Sussex Business Times May 2013

SBT

N o.1 for bus ine

ISSUE 369 FREE

in Suss ss ex

SUSSEX BUSINESS TIMES

BRIGHTON’S BEST KEPT SECRET P 01 Cover SBT May2013.indd 7

09/05/2013 16:09

When it comes to Mercedes-Benz, Lookers Mercedes-Benz are the business.

Excellence redefined with these exclusive spring offers.

At Lookers Mercedes-Benz, we pride ourselves on putting you first. It’s a philosophy which has seen us win awards in the past and means that we continually improve the services we offer to the public and to other local businesses.

Being part of Lookers plc, one of the largest motor retail groups in the UK with retailers spanning across the country in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, has enabled us to develop our unique state of the art, 250 vehicle, pre-delivery inspection centre, so you can be assured your new purchase is of the very highest quality.

From vehicle funding through to fleet management, you will have the peace of mind that we can provide you with the most efficient and economical service in the area. We have local expertly trained Business Managers on site who strive for perfection and will tailor any financial requirements you may have specifically to meet your needs.

We are sure you can experience the luxury of a Mercedes-Benz for significantly less than what you may think this spring with Lookers Mercedes-Benz.

See overleaf for a selection of our fantastic business user offers available this spring.

Call one of our retailers today on 0844 947 3649 to book a test drive in any of these models.

Lookers plc Mercedes-Benz of Brighton Victoria Road, Portslade, Brighton BN41 1DY

Mercedes-Benz of Eastbourne Eastbourne Road, Westham, East Sussex BN24 5NH

Mercedes-Benz of Gatwick County Oak Way, Crawley, West Sussex RH11 7ST

6 www.sussexbusinesstimes.co.uk

Official government fuel consumption figures in mpg (litres per 100km) for the Mercedes-Benz range: urban 13.0(21.7)-68.9(4.1), extr

Business Users only. Advance payment applies. All payments subject to VAT: Finance based on a Contract Hire agreement, 10,000 miles per annum. Excess mileage charges may apply. Rental includes Road Fund Licence for the contract duration (6 months+35 months for all models excluding G-Clas 2013. Subject to availability, offers cannot be used in conjunction with any other. Some combinations of features/options may not be available. Credit provided subject to status by Mercedes-Benz Financial Services UK Limited, MK15 8BA. †Based on an A-Class manual. Prices subject to change. You

P 04-05 welcome SBT May2013.indd 6

02/05/2013 10:30

s.

Head turning style and luxurious comfort.

The New Mercedes-Benz E-Class makes the ultimate business statement.

New Model

E-Class Saloon.

E-Class

From just

£339 Per Month*

New Model

E-Class Estate.

From just

£349 Per Month*

E-Class

Or simply visit www.leaseamercedesbenz.co.uk for more information.

Mercedes-Benz of Redhill 12 Brighton Road, Redhill, Surrey RH1 6QL www.leaseamercedesbenz.co.uk

www.sussexbusinesstimes.co.uk 7

9(4.1), extra urban 23.9(11.8)-85.6(3.3), combined 19.8(14.3)-74.3(3.8). CO2 emissions 334-98 g/km.

odels excluding G-Class – 3 months +35 months). Guarantees and indemnities may be required. Orders/credit approved between 1 April and 30 June 2013 and registered by 30 September s subject to change. You are receiving this e-mail as you have previously agreed to receive emails from Lookers Mercedes-Benz.

P 04-05 welcome SBT May2013.indd 7

02/05/2013 10:30

4 www.sussexbusinesstimes.co.uk

P 04-05 welcome SBT May2013.indd 4

09/05/2013 14:50

SBT Welcome Lee Mansfield, Managing Director/ Publisher

Laura Knight, Editor

Luke Mould, Commercial Business Manager

Graham Carn, Financial Editor

Maarten Hoffman, Motoring Correspondent

Tim Cobb, Contributing Feature Writer

“So as the market lifts, they’re ready to take advantage of every chance that comes their way”

News that the UK has avoided the dreaded triple dip recession has been welcomed by businesses around the country. And whilst we all continue to work hard to maintain our success and indeed survival in continuing tough times, we must also turn our eyes to the exceedingly competitive marketplace and manifold opportunities left behind by the closure of weaker operations. Historically, the period immediately following a recession is one that gives life to the next generation of successful enterprises: they have already proved their worth with innovation and integrity, so as the market lifts, they’re ready to take advantage of every chance that comes their way.

Is that your business? Are you prepared for the opportunities - and challenges - that the new world following these recessions will throw at you? Of course, as the magazine that matters for business in your area we would love to hear how you’ve weathered the worst of the global economic crisis, and perhaps how being based in Sussex has helped! We’d love to share your stories with other Sussex businesses, so please drop a line to luke@ lifemediagroup.co.uk to discuss whether SBT is the right platform for you to share your expertise with the county’s best business minds.

Laura Knight Editor

www.sussexbusinesstimes.co.uk 5

P 04-05 welcome SBT May2013.indd 5

09/05/2013 14:50

Contents SBT Issue 369

SBT

No.1

ISSUE 369 FREE

for bus ines in Sussex s

SUSSEX BUSINESS TIMES

BRIGHTON’S BEST KEPT SECRET P 01 Cover SBT May2013.indd 7

03/05/2013 15:13

Cover Image: front: Dave Britton, MD Gemini Brighton, 2nd Row: left Steve Cropper, MD Gemini Group with Richard Golds on the right (sales Gemini Brighton). Back row left: Mike Webb and Steve Roe – Gemini Brighton Sussex Business Times Managing Director/Publisher: Lee Mansfield lee@lifemediagroup.co.uk Commercial Director: Simon Skinner simon@lifemediagroup.co.uk Commercial Business Manager: Luke Mould luke@lifemediagroup.co.uk Editor: Laura Knight laura@lifemediagroup.co.uk Financial Editor Graham Carn Subscriptions subs@lifemediagroup.co.uk Design: Harriet Weston harriet@lifemediagroup.co.uk Media Director Linda Grace linda@lifemediagroup.co.uk Accounts: Clare Fermor/Amelia Wellings clare@lifemediagroup.co.uk amelia@lifemediagroup.co.uk Published by LMG SE LTD Park View House 19 The Avenue, Eastbourne, East Sussex BN21 3YD 01323 411 601 Printed by Gemini Press, Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex, BN43 6NZ All material in this publication is strictly copyright and all rights reserved. Reproduction without permission is prohibited. The views expressed in Sussex Business Times Magazine do not necessarily represent the view of Life Media Group LTD. Every care is taken in compiling the contents but the publishers of Sussex Business Times Magazine assume no responsibility for any damage, loss or injury arising from the participation in any offers, competitions or advertisement contained within Sussex Business Times Magazine. All prices featured in Sussex Business Times Magazine are correct at the time of going to press.

Copyright Life Media Group LTD 2013 ©

5 9 12 16 18 32 24 28 42 44 54

Welcome Roll up roll up for another great issue of SBT – your essential guide to business brilliance in Sussex.

Spending It! The tech and tidbits you need to make your business life easier.

Gemini Press Brighton based printers continue their established tradition of excellent service under a new name.

Paying Fair The city of Brighton and Hove leads the way as more and more businesses sign up to pay their staff a Living Wage for the area.

Working lunch SBT head to the Giggling Squid, Crawley.

Head in the Cloud?

Is the fabled paperless office a dream, or a data security nightmare waiting to happen? PLUS File-Express explain your alternatives for document management in our handy guide.

Finance As Sussex celebrates avoiding a triple dip recession, our financial editor Graham Carn takes a detailed look at what this means for our businesses.

Motoring Motoring editor, Maarten Hoffman gets up close and personal with the Mazda MG6 and the Kia Soul.

EcoTech Yes, technology can be green! We present a preview of the EcoTechnology Show 2013.

SBT Q&As Our sponsored section of expert insights covers a wide range of important business matters.

Made in Sussex We learn how The Body Shop - a beauty business with a global presence - emerged from Brighton, East Sussex.

6 www.sussexbusinesstimes.co.uk

P 06-07 Contents SBT May2013.indd 6

09/05/2013 15:59

www.sussexbusinesstimes.co.uk 7

P 06-07 Contents SBT May2013.indd 7

09/05/2013 15:59

8 www.sussexbusinesstimes.co.uk

P 8-11 Spending SBT May2013.indd 8

09/05/2013 16:02

Spending It!

Gadgets & Accessories Our selection this month is packed full of top gadgets and accessories for the office

IPHONE CASE Keep your phone protected with a colourful moc-croc leather case. Individually made and lined with cotton. GiliNix, £35. www.gilinix.co.uk

BACKPACK TROLLEY This lightweight backpack trolley is suitable for laptops of 14” to 15.4”.It has a clever combination of backpack or trolley and various useful storage pockets - Great solution to carrying a load over a fair distance. Ergocube, £89.99. www.ergocube.net

BLADELESS FAN Dyson’s new bladeless fan heater heats the room fast and evenly in the winter and high-velocity air cooling in summer - the perfect desk accessory for all year round. Dyson, £349.99. www.dyson.co.uk

CAR SPEAKER HD-VOICE is a multi-languages Bluetooth in car speakerphone.

User-friendliness is at its maximum as it is equipped with voice features available in 12 languages and is compatible with all smartphones boasting Bluetooth technology.

SuperTooth HD, £59. www.amazon.co.uk

www.sussexbusinesstimes.co.uk 9

P 8-11 Spending SBT May2013.indd 9

09/05/2013 16:02

TIE

INVERTER The best solution to keeping gadgets powered while on the move is an inverter and the MP:120 compact inverter from Ring Automotive is the best one for the job. The compact design allows the inverter to be positioned in a variety of places that are convenient, safe and discreet.

Ring Automative, £34.99. www.ringautomative.co.uk

With a slimmer cut and unique pattern, this West End by Simon Carter tie will reinvigorate your workwear wardrobe. Bring a little of this look to your workwear by combining this tie with a black suit and white shirt. Simon Carter, £35. www.simoncarter.net

SOLAR POWERED KEYBOARD The solar-powered wireless keyboard that makes battery hassles a thing of the past in a streamlined, comfortable design. Logitech, £69.99. www.logitech.com

LADIES WATCH Classic-look ladies Rotary dress watch in stainless steel, set around a white dial with black Roman numeral hour markers. The watch is waterresistant and fastens with a fold-over clasp. Rotary, £125. www.rotarywatches.com

LAPTOP BAG The Ciello laptop bag is stylish and practical in a stunning design. Carry it by the short handles or attach the adjustable leather shoulder strap for a hands-free option. You can tote it around day-after-day with comfort and ease. Ciello, £223.00. www.thevelvetlab.com

10 www.sussexbusinesstimes.co.uk

P 8-11 Spending SBT May2013.indd 10

09/05/2013 16:02

Spending It!

DESK COASTER Jot is a colourful desk accessory which allows you to bring probably the two most essential things on anyone’s desk; your drink and your beloved pens! J-me Design, £10 www.j-me.com

LADIES JACKET Team this glamorous Joseph Ribkoff taffeta jacket with simple pieces in your existing wardrobe for an effortlessly chic evening look.

Joseph Ripkoff, £270 www.ribkoff.com

CUFFLINKS These cufflinks are made with genuine Haematite. They are plated with white bronze which is used for its durability and the fact that it does not tarnish or discolour. Simon Carter, £40 www.simoncarter.net

MOBILE PHONE

LEATHER PURSE Smart, elegant, classic and practical. An everyday essential. The simple design of the Blair collection is brought to life with contrasting coloured edging and interior. Radley, £65. www.radley.co.uk

A new basic feature phone that’s simple to use and doesn’t have expensive monthly fees, could be the best gift you’ll ever give.

An easy to use mobile with, text messaging, Loud ringtones and calls that can be super amplified with a longer lasting battery life is all that is required for most over 65’s. Amplicomms, £79.99. www.bootshearingcare.com

www.sussexbusinesstimes.co.uk 11

P 8-11 Spending SBT May2013.indd 11

09/05/2013 16:02

Business Profile

Brighton’s Best Kept Secret Established more than 25 years ago, Brighton-based Andus print are part of the Gemini group of printers. As of May 1st, the business’ name will be changed to Gemini Brighton, to better reflect its position as Brighton’s local printers

The rebrand is part of the business’ strategy to firmly position Profile the brand within the Gemini group of expert printers. The new name is part of a continuing campaign to help spread the word that the facility, based in Brighton, can fully cater for a local business’ printing needs with an impressively comprehensive service offering in litho and digital print, as well as web development and graphic design.

The £2 million business, that has always been part of the Gemini Group, has timed the launch of the new brand to coincide with May Day, the official start to summer and will also be exhibiting at the Lets Do Business exhibition at Brighton Racecourse this month.

Dave Britton, managing director, Gemini Brighton (formerly Andus Print) commented: “We are proud that Gemini Brighton is the leading on site printers in Brighton. Our Crowhurst Road operation was originally established in 1989 and has enjoyed an enviable reputation in the Brighton market ever since.

Our rebrand to Gemini Brighton will maintain our Brighton focus while also help communicate our extended service offerings as part of the larger Gemini Group, which is well known throughout Sussex.”

As well as being the favoured location of the owners, who were born and raised locally, Gemini Brighton’s purpose-built location in Hollingbury (near the Amex stadium) is the prefect place for the business to offer ecologically-conscious print services to the forward-thinking Brighton market.

Dave Britton explained: “We are right for Brighton, and Brighton is right for us.

The local business community thrives with creative companies who want to do business the local way – ethically.

There are fewer and fewer printers in the area, and fewer still who can offer what we do in terms of service or green credentials.”

Gemini Press is one of the leading eco friendly printers in the UK. As a business, they take their corporate responsibilities extremely seriously and made the decision to provide environmentally friendly green printing services, backed by a series of environmental credentials that a

12 www.sussexbusinesstimes.co.uk

P 12-15 Gemini SBT May2013.indd 12

02/05/2013 15:44

Photography Jim Holden Š

Left to Right: Mike Webb (sales) Richards Golds (sales) and Steve Row, (production) at Gemini Brighton

www.sussexbusinesstimes.co.uk 13

P 12-15 Gemini SBT May2013.indd 13

02/05/2013 15:44

Quality print, speed and reliability of Gemini Brighton

llow them to work under the “Green Printing Label”.

“It’s not cheap for us to operate in this way, but we believe it’s the right thing to do,” explained Steve Cropper, managing director of Gemini Group. “Printing has something of a reputation for being insensitive to the environment, which may discourage some people from using it even when it is the best media for what they’re doing. However, we have worked hard to make our offering one that is ethically and environmentally conscious, for our own peace of mind and for that of our customers who want to keep their supply chain green and ethical.

Of course, being able to provide the ecologically-certified printing that green businesses demand is also a sensible business decision for us, as it allows us to fulfil a need that other printers can’t.”

Gemini Press is an ISO 14001 certified printer. This international standard specifies the actual requirements for an EMS – Environmental Management System.

It applies to those environmental aspects over which the organisation has control and can be expected to have influence. The ISO 14001 environmental management standards exist to help organisations minimise how their operations negatively affect the environment and cause adverse changes to air, water or land.

Gemini Press is one of a small number of FSC and ISO 14001 certified eco printers in the UK that has invested time and capital in becoming a certified green printer. All businesses within the Gemini Group have been registered for FSC & PEF and confirm their dedication to using only paper from sustainable forests. Gemini Press is also a corporate partner of the Sussex Wildlife Trust; a sponsor of the Woodland Trust – the UK’s leading woodland conservation charity and a member of the Ride2Work Scheme. “We are more than happy to discuss our environmental policies and these accreditations in more detail with any customers,” says Steve.

But it’s not just about being green.

It’s about being in total control of your business’ printing, which is why Gemini don’t outsource any of their services.

All printing is done within Gemini – truly local.

“People want to do business locally, and we are Brighton’s local printer. We are local – really local, in the sense that we keep all the business given to us within these very Gemini buildings. Your contacts at Gemini are technological experts who oversee your entire job… we don’t process your printing and then send it off to Leeds or Wales for the actual manufacturing to happen, as a print management company might.

Our all-in-house service cuts down the miles your product has to travel, thus reducing your carbon footprint and the overall impact of your printed product, especially when using our eco-certified materials.”

“Keeping our business so local also means we employ local people and contribute to the local economy. The creative skillset of Brighton is ideal for us, and we employ 15 people at Gemini

14 www.sussexbusinesstimes.co.uk

P 12-15 Gemini SBT May2013.indd 14

02/05/2013 15:44

Business Profile

“Keeping our business so local also means we employ local people and contribute to the local economy”

Photography Jim Holden ©

Brighton, who are all Sussex based.

By realigning within the brand and using the Gemini name, it is Steve Cropper’s hope that a wider audience will understand that the outfit formerly known as Andus is truly a part of Gemini, and as such has the strengths and ideology of the Gemini business behind it. “No job is too large for our network of printing facilities, and no job is too small for our dedicated teams, who work personally with our customers to assess their needs and see each job through to delivery.”

The rebrand of Andus to Gemini Brighton changes nothing for existing customers or employees. It is simply the company making some aesthetic tweaks to logos and the like to proudly confirm that they are in fact Gemini Brighton: green, local, and not the area’s best kept secret for much longer!

The Gemini group of printers includes: Gemini Press, Gemini Digital, Gemini West (located in Bristol) and now Gemini Brighton (formerly known as Andus Print)

Gemini would like to invite you to the rebranded Gemini Brighton’s launch party at Bohemia, Brighton, on July 25th. “The choice of venue is relevant,” says Dave, “because it’s right in the heart of Brighton, which is what we are! “If you’d like to attend, please email Dave – Dave@ gemini-brighton.co.uk to have your name put on the guest list.

Steve Cropper, MD, Gemini Group

One of the multi coloured highspeed print machines at Gemini: Heidelberg Speedmaster the benchmark in terms of production speed, print stability, and output

www.sussexbusinesstimes.co.uk 15

P 12-15 Gemini SBT May2013.indd 15

02/05/2013 15:45

Paying Fair

Launched in 2012, the Brighton & Hove Living Wage Campaign aims to encourage local businesses to voluntarily pay all employees from April 2013 at least £7.45 per hour

By April 1st, the campaign had amassed 41 Insight businesses pledging to pay the wage, and the all party parliamentary support.

The Living Wage was calculated by Mr. Donald Hirsch and is set according to the basic cost of living in the UK and is the amount that allows a person to live, rather than just survive. It takes into account certain basic costs of living in accordance with inflation and the fluctuation of goods prices, based roughly on the costs of an acceptable basket of goods, the cost of housing for families and those without children, and childcare costs.

The concept of a living wage is a voluntary commitment by Brighton and Hove employers and is separate from the National Minimum Wage which employers are obliged to pay by law, and its implementation can have a positive impact for individuals and businesses.

A living wage can improve the quality of employment for the individual and, by doing so increases that individual’s relative productivity for the business.

Companies that pay the Living Wage

report not only an increase in retention but also a more positive attitude among employees which in turn benefits the company’s brand image.

Of course paying a living wage is considered a moral decision for a company first and foremost, paying a wage that will be primarily of greatest benefit to employees, but also with some reasoned benefits for the employer based on experience of the living wage elsewhere.

The aim for the Brighton campaign is to get the first 100 businesses on board and promote Brighton as a great place to live and work. Those behind the initiative have stressed that they are aware of the challenges in certain sectors that might limit them from signing up, but want to support as many businesses as possible. They are currently in the process of researching the subject, with an online survey at www.livingwagebrighton.co.uk .

Equally Mike Weatherley, MP for Hove and Portslade commented: “It stands to reason that businesses will thrive if their staff are motivated and happy, which means paying staff enough to live comfortably. The voluntary Living Wage campaign highlights this emotive issue with both passion and maturity. It has my support.”

How Can the Living Wage Increase Profits?

Putting up business costs by lifting wages would not seem like the most obvious route to higher profit or efficiency ... or would it? Here Conscious HR explains how the Living Wage helps productivity and employee loyalty.

1. FOCUS: If your employees are not earning a Living Wage then they may be a little distracted.

When you are struggling to make ends meet for you or your family then worry will be a principal issue.

Worry that despite the hours of effort going in, it’s still not enough.

When a member of staff is worrying they become distracted and the focus is elsewhere. Loyalty and quality drops.

Paying the Living Wage can make a difference. So if you want more focus, higher quality and increased sales, surely this small difference in pay is really worth it?

16 www.sussexbusinesstimes.co.uk

P 1617 Living Wage SBT May2013.indd 16

02/05/2013 09:53

Living Wage

Sarah Springford – Chamber of Commerce, Geoffrey Theobald – Leader of Conservatives – B&H, Jason Kitcat – Council Leader Green Party, Penny Thomson – Chief Executive Brighton & Hove Council, Roger French – Former CEO of Brighton and Hove Buses, Katy Bourne – Sussex Crime Commissioner, Sally Polanski - CVSF

2. LOYALTY: Showing YOU care makes you and YOUR business something YOUR employees care about.

Employee engagement is about how many of your employees will go the extra mile for you and how an employee feels about working for you. An engaged workforce will have very low absence rates, will be more productive, produce great ideas, stay around longer and generally look after the business a lot better than a disengaged workforce.

An organisation that clearly and openly demonstrates that they care by being an open advocate and supporter of the Living Wage campaign reaps many rewards.

3. EMPLOYER BRAND: How attractive is your organisation to the people who work in it?

Employer brand is a recently developed concept but it’s fast proving to be as important as our more familiar understanding of brand. The Employer Brand is all about how attractive your organisation is to the people who work in it and the people who may want to work in it in the future. Having a great employer brand means that it’s easier to recruit people, it’s easier to retain

people and those same people want to work hard for you.

Other Benefits: • Recruitment spend is less • New recruits are far more likely to look for you, so you don’t have to spend time and money looking for them • You are ahead of the queue in competition for the same talent • You will recruit passionate people who know what your organisation stands for • Long-term loyalty amongst existing employees means less time and money recruiting and training new • You won’t lose good staff that you have spent time training.

• More passionate and caring staff means higher productivity, more commitment, which to your bottom line means far greater value for the money you do pay out in wages.

In short: Better employer brand = lower recruitment cost + lower training cost + more productive, higher value employees, staff retention.

In 2013 there is an increasingly significant movement towards organisations that take a more responsible approach towards their environmental and social obligations.

More and more customers when given a choice between a company that visibly does good against one that doesn’t will go with the one that does.

It is also important to remember that your Shareholders care about returns, but lately also give more thought towards sustainable business models as these happen to be the ones that best perform on the stock markets.

Current thinking is suggesting that this is because greater awareness of the world is synonymous with better management – the two go hand in hand. Better returns, more customers, more investment, better returns.

In other words, the return that you make on your investment in a Living Wage will outstrip that investment.

We are not saying that by simply adopting the Living Wage you will fix all of your employee challenges or make you the best employer in town, but by taking this first step and demonstrating that you do care about the lives of your staff beyond their working hours you will start to reap rewards that exceed your initial investment.

www.conscioushr.co.uk

www.sussexbusinesstimes.co.uk 17

P 1617 Living Wage SBT May2013.indd 17

02/05/2013 09:53

Giggling Squid Giggling Squid is a Thai food sensation with rustic and fresh food of Thailand. Simon Skinner reports back from the renovated north wing of the ancient George Hotel in Crawley.

Address: George Hotel, High Street Crawley Website: www.gigglingsquid.co.uk Tel: 01293 530455

This month – Thai.

Yes! I love Thai food, so was very happy Review to shuffle along to the Giggling Squid in Crawley to sample their wares.

Crawley. A Sussex market town that has always been an important link between London and Brighton remains well positioned in the county with many commuters choosing to reside there. Along with the many and varied businesses within the town Crawley boasts some impressive commercial developments and amongst its 100,000

(odd) population, it also boasts a vibrant business community.

So, these restaurants along the strip here in the centre, should all be well rehearsed at serving up a decent business lunch!

I’m not sure that Thai would ordinarily be the first choice for a working lunch.

Perhaps the thought of heavy curries with lots of sundries might seem over the top.

More an evening thing in my book but the Giggling Squid has introduced a natty solution to this issue, offering a tapas menu of Thai dishes.

All extremely tasty and very reasonably priced, you are able to pick and choose any amount of small plates of, say, tempura veg, spring rolls etc.

Alternatively, you can choose from a variety of tapas sets (x4 on a divided plate). With names like ‘The Hungry Squid’ or the ‘Two Giggling Squids’ they are cleverly devised with fantastic combinations and all at around the £10 mark – outstanding value for money.

“Tasty and very reasonably priced, you are able to pick and choose any amount of small plates of, say, tempura veg, spring rolls...”

18 www.sussexbusinesstimes.co.uk

P 18-21 Lunch SBT May2013.indd 18

09/05/2013 15:54

Working Lunch

Of course, there are more standard dishes on the daytime menu such as noodles, rice and curry dishes but I get the feeling that, whilst offering a good cross section of what you might find on the evening menu, (classics like the green curry) this lunchtime menu has been devised for speed. Perfect for those who want to get on with their busy working day.

The owners at the Giggling Squid have plans to expand the chain over the next few years (see piece following this for their view on the recent budget) beyond the five already operating. Crawley, Brighton, Tunbridge Wells, Hove & Henley with the next planned for Reigate. This expansion will make it easier for anyone to get to his or her local Giggling Squid and this has to be good news.

So the next time you’re looking for somewhere interesting to entertain a client, meet with colleagues or simply slope off the M23 for some delicious scram during heavy traffic, the Giggling Squid in Crawley won’t disappoint. It’s my intention to try some of the others whilst on my travels so keep checking the pages here and also on our site www. sussexbusinesstimes.co.uk for more.

What we ordered…

Hungry Squid £9.75 Chicken Green Curry Jasmine Rice Handmade Juicy Chicken Stay Mix Vegetable Stir Fry

One Big Dish Of Lamb Massaman Curry £7.95

Tapas Prawn Crackers £2.90 Mixed Vegetable Tempura £2.90 Papaya Salad (Lightly spicy) £2.90 Spring Rolls £2.90 Chicken Satay £3.50 Handmade Ice Cream £4.95 From a local ice cream maker, using only Fresh Sussex milk and cream Black Sesame Flavour Unique to Giggling Squid Dish of the day – Lamb Massaman Curry – an absolute treat!

www.sussexbusinesstimes.co.uk 19

P 18-21 Lunch SBT May2013.indd 19

09/05/2013 15:54

ADVERTORIAL

How much would you pay to access over a hundred businesses and five relevant seminars?

Nothing?

No problem!

Even with over 110 stands at the Let’s Do Business Brighton & Hove show on May 16th and a series of five highly relevant seminars, visiting Let’s Do Business Brighton & Hove, the city’s leading business to business show, is completely free!

In addition, every show visitor receives a free show guide and if you pre-register at www.letsdobusiness.org you will receive a free race day ticket for the October 2nd race meeting courtesy of Brighton Racecourse. What more reason do you need to come along to the city’s biggest and best business show?

The one-day event will host over a hundred exhibitors and offers everyone in business, whether starting up or long established, the opportunity to source dozens of products, services and supplies from a diverse range of quality companies. Everyone, from sole traders, retailers, professional services or manufacturers up to the largest employers will benefit from a visit to the show.

“We have always ensured that Let’s Do Business represents excellent value for both exhibitors and visitors alike as it is a fantastic opportunity to make contact with hundreds of people.” says organiser Jonathan Dolding. “The Racecourse has free parking for over a thousand cars and

we also put on a free shuttle bus from Hove and the city centre. Every visitor has a free showguide, which features all the contact details of all the exhibitors and we have five seminars presented by some of the city’s best speakers. They’re free too.”

The show’s series of five short seminars are organised by Brighton & Hove Chamber of Commerce. This year’s seminars have been designed to offer businesses the chance to learn more about the phenomenon that is social

media and include how to make the most of creative and effective online marketing strategies; social media on the move; the benefits of Google Plus explained; and using LinkedIn as an effective business tool.

Let’s Do Business is organised by the Let’s Do Business Group and sponsored

by Identity Signage and Printing, the show is also supported by Brighton & Hove Chamber of Commerce, Juice FM and South East Business Magazine.

20 www.sussexbusinesstimes.co.uk

Full information about the show and pre-registration can be found at www.letsdobusiness.org P 18-21 Lunch SBT May2013.indd 20

09/05/2013 15:54

Working Lunch

Giggling Squid’s Views on the Budget

Andy Laurillard, Director of Giggling Restaurants Ltd tells us how he sees the latest legislation affecting a lively and expanding Sussex Business.

Giggling Squid plans to open 4 restaurants Insight a year adding to the 5 we already have in the south east - the next being in Reigate, which is scheduled to open in late April or early May - adding 100 employees to its payroll. As such, the reduction in employers’ National Insurance ianounced in the Budget was very welcome. It’s a tax on jobs which we, as employers in a struggling economy, could do without so the reduction is a definite step in the right direction which will be a real boost to SMEs. The Budget will affect our growth plans in other ways, too. The reduction in corporation tax will make expansion that much easier - giving us more profit to reinvest and making us less dependent on the bank.

The rise in the income tax threshold to £10K will benefit our many parttime workers. Hopefully, it will help to encourage people currently on benefits to seek employment in the catering sector,

which still struggles to recruit enough good people.

The cancellation of the 3p fuel escalator duty will help suppliers’ keep food costs, which have been rising sharply, down, which will be to the benefit of our customers - as we will be able to hold down prices.

The scrapping of the beer escalator is welcome, but is better news for pubs and brewers, rather than restaurants.

The rise in wine, cider and spirits duty is disappointing and will be the part of this legislation that has more impact on us.

If the Chancellor had really wanted to help the hospitality sector he would have cut VAT from 20% - almost 3 times the level it is in France.

The real test of the Budget is how it is viewed by the international money markets. For the Giggling Squid it’s vital that George Osbourne’s policies strengthens the pound. A fall in sterling causes food costs to rise - which is bad very bad news for the Thai restaurant trade, reliant on imported ingedrients like coconut milk, rice, lemon grass and fresh herbs not produced in the UK.

“For the Giggling Squid it’s vital that George Osbourne’s policies strengthen the pound.”

www.sussexbusinesstimes.co.uk 21

P 18-21 Lunch SBT May2013.indd 21

09/05/2013 15:55

COMING SOON

Business Round Table “FINANCE” Joining us:

• BDO • SANTANDER • NATWEST • LIFE MEDIA GROUP 36 www.sussexbusinesstimes.co.uk

P 32-33 explainer SBT May2013.indd 36

09/05/2013 13:17

ADVERTORIAL

Graduate Voted Most Likely to Rise to Top A recent graduate of the University of Portsmouth Business School has won a national professional award as ‘The One to Watch’.

Catherine Ellis, 25, was voted winner at the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators (ICSA) Company Secretaries Awards.

The award recognises recent achievement and future potential in those in the early stages of their careers. The judges looked at the impact candidates had in managing tasks and activities and contributing to overall performance, and the likelihood that each candidate was destined to be a top company secretary.

Catherine said: “It was a great sense of achievement winning the award and a professional accolade. More than anything it means I’ve been doing my job right.

“My employer is delighted too, and thinks it’s a great achievement – it was my employer who nominated me for the award.”

Catherine embarked on her career

as a company secretary while writing her dissertation in her final year at university.

She said: “The best aspects of the job include all the project work that you get involved in – you go to meetings and hear what all the issues are affecting the business. Anything that is of sensitive nature often goes through the company secretary so you get to see a lot of interesting items. No two days are ever the same and the workload is varied.

“Company secretaries are independent and are there to advise and steer the chairman and other board members on good governance.

That is the main definition, but in industry, different markets and different types of companies require different things.”

Catherine obtained her Grad.

ICSA qualification upon graduating from the University of Portsmouth’s School of Law with her Master’s in LLM Corporate Governance and Commercial Law in 2010. She had

Winner: Catherine Ellis

earned her LLB Law with Business degree in 2008.

She said: “While writing my dissertation I started working for Computershare Investor Services plc in their company secretarial services department as an administrator. I then was offered a permanent position there and started working fulltime two weeks after handing in my dissertation. After 18 months I then moved to work for Amlin plc as a Company Secretarial Assistant, where I still work.” www.port.ac.uk

Show you mean business. Go back to school.

Portsmouth Business School’s Master of Business Administration (MBA) will provide you with the opportunity to develop your strategic problem-solving skills whilst mastering the latest business knowledge and practice: • • • • •

Develop your management abilities Benefit through innovative work-based learning Generous scholarships Taught part-time in two-day blocks over two years Accredited by the Association of MBAs

To find out more about our wide range of degrees, come along to one of our regular open evenings – details of which can be found at www.showyoumeanbusiness.com.

‘The Portsmouth MBA has been a lifechanging experience and one that I wouldn’t have wanted to miss.’

Heather Short, Entrepreneur

www.port.ac.uk P 32-33 explainer SBT May2013.indd 37

For more information or to apply: T: +44 (0)23 9284 4888 E: mba.admissions@ www.sussexbusinesstimes.co.uk port.ac.uk 37 W: www.port.ac.uk/mba

09/05/2013 13:17

DEBATE THE BIG

Is outsourcing a smart way for businesses to minimise their economic risk in tough times?

SBT opens up the debate to two Sussex based experts within the industry.

Do you outsource to reduce your outgoings when finances get tight?

It can be a tricky decision to take. For some businesses, it’s a solution that can be financially effective; enabling a reduction of in-house staff and avoiding the psychological trauma of having to create redundancies when a fleet of specifically trained professionals can be called upon (and paid for) as and when needed. Yet SBT has heard of scenarios where the reality is not so straightforward. The remaining in-house staff can feel insecure, demotivated and unable to oversee external workers, lines of responsibility can become clouded and the dedication of the overall workforce diluted, when the cultures of the two businesses do not mutually collide.

So, is outsourcing the best solution for businesses in tough times? SBT consults two very different local experts within the outsourcing industry to explore both sides of the argument.

Butcher set up his company in the last recession on recognising that finance could be outsourced in the way that IT was being offered to companies by third parties. “There are economies of scale, it’s skilled and the reasons for companies outsourcing computer operations were the same as finance.” In fact Butcher claims to have been one of the first companies to provide outsourcing for

“We take the view that they are enhancing control over their business” - David Butcher

finance. “When BP announced they were going to outsource their finance department that finally convinced me that it was worth doing.”

The Case For Outsourcing

Why did you think that outsourcing finance would appeal to companies as a good concept?

I knew that people would be cutting their costs, downsizing and that a finance department is generally inefficient.

We therefore, could go in and offer companies an alternative.

David Butcher, Managing Director of FD Outsourcing, in Crawley has offered outsourcing of financial services for 19 years. Currently handling approximately 25 clients at any one time, he is a provider to all scales of businesses from start-ups through to companies with a turnover in the region of £5m.

So are you confirming that outsourcing can cut costs?

In truth, I have generally not tried to sell the business as a means to cutting costs, because if you are going to try to cut costs, saying, ‘this is a cheaper way of doing it’, people aren’t going to necessarily take the risk to uproot and

FOR

change the way they run the financial side of their business for a marginal saving. They have got to have a problem they need to solve and we can provide them with a better solution than they could do otherwise, and we can do it cheaper. They are often trying to reduce their whole finance department, and will look to see what the alternatives are.

What about for large businesses?

Offshoring, which is putting call centres out to India (for example) and where it is possible fo UK companies to employ people for a far lower cost than they can in the UK, is generally for large companies where they have a large volume of transactions that don’t need to be done in the same waking hours.

That can cut costs.

So how do you appeal to your market?

We are in the SME market place where it isn’t high volumes of transactions but a range of skills are required, where our part time staff are available five days a week. Our client might want a Finance Director half a day a week, but prefer that half days’ effort to be spread over five days. They can call us at any time that they need a person available, enabling

24 www.sussexbusinesstimes.co.uk

SBT_November11_FINAL.indd 24

03/05/2013 15:12

SBT Discusses...

them to have a range of skills available five days a week for a part time price.

And what if their requirements change?

We can add financial people with certain skills as and when they are needed. The client has the flexibility of outsourcing without having to worry about the staff or having to expand or contract - this gives

that reports went to the States on a weekly basis, and that the weekly UK accountants dealt with the US tax affairs.

The value for them was being able to continue their UK operation seamlessly.

How do clients feel that they are still in control when outsourcing?

That’s a mindset. People can see it as abdicating control, but we take the view

It could be that the customer is paying for services that they dont actually need.

- Ash Patel me the problem rather than the customer.

If there are new provisions coming in or changes in legislation then usually each company has the cost of implementing those changes and work out what is relevant for them - we can work it out once, and apply it to all.

How else is outsourcing cost effective? Can you offer an example?

A UK branch of a US corporation needed to downsize its operations back in 2009 and one of the things that they needed to do was to make the whole of their finance department redundant. They wanted me to replicate what they already had, but I went in and said ‘actually, although that’s the brief you’re giving me it’s not the most efficient way of doing it.’ So we completely streamlined, stripped out all of the things that weren’t necessary or added value and implemented Sage for them, which is the UK’s market leading package in the SME market place, which they never could have done from the US, thousands of miles away. There is no need for clients to have software themselves if they can access it via us.

They don’t need their own copy of Sage (for example) if using our servers.

How did the practicality of the UK and US offices work?

They were operating the system (Sage) on our servers here, so I had two people operating on the general purchase ledger side, me providing them with the technical Financial Director advice, plus two ladies (their staff) in their offices who were doing the invoicing and the stock control. That worked to ensure

that through employing the experts they have better advice and we are enhancing the control by giving them a greater understanding, rather than reducing it.

So what is the real value of outsourcing?

The real value can be avoiding the hidden costs of not doing it; the costs of mistakes being made, of senior staff having to do junior work, junior staff doing senior work or give financial advice.

AGAINST

The pitfalls of outsourcing Ash Patel, is the Director of Managed Services for ADA Technology Services in Burgess Hill who have 20 years experience of providing co-sourced and fully managed IT services. Patel has been with the business for 10 years, in which time he has seen a £4m turnover increase to £20m. In the last five years ADA has seen a growth in outsourcing within the mid market, which they class as 30-1500 users. “Based in Sussex, 95% of our business is local but at the top end of our business we work for Bloomberg and BGC in New York.”

Patel says that in big business, the interest in outsourcing lies “in cost control, head count reductions and

efficiency gains, and at the smaller end of business, companies are “interested at getting more value and de-risking.”

Thus, here we focus on the pitfalls on outsourcing to small service providers.

Patel speaks of how some clients find ADA Technology Services having had an unsuccessful experience of outsourcing from another IT provider first...

So where can outsourcing go wrong for the client?

By not really having a clear understanding of what they are buying, that’s probably no.1 in my eyes. A lot of customers very easily accept how they think service providers are going to meet their requirements. They need to spend a lot more time in the due dilligence stage, really trying to understand at a practical ground level how the service is going to operate, where the boundaries are, how their contract protects them. We come across a lot of customers who have had their fingers bunt, they are re-styling and have had false promises and have been mislead.

So is this about the service provider up-selling their product?

The most common factor is the disparity between what a service provider promises and what they can really deliver.

They might be selling the dream, selling way beyond the operational capabilities they can deliver. One outsourcing company discovered that they were 18 months behind what they could operationally deliver and what the sales forecast had promised.

How can this happen?

If you look at a service provider they are two separate businesses; operations and sales. Sales are selling on the basis of what customers want, and operations are often reactionary and trying to play catch up, which is partly the nature of being on the floor. The customer won’t necessarily see the capability operationally to match what they’re buying.

You speak of getting the wrong partnership, tell me more?

Let’s start with the business performance of certain outsourcing companies. If they’ve built a business model around selling projects, then I’m expecting to sell X many projects to pay for an operational head count. The challenge of that model is that if they are having to go out and sell projects and they haven’t got the financial

www.sussexbusinesstimes.co.uk 25

SBT_November11_FINAL.indd 25

03/05/2013 15:12

Sx Bus Times_Layout 1 12/04/2013 16:21 Page 1

LET’S DO BUSINESS BRIGHTON &HOVE’S LEADING B2B SHOW 10AM-4PM THURSDAY 16 MAY 2013 BRIGHTON RACECOURSE BN2 9XZ FREE Over 100 Exhibitors FREE Show Guide FREE Visitor Entry FREE Taster Seminars FREE Parking for 1,000 cars FREE Shuttle Bus from Hove and Brighton City Centre Register for FREE visitor entry now at www.letsdobusiness.org or call 01424 205507

Supported by

SPONSORED BY

SBT Discusses...

security within their own model to protect themselves, then one or two months down the line if they don’t hit their project value or targets, the first thing they will be releasing is their technical head count, and that affects the client. The last thing the customer wants to know is that the outsourcer is losing its’ head count.

Can there be other problems with transparency?

Not knowing the cost structure, where excess charges are, what’s included and excluded in the service, that gets client’s backs up. It could be that the customer is paying for services that they don’t actually need.

They have got to have a problem they need to solve and we can provide them with a better solution than they could do otherwise, and we can do it cheaper.

- David Butcher You also speak of the importance of the customer’s own awareness.

Can you elaborate?

In the industry at the moment there is a lot of talk about cloud; public cloud, private cloud and a lot of service providers are dropping that to customers at the moment. Customers are making decisions and go wrong when they haven’t looked at all of the options, especially where there is jargon, sales speak or not knowing providers’ operational capabilities at the back end.

Then there is the question of processes.

Customers often don’t get the best from service providers because they are lacking in the internal processes that would enable them use IT efficiently. We have a customer who outsourced their IT to us and there are certain decisions that they should have made regarding the security data in their own business we don’t want to be responsible for the integrity of their data. If they are running an application for their business, they are responsible for the data that resides within that application and the service provider is aware that the data is not their responsibility. If that data corrupts because internal staff input it in the wrong way, then the service provider can’t be accountable for that, that’s the fault of the company’s own processes.

Are there other ways of getting the wrong partnership, such as cultural incompatibility, for example?

One customer came to us to say a service provider didn’t have a clear understanding of how they could present information back to them in a way that they could understand. They had a monthly report which was very technically led rather than saying simply that they were at risk of exceeding capacity, might lose information as a result, or advising them around what decisions they needed to make. The customer had to tell the service provider how to relay information in a way that they could understand it!

How else is it possible to get the match wrong?

For many companies IT is a reactive function based on what the company needs at a particular time, rather than part of its strategic planning. However, if a business plans to expand, then not finding a partner who is going to accomodate that scale of growth is where another problem lies. Organisations tend to outgrow their IT services. At a particular time they will have made a commercial decision that IT is a problem that needs fixing, but if they are then looking to expand quickly they can find that the service provider can’t scale up or guide in a consultative way to get them where they want to be.

So to summarise, what is key?

The essence is trust and communication. www.ada.co.uk www.fdoutsourcing.com

Tips for successfully outsourcing IT IT is one of the most common services to be outsourced. Ash Patel of ADA Technology Services advises on what to look for and expect from a potential service provider.

There has to be good cultural compatibility A good fit comes down to ethics and a personality feel. It’s vital that the outsourcing company has a true understanding of your sector.

We have open days, we’ll go down the pub and have social events with our customers, so that we can experience eachother face to face.

Insist on planning It’s vital to know where potential exposure is and where the excess is in a services contract.

This ensures that the work is planned and you are getting value.

Check that the service provider is embracing the relevant standards and disciplines The provider needs to be managing services and cases using specific processes to get the best from their team.

The customer can reap the benefit of us training staff Smaller businesses often don’t have the capability to identify gaps within their own IT teams and invest in them. Staff retention in this area can be a problem, as can growing skills, if there is not always an IT career path for in-house IT employees.

If the customer employs the right service provider, they can reap the benefit from us training staff.

Ask for a fully transparent payment plan At ADA we offer a comparison of what we can do, the services on offer and what can be achieved to show and demonstrate how IT can save costs and add value.

h www.sussexbusinesstimes.co.uk 27

SBT_November11_FINAL.indd 27

03/05/2013 15:12

Test Drive

Maarten Hoffmann, SBT’s Motoring Editor, reviews the Kia Soul Inferno and the MG6

Review

KIA SOUL INFERNO

This funky looking thing is called the Kia Soul and it certainly takes a bit of getting used to – is it a brick, is it a shoe box?

Well no actually – it is a pretty good car, that after the slight rise of bile on first sight, grows on you like a comfortable pair of old shoes. Let’s get the looks out of the way then. A tad odd but you do get used to it and even, dare l say it, start to quite like it.

As opposed to that ridiculous lump of lard from Nissan called the Cube that makes me vomit each time l see one.

If South Korea has not been nuked out of existence by the time you read this, Kia have a very good range of cars on their hands and the risk with the exterior styling of the Soul just goes to prove that Kia are plucking up the courage to be adventurous in their styling. I applaud them, as it does look like it has escaped from a concept motor show and has an urban military whiff about it.

The interior is very well laid out and comfortable with adequate space for 5 but the rear load space does come with quite an annoying lip over which you are forced to lift meaning that shifting stuff in and out of the boot is more of a chore than it should be. It does offer you a high riding SUV feel to the drive but rear view is compromised by a high waist line, thick rear pillars and a narrow rear window. You have a decent sound system and a USB jack for plugging in whatever you like. The boot space is not impressive at all and you need to get the back seats down to get anything in other than a small box of SBT magazines but then it is an urban cruiser so not really meant for 5 passengers and their luggage.

The one thing that makes me feel that the interior designers were either

given too much budget or got bored half way through are the surrounds of the speakers that change colour every 5 seconds! Why? I wonder if any motorist survey ever carried out returned a majority view that their lives would be made complete if the speakers in their car changed colour.

A mad waste of money.

The engine option is a 1.6 litre petrol or diesel that has a surprising amount of oomph. It will dart around town with the best of them and then once on the motorway, really does run well with a very good reserve of torque when you press the go pedal. It is also steady enough until you encounter a gusting side wind and then you feel the drawback of the high sides but it never feels anything but safe and sure footed.

There are lots of options of colours and variants and l would go for the Inferno version that l drove – if you are going to have a funky car then commit to it and go all the way – mad graphics and all.

In summary, this is a cool urban cruiser that makes quite a statement, drives very well, offers great mpg, good road holding and the best warranty in the business.

The Details Engines: 1.6 petrol or diesel,

138 bhp

Price: From £11,700 - £18,000 Alternatives: 0-62 in 10

seconds

Top Speed: 112 mph

Economy: Petrol 44.1 mpg,

Diesel 54.3 mpg

Warranty: 7 years or 100,000

miles

Like: Concept styling; engine torque; warranty

Dislike: Silly lit speakers; lack of boot space

Alternatives:

Nissan Cube, Skoda Roomster, Toyota Urban Cruiser

www.kia.co.uk

28 www.sussexbusinesstimes.co.uk

P 58-59 Motoring SBT May2013.indd 28

03/05/2013 16:56

Car Review

Review

MG 6

Morris, Triumph, Austin, Reliant – these are names of iconic British car manufacturers that many of us grew up with and that are sadly deceased although it must be said that upon reflection, some of the models they produced were only ever destined for the dustbin of history. The Triumph Stag for example – a great looking car that was as reliable as a North Korean rocket launch, as rusty as a bucket of nails with a warranty that expired as you drove out of the showroom!

But MG is a marque remembered fondly by most that owned one – who of a certain age group did not own or covet an MGB-GT; or laugh hysterically as you shot up a hill climb in an MG Midget; or suddenly awoke to the enduring addiction of V8’s in the MBGGTV8? Sadly, the company founded by Cecil Kimber in 1920 ran out of puff in 1988 and was sold to British Aerospace, then to BMW in 1994 and finally went bust on April 7th 2005. The final chapter of the story, or the first chapter in the new story, took shape in July 2005, when the Chinese Nanjing Automobile Group purchased the rights to the MG name and all remaining assets for £53 million and created MG Motor.

So MG lives on to the joy of all British petrol heads but what of the first new model to carry that iconic badge, the MG6. The marketing blurb calls this a ‘sports-fastback’ and is in fact a rival to the Ford Focus and it’s kind and is currently available with a turbocharged 1.8 litre petrol engine with a five speed manual gearbox or a 1.9 diesel with a 6 speed box. It is quite a good looking car and l especially like the front end that has quite an aggressive stance.

Inside you are confronted by a well laid our interior with large clear dials and a very good colour screen that combines a sat nav and a multi-media interface.

There is good legroom both front and back, considerably more than the Golf or Focus and a 60/40 split rear bench that offers plenty of load space. The boot will take 472 litres which is again far more than its rivals. The let down in the driver’s seat, and l admit it’s a small niggle, is the daft handbrake.

Obviously a ‘cool’ design feature but it is an odd shape and not at all easy to grab without pinching your fingers and there’s also a silly cup holder that shoots out sideways and really takes two hands to operate – design over function, me thinks!

Standard equipment includes stability control, front and side airbags, A/C, electric windows, alloy wheels, deadlocks and a fully integrated stereo that will make thieves lives a tad more difficult.

The MG6 is quite a spirited drive and is stable in corners although it does suffer a tad from turbo lag but give it a boot and off it goes with a smooth gear change and impressive stability although a little too much wind noise for my liking. It cannot be classified as a hot hatch but is certainly a well sorted family hatchback. Economy is reasonable if not stunning with 37.7 mpg and a top speed limited to 120 mph. The entry price is £16,995 and that’s a lot of car for the money when you consider what other full size hatchbacks cost.

There is one thing that might propel the MG6 to the front of your mind when buying – the badge. When asked what you drive, there is little pride in answering Skoda or Ford but stating that you have an MG certainly brings a little pride to the voice. For those who take an interested in the British Touring Car Championship, you will know that champion Jason Plato has a new MG6 for this year and has made astonishing progress in such a short time and is full

of praise for the car – he is also leading the driver’s board at the time of writing.

It’s been a long time since anyone could say that they have a new MG, built and designed in the UK, and with the range comprising the MG6, Magnette and the all-new MG3 launching this week at the Shanghai Motor Show, the badge is back.

The Details

Engines: 1.8 petrol & 1.9 diesel

turbo

Price: £16,995 - £20,590

Warranty: 3 years or

60,000 miles

Fuel consumption: Petrol

37.7 mpg. Diesel 53.5 mpg

Performance: 0 – 62 8.4 seconds

Top Speed: 120 mph

Like: The Badge; load space.

Dislike: Handbrake; cup holder; wind noise

Alternatives: Ford Focus; Mazda

6; Skoda Octavia

www.mg.co.uk

www.sussexbusinesstimes.co.uk 29

P 58-59 Motoring SBT May2013.indd 29

03/05/2013 16:56

Data

Head in the Cloud?

A paperless office is a dream for many, but are we as switched on as we like to think we are about digital security, or is a logistical nightmare just around the corner?

As soon as cloud storage became a solution, it also became a problem. The Chronology of Data Breaches by the Insight Privacy Rights Clearinghouse shows that in just five years following 2005, when cloud computing truly entered business and consumer consciousness, more than half a BILLION sensitive records were breached, and with so many people now turning to online filesharing, it’s unlikely the next report will be any more reassuring. Of those breached records, including credit card details, legally priviledged information and all manner of private data, around a fifth came from retailers, merchants and other types of businesses outside of the legal, financial and insurance sectors, and many of them were SMEs. Unfortunately, that’s not the most alarming statistic that this article has to throw at you: about 80 percent of SMEs that are subject to a data breach suffer severe financial losses or go bankrupt within two years of the incident, according to industry expert John Sileo. That’s a margin of error that we, as a business community, just cannot afford and unfortunately that’s standing in the way of SMEs truly embracing digital business.

Robert Downes, policy advisor, forum of private business explains: “Research carried out amongst our members earlier this year saw quite a lot of antipathy towards going digital.

Many firms expressed a reluctance to invest in technologies such as 4G or cloud computing over concerns relating to costs and actual benefits, but one of the surprise reasons for this antipathy was the fear over data security in the ‘cloud’.

“This was seen as the number one disadvantage to cloud computing, with many firms saying they didn’t yet feel the cloud was a secure place to store important customer or business data. However, 20% felt that they had not been given enough information on the risks and rewards of the cloud, so it could be a case that attitudes could be changed quite easily.

“Frankly though, this sentiment is perhaps understandable because of the number of high profile stories in the media about hacking and in particular, the threat from foreign countries such as China. Rightly, or wrongly, there are a lot of businesses who remain risk averse to digital data storage.”

A steadily increasing number of companies are implementing ‘bring your own device’ policies and embracing the convenience they provide. However, in the rush to have employees working from a number of locations on wirelessly connected phones, tablets and laptops, many businesses are

failing to implement sufficient usage policies before ploughing ahead. They’re also allowing staff to work wirelessly without providing them with purpose-built sharing platforms, leaving staff to use services like Dropbox, iCloud and Google Drive.

Such sites are ideal for casual use, leading many to presume they are safe for transmitting sensitive documents because they use encryption between the user and the service.

However, the files are stored by the service provider in the middle without encryption, so If a hacker, or even a rogue employee of the storage firm were to gain access to the main drive, sensitive documents would be at risk.

Cloud storage can, when used correctly, provide unparalleled convenience for teams or individuals working from multiple locations and can offer excellent reassurance for those who are concerned about essential physical documents being lost, damaged or stolen. The key is to choose appropriate data storage solutions and ensure that all staff fully understand the importance of adhering to data saftety protocols.

The security of your digital data is an investment that should not be overlooked.

30 www.sussexbusinesstimes.co.uk

P 32-33 explainer SBT May2013.indd 30

09/05/2013 13:16

Chestnut Tree House at Rolls Royce Rolls-Royce Motor Cars helps Chestnut Tree House find new friends Over 100 friends and supporters of Sussex children’s hospice, Chestnut Tree House, enjoyed a special evening reception as guests of Rolls-Royce on Thursday 18 April.

The Goodwood-based company chose Chestnut Tree House as its House Charity in 2012 and raised over £20,000 through various fundraising activities throughout the year. The evening was the culmination of their fundraising support and to celebrate a successful year, the company presented a final gift of a new sign made exclusively for Chestnut Tree House by the craftsmen and women at Rolls-Royce. The sign will soon take pride of place at the entrance to the hospice.

During the evening, guests heard about the care services and new developments at the hospice from Chief Executive, Hugh Lowson, and Director of Children’s Services, Linda Perry. Chestnut Tree House Patron, Mike Holland, also took the opportunity to launch the charity’s brand new initiative – Friend, Find a Friend.

Explained Mike, “Although funding is extremely important to Chestnut Tree House – it costs nearly £3 million each year to provide all the care services, yet the hospice receives less than 8% central government funding – finding new supporters and spreading the word is just as important. My idea is very simple. If everyone who currently supports Chestnut Tree House was to introduce a likeminded friend who would also pledge to support the hospice, then we would instantly double the number of supporters we have. And that’s my plea – help us find new friends to support Chestnut Tree House.”

Said Hugh Lowson, “We are extremely grateful to Rolls-Royce for their tremendous support and for raising such a staggering amount – the equivalent of providing three days of all our care services, both at the House and out in the community across East and West Sussex.

I would like to thank them for their hospitality which also extended to sending one of their beautiful cars to pick up some of our

Chestnut Tree House nurses and volunteers and arranging exclusive tours of the factory where we could see for ourselves the amazing craftsmanship and attention to detail which goes into producing every single Rolls-Royce motor car.”

If you would like to find out more about the hospice’s new Friend, Find a Friend initiative, please contact Carolyn Robinson, Appeals Development Manager on 01903 871836 or visit the website www.chestnut-tree-house.org.uk. www.sussexbusinesstimes.co.uk 31

www.chestnut-tree-house.org.uk P 32-33 explainer SBT May2013.indd 31

09/05/2013 13:16

FILE EXPRESS

EXPLAINS

Document Management with Fiona Marley, Managing Director All around the UK and in particular in environmentally Explainer conscious Sussex, many businesses are striving to run paperless offices.

Some view this as nirvana, others as a complete myth. In reality, it is somewhere in between. With the explosion of technology in the last decade, this area can quite simply be mind blowing to understand. This article will draw on our 15 years of experience in providing these types of document management services for Sussex businesses and will attempt to simplify what we have seen working well in this “in between” environment.

From a non paperless environment to be truly paperless, there is a need to convert existing paperwork into digital format and to eliminate the creation of new paperwork. This sounds simple but will involve changing systems, processes and in some cases company culture. It is possible and there are plenty of examples of best practice but the task should not be taken lightly – the larger the organisation, the greater the task! Most businesses we come across view their existing paperwork as their headache. All businesses have records or files and each one of these has a life cycle – it is created, then it is used, then stored/held/maintained and finally destroyed. Given that we are focusing on the existing paperwork, let’s now look at effective records management in terms of Storage, Scanning and Shredding.

STORAGE Some documents have to be kept in some form or other. If your business has already created these in paper

form, there is no benefit towards that “paperless” aim of scanning those pages and storing them digitally unless there is a requirement to view them regularly or there is no secure way of storing them in hard copy format. The record has already served its purpose probably soon after being created and digitising it costs time and money.

In fact very often the cost of this digitisation process outweighs the cost of physical storage, especially when that storage is in a dedicated, secure offsite warehouse facility and not in a smart office with high square footage rental. Ideally records should be carefully stored in boxes on shelving in humidity controlled environments with alarm systems for both fire and intruders.

But what happens if you do actually need to look at that hard copy record again and it is “offsite”? Well a dedicated Archive Storage provider should provide you with a secure web portal that allows you to view what you have in storage, where each record is at any given time, what needs to be destroyed plus audit trails, management information and a host of other functions. This online information allows you to order what you need to look at by the click of a button. The record can then be physically delivered to your offices or scanned and emailed or uploaded to the secure client portal to view. As we have alluded to already, the cost of offsite storage and infrequent retrieval tends to always be significantly less than scanning.

SCANNING Although, as I’ve explained, scanning is not the solution in every case, there are certainly circumstances under which having an accessible, digital copy of

your paperwork is extremely useful.

It’s beneficial when employees might need access to something regularly and especially so when it needs to be accessed from different locations.

With even the smallest businesses now working remotely from all around the world, being able to access documents quickly and securely is very valuable but this does come at a cost.

Backing up paper documents to digital files offers a disaster recovery solution as well as requiring much less storage space than its paper counterpart. Understandably, many businesses are concerned as to how secure the digital data they hold really is, what sort of scanning equipment to buy, who will do the laborious task of preparing the paperwork and then scanning it etc which is where outsourcing this task can provide a real benefit.

A professional bureau service with trained scanning personnel allows the transfer of large quantities of information on paper to be electronically converted to digital scans.

The scanned images can then be indexed to allow quick and easy access to the relevant information.

The scanned images are transferred to DVD or hard disc. The relevant software is embedded in with the images, reducing the need for you to purchase expensive specialist software and install it onto your office system.

Images can then be simply viewed, printed or emailed.

The sort of records commonly scanned are personnel records; correspondence documents; supplier invoices; insurance documentation and pension records, although with today’s fast-moving businesses, the potential applications are endless.

32 www.sussexbusinesstimes.co.uk

P 32-33 explainer SBT May2013.indd 32

09/05/2013 13:16

SHREDDING At the end of the Record’s life cycle or because you now have digital copies and wish to make progress towards a paperless workplace, the paperwork needs to be securely destroyed. For small quantities, this can be done with an office shredder but for larger quantities the cost, time and equipment needed is outweighed by an “offsite” certified document destruction service that provides a certificate of destruction as proof of shredding. A business has a legal duty to responsibly destroy documents that are no longer needed in accordance with the Data Protection Act. In support of your environmental responsibilities, the shredded material is pulped and recycled to produce new paper-based products in line with legislation on the pre-treatment of waste and reducing waste going to landfill.

ABOUT US You shouldn’t trust just anybody with your records. Established in 1997, File Express has been providing companies across England over the last 15 years, with a range of trusted document storage, scanning and shredding services. Our company ethic is underpinned by our commitment to 100% customer service through confidentiality, accuracy and efficiency.

Our proven track record of delivering on our promise, our fully trained permanent staff, continued investment in technology and expanding facilities will ensure we remain one of the leading companies in our industry.

We believe in close working relationships and help advice companies on the best way to manage their paper to achieve various goals; reducing paper production, best practice with exiting paper records and retention policy to reducing costs but improving efficiency.

We provide our services to a huge number of sectors across all areas of business to name a few: • Accountancy • Architects • Engineering • Estate agents • Financial services • Government • Healthcare • Housing • Insurance • Legal • Manufacturing So how does it work?

File Express will assess the best option for managing your paperwork and provide a total solution to your secure and confidential off-site storage, scanning or shredding service for documents, files and media.

If secure storage is the solution, we will collect your records bar code them onto our bespoke electronic document management tracking system and assigned a unique reference and location in one of our secure warehouse facilities. Flexibility is key and clients can have a file delivered back to their office or scanned within 3 hours using our on line ordering facility. This enables clients to easily manage their records at a touch of a button.

With a focus on confidentiality, File Express complies with and supports your compliance of the data protection legislation at all times. A comprehensive audit trail of document movement, through to certificated destruction when the documents are no longer needed, ensures your files are in safe hands.

So, whilst your documents are out of your way, they are never out of your control. This excellent solution provides you with total peace of mind, knowing that your documents are both legally and physically secure where you – and ONLY you – can access them at any time.

SUMMARY If you are truly running a paperless office, congratulations and well done.

If you totally rely on hard copy paper, then there are probably efficiency savings to be had with some digistisation. If you are “in between”, then you are in the majority not the minority! Talk to a professional Document Management provider and you never know you just may save time, money, space and have fewer headaches! Welcome to the wonderful world of Document Management.

www.file-express.co.uk enquiries@file-express.co.uk

www.sussexbusinesstimes.co.uk 33

P 32-33 explainer SBT May2013.indd 33

09/05/2013 13:16

South East Jobs Nationally and locally there are huge challenges and complications for businesses of all sizes when it comes to employing staff. Additionally, young people have been particularly affected by the financial crisis and there is strong rationale for focusing resources and activity disproportionately on them to support them into the world of work. BrightonandHoveJobs.com and GatwickDiamondJobs.com were both set up to address these problems and have since become household names across the County. Gary Peters, Founder of the Job Board portfolio, explains how they have made such an impact in such a short space of time.

So what are BrightonandHoveJobs.com and GatwickDiamondJobs.com?

They are the first of many local jobs boards which we are launching across the region. They advertise local jobs and provide information and guidance to job seekers and businesses in and around those areas. We also work proactively to create local jobs for local people and provide much needed support across the areas of education, employment and career advice. Working from scratch we launched in September 2010 confident that in a short time we would become the local hub for jobs and opportunities in the area.

Why did you feel the need to set these companies up?

There was a huge gap in the market for people looking to find locally relevant careers and labour market information

Over the last 3 years we have become an intrinsic logo on the landscape of Sussex business. The small team of 6 have applied and embedded their brand to every corner of the business community to support, train, educate and develop relationships & drive forwards economic growth in the city during one of the worst recessions the country has experienced.

We have been recognised in several prestigious business awards, consistently reached out to over 600,000 residents each week, become the local hubs for local jobs, helped 100’s of businesses hire staff and sponsored Brighton & Hove Albion in their most successful period for years ~ and we are now based at The BrightonandHoveJobs.com County Ground where we are also developing community initiatives to reach out to a new Sussex wide audience.

“As a significant employer in the Brighton & Hove, American

There is no other initiative in the rest of the UK which better brings together the Public, Private and Third Sector locally to create and inspire job seekers to find work and advice. Job seekers wanted a local portal for local jobs and businesses wanted a cost effective platform that provided them with the best local talent - cost effectively!

The job boards now provide a key role in helping to address these issues and have improved the way the local labour market operates; bringing public, private and voluntary sector partners together for community and economic benefit; building on our profile and excellent links that we have within the county.

What business successes have you seen since you launched in September 2010?

34 www.sussexbusinesstimes.co.uk

P 32-33 explainer SBT May2013.indd 34

Express regularly looks for opportunities to actively promote its brand as a great place to work. The huge success of our partnership has inspired us to become partners with the organization and we look forward to a much longer successful relationship.” Sean Wright – VP, Human Resources, Northern Europe, American Express Can you give us an example of how you are supporting out younger generations into work?

Together with Brighton and Hove City Council, we set up a microsite called BEACH ~ Brighton Employability Advice and Careers Hut. It was designed for young people by young

09/05/2013 13:11

people and is the result of a series of activities involving year 10 students from Brighton & Hove secondary schools and local employers. It provides all of the career advice that a young person needs to get into the world of work and its been hugely successful. We will be launching similar sites across the county and updating it regularly with the support of local school children and employers.

to third sector organisations looking to recruit volunteers as we believe that volunteering can be a perfect route to employment, gaining new skills and experience, benefiting local people and groups.

“It helped to increase our brand among the local business community, and helped us to engage new supporters.” – Ryan Heal – CEO of Rockinghorse.

What makes your job boards so successful?

They are the first of their kind in the country and maybe the world – uniquely servicing the region with their very own ‘proactive’ jobs board. There is no other initiative in the rest of the UK which better brings together the Public, Private and Third Sector locally to create and inspire job seekers to find work whilst also advertising the regions jobs at the most affordable prices possible.

What does the future hold for the organisation?

The contribution from the job boards has never been higher and our aims are to further extend our reach across the region. We will launching further sites across the county very soon and making our first steps into the London market whilst carrying on doing what we do best; providing a partnership that brings together the regions businesses, its universities, colleges & schools, the councils, charities and community groups and other organisations across the County.

Tell us about the charity initiative your company has started and how you support the third sector.

We recently set up an annual charity initiative which has been received well and is now up for an award with the Third Sector Business Charity Awards. The objectives are to support local charities with their recruitment costs, increase their community engagement, give fundraising support and increase their brand awareness across the business community. We also offer free of charge advertising

www.brightonandhovejobs.com www.gatwickdiamondjobs.com

www.sussexbusinesstimes.co.uk 35

P 32-33 explainer SBT May2013.indd 35

09/05/2013 13:11

Triple-dip Recession: Did it Really Matter?

After all the endless speculation over whether it would happen or not, the Office for National Statistics has now confirmed that the UK avoided the dreaded “TRIPLE DIP” - but does it matter and what does continuing economic uncertainty mean for SME’s Business’s Planning?

“If the UK economy was a roller coaster, the first dip would be the scariest!”

In recent articles in SBT we have covered Finance a range of financial Insight issues including the availability of money for SME businesses, the effect of the loss of the UK’s Triple A rating, the benefits of mergers and acquisitions, and other items looking at how we should view the vast array of financial information that on a daily basis hits us via the press and media.

As expected, despite negative press, in the last month the Government has confirmed the continuation and beefing up of the Funding for Lending scheme that is part of its plans to stimulate bank lending to businesses, and we now know, after what has been considerable comment and conjuncture that we have avoided the Triple dip recession. I am feeling somewhat exhausted and in the aftermath somewhat underwhelmed!

Avoiding the ‘Triple Dip’ will at least temporarily mute the sirens of economic doom and gloom and clearly it is encouraging news that there was 0.3% growth in the last quarter. It does have a relevance and impact on our businesses and our lives, but as an avid reader of the financial press I am beginning to get increasingly confused by contradictory messages expounded. I am not certain that 0.3% is robust enough for even the most optimistic of us to say that we are

out of the woods – but perhaps we are out of the densest interior regions?

In this article I will look at all the hullabaloo over the ‘triple dip’ and then focus on where business goes against a background of continuing uncertain times – in respect of planning and behaviours.

The Triple – Dip! Economists, politicians and journalists were obviously more interested than usual in the latest economic statistics released on the 25th April as if they had shown the economy still shrinking, the UK would have been considered to be in a triple-dip recession, which would have been an unprecedented event. For those not completely familiar: • a recession is defined as two or more successive quarters where GDP, the total amount of goods and services the country produces, shrinks.

• Since 2007, the UK economy has been in recession twice, during 2008-09 and 2010-11.

• In the last quarter of 2012, the UK economy shrank again.

All eyes therefore were on the first quarter of 2013. If the Office for National Statistics said the economy shrank again between January and March, the UK will have entered a so-called triple-dip recession but the question is would this really matter?

36 www.sussexbusinesstimes.co.uk

P Finance SBT May2013.indd 36

02/05/2013 09:58

Finance

Rather than a triple dip, it would be more accurate to talk about a great recession from which the economy has never recovered?

Clearly politically, a triple dip would matter a great deal. A third recession in such a relatively short time period would have been unprecedented in modern British history. It would have intensified pressure on the Chancellor to change economic direction and also criticism from all sides over the government’s handling of the economy. The economic reality is less clear-cut – the difference between say a 1% negative growth figure and a 1% positive growth number is not really significant.

Clearly any shrinkage is a source of concern. This long after a typical recession, an economy would normally be expected to be growing strongly and the UK would be virtually the only country in the developed world to have emerged from recession twice, only to re-enter the danger zone a third time. After the downgrade now from two major credit ratings agencies, it

certainly would inspire little confidence that the UK is managing to emerge from its economic difficulties.

However, it is not clear that the phrase ‘triple dip’ is an especially helpful one. For a start, it might imply that the three dips are broadly as severe as each other, like the proverbial roller coaster. In fact, if the UK economy was a roller coaster, it would the first dip that would be the scariest and attract the punters; everything else would seem rather tame.

The truly catastrophic economic period was the first recession, from the second quarter of 2008 to early 2009.

In this period the UK economy shrank for five consecutive quarters, the longest period since records began in 1955. Or, to put it another way, the economy shrank by 6.4%. This was longer and deeper than almost any of the UK’s competitor economies and worse than any period in modern British economic history. From late 2009 the UK entered a modest recovery before again falling into contraction at the end

“We, as business owners, have to be planning a way ahead, a strategy, otherwise we too risk stagnating and becoming weaker”

www.sussexbusinesstimes.co.uk 37

P Finance SBT May2013.indd 37

02/05/2013 09:58

GDP Growth by Quarter % 2007 2008 +1.5

2009

2010

2011

2012

+1.0 +0.5 0 -0.5 -1.0 -1.5 -2.0 -2.5 Source: ONS

of 2010. However, given the economy shrank for just one quarter, this did not count as a recession. Since then the economy has spluttered, experiencing neither much growth nor that much shrinkage.

By contrast with the 6.4% contraction in 2008-09, the recession of 2011-12 saw contraction of a little over 1%.

When the economy shrank again in the last quarter of 2012, it was by 0.3%, the same amount (before any adjustments) that we have seen positive growth in Q1, 2013.

I mention adjustments because figures are always revised and even if there had been a very small triple dip it might have been erased by the ONS upon review when more data comes in over the coming months. The fact that a 0.1% contraction could be revised upwards to no change, thus eliminating the dip entirely, says much about its real size or impact in economic terms.

So, rather than a triple dip, it would be more accurate to talk about a great recession from which the economy has never recovered. Indeed, the economy is still around 3% smaller as a result.

Since the end of 2009 then, the UK has essentially been bumping along the bottom.

Is there evidence of recovery elsewhere in the UK? This stagnation on growth - things not much improving, getting not much worse - is repeated across a tranche of other economic indicators.

In unemployment, we are living with the legacy of that first great recession of 2008-09. Unemployment climbed rapidly in that period, with little substantial change since.

Overall business investment tells a similar story (albeit with a slightly greater upturn in the last 18 months).

Indeed, firms are hoarding capital instead of investing, by as much as £70bn a month. Consumer confidence too is nowhere near its pre-2008 level.

So the pattern is seemingly clear. The initial 2008-09 recession was so large, so overwhelming, that the economy still lives in its shadow. Ever since, growth, unemployment, investment and confidence have recovered modestly but stabilised at far below their pre-

crisis levels. It is in that context that any triple dip would have had to be seen.

Business planning in economically ‘stagnant’ times Having avoided the ‘triple dip’ what does that mean for businesses and how they approach the future. Is it possible that there are further chances of a triple dip in the year or so ahead, and what should businesses do about planning ahead?

The improvement in growth in Q1, 2013 is very weak and the services sector made up for the further contraction within the construction and manufacturing sectors. So growth is not across the board and nor is there a great forward momentum being seen - but anything positive is a whole lot better than if it were negative!

In truth not a whole lot has changed and we still bump along but the expectation is that eventually a momentum will be built, confidence will flow back, and growth in whole percentage points will be seen rather that only 0.6% for the whole of the previous 12 months.

38 www.sussexbusinesstimes.co.uk

P Finance SBT May2013.indd 38

02/05/2013 09:58

Finance

Within the SME sector what can we glean from these events? If we look at how the markets reacted to the recent losses of the converted Triple ‘A’ rating - initially by Moody’s, then Fitch’s they clearly had already assumed we would lose it, so when we did it was no surprise. There was no crashing of shares on the stock market or violent negative swings in sterling exchange rates. On the day of the announcement that there was no triple dip however the markets seemed more braced for bad news as the stock markets and the pound both reacted positively. Should SME’s now do likewise?

Of course there are all sorts of influencers continually affecting markets – domestic and foreign news, political events, and commodity costs and so on - aside from good or bad financial UK news. In terms of relative importance positive growth of any number was a relief in the corridors of power and a relief within the markets too but no-one in business should be naive enough to think that we have definitely turned a corner, as there is so much else going on in Europe and the Eurozone particularly, and other key areas across the world that affects the

UK. Despite inevitable talk of further potential cataclysmic happenings, business needs to both carry on and move on. For example, if you listen to one economist say something authoritatively, you can hear another, equally definite, promote an opposite view. The more economists the less the consensus it seems! Similarly if the IMF makes one, so called, independent statement someone else within the same organisation ‘clarifies’ it with a different slant. It is certainly difficult to balance all the financial comment coupled with the political undercurrents that ebb and flow and relate it to our own circumstances but we have to!

Even in the glare of the headlights of what sometimes appears to be a financial maelstrom we, as business owners, have to be planning a way ahead, a strategy, otherwise we too risk stagnating and becoming weaker.

Planning Amongst the Maelstrom The background to the plan is known.

Around 2007/8 the UK had a financial crisis which was almost universally unforeseen and rocked our economy to its financial core and sent us into a deep recession. The same thing occurred, to

greater or lesser extents, around the world to most established economies and governments here and elsewhere are still struggling to get on top of the situation.

There are plenty of opinions and views on what went wrong and what we should do now, all mixed in with various agenda’s, but it eems that no one (or at least no-one with sufficient respected authority) has yet a firm handle on the answer. Given that we are five years in, and many serious minds have applied themselves to the problem, I don’t think necessarily a single answer is out there.

So against the background of what appears is going to be a continued period of uncertainty what do we do?

It may be old fashioned but my view is we just have to get on with it, roll one’s sleeves up and get stuck in. No-one is going to come to our rescue; we have to make it happen for ourselves. We could rely on the historically based precedents that things will get better eventually as economic cycles in the past have been just that – cycles. The question for that argument though is ‘when’ and whilst waiting we need to do all we can to position ourselves for the upturn. If we do nothing and sit on our hands for

Business Investment £ Billi ons

40

35

30

25

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4

Source: ONS

www.sussexbusinesstimes.co.uk 39

P Finance SBT May2013.indd 39

02/05/2013 09:58

Finance

UNITED KINGDOM UNEMPLOYMENT RATE PERCENTAGE OF THE LABOR FORCE

8.6

8.4 8.4 8.4

8.4

8.3 8.3

8.3

8.2

8.4 8.2 8.2 8.1

8

8 7.8

8.6

7.9

8 7.9 7.9 7.9

7.9

7.8

7.6

8.2

8.1 7.9 7.8 7.8

7.8 7.8 7.7

JUL/11

proof things are better are we actually digging a deeper hole for ourselves to have to climb out of in the future and possibly missing the boat? This timing dilemma has just been faced by the Board of the Co-op which had the opportunity to buy 600 odd branches of Lloyds – hindsight will prove whether withdrawing from that deal was a sensible move in an uncertain economic climate, or an opportunity lost that will probably not come round again.

Back to SME’s and getting on with it. Like the Co-op there will be opportunities but what do we do with them? At some point we will look back and know the time was right to take action, so if you have plans, and you must have plans, the judgement call is when you think the time is right to do all you can to fulfil them – find a way. There are too many different businesses and types of business owners to try to set out a ‘top ten tips’ of things to do so I will restrict myself to one – but it is a very important one!

I have touched on previously about taking advice from others and I think we are entering a period of cultural change within business which is going to become more of a way of life for SME’s. I frequently hear these days from business owners bemoaning the lack of credit for example. Certainly credit is in more limited supply and difficult to get hold of that it used to be.

Businessmen used to having credit on

JAN/12

JUL/12

tap are now finding that they cannot reach the tap handle! Therefore if you need funds for a credible proposition then be smarter in the search for them use professional commercial brokers to assist in the preparation and submission of proposals and to widen the search for funds to include challenger banks, with their slightly different views on some lending criteria, in addition to more familiar high street names. If you are struggling with falling sales and worried about how you attract the shrinking consumer’s pound try talking to a marketing consultant or someone you know who has experience and has had success with growing a business’s market share.

Whatever your problem there are those out there that will have more specialist experience and knowledge than in most cases you have. Going alone increases the propensity to fail – and it will be no good realising that once it is too late! There may be a bit of creativity required to get around your problem that only experience can identify so do not be afraid to seek help.

Part of being British may be that we do not like to share our problems or seek advice but better to do that than lose one’s business! The most valuable advice that I can give for an SME, faced with a seeming brick wall in fulfilling its plans, is seek professional help.

Remove the fear barrier of someone else looking at your business as the

JAN/13

8 7.8 7.6

route to providing a solution you either had not thought of, or were not even aware of! You will still take the decisions but whether it is for finance needs, sales ideas or whatever skill you need to tackle your problem or goal, do not be afraid (or too cost adverse) to ask. Most reputable advisors will not charge anything for a fact find meeting on the basis they are experienced and confident that they can offer solutions, and their remuneration also can be based on performance!

To conclude, the news on the economic front should lift spirits a little, there will doubtless be further difficult and darker days before the light at the end of the tunnel shines brightly, but for businesses it is even more essential than ever that in the continuing uncertain times more thought is not just given to what is being done but real focus given to what also needs to be done – within a plan! The SME is not an island and sometimes it cannot achieve its plans without help. This is nothing to be ashamed about in listening to others– it actually is a strength which I firmly believe will separate some of those SME’s that succeed compared to some that will unfortunately not.

Graham Carn, Senior Partner, Blackstones Consulting.

If you have any comments or queries on this article please email: blackstones@btinternet.com

40 www.sussexbusinesstimes.co.uk

P Finance SBT May2013.indd 40

02/05/2013 09:58

File: R

B

Rivervale MG Launches Exciting New MG Lease Scheme for Business from Just £210 a Month Rivervale MG is backing a new MG scheme aimed at the business sector with an amazing value proposition with its new DTi-TECH diesel that offers a high-spec performance driving experience with the lowest overall running costs in the sector, from just £210 a month +VAT. The distinctive designs of the MG6 GT five door fastback and Magnette four door sports saloon stand out from the crowd in the car park and on paper. With BIK from just £59 a month, insurance groups of just 14E and 15E, high standard specification and low servicing and parts costs, they offer the lowest running costs in the sector.

Low BIK does not mean low standard specification with MG. S model entry specification includes 17” sports alloy wheels, sports seats, power folding mirrors, dual climate control and an electronic hill hold function.

SE models add standard built-in satellite navigation with Trafficmaster, reversing sensors and multi-function steering wheel controls.

Move up to the range topping MG6 GT TSE and it offers all the toys a business user could want with the addition of heated, electric front seats, leather upholstery and a reversing camera. With an electric glass sunroof and front parking sensors added as standard, the Magnette sports saloon has a German options list as standard!

The all-new 1.9 litre DTi-TECH diesel powertrain was designed specifically for the MG6. The latest stop-start, smart charging and variable-rate turbocharging technology is standard on all models to give MG performance with economy. With 350Nm of torque the MG6 diesels have the highest pulling power per pound of any saloon and hatchback in the UK market.

The MG driving experience is completed with the MG6 chassis that was designed by engineers in Britain to make the most of British roads.

MG’s scheme is operated in partnership with ALD Automotive which recently acquired Lombard Vehicle Contracts.

Martyn Brown – Sales & Business Manager at Rivervale MG said: “The diesel MG6 offers business users an exciting new option from the iconic MG brand. Compared to the competition, we offer high specification,

low BIK and list prices, class leading insurance and low repair and maintenance costs making us great value for money as well as great fun to drive!”

Nigel Fletcher, deputy managing director of ALD Automotive UK, added: “We are delighted with this scheme and I think that it will be extremely popular with business users, especially when you look at the excellent value-for-money package offered on MG cars.”

Prices start from as little as £210-a-month on an MG6 GT DTiTECH model (S-level trim) up to £240-a-month for the top-of-therange MG6 Magnette DTi-TECH. The prices are valid until the end of the second quarter of 2013 and are based on 35 monthly rental payments on a 30,000 mile contract. The one-off first payment on an S-trim MG6 GT DTi-TECH is £630 and £720 for the range-topping Magnette. All prices are exclusive of VAT. The MG petrol and Diesel models are available to test drive at Rivervale MG. Please call our Sales Advisors on 01273 707 007.

File: R1_1934-0-C5BC6AC07E51784386D31646D649A53E.pdf, Date: 3/5/2013 10:07:57 AM, Booklet: 1, Page: 1

AFFORDABLY

£210.00 PER mOnth

BRITISH

MG6 GT

MG Lease – BUsINess CONTRaCT HIRe With her British good looks, racy curves and beautifully big behind (for all your kit), the new MG6 GT DTi-TeCH Diesel will definitely turn heads. What’s more, with MG Lease you’ll love showing off just how little she costs too.

3 Year contract term excludes maintainance and covers upto 30,000 miles Vehicle

MG6 GT S 1.9 DTI Tech MG6 GT SE 1.9 DTI Tech MG6 GT TSE 1.9 DTI Tech MG6 Magnette 1.9 DTI Tech

1st payment + VAT

£630.00 £690.00 £720.00 £720.00

35 monthly rentals +

£210.00 £230.00 £240.00 £240.00

rivervale MG Victoria road, Portslade, brighton, bN41 1XQ 01273 707 007 www.rivervale.mg.co.uk

facebook.com/mgmotor

twitter.com/mgmotor MG.CO.UK/MGlease

Beautifully british

www.sussexbusinesstimes.co.uk 41 Model shown: OFFICIaL RaNGe FUeL CONsUMPTION FIGURes: MPG (L/100KM): URBaN: 46:1 (6.2), eXTRa URBaN: 59.0 (4.8), COMBINeD: 53.5 (5.3).

CO2 Mass eMIssION (COMBINeD) 139G/KM: MG6 GT se DTi-TeCH Diesel at £16,995 OTR in arctic White solid Paint. Metallic paint options available an optional extra of £395.00. Diesel engines available on MG Lease scheme in both MG6 GT and Magnette models. Prices, colour options and specification correct at the time of print and subject to change without notice. Contract hire available to business users only until June 30th 2013. Monthly payments based on a non-maintenance contract hire package over 36 months and 30,000 miles.

Initial advance payment is equal to 3 monthly payments and followed by 35 monthly payments during the agreed term. excess mileage charges apply should total contract mileage be exceeded. Terms and conditions apply, and quotations subject to status, availability and guarantees may be required. Contract hire provided by aLD automotive Ltd, Oakwood Park, Lodge Causeway, Fishponds, Bristol. Bs16 3Ja. Group 14e – 15e insurance groupings available on Diesel range, and dependant on model.

P Finance SBT May2013.indd 41

02/05/2013 09:58

Eco Technology

How to Profit from Green Initiatives

The Eco Technology Show, the UK’s premier event for showcasing sustainable build, energy, transport and technology ideas, is returning to Sussex with over 100 exhibitors and a packed seminar and conference programme

Speakers including BT, Ikea and Energy Saving Trust will Preview provide insights into the Green Deal, how commercial property can make use of renewable energy, smarter transport options and effective waste management. What’s more, the conference is completely free to Show visitors – and early bird Sussex Business Times readers can even avoid the £5 entrance fee by registering online and quoting the code PRM60.

Seminar highlights for business visitors include advice on the pros and cons of renewable energy options and where they can be installed, given in a joint presentation from Francesca Iliffe, sustainability officer at Brighton & Hove City Council and Matthew Turner of AECOM. Kevin Byrne, MD at Checkatrade.com

will be on hand to advise businesses how to spot a rogue trader before they invest in new, green technology.

Other sessions will explore how small businesses can work together to offer energy efficiency retrofit services and share in the potential Green Deal bonanza.

Nicola Gunstone, commercial director at The Eco Technology Show, comments: “We are delighted to have secured so many influential speakers.

This event is going to create real opportunities for companies to network, promote themselves and do business with each other, exhibitors and visitors.”

Smarter futures Nicola encourages business people to check out the Show’s Smart Business Conference sessions, which cover innovation and sustainable growth for future cities and business.

Visiting speakers include Pippa

Gardner, project manager of Glasgow City Council’s winning bid for the Technology Strategy Board’s Future Cities competition funding, who will share the thinking that won £24 million of funding for the City. “These are ideas which are sure to be taken up but other cities in the future, and smart thinkers will be engaging with them now,” added Nicola.

Also speaking is Steve Bower, head of economic development at Peterborough Council, whose short-listed bid persuaded the Technology Strategy Board to release extra funding that his team’s key ideas could be implemented without delay.

Smarter transport Low emission vehicles will also be under the spotlight at The Eco Technology Show as the latest innovations and industry experts are bought together under one roof. Motor

42 www.sussexbusinesstimes.co.uk

P 30-335 Eco SBT May2013.indd 42

03/05/2013 11:39

industry thought leaders will share their views on everything from new fuel technologies to the future of electric vehicles in the UK. Ian Allen, manager of nvironmental Strategy & Ampera at Vauxhall, is chairman of the Society of Motor Manufacturers (SMMT) Electric Vehicle Committee. He is already working alongside a number of other eco vehicle manufacturers attending The Eco Technology Show to develop a communications campaign with UK Government, which will aim to dispel some of the myths associated with ultra-low emission vehicles. His seminar session will address the most common questions asked by fleet managers.

Ian said: “This is an incredibly exciting time for the industry as more and more we are seeing innovative, low carbon technology making its way to market.

Vehicle manufacturers are approaching the challenge of decarbonising road transport from a number of different angles. This competition is resulting in customers having a greater range of low emission vehicles to choose from.

“Yet while manufacturers may differ in their approach, they recognise that low emission vehicles are the way forward.

Here in the UK the industry is pioneering an initiative to support the ultra-low emission section of the market. A number of manufacturers, including Vauxhall are working with government to develop a communications campaign that will aim to highlight the benefits of ultra-low emission vehicles and hopefully bust some of the myths that surround them.”

Other transport topics of interest to business managers include understanding how commuters and communities engage with electricallyassisted cycling and partnership approaches to adopt sustainable transport.

Visitors to The Eco Technology Show will also be able to test a range of low emission cars and electric bikes along Brighton’s seafront.

The Eco Technology Fringe Also happening throughout Brighton and Hove will be the Eco Technology Show Fringe, offering visitors a view on eco technology in use in everyday life.

This will include: • Eco Open Houses – Over 20 house holders throwing open their doors to the public, showcasing the very best in

self build, energy efficiency and green architecture.

• Sustain - a fashion show that will prove that economically conscious fashion design is more exciting than and equally as glamorous as the rest of the fashion world. For 2013 eco design will be a starring feature of Brighton Fashion Week.

People’s Day – A dedicated Eco Zone at Brighton’s colourful street festival.

The Brighton Waste House – A collaboration between private, public and community sectors, The Brighton Waste House at the University of Brighton is the UK’s first house made almost entirely of thrown-away material.

“I’m tremendously encouraged by how so many different people and groups are coming together for this year’s Show. There is a real buzz and a definite feeling that eco technology is for businesses and home owner to use here and NOW,” concluded Nicola.

The Eco Technology Show 2013 will unveil the latest eco technology innovations from across Europe and feature over 100 exhibitors. Trade visitors can register for the event free at www.ecotechnologyshow.co.uk using code PRM60.

www.sussexbusinesstimes.co.uk 43

P 30-335 Eco SBT May2013.indd 43

03/05/2013 11:39

SBTQ&A A

Q&

WE ASK THE EXPERTS TO GIVE YOU THE ANSWERS YOU NEED

SBT speaks to Richard Newell from Data Factory

The Data Factory has been in existence now for over 10 years.

Why do you think you have continued to thrive whilst your competitors have fallen by the wayside?

The Data Factory is able to manage our clients’ marketing campaigns in their entirety, offering everything from Data Capture to List Management, Print, Fulfilment and Analysis. Providing a comprehensive service means our clients have continuity throughout the process and don’t have to communicate with multiple contacts.

By being “the” contact for a campaign, we often speak with our clients on a daily basis. Relationships grow, as does our clients’ trust in us. We are small enough to provide that personal service, whilst being large enough to meet and exceed our clients’ exacting

expectations. In addition, we are able to deliver to our clients nearly 30 years of expertise in the data and marketing arena, in order to assist them in maximising their ROI. Many companies see e-marketing as the way forward. Has this had an impact on The Data Factory and, if so, how?

Data is our core business and whether it be email, names and contact details, or transactional, the process of manipulating the data remains unchanged. For email we offer Data Capture, Management, Cleansing and Analytics, for example, through Data Mining we can illustrate and provide a visual representation of the results of a client’s campaign. This enables the client to gauge where their campaign has been successful and, conversely,

identifies where the audience have been less receptive.

In summary, The Data Factory’s services allow us to keep pace with the demands of the digital world.

With a portfolio of local, European and global clients, what’s next for The Data Factory?

Data doesn’t stand still – a third of business records will be out of date within 1 year and half a million addresses are changed by Royal Mail each year. It is absolutely imperative businesses have an up to date and accurate database from which to communicate with their clients - either by direct mail or email – in order to reduce costs and to protect their reputation.

Like many companies, our main client base is our “bread and butter”, but working with such diverse companies, both large and small, demonstrates to us that our services are in demand, no matter where the geographic location. We therefore continually seek new business opportunities, both here and overseas. www.tdfuk.com

Your Data is our Business

“

Change is inevitable. Every year in the UK:

• 5.7 million company and individual details will change.

• 500,000 addresses are changed by Royal Mail.

• 250,000 people sign up to The Mailing Preference Service.

• 6 million people move home.

Consider the cost, both in monetary and reputation terms, of continuing to send information to out of date contacts.

steamer trading

COOK

SHOP

“

The Data Factory

That’s where The Data Factory can assist. We can: • Offer you a FREE non-obligatory audit of your database.

• Remove duplicate records, populate partial address fields and identify companies who have relocated or ceased trading.

• Provide a comprehensive service for your entire campaign, from Data Capture to Fulfilment, Production, Direct Mail and Analysis, offering the most cost-effective solution at a fraction of the price of multiple outsourcing.

• Demonstrate through our Data Mining systems what information you hold and illustrate to you how best to generate value from it.

• Undertake laser personalisation of Direct Mail, reinforcing your relationship with your customers.

• Pass on discounted distribution rates negotiated with postal service providers, for both UK and Overseas markets.

44 www.sussexbusinesstimes.co.uk

Your database is an essential tool to your business let us ensure it’s up to the job P 51-57 Q&A SBT May2013.indd 44

For more information visit www.tdfuk.com Tel: 01444 245415 Email: sbt@tdfuk.com

corporate member

09/05/2013 09:15

Confidential Document Storage, Scanning and Shredding Sussex based File Express Ltd has been advising businesses across the South East, for the last 15 years, on the best way to efficiently manage their paper. We provide secure document storage, scanning and shredding services.

For free advice on managing your records call us today on

01243 717 699 www.file-express.co.uk

enquiries@file-express.co.uk

Fast-track your career Our part-time courses will help expand your career options and increase your earning potential. They allow you to combine work and study, and will develop and update your professional skills.

Take your career to the next level with: • The Brighton MBA (CMI accredited) • Professional Accounting (ACCA accredited) • Management and Leadership Diploma (CMI accredited) • Human Resource Management Diploma (CIPD accredited) • Diploma in Law (Law Society accredited)

Book your place on our open evening: Thursday 18 July

01273 987510 business@brighton.ac.uk www.brighton.ac.uk/bbs/parttime

P 51-57 Q&A SBT May2013.indd 45

www.sussexbusinesstimes.co.uk 45

09/05/2013 09:15

SBT

THE PORTFOLIO

Major New Investment

New investment to relaunch Locate East Sussex, the one-stop shop offering advice for businesses looking to set up operations in the county, has been welcomed by commercial agents in Eastbourne.

Local authorities are investing to help Locate East Property develop Sussex and its role to promote the county as a superb hub for start-up and existing companies and to encourage local employment growth.

A brand new Locate East Sussex website and associated marketing activity will use the latest communications channels to highlight the advantages offered by East Sussex to businesses.

The Locate campaign will promote local funding schemes, outline the trading sectors best served by East Sussex and raise awareness of the county’s superb lifestyle opportunities.

Crucially, the website will offer users a sophisticated search engine, powered by agents, to quickly identify available commercial properties.

A new Location Services Director has already been appointed and will be joined by three further colleagues in the coming months who will support businesses looking to move to, or within the county.

The new Locate team will be working closely with commercial agents across Sussex, to ensure users of the service

Lacuna Place, Havelock Rd

have access to the latest information and advice.

Mark McFadden, Partner at Stiles Harold Williams and President of Eastbourne & District Chamber of Commerce, said: “We very much welcome plans to develop the Locate East Sussex scheme through new investment and look forward to working with the team to help attract new businesses to Eastbourne and the surrounding areas.

“Raising the profile of East Sussex in the business community is a challenging yet vital task and I am sure Locate will help achieve that goal.”

Locate East Sussex is a county

council scheme, supported by Eastbourne Borough Council, Wealden District Council, Rother District Council, Lewes District Council and Hastings Borough Council.

Let’s Do Business, the leading provider of business advice, training, access to finance and business events in the South East, won a tender to manage the scheme. Marketing will be managed

by Eastbourne-based PR and Marketing agency Cobb PR. Further details can be found on the existing Locate East Sussex website, www.locateeastsussex.org

46 www.sussexbusinesstimes.co.uk

P 54-55 Property SBT May2013.indd 46

03/05/2013 11:40

Commercial Property

Michael Jones Commercial Leading the Field Commercial property is seen to be a driving force in economic growth, whether this is through capital gain, rental income or businesses striving for profit. Whilst the market has seen a rather plateau amount of activity in recent years the first quarter of 2013 has seen a steady rise in acquisitions, sales of commercial property and development land.

Michael Jones Commercial is one of the leading independently owned property agents in West Sussex, which has recently acted on behalf of clients such as County Councils, NHS Trust, NatWest as well as landlords such as Home Group and Hargreaves. They have a wealth of experience in dealing with all aspects of Commercial property, with an expansive client group with individual needs they pride themselves on being able to deliver a first class and individual service.

Michael Jones Commercial have sold and let some of the south coast’s most prominent and high profile business properties, and act for some of the largest property investment firms in the South. Their major strength is spearheading marketing campaigns with innovative and creative thinking, which in today’s tough market has enabled to bring successful results.

New development and regeneration advice, planning guidance and scheme appraisals are also one of the specialist areas. Recent projects include the £10 million redevelopment scheme on the Northbrook College site, which included the assessment and valuation of the land, advertising campaign and advising in the selection of the lead developer. Other work includes the £4 million acquisition of the former Beach Hotel site on Worthing seafront where construction has now started to build 49 apartments and 70 bed spa hotel with restaurant.

Within the industrial and office

market, they have sold or let over 100,000 sq ft in the last 6 months.

This has lead them to achieve the most reported deals completed award by CoStar, the UK premier provider of Commercial Real Estate information.

Steve Berrett, partner of Michael Jones Commercial: “It’s great to be recognised for the number of sales and lettings , especially in a time where there is a lot of negative press around the economy.

We have a great team of staff who specialise in Office, Warehouse, Retail, Development sites and Investment sales.”

Their award winning commitment to customer service and for their local knowledge and expertise, the team at Michael Jones Commercial, based at their Head Office in Worthing, are well placed to deal with property from Chichester to Brighton, and north towards Crawley, giving in-depth advice on all commercial property matters.

John Davey, partner of Ferring Properties and a client of the firm commented: “We have dealt with Michael Jones Commercial on a number of varied Commercial projects over the last 3 years. These range from office and retail to industrial buildings and in each case we have been impressed by their professionalism and helpfulness, even more important though has been their positive attitude which has resulted in solutions rather than ongoing problems.”

Northbrook

Rectory Farm Road Units

303 Goring Road

For more information or to discuss your requirement please call Steve Berrett or Jon Justice on 01903 228602, or visit www. michaeljones.co.uk

Holm Oak

www.sussexbusinesstimes.co.uk 47

P 54-55 Property SBT May2013.indd 47

03/05/2013 11:40

Freehold Investment For Sale

High Street Investment For Sale

• Three storey, mixed-use building constructed circa 1930s • Four adjoining shop units, 4 x one bedroom flats, 5 x three bedroom maisonettes and 6 single lock-up garages plus parking to the rear • Potential development site (STPC)

• Ground floor retail and first floor living accommodation, both currently let out • Retail area approximately 422 sq ft • Current retail income for whole property approximately £15,720 per annum

Offers in excess of £1,200,000

£245,000 Freehold

Freehold Shop With Flat Above For Sale

Stylish Office Premises in Hove

• Substantial property located in affluent village • Ground floor retail area approximately 1,000 sq ft • First floor living accommodation includes 2 bedrooms, lounge, bathroom and kitchenette • Potential development opportunity (STPC)

£295,000 Freehold

• Modern offices set over 3 floors to let or for sale • Total approximate area 1,981 sq ft • Allocated parking spaces, Cat 2 lighting, perimeter trunking, air conditioning and gas central heating

£25,000 per annum or £355,000 Freehold

Commercial

Download our latest newsletter

01903 228602

8 Chapel Road, Worthing commercial@michaeljones.co.uk

www.michaeljones.co.uk 56 www.sussexbusinesstimes.co.uk

residential sales

P 54-55 Property SBT May2013.indd 56

residential lettings

commercial property

new homes

02/05/2013 10:32

High Spec Offices With 20 Parking Bays

Modern Open Plan Offices To let

• Fully refurbished prominent office building set out over first and second floors with ground floor storage areas • Data cabling, suspended ceilings, glass partitions, CCTV door entry phone plus roller shutter doors to storage areas • Would suit a professional company looking for Headquarters-style premises

• 2 office suites available in detached landmark office premises • 24 hour access, intruder alarm, private kitchenette and WC facilities within each suite

£50,000 per annum

Both suites can be taken as a whole with rent to be agreed

Modern Light Industrial / Warehouse Unit To Let

Established Industrial Location

• Approximate area 4,946 sq ft over industrial ground floor and first floor mezzanine • Prominent location on well known Business Park • Good parking and lorry space to the front of the unit

Suite 2: 2,700 sq ft | £18,900 + VAT per annum Suite 4a: 1,350 sq ft | £9,450 + VAT per annum

• Light industrial / warehouse building with a total approximate area of 5,600 sq ft • Ground floor reception area with warehouse to the rear • Showroom / trade counter use potential

£32,000 per annum

£25,000 per annum Contact our Commercial team: Steve Berrett steveberret@michaeljones.co.uk Jon Justice jonjustice@michaeljones.co.uk Susie Viner susieviner@michaeljones.co.uk

residential sales

P 54-55 Property SBT May2013.indd 57

residential lettings

www.sussexbusinesstimes.co.uk 57

commercial property

new homes

02/05/2013 10:32

ADVERTORIAL

In Strictest Confidence SBT speaks with Alistair Dicken, Major Accounts Director at PHS Datashred about disposing of business waste paper properly and confidentially There’s a significant amount of your business waste paper that needs to be disposed of properly and confidentially. This may seem like a fairly minor responsibility on a long list of work to be done but it’s worth taking into account that if it’s found that you have failed to dispose of sensitive documents correctly, you can be fined up to £500,000 per incident.

Our job is to deal with your confidential waste in a manner that meets and exceeds European Shredding Industry

fully appreciate. Businesses have very little fat on them these days in terms of spare hours or staff without defined roles.

Therefore, the disposal of important material means taking a trusted member of staff away from their actual work so that they can spend hours sitting next to a shredder. On the other hand, the task could be passed on to an inexperienced or less familiar member of staff, which has its own risk implications. There’s also still no guarantee of a job done properly: most office shredders only strip shred in one direction, which produces shredded documents that can be –and have been – reassembled. They’re loud, they produce dust and at worst can present a health and safety risk . When all these factors are taken into account, in-house disposal of documents becomes an inefficient way of tackling this problem, which is relevant to every business.

PHS also cater to environmental considerations. Once your sensitive paper waste has been shredded to our exacting standards, it is sent for recycling, where it will be processed into recycled tissue and paper products, thus reducing your carbon footprint and seeing that even the most sensitive pieces of paper can safely be reused.

I would strongly advise SBT readers to think carefully about how they currently dispose of documents and consider the possible implications for their business. www.shredding.info

standards, then provide you with certification that offers a full audit trail, should you ever need to prove that your confidential waste has been disposed of properly.

And it’s not just a case of putting your documents through a shredder. As businesses and individuals, we need to be sure we don’t underestimate criminals and the techniques they have come up with to perpetrate identity theft . Simple shredding is no longer enough, which is why we use multicut shredding techniques to ensure no scrap can ever be reunited with other scraps – there is absolutely no way anybody could put our shredded material back together.

Of course, there are other steps in ensuring that your documents are taken care of safely. All our staff are fully vetted with a CRB check and comprehensive background investigation, as a minimum standard. Some who deal with extremely sensitive material have had even further checks. By having these measures in place, we eliminate internal risks to your data.

The vehicles we use to transport paperwork have been reinforced in such a way that if – heaven forbid – there was an accident or an attempt to steal your documents, they will not be exposed. Your paperwork is taken securely to our destruction centres, where it is dealt with within 24 hours.

Alternatively, we can bring one of our vehicles equipped with destruction equipment and dispose of your paperwork right outside your premises, where you can watch it being done. In either case, you receive a certificate proving when and how the material was destroyed.

Potential fines for improper practice aside, there are cost implications to waste document disposal that many do not 38 www.sussexbusinesstimes.co.uk

P 32-33 explainer SBT May2013.indd 38

09/05/2013 13:12

Spending too much time and money on your confidential shredding?

Why not contact PHS Datashred for a comparative quote?

With PHS Datashred you can be sure of the following...

• Increased Security Your confidential information is processed by a BS EN:15713 accredited company

• Compliance with Legislation Document shredding conforms to Data Protection Act 1998

• Accountability and Reporting Full audit trail and Certificate of Destruction issued

• Improved Environmental Performance All shredded material is recycled and a Recycling Certificate issued

Document and Data Destruction On site shredding Off site shredding

Office recycling solutions

Branded Goods Destruction

WEEE recycling

Media Destruction

Recycling and waste containers

Destruction of ID cards and uniforms

For more information or a quick quote contact us on:

phone 0800 376 4422 email sales@shredding.info web www.shredding.info

www.sussexbusinesstimes.co.uk 39

P 32-33 explainer SBT May2013.indd 39

09/05/2013 13:12

SBT Recommends

SBTBook Club in partnership with

.co.uk

In each issue, we will be searching out and offering you the cream from the latest, business relevant titles at the very best prices. Choose from a host of titles, including our featured books from any issue and join us online at www.hive.co.uk/sbt to view more SBT recommends at your leisure.

You can order these to be delivered to your door or, alternatively, select your favourite bookshop and pick up from there. Enjoy...

Start It Up: Why Running Your Own Business Is Easier Than You Think Running your own business is nowhere near as tough as you might think. So what are you waiting for? “Start It Up” by Luke Johnson, 2012’s most inspiring guide to running your own business. A must-read for inspiring entrepreneurs.

Publisher: Penguin Putnam Inc Publication Date: 07 February 2013 ISBN: 9780670920471 £7.99

Start A Cake Business From Home Wish you could turn your talent for cake baking and decorating into a profitable business? Then this is THE book for you! This book covers every aspect of running a cake business from home - from setting yourself up as a proper business, the rules and regulations you’ll need to legally work from home.

Publisher: Kyle Craig Publishing Publication Date: 16 April 2012 ISBN: 9781908707062 £12.95

Pound Foolish: Exposing The Dark Side Of The Personal Finance Industry Weaving together original reporting, interviews with experts, and studies from disciplines ranging from behavioral economics to retirement planning, “Pound Foolish “is a compassionate and compelling book that will change the way we think and talk about our money.

Publisher: Penguin Putnam Inc Publication Date: 28 February 2013 ISBN: 9781591844891 £14.39

No B.S. Direct Marketing: The Ultimate No Holds Barred Kick Butt Take No Prisoners Direct Marketing For Non-Direct Marketing Businesses Kennedy delivers a short list of radically different, little-known, profit-proven direct mail strategies for ANY business.

Publisher: Entrepreneur Press Publication Date: 01 April 2013 ISBN: 9781613082324 £10.78

52 www.sussexbusinesstimes.co.uk

P 60-61 books SBT May2013.indd 52

03/05/2013 11:46

P

LET THE PLATINUM CLUB TAKE THE ‘WORK’ OUT OF NETWORKING The Platinum Club, in partnership with The Grand Hotel Brighton, has developed a highly effective networking forum believing that less is more. We have removed much of the periphery that surrounds many business clubs such as seated meals, speeches and sponsors presentations.

The Platinum Club offers a relaxed and informal Champagne cocktail party each month where local businesses come together from across Sussex to develop and build relationships, catch up on industry news and events and meet an eclectic group of business people in the splendour of The Grand Hotel.

We strive to host an informal and enjoyable event that is highly effective for large and small companies alike and the finest testament we have received is a 100% membership renewal rate

For more information about joining The Platinum Club please contact:

THE PLATINUM CLUB Tel: 07966 244046 www.theplatinumclubbrighton.co.uk maarten@theplatinumclubbrighton.co.uk 8 www.sussexbusinesstimes.co.uk

P 60-61 books SBT May2013.indd 53 P 6-11 Spending It SBT JAN2013.indd 8

www.sussexbusinesstimes.co.uk 53

03/05/2013 11:46 30/01/2013 13:11

Home Grown Hero

Made In Sussex:

The Body Shop

With over 2,500 stores worldwide, model Lily Cole as their brand advocate and their new, successful Beauty With Heart movement to add to their ethical ethos, it’s hard to imagine that The Body Shop was the brainchild of one businesswoman in Brighton. SBT looks at the history of the iconic global brand whose headquarters are still in Littlehampton, West Sussex.

The very first The Body Shop opened Brand on 26th March 1976 on North Street Focus in Brighton, East Sussex by Anita Roddick (then Anita Perilli) after she had visited a shop in Berkeley, California selling naturally scented soaps and lotions also called The Body Shop. The Berkeley Body Shop was run by two women named Peggy Short and Jane Saunders who were using natural ingredients in all of their beauty products whilst also helping to employ and train immigrant women. Roddick was inspired by the Californian operation and opened the first Body Shop with the initial aim of making an income for herself and her two daughters while her husband was away in South America. It was not until 1987 that Roddick was able to purchase the naming rights for her company from the original Body Shop in California.

Despite its now global presence their first international store was a small kiosk, which was opened in Brussels in 1978, but from that point on the companies growth was swift and with Roddick as the face and voice of the company by 1982 new shops were opening at the rate of two per month thanks to the franchise model for retail growth devised by her and her husband. Her products and socially aware message were right for the times and The Body Shop blazed its own way into the traditional beauty markets,

The University of Bath. And in 1997, she launched a global campaign to raise self-esteem in women and against the media stereotyping of them focusing on unreasonably skinny models in the context of rising numbers in bulimia and anorexia.

Roddick’s pioneering attitude to issues and political awareness had become the core value of The Body Shop message and over the coming years she continued to have an increasingly powerful voice in Anita Roddick at her governmental decisions. Most first store in Brighton. notably when The Body Shop took a moral stand and became the first international cosmetics company to sign up to the Humane Cosmetics Standard, which led them to be described as trailblazing by the United Nations Environmental Programme.

In 2003 this pioneering work was formally recognised when Roddick was appointed as a Dame of the British Empire in the Queens Honours List.

However, as this work had become received over 2,500 applications increasingly important to her The Body for a Body Shop franchise. With Shop group which she had been so demand for The Body Shop products associated with became part of the growing internationally, driven by L’Oréal Group in 2006 as part of a retail expansion the company was £652.3 million takeover. It was reported trading in 39 countries within just that Anita and Gordon her husband fourteen years after the opening of the made £130 million from the sale.

Brighton shop. Despite this commercial Without making the fact common growth Roddick never lost site of the knowledge Roddick was diagnosed importance of social awareness within with liver cirrhosis in 2004 due to the Body Shop brand and in 1990 The Body Shop Foundation was established, long-standing hepatitis C, a fact she did not reveal to the media until as a charity to fund human rights and February 2007. Despite her illness she environmental protection groups. promoted the work of the Hepatitis In 1995 she established The New C Trust and campaigned to increase Academy of Business as an innovative awareness of the disease until her death management degree to address social, environmental and moral issues through in 2007 aged 64. with innovative simple packaging, innovative shop fits and strident advertising campaigns created at its Littlehampton headquarters.

In 1985 the company went public and took its social awareness into politic waters by sponsoring posters for Greenpeace and a year later creating an Environmental Projects Department of its own. By 1990, just one year after launching in the USA, Roddick had

54 www.sussexbusinesstimes.co.uk

P 62-63 Made In Sussex SBT May2013.indd 54

03/05/2013 11:38

Friends of the Albion Networking Group

Promo

al c o l t i ng

b

s with s e n i us

in Sussex

Join the Friends of the Albion Networking Group today and promote your business to over 130 other Member companies.

Enjoy monthly breakfast meetings with superb facilities at the Amex stadium and the chance to belong to the most interesting and enjoyable affinity group in the area.

Your business will also have a Member listing in every Albion home matchday programme.

01273 878278

Call Albion Commercial on or email commercial@bhafc.co.uk for more information.

Visit the P 62-63 Made In Sussex SBT May2013.indd 55

te a websi

t

w

softh d n e i fr ww.

e a l b i o n . co . u k

www.sussexbusinesstimes.co.uk 55

03/05/2013 11:38

56 www.sussexbusinesstimes.co.uk

P 54-55 MIS SBT April2013.indd 56

11/04/2013 15:51