon@citycoast.church.

Could we help you with your corporate social responsibility?

Guild Care, established in 1933, is regarded as a pioneer in social care, a charity providing services from 5 to 105 years and over.

A CSR programme could help to:

If you are keen to give something back to society and would like to discuss your CSR further, we would like to hear from you.

Improve your customers’ ‘feel good’ factor when they know you are supporting a charity.

Provide time for staff to volunteer or match their volunteering contribution with a donation?

For over 80 years, we have supported:

Support our fundraising events by entering our Walk to Remember; the Christmas Pudding Race or our Golf Challenge and raise funds through sponsorship?

•

Increase awareness of your business by sponsoring a gold, silver or bronze butterfly to support our dementia services?

Details at www.guildcare.org/butterfly

• •

For more details please contact volunteering@guildcare.org or fundraising@guildcare.org

•

Children and young people with special needs and disabilities and their families Vulnerable older people living in our communities People living with dementia Unpaid carers

www.guildcare.org Phone: 01903 528630 Registered charity 1044658

september/october 2015 business edge

16 the expert

You ask the questions Our panel of experts tackle your burning issues

Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software supports and enables many business functions including sales, marketing and customer services.

With at least 400 commercial software solutions available, what should a business consider when selecting a CRM application?

Define your needs When selecting any software, it is essential to write down what the system is required to do. Without a written specification it is impossible to effectively compare different applications or to assess whether requirements have been met once the system is installed.

At its simplest, CRM provides a database of information about customers, prospects and other people and companies with whom the business interacts. This information is shared across the organisation resulting in better customer service, lower administration costs, more new business wins, greater lifetime value per customer and reduced business risk.

CRM applications come in all shapes and sizes. At the lower end they are essentially contact managers; little more than electronic address books. More sophisticated CRMs can drive a full business workflow, with integrations to other backoffice systems and interactive web portals.

Sadly, many companies buy into top end applications, but never realise the full benefit that the application offers.

It’s all about the implementation More often than not, if a system fails the blame falls on the software. However, there have been many cases where a company replaces a CRM system, only for the same failures to quickly reappear.

That’s because choosing the system is just the start. It’s the implementation process that realises the potential of the application and delivers the return on investment.

Our experience of delivering and supporting CRM systems for a wide range of small and large companies, shows that implementing and running a successful system relies on a number of factors: Having a functional specification that details what is to be delivered.

Understanding how the features of the application will meet business needs.

Effective user acceptance testing and training.

Visible support from senior management.

Regular system reviews.

Selecting a CRM system When choosing CRM software, not only does the functionality have to be right, but the system itself has to fit with the technical capabilities of the business.

For companies with little or no in-house IT infrastructure there are cloud based solutions accessed over the internet through a monthly subscription. However, these often have technical limitations and the monthly fees will result in a high total cost over the life of the system.

Purchasing licences offers more functionality at a lower cost of ownership with less risk and better security than

A Perfect Payroll for your Business Our Business is helping your Business, accurately & on-time Fully compliant, RTI Submissions and Auto Enrolment Admin

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september/october 2015 business edge

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cloud applications. A few applications like Sage CRM offer cloud and licence options which provides flexibility to move between solutions as cost and need determines.

Whichever solution is selected it should be on a ‘needs’ rather than cost basis, with a realistic budget set for implementation and maintenance. A properly implemented CRM will be a substantial business asset, whilst a poor system will become a liability. Loria are experts at implementing successful CRM systems. Please get in touch if you have any questions about selecting a new CRM or getting an existing system working more effectively.

Loria Consulting Ltd, Signal House, 12a Station Road, Burgess Hill, West Sussex, TH15 9DQ Tel: 01444 810519 www.loriaconsulting.com tony@loriaconsulting.com

fine print

The Energy Bus - 10 Rules to Fuel your Life, Work and Team with Positive Energy Author: Jon Gordon Published by: Wiley Price: £10.99, Paperback, E-book ISBN: 9781119089148 According to a global Gallup poll, negativity in the workplace is rife, with only one in eight employees being psychologically committed to their jobs and likely to be making positive contributions to their organisations.

Energy coach Jon Gordon wants to change that. In his bestselling self-help book, The Energy Bus: 10 Rules to fuel your life, work and team with positive energy, the author offers lessons on staying positive and avoiding ‘energy vampires’ who will ‘suck the life out of you and your goals and vision’ if you let them. Gordon offers 10 simple rules to achieving positive results which, when applied, have an impact on health, family, team and personal success.

The author draws on his experience of working with thousands of leaders and teams to provide readers with insights and practical strategies to help them achieve a positive team and culture. Written in the style of a fable, the book tells the story of a man, struggling in his job and marriage, whose car gets a flat tyre, forcing him to take a bus to work. The bus driver’s positive attitude helps him to turn his life around.

He says: “While this fable takes place in a business setting, this book was written for everyone. We are all part of a team, and every member of our team – whether it’s our work team, sports team, family team, or school team, can benefit from the 10 simple, powerful rules shared in this book. After all, positive people and positive teams produce positive results, and the essential ingredient is positive energy.”

Jon’s books and talks have inspired readers and audiences around the world. His principles have been put to the test by numerous sports coaches and teams, organisations, schools, hospitals and charities. He is the author of The Wall Street Journal best seller The Energy Bus, The No Complaining Rule, Training Camp, The Shark and The Goldfish and Soup: A Recipe to Nourish your Team and Culture.

business matters 17

Company marks anniversary Eurotherm by Schneider Electric has marked 50 years of innovation as a global provider of industrial and process control, measurement and data management solutions With a portfolio of innovative solutions and a talented team, Eurotherm has built long-standing customer partnerships and a 50-year brand.

It is a journey that began as a modest UK start-up company and which saw the Worthing business become a globally recognised brand known for its specialist instrumentation, systems and services.

Product development started in the founder’s garage in 1965 and resulted in the birth of the MK1 Temperature Controller. This solid state control product exploited the rapidly expanding hightechnology electronics of the 1960s to solve difficulties in the silicon crystal manufacturing process, which, at the time was a new and fast growing industry.

Today, Eurotherm products touch nearly every aspect of modern life, from the car you drive, the electronic circuitry in your phone, the prescription pills that aid quality of life and your early morning bottle of milk. Heat Treatment, Life Sciences, Glass, Plastics and Food & Beverage are focus industries where Eurotherm have expertise..

Most recently as part of Invensys, Eurotherm was acquired by Schneider Electric in January 2014.

Chris Ashworth, Vice President and Managing Director, said: “The success we have had over the last 50 years is really about two things, our innovation as a company and our people. We have a talented and knowledgeable employee base globally that includes segment and application experts, who support both our sales organisation and our customers.”

september/october 2015 business edge

18 feature: construction

An Architect’s Eye

Changes to an office or business premises can be as simple as a lick of paint and reorganising the desks or a complete cut as dramatic as a return to the drawing board.

Whatever the need, however, there is likely to be an impact on the business from the moment the decision is taken to the last desk filled with one’s personal effects and beyond.

In order to decide what’s best for you and your business, careful consideration must be given beforehand to the nature of

the business, its pace of change, current and future work practices, and advances in technology and materials. Finding an architect that can ask you the right questions to really understand your business drivers is essential in future-proofing the work you have done and to maximise the return on your investment. Any architect advising a business on their commercial space requirements, really needs to understand both the current and longer term business

needs and how they operate. We need to ensure the least possible disruption to the business while allowing the building works to revolve around it. Attention to detail, phase planning and the integration of services provision or upgrade is key.

In addition, negotiating the planning process of what’s permitted and what’s not is best managed by a competent team of professionals as making a mistake in time can be costly if it impacts on your ability to operate. There are also a host of new planning rulings that may be a help or a hindrance to your plans. And if you’re renovating, you may need an in-depth knowledge of the conservation rules.

So whatever your future business plans, consider the added value that the right local architect can provide for you.

By Phillip Mumford, Managing Director, Cowan Architects

Building Futures In an industry of champagne taste and beer money, where costs can spiral and project management is key to success, RLF shine as one of Sussex’s top property and construction consultancies.

Offering multi-disciplinary services RLF strives to make a difference on every project we are involved in. Our influence on cost, time, quality and functionality of developments have enabled our clients to build successful facilities for communities across the sectors.

We are proud to be part of local significant projects in the regeneration of

£

w w w. r l f. c o . u k Robinson Low Francis - construction and property consultants, building futures nationally and internationally.

september/october 2015 business edge

Preston Barracks and the unique i360, the world’s largest moving observation tower.

Everything we do from day to day tasks, to strategic vision can shape the future of any development.

advertorial 19

Why outsourcing is better and cheaper Outsourcing IT is now common sense for many businesses. Quite simply, it delivers a better service at a lower price.

An outsourcer has to comply with binding service level agreements. If they don’t, they could face penalties and lose the contract. So, there’s always an incentive for them to provide a good service.

Changing to an outsourced IT arrangement is particularly relevant for companies comprising of 15 to 40 employees explains Gary Jowett from Computer & Network Consultants. This is when the workload for a small in-house IT team becomes overwhelming. Delays can occur because there simply aren’t enough hours in the day or pairs of hands to deal with every IT issue.

IT affects all business areas Gone are the days when IT had a limited role in businesses. Screens have replaced

paper in every department. IT pervades every aspect of business operations.

When something goes seriously wrong, all aspects of your business could be affected including the payroll, sales ledgers, phone systems and customer service records.

If you’re a recruitment agency, accountant or solicitor and you employ an in-house IT manager, they will find it increasingly difficult to service the needs of every employee efficiently. While they may jump to help a director, they will be less responsive to foot soldiers.

You could employ a large IT department ready and waiting to deal with such a problem.

However, for most growing businesses in London and across Hampshire, Surrey, Sussex and Kent, that’s an expensive solution.

IT problems don’t crop up all the time and you’ll be committed to paying salaries,

holiday pay, sick leave and national insurance even when the IT team isn’t doing anything.

Choose an experienced IT outsourcer That’s why it’s much better to use an outsourced solution from an experienced managed IT services provider. They will be more flexible and fleet-footed.

“Choosing to outsource IT is a wise decision because it actually helps you concentrate on your core business,” says CNC’s Gary Jowett. “You can control your annual IT costs more closely because these are set out from the outset and SLAs mean you’ll get what you are paying for. In addition, you’ll benefit from the broader knowledge and experience an external consultant can offer. This means your IT services will always be kept up to date with the latest developments.”

THEY CALL IT INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, WE THINK IT’S ALL ABOUT PEOPLE. We’ve been living and breathing technology for over nineteen years but what we really care about is our people and our customers.

Extensive, up to the minute knowledge allows us to help our clients achieve productive and reliable systems that power their thriving businesses. We believe the advisory relationship we build with our clients supports their success.

We would love to talk to you about your technology and offer a Free IT Health check with no obligations to use our services.

Gary and Graham—our directors

— 0845 0700 585 — sales@cnc-ltd.co.uk — www.cnc-ltd.co.uk

september/october 2015 business edge

20 inspirational leaders

Law firm looks ahead with confidence These are exciting times for Sussex legal firm Mayo Wynne Baxter as it continues on a strategy that has seen it grow steadily in recent years and which offers much optimism for the future.

n Acquisitions help company expand n Quality face-to-face service the key to success n Recovering economy provides confidence for the future

Rather than suffering when the legal market place was opened up by the Legal Services Act 2007, the company has actually seen its workload increase and has supported its growth with a series of shrewd acquisitions.

As Chief Executive of Mayo Wynne Baxter, Chris Randall is responsible for managing all aspects of the practice and overseeing its strategy for growth.

Chris became the firm’s Managing Partner in 2007 and in 2011 his role further evolved to become Chief Executive.

In that role, he manages the firm’s finances and all aspects of compliance with regulatory bodies and as the group’s Client Service Partner oversees and ensures the delivery of high quality

september/october 2015 business edge

service across the firm’s six legal departments.

Before joining the practice Chris trained with a London firm, after which he qualified as a solicitor in 1991.

Much of his career has been spent working in Litigation. He is accredited as a Senior Litigator Emeritus with the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers.

Today, he presides over a practice with more than 200 partners and staff, and offices in Brighton, Lewes, Eastbourne, East Grinstead, Forest Row, Gatwick, Pulborough, Seaford and Storrington. He can chart recent growth to 2012, saying: “I think that people were worried that the Legal Services Act would adversely affect law firms, that we would see the likes of Tesco entering the market and taking work away.

“However, what we have actually found is that people still appreciate a local service. They like to meet their lawyers face to face.

“We decided that the time had come to expand so developed relationships with a number of smaller firms, including those where the owners were seeking to retire.

A KEY FACTOR IN THE ACQUISITIONS WAS GEOGRAPHY. WE SEE OURSELVES AS PRIMARILY A SUSSEX LAW FIRM AND HAVE WORKED AT GETTING OURSELVES KNOWN TO OTHER SUSSEX BUSINESSES.

“Those relationships allowed us to make a number of acquisitions that has seen us grow and take advantage of the opportunities that have come with a recovering economy.

“We set ourselves targets for growth.

In 2012 we said we wanted to grow by 30 to 50 per cent in three years which we achieved, in fact it was 33 per cent and last year we achieved further growth of 12%.

“A key factor in the acquisitions was geography. We see ourselves as primarily a Sussex law firm and have worked at getting ourselves known to other Sussex businesses, so as to take advantage of opportunities in the area, although now we are looking to expand into other areas well. We are not purely

inspirational leaders 21

a Sussex firm but we are proud to be based here.”

Driving the growth has been a strong demand for personal services such as wills, probate and house conveyancing.

Chris believes that the rise is down to a growing awareness among people who realise that they have to take sensible precautions He said: “Demand for personal services has been strong, and that has been driven I think by people’s determination to protect what they have for their families.”

Also strong has been the commercial market with the firm dealing with

everything from commercial property matters, including leases, to Intellectual Property issues in places like Brighton, with its burgeoning creative industries sector, and the firm deals extensively with the challenges facing rural businesses.

All of that has given the law firm confidence. Chris said: “We have done well in recent years and set ourselves a target of 12 per cent growth a year for the next couple of years.

“Obviously, we remain mindful of the potential impact of problems

with the Euro and the crisis in Greece but generally the indications are that the UK economy will continue to grow.

“Certainly, we are seeing companies with whom we are dealing expressing confidence and in turn, that gives us confidence that we can continue to expand.

That may require more acquisitions and we are always on the lookout for opportunities.

“We are certainly confident about the future. As long as we continue to deliver quality services people will continue to come to us.”

september/october 2015 business edge

22 cover feature

Thrilling, slightly terrifying and massively good fun - Ultimate Driving at Goodwood n In

search of thrills n Superb corporate entertainment n Creating the perfect driving experience Goodwood Motor Circuit is an extraordinary place.

The only classic circuit in the world to remain entirely in its original form, it was sympathetically restored over a six year period in preparation for the inaugural Goodwood Revival in 1998.

Thanks to that investment, it is the perfect place for driving experiences.

With this in mind, Ultimate Driving At Goodwood launched in October 2014 with an exceptional fleet of top range BMWs and edgy MINIs. The experience on offer gives enthusiasts the opportunity to drive the same tarmac as racing legends such as Brabham, Moss, Fangio and

september/october 2015 business edge

McLaren. And, for off road fans, the 12,000 acre estate provides a totally unique 32 mile course.

Motor Circuit Manager, Alan Brewer, explains the allure of getting behind the wheel and why the experiences are proving so appealing to corporates.

He said: “With its illustrious racing history and authenticity, Goodwood is a fantastic place to drive. We have a team of highly professional, and passionate driving instructors who take great pleasure and pride in helping participants hone their skills.

“We offer a range of experiences: ‘Explore Goodwood’ pitches you head-first into nature at its rugged best as you drive a luxury BMW X5

across Goodwood’s glorious estate.

This is an opportunity to learn the skills needed to handle a car in all terrains.

“Guests not only enjoy the breathtaking scenery and glimpses of the forest’s wildlife, but can stop off and enjoy a woodland picnic served by their own Butler, under a secluded canopy.

‘Performance’ puts you behind the wheel of BMW’s exceptional M3, M4, M5 and M6 cars, plus the Alpina D3 BiTurbo and the MINI Hatch, all equipped with Michelin’s ultra-high-grip tyres.

This is perennially popular with petrol heads. Musician James Blunt and presenter Jake Humphrey recently joined us on track to put the cars through their paces.”

Goodwood is particularly popular with corporate teams who use driving experiences as fun team building and incentive reward days, whether on

cover feature 23

track or off-road. And for businesses with a responsibility for staff driving at work, the ‘Extreme Weather’ driving experience on the low grip track is a particularly useful session.

Under-confident drivers can quickly improve under the guidance of one to one tuition in a range of different driving conditions.

For more information about the range of packages available to businesses or private customers contact eventsales@goodwood.com or call 01243 755881

GUESTS NOT ONLY ENJOY THE BREATHTAKING SCENERY AND GLIMPSES OF THE FOREST’S WILDLIFE, BUT CAN STOP OFF AND ENJOY A WOODLAND PICNIC SERVED BY THEIR OWN BUTLER, UNDER A SECLUDED CANOPY.

september/october 2015 business edge

24 chamber benefits

Membership Benefits Chamber Healthcare

Chamber Health and Safety

Help to reduce sickness absence and improve staff motivation with a choice of two great schemes. n The Chamber Business Healthcare Plan, offers private medical insurance for your employees. Get 10% cashback annually or 50% off your chamber membership fees for 3 years. n Pay as little as £1.10 per employee per week with the cash plan scheme Chamber Primary Health Plan.

Not sure about your Health & Safety policy? Can you afford not to know?

Chamber HR

Receive up to 61% on the cost of breakdown cover (for members of participating accredited Chambers only).

The Chamber HR service provides businesses with access to professional HR advice and documentation.

Chamber Legal Expenses Safeguard your business against the unexpected costs of professional legal services and get legal cover of up to £670,000 as well as access to a 24/7 helpline.

Chamber Roadside Assistance

Training Courses Developing Your Management & Leadership Skills

An Introduction to Export Procedures

Date: Monday 14th September : 09.30am – 4.30pm Venue: The King’s Centre, Burgess Hill Course Description: This course was previously titled People and Team Management Stage 2 as it builds on the topics covered in People and Team Management to give a more complete overview of people management best practice. However it can also be a stand-alone course as new topics are covered which are more advanced or involved for experienced managers.

Date: Monday 28th September ; 09.30am – 4.30pm Venue: The King’s Centre, Burgess Hill Course Description: This course is designed to provide an overview of the Terminology, Procedures and Documentation used in the exporting process and to promote awareness of the responsibilities and obligations of all parties. Attendees should gain an overview of the exporting process from first enquiry to arrival of the goods at destination and the course will highlight the possible pitfalls that can await the unwary. It will include a summary of The New Incoterms®2010 Rules

Time Management & Personal Effectiveness

Telesales; Profit not Pain

Date: Monday 21st September : 09.30am – 4.30pm Venue: The King’s Centre, Burgess Hill Course Description: It seems that everyone is trying to get more done with less resource and for many of us the resource under the most pressure is our time.

This course is all about investing some time and energy up front so that you find ways to stay in control and become as effective at work as you can be. This is critical to both managers and operational staff alike so that we can all achieve our goals and feel comfortable with our choices at work.

Essentials of Supervision & Team Leadership Date: Tuesday 22nd September : 09.30am – 4.30pm Venue: The King’s Centre, Burgess Hill Course Description: It has often been said that the biggest challenges a manager faces come when they first transition into a supervisory or team leadership role. First line management requires a very different mind-set to any operational role and requires a very different skill set. This course will support supervisors, both new and experienced, to focus on how to successfully lead their teams (rather than just keeping their heads down and trying to do most of the work themselves).

contact

Date: Tuesday 29th September : 09.30am – 4.30pm Venue: The King’s Centre, Burgess Hill Course Description: Most people dislike telesales, and that includes doing and receiving sales calls. This is largely because so many companies are doing it really badly and annoying us all in the process. However, sales does not need to be pushy, annoying and manipulative, there is still an important role for business to business telesales if it is done in a thoughtful, respectful and intelligent way.

People and Team Management Date: Mon 5th Oct 2015 9:15am - 4:30pm Venue: The Kings Church, Burgess Hill This course is designed for managers who would like a solid grounding in people management best practice. The day lays the foundations for strong manager/staff relationships, ensuring that they know how to focus on doing their people management job well and can deal with more difficult feedback situations. Some delegates attend the Essentials of Supervision & Team Leadership first but this course can be taken as a standalone intensive management course.

For additional information on any of the above member benefits, please visit our website www.sussexchamberofcommerce.co.uk or call 0844 371 5404

september/october 2015 business edge

chamber benefits 25

Training Courses continued A Foundation Course in Importing Date: Mon 12th Oct 2015 9:30am - 4:30pm Venue: The Kings Church, Burgess Hill This seminar will offer practical guidance on the latest procedures, terminology and documentation required for successful importing. It will highlight some of the pitfalls that often cause importers to incur unnecessary costs and delays in arrival of goods and suggest some ways of avoiding these. It will examine Customs rules and compliance procedures and look briefly at some of the duty reliefs available. A summary of The New Incoterms® Rules 2010 will be included.

Confident & Effective Communication Skills Date: Tue 13th Oct 2015 9:30am - 4:30pm Venue: The Kings Church, Burgess Hill Almost everyone in business needs to be able to communicate effectively to get things done. Technology often makes us more distant rather than helping us build rapport and be fully understood. Delegates are given tools and techniques for dealing assertively and constructively with difficult behaviours in the workplace, leading to more positive outcomes. All in all it’s a course few can afford to miss if they value building better, more productive relationships in work and life.

Customer Service Excellence Date: Mon 19th Oct 2015 9:30am - 4:30pm Venue: The Kings Church, Burgess Hill Customer service expectations are rising and your company needs to keep up and exceed expectations if you are going to maximise repeat business and referrals. This course will help your staff to enjoy giving the best service they can and to feel confident dealing with problems well when things go wrong.

Conducting Effective Appraisals Date: Thu 5th Nov 2015 9:00am - 12:45pm Venue: The Kings Church, Burgess Hill This is an essential course for anyone in a people management role who wants to manage performance successfully using an appraisal process,. Too often appraisals are seen as a “form filling” exercise or managers worry they’ll have difficulty getting their point across successfully and the appraisee will become defensive. This course will give learners a number of approaches and techniques to ensure that the appraisals they conduct are structured, productive and positive.

Interviewing & Recruitment Success Date: Thu 5th Nov 2015 1:15pm - 5:00pm Venue: The Kings Church, Burgess Hill Your business’s ability to hire the right people for the long term is crucial and can save (or lose) the company a great deal of money, time, effort and hassle. Being realistic as to who is available in the market place and getting it right every time is difficult and time consuming so this course is invaluable for anyone who hires staff at any level.

contact

Using Documentary Letters of Credit, Drafts & Bills Date: Mon 9th Nov 2015 9:30am - 4:30pm Venue: The Kings Church, Burgess Hill The use of Letters of Credit has increased significantly by UK exporters and importers because of the global economic situation, political insecurity in some markets and the withdrawal of credit insurance cover. The course will examine LC process in detail and offer guidance on how to create a workable credit. No previous knowledge or experience is necessary and it will be suitable for experienced personnel who require an update on the latest rules.

Persuading & Influencing with Impact Date: Tue 10th Nov 2015 9:30am - 4:30pm Venue: The Kings Church, Burgess Hill Take your communication skills to the next level and examine how to persuade and influence those around you to achieve your aims and build excellent long term relationships. During the course you will think about your colleagues, suppliers, clients and friends and how to “speak their language” to enhance your standing with them.

The course is very practical enabling you to try out a variety of techniques to help you with networking, public speaking and getting your point across well in meeting.

Senior Administrator / PA Course Date: Tue 17th Nov 2015 9:30am - 4:30pm Venue: The Kings Church, Burgess Hill This course will equip you with the skills to work effectively with your manager as a proactive and valuable member of the team.

It will ensure you are able to operate as a key cog within the machinery. The course covers professional behaviour in every scenario, communicating impeccably with all levels, persuading upwards and managing your time effectively. This course will equip you with the skills to work effectively with your manager as a proactive and valuable member of the team.

Classification of Goods Using Commodity & Tariff Codes Date: Thu 19th Nov 2015 9:30am - 12:30pm Venue: The Kings Church, Burgess Hill The correct classification of goods using commodity and tariff codes is fundamental for customs compliance, establishing correct duty rates, origin of goods, intrastat, export control and many other customs procedures. Increasingly security procedures at ports of exit/entry are being linked to commodity and tariff codings. The course will have live access to The Tariff, enabling the trainer to demonstrate the methodology.

For additional information on any of the above member benefits, please visit our website www.sussexchamberofcommerce.co.uk or call 0844 371 5404 september/october 2015 business edge

26 feature: finance

What do the changes to the tax treatment of dividends mean to you?

Significant changes to the tax treatment of company dividends were announced in the Summer Budget, which will particularly affect owner-managed companies where income is extracted in the form of dividends.

exceptional

professional advice for business and individuals

l l l l

Audit & account preparation Corporation and personal tax Payroll services Company secretarial services

Business start up sales and acquisitions Estate planning including wills & powers of attorney l Inheritance planning l l

Springfield House Springfield Road, HORSHAM Springfield House Springfield Road, West Sussex RH12 2RG HORSHAM Phone: 01403 253282 West Sussex RH12 2RG Fax: 01403 250926 Phone: 01403 253282 E-mail: horsham@spofforths.co.uk Fax: 01403 250926

In the majority of cases the changes mean that more tax will be payable on the profits you take out of your company as dividends, but generally speaking (depending on your personal circumstances) it will still be more tax efficient to take dividends than salary.

With these changes coming into effect from 6 April 2016, it’s worth reviewing how you pay yourself to make sure it’s as tax efficient as possible and considering other options including tax-efficient benefits, that might be available to you.

For a free consultation to ensure your dividends remain as tax efficient as possible, please do contact me at danielgrainge@spofforths.co.uk or on 01403 253282

E-mail: horsham@spofforths.co.uk

Offices in Brighton, Chichester, Horsham & Worthing

Offices in Brighton, Chichester, Horsham & Worthing

Call us today on 01243 776938 to book your F REE meeting and see how we can help to ensure you and your business succeeds!

With our offices situated in Chichester, West Sussex and Cowes, Isle of Wight, our expert team are here to provide you with more than just the normal compliance services you expect from Chartered Accountants. We understand that it is not easy to learn everything you need to know to run a successful business, so together with our audit and accountancy services we provide the following services: * Payroll and Auto Enrolment * Bookkeeping * CIS * Free Sage training * Management Accounts training We want to give you complete financial control, so that you can plan your taxes and develop your business. Fixed fee payment options are available so that you can budget and maintain complete peace of mind.

talk: 01243 776938 write: info@jamestoddandco.co.uk read: www.jamestoddandco.co.uk James Todd & Co: 1&2 The Barn, Oldwick, West Stoke Road, Chichester, West Sussex, PO18 9AA BusinessEdge Mag Chichester JT August 2015.indd 1

september/october 2015 business edge

13/08/2015 10:38

feature: finance 27

Together we have got it covered!

Crawford Davis and Brighton Insurance (Brokers) Group are now a combined force for commercial insurance broking in Sussex. As part of the Towergate Group (Europe’s largest independently owned insurance intermediary) we are able to offer competitive premiums and enhanced levels of cover that others may not.

Together, Crawford Davis and Brighton Insurance (Brokers) Group, have been trading in Sussex for over 40 years and our team of account executives have an enviable understanding of risk assessment and insurance solutions. We continue to ensure our friendly experienced staff meet the high standards of professionalism through continual training and development.

We deal with all kinds of businesses from start-ups, keen to make the most cost effective arrangements, to large corporate firms with a wide insurance portfolio needing specialist risk management expertise. Please feel free to contact us at our two offices in Sussex Taking a little time to discuss your requirements with one of our advisers could

save you time, money and help ensure that you get the cover that meets your needs and as part of the Towergate Group we are proud to be a local insurance provider with national reach!

For West Sussex contact Jade Concannon 01903 875420 For East Sussex contact Angela Crocker 01273 587479

Confused about your insurance?

Let us find a Solution for your Commercial Insurance Needs • Local Broker with over 40 years insurance broking experience now incorporating Brighton Insurance Group

• Insurance advice tailored to your needs

• First class professional service from our team of Account Executives, Development Executives and Account Handlers

• Part of the UK’s largest distributor and underwriter of specialist personal and SME insurance

• Offices in East and West Sussex

• Access to solutions from the UK’s top insurers

• Not call centre based

Tel: 01903 875420 www.crawford-davis.co.uk Crawford Davis Insurance, Brooklands House, 58 Marlborough Rd, Lancing Business Park, West Sussex BN15 8AF. Crawford Davis and Brighton Insurance Group are trading names of CCV Risk Solutions. Towergate Insurance and CCV Risk Solutions are trading names of Towergate Underwriting Group Limited. Registered in England Number 05879041. Registered Office: Towergate House, Eclipse Park, Sittingbourne Road, Maidstone, Kent, ME14 3EN. Authorised and Regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority

0907ES070815 - TOW1585 TIB Business Edge Advert.indd 1

14/08/2015 10:55:48 september/october 2015 business edge

28 feature: finance

Tailor-made solutions We offer a high quality service to both corporate and individual customers, coupled with a flexible and innovative approach. We start from a blank canvas and build a bespoke solution, with all key decisions made locally by the branch.

Hove branch - Simon Nicholson, Branch Manager Tel: 01273 721815, Email: sini07@handelsbanken.co.uk www.handelsbanken.co.uk/hove Eastbourne branch - Neil Hooper, Branch Manager Tel: 07501 509 629, Email: neho02@handelsbanken.co.uk www.handelsbanken.co.uk/eastbourne

www.handelsbanken.co.uk Handelsbanken is the trading name of Svenska Handelsbanken AB (publ). Registered in England & Wales No. BR000589. Incorporated in Sweden with limited liability. Registered in Sweden No. 502007-7862. Head office in Stockholm. Authorised by the Swedish Financial Supervisory Authority (Finansinspektionen) and the Prudential Regulation Authority and subject to limited regulation by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority. Details about the extent of our authorisation and regulation by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulation by the Financial Conduct Authority are available from us on request.

CSE have the answer to all your computer needs. u Computers

u Mobile Technology

u Servers

u Remote Working

u Networks

u Business Continuity & Disaster Recovery

We can guide you on these decisions, call us now for a free information pack

Call us to learn about our Complete Business IT Support Service

t: 01444 238070

september/october 2015 business edge

e: adv@cse-ltd.co.uk

www.cse-ltd.co.uk

feature: finance 29

Managing your Cash Flow Sadly, many business owners literally pay for poor cash flow management.

A local relationship with one of the world’s strongest banks Handelsbanken offers local relationship banking, with products and services tailored to the needs of business and personal banking customers.

Our experienced bankers in Hove and Eastbourne understand the local market. Each branch operates as a small business, enabling us to make key decisions ourselves and to provide a bespoke service.

As most of the work is handled by the team at the branch, this enables us to be accessible, flexible and responsive.

As a relationship bank, based on traditional values, we are driven only by what our customers want, designing tailored solutions to suit their demands. Because we are free from product campaigns, sales targets and short-term bonus incentives, we take a long-term view. We invest time to get to know customers, their needs and ambitions. This focus has contributed to Handelsbanken being rated top for customer satisfaction for the sixth year running, in an independent survey* of British banks’ personal and business customers.

Our local approach is underpinned by world-class strength and stability: Handelsbanken has been rated one of the world’s strongest banks by Bloomberg (July 2015) for the fifth time; the only European bank to feature in every rating since they began.

*

Seeing Bad Debts on your Profit and Loss Account is one of the worst things for a client to have to see. Effectively they have given some goods or provided a service for nothing and sometimes even at a further cost.

Managing your cash flow is a balancing act to ensure your business can function properly. Too much stock or work in progress as well as high levels of debtors will make the process difficult. The Financial Management Centre advises its clients to monitor stock levels regularly to ensure cash is not tied up and to likewise monitor work in progress and invoice regularly.

Getting your customers to pay what they owe and on time is key to good cash flow management. There are a number of steps you can take to try and minimise the chances of this part of your business going wrong before you start trading with new customers as well as once trading begins: n Consider checking potential new customers’ credit rating if you will be offering them credit n Agree terms and conditions before trading begins and ensure both parties sign supporting documentation n Raise invoices promptly and ideally as soon as your goods have been delivered or you have finished providing your service n Keep in regular contact with your customers. Call or send them a statement prior to the due date to remind them payment is due n If an invoice or payment becomes overdue act quickly. As soon as this happens contact the customer preferably on the telephone and find out why they haven’t paid. At this stage you also need to give some thought as to whether you should suspend trading until the situation is resolved n If you agree to revised payment terms confirm them in writing and maintain regular contact with the customer n If the revised payment plan is not adhered to or you cannot get a payment / response from your customer if you haven’t already done so you should suspend the account. You now have to consider possible legal action and the consequences of doing so both commercially and financially and whether to instruct a solicitor or debt collector to act on your behalf All of the above apply to you as a customer of your suppliers. Poor trading with your suppliers can have a negative impact on your credit rating and could prevent you from getting credit in the future. The Financial Management Centre recommends: n You agree terms before you start trading in the knowledge you will be able to meet them n If you are unable to make a payment contact your supplier as soon as possible. Provided you have previously been a good customer, being up front and honest will be appreciated and more likely allow you to negotiate a short term extension to the payment terms The Financial Management Centre offers a complete credit control service to help our clients with their cash flow management. Contact us or your local office for more information or to discuss how we can help.

Call us now on 0800 470 4820 email info@tfmcentre.co.uk www.tfmcentre.co.uk

EPSI Rating, October 2014

september/october 2015 business edge

30 business matters

The insider threat - Is your business critical data safe from within?

Incredibly, 91% of all UK organisations interviewed feel vulnerable to insider threats (source Vormetric Global Insider Threat Report 2015). As a result, over 50% reported increased digital security and data protection budgets Organisations worldwide now have to address the importance of identifying and deterring insider threats, whereas in previous years the mindset has always been focused on the external hacker. A key factor in this change of attitude is that insiders of all job descriptions have authorised access and knowledge of valuable data. Using their privileged access rights as a smokescreen, an insider can cause devastating effects that are difficult, if not impossible, to prevent and eliminate.

Managing and detecting the recognised and significant risks that insider threats pose to an organisation requires a concise combination of policies, people and technology. Organisations that neglect internal attacks from technology, risk loosely enforced procedures and technical flaws from being exploited.

september/october 2015 business edge

What motivates an insider?

An insider attack is rarely sporadic. By understanding their motives, organisations can identify potential risks before an incident occurs. Personal factors can include financial gain, excitement, destructive behaviour, family problems or collecting current customer lists and data.

Organisational hazards include employees who realise the organisations IP is valuable, industrial espionage, time pressured mistakes, personal devices and relaxed network securities. Employees can focus on political matters by releasing information that could be beneficial or damaging (whistleblowing). Carelessness and honest mistakes are also highlighted by many organisations as their biggest security risk, due to employees with sensitive data on their personal devices and lack of security knowledge and guidance to protect it.

Consequences of their activity The brief examples above will all have consequences for an organisation, and they vary in severity, risk and impact. Immediate effects could include direct loss of business to competitors, an employee who starts up on his own in direct competition, a competitor who steals a march on your product offering and reputation, loss of business relationships, commercial and financial decline, disruption of IT processes

and procedures and even facilitation of criminal and terrorist activity.

Detection and prevention Detection of an insider threat will unlikely be from one single factor – the greater number of indicators shown, the greater the risk. The human factor cannot be relied on, and needs to be supported by technology to recognise changes of normal behaviour and work behaviour. Proactively identifying employees that are looking for another job, having financial difficulties, excessive absenteeism, deteriorating relationships with colleagues/managers can highlight potential security risks. Organisations should also be aware and ‘red flag’ suspicious behaviour that includes a higher interest in security measures, unusual work hours, trying to gain access to unauthorised databases/ servers, emailing, copying to USB devices or printing business critical and sensitive material, and changing attitudes before job termination.

You can solve this problem with security software.

MCM Solutions provide a comprehensive insider threat solution called DataGuard that enables a low cost, fast, accurate identification of insider threat behavioural abnormalities and evidence.

For more information about MCM Solutions or DataGuard please contact sales@mcmsolutions.co.uk or call + 44 (0) 1403 267 176

business matters 31

Accolades for students

Shell-Clad transforms shell scheme booths at exhibitions For many years these booths have been dominated by selfstanding displays such as pop-ups and banners, but these units are inefficient as they waste so much space. A typical 3m x 3m shell scheme, for example, delivers 21sqm of wall space while a 3x3 pop-up only offers 6.5 sqm of graphics coverage; so 2/3rds of the available space is wasted.

The Shell-Clad system uses fixing clips to attach graphics directly to a shell scheme structure, meaning that it delivers 100% wall coverage on a zero footprint.

This enables exhibitors to present big, bold, seamless graphics that really catch the eye of show visitors. Graphics are printed on either rollable correx or fabric to a very high standard.

Guy Wrench, the inventor of Shell-Clad, says; “All our systems can be transported on the back seat of a car and stored in a corner cupboard. Furthermore only one person is required to install these

graphics and no tools are required. It has never been so easy to look so good!”.

In addition to shell scheme graphics, Shell-Clad also manufactures a range of stunning display products for exhibition stands, offices, boardrooms, roadshows and retail. “Our products are all about creating impact” says Wrench “and enabling our clients to be more visible than all those around them.”

It’s all about impact!

01825 750 699 www.shell-clad.com

Pestalozzi students celebrated receiving their International Baccalaureate results. The students’ average score was 34.23 up from 33.21 in 2014.

Nepalese Student, Prabha Upreti, obtained the highest mark with a fantastic 40 out of a possible 45.

Before Pestalozzi, Prabha lived in a hostel for eight years while studying.

Her family were unable to support her into further education. In 2013 Prabha was offered a Pestalozzi Scholarship.

She commented “Thanks to Pestalozzi I now have a bright future ahead of me which would not have been possible with the limited resources available in Nepal”. Prabha has been offered a scholarship at Princeton University in America to study for a Bachelor’s Degree in Physics.

Mayor of Hastings, Cllr Bruce Dowling said “I am really impressed at the students’ high standard of work. It is a pleasure to see a community so close to Hastings helping to bring a higher standard of education to some of our less fortunate neighbours in the world”.

Susan Walton, CEO of Pestalozzi said “These results are a real credit to the hard work of the students. It is a privilege to be part of the team that enables these young people to go on to make significant differences in the world.”

september/october 2015 business edge

32 feature: creating a perfect event

Face-to-face contact the key in the world of conferences The conferences and event sector is booming at the moment, creating jobs and bringing investment to a wide range of venues.

An industry which employs more than 550,000 people, the UK events sector is estimated to contribute more than £36 billion to the UK economy each year with the Business Visits and Events Partnership having forecast that the figure will grow to £48.4 billion by 2020.

The main reason for the sector’s success, according to industry experts, is its ability to constantly try out new things while never losing touch with the needs of its clients.

Those clients say that, amid all the innovation and clever technology, the main reason they like conferences is their ability to provide face-to-face contacts.

Anyone in business will tell you that, despite the rapid advances in communications technology, face-to-face contact remains the best way of bringing in new contracts and retaining existing ones; humans still have a fundamental need to look each other in the eye when communicating despite the rapid growth of the Internet.

The key to making such events a success is spending a little time choosing the right venue and making sure that you get the right support from its staff.

Even if that may mean paying a little extra, it is money well spent because it does not make sense to cut corners when such an approach could make your event less than effective.

When assessing the venue, be it a specialist conference centre or the likes of hotels, you are looking for a number of important factors.

Can the venue cope with the numbers expected to attend, has it got a good meeting room, will it provide equipment like projectors and Internet access, are the staff friendly and flexible in helping you meet your needs? If the answers to those questions are yes then the event is likely to be a success.

Gardens and Grounds of Herstmonceux Castle Herstmonceux is renowned for its magnificent moated castle, set in beautiful parkland and superb Elizabethan gardens and parkland. Built originally as a country home in the mid-15th century, Herstmonceux Castle embodies the history of medieval England and the romance of renaissance Europe.

The castle provides excellent facilities for conferences, weddings and functions. The combination of sophisticated atmosphere and personalised service make Herstmonceux Castle ideal for business or academic conferences.

The estate’s relaxed atmosphere, away from day to day business pressure, provides participants with an exceptional environment for learning and personal growth, this combined with excellent working conditions, modern AV equipment and a friendly, efficient service make the Castle one of the most popular conference locations in the area.

T: 01323-833816 W: www.herstmonceux-castle.com Hailsham, East Sussex BN27 1RN september/october 2015 business edge

10% off

for Business Edge readers Quote: BEDISC

CHRISTMAS PARTIES 2015 AT THE AMERICAN EXPRESS COMMUNITY STADIUM For further information, please call 01273 878272 email events@bhafc.co.uk or visit us online at www.eventsatbhafc.co.uk.

feature: creating a perfect event 33

HIGH IMPACT

DISPLAY GRAPHICS

FOR EVENTS EXHIBITIONS AND OFFICES Shell-Clad is the company behind the world’s first

The bigger the display, the more eye catching it is,

(and only) easy-fit seamless graphics system for

especially within the restricted confines of a shell

shell schemes. This, coupled with a superb range

scheme. Shell-Clad’s seamless graphics deliver 100%

of striking display products, helps ensure that our clients remain in the limelight at all times; what ever they do and wherever they go...

wall coverage on a zero footprint for maximum show impact. Impact = footfall and footfall = enquiries...

Serious about making an impact? Call us today!

IT’S ALL ABOUT IMPACT Patent No. 2425566 (0508525.3) European Registered Design No. 778584-001 SHELL-CLAD ® IS A REGISTERED TRADE MARK OF SHELL-CLAD LTD.

Please contact us on 01825 750 699 or email impact@shell-clad.com or visit the OFFICIAL website at www.shell-clad.com september/october 2015

business edge

34 feature: creating a perfect event

Sponsored by

A venue for all occasions

The County Ground is located in the heart of Hove; in sight of the sea and just a short walk from Hove train station. With five rooms to choose from, it’s the perfect place for your training event, conference or seminar. Get in touch today to find out more about our fantastic Day Delegate rates.

Day Delegate Rate Includes: • Room hire

• Tea, coffee, fruit juice, Danish pastries on arrival

• Pens and pads

• Mid-morning refreshments with biscuits

• Organiser’s tool box

• Two-course lunch

• Use of plasma screen for presentations

• Mid-afternoon break with cake

• In house sound system

• Complimentary on site car parking for attendees,

• Flipchart

subject to availability

All for just £35+VAT per person.

Web: www.countygroundsussex.co.uk september/october 2015 business edge

| Email: 1839@sussexcricket.co.uk

feature: creating a perfect event 35

Christmas

at Bletchingley Golf Club

Meeting and events have never been more enjoyable Corporate Party Nights from £25.95 per person which includes disco and finger buffet and party till 1am

Sit down Christmas Lunches from £19.00 per person

Evening Dinners from £31.00 per person

Christmas Day Lunch only £49.95 per person For more information please call Steven Cookson, General Manager on 01883 744848 or email generalmanager@bletchingleygolf.co.uk

At our brand new conference centre at The View Hotel Eastbourne, delegates can choose from 8 meeting rooms, seating between 2 and 150 people in a variety of layouts.

In addition there is a state of the art function room which can be adapted to accommodate a wide variety of group sizes from 10 to 80 in theatre, banquet or cabaret style.

Our room hire includes; • Complimentary wi-fi • Most up to date facilities • Dedicated event staff

• Abundance of natural daylight • £1 parking vouchers for 24hrs • Gatwick is only 45 minutes away

Get in touch for details: 01323 433900 Or email: events@theviewhoteleastbourne.com www.eastbournemeetingvenue.com

Church Lane, Bletchingley, Surrey RH1 4LP

T: 01903 815020 E: enquiries@wistonhouse.co.uk W: wistonhouse.co.uk “Wiston House is a beautiful house and has a lovely garden - really is top class. The staff are very organised, pleasant and we were all really well looked after.”

Benefiting from a picturesque retreat location, Wiston House is a beautiful modernised 16th century Grade 1 Listed building, offering a secure and exclusive venue with great road and rail links.

A variety of meeting rooms, our spectacular Great Hall and 15 acres of English gardens will be at your disposal. The ambience, food and surroundings all combine to make it a truly memorable experience.

Meetings Conferences Weddings Banqueting Wiston House advert (final).indd 1

• Day meetings for up to 100 delegates • Banqueting for up to 110 guests • Accommodation • Meals and refreshments from seasonal menus

• Additional meeting rooms, public rooms and a bar • 24 hour reception and security • Complimentary wifi • Complimentary parking • In-house technical team

27/08/2015 17:16:02

september/october 2015 business edge

36 new members

Welcome to Sussex Chamber of Commerce Membership of Sussex Chamber of Commerce can help you increase profits, get the best from your people and find new clients. Also, it saves you money, gets your voice heard and puts you in contact with even more businesses.

Arch Angel Architects 3 Dorset Place, Brighton, East Sussex BN2 1ST

Business Radio The Old School House, Stane Street Pulborough, RH20 1DJ

Cornerstone Restoration Ltd 20a Picton House, Hussar Court, Waterlooville, Hampshire PO7 7SQ

01273 267 184 www.aaarchitechts.co.uk

07920 488450 businessradio.co.uk

BCMY Ltd Units 1 & 2, Marlborough House, Lancing business park, Lancing West Sussex BN15 8TU

Canadian Spa Company Canada House, Salbrook Road, Redhill, Surrey RH1 5GL

0844 846 0955 www.cornerstone-ltd.co.uk/services-floodrestoration

01293 824094 www.canadianspacompany.com

01273 900249 www.bcmy.co.uk

Crowborough & District Chamber of Commerce C/O Nethania House, Figg Lane Crowborough, East Sussex TN6 2PD 01892661820

Bognor Regis District Chamber of Commerce The Manor House, North Bersted, Bognor Regis, West Sussex PO22 9AE

Comicus The Studio, The Village Barn, Patcham, Brighton BN1 8YU

0777 3209979 www.bognorregischamber.org.uk

08448 000058 www.comicus.co.uk

BritWeb Suite 2, 7-8 Sterling Buildings, Horsham, West Sussex RH12 1DR

Cooden Consulting Limited Office 10, Charter House, St Leonards Road, Bexhill-on-Sea, East Sussex TN40 1JA

GCS Engineering Ltd Unit 2, Monks Gate Garage, Brighton Road, Horsham, West Sussex RH13 6JD

01403 261491 www.britweb.co.uk

01424 225345 www.coodenconsulting.co.uk

01403891060 www.gcsengineering.com

contact

CXK Ltd The Old Court, Tufton Street, Ashford, Kent TN23 1QN 01233 224244

SUSSEX CHAMBER OF COMMERCE 0844 375 95 50 www.sussexchamberofcommerce.co.uk

september/october 2015 business edge

new members 37 Harmonic Software Systems Ltd 1 Willow Place, Rosier Business Park, Coneyhurst Road, Billingshurst, West Sussex RH14 9DE 1403 784500 www.harmonicss.co.uk Jelly Communications Unit 44 Barwell Business Park, Leatherhead Road, Chessington, Surrey KT9 2NY 0208 634 5060 www.jellycoms.co.uk Keepmoat Malling House, Town Hil, West Malling, Kent ME19 6QL 01732 423174 www.keepmoat.com

MCM Solutions 30 Worthing Road, Horsham, West Sussex RH12 1SL 01403 267 176 www.mcmsolutions.co.uk Mint 14 The Plantation, Worthing, West Sussex BN13 2AJ 01903 695400 www.mintd4b.co.uk/ Preview Visual Communications Group 24 Victoria Way, Burgess Hill, West Sussex RH15 9NF 01444 810186 www.previewgroup.co.uk

Lamina Dielectrics Ltd Daux Road, Billingshurst, West Sussex RH14 9SJ

Pro Audio Stash Ltd Philips House, Drury Lane, Ponswood Industrial Estate, St. Leonards-on-Sea, East Sussex TN38 9BA

1403783131 www.lamina.uk.com

01424429641 www.proaudiostash.co.uk

Lilybud Gardens 55 First Avenue, Worthing, East Sussex BN14 9NP 01903 368132

Risk Investigations Concorde House, 18 Margaret Street, Brighton BN2 1TS

lovelocaljobs.com Brighton & Hove Cabin, Sussex Country Cricket Ground, Eaton Road Hove, East Sussex BN3 3AN 01273 651100 www.lovelocaljobs.com

Santander Corporate Banking South East Corporate Business Centre, 3 City Place, Beehive Ring Road, Gatwick, West Sussex RH6 OPA 01293 554880 www.santander.co.uk Smart Monkey Ltd 2 Willow Place, Rosier Business Park, Coneyhurst Road, Billingshurst, West Sussex RH14 9DE 01403 592592 www.smartmonkeymarketing.co.uk Trade Flow Customs Consultancy Ltd 129 Western Road, Hurstpierpoint, West Sussex BN6 9SY 01273 921951 www.tradeflowcustoms.com ValetPRO Ltd Unit 4 Deanland Business Park, Deanland Road, Golden Cross, Hailsham, East Sussex BN27 3RP 01323 287980 www.valetpro.eu

01273 803430 www.wis-int.com Sandler Training 10 White Post Hill, Redhill, Surrey RH1 6DA 0783 4789198 www.sandler.com

september/october 2015 business edge

38 business matters

Take a Fresh Look at The Bridge The Bridge Brighton is relaunching its catering and event services to Sussex businesses in September after a major rebrand and business refresh – designed to take what it offers to the next level and further develop revenue to support its charitable aims.

The Bridge Community Education Centre delivers crucial free and low cost educational programmes, workshops and classes in and around Moulescoomb. From Arts and Crafts to Health and Wellbeing, Literacy to IT, and Money Management to Music; The Bridge mission is to offer something for everyone regardless of ethnic, financial, educational or social background. Chief Executive Jayne Ross and her team have worked tirelessly in their pursuit of funding of a vibrant and vital community education programme.

september/october 2015 business edge

Their fundraising is the hiring out of their multi-functional and adaptable range of spaces and their increasingly well regarded on and off-site catering services…

New Events Manager Sam Courtney has been working with local groups, businesses and schemes including The Princes Trust, B & Q in Lewes Road, and the Sussex Probation Community Payback team in the refurbishment of The Bridge rooms and facilities over the summer.

Another huge step in appealing to a wider audience and generating those all-important funds is the recent launch of their new and tantalising event catering menus by new catering Manager Hollie Graham, now available to room hire clients as well as delivery to offices and venues across Brighton. The newly rebranded ‘Bridge Kitchen’ provides beautifully made, wholesome food using carefully selected local produce, including home grown produce from their small but perfectly proportioned community garden.

So with September upon us, there is no better time to use The Bridge. From both

a community and a corporate perspective, The Bridge offers learning, space and food that is excellent value for money, is stylish yet practical and above all, generates the income that allows those in need the opportunity to improve their quality of life regardless of barriers.

What’s On Offer The Bridge has a 40 capacity room with café access, a therapy room with full water access, one-to-one consultation offices, small classrooms with projector and screens and a large 60 capacity room with an interactive whiteboard and sliding wall allowing optimum flexibility for a break-out area or dividing up classes.

They even hire out their kitchens for training! They also have 300 free car park spaces.

Organisations currently using The Bridge for workshops, training and team building days include British Gas, Autism Sussex, Work Ready People and Educational Short Stays.

For more information call Sam on 01273 687053 or email SCourtney@bridgecommunity.org.uk.

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RT Page offers a complete 3PL (third party logistics) service to all online ecommerce RT Page offers a complete 3PL (third partyretailers, whether you are a start-up business or a retailers, long logistics) service to all online ecommerce established we can adapt or our to whether you company are a start-up business a service long your requirements. established company we can adapt our service to your requirements.

RT Page brings over 50 years of experience, knowledge and over expertise to provide a flexible RT Page brings 50 years of experience, warehousing and logistics service which delivers knowledge and expertise to provide a flexible safely and onand timelogistics to yourservice customers. tailored warehousing whichOur delivers serviceand reduces your costs, improves Our the effi ciency safely on time to your customers. tailored of your reduces supply chain and contributes to your service your costs, improves the efficiency business’ profichain tability. of your supply and contributes to your From our purpose built warehouses based business’ profitability. in Sussex we can offer a flexible outsourced From our purpose built warehouses based warehouse solution to suit the needs of your in Sussex we can offer a flexible outsourced business and your budget.

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Delicious Restaurant Quality Delicious Quality Sauces forRestaurant Home Sauces for Home The Curry Sauce Company produces a range ofThe superb sauces that are ready prepared Currycurry Sauce Company produces a range and so offercurry wonderful the same of superb saucesconvenience. that are readyAtprepared time the sauces are so gorgeous and however, so offer wonderful convenience.

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Our sauces, naan breads and chutneys are stocked nationwide by fineand food retailersare such as Our sauces, naan breads chutneys Delicatessens, Farm by Shops Butchers. stocked nationwide fine and foodquality retailers such as Meanwhile we offer Mail Order serviceButchers. ensuring Delicatessens, Farma Shops and quality delivery of your favorite curries toservice your home or Meanwhile we offer a Mail Order ensuring place of work. delivery of your favorite curries to your home or place of work.

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At our modern purpose built warehousing facility in Sussex highly flexiblebuilt warehouse services to provide a Atwe ouroffer modern purpose warehousing facility in Sussex cheaper solution forservices your business. we offer highly storage flexible warehouse to provide a FROM: cheaper storageBENEFIT solution for your business. ✔ Over 70,000 sq ft of warehouse storage BENEFIT FROM: ✔ Flexible storage space, from 1 pallet to 3000 or more ✔ Over 70,000 sq ft of warehouse storage ✔ No lengthy contracts ✔ Flexible storage space, from 1 pallet to 3000 or more ✔ Trained, fully managed warehouse staff ✔ No lengthy contracts ✔ Over 50 years experience in logistics ✔ Trained, fully managed warehouse staff ✔ Just storage or complete 3PL to suit your needs. ✔ Over 50 years experience in logistics To find outstorage moreorabout our3PL services callneeds. us now ✔ Just complete to suit your

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01/10/2013 16:50 01/10/2013 16:50 september/october 2015 business edge

40 diary

SUSSEX CHAMBER OF COMMERCE NETWORKING EVENTS Business Networking Breakfast

Cricket Event Sussex v Somerset

Date: Thu 3rd Sep 2015 8:30am - 10:30am Venue: Copthorne Hotel Effingham Gatwick, Copthorne Young Start-up Talent was launched to encourage young Entrepreneurs to start up their own business. It was decided that a young entrepreneur would need the knowledge and expertise of a panel of professionals and thus a wish list of respected local business specialists was approached which would later lead to the judges and sponsors of the project.

Date: Mon 14th Sep 2015 10:30am - 6:00pm Venue: Sussex County Cricket Club, Hove Exclusive to Silver / Gold and Premier Members - Come and join us for a lively, fun and enthusiastic private Match Day game.

Watching Sussex V Somerset

Manufacturing Forum Date: Tue 8th Sep 2015 8:00am - 10:30am Venue: Vent-Axia, Crawley Vent-Axia are leading manufactures and suppliers of heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems, both in the UK and around the world. For over 75 years, they have led the industry in air ventilation products, systems and services. From extraction fans for the home to large commercial ventilation solutions, a wide HVAC range features a product for every air handling purpose.

1-2-1 Business Clinics Date: Wed 9th Sep 2015 10:00am - 4:00pm Venue: Sussex Chamber of Commerce, Burgess Hill Pre-book your 1 hour slot for advice on developing your business. This is designed for businesses with a turnover of less than £250,000. The clinics are held at the Sussex Chamber office. Please call Sussex Chamber on 01444 259 259 today to book your place.

Sailing Extravaganza and Team Building Event Date: Thu 10th Sep 2015 2:00pm - 6:15pm Venue: Lagoon Water Sports, Hove This is an exclusive Premier member event This sailing regatta will give you the chance to enjoy your very own yacht adventure!

Contact

UKTI 1-2-1 Digital Adviser Clinics Date: Thu 17th Sep 2015 8:30am - 4:55pm Venue: Sussex Chamber of Commerce, Burgess Hill Book a 45 minute one-to-one advisory meeting with UK Trade & Investment (UKTI)’s e-Exporting Digital Advisers to discover if you are making the most of your online presence to boost your international e-Commerce sales.

70th Birthday Party Date: Fri 18th Sep 2015 4:00pm - 7:00pm Venue: Mid Sussex Golf Club, Ditchling Guess who is going to be 70 soon? We know we don’t look it (or maybe we do!) but we are pleased to announce we are celebrating our 70th Birthday this year. In true birthday style, we would like to invite all of our members to join us at our Birthday Party. BBQ, soft drinks and cash bar will be available

Business Networking Lunch Date: Tue 22nd Sep 2015 12:00pm - 2:30pm Venue: The Star, Alfriston Steve Bustin, a business communications expert, was recently named National Speaker of the Year 2015 by the Professional Speaking Association. He started his career as a journalist for BBC News and ran a PR agency for 12 years. He now helps business leaders and owners communicate effectively, through presentations, social media and the media.

‘And the next speaker is... You’. You will learn about tools, tips and tricks on how to give a great presentation or pitch.

Construction Forum Date: Wed 23rd Sep 2015 7:30am - 10:30am Venue: Amex Stadium, Brighton Speaker John Eynon is an enabler, writer and speaker, having qualified as an Architect in 1981. Our second speaker Adrian Odey is an architect and BIM champion at Miller Bourne, he is also a key member of East Sussex County Councils BIM steering group and Chair of its Technical Sub Group.

1-2-1 Business Clinics Date: Mon 5th Oct 2015 10:00am - 4:00pm Venue: Sussex Chamber of Commerce, Burgess Hill Pre-book your 1 hour slot for advice on developing your business. This is designed for businesses with a turnover of less than £250,000.

Business Networking Breakfast Date: Wed 7th Oct 2015 8:00am - 10:30am Venue: The Brickwall Hotel, Battle Come and join us at our Business Networking Breakfast. Taking place at the delightful Brickwall Hotel.

International Trade Forum Date: Thu 8th Oct 2015 8:00am - 10:30am Venue: Copthorne Hotel Effingham Gatwick, Copthorne We will be joined by Mike La Rooy who is a business representative on the board of Coast to Capital and acts as Champion for the Brighton and Hove Economic Partnership.

Grow Your Connections Date: Tue 13th Oct 2015 8:30am - 10:30am Venue: Butlins, Bognor Regis These events are designed to give you a regular opportunity to meet businesses, grow your connections and widen your own network of customers and suppliers. Come along - it’s a great way to start the day, meet new people and get well fed into the bargain!

If you would like to book a place onto any of the above events or would like information on membership, please visit our website www.sussexchamberofcommerce.co.uk or call 0844 371 5405

september/october 2015 business edge

diary 41

Medieval Castle Tour and Afternoon Tea (PREMIER MEMBERS ONLY) Date: Fri 16th Oct 2015 1:00pm - 4:00pm Venue: Herstmonceux Castle, Herstmonceux Nestled within the picturesque Sussex countryside is Herstmonceux Castle, a 15th century moated castle. Join us for a guided tour of the castle and its beautiful grounds followed by a delicious afternoon tea.

Herstmonceux Castle is set in 300 acres of stunning gardens and grounds including woodland, formal themed gardens and of course a 15th century moat.

1-2-1 Business Clinics Date: Tue 20th Oct 2015 10:00am - 4:00pm Venue: Sussex Chamber of Commerce, Burgess Hill Pre-book your 1 hour slot for advice on developing your business. This is designed for businesses with a turnover of less than £250,000.

Business Lunch & AGM Date: Wed 21st Oct 2015 12:00pm - 2:30pm Venue: White Swan Inn, Arundel Come and join us for our Business Lunch and AGM over a delightful 2 course lunch.

Golf Event - Novice or Experienced - ALL WELCOME! Date: Thu 22nd Oct 2015 7:30am - 10:30am Venue: Mid Sussex Golf Club, Ditchling Interested in playing golf or playing a few holes? Whatever your golfing ability come and enjoy a stroll around this delightful golf course or join the Golf Pro at Mid Sussex Golf Club for a lesson Come and join us bright and early for a delicious Full English Breakfast followed by a sociable game of 9 holes or golf lesson. Dress Code: appropriate for golfing!

China Business Clinic 1-2-1

Construction Forum

Date: Thu 29th Oct 2015 8:30am - 4:55pm Venue: Sussex Chamber of Commerce, Burgess Hill Are you doing business in China? Find out how we can help you tackle this important market and support your business expansion?

Date: Wed 25th Nov 2015 8:00am - 10:30am Venue: Seaford Head Golf Club, Seaford Guest speakers: Chris Tomlinson, Rampion Development Manager from E-on, will explaine the Construction of the Rampion Offshore Wind Farm. Dianne Bowles, joint MD of Delta Green Environmental Design.

She and business partner James Porter founded the company in 2012 with the aim to provide a high quality sustainable design consultancy through close working relationships with their clients.

UKTI 1-2-1 DigitaL Adviser Clinics Date: Tue 10th Nov 2015 8:30am - 4:55pm Venue: Sussex Chamber of Commerce, Burgess Hill Book a 45 minute one-to-one advisory meeting with UK Trade & Investment (UKTI)’s e-Exporting Digital Advisers to discover if you are making the most of your online presence to boost your international e-Commerce sales.

Business Networking Breakfast Export Week Date: Wed 11th Nov 2015 8:00am - 10:30am Venue: Shoreham Airport, Shoreham-by-Sea Come and join us at our Networking Breakfast, which is being held at Shoreham Airport. Guest speakers to be announced shortly.

Business Networking Lunch Date: Tue 24th Nov 2015 12:00pm - 2:30pm Venue: The View Hotel, Eastbourne Come and join us for our Business Networking Lunch over a delightful 2 course meal with a refreshing drink on arrival.

Gala Dinner (PREMIER MEMBERS ONLY) Date: Fri 27th Nov 2015 6:30pm - 11:55pm Venue: Ashdown Park Hotel & Country Club, East Grinstead Exclusive to our Premier Members - we are pleased to announce this year’s exciting guest speaker at the Premier Member Gala Dinner will be Gerald Ratner, CEO of Gerald Online.

Please look at our website to review the full list of exciting events

For all bookings and enquiries, please contact us in the following ways: Tel: 0844 37 595 50 | events@ sussexchamberofcommerce.co.uk www.sussexchamberofcommerce. co.uk/events

Opportunity to sponsor a series of Events We are proud to offer you a wonderful opportunity to sponsor a series of events. These packages can be discussed separately with the Chamber.

Please give us a call on 0844 375 95 50 for more information september/october 2015 business edge

42 five minutes with...

movers and shakers

Pat Collings

Director Jewel in The Crown Ltd 1. What was your first job and what was the pay packet?

Sales Administrator for Ford Motor Company in Cheltenham at the age of 18. I assigned registration numbers to cars prior to delivery. My salary was £5,500 p.a. and it was seriously boring .

2. What do you always carry with you to work?

My phone. I can access my bespoke software programme for Jewel In The Crown which has my whole business in a nutshell and a jade buddha for karma.

3. What is the biggest Challenge facing your business?

Convincing General Managers that there are retail opportunities within their hotel - Hoteliers are sometimes so focused on hospitality they can miss a trick when it comes to recognising the potential of having an attractive jewellery showcase on what would otherwise be redundant square footage.

4. If you were Prime Minister, what one thing would you change to help business?

I would lower the rate of VAT as I think it encourages the black economy. Bearing in mind that business collects the VAT on behalf of the Government, HMRC should provide better support to small businesses.

5. What can you see from your office window?

Disused greenhouses and free range hens. Maybe one day, I will get my golden egg.

6. If you could do another job what would it be?

Its difficult because I have breathed Jewel In The Crown for so long, I am not sure what else I could do for the same

september/october 2015 business edge

return. However, when the world of bureaucracy gets to me, I seriously think I would like to train dogs for the Police or people with a disability.

7. As a business person, what are your three main qualities?

I am always upfront with people and never walk away from a problem. I can retain the ability to work when other things around me may be falling apart.

8. What was your biggest mistake in business?

My mistakes are legion but in particular I regret not having done any formal business training. Had I done so, I would have avoided a very costly mistake over copyright which culminated in a legal case with Chanel. It was all over four simple words ‘in the style of’ but they are four words that I wont forget.

9. What advice would you give to aspiring entrepreneurs?

Be an expert in your field and grow your contacts. Business is a rocky road and you never know when you are going to need help.

Knowledge and a good network of contacts will ensure you can detonate the mines along the way.

10. Who do you admire most in business?

I admire people who can think beyond the box and are non corporate in their approach.

Business has become so contractual these days, creativity and forward thinking is being hampered by over regulation and the fear of breaking out from the corporate mould. For this reason I like Duncan Bannatyne - he has a healthy disregard for all the usual jargon.

Roy Stannard joins the Preview Group Roy Stannard has joined the rapidly-growing Preview Visual Communications Group based in Victoria Way, Burgess Hill, in a new role for the Group as Sales & Marketing Manager.

Roy has performed at a senior level in all aspects of marketing management, branding, media, creative thinking and performance related marketing for more than 25 years.

He was a founder director and MD of Splash FM in 2001 and took it to air in 2003. In its first two years on air the Station was accepted as the voice of Worthing and regarded as an exemplar of independent local radio by Ofcom. He left to set up his own ad agency in Worthing in 2006.

He continues to host a programme for East Sussex radio station Seahaven 96.3 FM every Thursday evening.

Roy has arrived at The Preview Group at an exciting time in the company’s evolution as it prepares to open key overseas export markets in Europe and the Middle East.

Preview and PVL founder Nick Broom said: “Roy brings extensive experience in agency management in the Sussex area and has forged relationships with hundreds of companies across the South over the last 25 years. He brings important management, new business and creative skills to the group at a time when we are looking to move to the next level of growth.”

WHAT’S IN STORE? Let’s face it most businesses get lost in what documents to keep and what is no longer required.

If you’re a small, medium or even large business keeping records takes up a lot of your time and indeed office space.

At times you may even wonder if the space that your filing cabinets take up, full of old paperwork, could be used more effectively and indeed increase your own business productivity by better use of the area.

The good news is that most businesses are in the same position, so make the sensible decision and contact us at S4B as the first step to releasing additional space in your office.

Maybe you are thinking of changing your current archive storage provider?

• We can use your box reference system so no change is needed.

• Your files/box can be located within just 15 minutes due to our computerised location system.

• We can retrieve and deliver any urgent documents to you guaranteed UK wide within 24 hours using our network of trusted and reliable couriers or within 12 hours if you are in the Gatwick Diamond.

• You can call in with minimum notice to collect any of your documents.

• We can provide our own archive boxes at a competitive price.

• Competitive deep storage options.

• Staff are security and CRB checked.

At the end of life for your archive storage requirement, we can then securely shred and re-cycle your documents on-site at S4B, providing you with a ‘Certificate of Destruction’ – see below...

IT’S NOBODY ELSE’S BUSINESS!

SO WHO ARE S4B YOU MAY ASK?

Is your Client or Customers information secure? What if your competitors find out all your Client details? Could there be anything worse? Well the answer is yes!

S4B was formed in 2008 based on a simple idea to give small businesses the secure document storage and in addition document destruction services, all on one-site, that only larger companies enjoyed.

• Identity theft • Data protection breach and subsequent fines of up to £500,000.00 • Loss of Client confidence • Leaked information about your company, staff details, supplier lists, marketing plans • Social security numbers, login passwords, credit card and bank account details • The list goes on...

Although we now work with large corporate organisations, hospitals, schools, local government and charities alongside small businesses and the general public, our beliefs and ethics remain the same: service and security equals satisfied customers.

01342 326 806 | info@s4b-shredding.co.uk | www.s4b-shredding.co.uk

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