february/march december/january 2019 2018 business business edge edge
Inside business08matters chairmans column 11 business matters 12 ask the expert 13 fine print 15 business support 24 inspirational leaders 27 cover feature 34 finance focus 36 entrepreneurship 46 training and events 52 new members 54 5 minutes with
the magazine for sussex chamber of commerce members
june/july 2019
Membership Consultation – help shape the future direction of Sussex Chamber Page 27
Sussex Chamber of Commerce
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february/march june/july 2019 business 2019 business edge edge
Sussex Chamber of Commerce
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. 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
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Welcome to our Business Edge magazine! Ana Christie
Chief Executive Sussex Chamber of Commerce
Membership Survey – take part in our consultation Over the last few years, the Sussex Chamber has evolved; offering improved processes and services; an enhanced membership offering; informative networking events and forums; essential skills development through our training courses; vital documentation via our international trade services; as well as being a strong voice for business. All of this is as a result of listening to our members, gathering feedback and developing the services we provide. We need to ensure that we continue to evolve. This is your opportunity to join the conversation and help shape the direction and priorities of the Chamber. Take part in our membership survey to ensure we can serve our vibrant community of members with the best possible resources and services in the years ahead. The survey will be carried out by independent membership specialists. Details can be found on our website and social media. Chamber Awards Awards are a fantastic means to showcase your business. Sussex Chamber
Our magazine is packed full of amazing member stories. Membership provides many benefits, services, and savings. Please speak to the team to find out more and make the most of your membership. For further information please contact the Sussex Chamber on 01444 259 259.
welcome
3
cover feature
entrepreneurship
4
business matters
32-33
finance focus
34-35
innovation and design
34-35
finance focus
34-35
finance and funding
finance and funding
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.
https://www.britishchambers.org.uk/ events/chamber-awards
CONTENTS
chairmans column
DISCLAIMER
members can enter the Chamber Business Awards for free. These awards are the UK’s most contested and prestigious business awards programme. The perfect opportunity to celebrate our business community’s achievements, to take stock of the outstanding performances of UK businesses and to encourage and inspire others. Being shortlisted or winning an award can improve brand awareness and promote your business to new customers. The application process allows you to look at your business from a different perspective and compare yourself to your competitors so you can stand out through innovation, diversity, growth, customer service, investment in people and strategic thinking. A business award win, short-listing or nomination is a seal of approval and quality for your activities and sends out positive signals to customers. Employee morale is boosted, and motivation increased. Furthermore, it’s a great tool when attracting talent. Enter now - the Chamber Awards are now open until 28th June.
5-6 8 10
27
business matters
11
entrepreneurship
ask the expert
12
improving business performance 38-41
fine print
13
finance and funding
44
family in business
45
business support
15-17
business matters
18
inspirational leaders chamber business awards
24-25 26
36
training and events
46-47
new members
52-53
five minutes with...
AS A CHAMBER MEMBER YOU’RE WELL CONNECTED
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entrepreneurship
february/march june/july 2019 business edge
Entrepreneurship and scaling a business: a Switchplane case study Since 2003, young entrepreneurs and brothers Joel and Tom Fielder have overcome many of the common challenges of setting up a brand new business from scratch. Having founded Switchplane Ltd nearly 16 years ago, the company now employs 14 staff building custom software for SMEs, with a revenue of £750,000. The brothers have learned many lessons along the way, both in the day-to-day management of a company, but crucially, on how to scale up and make the transition from garage to successful business.
Knowing how to actually manage a business! When the company was founded, Tom and Joel were young software developers with no formal training in business management. It soon became clear that starting up a company from scratch was a much harder challenge than taking on the role of CEO at a large, well established firm! A huge turning point was accepting they didn’t know it all, and deciding to work with a business consultant and leadership coach. “It’s very easy to get blinkered by the dayto-day. Working with an experienced mentor allows us to regain our perspective, identify the most important activities, and focus our efforts on making continual progress towards our strategic goals.” Tom and Joel continue to work with their mentor - the challenges don’t stop, they just change.
Winning clients, without a portfolio A major problem in the earliest days was convincing clients to take a risk on a new firm with no real track record. The brothers ended up making the classic new business mistake - doing anything for anyone for almost nothing, in the hope of building up a portfolio. “That strategy is destined for failure. Cheap breeds cheap: rubbish clients, a rubbish portfolio, and still no cash in the bank. And worse, it deters the clients you do want!” Two strategies in particular solved the problem. Firstly, the company decided to focus on its core strength of web development. Secondly, the company increased its prices to deter time-wasters and very small businesses. With no local competitors and a simple marketing message of “automate and save time”, the company was able to exploit a gap in the emerging cloud technology market and land its first serious clients. “There was some luck too - in 2008 we unexpectedly took on a big client who shared our ambitions and values. But in hindsight, we wouldn’t have won that client without the focus on our core market and value proposition.”
Hiring Staff Joel and Tom learnt the hard way that hiring employees carries a massive risk, especially
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Joel Fielder
when the recruitment process is not up to scratch. For very small businesses, a bad hire can be particularly damaging if not dealt with quickly. “We realised quite early on that bad hires cause big problems, but it took us too long to implement the processes to deal with them. Find a good HR consultant from day one and don’t hire someone unless you’re confident they can do the job and fit in with the team.” The brothers also found themselves competing for staff as well as clients. Many talented youngsters are understandably drawn to London to companies like Google and Apple, and so Tom and Joel started to focus on developing a company culture that’s attractive to potential and existing staff. “We do some gimmicky stuff like Burger Day and Cake Week, but it’s the ongoing day-today stuff that’s more important, like training objectives and personal development time. There’s no micro-management, and we have a strict ‘no bullshit’ policy.” Creating a good place to work has allowed Switchplane to source and nurture an outstandingly talented team. This is by far their biggest asset, with more than half the team operating as seniors within their role.
5 key lessons for upscaling your business 1. Make sure you have a plan. It doesn’t have to be a lengthy document - just a single page will do. Start with your core strength or product, who you want to sell to, and what to charge.
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2. You don’t have to be the next Google. Strong, sustainable, predictable growth is much better than intermittent spikes which can quickly find you underresourced, destroying quality and your reputation. 3. You’re not ready to scale up unless you have the ability to grow capacity alongside demand. If you sell widgets, then your manufacturing and distribution has to be smooth. If you sell a service, then it means automation combined with good hiring and training. 4. Don’t rely on big clients providing a large proportion of your income. Ideally, you should have 100 clients of similar size instead of 1 huge and 10 small. 5. You will need an IT strategy or your administrative tasks will become unmanageable. You should view IT as an ongoing investment instead of a cost to be slashed and you’ll quickly free up time and money. As you grow, custom software will be part of your IT mix, and when it is, give Switchplane a call. Joel finds he has many conversations with business owners about how to streamline processes and integrate systems with software so that repetitive tasks can be automated and time freed up to focus on growing the business. Custom software allows you to integrate a number of interlinked processes, so you can avoid having to juggle a number of off-theshelf and disparate systems.
tel: 01444 259 259
finance and funding
february/march june/july 2019 business 2019 business edge edge
Identifying pressure points can help your business thrive Joe Waters
Head of Sales - South London Bibby Financial Services
Business owners across the UK know all too well that setting up and running your own company is a rewarding experience. Yet making the leap and becoming your own boss brings some inevitable challenges. While these challenges can seem stressful, tackling any hurdles early on will help business owners in the long term, allowing them to focus on growth, and strengthening supplier relationships.
To tackle this, over a fifth of SMEs (21%) are unlocking capital to invest in measures to reduce their costs and increase efficiency. On a regional basis, nearly a third (32%) of business owners in the South East have invested for this reason – by far the highest in the UK and contrasting strongly with London (14%), where businesses often operate under alternative models. To ensure costs do not spiral out of control, business owners in the South East should consider adopting a two-stage approach. Firstly, review supply chains to see where savings can be made and, secondly, examine where investment is most needed and will deliver the greatest benefit. By doing so, SMEs can prioritise key business needs without compromising on growth.
Addressing cashflow problems Confronting costs One of the biggest pressures is maintaining a low-cost base without compromising on the quality of products. Our latest Confidence Tracker revealed a quarter (25%) of small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) in the South East see the rising cost of raw materials and overheads as their biggest business challenge. When looking at industry sectors across the whole of the UK, our research shows that manufacturing (23%), wholesale (22%) and construction (21%) are the worst affected. There are several factors contributing to rising costs. High employment levels, for instance, are pushing up the cost of labour, while currency fluctuations alongside a weak pound have made raw materials more expensive. It is little surprise that industries that rely heavily on labour and materials are experiencing the most cost pressure.
As well as rising costs, cashflow challenges are also impacting SMEs. In the South East, nearly a quarter (24%) of small firms say cashflow issues are prohibiting future investment. Indeed, cashflow challenges frequently create barriers to investment for businesses all over the UK. Without the steady flow of working capital, SMEs lack the funds necessary to invest in activities that support growth and innovation, whether new product development or expansion into a new market, both of which could increase efficiencies in the longer term. For this reason, cashflow management has become increasingly important to unlocking growth. A funding provider can be a helpful ally in alleviating cashflow problems to help businesses grow. It is also important to consider how seasonal peaks and troughs impact cashflow as this will help firms
identify the times when they may need further support throughout the year.
Late payments One of the biggest issues stunting cashflow is late payments, with over one in ten (11%) businesses in the South East citing this as their biggest challenge. Late payments from customers can have a drastic impact on businesses and chasing outstanding invoices is often frustrating and time consuming. Our research indicates SMEs in the South East are tackling late payments head on, with many adopting precautionary measures. Two fifths (40%) of SMEs in the South East request payment upfront, while 30% avoid late paying customers altogether. However, one in five (20%) SMEs in the South East do not have a late payment policy in place. Whilst the Government is looking to tackle late payments, as evidenced by the Small Business Commissioner’s recent naming and shaming of a high street retailer, businesses must also be prepared to act and implement a transparent and succinct payment policy for customers, stating the terms and conditions clearly. Invoice finance is another option for businesses that experience late payment. It can bridge the cashflow gap when it comes to paying staff and suppliers, while waiting for invoices to be paid. With SMEs facing these increasing pressures, there is not always a one-size-fits-all solution. Seeking expert advice will also help companies to tackle these challenges headon, creating better conditions for growth. www.bibbyfinancialservices.com
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finance and funding
february/march june/july 2019 business edge
HSBC UK supports growth of Surrey & Sussex SMEs HSBC UK has been supporting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Surrey and Sussex as part of its broader commitment to helping British businesses realise their ambitions for growth. Andrew Steer
Head of Business Banking Surrey and Sussex HSBC UK
Now entering its fifth year, HSBC UK’s £12 billion SME Fund is being successfully utilised by businesses across the UK looking to expand, with £450 million dedicated specifically to SMEs in Surrey and Sussex. Each year, the fund helps and encourages businesses to grow locally, nationally and internationally, in turn helping them achieve their ambitious goals and create jobs for the region’s economy. Cheryl Payne, HSBC UK’s Deputy Regional Director for the South East, said: “This SME fund highlights HSBC UK’s unwavering commitment to supporting the growth of businesses right across the region. From the flourishing agricultural businesses in rural West Sussex, to renewable energy, marine engineering and creative and digital sectors in East Sussex, to the international technology companies along Surrey’s M3 corridor, HSBC UK is here to support. The SME fund is set to help businesses grow - no matter whether they’ve just started out or are an already established business.” Multi-award-winning BeautyPro, based in Heathfield, Sussex, is one local business taking advantage of the funding, with hopes to double its turnover for another consecutive year. BeautyPro, which produces a range of skin care sheet masks for men and women, has increased its funding from the bank to more than £1 million to help drive efficiency across the business, enabling it to continue its year-on-year growth. The latest £300,000 funding package from HSBC UK will allow BeautyPro to increase its stock and fulfil orders quicker, ultimately helping to take on new contracts from larger firms and drive new business within untapped sectors. As a result, the company will also be looking to double its number of employees and hopes to purchase new premises with increased warehouse capacity.
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employ the best quality of resources. The support from HSBC UK has meant that we can invest effectively in new product development that returns that investment in strong sales. HSBC UK has been fantastic to work with and spent time with us to clearly understand our business, find the correct financial requirements and in turn this has helped us grow. “We have also been able to put quick and simple solutions in place to enable us to speed up our distribution process and adapt to meet the increasing demand for our products, from the likes of larger retailers and airlines.” Andrew Steer, HSBC UK’s Area Director for Business Banking in Surrey & Sussex, said:
Ibs Ansari, Managing Director of BeautyPro, said:
“Many SMEs are ambitious, entrepreneurial and ready to expand and one great example of this is BeautyPro. HSBC UK first partnered with BeautyPro three years ago when the business was turning over £500,000. Since then, we’ve continued to support the company as it goes from strength-to-strength, now operating as a multi-million pound business. As Ibs and his team set their sights on supplying major UK retail firms, their new stream-lined approach will no doubt see them continue to grow.
“As we continue to grow, it’s vital that we’re smart about the way we operate and
“The SME Fund is helping many more businesses in the region plug the gap
www.sussexchamberofcommerce.co.uk
between ambition and reality, supporting their growth and helping them to innovate and evolve.” HSBC UK’s SME Fund and broader package of support includes: A £12bn UK-wide fund for SMEs, allocated regionally across the UK A free banking offer of up to 18 months for start-ups and 12 months for switchers A 12 month fixed-price monthly tariff to commence at the end of a customer’s initial free banking period A Personal Guarantee Fee from just £10 for any lending facility above £10,000 An arrangement fee of £100 for Small Business Loan of up to £25k The Business Lending Eligibility Checker (BLEC) – an online tool offering potential new customers and existing customers a credit decision in principle for loans of up to £30,000 in under two minutes A free text alert service for informal overdrafts, which will help customers avoid paying informal overdraft fees and interest Terms and conditions apply
tel: 01444 259 259
february/march june/july 2019 business 2019 business edge edge
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business matters
june/july 2019 business edge
Challenges and Rewards Wikipedia would have us believe that Entrepreneurship is “the process of designing, launching and running a new business, which is often initially a small business.”
Pentagon Plastics achieve the Investment in Young People award Investment in Young People (IiYP) is the business mark for corporate social responsibility. IiYP is a national award that recognises the important work that businesses carry out in assisting young people aged 5 to 25 to gain employability skills and to assist them with the transition from education into the world of work. Sussex Chamber of Commerce is the sole delivery agent in Sussex for this prestigious award. Pentagon Plastics Group in Horsham impressed the Chamber with their recent application which highlighted their dedication and support to young people.
the wider community will boost our efforts to new heights and hopefully will inspire other organisations to follow. Through continuous dedication to supporting young people and those in education Pentagon is proud to have achieved the national award for Investment in Young People. Refining the support that the business provides over many years the group are firmly committed to developing employability skills and encouraging industry required skill-sets.”
Pentagon Plastics Group provides extensive technical plastic injection moulding and toolmaking services. As a bespoke UK Manufacturer, the group works with a wide range of industry sectors, providing expert knowledge and skill. Services provided by the business include Design Assistance, Development, Toolmaking, Plastic Injection Moulding and Post Moulding Operations. Pentagon are one of the few UK moulders who provide both Tooling and Production from one site of manufacture. The company boasts extensive engineering talent and are well placed to provide a full turnkey solution for any technical moulding project.
Ana Christie, CEO, Sussex Chamber said “This company has made a commitment to supporting young people which is seen in their business plan. They work closely with universities particularly with design engineering students so that students can interact with them on projects. They support local schools, including key stage 1 students and have ready-made experiments and educational books for young people. They support apprenticeships within the organisation as well as work experience students and develop a work schedule for them to complete. They have also supported the Big Bang South East event at Ardingly. Pentagon Plastics have shown how you can give something back to the community and help develop the skills of young people. Very deserving company.”
Paul Edwards, Managing Director of Pentagon Plastics stated “This award is true testament to the ethos of both the business and its employees for their dedication and support. Recognition of the activities the business engages in to support the workforce, the industry and
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Perhaps more tellingly the Business Dictionary talks of having “The capacity and willingness to develop, organise and manage a business venture along with any of its risks in order to make a profit”. Whatever definition you prefer the reality is that owning and running a business, large or small, is tough. The demands can be enormous, the risks palpable. Entrepreneurship is, in most cases, not something to do without the help and support of others. We like to say, “as a Chamber member you are well connected” and please use those connections to draw on the experience of others, whether that’s through general networking events or tailored sector and International Trade events. One example is the confusing funding landscape. Since the banking crisis the range and types of term debt and working capital providers has increased dramatically. On the face of it this is good. However, it now seems far less easy to discern what is the right funding, at the right time, for the right price. My personal view and it might be a contentious one, is that the big banks get an unfair hearing so far as their support to SMEs is concerned. As ever the best advice is to shop around, across both the physical and digital providers. Ultimately, whilst challenging, entrepreneurship should be more rewarding in its widest sense than employment, otherwise what’s the point?
To find out more visit www.iiyp.co.uk or www.sussexchamberofcommerce.co.uk
www.sussexchamberofcommerce.co.uk
tel: 01444 259 259
Rob Clare
Chairman Sussex Chamber of Commerce
Degree Apprenticeships Degree apprenticeships bring together the best of vocational training and higher education and enable apprentices to combine university study with valuable ‘on the job’ training. The University of Chichester offers a range of degree apprenticeship options to suit the needs of local businesses. Our Degree Apprenticeships: • Chartered Manager • Digital Marketer • Digital Technology Solutions Professional (Software Engineer) • Digital Technology Solutions Professional (Cyber Security Analyst) • Digital Technology Solutions Professional (Business Analyst) • Electrical/Electronic Technical Support Engineer • Mechanical Engineer • Postgraduate Teacher • Senior Leader Master's (MBA) • Social Worker
“the apprentices quickly become very talented. For us there hasn’t been a time when they haven’t been working on a commercial project, which is very beneficial to the company. In the digital sector this is the most positive step towards addressing the skills shortage that I can recall.” Simon Pringle, CEO Red River Software (supporting Software Engineering degree apprentices) “If we can take local students, children who have grown up in the area, and education then in science, business, and engineering, before having them back in the community, then it’s a win-win for everyone involved.” Henry Powell, CEO Inpress Plastics (supporting Business and Engineering degree apprentices)
FIND OUT MORE Find out about the University of Chichester’s degree apprenticeships at www.chi.ac.uk/apprentice. Interested businesses should get in touch at apprenticeships@chi.ac.uk
businessand finance matters funding
december/january february/march june/july 2019 business edge
Is it as simple as Who, What, Why and When? Who are you? Individual, Self-employed, Sole Trader, Company Director, Ltd Company, Charity, Partnership. What do you need? Advice, support, guidance, best options, good rates, choice of lenders, ease of application. Why do you want it? Property development/refurbishment, cashflow, commercial/business/asset finance, BTL/ HMO mortgage, acquisition, growth, debt consolidation. When do you want it? Emergency, immediate, planned. Funding for any business can be hard work. It takes time to do all the research, analysis and planning for what your business needs, then find a good lender, negotiate a deal you can live with, understand the terms of your financing, etc. the list really can go on because not all lenders are the same. Commercial finance advice should come from experts Commercial finance can be a complicated subject. Unlike standard residential mortgages which have neatly defined rates and criteria, commercial finance is much more tailored and requires a good degree of skill and experience to find the right loan to fit the purpose, because sometimes the finance you think you need may not be the finance you actually need. When you’re borrowing money, you may typically be looking for several things, not least: A quick decision on your application Reasonable acceptance criteria on application (without possible rejection) A pricing model that’s sensible and affordable in context to your requirements
So why use a broker? Dealing with a broker means dealing with an individual. A broker is someone who will take the time to understand you and your business and offer a personal oneto-one service tailored to your business needs. Your broker will quickly analyse your business requirements and from that, they’ll know from experience which sources of funding are likely to be a good fit for you plans. They can then make recommendations and arrangements to facilitate the loan rapidly and secure you the best most suitable loan, with no concern that you’re receiving a one size fits all proposition.
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Carl Clarke, Focus Lending Finance Loan Availability. Some loan products might not be applicable or available to you. For example, if a given lender has a very high credit scoring threshold and you don’t meet it, then your application is unlikely to be successful. Pricing can also vary hugely. The final cost of borrowing isn’t always easy to tell at a glance and costs may increase once the lender knows the full picture as it relates to your business. Getting the best rate. Reputable brokers will submit your loan application to a wide selection of different lenders to establish the best rate possible for your financing. Limiting yourself to one lender could mean you’d never know if you missed out on a better deal somewhere else. Explore alternative options. Even if your funding application gets denied by a bank or other mainstream lender a broker should be able to help you investigate alternative finance. It’s our day job. The best brokers have relationships with an extensive network of lenders. They depend on good relationships and relationship building – and getting a good deal is often about having the right contacts. Market Knowledge. Your broker should ideally be able to explain all the jargon and acronyms to you without any problem and navigate all the options out there to save you time and money.
Why not do it yourself? This might sound tempting but it’s worth keeping a few points in mind: Experienced brokers may have access to sources and pricing models that you,
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as a non-broker, simply won’t be made aware of. Ask yourself if you have the time to trawl the marketplace and pick up the skills necessary to complete this task. Your time is money, so use someone who already has all this knowledge available to hand. By making lots of loan applications, hoping to secure an offer, just isn’t a sensible approach because every time you’re turned down for a loan, it will be recorded on your credit history files and could adversely affect your chances of securing finance or push the cost of doing so up. Making a successful application is key to a successful outcome, your broker can help you understand the requirements fully to avoid any disappointment.
Unbiased Your professional broker will never have a pre-defined solution in their mind. It’s important your broker is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and as a member of the National Association of Commercial Finance Brokers (NACFB), will adhere to an industry recognised Code of Practice. Focus Lending Finance (www. focuslending.co.uk) is a broker and a proud member of the NACFB, Chamber of Commerce, ICO, CeMap qualified and regulated by the FCA. We work with a comprehensive range of commercial lenders from High Street to niche alternatives to facilitate any loan requirements.
tel: 01444 259 259
business matters
february/march june/july december/january 2019 business 2019 2018 business edge business edge edge
Deloitte Human Capital Trends 2019 survey Half of UK organisations are ineffective at creating a positive work environment Only a fifth of UK employees are satisfied with workplace technology 69% of the UK workforce say there is no incentive to learn new skills Will Gosling
Partner and Human Capital lead, Deloitte UK
business. Employers are already facing huge disruption challenges from technology advances to demographic changes, and an unproductive and unengaged workforce simply should not be one of them.”
Employee Experience Only half (50%) of UK employees consider their organisations to be effective at creating a positive work environment and only two fifths (42%) consider their employer to be effective at creating meaningful work. With 84% of workers stating that employee engagement and productivity are linked and 68% saying their organisations do not measure the correlation between employee engagement and productivity – suggests UK business leaders need to think differently to prevent productivity slumps. The findings are from the Deloitte Human Capital Trends 2019 survey, which tracks the top trends shaping the agenda for HR and business leaders both in the UK and globally. Employee experience, leadership and learning, respectively, led this year’s top 10 UK trends. “We’re seeing strong trends emerging in employee engagement, or the lack of it,” said Will Gosling, partner and Human Capital lead at Deloitte UK. “People, or human capital, is a business’ biggest asset, and creating a positive work environment is fundamental to the success of any
The survey suggests that UK employers are struggling to keep up with the pace of technological change as only a fifth (22%) of UK employees are satisfied with their organisation’s use of technology. In Germany, for example, over half (51%) of its workforce are satisfied, and the global average is 38%. 70% say their organisation promotes career growth opportunities as part of its employee experience, but only 36% believe their organisation is effective or very effective at engaging employees in these.
Leadership When asked for their views on the requirements of leaders, respondents believed that changes in technology (79%), demographics (77%) and the pace of change (73%) were most important. However, only 18% of UK respondents believe that their company’s leadership programmes are effective at developing leaders to meet evolving business and economic challenges. A quarter (24%) believe that how a business is run and organisational structures gets in the way of leaders effectively managing teams.
Gosling said: “The workplace is seeing a huge transition, as traditional organisational structures and hierarchies are being broken down into team structures. Adopting team structures will improve productivity, and in turn performance, so businesses that have not yet made this transition are at risk of falling further behind.”
Learning 69% of the UK workforce say they have no incentive to learn new skills. 87% state that learning is important, or very important, in driving employee engagement, but 15% describe their company’s learning culture as inadequate. “Business leaders need to act now in order to reskill their workforces to futureproof their business,” continued Gosling. “Artificial intelligence is not new, but the pace of change is, and businesses risk leaving swathes of society behind. Faced with longer careers and a multi-generational workforce, employers need to continually train and equip its workers with new skills in order to attract, retain and develop. “Our survey confirms the importance of leadership and learning in the face of change, but it is the employee experience that will drive the success of a business’ main asset - its people, and guarantee it is ready for the future of work.” concluded Gosling. www2.deloitte.com
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ask the expert
february/march june/july 2019 business edge
Custom cloud applications and systems integration Leading software developers and integrators, Ballard Chalmers explain why you should consider Cloud custom software development. Ballard Chalmers is a Microsoft Gold Partner and Cloud Services Provider. However, our focus is less on the mainstream Cloud services such as Office 365, VoIP, Unified Comms and other SaaS cloud software platform such as Salesforce; our focus is custom cloud application development and systems integration. When you can’t buy software “off the shelf”, you need it built for what you need. An existing system can be modified or extended and integrated all together into a modern cloud-based software platform that creates the efficiency and productivity required in a modern digital workplace. And not just cloud-only; hybrid systems, combining functional off-line systems with modern cloud applications are in many cases the most efficient and cost-effective way to move forward with cloud enablement. If you have existing software platforms that are functional and do the job, if you are an Independent Software Vendor (ISV) or have developed custom applications for your own use, then these can also be migrated to the cloud. The easiest way is to just move the VMs (Virtual Machines) that host the application to a cloud service as is. However, these VMs are still servers that need to be supported, patched and backed up. A better way is to take advantage of the serverless cloud services, which for Microsoft Azure include: Azure AD
Andrew Chalmers, Managing Director of Ballard Chalmers
Azure Functions Azure Logic Apps Azure SQL Database All of which offer a serverless approach to application development. Many cloud-based systems provide built-in productivity tools that allow power users to increase productivity by automating common repetitive tasks. The Power Suite, part of Office365, provides several tools, these include: PowerApps: Creates web apps and mobile apps for a whole range of activities such as completing expense claims, health and safety reports, etc Power BI: Creates dashboards and reports that can be shared and presented online or on mobile devices Flow: Turn repetitive tasks into simple multistep workflows. For example: Take data from Twitter and add it to a CRM system, or approve a holiday request Forms: Create online forms for polls, surveys and pretty much anything you like
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All of this results in reduced technical overhead, and reduced costs. Where your business runs on a suite of software in the cloud, all of it is taken care of by the cloud managed service provider. No more servers under a desk, in a cupboard, or indeed in a data centre still requiring TLC to keep it running properly. No more days spent configuring new laptops. With literally a touch of a few buttons, you are up and running with all your systems and data available. No more reliance on individual people with esoteric knowledge who may suddenly decide they are off to surf in Bali. And with monthly costs and no major upgrade investments, you can plan and manage your IT spend, and keep it under control. The idea of a digital workplace is a work environment where employees can find all of the information and processes they need to work successfully. They can share their knowledge quickly and with ease and acquire help and information from colleagues that they might otherwise not have had access to.
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Collaboration is the foundation value of the digital workplace; data from all implemented software systems are integrated so that they can work seamlessly together. This not only makes information widely available and accessible but also promotes cross-location collaboration and knowledge exchange. The end result is people that can focus on their jobs and outputs with a minimum of distraction, and get results with greater efficiency, less cost, and – greater job enjoyment! Ballard Chalmers moved all-in to the cloud in recent years and since then we have seen our own benefits in cost-saving, business resilience, and efficiency; and I believe all businesses can reap similar benefits from the cloud and custom cloud software if the right steps are taken. In this digital age it is time for all leading businesses to be responsive to change and provide the best technology possible for themselves, their employees and of course, their clients. www.ballardchalmers.com
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fine print
february/march june/july 2019 business 2019 business edge edge
Life Scale How to Live a More Creative, Productive and Happy Life By Brian Solis Published by Wiley In his new book, Life Scale, best-selling author Brian Solis challenges us to put down our devices and “Live a More Creative, Productive and Happy Life” Life Scale teaches readers how to tackle the
Peter Liddell Co-Ordinator BHBPA
Business is booming in Burgess Hill... Well that’s what the members of Burgess Hill Business Parks Association say. Susan Fleet
Chairman, Burgess Hill Business Park Association
struggles of living in a world of constant digital distractions. It helps them overcome the unforeseen consequences of living a digital life to break away from diversions, focus on
what’s important, spark
newfound creativity, and unlock new possibilities. Toggling between apps, networks, emails and texts comes at a tremendous cost to the actual productivity of a person’s life today. Life Scale provides readers with the necessary tools to break free from the bondage of device-addiction, multi-tasking, and the falsehoods of online
Once a quiet commuter town it now has business parks to be proud of which are pumping billions into the British economy and providing gainful employment to thousands. This is all a very far cry from the town’s humble beginnings as a manufacturer of bricks and tiles. More than a century ago, Burgess Hill was less known for business and more for leisure with its famous Victoria Pleasure Gardens. The lake is long gone and in its place are hundreds of highly respected businesses, many of whom are exporting to all corners of the globe. With Burgess Hill turning its eyes to the future with the creation of two new business hubs to be built and redevelopment of the entire town underway, BHBPA believes its role in the economic community will be more relevant than ever.
validation. As a leading digital anthropologist, futurist, author and speaker who studies the impact of disruptive technologies on business, society and culture, Solis has devoted his professional life to understanding how technology affects and shapes behaviours, norms, and society. In Life Scale, he poses questions including (when did we) “get so busy?”; “decide that being glued to our devices is normal?”; and “feel constant
Members seem to like the relaxed style – and all the events have an emphasis on fun and informality. It’s an accessible way of bringing businesses together for anything from finding employees, sharing spare furniture, fundraising for local charities or promoting business opportunities.
multitasking was in our best interest?”
Nowadays, the Association has more than 170 companies on board. It is chaired by Susan Fleet, founder of Lea Graham Associates with David Shore, managing director of Time24 sharing directorship with Jaffer Lokhandvala, director of e-mpower IT.
what everyone thinks about our every move,” says
The BHBPA is holding their second BHBiz Awards at the Brighton Amex Community Stadium next week when more than 250 local business people with come together for a star-studded evening recognising outstanding achievements.
story is that in writing Life Scale, it changed my
The Association greatly looks forward to being an Affiliate of the Sussex Chamber.
“These important things don’t come up in conversation when you’re moving at a million miles an hour or placing so much emphasis on Solis. “When I started making poor decisions that affected my loved ones, I knew that I needed to be re-centered. The most beautiful part of the life, because I used it to fix my life. If it can do that for me, my hope is that it can have that impact on readers.”
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advertorial
february/march june/july 2019 business edge
Why we all need to be aware of the Customer Relationship It’s easy to think your customers are happy, after all, they’ve not come out and said that they aren’t. But how do you know for sure? Let me give you an example. You go to a restaurant and everything is fine…not great, but not terrible, just adequate. The wait staff asked if everything was ok and you said that it was, mainly because there wasn’t any one thing you didn’t like, it was more a combination. Or maybe you just didn’t want to cause a scene. Either way, you don’t say anything. And then because it wasn’t a very big deal, you don’t review them online (positive or negative) or make any comments on social media. You never go back, maybe tell a few close friends and leave it at that. As far as the restaurant is concerned, you were a contented customer who just didn’t tip very well. But they don’t get your repeat business. Or any recommendations. Now of course Customer Relationship Management is much more than just monitoring the levels of complaints and negative feedback. Most people won’t say that they are unhappy – unless they’re REALLY unhappy - but they won’t stay as your customers.
So how do you know what they’re thinking? Well, to be honest, most customers will tell you how they are feeling if you approach them in the right way. Think back to the waiter or waitress at that restaurant, let’s say you knew personally or maybe they used to work at your regular coffee shop. Either way, when they asked how you were doing, you might have answered more honestly. And they could have acted to improve your evening. By having a ‘real’ customer relationship, you are more likely to get an honest appraisal of your product or service. That’s why it’s so important to develop a strong bond between you and your customers. Now of course different types of businesses will need different approaches to building their relationships. Some have a very larger number of customers who will need easy communication channels that allow them to access large numbers of customer feedback in an appropriate way, building a customer community creating these touch points. Think Amazon or Apple. Others are dealing with a less ‘vanilla’ implementation of their product or service and this will necessarily lead to a more customised conversation. Think about
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hiring someone to install your new kitchen, you want to get to know them a little bit more than the person ringing you up at the hardware store.
But please please please, do find a way to record the information you will need to track and therefore improve your relationship with your customers.
The point is that whatever your market and whoever your customer, a business needs a
It’s certainly worth taking a little time to assess your requirements, desired results, and options for meeting both.
relationship management strategy. Not something built ‘on the hoof’ that just fits the work pattern or personality of your sales team. Your business needs real, indepth analysis of who, how, and why you should be communicating to deliver best value for your customer. Because this in turn strengthens the ties between you and your client.
From my experience, there are a few things you need to keep in mind:
Good customer relationships are built on value, which has a two way benefit.
4 What about outside the sales team?
Your customer wants to feel respected and know that their business is loved by you and all your team. You want to know that your customer is getting the appropriate value from your product or service and in turn will remain loyal and act as an advocate for your business with their peers.
How best to do this? Being totally honest you can use a Rolodex, spreadsheet of your interactions, or a dedicated Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system. They all offer a level of management that will help you track how the relationship is progressing. Obviously a dedicated CRM system is going to offer you a wider range of features that have been written specifically for this task, but go with whatever works for your team.
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1 How much data are you going to be collecting?
2 What do you need that data to tell you? 3 Who should have access to what?
There’s also GDPR to consider when you’re collecting personal data. This is where a more dedicated system can come into their own, with a framework to start in and guidance as you expand. Most CRM systems will save you much more time than their cost, ROI is generally recognised as at least 8 times the spend and in a lot of cases it’s a lot (lot) higher.
Graham Anderson, is the CEO and founder of OpenCRM, one of the UK’s leading customer relationship management systems.
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business support
february/march june/july 2019 business 2019 business edge edge
Whose standard T&Cs apply anyway? Many businesses rely on their standard terms and conditions when selling products or services. Make it clear in pre-contract correspondence that any contract will be on your standard terms and either attach or provide a copy of them.
the contract, which can happen if they aren’t brought to the other party’s attention (whether at all or not until it was too late). The second problem arises from “the battle of the forms” (as it is known in the legal world), where each party tries to contract on its own standard terms. As a general rule, the last shot fired wins, so the last set of terms sent before the contract is made will apply. This could happen, for example, where a prospective client sends an email accepting a quotation but in doing so, also attaches a copy of its own terms. In this case, it is likely that the prospective client will win this particular battle and their terms prevail.
Tariq Sayfoo, Senior Solicitor This is a preferred contracting method because it minimises negotiation and allows the business to impose favourable terms that have been devised with the business’s own concerns and interests in mind. However, using standard terms it isn’t entirely risk-free and they need to be used with caution. Perhaps the most troubling outcomes for a business are to learn that its standard terms don’t apply to the contract, and/or it is unwittingly bound to another party’s standard terms over its own! The first problem arises because the standard terms weren’t incorporated into
The courts analyse these scenarios by applying the traditional principles of contract law (offer and acceptance) but each case has its own facts, so it’s possible for the courts to reach a different outcome to the “last shot” rule. If another party tries to impose its own terms, it’s best not to simply ignore them by continuing with the contracting process without first considering the terms and their implications.
Ensure any links that redirect to your terms online are live. Don’t get caught out by the “last shot fired” rule; address your client’s attempts to introduce their own terms. Refine your contracting processes and ensure that your staff are trained and familiar with them, e.g. by ensuring that telephone or face to face discussions are expressed as being on the basis of your standard terms. If you don’t need (and don’t tend to insist on) a signature on your standard terms then avoid stating one is required. Otherwise, it may be more difficult to argue that your terms have been incorporated. For more information about your standard terms, please call 0345 070 6000 or visit our website at www.emwllp.com
Here’s a handy list of things you can do to increase your chances of incorporating your standard terms and winning the battle of the forms:
Probably the best located Flexible Office Space in Crawley! Only a few minutes walk from Three Bridges Mainline Station n Gatwick – 1 minute n Brighton – 18 minutes n London Bridge – 32 minutes n 5 minutes drive to M23 High quality, flexible workspaces from single desks to larger requirements available. n Prices from £175 pppm n Flexible contracts n Adaptable workspaces n Onsite parking n Help & support n Immediate availability We make office space easy. For more information call Edward on 020 3142 7000. Locations also in Horsham and London. www.needspace.co.uk
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business support
february/march june/july 2019 business edge
Men hinder women’s tech careers Male attitudes are still a significant barrier to women working in the UK’s technology industry. Recent research commissioned by Trainline reveals around 60 per cent of the 1,026 surveyed believe workplace culture is geared to support men more than women. More than 33 per cent of tech workers believe male attitudes have a negative effect on women’s careers. Moreover, for respondents who have a child that’s under 12 months old, the proportion leaps to 44 per cent. Thirty per cent of young women who have just started a technology career said they don’t feel respected at work, compared to 12 per cent of young men which helps explain why 33 per cent of women surveyed didn’t think their feedback is taken seriously. That’s 11 per cent more than men with similar views. So how can such problems be addressed? Thirty-nine per cent said bad behaviour should be openly dealt with in the workplace to help stamp it out and senior management should be drawn from more diverse backgrounds. The Trainline’s chief executive also suggests mentorship schemes to support more women in technology, enhanced parental benefits and more flexible working.
Positive signs There were some positive statistics in the survey.
Sixty-eight per cent of men and women agreed they’d perform better in meetings with more gender-balanced teams whilst 74 per cent of technology professionals thought it’s becoming easier for women to succeed in technology. The problems revealed in Trainline’s survey can be closely linked to the number of women who are pursuing careers in science technology engineering and mathematics (STEM). The number of STEM graduates who are women is much smaller than men. Only 15 per cent of engineering graduates and 19 per cent of computer studies graduates are female. But it’s worth adding a footnote here. More male babies are born every year than females in the UK which has been the case since 1838 when records began. In 2017 there were 17,000 more male babies. No one really knows why.
More jobs Setting persistent birth trends to one side, it’s still an ideal time to encourage more women to consider a STEM career because it’s forecast that 142,000 more such jobs will be created before 2023. That’s according to research by the Social Market Foundation and EDF.
IMAGINE HAVING ACCESS TO ALL THE BEST IT SERVICES.
Gary Jowett, from Computer & Network Consultants in Brighton, said: “There’s no doubt the opportunities are growing for women to build long and successful careers in technology but we all need to play a part because it will help make our skills-base much deeper and stronger. Employers, schools and parents can all help. Getting more women in these job roles will also help change the attitudes of managers and male colleagues. And there should be no barriers to women who choose to have a family because technology now enables people to continue working from home – making it much easier to have a gradual return to fulltime work and keep up-to-date with current projects.”
ISO 9001:2015 & ISO 27001:2013 Certified
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CNC provide the most comprehensive range of IT services in the South East including: – IT Support & Outsourcing
– Hosted Phones & Mobiles
– Internet Connectivity
– Security Services
– Installation & Infrastructure
– Cloud & Hosting
– IT Hardware & Software
– Disaster Recovery
– Cloud e-Mail Archiving
– Apple Support
– Mobile & Remote Access
– Virtualisation
– Off-Site Data Backup
– Office 365 & Azure
We would love to talk to you and offer a Complimentary systems & security check-up with no obligations to use our services.
— 01273 386 333 — sales@cnc-ltd.co.uk — www.cnc-ltd.co.uk
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business support
february/march june/july 2019 business 2019 business edge edge
Practical Compliance Senior Managers and Certification Regime On 9th December 2019, financial services firms regulated solely by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) will become subject to the Senior Managers and Certification Regime (SM&CR) that has been rolled out to larger firms regulated by both the FCA and the PRA over the past three years. This is to continue to rebuild public trust in Financial Services following the financial crisis of 2008 by improving the culture and governance within firms. SM&CR aims to: Encourage staff to take personal responsibility for their actions; Improve conduct at all levels within a firm; and Make sure firms and staff clearly understand and can demonstrate where responsibility lies. SM&CR has three elements: The Senior Managers Regime which focuses on individuals who hold key roles within the firm or have overall responsibilities for whole areas of firms. These are Directors and Senior Managers of the firm who will acquire personal accountability for their area of the
business and the activities of the firm as a whole; The Certification Regime which applies to staff who could pose a risk of significant harm to the firm, or its customers. Certified staff will be assessed annually by the firm for the certificate to be issued for a further year; and The Conduct Rules which are high level requirements that hold individuals to account and apply to all staff apart from ancillary staff. Most firms impacted in December 2019 will be classed as ‘Core Firms’ under the regime and will be required to allocate a set of prescribed responsibilities to Senior Managers. Sole Traders will be classed as ‘Limited Scope Firms’ and will, by definition, not have as much to consider in the run up to implementation of the regime.
How can we help Compliance Matters UK Limited offers cost effective and practical guidance in respect of governance, risk and compliance to firms regulated by the FCA. Contact us on 07768 422 213 or email ian@compliancematters.co.uk to discuss any needs you may have.
Financial Services firms will have a lot to think about to prepare themselves for SM&CR, the first one being to identify their certification staff and how they will evidence that certificates will be issued in accordance of the requirements of the regime.
“The line between disorder and order lies in logistics.”
Sun Tzu
• A reliable, efficient and resilient logistical operation is the life blood of a successful business. Here at RT Page and Sons Ltd we are experts in ensuring that your products are always in the right place at the right time. • Our extensive storage warehouses, dedicated vehicle fleet and highly trained staff means that all your logistical needs can be met in one place.
Call us now on 01903 736300 to speak to one of our specialist advisors and find out how we can support your business and deliver money saving efficiencies. Alternatively email us on info@rtpage.co.uk
RT Page and Sons Ltd – Traditional values with modern delivery.
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business matters
december/january february/march june/july 2019 business edge
Local company, Aspen Pumps wins coveted Queen’s award for the third time! Following a record few years for the company, East Sussex based manufacturer Aspen Pumps Group has been awarded the prestigious Queen’s Award for Enterprise; International Trade, in recognition of its ongoing and notable growth in overseas markets in the last 3 years. This follows Aspen’s two previous Queen’s Award wins, one for International Trade in 2009, followed by Innovation in 2014.
and chemicals, all designed with a focus on meeting the needs of the air conditioning engineer.
The award is a royal seal of approval, positioning Aspen among the most inspiring businesses in the UK and further raising the company’s profile in international markets, as well as strengthening its position as one of the global market leaders in the “HVAC/R” sector. As one of the few organisations recognised nationally, Aspen will celebrate its award at a royal reception in the summer.
A private equity investment from 3i PLC in 2015 enabled Aspen to make key business acquisitions in France, Germany, Australia and the UK, diversifying their product offering and in turn, allowing the company to build strong relationships with distributors worldwide with business premises on four continents. Aspen’s success has been built by the hands-on experience of installation engineers, expert knowledge which has contributed to Aspen’s position as the market leader in condensate removal.
Founded in 1992 by three engineers, Aspen’s story has humble beginnings. The development of a range of air conditioning pumps bridged a gap in the “HVAC/R” market and Aspen Pumps was born. 27 years later and through continued innovation, the successful company, whose head office is in Hailsham, now houses 6 brands, including an impressive range of pumps to suit every application as well as a full range of installation accessories, tools
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Aspen’s continual commitment to innovation, expert knowledge of the HVAC industry and global marketing achievements have seen the business thrive, with many other awards under its belt including a recent BVCA Management Team Award.
said: “Winning a third Queen’s Award is a huge achievement for Aspen Pumps and is testament to the hard work and commitment of everyone in the Group. A relentless focus on innovation and excellent customer relations have been the cornerstone of our success. We have an outstanding team and I am immensely proud that every facet of the business has contributed to winning this award.” Despite its growth, Aspen has stayed true to its roots, continually supporting the local community by seeking out new sponsorship opportunities and making regular charitable donations. As well as supporting local businesses and its employees with fundraising events, this year Aspen has plans for several charitable community events.
Reflecting on the significance of the Queen’s Award, CEO, Adrian Thompson
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february/march june/july december/january 2019 business 2019 2018 business edge business edge edge
SUS SE X
FO F R innovation business matters design Cand all R C 01 H EE 4 4 AM E 42 59 BER NT 25 9 M RY
NEW HOME S
for
In association with
E mo MB re ER de S tai ls
AWARDS
Platinum Event Management is delighted to announce an exciting new awards programme for the construction industry AWARDS CEREMONY OCTOBER 10th 2019 ♦ HILTON BRIGHTON METROPOLE
1
DEVELOPMENT OF THE YEAR (MORE THAN 20 HOMES)
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DEVELOPMENT OF THE YEAR (LESS THAN 20 HOMES)
3
AFFORDABLE NEW HOUSING DEVELOPMENT
4
ENVIRONMENTAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE YEAR
5
RETIREMENT DEVELOPMENT OF THE YEAR
6
ARCHITECT OF THE YEAR
7
REGENERATION PROJECT OF THE YEAR
8
LUXURY HOME OF THE YEAR
9
MARKETING CAMPAIGN OF THE YEAR
10
ESTATE AGENCY OF THE YEAR
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CONVERSION OF THE YEAR
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INTERIOR DESIGN OF THE YEAR
13
LANDSCAPE DESIGN OF THE YEAR
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SMART HOME OF THE YEAR
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DEVELOPER OF THE YEAR
To download entry forms, visit www.sussexnewhomesawards.com • Entry deadline June 26th 2019 Chair of Judges Paul Zara, BSC (HONS) DIP ARCH RIBA FRSA Partner – Conran and Partners South East Chair - RIBA
SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE To find out more, contact Maarten Hoffmann info@platinumpublishing.co.uk
PROUDLY SPONSORED BY
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marketing and events
february/march june/july 2019 business edge
When it comes to marketing we do it all Nicole Piesse Turner of innovative PR agency Chatty Hatter loves helping companies shout about their brand and believes having a multi-talented team by her side is crucial for succeeding in a new age of marketing and media. With over 20 years’ experience working across a wide range of industries—from publishing, retail, fashion and engineering - Nicole decided to go it alone in 2013 by setting up her own boutique marketing company to help small to medium sized businesses grow. With the marketing industry constantly evolving - and with the past 10 years seeing huge changes including the explosion of social media and event hosting to spread brand awareness - Nicole believes the key to her success has been to adapt and grow accordingly. With traditional forms of marketing such as advertising, news articles and radio interviews, still just as relevant in publicising a brand, Chatty Hatter is founded on a quality collective of business-savvy powerhouses with the drive and knowledge to push a company into the spotlight. Nicole’s clients have access to an expert for every aspect of their PR requirements including an event organiser, sales guru, content editor, telemarketer, planner and placement manager for all ad campaigns, a
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social media expert and qualified journalists for editorial. And, crucially, it’s a company that takes great pride in not just working hard but having fun. Chatty Hatter’s results speak for themselves having kept over 90 percent of its client base over the last five and a half years. Nicole said: “I’ve always enjoyed advising clients on the best way to spend their budgets and getting the best return on investment. “The marketing world is constantly shifting and I’m proud to lead a fun high energy group of highly skilled tenacious women. No project is ever too big or small and we always give 110 percent on whatever we work on. We also aim to ensure each and every project for everyone involved is both enjoyable and rewarding from concept right through to delivery.” She also boasts a wide variety of clients, ranging from local businesses through to business-to-business clients based all over the country - which includes forthcoming
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Nicole Piesse Turner charity event the Crazy Jean’s Kart Race in Tunbridge Wells on June 8th. The family fun day, which is being staged by Chatty Hatter for a second year, is hoping to double last year’s figure of £21,000 for charity to raise funds for Hospice In The Weald and Taylor-Made Dreams. For more information on the race - which sees 50 soapbox karts go head to head in Dunorlan Park, please visit www.crazyjeansevents.com/eventbrite.
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marketing and events
february/march june/july 2019 business 2019 business edge edge
Operation MUD is back! Last summer, Chestnut Tree House children’s hospice introduced Operation MUD to its events calendar, and over 175 people took on the muddy 5km course to raise money for children and young people with life-shortening conditions. Now the charity is seeking brave individuals and teams to take on the UK’s muddiest obstacle course again this summer. Back due to popular demand, this year’s Operation MUD will take place on Saturday 13 July at the
award-winning Nuts Challenge course at Henfold Lakes near Dorking. Not one for the faint-hearted, the 5km military-style course has over 60 natural and man-made obstacles, and involves climbing, crawling, scrambling, and a lot of mud! Evie White, Events Fundraiser at Chestnut Tree House said: “we received so much positive feedback after last year’s event, and are delighted in Operation MUD again. Chestnut Tree House
needs to raise £6,850 every day to provide all the specialist care services at the hospice and in families’ own homes, so whether you’re racing against the clock, taking it on as a team-building exercise, or just enjoying getting muddy, you’ll know that you’re doing it to raise money for a worthwhile cause. Fundraising events like Operation MUD are vitally important to us, both in terms of raising funds and awareness.”
For more information visit www.chestnut-tree-house-org.uk/operationmud Chestnut Tree House currently provides care and support to around 300 children with life-shortening conditions and their families across Sussex and South East Hampshire – both at the hospice and in families’ own homes. The cost of providing this vital service is over £3.9 million per year, yet the hospice receives less than 6% central government funding so relies heavily on the generosity and support of the community to continue providing vital care to children and families.
Roffey Park A Unique Business Venue in the Heart of Sussex Set in 40 acres of countryside, Roffey Park is a venue able to manage business events on any scale. From residential conferences to one-to-one business meetings, we are able to accommodate any business need. With on-site bar and restaurant facilities, 60 bedrooms, free parking and leisure facilities, we can help create a business event that will fit your requirements and fulfil your goals. To find out more on how we can help you contact our friendly team:
01293 851644 venue@roffeypark.com www.roffeyparkvenue.com Private events activity is undertaken by Roffey Park Services Limited, a Company Limited by Shares Registered in England No 5025908, a wholly owned subsidiary of Roffey Park Institute Limited
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business matters advertorial
december/january february/march june/july 2019 business edge
ESOS Phase 2 – are you compliant? Time is ticking. The UK Government established ESOS to implement Article 8 (4 to 6) of the EU Energy Efficiency Directive (2012/27/EU). Phil Cottrell
Managing Director of GCL Ltd
The ESOS Regulations 2014 give effect to the scheme that is designed to support energy efficiency measures in the UK’s commercial and industrial sectors. ESOS is a mandatory energy assessment scheme for organisations in the UK that meet the qualification criteria. The Environment Agency is the UK scheme administrator. Organisations must notify the Environment Agency by a set deadline that they have complied with their ESOS obligations. The deadline for the first compliance period, 5 December 2015, has passed and the notification portal has closed. The deadline for the second compliance period (ESOS phase 2) is 5 December 2019. ESOS applies to any UK company that: employs 250 or more people, or has an annual turnover in excess of 50 million euro (£44,845,000), and an annual balance sheet total in excess of 43 million euro (£38,566,700) is an overseas company with a UK registered establishment which has 250 or more UK employees (paying income tax in the UK)
Major savings in energy costs Reduce your carbon footprint Comply with the relevant environmental regulations For landlords, it will attract tenants to your building GCL use smart structured cabling and PoE technology to install integrated energy monitoring systems and energy efficient lighting systems to provide you with a costeffective solution to reducing energy usage, in some cases by up to 80%. LED lighting
If you qualify for ESOS and your organisation is fully covered by ISO 50001, you do not need to carry out an ESOS assessment. You simply need to notify the Environment Agency that you’re compliant with ESOS.
Lighting is one of highest consumers of energy in a commercial building. LED lighting uses significantly less energy than standard or conventional alternatives - it also has a longer lifetime.
Many organisations meeting these criteria will have already completed their first ESOS assessment and now must show how they have improved their usage when they complete their second and subsequent assessments.
The final phase of the EU light lamp ban came into effect on 1 September 2018 banning halogen lamps in all but specialist applications. So now may be the time to take the opportunity to reduce your running and maintenance costs and make the change to LEDs.
If your business is affected by ESOS and must show improvements in your energy usage and management, then GCL Building Technologies can help. There are grants, lowinterest loans and tax-breaks all designed to help you meet these requirements – GCL can provide you with more information or assist you to obtain funding for energy-saving programs and installations. There has been a rapid growth in energy consumption in public sector and commercial buildings over the last few decades. Now your building’s floor space, heating, lighting and IT equipment must meet the new legislation and sustainability requirements. This means you may need to adapt your site to be compliant. These systems are heavy users of energy and are a significant overhead to your business – increasing their efficiency will cut your operating costs and help you meet your environmental obligations.
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Why reduce your building’s energy usage?
Benefits of an LED lighting system:
replace your conventional switches ensuring that lights are turned off automatically in unoccupied spaces– reducing your lighting expenditure. Our cabling experts will install a system that is easy to use. allowing you to manage your lighting requirements from one simple interface. Your bespoke lighting system will: Significantly reduce energy usage Dramatically improve lamp life Provide huge maintenance costs savings Maintain optimum lighting levels Building Energy Management Systems A Building (Energy) Management System (BMS) is a computer-based approach to measuring, monitoring and managing the performance of building services, such as heating, ventilation, air-conditioning, lighting and security. Benefits of BMS: Coordinate the operation of various systems Complete control over your building environment
Quick return on investment
Closely monitor building energy efficiency
Equivalent luminance at a lower cost
Reduce energy consumption
Longer lasting lamps
Controls may be adjusted remotely online (password protected)
Lower energy usage Improved ambience with dimmable, mood lighting with flexible colour rendering No “warm up” time, as with Sodium and Metal Halide lighting Suitable for use with presence controls Occupancy detection and daylight sensing Installing intelligent lighting controls will ensure that you are not using any more energy than you need to. Detection systems that sense movement and natural light can
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Bank Holidays may be pre-programmed Your building’s facilities manager can use these systems to monitor building energy usage. GCL will provide you with a coherent system that can be accessed from PCs, laptops and hand held devices. This will give you quick access to building information in the form of graphs, charts and reports, allowing you to make informed energy saving decisions. Contact us now: London: 020 3906 6070 or Kent: 01892 576 950 or email us at sales@gcl.uk.com for more information.
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inspirational leaders
february/march june/july 2019 business edge
Steering towards a ‘healthy’ bright future One Sussex business going from strength to strength is Custom Pharma Services, so we felt it was time we spoke to CEO Nigel Richardson about the evolution of the business and his time at the helm. Founded almost 40 years ago, Custom Pharma Services developed out of a specialist packaging firm and Nigel has guided the company right from the start. In essence, the business helps researchers scale up and commercialise their pharmaceutical discoveries, so a lot of new business comes from small Biopharma as well as university research departments. From its original factory in Conway Street, Hove, the business soon grew to encompass the neighbouring buildings. In 2002 it took a 43,000 sq. ft. warehouse in Moulsecoomb, Brighton Custom is now building a brand new “state of the art” development and manufacturing facility co-located with its existing premises in Moulsecoomb. “We started in 1979 with a small team of experienced staff, who’d recently been made redundant when another local manufacturing chemist closed down in Brighton. “Now in our 40th year, we employ 190 people and we’re investing £20million in our new 70,000 sq. ft. development and manufacturing facility in Moulsecoomb, Brighton. “A strong entrepreneurial spirit has driven the growth of Custom Pharma Services. We are unusual in being a small independent, family-owned pharmaceutical business – which is rare in this sector.” “Rather than being a subsidiary of a global pharmaceutical business, we are managed locally which is one of our strengths. We are a focused team of highly skilled individuals. We are agile and responsive to market needs. It is this ability to make quick decisions that gives us our competitive edge.” “Encouraging your team and giving them the chance to grow is crucial to fostering staff engagement and enabling your business to grow.” “Effective communication is key so your entire team understands the business objectives and you are all working towards the same goal.” “Training and developing our team is really important to us and that’s why we worked hard to achieve our Investors in People Silver accreditation. We are invested in apprenticeships too, so our
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most experienced staff are passing on their expertise to the next generation. “Over the years we’ve faced a number of challenges. We spent much time, effort and investment in building a factory in China, but after four years we decided that managing a manufacturing facility from so far away wouldn’t work for us. “It was at this point that I really came to value the capability and flexibility of our people in the UK. We decided to keep things local and refocused our investment plans on the East Sussex area.” “In business, it’s important to have a vision for the future and clear plans to put that vision into action. By building our new manufacturing facility and training the next generation we are showing faith in that vision. “We are constantly looking for new opportunities, like diversifying by moving into markets in North America and outside of Europe. Whilst our new manufacturing facility will allow us to harness the demand for personalised and targeted pharmaceuticals.
in a viable manufacturing base in the UK and think more long term.
“I’d like to see manufacturing industries in the UK given more government support, just as they are in many other European countries and around the world. Many household names have floundered here, yet overseas companies have flourished.
“Our new manufacturing facility is entirely self-funded with no support or grants from elsewhere. Yet a lot of overseas companies seem to have benefited from government grants that are unavailable to local businesses.
“The government licenses companies abroad to import pharmaceuticals into the UK but doesn’t think of the impact this has on local manufacturers. “Over the last 25 years a lot of cheap generic imports have been brought into the country – but the quality of these can be very variable. Some factories have subsequently lost their licences because their products were less good than was expected of them. “A lot more could be done by the government to support manufacturing in the UK, I’d like to see taxes increased so more money can be invested in our major services. “As the fifth largest economy in the world, we should be able to do things ourselves and not depend on other countries to provide our essential services. “We could control the budgeted cost of drugs for the NHS, for example, by investing
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Nigel Richardson
“You would hope there would be more encouragement for local businesses to remain in the area but we’ve been disappointed at the lack of support, this simply wouldn’t happen in many other countries. “The financial sector is also too focused on short term gain; I’d like to see them investing in long term projects that employ more people even if they provide a lower, slower return. “It hasn’t always been plain sailing, over the decades we’ve experienced ups and downs, including years in which we’ve made a loss having faced a lot of competition in the market place. “Perhaps our greatest achievement is still being in business after 40 years and now we are setting course for the future - a future firmly rooted in East Sussex.” www.custompharma.co.uk
tel: 01444 259 259
inspirational business matters leaders
february/march june/july december/january 2019 business 2019 2018 business edge business edge edge
Steering a sound revolution Take a step back in time, the swinging sixties are in progress and in a shop in Worthing, something extraordinary is happening - this is where our story begins. Can you feel the beat of the music? But first, consider: have you had a sliding doors moment? Despite the plans we carefully construct, sometimes a chance encounter proves life-changing and that’s just what happened to John Bowers. Who knew that a passion for tinkering with loudspeakers in the back room of a Worthing electronics shop would lead to the formation of a company synonymous with excellence. All of which was made possible by an unexpected inheritance of £10,000 left by a satisfied customer, with the express condition that John set up his own loudspeaker company. It was a gift which allowed John to pursue his passion for designing the perfect loudspeaker - the rest, as they say, is history. Founded in 1966, the business has been at the forefront of audio industry innovations ever since. “Our focus has always been, first and foremost, on the audio performance of the speakers,” explains Geoff Edwards, Executive Vice President - Operations, “then we make them as attractive as we can without compromising performance.” It’s an approach that has garnered them high praise, for Bowers & Wilkins has built up an impressive array of clients.
industry. Their expert team work closely with high performance premium automotive manufacturers including BMW, Volvo, McLaren and Maserati to deliver first class sound systems for motorists. Cars may not be synonymous with highquality audio equipment but the Bowers & Wilkins team take a different approach. Instead of simply filling a space or assuming one design fits all, they design sound equipment that is eminently suitable for each specific make and model of car – resulting in excellent sound quality. “We’ve also been collaborating with Phillips over the last year,” explains Geoff, “working with their engineers to improve the audio capabilities of their high end TVs, so the next generation has clarity of sound as well as image.” Another string to their bow is their recently launched Formation Suite, a multi-room music system which draws on the wireless technology expertise of their new owners Silicon Valley start-up Eva Automation. Bowers & Wilkins’ may put function before form, but the design of this new range is exquisite, as well as delivering excellent sound quality.
One studio synonymous with the UK music industry is Abbey Road, from Elgar to the Beatles, the roll call of musical greats who’ve recorded there reads like no other. Bowers & Wilkins has built up a close working relationship with Abbey Road, who use their speakers throughout the studios.
From their very early days, Bowers & Wilkins was global in outlook, selling outside the UK as well as within, so this international partnership is a good fit. Two companies have come together, both of whom are interested in investing in quality and bringing about audio innovations. It is a marriage that makes sense.
Another sphere in which Bowers & Wilkins has made their mark is in the automotive
Today, Bowers & Wilkins remain firmly rooted in Sussex – with an R&D
Department about to move into new, specifically tailored facilities in Southwater, near Horsham, plus their training centre, HQ and their purpose built premium factory manufacturing site in Worthing All in all, their talented team encompasses around 1,000 people and the company is committed to supporting their development having achieved the Investors in People Silver award. Working to inspire the next generation, they organise work experience and visits for local schools, graduate internships and run apprenticeship schemes in many areas of the business. “It’s the team that makes the business a success,” Geoff observes, “the people we’ve invested in always pay that investment back significantly, with their passion for the products emanating through the business.” The Bowers & Wilkins team are a timely reminder that in many languages, the word ‘engineering’ derives from the word ‘ingenious’ rather than the word ‘engine’. The discipline of engineering is about finding solutions and bringing about innovations –this is what Bowers & Wilkins have always done and continue to do today. Leading the way in the audio industry for over 50 years now, Bowers & Wilkins’ award-winning wireless speakers, headphones, hi-fi systems and home theatre speakers are set to remain ahead of the field for many years to come. Conducting a sound revolution from their base in Sussex across the globe. www.bowerswilkins.com
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chamber business awards
february/march june/july 2019 business edge
Chamber Business Awards 2019 – Open for Entry until midnight 28th June Recognising and rewarding excellence in British business, the Chamber Business Awards is one of the UK’s most contested and prestigious business awards programmes. Each year, from Aberdeen to Cornwall, organisations of all sizes and from all sectors compete for the coveted titles and national recognition they bring. We are delighted to announce that not only will this year’s Business of the Year winner get to open the London Stock Exchange when we launch next year’s programme in March 2020, they will also receive a unique staff development experience from Facebook and get the opportunity to work with Rada Business and join a one day communication skills and impact course. Award categories Small Business of the Year Export Business of the Year Best Use of Technology Employer of the Year Workplace Wellbeing Award Customer Commitment Award High Growth Business of the Year Family Business of the Year E-Commerce Business of the Year Give your business a winning chance: Easy, online entry process Full category information to support your entry Winning case studies Insider tips and tricks on making your case The entry process couldn’t be simpler, with full category details and submissions made online at www.chamberawards.co.uk Follow us on @chamber_awards #ChamberAwards This year, only fully paid members of Accredited Chambers of Commerce can enter 8 of the 9 categories for the 2019 Chamber Business Awards programme. However, the E-Commerce Business of the Year award is open to non-members, should a non-member win the national award for this category, they will not be eligible to win Business of the Year. Give your business a winning chance and enter the national Chamber Awards. Scientifica Ltd won the Export Business of the Year award and Business of the year in 2016 Scientifica Ltd, a designer, manufacturer and distributor of scientific instruments based in Sussex and a Member of Sussex Chamber of
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Commerce won Export Business of the Year and Business of the Year in 2016. What did the judges say about their winning entry? It’s an absolute pleasure to recognise the incredible achievement and growth that businesses see through trading internationally. This award showcases exemplary British businesses that are innovative and ambitious, competing on a global scale. The companies export figures are impressive. They export to 44 countries around the world, 75% of their sales were exports in 2015 and they have grown these sales four fold in the last five years. Judges were impressed with their product range. They developed their own micromanipulator, the Patchstar in 2002 which is now a market leader, and launched their Slicescope Microscope in 2012 that is now challenging big names in the industry as the preferred option for electrophysiologists. Why did they enter and what has it done for their business: Scientifica entered the competition thinking that they might win the local Export Business of the Year for the South. To win the National Export Business of the Year and then, the overall Business of the Year prize was a delightful shock to them.
of sales orders by the end of 2016. The award has, however, shown their workforce the strength of Scientifica as an exporter, manufacturer, brand and provider of innovative solutions. This will help Scientifica to continue from strength to strength. Why would you recommend businesses enter? What have you got to lose? If you enter and don’t win you may feel slightly disappointed, but ultimately it won’t impact your business negatively. The true benefits of winning are also unknown, but it doesn’t take long to enter, and they may be extremely worthwhile for your business. As a business owner or director, consider how you will feel if you do win. The confidence and morale boost this will give to your team has untold consequences. Additionally, the trust it can inspire in your customers may be highly valuable. “Scientifica were extremely honoured to receive both the Export Company of the Year, and the Business of the Year awards. There are many award schemes out there, but the British Chambers of Commerce award has rigour and credibility behind it. More than 80% of our business is export and being recognised at a UK national level gives further credibility and confidence in Scientifica when talking to our customers.” Keith Watson, Managing Director, Scientifica
They hoped that winning the prize would demonstrate to customers outside of the UK their commitment to exports and supporting their international presence. They also believed that showing their growth in overseas markets would help to bolster the confidence of domestic customers leading to further market penetration within the UK. It is unlikely to be directly due to the award, but Scientifica received a record number
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february/march june/july december/january 2019 business 2019 2018 business edge business edge edge
chamber members’ business matters survey
Help shape the future direction of Sussex Chamber The Sussex Chamber network is undertaking its largest ever consultation and needs your participation to ensure we better serve our vibrant community of members with the best possible resources, events and support in the years ahead. The network sits at the heart of the Sussex business community, helping businesses of every size and sector compete locally, nationally and internationally. However, this also challenges us to ensure that we are serving a variety of organisations equally well. Every member’s voice is important, and we would like to hear your views on how we can make a difference and build a better picture of your needs.
Join the conversation and shape the future direction of Sussex Chamber. Please complete our short survey to help influence our priorities and improve our member benefits and services. The survey is anonymous, but should you leave your details we will enter you into a draw to win £100 worth of vouchers. All members past and present will receive an invitation, but please call 01444 259 259 if you need access. Details are also on our website and social media.
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It’s your membership, let’s make it about you – take part in the survey now! AS A CHAMBER MEMBER YOU’RE WELL CONNECTED
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Having a big audience is one thing, knowing how to engage them is another.
e: info@be-everywhere.co.uk t: 0191 5805 990 www.be-everywhere.co.uk
advertorial
february/march june/july 2019 business 2019 business edge edge
Intqual-pro amongst the first to deliver new mental health qualification Approximately 1 in 4 adults will experience a mental health problem each year in the UK, and 1 in 6 report experiencing a common mental health problem in any given week.
Although the volume of those who suffer with mental health problems has not changed significantly in recent years, coping mechanisms including self-harm and suicidal thoughts are drastically increasing. In a bid to help counter the issue, Intqualpro have become an approved provider of the new ProQual Mental Health First Aid qualification. The specialist training provider has led the way with regulated qualifications in a range of safeguarding, cyber safety and radicalisation related subjects, and as such, has seen the clear link between mental health conditions and safeguarding vulnerabilities. Intqual-pro explains that mental health conditions are very often an indicator of other safeguarding concerns, or at times an enabler for abuse and exploitation. They further add that an ability to identify signs and symptoms of mental health and offer appropriate support, is a critical factor in reducing the risks to an individual. In the latest report of the National Confidential Inquiry into Suicide and
Homicide with People with Mental Illness, published in 2015, it was found that between 2003-2013, 28 per cent (13,972) of general population suicides were identified as patient suicides – i.e. the person concerned had been in contact with mental health services in the 12 months prior. These figures and other reports clearly show that more needs to be done to safeguard those with mental health problems. This new qualification has been developed to provide regulated training and to offer organisations the assurance that they are both capable and confident to engage with those that need mental health support. Barry Searle, Director of Training at Intqualpro, comments: “At Intqual-pro we have been involved with adult safeguarding and associated topics such as online bullying and radicalisation for a number of years and in almost all of the cases that we are exposed to there is an element of mental health and missed opportunities for support and intervention.
The average mental health condition goes without treatment for 10 years, which again highlights the growing need for networks of qualified mental health first aid practitioners across our places of work, to provide early support and guidance to those that require it. We are proud to be amongst the first organisations in the UK that are approved to deliver the new ProQual qualification.” In 2015, Intqual-pro became heavily involved in safeguarding and has since become the UK’s leading provider of the Level 2 Award in Understanding PREVENT and Safeguarding Strategies. As an industry leader in the design, development and delivery of intelligence, cyber and security associated qualifications, the company continues to work with a range of high-profile organisations. You can contact Intqual-pro on 01234 381158 or enquiries@intqual-pro.com.
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business matters
february/march june/july 2019 business edge
Part 3 of 4
What does construction look like? Many people, when thinking of construction, might imagine bricks and concrete and builders with ill-fitting trousers. But you may be surprised at what else the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations apply to. Work covered by the Regulations includes: alteration, conversion, fitting out, commissioning, renovation, repair, upkeep, and maintenance. And all this applies to civil engineering and engineering construction as well as building. That’s quite a varied range of projects, some of which you may not necessarily associate with the word ‘construction’. But, even so, the Regulations still apply, along with all other health and safety law of course. Which is why it’s important to make sure you have the right advice to hand, and the right people around to help you. Attis provide a service that is unparalleled in terms of depth and quality when it comes to engineering safety and the vital role of the principal designer. With a unique skillset to help ensure your project is safe, compliant and delivered on time.
Working on your tan?
Did you know? In health and safety legislation there are very few numbers. The law, and the associated guidance, seldom state how many of something you need, or how long or wide or tall something should be. Instead, there are lots of words like ‘suitable’, ‘sufficient’, ‘reasonable’ and ‘practicable’. But how do you translate those terms into the real world? Health and safety law is, generally, risk-based. So what is adequate for one type of business may not be so
for another. As only a court of law can decide how applicable these terms are to any particular incident it’s important to understand your current position so that you know if what you already have in place is ‘reasonable’. A risk register is a good place to start, and this will help you understand how various risks interact too. Risk registers are an important part of standards like ISO 9001 and they can help enormously in identifying business risks and setting your priorities to mitigate them.
As we begin to enter what many might hope will be a long, hot summer, there may be plenty of office-bound workers wishing they had an outdoor job so they could soak up some of those golden rays. Sunshine can make people feel good, as well as helping to improve their levels of vitamin D. But the ultraviolet (UV) light in sunshine can have very detrimental effects too. It is estimated that 5.5 million people have been exposed to UV during their work. And although both types of skin melanoma are treatable—if caught early enough—prevention is always better than cure! So, it’s important to remember the following points if you or your staff have to work outdoors. • Take note of weather forecasts—they will give a daily UV index between 1 (low) and 11 (extreme). • Try to avoid exposure to sunlight between 10am and 2pm—60% of UV occurs between these times.
Get all the help you need with Attis
• Keep covered even when it’s cloudy—up to 80% of UV still gets through the clouds.
Whether you are moving premises, buying new plant, launching a new product, constructing or developing buildings, facing an engineering problem or just need practical advice on safety, risk or welfare — Attis have the expertise to help today.
• Wear a high factor sun cream on all exposed skin and reapply as necessary. • Take breaks in the shade. • Keep well hydrated.
Design and validation | Construction (CDM) | Health, safety and welfare Operational processes and maintenance schedules | Assessments of risk
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A golden tan may look and feel great, but is it worth the price?
enquiries@attis.org.uk tel: 01444 259 259
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construction
february/march june/july 2019 business 2019 business edge edge
Does your business prioritise electrical safety? With the everyday demands of running a business, it’s sometimes easy to forget that electrical safety plays a large part within the health and safety responsibilities of an employer. If a company fails to ensure regular electrical safety tests such as PAT Testing and EICR’s then insurances can be invalidated. A more serious consideration is the safety of employees. Fires can be caused by electrical failings, the recent unfortunate event at Notre Dame highlights this. If an employer is negligent there can be serious repercussions for those responsible for health and safety.
P D P
S E R V I C E S
PAT Testing (portable appliance testing) should be carried out, on average, every two years. To be compliant with current regulations a register should be kept of all items that require PAT testing. All items should have a sticker if they have passed. Failed items should be removed from service. PAT Testing should be carried out by a qualified PAT tester. Ben Westwick, PDP Services PAT Testing Manager, comments ‘PAT testing is crucial for every company. At almost every business I visit I will find at least one item that is unsafe, some items that are even on the brink of causing a fire’. An Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) on commercial and industrial premises must be carried out by a fully qualified commercial electrician, such as an NICEIC Approved Contractor. EICR’s
the building. During an EICR inspection the engineer will test wiring accessories (connections, sockets, wiring), conduct visual inspections, inspect the fuse board, check RCD trip times, ensure components are BS compliant as well as carry out other checks to assess the condition of the electrics.
A R E
PDP Services has been supplying commercial services in and around midSussex for nearly 20 years. The team of fully qualified engineers carry out PAT Testing, electrical safety checks, gas safety checks and water services (legionella testing, water sterilisation). PDP install and maintain equipment in many types of buildings, including large scale catering units, schools & universities, offices, banks, hospitals, factories & warehouses.
must be carried out at least every 3 years for an industrial premises, every 5 years for a commercial premises or at every change of tenancy within a rented building. There may be instances when an EICR is required more frequently depending on the use of
PDP are offering all members of the Sussex Chamber of Commerce a FREE electrical safety consultation. For more information call 01444 480444 or email Tom Robinson, PDP Services Electrical Manager, tom.r@pdp.services. If you would like advice on PAT Testing call Ben Westwick on 01444 480444 or email ben@pdp.services.
ELECTRICAL SERVICES FOR YOUR BUSINESS
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PAT Testing (Portable Appliance Testing) EICRs (Electrical Installation Condition Report) Safety electrical inspections New sockets & switches Rewiring Lighting Security lighting Data points Solar power Power Factor Correction 552080
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01444 480444 info@pdp.services www.pdp.services
PDP SERVICES LTD | 3 SOVEREIGN BUSINESS PARK, ALBERT DRIVE, BURGESS HILL, RH15 9TY | REGISTERED IN ENGLAND. COMPANY NO. 05000105
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business matters
february/march june/july 2019 business edge
Is it time to review your office supplies provider? Employers are constantly looking for ways to run more efficiently and minimise overheads and running costs – so have you looked at your office supplies budget recently? Mia Middleditch Marketing Assistant Quills Group
Reliable office supplies providers should be helping you save money and finding solutions tailored to your needs. In this article, we’re going to explain a few small changes you can make that have the potential to save you a significant amount of money. If you are looking to optimise your office and ensure it’s running as cost-efficiently as possible then read on… Here at Quills we have set out 10 things to consider when it’s time to save money and review your office supplies provider.
1. Consolidating the products the business orders Firstly: does your office supplies provider offer you the option to consolidate all of your orders? Or are you paying for delivery of ten different products from 10 different vendors?
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If it’s the latter, you might want a change. Not only is this inefficient for your business’s carbon footprint, but the cost of all these deliveries can quickly add up (plus the time your employees will spend unpacking and putting away the products.) Your office supplies provider should suggest weekly or monthly ordering. On top of this, you can also consolidate orders so that you receive them together in one delivery.
2. Invoicing While not something that immediately springs to mind for many businesses, your invoices may be costing more than you think. The cost to process an invoice is typically £15; simply implementing monthly invoicing will save your business time and money. These savings are known as ‘soft costs’. Using an office supplier that will consolidate your purchases and invoice you monthly will save your business money.
3. Own brand or branded supplies Although having branded office supplies can sometimes seem like a necessity, is that really always the case? Non-branded products do the job at a fraction of the cost.
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Your office could potentially be spending a lot of extra money on supplies simply because they have a brand name.
4. Branded promotional products Adding your company logo to promotional gifts like pens, USBs, umbrellas or drinks flasks is a great way to showcase your company brand. But are you paying over the odds with a provider that you have no relationship with? Certain suppliers may not guide you through the process – leaving you open to possible pitfalls.
5. Making your online ordering system work for you In the age of technology, most purchasing is done online – but are you getting the most out of your online ordering system? While this article can’t tell you what advantages your online ordering system has, it is worth contacting your office supplies provider and enquiring about the ways in which their system can benefit you. The Quills online ordering system can offer a range of additional services that can help you to shop and save efficiently:
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business matters
february/march june/july 2019 business 2019 business edge edge
A pre-agreed ‘contract list’ will be online showing your employees which products your business uses the most and these items have special contract pricing applied to them ‘Fast Order’ should do just that and allows employees the ability to easily purchase the products they buy the most simply by adding the quantity next to the item code and it will then drop into the shopping cart Authorise – There is the option to set up ‘authorisers’ who can accept, amend or decline an order placed by a ‘user’; again, this is a service that allows you to monitor all of your outgoing costs and, more importantly, control them Cost Centre - Orders can be raised against individual cost centres; this enables you to track how much each branch/department is spending and on what. When running an office with multiple departments, being able to track the expenditure of each department is incredibly useful for identifying potential problems and where budgeting needs to be more strictly applied Monthly Reporting - detailed monthly management reports can be provided, which will highlight what each location and cost centre has spent on a monthly and year-to-date basis. This negates the need for your management accounts department to calculate and re-charge costs which saves the business time and money
6. Print In addition to the above, printing is a common office cost. Most businesses will require some form of printing, whether this is reports, brochures, business cards or promotional flyers. Therefore, it’s essential to ensure that you’re managing your print costs properly. It’s often surprising to find out how much money your business could be saving on print; often, this is not something businesses can accurately tackle in-house. Due to this, it may be worth getting a free quote from Quills Group.
7. Managed Print Services (MPS) While a lot of offices are moving to a more paper-less environment, the typical workplace still uses print. Quills Managed Print Services (MPS) have the ability to significantly lower your office’s running costs by optimising your usage of printing systems. Managed print systems offer functionalities such as: Forcing duplex (double-sided) printing to reduce paper wastage and therefore paper costs Restricting use of colour printing; businesses have the option to restrict colour printing from specific document types such as emails and accounting Follow me print solutions that increase productivity, promote security and
reduce waste. A pin number has to be added to retrieve your print job at your nearest printer and your job will be retrieved and printed when you’re ready Tracking and reporting that allows you to monitor your business’s printing habits and identify any necessary changes Free software can be installed to monitor ink levels. At a certain level a notification email will be sent to your stationery supplier to confirm that a toner / ink cartridge is running low and needs ordering. This also means there’s no need to store multiple toners in-house because your system will notify you when the time is right to order.
8. Can your office supplier stock larger items on your behalf? Office space comes at a premium, so it might be worth considering relocating items you buy in bulk with your office supplies provider. This not only frees up your office space, but it’s also more cost-efficient as storage space is far cheaper than office space.
9. Waste Management
Waste Electrical & Electronic Equipment (WEEE)
10. Can your office supplies provider provide archiving services? Whilst being environmentally friendly is an important goal for businesses to work towards and technology is largely available to help minimise paper wastage, paper in the workplace is by no means obsolete. As a business, you probably have more important things to prioritise than your documentation – especially when it’s relating to organising storage in the office. The importance of archiving and documentation is not just short term, however; you can save money in the long term (legal fees and fines, for example) by keeping your documents GDPR safe and accessible in the event that you need to use them as evidence in audits etc. Archiving solutions can include: Workflow, EDRM, digitisation and scan back Storage of files and boxes
A likely overlooked aspect of running an office is what to do about waste. Managing your waste ethically and safely is essential for your business. Correct waste removal not only ensures that data is securely disposed of, but also helps towards your environmental policy.
Storing of wills, deeds and original documents
Commercial Waste Management and Recycling services can include
Special projects including inventory, purging, back scanning, filing audits, filing relocations and rationalisation
Confidential Shredding and Secure Data Destruction Medical and Clinical Waste Management Offensive Hygiene Waste Removal
Storage of digital media Consultancy including best practices, Record Management policies and retention policies
The team here at Quills will be happy to help you gain these efficiencies. Further information can be found at www.quillsuk.co.uk
Hazardous Waste Removal
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businessfocus finance matters
december/january february/march june/july 2019 business edge
Will you be a winner in the war on plastic? The opening salvo was fired long before the Blue Planet II documentary, but just over a year ago, plastic became public enemy number one, even though it remains so pervasive in our lives. Plastic has been responsible for a huge number of advances over the years, but now it faces a dilemma. When is a plastic a “bad plastic”? It would appear as though plastics can be separated into good and bad plastics based on the amount of use that you can get from them. Single Use plastics = Bad, Multi-use/recyclable plastics = Good That therefore causes a significant challenge for the food and drink packaging industry which is probably at the centre of single use plastic, together with the food and drink retail industry.
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been some R&D performed in improving the manufacturing process. However, it is not just a problem for the food and drink industry, there is also a significant problem with the recycling industry as different councils responsible for the coordination of local recycling schemes have very different contracts with the various providers, such that moving from one council to another could see completely different things being able to be recycled. This was one point picked up on by Michael Gove who said HM Government were planning on bringing through some legislation for universal recycling across the country.
Just rooting around in my bin and recycling, it’s clear to see from the layman’s perspective why the industry is facing such a massive problem. Over half of the plastic that my family use on a weekly basis is either; “Not currently recycled”; or “check local recycling”. The same applies when you go to a fast food restaurant, in their efforts to recycle, they are clearly trying to recycle cups, cup lids and straws, but most of the cardboard food packaging is going to waste.
What’s the solution for the food and drink packaging industry?
There have been some significant changes over recent weeks and the appearance of Michael Gove on the One Show in April certainly highlighted the progress that was being made. A well-known fast food chain had contracted with a paper straw manufacturer in South Wales to help them remove all plastic straws from their outlets this year. There had been some fairly rigorous testing of the straws to ensure that they didn’t disintegrate, so there may well have
I suppose it’s possible that more things may end up in aluminium or cardboard packaging, but is it practical? One of the main benefits with plastic is its weight and strength. So would more cardboard and more aluminium push up food prices.
Well, I don’t suppose it will be too long before consumers are expecting that all of the plastic being used in packaging is either recyclable or made from recycled plastic or even better recyclable and made from recycled plastic but is that going to be possible if most plastics can only be recycled a small number of times before they are downcycled into lower value products.
This is where we go full circle back to who the winners might be, it maybe those companies that are looking for innovations in plastics. Investigating whether it Is possible to improve
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the recyclability of plastics such that they can be recycled more times before downcycling, can you protect the plastic before use to prevent the absorption of the materials into the plastic that reduces it’s potential to be recycled. If you are thinking about innovating in plastics you might want to keep an eye on Innovate UK, the Government’s Innovation Strategy supporter if you are looking for some funding for a new project, but if you have already started one, then Research and Development Tax Relief will allow you to recoup roughly 25% of the costs back as a tax saving. What’s most important from the perspective of R&D Tax Relief is that you have to be trying to achieve something that is technically or scientifically challenging, you ultimately don’t have to succeed. So, as we have already highlighted anything that enhances the potential to recycle plastic more will certainly be meeting this brief. There’s nothing stopping you from obtaining a grant and then claiming Research and Development Tax Relief, you just won’t get the best tax relief if you’re an SME, you’ll just get back around 10% of your eligible costs. If you think you might have a claim for R&D Tax Relief, or if you are thinking of applying for a grant from Innovate or Horizon 2020 (the EU funding body for collaborative R&D) then why not give us a call and we’ll see if we can help you. Call Simon on 01424 225345 to start giving you the extra ammunition to win the war.
tel: 01444 259 259
february/march june/july 2019 business 2019 business edge edge
finance focus
Will you have more Capital Gains Tax to pay after 5 April 2020? In the 2018 Budget the government announced a change to both Private Residence Relief (PRR) and Lettings Relief which could have a significant impact on property owners’ Capital Gains Tax (CGT) position, with the amount of tax they have to pay potentially increasing from April 2020. Avtar Bansel BSc ACA Director, Honey Barrett Chartered Accountants
PRR is available to home owners who, at some point during ownership, occupied their property as their main residence (also known as their principal private residence). PRR reduces any capital gain on sale of the property by the proportion of time that the property was occupied as a main residence by the owner. Further to PRR, there is an additional relief called Lettings Relief which is available to individuals who qualify for PRR and have let out their old main residence.
Current rulings (up to 5 April 2020) PRR – PRR reduces any capital gain on sale of the property by the proportion of time that the property was occupied as a main residence by the owner. There is also an additional final period exemption from CGT of 18 months. Lettings Relief – this provides up to £40,000 of relief (£80,000 for a couple) for those who let out a property that is, or has been in the past, their main residence.
Changes to rulings (from 6 April 2020) PRR – the final period exemption will reduce from 18 months to 9 months. Lettings Relief – the relief will only be available to those who are in shared occupancy with a tenant.
Impact The example below illustrates the tax implications: An individual owned a residential property for 7 years. For 4 years it was their main residence. After 4 years they moved into a matrimonial home and let their old main residence out for 3 years prior to selling it. After 7 years the property had gained in value by £115,000. For a basic rate tax payer, the Capital Gains Tax due would be £4,500 or more under the new rulings. For a higher rate tax payer, the Capital Gains Tax due would be £7,000 or more under the new rulings. If you have been considering selling your previous main residence you should seek advice immediately to check the tax implications of delaying until after 5 April 2020 as these could be significant. For further information contact us on 01892 784321 or visit www.honeybarrett.co.uk
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business matters entrepreneurship
december/january february/march june/july 2019 business edge
First-Class Creative and Digital Communications I’d cut my teeth in a couple of software/design agencies before founding my own business in early 2004, with the specific intention of supporting larger London-based agencies with specialist digital design and development skills. David Kimmer Managing Director LEAP Chichester
I worked alone until mid-2009 when a friend of mine, who had been feeding me regular work from a number of agencies he’d been working in throughout the previous 10 year period, decided he’d had enough of the daily London commute and agreed to join what was by then, a well established small business. A chance, yet fortuitous, meeting with one of his former colleagues in a West Sussex country pub garden 3 years later, led to us becoming
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a trio and broadening our service offering to cover both creative (offline) and digital (online) communications. As we deepened our client relationships, we also managed to successfully negotiate a number of high-value contracts that facilitated our growth. Over the next 4 years we grew to an agency of 30 fulltime staff over 3 offices (West Sussex, Thames Valley and London), working with some premium brands but remaining a predominantly channel-only business; and very much a white-labelled service. During 2015 we were working closely with Loveurope, the UK’s leading independent creative services agency, and occupied the top floor of their head office in the Barbican. In the spring of
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2016 we completed the successful sale of GroupBrand (as we were then known) to become part of Loveurope and Partners (LEAP), representing their creative and digital offering under the name LEAP Chichester, based from new and larger offices in the heart of Chichester. Moving into 2019 and we have recently launched our new website (leapchichester. com) to showcase our first-class creative and digital work with a focus on establishing more regional, client-direct relationships as a result of our combined knowledge, skills and ideas. So if you are passing, we’d love you to pop in for a cuppa and see what we do. leapchichester.com
tel: 01444 259 259
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february/march june/july 2019 business 2019 business edge edge
A E 25 MB EN 92 ER T 59 M R fo EM Y rm B or ER e de S ta ils In association with 44
THE BUSINESS EVENT OF THE YEAR FOR SUSSEX Celebrating 31 years in 2019, the Sussex Business Awards are the most sought-after accolade by organisations of all sizes across the region.
CATEGORIES COMPANY OF THE YEAR INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS OF THE YEAR
With 15 coveted trophies up for grabs, the Awards create a fantastic opportunity for many different types of businesses to come together and celebrate the success of the county’s business talent and achievement.
LARGE BUSINESS OF THE YEAR
Winners will be announced at The Grand Brighton on Thursday December 5th.
CSR EXCELLENCE
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SME BUSINESS OF THE YEAR START-UP OF THE YEAR BUSINESS INNOVATION OF THE YEAR CREATIVE INDUSTRIES
To find out more, contact Maarten Hoffmann email info@platinumpublishing.co.uk
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES EMPLOYER OF THE YEAR BUSINESSPERSON OF THE YEAR TOURIST ATTRACTION OF THE YEAR NOT-FOR-PROFIT BUSINESS OF THE YEAR MARKETING CAMPAIGN OF THE YEAR BEST CUSTOMER SERVICE
PROUDLY SPONSORED BY
To view categories visit www.sbawards.org.uk
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business matters improving business performance
december/january february/march june/july 2019 business edge
8 effective management skills It’s an old adage but a good one: people don’t leave organisations they leave managers. Strong people skills are the mark of a good manager and are crucial to achieving results. Janice McBrown
Head of Marketing and Business Development, Roffey Park
Whilst there are many management courses available (including our own) that will hone your skills, each of us tackles people management in our own way. Here, Roffey Park offers eight tips for developing your management skills.
1. Know yourself Effective managers know themselves and can speak about their strengths and weaknesses without embarrassment or defensiveness. Managers rarely feel safe admitting vulnerability, but being selfaware and transparent will mean people connect with you better.
2. Keep perspective It’s easy to focus on managing a task and ignore concerns raised by your team, particularly when juggling tight deadlines, but look at things from their perspective and consider how you’d feel in their shoes. Looking at problems from different perspectives enables you to understand their root cause and work with colleagues to find a solution.
3. Trust A lack of trust between colleagues typically results in unnecessary monitoring, duplication and bureaucracy, a lack of staff engagement and a high staff turnover. Where trust exists, employees go the extra mile. Trusting relationships encourage people to focus on their work, to take risks and try different ways of doing things.
4. Resilience Resilience is an important skill. Managerial visibility brings with it criticism, so the ability to pick yourself up and motivate yourself is key. Our research shows that our ability to be resilient varies over time and circumstance, and can change through our own efforts. Effective managers recover from knocks because they know that whilst they cannot change other people or external circumstances, they can always change their own response to a situation.
5. Influence Today’s working environment depends very much on relationships and influencing skills – both working with and through other people. Influencing can range from a
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request “I need you to do this” to sharing a vision of what you want to achieve, asking questions and identifying common ground.
in “being right” but looking at the wider context of what the organisation’s trying to achieve.
6. Authenticity
Programmes to improve your management skills:
Effective management skills mean aligning who you are with what you do. Authentic managers are consistent in their beliefs and demonstrate those beliefs in action, thereby building a reputation for keeping their promises and being trustworthy.
7. Followership
Essential Management Skills is a twoday management training programme providing an overview of people management tools and techniques as well as providing the opportunity to practice new techniques in a supportive environment.
When do we lead, manage or follow? Today’s complex workplace requires agility and success is sometimes about great followership as well as leadership and management. How do you balance being a manager and a follower? It’s about empowering your employees and supporting them in taking ownership and responsibility. They may make different choices to you, but they’ll get the job done and you’ll both have learned something in the process.
Personal Effectiveness and Power: Influencing People at Work is a fourday experiential programme which develops personal effectiveness skills and techniques that strengthen workplace relationships.
8. Politics
Find out more at: www.roffeypark.com
Office politics often conjures up negative connotations around competing agendas, which can be stressful. Roffey Park’s definition of constructive politics is “Aligning your agenda with the agenda of others, for the good of the organisation”. Organisations need different perspectives in order to achieve goals and that’s all politics really is. Effective management skills are not about getting caught up
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Practical Facilitation Skills is a two-day facilitation skills training course that provides a thorough grounding in how a successful facilitator works with a group, and explores techniques and frameworks needed for effective facilitation.
Roffey Park Institute is an international leadership college with a presence in the UK, Europe and Asia Pacific. We develop and facilitate action-based, real-life learning, qualifications and research tailored to the specific needs of our clients and their people. Our purpose is to develop your people so that they develop your organisation for the benefit of all.
tel: 01444 259 259
february/march june/july 2019 business 2019 business edge edge
family business in business matters
DEVELOPING MANAGERS, LEADERS AND ORGANISATIONS We are an international leadership institute with a presence in the UK, Europe and Asia Pacific. Roffey Park Institute facilitates action-based, real-life learning, qualifications and research, tailored to the explicit change and challenge needs of our clients and their people. We provide high impact training and development programmes, organisational development, qualifications and research customised to the needs of our clients. Our areas of focus are leadership development, management development, organisational development and HR development. Roffey Park Institute’s mission is to enhance the welfare of all people at work, to focus on how people think, act and change – together. As a result, we develop your people so that they develop your organisation, sustainability and for the benefit of all.
To find out more about our open programmes, customised training, qualifications and research:
www.roffeypark.com 01293 854055 info@roffeypark.com
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improving business performance
february/march june/july 2019 business edge
The role of relationships in SME growth Valuable relationships with customers, suppliers and employees can play an important role in helping to maximise margins and realise long-term goals. Employee Relationships
Supplier Relationships
With their knowledge of business processes, client relationships, service offerings, products, intellectual property and more, employees really are an SME’s most valuable asset. As well as incurring recruitment expenses, a high staff turnover can have a disruptive impact on day-today business, making it essential that employers aiming for business growth give sufficient thought to techniques designed to encourage staff retention.
Without a robust supply chain in place it is challenging for a business to fulfil its development plans, Before stepping up capacity, business owners should audit key relationships. Holding discussions early can allow businesses to scope out opportunities to increase margins.
In seeking to instil a sense of loyalty in employees, business owners should be convincing individuals of the key role they play in the firm’s future and encouraging them to buy into its long-term plan. Another way of fostering a sense of ownership and trust is by making personnel responsible for generating new ideas and contributing to R&D activity. Similarly, employee motivation can be boosted by introducing increased flexibility into working patterns, improving their worklife balance, and offering share incentives such as an Enterprise Management Incentive (EMI) scheme.
Should businesses need to forge new supplier relationships, ongoing performance monitoring will identify dips in service levels and ensure these are addressed before client delivery is compromised. By signing service level agreements with suppliers, that stipulate quality criteria, financial projections, pricing, payment terms and customer care standards, SMEs can make the process of supply chain management more straightforward and reduce risk. Implementing a dual-sourcing strategy not only safeguards a business’ ability to fulfil contracts but also introduces flexibility, allowing them to respond to changes in demand at short notice.
efforts taken to develop long-term partnerships externally and internally can be a hugely valuable investment. For more information on how to build valuable sustainable business relationships, contact Menzies Director of People Solutions Ed Hussey at ehussey@menzies.co.uk.
While building relationships may not have traditionally ranked as a priority for those aspiring to grow their own businesses,
Placements as a means for alternative recruitment – link up with talented Sussex students Your business could benefit from taking on a University of Sussex Business School placement student in 2019/20. Why recruit a placement student? Placements are a great way to complement your recruitment activity, supporting gradual growth and bringing fresh thinking into your business. A placement year benefits both students and employers, providing a chance for students to gain real world experience whilst helping you achieve your business goals and try out staff in new roles. Recruitment of placement students has become increasingly competitive, as it gives employers the chance to really try out a person in a new role before committing to creating a permanent position. What makes for a good placement role? Students are keen to find roles in marketing, PR, finance, accounting, consultancy and HR to begin in summer 2019 for a minimum of 40 weeks.
benefits if you have a new role you’re thinking of introducing or if you have a specific project that the student can be responsible for. Our placement students bring learning from two years of study and hands on project work. We brief students fully before they begin their placement and our Placement Tutors are on hand to provide support to students and employers throughout the year. Contact us to find out more business-placements@sussex.ac.uk www.sussex.ac.uk/business-school/business-connections
Work should be of graduate level and will often bring the best
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tel: 01444 259 259
february/march june/july 2019 business 2019 business edge edge
improving business performance
Look after your employees and they’ll look after you. It may be a cliche, but your employees really are your number one asset so it is vital that their mental health and wellbeing is a strategic priority if you are going to be successful. Plus, people are 12% more productive when they are in a positive mood. Poor mental health results in 70 million lost working days per year, costing organisations £100 billion. (this figure is actually double if you include presenteeism). People struggling with poor mental health at work may affect productivity, morale, employee relationships, staff turnover, reputation and customer service. Despite this impact, the majority of managers admit to not knowing what to say or how to support someone who is struggling at work, or they are concerned that they may say or do the wrong thing. But ignoring the problem is not going to solve itself, in fact silence is deadly when it comes to mental health.
So how can you address this? Ideally there should be a champion at senior level in the organisation to support and implement a strategy. Overcome stigma and discrimination by starting conversations and leveraging key dates such as World Mental Health Day on 10th October.
Identify risk-factors at work, such as poor communication, management practices, lack of reviews, bullying, long working hours, excessive emails, stressful situations. Support employees by providing clear guidance and objectives and support them to build up resilience. Management awareness and training is key as they are most likely to be the ones who need to address mental health in the workplace. Their role isn’t to diagnose conditions, rather it is proactively spotting symptoms and signposting people to further resources and support. Cost-benefit research on strategies to address mental health points towards significant benefits. A recent World Health Organisation led study estimated that for every $1 invested there is a return of $4 in improved health and productivity.
Anna Golawski contact us for a free Wellness Action Plan or for more details on support and training. www.stratuscoaching.co.uk
Stratus Coaching is the leading provider of management training on this topic and the Mental Health First Aid qualification. Please
Are your goods dangerous?
Across the three modes, air, sea and road, the requirement for training is a fundamental part of dangerous goods regulations. T-Team provides a practical, efficient and cost-effective way to maintain a safe regulatory regime for your business, aligned to the IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations.
Book your multimodal course today! Save £110 and two additional days out of the office with our multimodal courses! 5 day course including: 3 days – Dangerous Goods by air 1 day – Dangerous Goods by sea 1 day – Dangerous Goods by road
Course dates July 2019 8–12 Heathrow 8–12 Newcastle 15–19 Bristol
September 2019 16–20 Gatwick 09–13 Heathrow 16–20 Manchester
August 2019 12 –16 Manchester
To book your multimodal course, please visit trainingteam.co.uk
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business regulations matters
february/march june/july 2019 business edge
What is ‘Primary Authority’? The Better Business for All group in Sussex are regulators and business representatives who work together to help provide local businesses with access to good quality advice and support.
Members of the Eastbourne Hospitality Association and regulators at a recent Primary Authority launch event. As part of this, regulators in Sussex are offering Primary Authority (PA); a government-endorsed, legally recognised partnership with businesses of all sizes, charities, franchises and trade associations. The partnership enables the business to receive advice and support on legal compliance with food safety, health & safety, fire safety, trading standards or licensing through a single point of contact. It is a consultancy service with the very people who enforce the regulations. Two Sussex based organisations have realised great benefits by being in a PA Partnership. Eastbourne Hospitality Association East Sussex Trading Standards, East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service and Lewes & Eastbourne Council are working together to support members of the Eastbourne Hospitality Association (EHA) through a single point of contact.
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relied upon. We can confidently seek advice on regulation which our members may need clarifying but not wanted to ask the regulators directly. Advice on fire safety, food standards and safety are areas of priority to over 100 of our members and getting this right from the outset helps keep our staff, visitors and guests safe and shows our commitment to promoting Eastbourne as a great place to visit knowing that we care take our responsibilities seriously and positively work with our local councils and fire service’. Cancer United Jan Sheward set up the support charity and told us:
A spokesperson for the EHA said:
“Having previous experience of running a highly regulated business, we understood the value that well delivered regulation brings. Horsham District Council (HDC) stood out as the go to local authority due to their vast experience and award winning record at operating as a Primary Authority.
‘Primary Authority partnership gives us easy access to quality advice on areas which matter to our members and can be
The PA partnership has meant that we have been able to focus on doing what we are good at and have had the benefit of support
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from the PA in delivering a pragmatic and sensible approaches to compliance for us. They have helped us not to worry about things that we might otherwise have thought important and which would have got in the way of delivering our services We cannot understand why any business which is impacted by health and safety or food safety compliance would not consider seeking out a PA partnership. You cannot put a price on the health and safety of our members and knowing that we are doing the right thing and being supported by experts in their field is priceless. Cancer United would not hesitate to recommend PA to any business who want to make sure they are doing the right thing. The services we have received from the team of experts at HDC has been brilliant and we are so grateful for their help.” For more information on Primary Authority in Sussex, email trading.standards@ eastsussex.gov.uk or telephone 0345 6080197
tel: 01444 259 259
Driving clean and green business innovation We help businesses developing clean and green products, services and processes with...
Access to university expertise and facilities Workshops and advice on commercialising ideas Support getting investment ready
Clean Growth UK is a national business innovation network delivered in the South East by the University of Brighton's Green Growth Platform See our latest Brighton workshop series at: www.clean-growth.uk/events
Funded by
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finance and funding
june/july 2019 business edge
Finance for Growth Lee Wiseman of Wiseman Finance asks if your business is readied for 2019-2020
Lee Wiseman Director, Wiseman Finance
We are living in interesting times, and there are many new elements in the mix creating unwanted instability in markets, in consumer confidence generally and in a company’s ability to map out their future with any certainty. With the march of technology more and more SMEs are embracing the tech future. Driving down operating costs and remaining competitive requires new investments to create newly integrated systems. One area that no longer escapes any business, whatever sector, is its online presence, barely a year ago only 64% of SMEs sold their products online, that’s predicted to rise to over 90% by the end of 2019. Such transactional websites often represent a significant investment. And still keeping an eye to the future, Brexit will create opportunities, just as in the short term it will also create new costs, costs that may not be currently budgeted for. Funding business growth used to be one dimensional, with most businesses only having their banks to turn to. Fortunately, in recent years, there has been an increase in alternative lenders which has created flexibility in the market place. These include Government supported schemes like the British Business Bank, Peer2Peer lenders, private equity houses and specialist lenders. Raising finance for your business or project is generally difficult to navigate if you are approaching it for the first time or are
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unsure which options would be best suited to your individual circumstances. With hundreds of lenders and finance options in the market, it can be very easy to lose your way and is also very time consuming for busy business owners. The result could be that you end up with unsuitable finance or that you give up completely. Many finance options are best accessed through an approved and registered finance broker who can guide businesses and individuals through the process. A finance broker can also help in deciding which finance ultimately meets your needs and which lenders will provide the funding on the best terms available. At Wiseman Finance, we have all the skills, experience and contacts necessary to find the very best finance package for your business needs. We will help you to gain access to new lenders and offer financial flexibility for your business. Since our launch in 2018 we have helped numerous businesses and individuals obtain the finance they needed and have secured deals. We can save you time and money by doing the shopping around for you. Our solutions include: Asset Finance Property development Bridging Finance Motor Finance Invoice Financing Commercial and investment mortgages Based in Horsham, West Sussex, we are looking to establish clients within our area and welcome any new enquiries. We have roots in agricultural finance, development finance and asset finance including
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classic car finance. We are also experts in re-finance and restructuring finance. This can help you realise monies from unencumbered/part-paid assets you already possess. With over 25 years’ combined experience in our offices we are sure to be able to find a solution to your funding needs by providing experience and understanding. Our team pride themselves on being friendly, accessible and knowledgeable to give a fast, flexible and easy service. We will always simplify the financial jargon, so you always understand the process and are comfortable with the process. We are happy to help any business. Whether you are a new company just starting up, already trading, a partnership or a multi-million pound business. We believe our knowledge and flare for industry can help every business achieve its goals. We will take as much time as necessary to get to know your business thoroughly so that all possible opportunities can be considered. This year will be an important year for many SME’s. It is important to invest in your company to stay ahead of your competitors. Contact us to discuss any investment plans this year and see how we can help. We also continually strive to provide our clients with a personalised customer experience to ensure a strong and lasting relationship. It is very rewarding to help a business grow and reach its potential. It takes a lot of courage to start a new business. We understand the commitment you make in starting your business and promise the same commitment back in assisting in business finance. Finding finance shouldn’t be stressful, we’re here to help. www. wiseman.finance
tel: 01444 259 259
june/july 2019 business edge
family in business
Celebrating 70 years of family roofing!
Frank snr
How it all began…
Growing Together Mother and Daughter team, Isobel and Emily Rae started Plants4Presents back in 2004. As keen plant lovers, they wanted to provide a service that they would use themselves, interesting, quality plants delivered in excellent condition.
1949- 1980s FJ Clarke Roofing was established by Frank Clarke snr. Frank Senior and his team worked on many local housing estates around Hailsham 1980s Frank Snr retired and his two sons Rob and Frank Clarke Jnr took over the business. Paul Strudwick and David Beer joined the company 1990s Rob Clarke retired, leaving Frank to run the company
At the time, online shopping was only just starting to take off and so the first challenge was to design the right packaging to ensure that their precious plants would arrive in one piece and create a website that would reflect the changing seasonal plants. Since then the business has steadily grown from strength to strength. Plants4Presents moved to their current nursery in 2006 and now send over 20,000 plants a year to homes up and down the country.
Clarke Roofing Southern Ltd became incorporated
They now offer a broad range of over a 100 flowering & fruiting plants and citrus trees on their website www.plants4presents. co.uk from classic garden shrubs and roses, to chilli plants and their popular Grow Your Own G & T Gift sets. Because Plants4Presents specialise in plant gifts it’s important that the plants look fabulous out of the box but also that they will grow and bring pleasure in their new homes year after year so quality and quality control is crucial.
Clarke Roofing joined the National Federation of Roofing Contractors and Frank Clarke became a committee member
Plants4Presents do grow some of the more unusual plants on site in Sussex but the rest are sourced from specialist nurseries in the UK and across Europe. Each plant is then carefully wrapped and boxed with a handwritten greeting card by Emily’s team at the nursery before being delivered by courier and post to their new homes. Of course Mother’s Day and Christmas are the busiest occasions but throughout the year plants make a great gift for birthdays, anniversaries or just to cheer someone up. As well as personal gifts, Plants4Presents provide plants for events, for marketing campaigns and as corporate gifts, so bear them in mind next time you want to send a really unique (and growing!) marketing message. Visit www.plants4presents.co.uk to see the full range of gift plants for yourself or call us at the nursery on 01825 721162.
Celebrated 50 years in business 2000 – 2010 Paul Strudwick & David Beer became directors The office and yard were extended to accommodate the growing company.
2010 – present day Frank nominated NFRC London & Southern Counties Chairman in 2013/14. Clarke Roofing became Framework Contractors for ESCC Various awards from NFRC for projects 10 NFRC Gold Awards in a row for health & safety Investors in People Award Graded Excellent in Leadwork by the LCA International Roofing finalist Achieved ISO 9001 and OHSAS 18001 Accreditations Constructionline Gold Accreditation Flat Roofing & Construction Departments launched After many years on the tools learning the trade and becoming fully qualified Lloyd Clarke, Josh Clarke and Karl Strudwick join the office team to provide the next generation of Clarke Roofing covering roofing, construction and heritage works. For more information about Clarke Roofing Southern Ltd please have a look at their new website – www.clarke-roofing.co.uk or call the team on 01323 640777.
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business matters events
december/january february/march june/july 2019 business edge
Events & Training Diary
A lot of business people simply want to meet new clients directly and a cost-effective way of generating new business is networking. Networking is a great way of building your connections quickly at a very low-cost. Our networking events will bring you face to face with some of the brightest business minds this county has to offer. They will give you the chance to grow your contacts through our 100+ annual events and get you shaking hands with the right people. Please see below a selection of events which are now available for bookings.
Training isn’t just important to your company, it’s vital. Training across your workforce can improve competitiveness, morale, profitability, market share, customer satisfaction and company reputation. In these uncertain times training increases your ability to respond effectively to change. We are proud to announce the expansion of our training programme, please see the next page for a selection of current and new courses which are now available for bookings.
Breakfasts 28th August
TBC
Chichester Yacht Club
16th July
TBC
Tottingham Manor, Henfield
18th September
TBC
Buxted Park Hotel, Uckfield
Lunches
General Networking 20th June
The Gatwick Diamond Economic Summit
Arora International Hotel, Crawley
7th August
Speed Networking with the Neighbours
Hilton Avisford Park Hotel, Arundel
Non-Members’ Events 4th June
Connect with Sussex Chamber
Sussex Chamber of Commerce, Burgess Hill
3rd July
Connect with Sussex Chamber
Sussex Chamber of Commerce, Burgess Hill
6th August
Connect with Sussex Chamber
Sussex Chamber of Commerce, Burgess Hill
Forums – Global Growth 19th June
Global Growth
Copthorne Hotel London Gatwick
Forums – Construction 6th June
Disputes and How to Avoid Them
Holiday Inn Brighton Seafront
Forums - Cyber 9th July
Cyber & Digital Technology
Sovereign Harbour Yacht Club, Eastbourne
4th June
Clean Growth Innovation – Two Day Workshop – Day 1
Barnsgate Manor Vineyards, Herons Ghyll, Uckfield
2nd July
Clean Growth Innovation – Two Day Workshop – Day 2
Barnsgate Manor Vineyards, Herons Ghyll, Uckfield
Workshops
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www.sussexchamberofcommerce.co.uk
tel: 01444 259 259
business matters training
february/march june/july december/january 2019 business 2019 2018 business edge business edge edge
Business Courses
Tailored Group Training
Sussex Chamber of Commerce will unleash your business potential by developing employers’ staff to perform effectively, efficiently and with pride to deliver excellent customer service.
Sussex Chamber of Commerce can provide on-site bespoke training courses, this is a fantastic way of designing one of our training courses to suit your business needs. This is a cost-effective way of training a group of your employees at the same time, on a date that suits you and at the premises of your choice.
A variety of short courses are available to all throughout the year. Typically, 1/2 day, one day and 2 days in duration, sessions are interactive and lively to ensure real benefits that contribute to the success of you and your business.
Scheduled Training Courses All scheduled courses are held at the King’s Church, 33-35 Victoria Road, Burgess Hill RH15 9LR Business Skills 25th June
Negotiation Skills
18th July
Introduction to Emotional Intelligence
31st July
Train the Trainer
International Trade 3rd June
Using Documentary Letters of Credit, Drafts & Bills
6th June
Inward Processing Relief (IPR)
6th June
Incoterms® Rules 2010
11th June
Customs Declaration Training
17th June
A Foundation Course in Importing
25th June
Customs Declaration Training
1st July
Exporting – Understanding the Paperwork
Management & Leadership Skills 21st June
Stepping Up To Senior Management
27th & 28th June
Essentials of Supervision & Team Leadership – 2 Day Course
3rd July
Introduction to Supervision & Team Leadership
11th July
Getting the Best from your Staff
Personal Development & Communication Skills 11th June
Building Client Relationships
22nd July
Building Resilience for Wellbeing & Performance
24th July
Confident & Effective Communication Skills
8th August
Time Management and Personal Effectiveness
20th August
Presentation Skills
Sales and Customer Service 4th June
Great Customer Service
19th June
Selling Skills for Results
5th August
Great Customer Service
14th August
Selling Skills for Results
For more information or to see our 2019 Calendar visit our website www.sussexchamberofcommerce.co.uk to book please call us on 01444 259 259.
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business matters
february/march 2019 business edge
(l-r) Royston Yeates, Geraldine Pratt, Matt Needham, Beth Stenning, Colin Young, Sue Smith and Dawn Moore
Cash boost and new partnership for leading Sussex accountancy firm Hilton Sharp & Clarke, the leading Sussex accountancy practice with multiple offices across the county, has re-branded as Galloways. Sue Smith Partner Galloways
The firm has also announced that it is Sussex Cricket’s new Specsavers County Championship shirt sponsor.
With more than 25 years’ experience specialising in tax, Lorna will spear-head the Galloways tax team and focus on expanding the current team of specialists, as well as continuing to look after a growing number of private clients.
The firm has received significant investment from Sussex’s newest private investment business – Cow Corner – which focuses on long-term investments to build strong, profitable, local businesses.
Lorna is a chartered tax advisor and is also STEP (The Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners) qualified, adding to Galloways’ well-established expertise in trust planning and administration.
Sue Smith, one of the longest serving partners at Galloways, said: “Our re-brand and investment signals an exciting time for us at Galloways as we look to grow the firm and continue to build on nearly 150 years of experience.
She said: “I’m thrilled to join the team at Galloways and look forward to working with our fantastic clients and wider team. Galloways has such a strong reputation across the county and I’m looking forward to growing our tax team and helping our clients to simplify and manage their tax affairs.”
“We’re also thrilled to be the new Specsavers County Championship shirt sponsor and wish the team the very best of luck over the next three years.” Sussex Cricket chief executive, Rob Andrew added: “Having a local business of Galloways’ stature commit their support for the next three years is a real boon for the club. “Their reputation in our community is second to none and we are extremely proud to be sporting their name on our Championship shirt.”
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In addition to the re-brand and shirt sponsorship, Galloways has also recruited Lorna Sizer as Tax Partner, previously Director at Knill James.
“Having lived in Sussex for the majority of my life, it’s easy to see why. The county is teeming with entrepreneurs and professional networks providing a hub of support and knowledge whether your business is starting out or striving forward. On top of that, the vibrant cultural scene, natural landscape and local community mean it’s easier than ever to make work fit around your lifestyle. For businesses, there is a real sense of collaboration and support, one which is hard to find elsewhere in the country. “Over the next few years, we’re planning on building on our existing training programme which enables a mix of school-leavers and local graduates to join Galloways and train under some of the county’s top accountants. Working with internationally renowned universities and colleges in Sussex means we’ll be able to access the next generation of talent and support the county’s growing workforce.
Sue Smith added: “Lorna is a brilliant addition to our team and her arrival is a real coup. With such extensive experience, Lorna will support and propel Galloways’ growth over the coming years.”
“With such a strong, welcoming, and collaborative business community in Sussex, we will continue to ensure that we are proactively sharing our skills and knowledge to help the county, and its businesses thrive.”
Strength and collaboration in Sussex
Sue Smith, Partner, Galloways
“Established in Brighton since 1870 and continuing to build on nearly 150 years of business, there must be something other than the sea air that ensures this capital continues to thrive.
www.wearegalloways.com
www.sussexchamberofcommerce.co.uk
tel: 01444 259 259
Quality Coach Hire
february/march 2019 business edge
business matters
Worthing Coaches’ vast fleet of luxury, modern vehicles provide comfortable and efficient travel, and unrivalled levels of flexibility, 24/7.
Large, flexible & modern fleet
NEW LUXU RY
Short & long term contract hire 24-hour support
VIP C
Award-winning engineering & maintenance
Tailor made group travel - we can help make
OAC H
planning your itinerary hassle-free!
Great value day trips& door-to-door holidays
01903 505805 www.worthing-coaches.co.uk
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advertorial
february/march 2019 business edge
Newview Windows & Conservatories is proud to be celebrating 15 years trading this year We are now one of the largest privately owned Glazing and Home Improvement Companies in the South East, with 65 staff and depots at Heathrow and London City Airport!.
Duncan and Michele Wietscher – Founders
Based near Lyons Farm in Worthing and still owned by the founders, Newview has quietly gone from strength to strength focussing on our Values of: Passion, Quality, Respect and People. The business has 4 Divisions: Commercial Refurbishment; New Build, Domestic and more recently; Fire Door Installation & Inspection. We have a diverse customer base ranging from National Builders, Schools/Uni’s and Local Councils, to Airports and the Railways, to local residents. Quality and the Environment is at the heart of what we do and we have built our reputation on the fact that we are different and unique in the way that we work with our clients. We are unusual within the glazing industry as we are a large Installer that doesn’t make our own windows and doors etc but we buy them in. Our primary reason for this is that it allows us to supply our clients what they want, rather than us only having one choice which our clients have to have. We install pvcu, aluminium, composite and timber, Secondary glazing, Vent units and loft roll and we opened a Fire Door Division last year, having undertaken investment into our staff to be able to offer this service and this is already taking off, particularly since Grenfell. Health & Safety is of paramount importance to us as we work at height, on building sites and on scaffolding and we have invested heavily with the help of Complete Health and Safety in Lancing into relevant training for our fitting and supervisory staff as well as First Aid training, asbestos awareness etc etc.
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Our Client base is diverse and all have differing business drivers and stakeholders, so we try to be more flexible and less prescriptive, which has definitely contributed to our success. Our business growth has predominantly come from selling more diverse product to existing clients, as well as signing new large National Clients and as a result we have enjoyed a 38% increase in turnover last financial year and a 50% budgeted growth for 2019-20. We fit circa 450-500 items per week and most of our contracts are long-term. We also are technically very proficient and stay abreast of industry developments and changes to Building and H&S Regulations in order to stay relevant and informed for our clients. We are also very focussed on the residents that we work for and pride ourselves on our good customer service, understanding of their needs and attention to detail which is important to them. Newview has aspirations to grow further and is proud to be contracted to Heathrow Airport delivering noise attenuating windows to residents under the flight paths for the last 6 years. This work will increase ten-fold once the airport starts the construction of runway 3 and we are working on a similar scheme for London City Airport too. These clients expect their supply chain to focus on our Corporate Social Responsibility too, which extends to reducing our carbon footprint by increasing our waste management; moving to hybrid vans; reducing our energy and water consumption at the office; as well as paying our staff competitively, committing to
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young and returning Apprentices, reducing modern slavery in the work place and only working with suppliers that do the same. This has transformed Newview and due to our hard work has allowed us last year to achieve both ISO9001 and 14001 for Quality and Environmental Management of which we are very proud. Profit from the business is invested into Training & Development, new staff, better recycling, more efficient equipment and business improvements. With regard to our supply chain, we are working towards procuring from likeminded companies that operate to a recognised quality standard in a sustainable way and therefore we have also signed up to the Prompt Payment Code to demonstrate our commitment to them. Late payment is a massive problem for our and many other industries and this is one more thing we want to tackle! Nothing ever stands still at Newview for long and it is this passion to continually improve ourselves that sets us apart from our competition. We are looking forward to the next 15 years with continued enthusiasm! Newview Homes Ltd. 3. Northbrook Business Park. Northbrook Road. Worthing. BN14 8PQ. Tel:01903 244449. www.newview-homes.co.uk
tel: 01444 259 259
advertorial
february/march 2019 business edge
Guild Care chosen by WSCC as their sole provider of contracted ‘Take Time For You’ services in Worthing West Sussex County Council (WSCC) has awarded its respite and short breaks for carers contract in Worthing to Guild Care. Guild Care already provides a range of ‘Time Out’ services for carers and the people they care for, particularly those living with dementia. This new contract means it can expand those services to help more people in the local area. The new ‘Time Out’ services will include group activities based at its Bradbury Wellbeing Centre and its Guild Care Centre, group outings in the local community, and a range of social opportunities for people to go out together. These respite services will be available for carers of people living with dementia, or the frail and elderly, and will all be provided with support from well-trained and caring staff, in a safe, secure and caring environment. A door- to-door transport pick up service is also available. Suzanne Millard, Guild Care’s CEO said: “We are delighted that we have been awarded the contract to deliver respite and short
breaks for carers in Worthing. Guild Care has a long tradition of supporting people with dementia and the elderly. We know the expansion of our services will make a real difference to carers in Worthing giving them the break from caring that they need to recharge their batteries and have some time to themselves.” Trevor visits the Bradbury Wellbeing Centre and said: “As I’m living with dementia being able to come here gives my wife time to go shopping or meet friends socially. She knows I am safely being picked up and dropped home again by their transport team, so she doesn’t need to worry. This service is very valuable to us.” Patti’s father Sieg also uses Guild Care’s ‘Time out services’. She said; “The best thing about these services is that I know dad is happy and being stimulated – I am very much a believer that if you keep your mind stimulated it helps stop the decline.”
To find out more about Guild Care’s ‘Time out’ services for carers please contact the Customer Services Team on 01903 327327
Take time for you respite and short breaks for carers in Worthing For anyone who supports someone living with dementia, or is frail or elderly. New range of respite options are now available to help recharge your batteries. As I’m living with dementia, being able to come to Guild Care’s Bradbury Wellbeing Centre gives my wife time to go shopping or meet friends socially. This service is very valuable to us.” Trevor, Worthing
MAKING A DIFFERENCE TO YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY
01903 327 327 e: enquiry@guildcare.org w: guildcare.org Registered Charity 1044658 t:
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business new members matters
august/september december/january february/march june/july 2019 2018 business edge
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.
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Ardea International
Burgess Hill Business Park Association
Fine Marketing
Fieldview, 21 Staples Barn, Henfield, East Sussex BN5 9PP
c/o Keymer Haslam, 4-6 Church Road, Burgess Hill, West Sussex RH15 9AE
Top of the Hollow, Heighton Road Newhaven, East Sussex BN9 0JJ
www.ardeainternational.com 01273 491423
www.bhbpa.co.uk -
www.finemarketing.co.uk 01403 292 120
Ashdown Audio Visual
Euro Skoda / Euro Seat / Euro Vans
Grommets Ltd
15 Horsted Square, Bellbrook Estate Uckfield, East Sussex TN22 1QG
Snowhill, Crawley West Sussex RH10 3EQ
Unit 2, Hollands Lane Industrial Estate, Henfield, West Sussex BN5 9QY
www.ashdownav.com 01825 766343
www.thejcbgroup.co.uk 01342 347149
www.grommets.co.uk 01273 493355
www.sussexchamberofcommerce.co.uk
tel: 01444 259 259
business new members matters
february/march june/july august/september december/january 2019 business 2019 2018 2018 business edge business business edge edge edge
Industrial Construction (Sussex) Ltd
Runway Training
The Martin Sewell Building Company Ltd
Unit 15 The Granery, Northease Farm, Whiteways Lane, Rodmell, Lewes, East Sussex BN7 3EX
The Beehive, Beehive Ring Road Crawley, West Sussex RH6 0PA
Hungerdown House, Brittens Lane, Fontwell Arundel, West Sussex BN18 0ST
www.icsroofing.co.uk 01273 476758
www.runwaytraining.co.uk 01293 217701
www.msbc.uk.com 01243 542056
LEAP Chichester
Simple Safety Advice
TripWheels
The Corn Exchange, Baffins Lane Chichester, West Sussex PO19 1UA
Unit 9, Scandia-Hus Business Park, Felcourt Road Felcourt, East Grinstead, West Sussex RH19 2LP
Bakehouse Cottage, Fernhurst Road, Milland Liphook, Hampshire GU30 7LU
www.leapchichester.com 01243 215800
www.simplesafetyadvice.co.uk 01342 836314
www.tripwheels.com 01428 741438
Monan Gozzett
Taylor Made Adidas Golf Ltd
Union Heritage Training & Consulting
1 Tarrant Street, Arundel West Sussex BN19 9DG
Taylor Made Court, Jays Close Viables Business Park, Basingstoke, Hampshire RG22 4BS
21 Firle Road, Brighton, East Sussex BN2 9YH
www.mgsolicitors.co.uk 01903 927 055
www.taylormadegolf.co.uk 01256 479357
07794 986503
ProAudium Limited
Taylorcocks
Wiseman Finance Ltd
Office 10, The Mallings Business Centre 112 Malling Street, Lewes, East Sussex BN7 2RG
The Courtyard, Shoreham Road, Upper Beeding, Steyning, West Sussex BN44 3TN
The Courtyard, 30 Worthing Road Horsham, West Sussex RH12 1SL
www.proaudium.com 01273 034630
www.taylorcocks.co.uk 01903 816699
www.wiseman.finance 0330 1133093
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business five minutes matters with
august/september december/january february/march june/july 2019 2018 business edge
5 minutes with... Nigel Hogg Director, Curtaincraft
Curtaincraft Ltd was formed in 2005. It previously existed as a T/A Curtaincraft for about 20 years before that. It started as a dry cleaning company & because it had a large cleaning machine it could do stage curtains etc. These needed repairs so started to employ machinists, then branched out into making Commercial curtains for schools & other organisations, then into blinds of all types. To day Curtaincraft Ltd has a wide range of Clients, commercial & domestic, we were lucky enough to secure work for the 2012 Olympics, we do Bomb Blasts curtaining & have supplied & fitted the Foreign Office & other Government Depts. We have clients in the social arena, providing curtains & blinds to Key Worker accommodation, charities etc. We have a small retail shop which is definitely not on the high street with our works attached, our domestic clients come by car, bike & horseback. We have a great website, I think, but have a look www.curtaincraft.co.uk
What was your first job and what was the pay packet? My first job was as a student Architectural Technician back in the 1970’s with a princely wage of £ 8.12shillings per week
What do you always carry with you to work? As I live 30 seconds away from my work place I carry very little but I do try & remember my brain.
What is the biggest challenge facing your business? As I type this the biggest challenge facing all business is uncertainty we have a Political System which is aiming towards self destruction & what ever that has in store for our economy. A changing high street with stores closing & more and more being brought online. For a business such as mine which is in the luxury market where decisions
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are made from the aesthetic & tactile reasons, we may survive because we are specialists & we still have the technical skills required to manufacture but these are in short supply.
If you were Prime Minister, what one thing would you change to help business? This question is dynamite – If I were PM I would like to believe that I would make decisions for the long & short term wellbeing of the country. Something that at the moment is not apparent. We need more investment into the country at grass roots level, with Local & national Authorities employing small local companies instead of outsourcing to large multi nationals, who seem to keep failing.
What can you see from your office window? If you could do another job what would it be?
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I have never been into self-analysis, so I hope this is fair. 1. Willingness to listen, with understanding & no blame. 2. Never say “I can’t” 3. Decisive
What was your biggest mistake in business? Trusting a client that wanted more work done & didn’t pay up front for it, thousands lost.
What advice would you give to aspiring entrepreneurs? Follow your heart with strong financial control, don’t give up & don’t take anything personally.
Who do you admire most in business?
Danehill Church Tower
Archaeologist
As a business person, what are your three main qualities?
Dame ‘Steve’ Shirley she saw a requirement that could be filled by talent in a time that was against the progression of women and made it work well.
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Thinkers Challengers Innovators Leaders DISCOVER THE SUS SE X MBA
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