Business Edge 54

Inside 4 business matters 6 innovation & design 12 ask the expert 13 fine print 14 business support 24 inspirational leaders 33 love local jobs 38 finance focus 42 training and events 44 new members 46 5 minutes with the magazine for sussex chamber of commerce members

april/may 2020

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contents

april/may 2019 2020business businessedge edge

Sussex Chamber of Commerce

Welcome to our Business Edge magazine!

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

Ana Christie

SUSSEX CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Chief Executive Sussex Chamber of Commerce

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

PRODUCTION & DESIGN Distinctive Publishing 3rd Floor Tru Knit House, 9-11 Carliol Square, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE1 6UF Tel: 0191 5805990 www.distinctivepublishing.co.uk

ADVERTISING Angie Smith, Business Development Manager, Distinctive Publishing 3rd Floor Tru Knit House, 9-11 Carliol Square, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE1 6UF Tel: 0191 580 5472 angie.smith@distinctivepublishing.co.uk

FEATURE EDITOR

Innovation and Growth All businesses in the area play a key role in the growth of the Sussex economy. Many of us are so busy doing 101 different things to keep our businesses running, we have little time to come up with new ideas, new services or processes, or time to solve a problem.

Making changes to our business to deliver better services or products should be part of our strategy and culture. We need to allow time for our teams and ourselves to think creatively so we can create efficient processes to increase productivity,

performance and results. By introducing activities to promote ideas during annual strategic planning sessions, during regular discussions or team meetings can inspire and motivate the team to improve the business. People are empowered to push boundaries and help the business succeed.

Albert Einstein “If you always do what you always did, you will always get what you always got”.

Enjoy reading our magazine which is packed full of amazing member stories.

For further information please contact the Sussex Chamber on 01444 259 259.

Helen Compson helen.compson@distinctivegroup.co.uk

E-BOOK www.issuu.com/distinctivepublishing

CONTENTS welcome business matters

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

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innovation & design

26-27

4-5

innovation & design

30 33

innovation & design

6

love local jobs

business matters

8

innovation & design

35-36

finance focus

38-39

innovation & design

10-11

ask the expert

12

innovation & design

41

fine print

13

training and events

42-43

new members

44-45

business support inspirational leaders

14-17 24-25

five minutes with...

AS A CHAMBER MEMBER YOU’RE WELL CONNECTED

46

3

business matters

april/may april/may2020 2019 business edge

Use social media innovatively to disrupt for success Social media is noisy. Millions of users check in and upload new content every day; it’s easy to be missed and to miss out on new opportunities.

Katie Yarde

Director, The Social Workshop

Your aim as a business isn’t to join in with the digital hubbub but to disrupt users feeds and grab their attention. Your purpose, after all, is new customers and brand loyalty, right?

The hard sell on social media simply won’t work. So you need to think bigger and more innovatively.

First, you’re going to need a watertight strategy: one that creates a consistent

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Once you’ve nailed this you can work on differentiating yourself for maximum impact.

IGTV on Instagram? Running a poll on Twitter? A Live FAQ session on Facebook? Video pins on Pinterest? Or streaming a live demonstration on your company’s LinkedIn page.

Here are our top tips.

Don’t be afraid to experiment:

presence, speaks to your ideal customers and generates relevant content.

Be different: whether it’s your specific niche, tone of voice, branding, rich and informative content or jaw dropping images, make sure your content reflects your business and sets you apart from your competition.

Use new features: use new features, or underused features on your chosen platforms. How about

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the real magic of social media for business is in the data. Everything you post comes with rich feedback. So, don’t be afraid to go all out with something a bit “different” to test the water. Being bold can really pay dividends. And you’ll soon know if it’s working. Or not. And if it didn’t work out, social media is fast and fickle so as long as you don’t go viral for all the wrong reasons, there really isn’t anything to worry about.

tel: 01444 259 259

april/may december/january 2019 business 2020 business 2018 edge business edge edge

business matters

The Creative Group expands by investing in Sussex based SEO agency The Creative Group announced its latest expansion into the world of search engine optimisation, by investing in SEO agency, 427 Marketing, based in East Sussex.

Headed up by Ade Holder, the announcement sees Ade and his company 427, joining forces with The Creative Group’s portfolio of creative based businesses and its well-known CEO and Patron of Chestnut Tree House, Matt Turner.

Currently, the group consists of; Creative Pod, which is possibly the group’s most recognisable brand and is a wellknown and award-winning marketing agency, ECHO, a sponsorship brokerage, Square One, an international market entry specialist and The PrintShop, a dedicated printing solutions specialist.

This announcement follows hot on the heels of the announcement of Spacelink Commercial Interiors, recently joining the group and marks 427 as the sixth company to join The Creative Group.

CEO of The Creative Group, Matt Turner said: “SEO has become a force to be reckoned with and must be regarded as a core part of any marketing strategy.

Ade brings a great skill set to the group and I am excited to see this relationship develop.”

Ade and the management team have over 20 years combined experience and during their tenure have worked both client and agency side managing the SEO for over 40 clients. Ade and his small team aim to advise its clients on SEO in plain English and provide a no-nonsense approach to the advantages this can bring to small businesses.

Ade Holder, MD, and Owner of 427 Marketing said: “Over the past few months, it has been incredibly exciting to get to know the team at The Creative Group and learn from Matt’s experience.

Currently, we have a small team based in Ringmer and this partnership has already enabled us to grow as a business.

I’m incredibly excited to see how this partnership continues to develop.

“SEO has become a force to be reckoned with and must be regarded as a core part of any marketing strategy.”

AS A CHAMBER MEMBER YOU’RE WELL CONNECTED

Matt Turner, left, with Ade Holder

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innovation and design

april/may april/may2020 2019 business edge

Mark O’Halloran

Partner, Coffin Mew

Remaining engaged and relevant Commercial & Intellectual Property Partner, Mark O’Halloran from Coffin Mew takes a look at what it really means to be innovative in a competitive business environment.

We’re all becoming innovators now. Pick any three law firms and at least one will be shouting about innovation, challenge, even revolution. My own firm is no exception – our Vision is to bring the best people and innovation together to deliver great results for every client. But what exactly is it we think we’re doing, and what exactly should we be doing?

There are many new entrants to the legal sector promoting astonishing technology solutions. We can now hand initial contract due diligence over to Artificial Intelligence. We can collaborate with multiple stakeholders in online workspaces without meeting in person. We can dictate attendance notes directly to text. All these solutions enable us to handle larger volumes of work more efficiently and more speedily to deliver increased value to our clients.

It’s that increased value which is the defining characteristic of true innovation.

The incremental changes we might make as part of our regular review process – continuous improvement, to use the old jargon – will generally only maintain existing efficiencies and output. The economic and regulatory environment in which we operate shifts constantly and our efforts at continuous improvement usually fall somewhere between a software patch and, what a DJ would call, beat-matching.

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Important, essential, but rarely a radical reimagining.

Innovation, properly understood, goes beyond simple improvement and amounts to much more than imagination or blue sky ideation. Innovation requires us to challenge not just how we do things, but why we do those things; and why we do them in that order, and to that level of detail. Innovation reminds us that what we do as lawyers is not important, what we do for our clients is what matters.

It’s a complaint from clients that lawyers are familiar with, the outcome sought is subordinated to a process that seems unwieldy, often pointless and always too slow and expensive. The lawyer’s response is usually that the process is important to ensure all bases are covered, it’s tried and tested; it’s familiar and reliable. The truth, as always, resides elsewhere than either extreme. Exactly where it sits at any one time is what innovation seeks out.

Lawyers are traditionally risk-averse. Part of our role is also to identify risks so we need to be good at calling them out for the client.

The compliance burden we carry increases year on year. This all goes a long way to explaining why our precedent documents can seem so bloated, our processes so painstaking and our checks multifarious and insistent. It also explains why innovation

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can seem painful and meets with so much resistance - the traditional approach is a safe harbour.

But the thing with innovation is that, once it starts somewhere, it cascades everywhere.

Clients are less and less inclined to submit to ways of working and transacting that suit law firms but not each client’s own timetable or objectives. Clients increasingly want lawyers to integrate into their activities and operations, to respond quickly, to pre-empt and, always, to deliver work at a price which reflects the actual value and usefulness to the client.

So innovation starts with finding out from clients what’s important to them, and what isn’t. It continues with asking hard questions about how much of what we do is meaningful or necessary. It comes to fruition when we make products and services available that meet our clients’ actual needs in the way that makes best sense to them.

Innovation is no longer a nice to have for professional services. The world is getting faster and more complicated every day.

We’ve lost almost all our old monopolies, and new ways of thinking on top of new technologies, challenge the very purpose of the legal profession. Innovation is, when it comes down to it, how we remain engaged and relevant.

tel: 01444 259 259

Thinkers Challengers Innovators Leaders DISCOVER THE SUS SE X MBA FIND OUT MORE

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business matters

august/september april/may 2020 2019 business edge

Innovation by Design Design-led companies such as Apple, IBM, Nike, Procter & Gamble, and SAP have outperformed the S&P 500 over a 10-year period by an extraordinary 211%.

Great design has that “wow” factor, making products more desirable and services more appealing. But, designing is more than creating products and services; it can be applied to systems, procedures, protocols, and customer experiences.

Is your business Design Ready for Brexit?

We have now formally left the EU and are in the transition period which the UK Government insists will not extend beyond December. The Clock is Ticking!

Paul Mayhew

Director Wyndham Solutions Limited

If you are selling to an EU customer, or buying from an EU supplier, the design of your trading world will have to change in January so are you ready?

Over the last three years most UK companies made no real preparations for Brexit as they waited to see if it would really happen. Well that is no longer in doubt.

You need to urgently consider a number of aspects, for example; 1. INCO terms. All European shipments will require these and it is a major area of risk for your business if you get it wrong. It could incur you in significant costs, major delays and extra bureaucracy. You need to understand what they mean and start negotiating with your EU suppliers/customers asap.

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2. Commodity codes. All materials are classified to a code which determines which rates of duty may apply, and what other controls may be encountered, so getting these accurate is critical.

3. Quality Certification. CE marks and quality certifications will be changing for UK companies as we are no longer part of the EU. Have you looked at how you will meet these requirements for your EU customers with, for example, an EU based testing location?

4. Customs Paperwork. Have you started conversations with customs agents to prepare for how your documentary requirements will be met from January onwards?

Imports custom declarations, export declarations and other bureaucracy are coming, how will you meet those needs?

At Wyndham Solutions Limited we are having conversations with small and medium sized companies to help them understand what is coming in simple, straightforward language, and what needs to be done to prepare. Contact us now before time runs out…

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Design is transforming the way leading companies create value. The focus of innovation has shifted from being engineering-driven to design-driven, from product-centric to customer-centric, and from marketing-focused to user-experiencefocused. Consulting firms such as McKinsey, Accenture, PwC, and Deloitte have acquired design consultancies; evidence of design’s increasing influence on business.

The biggest driving force is the rate of change in business and society through advances in technology. As almost everything become more software-driven, and the rate of change increases, so does complexity.

People need their interactions with technologies and other complex systems to be simple, intuitive, and pleasurable. When done well, human-centred design enhances the user experience at every touch point and fuels the creation of products and services that deeply resonate with customers.

Steve Jobs said, “Most people make the mistake of thinking design is what it looks like. People think it’s this veneer – that the designers are handed this box and told, ‘Make it look good!’ That’s not what we think design is. It’s not just what it looks like and feels like. Design is how it works.”

Design led thinking brings together what is desirable from a human point of view with what is technologically feasible and economically viable.

Rob Clare

Chairman Sussex Chamber of Commerce

tel: 01444 259 259

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Meet the Care Tea m Wednesday 24 June 2020, 5.30-7.30pm Balcombe Place, Haywards Heath Road, Balcombe, Haywards Heath, RH17 6QJ

Come along to the beautiful Balcombe Place to find out about your local children’s hospice.

Places are free of charge and light refreshments will be provided.

RSVP by 13 May 2020 01903 871820 fundraising@chestnut-tree-house.org.uk www.chestnut-tree-house.org.uk

innovation and design

april/may april/may2020 2019 business edge

Protecting intellectual property – what you need to know Robert Ganpatsingh of DMH Stallard recommends a simple approach that every business should adopt to get the most out of its Intellectual Property rights.

Robert Ganpatsingh Partner, TMT Dispute Resolution, DMH Stallard

The UK ranks highly among other European countries on the European Innovation Scoreboard, which provides a comparative analysis of innovation performance across Europe and its regional neighbours, assessing the relative strengths and weaknesses of national innovation systems. However some may be surprised that one of the areas where the UK performed below the EU average was in relation to Intellectual Property (“IP”).

Unfortunately the basics of IP protection are routinely overlooked in the commercial world, even by businesses whose inventions, designs, symbols and names are critical to their survival. A little knowledge goes a long way, however, when it comes to protecting your rights.

Start at the beginning Carry out a full audit of any IP rights you own. You might find that you already own a substantial amount of IP including rights which arise automatically such as copyright protected material, unregistered designs, confidential information and unregistered trade marks.

Where inventions and designs are concerned, registration of your rights can be essential. Patents protect the technical features of processes and products, but only if you have successfully applied for registration. For designs, registering your design right will give you longer lasting and broader protection.

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registered by someone else. Formal clearance searches should always be considered.

Keep it confidential A key feature of most IP rights is novelty.

For example, for a product to qualify for patent protection it must be new, and there must be an inventive step to it. If the technical features are disclosed to the public, it is unlikely that you will be able to obtain patent protection. So ensure that anyone you need to disclose details of new inventions to, such as employees and external advisors, are bound by express confidentiality clauses in their contracts.

You must also ensure you know who owns ‘your’ IP. Many businesses simply do not appreciate that copyright in materials commissioned from a third party automatically belongs to that third party.

Contracts should therefore contain clear provisions to ensure that anything created by a third party on your behalf is formally assigned to you.

Additionally, clear post-termination restrictions are important in employment contracts. They can deter potential infringers, and make it much easier for lawyers to prevent further disclosure, limit the damage and ensure the wrong-doer is held to account if those restrictions are broken.

It is just as important to know what other similar rights already exist. For example there is little point seeking to register a trade mark if an identical or perhaps similar name or logo has already been

Know how to protect it Seek to register as many designs, patents and trade marks as possible, especially your trading name, logos and the design and workings of your key products: the

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cost of registration is dramatically less than the cost of a subsequent dispute.

Avoiding the cost, particularly in a startup situation, is understandable but could prove a false economy. Also, significant additional benefits are to be had by registering the most suitable rights.

If you are going to register, make sure you do it correctly – for example the type of drawings you file with an application to register a design can adversely impact the enforceability of your registered design right.

Other considerations Some clients have the resources to come down hard on all infringers no matter what damage is caused; others have to choose their battles more carefully. It may be worth consider obtaining IP insurance to pay for enforcement proceedings in the event that your IP is infringed.

Make the most of valuable incentives such as R&D tax credits, which allow companies that spend on research and development to recover some of that expenditure, and Patent Box which provides a reduced rate of corporation tax on revenue derived from patent protected products.

tel: 01444 259 259

innovation business andmatters design

april/may december/january 2019 business 2020 business 2018 edge business edge edge

Innovation for business success Innovation is a proven route to business success, but do business leaders always recognise innovation potential, and do businesses exploit all the innovation support available to them?

Dr Shona Campbell

Associate Director of Enterprise Services at the University of Brighton.

Dr Shona Campbell from the University of Brighton explains that by focusing on innovation-led growth, businesses can boost their revenues by increasing product sales and service income, and increase profitability by minimising costs and optimising productivity. And there’s plenty of support available: businesses can claim R&D tax credits and get expert help from universities to access specialist knowledge and facilities and to secure government funding.

Innovation is a word used with increasing frequency. For purists, innovation means developing new products or services for the company or to market. Yet, innovation extends beyond that – it includes how you run and structure your business. Innovation encapsulates spotting opportunities, identifying market needs and gaps as well as looking at business capabilities.

Knowledge is a key driver of innovation. The term open innovation describes the process of bringing external sources of knowledge into the innovation process. University research programmes generate knowledge, and as such, universities are well equipped to support business growth through open innovation. Indeed, the government expects universities to collaborate with business across innovation and skills agendas, with this expectation never more evident than in the Industrial Strategy: Building a Britain Fit for the Future, which makes just under a hundred references to universities as it sets out its plan for enhancing the country’s productivity and economic success. 82,000 university-business partnerships were reported in the UK in 2019, 75% of which were with SMEs. A significant source of innovation funding is provided by Innovate UK, although there are various regional schemes positioned to meet specific local needs - you can keep up to date with these through the Sussex Chamber blog. One of Innovate UK’s flagship programmes is the longestablished Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTP) programme, a partnership between

Mike Punter, Parafix Chairman, and KTP Associate and University of Brighton graduate, Louise Vincent during a KTP project. a business seeking expertise, an academic team at a university, and a recently qualified graduate. The graduate leads a strategic growth-focused project in your business, with the academic team providing a knowledge resource. Grant funding of up to 67% of the project costs is available.

A specific type of KTP funding currently available is the Management KTP, which uses the tried and tested KTP model to address productivity challenges by linking businesses with academics from the University’s Business School.

Lancing-based Parafix Tapes and Conversions has partnered with the University of Brighton on three occasions to support their innovation ambitions, with completed projects in process optimisation and marketing innovation being followed by a current project implementing Industry 4.0 approaches in the manufacturing business.

Steve Barwick, Director and General Manager at Parafix, said “In our high-throughput business, productivity is king. Our operations generate volumes of data, but extracting intelligence from that data to enhance performance needed expertise that we simply didn’t have and couldn’t be bought off-the-shelf.”

Working with University of Brighton academics, with expertise in data analytics

Our operations generate volumes of data, but extracting intelligence from that data to enhance performance needed expertise that we simply didn’t have and couldn’t be bought off-the-shelf.”

and intelligent manufacturing, Parafix is now six months into a project to transform machine scheduling, driving efficiency and productivity.

Sussex Chamber member Extech Cloud recently completed a KTP with the University of Brighton. Extech Cloud partnered with academics from the Centre for Entrepreneurship and Innovation Management to transform their approach to marketing and customer acquisition, positioning themselves as an influencer rather than a responder. Extech Cloud fully embraced the ‘Influencer’ approach and have new clients approaching them based on their forward thinking reputation. Co-founder Andrew Hookway reflected: “This was an effective change project which benefited both the company’s financial performance and internal culture - KTP was instrumental in bringing about a step change in Extech Cloud at a crucial point in our growth. I would highly recommend participation in the scheme.

The University of Brighton is very much Open for Business, and welcomes opportunities to explore open innovation potential with you. As a broad discipline university, we have expertise relevant to a wide range of business challenges, from innovation management to advanced engineering, healthy ageing to cybersecurity, and product design to environmental science.

If open innovation could be a solution in your business ambitions, get in touch, with our Enterprise Team at Enterprise@brighton. ac.uk or on 01273 641 039 and we’ll arrange to meet you in Brighton, at Freedom Works in Crawley, or at your business premises.

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ask the expert

april/may april/may2020 2019 business edge

Utilities of the Future This year sees Premier Energy celebrate our 25th year as a Sussex-based independent Utility Consultancy. It’s a good time to reflect and consider the challenges facing the utility industry and importantly the homes, communities and businesses that depend on these services.

Nigel Hall

Director, Premier Energy

The utility world was very different back in 1995. It was dominated by regionallybased licensed companies who had the responsibility to provide and maintain the essential utility infrastructure. These were very much monopolies, giving developers limited choice to shop around for their electricity, gas, telecoms and water connections. Today, things are very different; a review of the various accreditation portals shows that there are now in excess of 500 organisations who could connect your utility services to your construction projects.

Whilst this adds to the complexity of the utility landscape it does provide choice and competition for customers looking to develop new homes and businesses.

The past 25 years in the utility industry has changed dramatically, so what are the key challenges facing everyone in the industry over the next quarter century?

Zero Carbon - The ‘Zero Carbon’ story now dominates the media, with daily coverage of not only countries, but more recently UK towns and cities jostling to get their

message heard. Whatever your personal view, we can’t avoid the impact the debate will have on our utility infrastructure.

Electrification of Transport - For example, most new homes will have to make provision to charge an electric vehicle.

Couple that with requirements for companies and public services, this will impact the electricity capacity required for each home and business of the future.

It may come as surprise to some that by 2050 the amount of electricity generation required is anticipated to be 3 x the electrical capacity of 2020. This has a cost burden to anyone building homes, or even cities, and a significant impact on the costs of connecting electricity in the future.

Heating of the Future - There is a drive to demonise natural gas and rebrand gas boilers as carbon generating. There have been various iterations of banning gas supplies in new homes, with the latest proposed deadline of 2025. Homes will need an alternative heating source, and most alternatives need additional electricity to run pumps etc. Pressure on electricity networks will continue to grow, as will the cost to connect. However, transitioning from Natural Gas to Hydrogen is likely to play an increasing role in converting the existing housing stock to Zero Carbon.

Fibre and 5G - Published research shows that reliable high speed broadband

It may come as surprise to some that by 2050 the amount of electricity generation required is anticipated to be 3 x the electrical capacity of 2020.

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connection is now 3rd on the list of criteria during house purchasing decisions. No longer a lifestyle choice, it is now a social necessity. We have moved a long way from dial-up modems and the accompanying soundtrack, and now see myriad communications companies springing up and offering fibre services that have moved from Megabits to Gigabits speeds and now 5G mobile services. Once again, making the right choice for any building project is essential, and considerations about ‘future proofing’ infrastructure is required.

Clean Water - It is hard to comprehend, given recent rainfall, that we live in an area of water stress. The regulatory and political pressure this brings is driving water companies to ever higher standards and their requirement often includes incentivising efficient water use in new homes.

These strategic issues show vast progression from the utility environment we first encountered in 1995. Whatever your view on Climate Change; the benefits of electric vehicles against internal combustion; the transition from Natural Gas heating to Electric Heat Pumps or even Hydrogen boilers; to the amount you are prepared to invest in water conservation, all of these issues are impacting the utility landscape in real terms.

It is crucial now more than ever to work with companies who understand the myriad of options and mixed messages from vested interests, and exploit value from the competitive market.

For further information please contact Premier Energy

tel: 01444 259 259

fine print

april/may 2020 2019 business businessedge edge

Are you facing an Employment Tribunal or need advice? QUEST COVER can help!

A valuable benefit for all members silver and above. There has been a sharp increase in the number of employment tribunal claims submitted over the past few years.

After tribunal fees were abolished in July 2017 the financial year of 2017/2018 saw a total of 27,916 claims and the year of 2018/2019 received a total of 35,429. This shows a 27% increase in the number of single claims.

Here at Quest Cover, we have noticed that the number of calls we have received regarding Employment Tribunals have risen significantly over the past few years.

Costs associated with an employment tribunal for employers can run into hundreds of thousands of pounds, sometimes even more. There is no limit!

Our Employment Tribunal Service We understand that dealing with employment disputes can be difficult, so our experts can help you each step of the way. We can offer the following services to put your mind at ease: Unlimited advice from our experienced employment advisors Full access to our comprehensive HR & Legal document library Settlement agreements to prevent any progress to tribunals ACAS early conciliation service to help negotiate a solution In-house legal support to prepare for an employment tribunal, including drafting responses Legal expenses insurance to cover the cost of preparation, defence and award call our employers advice line on 0333 240 7208

The Innovation Ultimatum How six strategic technologies will reshape every business in the 2020s

By Steve Brown Published by Wiley Businesses will experience more technology-driven change in the next ten years than in the last forty. Artificial intelligence, augmented reality, blockchain, the Internet of Things, 5G networks, and autonomous machines will combine to reshape every industry. To stay competitive, all businesses will have to embrace these technologies to evolve their offering and transform operations.

The Innovation Ultimatum helps business leaders to better understand which technologies will impact their industries in the coming years and how to build the strategies needed to drive necessary transformation.

Using many real-world examples from a wide range of industries, author Steve Brown highlights how organisations are already using these technologies to their benefit and offers practical advice on how readers can do the same at their own companies.

Serving as a practical, jargon-free guide that business leaders from C-suite executives to senior managers can use to help prepare for the coming decade of rapid change, The Innovation Ultimatum enables readers to: Understand the implications of technology-driven change across industrial sectors Apply important insights to their own business Gain competitive advantage by implementing new technologies Prepare for the future of work and understand the skills needed to thrive in a post-automation economy Adopt critical digital technologies in any organisation, and Prepare their businesses for the future.

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business support

april/may april/may2020 2019 business edge

CRM Outside the Vacuum Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems are supposed to help businesses manage the whole of the customer journey. So why do so many stop after the initial sale is signed off?

CRM solutions have become a byword for SALES management tools…and they are so much more than that. Or at least they should be.

Your customers’ experience with your business is defined by every single one of their contact points with your team. Those contact points may be your website, a marketing email they receive, speaking to you at an expo, calling to ask a question about a project you are collaborating on, dealing with your accounts team, and so on.

If the people working at all of the stages of this journey aren’t all on the same page, that experience will be disjointed.

I’ll illustrate this with an example customer journey…one with a “joined up” CRM solution and one that just focuses on sales.

Sales Only CRM A new prospect lands on your website and fills in a contact form. Your sales team sees this new lead in your CRM system and gives them a call.

They exchange emails, phone calls, maybe the odd meeting. All of this dialogue is held against a central opportunity record, along with the details of the deal as it evolves.

Any time your customer calls, no matter who picks it up, your team can answer the question. All with the information related to the ongoing negotiations is held in a central, easy to access location.

The same journey with a CRM solution that covers your whole business will start the same. Your prospect lands into your CRM system and is taken care of all the way through to closed won.

Quotes are sent out and the sale is signed off. Your customer receives their product or services. And now their record on your CRM solution goes…well, a bit quiet.

Then the accounts team picks up the invoice.

Instead of calling the main switchboard and hoping for the best, your team can easily see exactly the right person to contact regarding payment. Because the sales person has highlighted it in a central location.

When your accounts team see the invoice come through on their side, that’s all they know. Any information relating to who the best person is to call about payment is on the CRM…not in the accounts system.

And the great thing is that it cuts both ways, your sales team will easily be able to see when an invoice has been paid…without having to sign into another system.

If your customer has a question about the implementation of your services or maybe the product has a small fault, they call another team that may be hearing about them for the first time. Those queries are all handled in other systems, with the details about the original negotiation silo’d away.

Details that may or may not have a bearing on their installation or support.

Suddenly your customer is having to explain who they are, what they purchased from you, and is probably starting to feel like they’re repeating themselves a lot. The journey they are on with your business is beginning to feel like a rail journey disrupted with unexpected transfers, breakdowns, and sometimes just sitting on the track between stops waiting for who knows what!

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End to End Solution

Any questions your customer has for your implementation or support team can also be seen by the sales team. And those people handling the aftersales care can easily see the promises made during the initial sale, making sure that the customer receives exactly what they were promised.

Now your customer feels like they are being taken care of, that the company they’ve just given money to actually cares about them as a person. The journey they are on with you feels joined up…without unplanned layovers, delays, or random stopovers in fields.

The Key is in the Name

support the whole of the customer journey.

Not just helping them win the sale.

Limiting CRM to just the sales cycle is a mistake and integrations with other services will only get you so far. Your customers don’t stop their relationship with your business after they sign on the dotted line. That’s just the beginning of it.

The relationship—the thing you want to manage—goes on and on. Ideally, that relationship will last as long as you can keep providing them with the goods and services they need. So why on earth would the system you are using to manage it stop when things are just getting exciting.

My opinion: CRM systems that don't embrace the whole customer journey and don't allow for joining of the dots are not going to survive in the future.

To talk to a member of the OpenCRM team about your CRM software can benefit your business, call 01748 473000 or visit us at www.opencrm.co.uk.

Graham Anderson, is the CEO and founder of OpenCRM, one of the UK’s leading customer relationship management systems.

I guess what I’m saying is that the future of the CRM industry, as far as I see it, is giving businesses the tools they need to actually

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business support

april/may 2020 2019 business businessedge edge

Construction expert lands in Gatwick EMW now have a construction expert in every office As a competitive law firm with corporate, commercial and real estate teams, our construction expertise is often a key feature in providing the full end-to-end advisory service that our clients have come to expect. We’re pleased to announce that this has now been extended to Gatwick, and we now have a resident construction advisor in every EMW office.

Caroline Watkins is our new Legal Director in Gatwick and joins us from a City construction and insurance practice having previously been in-house in the water industry. She has a range of crosssector experience, acting for developers, contractors, utilities and professional consultants in a number of project sectors, and is a member of the Society for Construction Law. She regularly advises clients on standard form and bespoke contracts, insurance, procurement and transactional due diligence. Caroline adds her commercial knowledge to the construction offering and advises on the general supply chain contract matters that often go hand in hand with construction projects.

Derryn Rolfe is our Legal Director, primarily based in Milton Keynes, where she specialises in construction and engineering,

Caroline Watkins

particularly drafting and negotiation of contracts and associated documentation and strategic procurement advice. She also regularly lectures in construction law. Originally a materials engineer, her understanding of the technical issues in construction and engineering projects helps her get to the heart of issues, and her years both in-house and in private practice mean that she fully appreciates the commercial matters as well.

Derryn Rolfe

Both Caroline and Derryn will be presenting at our breakfast seminar in our Gatwick office later in the year, where they will be discussing ‘how better contracts can improve your bottom line’ and ‘insolvency in the supply chain’. To find out more about our seminar and to register your interest, please visit www.emwllp.com/latest or email enquiries@emwllp.com, we’d be delighted to hear from you.

Our non-contentious construction offering is complemented by our construction disputes expert Clare Reed, who is a Principal in the London office.

New updated online training: Introduction to Dangerous Goods

by Air, Road, and Sea; Overview for Management and Staff Some of the world’s worst transport accidents have been caused by goods not properly packed becoming dangerous in transit.

Many goods, including everyday items are dangerous if not packed or stowed according to international standards. EU and international legislation states that all staff directly or indirectly involved in the transport of goods classed as dangerous must receive training appropriate to their job.

Introduction to Dangerous Goods by Air, Road, and Sea; Overview for Management and Staff training course will introduce you to the regulations governing the safe transport of dangerous goods by air, road and sea, and is designed for anyone whether they are management or staff who should be aware of this subject and have an understanding of their responsibilities.

The programme of this training course was updated recently and now includes a revised script and new footage filmed in working warehouses and container ports, plus a general overview of the dangerous goods regulations for air, road and sea.

Key topics: • Responsibilities in law for dangerous goods • The hidden dangers in everyday items • Why and how goods are classified, packed and labelled It targets staff at all levels - director, manager, packer, production director, personnel manager, delivery driver, laboratory technician, supervisor, and warehouse staff. In fact, anyone who in any way is involved in dangerous goods.

To see all FTA’s Online Dangerous Goods training, please visit www.onlinedangerousgoodstraining.com For any queries, please contact us on 01293 539119 or sales@onlinedangerousgoodstraining.com

onlinedangerousgoodstraining.com CDMT – a corporate part of FTA

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business support

april/may april/may2020 2019 business edge

State Actors pose a big threat British businesses need to use more effective defences against relentless attacks from state-sponsored cyber hackers.

Several countries are now using digital interactions to launch attacks on individual companies as well as national infrastructures.

capable of detecting and defending against ‘zero-day’ attacks. This is when malware compromises a network before a patch can be delivered.

The UK’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), the US Department of Homeland Security and the FBI recently warned that Russia is a prime culprit. It’s exploiting network infrastructure devices around the world – laying hidden digital landmines ready to activate for future attacks.

Gary Jowett, from Computer & Network Consultants in Brighton, said: “Think about what information your organisation uses that would be most attractive to a hacker. Because if your organisation stores intellectual property, sensitive, personal, legal or financial data, you’re an attractive target for a State Actor.”

Such attacks by ‘State Actors’ were initially used to target the military and governments. Now they’ve broadened their attacks by targeting a range of sectors including healthcare, financial services, education and entertainment.

Being constantly vigilant is common sense, but it’s also essential to examine your organisation’s workloads, to identify where internet access isn’t always needed. Taking some workloads ‘offline’ could reduce the exposure of critical data to unauthorised access.

Companies interact with governments selling and buying services, so State Actors see them as a soft underbelly, much less prepared for attacks. Targets where it’s more likely to find an unlocked backdoor giving them access to infrastructures and sensitive data.

Russia’s not the only culprit. In April 2019, the US and UK governments hit out at state-owned Chinese telecoms firm ZTE. The NCSC warned UK telcos that using

ZTE’s equipment and services could pose a national security risk. Three months later, Microsoft warned that state-sponsored attacks had targeted around 10,000 of its customers. Eighty-four per cent of them were enterprises, and most of the attacks came from Iran, Russia and North Korea.

Invest well To stay one step ahead, organisations need to invest well in their cybersecurity strategies. They need to deploy tools

IMAGINE HAVING ACCESS TO ALL THE BEST IT SERVICES.

Gary added: “There are various effective cyber defence tools to help spot and block attacks, and an independent IT consultant can help you to evaluate the best ones to suit your business. But these threats are ever-changing in nature, so it’s also important your staff receive regular refresher training to ensure they maintain a cautious and vigilant approach – at home and work.”

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

april/may 2020 2019 business businessedge edge

Practical Compliance: Non-financial misconduct The FCA has opened discussion with the industry regarding non-financial misconduct.

What is non-financial misconduct and what can firms irrespective of their industry do to minimise it both in the workplace and with clients or customers?

Discrimination, harassment, victimisation and bullying are all forms of non-financial misconduct including sexual harassment, homophobia, racism and sexism and apply to the way a firm treats its staff and its customers or clients.

Discrimination The Equality Act 2010 defined nine protected characteristics, these are; age disability gender reassignment marriage and civil partnership pregnancy and maternity

which you find offensive or which makes you feel intimidated or humiliated.

Bullying Bullying is a particular form of harassment and can be in private or in public.

Some bullying may lead to a charge of constructive dismissal against the perpetrator.

Firms should begin to address non-financial misconduct risks in the way they address other business risks within the organisation.

Leadership As with everything that happens in an organisation, leadership and the tone from the top sets the agenda throughout the firm. Having set the tone, what steps has the Board taken to measure the quality of culture and conduct against these clearly defined expectations?

Purpose

race religion and/or belief sex sexual orientation

Harassment According to Citizens Advice, harassment is unwanted behaviour

In early March, the FCA published a discussion paper on driving purposeful cultures. In introducing the discussion paper, it said: “The purpose of a firm sits at the heart of its business model, strategy and culture. Unhealthy cultures and purpose have been at the root cause of too many mis-selling and other conduct scandals in financial services.”

Rewarding and managing people Most firms have reward systems that consider behavioural based key performance indicators in addition to financial performance. Upheld complaints should be a key performance indicator and we accept this to mean complaints from clients and customers, do we consider internal complaints from colleagues?

Next Steps Senior managers should review current processes and procedures in the light of the FCA’s Dear CEO letter whichever sector they are in and identify any gaps between the regulator’s expectations and their current arrangements. Having identified the gaps, take action to address them.

How can we help Compliance Matters UK Limited offers cost effective and practical guidance.

Contact us on 07768 422 213 or email ian@ compliancematters.co.uk to discuss any needs you may have.

How to retain liquidity and protect you business in uncertain times.

Most businesses will not be immune to a downturn in economic activity or indeed a crisis economy.

It is essential that for businesses to protect cash flow and stay as flexible as possible during the period of uncertainty.

Assess how the change in market conditions could affect your business and amend your forecasts accordingly.

Pay specific attention to your Debtors. Many businesses will be in the same cycle and whilst it is a good idea to extend your terms of payment with your supplier's, your customers may attempt to do the same.

Amending your forecasts are key. The earlier you can identify a possible problem with your future cash flow and devise a strategy to solve it, the easier it is to rectify

PROTECT YOUR CUSTOMER BASE Your customer base is in many businesses a key pillar for success and is not generated quickly. Consider the implications of any changes you are considering irrespective of whether they are short or medium/long term on this asset. Customers are easy to lose to the competition and not so easy to win back. w�w.spb-bs.cam

07974202730

"If you have a secure business that has been

PROTECT YOUR CASH FLOW

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PROTECT YOUR SUPPLY CHAIN

established with a sound strategy, provided you retain the key pillars in your business and can manage cash flow through the economic downturn, you will be in a position to take advantage of the upturn after the crisis subsides."

A downturn in the economy will have an affect on your supply chain. Any interruption could have an effect on your ability to supply. Where you perceive weakness in the chain find alternatives as a back up. Communicate with your suppliers and work on retaining goodwill even if you need to extend payment terms. Your main suppliers are also key pillars in your business and relationships should be retained if possible.

CONSIDER SCALING BACK ON YOUR GROWTH PLAN

Whilst it is important to have targets for your business you may need to consider scaling back asset purchases and reducing stock levels in view of reduced business activity.

Both these decisions will protect cash flow. If your targets and growth plan were created from sound principles and you protect the key pillars of your business you will be in good shape to move forward once there is a return to normal business activity.

RETAINING KEY STAFF

Your staff are another key pillar of your business. It is a natural reaction to look at reducing your cost base in a crisis economy, but try to protect key staff that would take considerable time to replace once normal trading resumes.

We are a team of highly skilled freelance Finance Directors who can • • • share our knowledge on a part time basis to support your business.

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5pB

•............"

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innovation and design

april/may april/may2020 2019 business edge

Ditch The Plastic!

Sussex Chamber Members AQUAPAX launched their planet conscious carton water back in 2006, coining the phrase ‘Ditch The Plastic’ long before the very real problems associated with single-use plastics came into most people’s consciousness.

Neil Tomlinson

Founder Director Just Drinking Water Ltd

The independent company defines innovation and environmental leadership, having taken on an established and buoyant Bottled Water product category, aptly described by Friends of the Earth as “an economic phenomenon and an environmental catastrophe” with a more ecologically sensible ‘wholly recyclable, paper based’ alternative.

Founder Neil Tomlinson was working with the leadership team at South East Water when the carton water idea crystallised as being a necessary step towards changing the status quo. “I felt strongly that something had to be done if the world was ever going to reduce its reliance on plastic bottled water products which (at that time) had no viable alternatives.”

The brand set out to be the conscience of the industry, defining what a carton of water looks like in the process. The lovingly crafted design depicts Neil’s journey, from growing up on a ‘plastic free’ beach, using words and illustration to communicate the proposition.

As a business, AQUAPAX carbon balances its energy use via annual offset, while relentlessly focussing on increasing the renewable (sustainable) content of its packaging further, embracing alternatives to conventional fossil fuelbased polymers.

Beyond being the world’s original carton water brand, AQUAPAX is the only brand in a now buoyant eco-water sector, with a range of sizes, encompassing 330ml, 500ml and 1litre carton options. With exports across Europe and further afield, every carton sold contributes to the company’s now established reforestation programme, “helping to remediate some of the damage that’s already been done.”

By the end of 2020, all sizes will include resealable caps made from renewable sugar-cane, further reducing the company’s environmental impact, upholding the brand’s foundation as “a pure thirst for the environment”.

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“I felt strongly that something had to be done if the world was ever going to reduce its reliance on plastic bottled water products which (at that time) had no viable alternatives.”

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innovation business andmatters design

april/may december/january 2019 business 2020 business 2018 edge business edge edge

De-risking projects for error-free outcomes Construction projects can have many risks: not just with designing and building the right structure, but also with environmental concerns, the types of materials used, the amount of waste generated and the power requirements and emissions.

More than ever before, getting the design right at the beginning can have a fundamental impact on the end result.

Dr Andy Painting Attis

Attis provide a unique combination of understanding the requirements of construction regulations with powerful design reviews which provide solid project foundations. Clients can be assured that their project is designed to their specification and designers are given a solid statement of requirements against which they can create their solution. Additionally, by incorporating regulatory requirements from the outset, the project will always be compliant

with the law. The Get It Right Initiative (GIRI) has calculated that 21% of project cost is lost in wastage caused by errors.

That equates to around £100 billion per annum, a figure that Attis, through its close ties to GIRI, works hard to reduce.

Finding the right solution can often be more of a challenge than finding any solution at all. It is certainly true that virtually anything can be built – but at what cost? What is also true is that the more time and effort spent at the beginning of any project will be more than justified in the saving of wasted money and effort at the end. An innovative design review process covering all possible aspects of the project’s outcome is a fundamental way to reduce error and waste.

Occupational and Organizational Psychology MSc If you’re interested in how people think and behave at work – and in helping them optimise their wellbeing and performance – this is the course for you.

Learn how you can play a key role in influencing best practice and policy in the workplace.

Taught by the School of Psychology and the University of Sussex Business School, you’ll gain valuable skills and knowledge in: • • • • •

psychological assessment at work learning, training and development leadership, engagement and motivation wellbeing and work organisational design, change and development.

The course covers issues relevant to the future of work, bringing you the latest thinking on a range of topics such as digital connectivity, relational attachment at work, class and masculinity, attitudes to diversity, consumer psychology and modern leadership.

Choose to study full time or part time. As a part-time student, you’ll be taught mainly on one weekday across the year, with approximately two weeks of intensive taught modules across the summer term of Year 1 to fit around your work commitments.

During the course, you’re invited to meet psychologists from different industries and to attend real-world assessment days. There may also be opportunities to secure internships.

On graduation, you’ll be well prepared for professional practice as an occupational or organisational/business psychologist.

ACCR ED ITAT I O N AND PAR T NER SHIPS This course is seeking accreditation against the requirements for the Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC) of the British Psychological Society (BPS). Taking a BPSaccredited course is necessary if you wish to pursue a career as an Occupational Psychologist, and work towards chartered status.

Our professional networks include Roffey Park Institute and the Institute for Employment Studies (IES) who provide specialist sessions, professional mentoring and other ad-hoc opportunities.

F IND O UT MO R E For more information or to apply, visit www.sussex.ac.uk/business-school/op-msc

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19

advertorial

april/may april/may2020 2019 business edge

New platform launched to improve cyber security insight With increased demand for cyber security awareness metrics that highlight both knowledge and risk within an organisation, Intqual-pro has developed the new Cyber Stars 365 platform.

Since 2015, the Cyber Stars Initiative has been an imbedded part of cyber security strategies for organisations across the globe - with over 200,000 Cyber Stars worldwide.

As a result of client demand and a proven need for clear and improved metrics in knowledge and risk, Intqual-pro has officially launched Cyber Stars 365.

A sustainable cyber security awareness solution that provides a 24/7, 365 day insight across a business, the Cyber Stars 365 platform provides detailed metrics on knowledge and engagement over time and allows for detailed insight into specific user groups, job functions and locations.

In turn, these metrics provide evidence for regulators and inform effective awareness strategies.

Future awareness and education activities can also be developed based upon an analytical understanding of training needs

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and targeted for the correct user groups, eliminating the requirement for unnecessary re-training.

The questions are based on specific areas of threat type and include understanding of threat, mitigation and response, with an opportunity to tailor questions to specific organisational needs. System users are assigned to knowledge categories based on their level of access, risk or function and can then see their engagement and individual knowledge retention across all categories for which they are enrolled.

Once learners provide a satisfactory level of understanding for a specific category, the platform will go dormant and focus more on areas where knowledge and retention requires more focus. This ensures that the learning experience and associated assessment is individually tailored across the entire organisation.

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The management dashboards of Cyber Stars 365 allow for comparison of all users based on engagement and knowledge. The platforms filters can be applied to analyse data based upon job function, region or a number of other demographics.

Acceptable levels of knowledge can be defined and monitored for each user group and in cases where users fall below certain levels of knowledge, specific and targeted training can be provided at an individual level using built in platform training materials.

For more information on Cyber Stars 365 or to arrange a trial, contact cyber@intqual-pro.com.

INTQUAL PRO

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advertorial

april/may 2020 2019 business businessedge edge

THE LIFE OF GALILEO THE REAL THING THE PRIME OF MISS JEAN BRODIE THE VILLAGE BIKE SOUTH PACIFIC THE UNFRIEND THE LONG SONG

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NOW CHICHESTER COLLEGE GROUP HAS BEEN CHOSEN TO DELIVER THE BRAND NEW T LEVELS – A TWO-YEAR QUALIFICATION FOR 16 TO 19 YEAR OLDS WHICH INCLUDES A 45-DAY INDUSTRY PLACEMENT.

Want to get involved? Partner with us and offer an industry placement at your business. Students are ready to start placements in areas such as digital and IT, construction, education and childcare.

FIND OUT MORE AT CRAWLEY.AC.UK/T-LEVELS OR CHICHESTER.AC.UK/T-LEVELS

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21

advertorial

april/may april/may2020 2019 business edge

Intelligencia Training commence delivery of new high profile counter-fraud apprenticeship Intelligence training specialists Intelligencia Training have recently included the Government’s new Counter-Fraud Investigator Apprenticeship Standard to its portfolio of established, innovative intelligence and risk apprenticeships.

The new Counter-Fraud Investigator Apprenticeship Standard was developed by a consortium of sector specialists from within a range of high profile organisations including Cabinet Office, HMRC, NHS Counter-Fraud and many local authorities to recognise the skill set and experience required to operate within these challenging roles. The ability to professionalise and formalise the way in which many organisations operate delivers significant advantages.

The Fraud Investigation Standard was developed to provide a recognised and robust pathway for fraud investigators that would allow for parity across sectors and comprehensive development of all knowledge, skills and behaviours associated with being an effective and competent investigation professional.

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Building on from their success in delivering cutting edge intelligence and analytical training within both public and private sectors (including Government agencies, public sector departments, law enforcement and custodial sectors, local authorities and the banking / insurance sectors) Intelligencia Training are confident their exposure and experience gained within existing counter-fraud departments will provide tangible benefits.

those who have operated within senior intelligence and counter-fraud roles, will bring significant new skills, knowledge and behaviours to benefit those who, previously, may have not been offered formal counterfraud training. We are confident that those organisations who have previously utilised our widely publicised intelligence analysis apprenticeship will now look to offer even more role specific programmes to their wider business”

Intelligencia Training’s Commercial Director – Nick Atkinson, commented, “We are proud to announce that we have added this long awaited Apprenticeship standard to our portfolio of cutting edge training programmes to further support of growing number of high profile public and private sector clients. Our engaging delivery models and highly skilled tutors, that include

You can read more about Intelligencia Training at www.intelligenciatraining.com

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advertorial

april/may 2020 2019 business businessedge edge

Is getting palletised freight to your customers in a cost-effective, timely and reliable way critical to your business?

If it is, think RT Page. We’ll ensure your goods are always where they need to be when they need to be there.

• Here at RT Page and Sons Ltd we are proud to be working in partnership with THE Pallet Network (TPN) to provide a sector leading palletised goods collection and delivery service.

• Our stellar customer service, unrivalled postcode coverage, competitive rates and real-time tracking technology means that you can rest assured knowing that your goods are in the safest possible hands at every stage of their journey.

Call us now on 01903 736300 to speak to Naomi, our Pallet Network Manager, and find out how we can service your pallet transport needs – however challenging they might be. Alternatively email naomihorne@rtpage.co.uk for expert advice or further information.

RT Page and Sons Ltd – Modern delivery with traditional values.

Corporate Membership at EAST GRINSTEAD SPORTS CLUB

HELPING YOU KEEP YOUR TEAM HEALTHY

Inspire your company to lead an active lifestyle with Corporate Membership at East Grinstead Sports Club.

East

Sign up today and your team could get unlimited gym, classes and racket sports for just £29.95 a month and no joining fee!

Get in touch with our friendly team on 01342 321210 or visit www.egsc.org.uk

AS A CHAMBER MEMBER YOU’RE WELL CONNECTED

23

inspirational leaders

april/may april/may2020 2019 business edge

Enduring quality of a class act From the can-do attitude of the founder, through the dedication of his team to the timelessness of the furniture they produce, Alexander Rose Ltd is stamped with the hallmark of success. HELEN COMPSON learns more.

OK, yes, he started as finance director, but what with the subsequent addition of ‘operations director’ to his remit, who knows what each day holds for Mike Brand.

He joined high-end garden furniture design and manufacturing company Alexander Rose Ltd five years ago and, having an already diverse CV himself, has relished the continued variety of his working week.

“I did come in as finance director, but I only spend a relatively small part of my time on that side of things now,” he said.

“My duties include everything from human resources to IT to facilities and logistics to insurances, although there are still some figures in there.

“It’s an interesting mix and I like that – it gives you a reason for getting up every day!”

The headline figures are that this business to business supplier has an annual turnover of £10m, of which £7.5m results from sales to DIY and garden centres in the UK, £1m from sales across the rest of the world, and £1.5m achieved on the commercial side of things, namely direct sales to hotels, bars and golf clubs.

Alexander Rose is part and parcel of a fourcompany business structure that in itself is diverse. It owns a company/factory in the Philippines where woven garden furniture is produced, it is linked to its main wood production facility in Bolivia and it has a sister company in the USA. It was established in the UK back in 1994 by quintessential Danish man Borge Leth, who scored big time when fate threw him a curve ball.

Mike Brand He was working for a wealthy Ghanaian family, the Peperas, selling garden furniture to the UK market from their extensive factory in West Africa.

Mike said: “He had a number of containers coming over to the UK, when the company due to receive them went bust.

“Borge is very much a roll-your-sleeves up type of guy, so he decided he would come here and sell the furniture himself.

“He discovered he was pretty good at selling and Alexander Rose has been here ever since.”

Borge, who was a cabinet maker by profession, is still managing director today. The Pepera family remained 100% shareholders in the company until 2010, at which point the Bolivian Roda Group bought into the enterprise and became the majority shareholder.

“We are regarded primarily as a wood manufacturing business and just over half our sales are of wooden furniture,” said Mike.

“Our reputation is built on high-end garden furniture. Our premium range comes with a warranty for 10 years and we expect it to last for 25 years.

“So, it’s quality and customer service, that’s what we have made our name on.”

“Our reputation is built on high-end garden furniture. Our premium range comes with a warranty for 10 years and we expect it to last for 25 years. So, it’s quality and customer service, that’s what we have made our name on.”

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The timber they use, including mahogany, acacia and pine, is all drawn from sustainably managed woodlands. The premium hardwood range is made from Bolivian roble, one of the world’s strongest and most durable woods, while other woods are sourced from Vietnam and Eastern Europe.

In 2007, the company felt it was time to diversify. Metal and weave ranges were introduced. “We opened a factory in the

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inspirational leaders

april/may 2020 2019 business businessedge edge

Philippines, where you find the best weavers in the world,” he said.

“The skill is handed down generation to generation, so we established a factory on the island of Cebu. It is a lovely, lovely factory, producing fantastic furniture.

“As soon as we introduced the new ranges, they started flying off the shelves and the point of difference was quality.”

While Alexander Rose has 31 members of staff in the UK, most at its head office in Burgess Hill, the Philippines operation employs 270 people.

All of the work there is done by hand, using very traditional methods. Mike said: “There’s no machines, which is one of the reasons the furniture costs a wee bit more. Typically, it will take between two and five days to weave a chair.”

All of the furniture is designed in-house, by head designer Alan Morley. Stefan Leth, who joined the company straight from school and is still only in his mid-twenties, is being trained up to replace Alan when he retires.

“It is very exciting for Stefan and for us,” said Mike. “He brings a fresh perspective – he is very, very good.”

In order to succeed in this particular business, companies have to be ahead of the trend, as it can be as much as two years from the point of cutting down a tree to having the product on distribution.

He said: “You find a lot of the future trends in Milan, at the Salone del Mobile (Furniture Fair), which is usually held in April, but has been postponed till June this year.

“We find Milan gives us four or five years’ notice which way designs are going.”

The current trend was for taking indoor furniture styles outdoors - for blurring the line between the two. Combining metal, weave and wood was producing bold new looks. “It’s quite an interesting time for furniture design at the moment,” he said.

It is also an interesting time for Mike professionally too. Besides sitting on the overall management board for the four companies in the group, he is also a board

member of the Leisure and Outdoor Furniture Association, or LOFA for short.

“As a trade organisation, LOFA works hard for its members,” he said, “and if we can help with that, make things better not just for Alexander Rose, but for the industry at large, then we want to do our bit.”

He felt it was a measure of the strong leadership within the company – “and it has been the case since long before I joined” – that this was a place people stayed at.

While the average length of service per company in the UK is 3.7 years, the average at Alexander Rose is 9.7 years.

“Considering we have only been going for 25 years, that’s a good indicator people like to be here,” he said. “We look after our staff.

“We have regular days out, do bits and pieces for charity and staff bring their dogs to work. On the lowest days there will be two dogs here, but some days we have six in the office.

“They make people smile and that’s great.”

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innovation and design

april/may april/may2020 2019 business edge

Want to organically increase your Facebook reach by 9000%?

Yes, you read that right - 9000%!

Kelly O’Haire Director Seaside Creative

Track and Time

Here are our top 4 things to think about when posting in groups:

Find a way to track what you post and when. Try not to post to groups for the same or very nearby boroughs or towns on the same day.

Profile

Create

At Seaside Creative, we’ve been doing a lot of work recently to organically boost the reach for some of our clients’ Facebook pages. Not just to boost the amount of people that the posts reach, but to also target specific geographical areas.

Think about creating a professional Facebook profile for someone at your firm.

You can request to join more groups when you’re a person, rather than a company.

Make the posts personable, topical, include a geographical reference and use friendly language. Also prepare to respond to questions about the post too.

Research

Results

How have we done this? Facebook groups.

When researching groups, look at the type of content posted, as well as group members to see if they fit the demographic the client wants to target.

Facebook groups have recently surged in growth and present a huge opportunity for business. However, it takes time and effort

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in researching and joining the right groups.

Also, once you have joined, you then have to gain trust as a group member.

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Doing this should see great results, one of our clients saw a 9,000% increase in organic reach in only a month of Facebook group posting for them.

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innovation business andmatters design

april/may december/january 2019 business 2020 business 2018 edge business edge edge

Could your innovation help make the UK safer?

Among the thousands of individuals innovating across Sussex and the South East, there are doubtless many whose ideas could contribute towards the defence and security of the UK.

Peter Wilkins Innovation Partner DASA

The proposal to have an accelerator was published in the 2015 Strategic Defence and Security Review, with the aim of helping ‘turn ideas into innovative equipment and services faster’. DASA was formed in December 2016.

What has DASA achieved since?

Perhaps you’re one of them - or perhaps you’re not sure whether your idea could help. There is an organisation that can advise and guide you - the Defence and Security Accelerator, or DASA. With a network of Innovation Partners covering the UK, and with links across government, DASA’s role is to identify and support individuals and organisations and help them drive their innovations forward.

In this article Peter Wilkins, DASA’s Innovation Partner for the South East, answers some questions about DASA and explains how you can get involved.

What is the Defence and Security Accelerator and why was it created?

The Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA) is part of the Ministry of Defence.

Our mission is to find and fund useful ideas to support UK defence and security quickly and effectively, and support UK prosperity - so that the UK can keep ahead, and stay safe, by taking advantage of the the best innovations across the UK and internationally.

We’ve received over 2500 proposals from over 1000 organisations, and have invested over £80m funding over 500 projects. Over 50% of our proposals have come from small or medium sized enterprises and around a quarter from universities. We provide 100% funding for all funded proposals, and we take no equity or intellectual property.

How can individuals or organisations get involved?

DASA run competitions to find solutions to real-world problems faced by UK Armed Forces and/or security services.

You can find a list of current competitions on our website - search for DASA on the Government site at www.gov.uk.

But we also accept proposals that fall outside of our current competitions through our “Open Call”. So, no matter who you are or where you work, if you have an idea that you think might contribute in any way to the defence or security of the UK, DASA is keen to hear from you. We work across all sectors - across chemistry,

biology, engineering, training, human performance, social sciences and beyond.

All proposals are assessed against three key criteria: desirability (is this a solution to a real-world problem?); feasibility (is this technically possible?); and viability (is this a business we want to invest in, with a credible project proposal?).

I’m always happy to discuss potential submissions over the phone or in person where needed. Like all of DASA’s Innovation Partners, I’m a Civil Servant who works for the government and who will protect your Intellectual Property, and your correspondence and any discussions will be in strict confidence. The best way to contact me is through our web portal - just search for “DASA Innovation Partners”. I’ll look forward to hearing your ideas.

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april/may april/may2020 2019 business edge

The KEEP+ team are delighted to announce that they have secured an extension of funding for the next three years!

Launching in April 2020 KEEP+ Phase II will provide 50% match-funded grants for knowledge exchange partnerships between academia and business, specialist equipment purchase and fast-track consultancy.

If you're an SME in need of specialist expertise or vital equipment to assist the development of your product or service development project, you may be eligible for a grant. To find out more, email julie.benabdeljelil@aru.ac.uk or go to www.KEEPplus.co.uk.

KEEP+ is part-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and open to Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) who meet EU eligibility criteria. The programme is a partnership of six universities.

KEEPPLUS.CO.UK

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KEEPPLUS

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business advertorial matters

april/may december/january 2019 business 2020 business 2018 edge business edge edge

Learning from Hindsight: A campaign for culture change Across the breadth of the regulated financial services sector, there is a prevailing regulatory spotlight on non-financial misconduct. One company taking action to help firms tackle the issue is learning and development expert, MaST. From sexual harassment to discrimination and bullying, there is an increased focus from the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) on non-financial misconduct and its direct link to poor culture.

To help raise awareness, MaST, the longest established UK learning and development consultancy, have launched the #ChangeYourBehaviour campaign to shine the spotlight on the importance of wellbeing, diversity and inclusion, as well as the fundamental need for change in the commonly accepted behavioural culture.

or has been asked to leave their current role due to non-financial misconduct allegations.

The FCA further note that diversity and inclusion compliance is not as simple as updating policies and procedures.

According to UK figures, the increase in the percentage of women in senior management only rose from 14 per cent in 2008 to 15.5 per cent in 2018 – a 1.5 per cent rise in 10 years.

The FCA are clear that failure to handle non-financial misconduct appropriately, or having a culture that permits non-financial misconduct, will have serious consequences.

It is clear that many firms continue to struggle with diversity and behavioural issues, but financial services are now expected to take ‘reasonable steps’ to address how they are governed, how employees are treated and the consequences of engaging in non-financial misconduct.

This supervisory approach is already enforced within banking and there have been numerous cases where an individual has not been permitted to take a senior role

MaST highlight that training to enable positive behaviour change is essential – not only from a regulatory standpoint, but in order to maximise productivity and

mitigate risk. However, achieving significant culture change is notoriously difficult, as is training in ‘grey areas’ such as inclusion and behaviour change.

MaST’s experiential approach to learning is proven to be particularly efficient in this setting. Immersive training, getting as close as possible to learning from your own experience, is widely accepted as the best form of training. MaST provide learners with the benefit of hindsight through innovative, durable and effective training methods, which give organisations a direct route to the development of an ethical and productive company culture.

You can find out more about experiential learning at www.mast.co.uk/experential

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29

innovation and design

april/may april/may2020 2019 business edge

A Sustainable Future MCR Media creates large and small format printing, signage and brand merchandising.

By Max Robinson MD, MCR Media

We offer the full range of digital large format graphics, exhibition printing, signage, small format digital and litho printing. Using sustainable materials and processes, we deliver on time and at the most economical price.

Core values drive our business Integrity, putting others first, positive attitude, organised, reliable and team focused. With more and more businesses becoming more eco-friendly, we have been accredited our ISO14001, which means we tick the boxes on being a sustainable based company. Sustainability is at the core of MCR, we not only supply and manufacture sustainable print, we consult and source sustainable materials for each client, therefore reducing their carbon footprint and damage to the environment. We offer a very versatile and reliable service in all these fields from start-ups and SMEs to international brands and wholesalers.

What does the future hold for MCR Media?

The print industry has changed massively over the last 10 years; even in the last five years, there have been big changes, not only in new technology but also client behaviour and needs. We feel the future is bright with the extra services that we now offer and I believe that web to print portals are the future of the way print is being ordered, which we can offer on a high level of service. We can also offer an extensive range of merchandising products and garments. This part of the business is growing on a weekly basis. The team at MCR has a real passion for its services, whether it’s a small one-off job for a client or a multi-store campaign, we embrace any job that comes through the door and I feel confident we are in a good place.

The team at MCR has a real passion for its services, whether it’s a small one-off job for a client or a multi-store campaign, we embrace any job that comes through the door and I feel confident we are in a good place.

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Be Inspired, Be Original, Be You

Degree apprenticeships The University of Chichester has partnered with organisations across Sussex to deliver degree apprenticeships – developing a new workforce capable of hitting the ground running when they graduate.

Programmes are available to existing employees or new apprentice recruits, and allow students to combine study for an under-or postgraduate degree with a full-time or part-time job. Routes include: • • • • • • • • •

Chartered Manager Digital and Technology Solutions Professional (Business Analyst) Digital and Technology Solutions Professional (Software Engineer) Digital Marketer Electrical/Electronic Technical Support Engineer Manufacturing Engineer Postgraduate Teaching Apprenticeship Senior Leader Masters (MBA) Social Worker

“”

What employers say Henry Powell, CEO of Inpress Plastics, said: “If we can take local students, children who have grown up in the area, and educate them in science, business, and engineering, before having them back in the community, then it’s a win-win for everyone involved.”

Find out more about how your business could benefit at chi.ac.uk/apprenticeships Alternatively email apprenticeships@chi.ac.uk

advertorial

april/may april/may2020 2019 business edge

Finding opportunity in a corporate crisis Be a crisis optimist - This is the message that award winning public relations firm, The Reputation People, is encouraging businesses to take on board.

A corporate crisis has become a case of “when, not if”. According to statistics from the PwC Global Crisis 2019 survey, 69% of business leaders have experienced a corporate crisis in the last 5 years – and a staggering 95% expect to face one in the near future.

But it isn’t all doom and gloom. Edinburghbased crisis communications expert, The Reputation People, explains that behind every corporate crisis is a significant opportunity to drive brand awareness and improve your market position.

“Generally speaking the public are very forgiving when something goes wrong, especially if it isn’t your fault. But what they won’t forgive is poor communication, because that is entirely under your control.”

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“Generally speaking the public are very forgiving when something goes wrong, especially if it isn’t your fault,” said Heather Astbury, Managing Director and Co-Founder of The Reputation People.

“But what they won’t forgive is poor communication, because that is entirely under your control.”

When a corporate crisis turns viral, we have all seen how a well-managed communications plan can quickly turn a negative situation into one that is positive.

Rapid response, utmost honesty and consistent statements all play a part in the successful crisis communications we see in the media.

However, it is important to remember that not all crises are subject to a media frenzy or are in fact newsworthy.

Many smaller businesses overlook the need for a crisis communications plan, due to not being directly in the public eye. But from an ill-timed tweet to a negative customer review, in an age where virtually everyone has the ability to post content online, having a robust crisis plan has never been more essential.

to establish yourself as the authority and source of credible information.

“In order to act that quickly you have to be properly prepared in advance.”

To conclude, you cannot wait until a crisis happens to decide how you are going to handle communication. Businesses need to identify potential threats, prepare clear, consistent statements and select, brief and train spokespeople.

The Reputation People pride themselves on being experts in crisis communications.

Their vast range of experience has helped organisations, from small, independentlyowned businesses, to large global PLCs, to ensure that they are prepared in the face of a corporate crisis.

To learn more about The Reputation People, visit www.thereputationpeople.com For further information on their crisis communications training and workshops, contact hello@thereputationpeople.com

Heather continued: “Best practice is to issue your first communication within 15 minutes of becoming aware of an issue. At that point you probably won’t be able to say very much, but it is important to say something

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love local jobs

april/may 2020 2019 business businessedge edge

Be the Change The LoveLocalJobs.com Foundation C.I.C work with 100s of local young people each month and are always impressed with their attitudes, hope and want to succeed.

Katie Cubbage

Marketing and Communications Executive, LoveLocalJobs Foundation C.I.C..

This month the team wanted to shine a light on a particular young person who has taken every opportunity to grow and develop.

Two years ago the LoveLocalJobs Foundation C.I.C ran Be the Change in Crawley with Graham Moore of

humanutopia and were introduced to a year 9 student called Latifah. At the time, Latifah was put on the programme as a disengaged young person, who needed support to fulfil her potential. Having completed the programme Latifah has since continued to be mentored by her business guide and they regularly meet to discuss her future and aspirations.

Latifah was invited back to the Crawley programme this year to share her story in front of 300 people, which included students, teachers and business guides.

She impressed everyone in the room to say the least.

“Be the Change changed my life completely, it brought hope back into my life and gave me a reason to live again. For that I thank all the staff at Be the Change and my mentor Lucy.”

Latifah said: “Be the Change changed my life completely, it brought hope back into my life and gave me a reason to live again. For that I thank all the staff at Be the Change and my mentor Lucy…I recommend this course to anyone and everyone, it will honestly change your life.

And it will change you!”

Be the Change, created in partnership and delivered with Graham Moore from humanutopia, is a groundbreaking, inspirational programme aimed at Year 9 students who may face challenges and difficulties within the school environment.

The programme focuses on happiness, confidence, hope, relationships and employability and encourages students to identify their personal barriers to success, before helping them find ways of overcoming them.

If you would like to be involved with Be the Change, please contact the LoveLocalJobs Foundation C.I.C on 01273 651100 or email foundation@lovelocaljobs.com.

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33

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april/may 2019 2020business businessedge edge

innovation and design

Innovation creates new market segments The modern market is flooded with extremely similar products and systems which offer the same solution.

Wesley Siu

Co-founder and Director Lithe Audio (sister company to Retrotouch)

Different companies pushing products at different price points and usually based off company heritage. The only way for new businesses to make their way to success in the ongoing market warfare is to get innovative.

Innovation requires scanning the market for a niche or an unexplored area and developing an idea that will benefit the

end user. In our case, combining a ceiling speaker, Bluetooth or Wi-Fi receiver and an amplifier into an all-in-one unit was our unexplored area. The benefits to the end user would be quick to install speakers with minimal damage during installation, no space taken up in the room by systems or amplifiers and wireless access from their phone to the speaker for music streaming.

Design must always be done with the end consumer in mind. We designed our speakers to be invisible when installed, so we made the speaker grilles screwless with magnets and white to match the majority of interior ceilings. However, invisible doesn’t sell on the market, so underneath the speaker grille, the speaker itself was made to look striking to the eye with colour and design.

Recognising trends in lifestyle and technology is important when innovating.

We noticed the increase of popularity for streaming music via Spotify Connect or Airplay using a Wi-Fi connection and developed two products which could stream all services to single areas or multiple rooms.

“We wanted to design a truly modern home audio solution that offers the entire package,” writes Lithe Audio Co-Founder and Director Amit Ravat.

“Unlike other speakers on the market, our ceiling speakers have been designed with your home decor in mind,” he added.

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35

innovation and design

april/may april/may2020 2019 business edge

What is effective design and can it be a silent ambassador for your brand?

“If done well, then absolutely,” says Beth Cook, Creative Director at Beth Cook Design.

Beth Cook

Creative Director Beth Cook Design

“Creating a professional identity is an important part of any effective brand strategy. It requires research and attention to detail in order to develop a style that successfully meets the goals of a business, therefore communicating the appropriate values and messaging and connecting with target audiences.”

When creating a brand identity, you’re applying your brand’s values to any visual elements used to promote your business, such as business stationery, signage, press ads, print materials and a website, so it really is more than just a logo.

Beth’s top tips on how to get brand identity and effective design right.

1. Personality A brand identity sets the tone of your brand, it is a visual representation of the values and personality of your brand and should be designed to communicate your company’s overall message, helping to promote business goals.

2. Consistency Developing a brand identity allows you to create a consistent message across all marketing materials. Each piece should have the same basic styles and design elements to create an integrated branding package, making it easily recognisable across all channels of visual comms.

3. Differentiation A brand identity helps you to differentiate your business from the competition and appropriately positions your brand.

Designing a professional, creative identity can help you stand out to the potential

customers and audiences you want to reach.

4. Awareness Creating a brand identity package ensures your brand is at the forefront helping with the all-important brand awareness. The more places your brand is featured, the more contact it will make with consumers and the more memorable it will be.

5. Loyalty An effective brand identity can help build customer loyalty and trust as it allows customers to make a connection between a product and the company.

If a brand aligns with its vision, focusing on the needs and connection of its target audience, it can effectively raise the profile of the business helping to attract the right clients and audience, so therefore initiating growth within the organisation.

“Creating a professional identity is an important part of any effective brand strategy. It requires research and attention to detail in order to develop a style that successfully meets the goals of a business, therefore communicating the appropriate values and messaging and connecting with target audiences.”

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Construction Refurbishment Building Maintenance Facilities Management

Mountjoy provides professional and high-quality construction, refurbishment, building maintenance and facilities management services across southern England, delivered through and supported by our team of 300+ employees with assistance from local, approved supply chain members.

Our clients include local authorities, housing associations, schools, colleges, universities, healthcare providers and commercial organisations.

New local office in Southwater, Horsham Contact us today to discuss how we can help your organisation: t: 01403 627 597 e: enquiries@mountjoy.co.uk w: www.mountjoy.co.uk

finance focus

april/may 2020 business edge

R&D Tax Credits are all grown up and their nobody’s April Fool On 1st April 2020 Research and Development Tax Relief and R&D Tax Credits will be 20 years old and we thought we should be celebrating that fact.

It was the brainchild of Gordon Brown as a way to help boost Britain’s flagging investment in Research and Development.

Initially aimed at Small and Medium Sized Entities who, back then, were eligible for the SME Scheme if they employed less than 250 staff and had either a turnover of less than ¤50m or gross assets of less than ¤43m.

A lot has changed over these 20 years so we thought we’d show you a timeline of how the Tax Relief has evolved and also why, even after 20 years, the best time to start claiming is now, regardless of what your business may have done in the past.

Not only did Rishi Sunak’s first budget deliver on the Conservative’s pledge to increase the RDEC Rate to 13% and promise a review on the inclusion of data and server costs in R&D Tax Relief claims of the future, but it also increased Government spending on R&D to £22b.

The scope of eligible projects is almost unlimited, the only requirements for a claim are: The claimant is a limited company subject to corporation tax The claimant is a going concern The claimant has undertaken a project which has been seeking to advance science or technology through the resolution of scientific or technological uncertainty.

We’ve worked with a number of companies over the last seven years across a wide

variety of industries, some are obviously involved in Research and Development: Clinical Research; Motorsport Engineering; and Software Development but some have been less obvious such as Debt Collection and Music Rooms.

If you’ve been working on a project and banging your head on a brick wall trying to finish it, at any time over the last three years, or, perhaps a project that has completely failed, it might be worth having a chat with us. The Debt Collection business I referenced above spent £400k on a project that failed to deliver a workable solution and then spent a further £300k on a solution,

SME Scheme

they were able to claim back close to £200k. It’s amazing what you find when you scratch under the surface of a business.

To celebrate the fact that R&D is going to be 20, we’re going to offer the first 20 businesses that contact us and quote “R&D is 20” with a 20% discount from our standard fees. Give us a call to find out if there is a 20 year itch to be scratched in your business! You can find out in 15 minutes by booking a call with our director Simon Bulteel at www.calendly.com/simon-bulteel or contact us on info@coodentaxconsulting.co.uk

Large Company Scheme

Increased to 13% of eligible spend

1st April 2000 1st April 2000

Introduced with a 50% enhancement of eligible spend and repayable tax credit of 16% Introduced with a 25% enhancement of eligible spend

1st April 2002 1st August 2008

75% of eligible spend and 14% repayable tax credit

1st April 2011

100% of eligible spend and 12.5% repayable tax credit

1st April 2012

125% of eligible spend and 11% repayable tax credit

30% of eligible spend

Launched as a taxable credit of 10% of the eligible spend with unused credits being repayable

1st April 2013 1st April 2014

Repayable Tax credit increased to 14.5%

1st April 2015

Increased to 130% of eligible spend

Increased to 11% of eligible spend Increased to 12% of eligible spend

1st January 2018 31st March 2018

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RDEC

www.sussexchamberofcommerce.co.uk

Last chance to submit amended March 2016 claim

tel: 01444 259 259

finance focus

april/may 2020 2019 business businessedge edge

Improving work-life balance for business leaders 76% of UK small business owners admitted to working during their holidays, making them liable to a burnout. This approach is decreasing productivity and also business performance. Ways that business leaders could re-establish a healthier work-life balance will help them take back control of their working day. Over the next two editions of the Business Edge magazine, we will be sharing some tips on improving this balance. because of a lack of understanding around the benefits that outsourced services can bring to the business. Long term, this can lead to them ignoring an alwaysgrowing workload, with hardly any time to concentrate on strategic decision making, and at a noteworthy cost to their family and personal life.

Martin Atkins

Business Advisory Partner Menzies

Focus on strategic decision making Many small business owners often find they tend to overwork because they feel responsible for their employee’s financial wellbeing and because of a lack of resources. Its common that business leaders believe that they are vital to the smooth running of the business and therefore become reluctant to delegate tasks. Leaders may ‘muddle on’ with back office functions such as payroll, managing the accounts and HR until they reach a problem. They do this

Trust your employees A red flag showing business owners might be going through a burnout is an unwillingness to trust the wider team. Not only is this an unsustainable management approach but refusing to train employees and delegate tasks in important business areas is likely to confine their professional development. This could trigger a high staff turnover due to an unmotivated workforce.

A good indication of whether a change of approach is needed is if a business leader finds they are constantly firefighting by reacting to business or market challenges. Throwing large sums of money at problems in order to fix them isn’t always the answer. This tactic can lead to cash-flow problems, and potentially business failure. Instead, they should be freeing up time to work on (rather than in) the business, so they can focus on any underlying issues and improve the company’s overall performance.

Martin Atkins - Business Advisory Partner matkins@menzies.co.uk

RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT TAX RELIEF SPECIALISTS

GET YOUR CASH FROM HMRC

Call COODEN TAX CONSULTING NOW!

Validate your claim,

No Win No Fee

Call us on: 01424 225 345

@CoodenConsults

Office 8

Charter House

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www.coodentaxconsulting.co.uk

43 St Leonards Road

Bexhill on Sea

East Sussex TN40 1JA

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22/02/2016 17:41

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advertorial

april/may april/may2020 2019 business edge

USA Car Hire Special Package for Drivers Under 25 Years Just as in the UK, rental car suppliers in the USA consider drivers aged 21 – 24 years as a higher risk than drivers 25 or over.

Many one-way trips on the West Coast have no one-way fee. For instance, you can drive from Las Vegas to any Californian location with no fee. You can also drive from LA, or San Diego to Las Vegas or San Francisco with no fee. Sometimes a fee applies if you want to drive from San Francisco to elsewhere – but this largely depends on the collection location and the ultimate destination – and we can always advise on this.

As a result, these young drivers pay a surcharge to hire a car in the USA. This surcharge varies in cost from $25 per driver per day, to around $40 per driver per day, depending on supplier. This adds a considerable cost to any road trip planned by this age group as it is usual to want to spread the driving around the group.

At TripWheels, we have a special package with international supplier Alamo for this age group called our Young Driver’s Package. This package includes all the surcharges – prepaid in sterling – that one young driver would pay – but actually covers up to 3 drivers aged 21 – 24 years.

The package also includes all the insurances required as standard such as Collision Damage Waiver and Supplementary Liability Insurance – along with the initial tank of fuel.

It really is a great value package for couples or groups – but is still more competitive for just one driver than paying the local surcharge, particularly by the time local

For help with car hire anywhere, please email elle@tripwheels.com or call 01428741438. www.tripwheels.com taxes are added on top. Another advantage is that the full amount is paid in sterling before travel. There are no exchange rates or currency conversion fees to worry about and no local charges to be made unless a one-way fee applies to the trip. One-way fees have to be paid locally, directly to the supplier unfortunately.

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april/may 2020 2019 business businessedge edge

innovation and design

Finite Element Analysis (FEA) now has an integral role in modern design FEA is a powerful computational tool used for the numerical simulation of physics on complex solid structures that has become an integral part of the modern design process.

Mr Xuefeng Wu

Director TriVista Engineering Ltd

The effective use of FEA relies on specialist proven software, a good understanding of physics, mathematics and substantial computing power.

The wide use of CAD has enabled new product designs to be readily visualised and FEA complements this by providing a virtual testing and optimization environment that further accelerates the design process. Using FEA, one

can evaluate the performance of new designs (single parts or large assemblies) under the real operational loads (forces, pressures, temperatures etc.) before hardware is even made. A wide range of analyses can be performed, for example; stress, thermal, vibration studies in either steady state or transient scenarios. The designer can therefore make informed modifications in an iterative process that brings real savings in terms of cost and time to market.

FEA is also used to investigate problems occurring on existing products. Analysis helps with identifying the reasons for failures in the field enabling effective design counter measures to be selected.

FEA results are now routinely accepted as proof of design integrity and analysis

is now required by many industrial standards and companies reducing costs and time relative to physical test validation.

The use of FEA is now also well established in combination with flow analysis tools (CFD) to enable multiphysics problems such as fluid structure Interaction (FSI) and advanced thermal analyses to provide even more realistic simulations for the design of products involving complex flows.

TriVista Engineering is an established consulting service that specialises in FEA, CFD, and mechanical design support. The organisation has been based in Sussex for over 18 years and now have satisfied clients all over UK and internationally.

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41

business matters events

december/january april/may april/may2020 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 12th May

Networking Breakfast

Crawley Town Football Club

25th August

Networking Breakfast

White Swan Hotel, Arundel

28th May

Networking Lunch

Tottingham Manor, Edburton

23rd June

Networking Lunch

Cowdray Park Golf Club

22nd May

New Members Breakfast (New members only)

Sussex Chamber of Commerce, Burgess Hill

9th June

Speed Newtorking - East Sussex

Uckfield Civic Centre, Uckfield

Lunches

Other Networking

Forums - Construction 9th July

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Digital Forum

www.sussexchamberofcommerce.co.uk

Brighton Metropole Hotel, Brighton

tel: 01444 259 259

business matters training

april/may december/january 2019 business 2020 business 2018 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 6th July

Exporting - Understanding the Paperwork

21st September

An Introduction to Export Procedures

12th October

A Foundation Course in Importing

9th November

Using Documentary Letters of Credit, Drafts & Bills

Management & Leadership Skills 28th April

Getting the Best from your Staff

30th April

Essentials of Leadership & Team Management 2 Day Course

14th May

Introduction to Supervision and Team Leadership

1st June

Top Tips for Managing Difficult Conversations at Work

3rd June

Managing Change

16th June

Stepping Up to Senior Management

Business Skills

Personal Development & Communication Skills

19th May

Building Resilience for Wellbeing and Performance

20th April

Confident & Effective Communication Skills

26th May

Time Management and Personal Effectiveness

6th May

Presentation Skills

23rd June

Negotiation Skills

28th May

Introduction to Emotional Intelligence

18th June

Train the Trainer

30th June

Confident & Effective Communication Skills

International Trade 21st April

A Foundation Course in Importing

1st May

Classification of Goods Using Commodity & Tariff Codes (AM)

Sales & Customer Service

11th May

An Introduction to Export Procedures

20th May

Advanced Selling Skills

8th June

Inward Processing Relief (IPR) (AM)

4th June

Building Client Relationships

8th June

Incoterms® Rules 2020 (PM)

15th June

Great Customer Service

22nd June

Using Documentary Letters of Credit, Drafts & Bills

19th June

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.

AS A CHAMBER MEMBER YOU’RE WELL CONNECTED

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business new members matters

august/september december/january april/may april/may2020 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.

1st Call 4 Mortgages UK Ltd

AFH Payroll Solutions Ltd

BSE 3D

22 Uplands Park, Broad Oak Heathfield, East Sussex, TN21 8SJ

Unit 12, The Old Printworks, 20 Wharf Road Eastbourne, East Sussex, BN21 3AW

Old Estate Office, Borde Hill Lane, Haywards Heath, West Sussex, RH161XP

www.1stcall4mortgages.co.uk

www.afhpayroll.co.uk

www.bse3d.com

01435 661310

01323 407407

01444 414241

Independent whole of market mortgage adviser. Free advice for first time buyers, home movers, remortgaging and buy to let. Free advice is also available to help arrange Life insurance, Critical Illness cover and Income Protection. Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage

AFH Payroll are based in Eastbourne providing payroll and related services to employers and firms of Accountants located in Sussex and the South East. As part of the payroll service, AFH Payroll will look after all matters relating to payroll such as dealing with HMRC and pension providers.

BSE3D is an engineering design consultancy with the environment and sustainability at the heart of everything we do. Our team of qualified engineers offer diversity for many sectors. We pride ourselves on being considerate and proactive, always striving to find and offer the best solution to our clients.

Defence and Security Accelerator

East Sussex Credit Union

Element Coaching and Wellbeing

DSTL Porton Down, Salisbury Wiltshire, SP4 0JQ

Hove Town Hall, Tisbury Road Offices Tisbury Road, Hove East Sussex, BN3 3BQ

11 Cromwell Mews, Burgess Hill, West Sussex, RH15 8QF

www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ defence-and-security-accelerator

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www.eastsussexcu.org.uk

www.facebook.com/elementcoach

01980 951634

01273 234858

07453 339966

The Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA) finds and funds innovation to support UK defence, security, and prosperity. Our vision is for the UK to maintain its strategic advantage through the most innovative defence and security capabilities. We’re a cross-Government organisation, launched in 2016 by the Secretary of State for Defence.

We are the savings and loans co-operative for East Sussex and Brighton & Hove. Our Chorus Workplace Savings Scheme offers your staff a way to save and repay loans with their local credit union straight from their wages, helping them improve their financial wellbeing and reduce stress.

Element provides a combination of exercise and wellness coaching to help individuals, businesses and communities learn to live well and lead more active and fulfilling lifestyles. We can offer businesses a range of services, delivered individually or collectively, that will help create an actively healthy and more productive workplace.

www.sussexchamberofcommerce.co.uk

tel: 01444 259 259

business new members matters

april/may august/september december/january 2019 business 2020 business 2018 2018 business edge business edge edge edge

Heller Immigration Law Ltd

Lovelocaljobs.com

Mental Health & Safety

St Anne’s House, 111 High Street, Lewes East Sussex, BN7 1XY

2nd Floor, 1-2 Queens Square Brighton, East Sussex, BN1 3FD

5 Frith Park, East Grinstead, West Sussex, RH19 2BU

www.us-visa.co.uk

www.lovelocaljobs.com

www.mentalhealthandsafety.com

01273 434609

01273 651100

07939 002047

Heller Immigration Law Ltd is the US citizenship, visa and immigration law practice of Steven Heller. Having practiced US immigration law for 20+ years on both sides of the Atlantic, he is committed to providing high quality legal advice and representation at reasonable rates, whilst delivering a professional, personalised service.

LoveLocalJobs.com provides local employers with a cost-effective jobs board solution to better connect them with candidates, whilst providing the local community access to local jobs and the careers information, advice and inspiration they need to be successful. LoveLocalJobs. com

Alex Langridge runs a training and consultancy business focused on improving mental health in the workplace. With a professional background in health and safety Alex has specialised in mental health and employment since 2008. She is a Mental Health First Aid Instructor and a National Trainer for MHFA England.

nCipher Security Ltd

Proactive by Design Ltd

Tree of Hope

1 Station Square, Cambridge, CB1 2GA

University of Chichester, Business Incubation Centre, Bognor Regis, West Sussex, PO21 1HR

Salford House, Salford Terrace, 19-21 Quarry Hill Road, Tonbridge, Kent TN9 2RN

www.ncipher.com

www.proactivebydesign.co.uk

www.treeofhope.org.uk

01223 723605

07597 820678

01892 535525

nCipher Security, an Entrust Datacard company, is a leading provider of hardware security modules (HSMs), empowering world-leading organizations by delivering trust, integrity and control to their businesscritical information and applications. Our customers depend on our technology to protect against threats and meet data security compliance mandates.

We empower organisations and individuals to gain greater impact from their investments in innovation and change.

Tree of Hope helps children, across the UK who have a serious illness or disability.By supporting their families to raise funds, we enable them to access life changing and often life saving medical treatments and specialist care that are not freely available on the NHS.

TSO Commercial Repairs Ltd

Vistech Cooling Systems Ltd

Wyndham Solutions Ltd

Lyons Farm, Lyons Road, Slinfold, West Sussex, RH14 0TP

Unit 1 A, Church Lane Estate, Church Lane, Plummers Plain, Horsham, West Sussex, RH13 6LU

3 Wyndham Lea, West Chiltington, West Sussex, RH20 2NP

www.tso-services.co.uk

www.vistechcooling.co.uk

www.wyndhamsolutions.co.uk

01403 700792

01403 892622

01798 812604

Vistech provide consultancy, technical design, manufacturing, installation and maintenance services for industrial and commercial cooling systems.

Wyndham Solutions Ltd offers a simple, hands on service to help you understand the implications for your company of Brexit, and walks you through step by step on what needs to be done by the end of the year.

Our costs are simple and reflect only your specific needs.

was voted the UK’s Best Regional Jobs Board at the 2019 NORA’s.

Grow, combine and leverage five capabilities critical to you surviving and thriving in today’s turbulent world: creativity, design thinking, brand development, foresight for decision-support and leading yourself and others with, and for, proactivity.

At the heart of our business is our experience in water cooling towers, adiabatic coolers and air cooled chillers.

All technical personnel have in excess of 15 years’ experience within the market.

AS A CHAMBER MEMBER YOU’RE WELL CONNECTED

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business five minutes matters with

august/september december/january april/may april/may2020 2019 2018 business edge

5 minutes with...

Chris Thorne Managing Director C.J. Thorne & Co

C. J. Thorne & Co. Ltd. is a third generation civil engineering firm, which was established in 1939 and has been based in Uckfield since 1951. Our principle areas of operation are as follows: reinforced concrete structures and pipeline installation in the Potable and Waste Water Industry; Environmental schemes such as Coastal Defence work and River Bank Stabilisation; Road and Bridge Construction; Highway Works and Hard Landscaping; Tarmac Driveways; Private Sewer and Utility Connections.

We have long-term partnerships with a number of major utilities, local authorities, and major industrial clients, but also cater for private customers undertaking smaller scale projects. We directly employ over 100 staff, all with CSCS/CPCS cards and experienced in a large range of civil engineering skills, and we own, operate and maintain our fleet of plant and vehicles.

We are genuinely a one-stop shop for all of our Clients’ civil engineering needs and ended our 80th anniversary year in 2019 winning a number of prestigious awards including Overall Business of the Year at the East Sussex Business Awards.

What was your first job and what was the pay packet?

Not counting holiday work, my first job after university was as a translator in France for American Golf Construction, who built East Sussex National & Chartham Park Golf Clubs in Sussex. The salary was £15k per annum, which was fantastic at the time. Five years later, I took a 20% pay cut to join the family firm!

What do you always carry with you to work?

My laptop, phone, car keys and a positive approach to whatever the day holds.

What is the biggest challenge facing your business?

Attracting and retaining skilled labour – not enough young people are attracted to the construction industry. In order to overcome this, we have offered apprenticeships in plant mechanics, bricklaying and carpentry, as well as degree apprenticeships in Civil Engineering, and we invest over £50,000

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per annum in training our directly employed staff.

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

Remove the self-serving advisers and lobbyists from positions of influence so that we could introduce a clearer, fairer tax system that ensures all businesses pay their share, reducing the burden on SMEs.

What can you see from your office window?

Our materials storage yard and workshop, where our fleet of vans, lorries and construction plant is maintained by our amazing team of qualified mechanics.

If you could do another job what would it be?

Professional rugby referee – I am about 30 years too old, but I referee most weekends on a voluntary basis and it is a passion to put something back into my favourite sport.

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

www.sussexchamberofcommerce.co.uk

I am a good listener, which tends to get the best out of colleagues, I have a strong understanding of commercial issues, and I am not scared to make tough decisions and see them through.

What was your biggest mistake in business?

Paying too little (£50k) for a new excavator, when paying 25% more would have given far greater benefit. There was a reason that model was being discontinued…

What advice would you give to aspiring entrepreneurs?

Listen to and take advice from those with relevant experience, but trust your instincts.

Who do you admire most in business?

Richard Branson for identifying a gap in the market, creating a lasting transferable brand image and constantly evolving.

In sport, Sir Clive Woodward for taking raw talent and creating the framework in which the England team could succeed and go on to win the Rugby World Cup.

tel: 01444 259 259

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