Bringing trusted businesses and the community together
Nov 2015
TheVoiceOfHitchin
The People Behind the Businesses Pg.2
Our Achievers Club
Pg.3
Dates for your Diary
Pg.7
Etail Therapy There is a quiet revolution happening on our High Streets. Traditional retailers who have seen a drop in their footfall over the last decade are fighting back by going online. Now, some of you may be thinking that this is the final nail in our High Street’s coffin, but read on and you may well be pleasantly surprised… In 2008 John Lewis added ‘Click and Collect’ to their online shopping experience. They recognised that rather than replacing their traditional bricks and mortar stores, their website was just another way their customers could buy from them. They understood that customers did still want to physically visit their stores, but they also wanted to ensure the product that they wanted to buy was in stock. Interestingly, 38% of people who use Click and Collect make an additional purchase when picking up their order. During the last 7 years, John Lewis hasn’t been closing stores, they’ve been opening them! They’re online offering hasn’t detracted from their bricks and mortar stores, it’s supported them. It’s even been suggested that the online offering has increased footfall not decreased it.
That’s great, but what’s that got to do with my shop? On average, sales through e-commerce have increased by over 10% year on year and now make up 15% of all retail sales. Total online sales are set to hit £60 Billion by the end of 2015 so if you’re not capitalising on that, you are definitely missing out!
and processing to fulfil their digital sales. Independent retailers however, are perfectly positioned for online sales. ‘Click and Collect’ or ‘Return to Store’ are highly attractive to consumers, with 62% of consumers saying they would buy online if they could return in store. Simple to manage if you have one or two shops carrying the same stock; a logistical nightmare when you have 100s of shops all carrying slightly different stock. Don’t think that online sales only applies to traditional retail either. The gift voucher opens up digital sales to everybody; from restaurants to garages, spas to physiotherapists! Many independent retailers have shied away from going online, and understandably so. Just the investment required to build the website in the first place can stop most budding ‘Etailers’ in their tracks. Then of course, there’s managing the order processing and payments and of course, that all important traffic to the site. The good news is, getting your business online really doesn’t have to be that hard. There are cost effective platforms out there designed to allow independents to have an e-commerce offering without large upfront investments or crippling commissions. thebestof can get you up and running with your very own online shop, advise you on the best way to take the plunge and then support you in your ‘Etailer’ journey with the right local marketing and printed material. All you need to do is have products sell, a desire to grow your business and of course, a membership to thebestof.
Buy Local, Buy Online, Buy Now! Many chain stores have initially struggled with managing their online offerings, having to invest in separate warehousing
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If you’d like to start selling online but are not sure what to do next, just get in touch. You’ll be surprised just how easy it is!
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The
People Behind the
Business
The People Behind the Business Mike Wells, Wells Property Maintenance is the ‘Gentleman Plumber’ me to be able to run the administration side of my business well.
Q: How have things changed for your business over the past few years?
Q: What advice would you give someone who wants to set up their own business?
A: Communication has changed and everything is more urgent than before in most peoples eyes. I am expected to be contactable immediately 24/7 and by phone, email and social media.
A: Be honest, don’t promise anything you can’t deliver and always pay your tax, your accountant and your suppliers on time. Q: What do you love most about your job? A: I most like the sense of achievement in transforming a clients bathroom, kitchen or indeed fixing their central heating problem. Q:Your Claim to fame? A: I once auditioned for the presenters job on BBC “That’s Life” program. Sadly I was not what they were looking for. I am also part of a Guinness world record with Hitchin Tilehouse Rotary club. Q: What sort of training did you have before going into this business? A: I trained as a Banker working for Lloyds bank when I left school and then I trained with a Trade union looking after bank staff followed by a short stint in the city working in credit management. I think the accounts and business training i picked up during this time has helped
Q: What is the greatest challenge in running a business?
Q:The one local business you couldn’t possibly live without in Hitchin?
A: Finding enough time for your family. Mike has been in business over 30 years.
A: I would definitely miss Brookers and Son if they were not there. I have had an account with them for 30 years
He is also the current President of Hitchin Tilehouse Rotary Club and is very active within Hitchin Scouts along with his wife Denise. You can contact Mike on 07860 653351
Q: What is the best thing that someone has said about you and your business? A: A few of my clients call me The Gentleman plumber which I think is a great compliment. Q: Hindsight is a wonderful thing – what one thing would you do differently? A: Wow this is hard. I probably should not have sold all my rented houses at the time of my divorce 22 years ago. Q: How would you describe your business in three words? A: Complete Property Maintenance
2 | The Voice of Hitchin - Nov 2015 | thebestof.co.uk/hitchin
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of the month
l a i c e Sp
Cod & Chips Delivered to Your Office If you are having a business meeting at your office, why not get cod and chips including serviette knife fork and condiments delivered to your workplace by local business
MONTH OF THE
Call us now! 01462 437021
The Town Fryer? £4 per person (minimum order 10)
ERS
ACHIEV
Offer
Web www.thetownfryer.co.uk
Our Achievers Club Awarding outstanding businesses locally…
WPA Health Insurance WPA is one of the most respected health insurers offering excellent value and quality of service. They provide health insurance for individuals, couples, families and employees through company schemes. Sally and Andy were awarded our ‘Certificate of Excellence’ at our recent Speed Networking Event. Customer care is key with Andy and Sally and they are always at the end of the phone to help with any policy queries you might have. Call Andy on 07533 363889 or Sally on 07838 702894
Cloud Bookkeeping Having recently moved into offices in Wilbury Way, Lynne and Alistair from Cloud Bookkeeping have been members since 2012. They were delighted to have had attendees book onto their Xero Bookkeeping courses as a result of being featured in the weekly e-newsletters. Call 01462 600145
Elite Sport Bernard from Elite Sport on Hermitage Road was delighted to receive his Certificate of Excellence’ last week. Bernard has been working alongside other local businesses and clubs in past months. You don’t have to be an elite athlete to shop at Elite Sport – the shop has the widest range of sports equipment for all levels of ability and all budgets. And a big thanks for helping out our son in his GCSE Business Studies coursework - he got an A! Call Bernard on 01462 452366 thebestof.co.uk/hitchin | The Voice of Hitchin - Nov 2015 | 3
Working Well Want to shine in our next newsletter? Share your successes and let Keith and Louise know what bits of thebestof are working for you!
Woodside Osteopathic Clinic The Woodside Osteopathic Clinic has been a household name in Hitchin for over 40 years, providing excellent treatment and was one of the first osteopathic clinics in the area. They have recently undergone a rebranding and are delighted to announce you can now book your appointment online through their new website. Anisha Joshi is now the sole owner of the practice and looks forward to many more years in the town. Call Woodside on 01462 452929
AZ Autos Lots of positive comments about the recent billboard that AZ Autos had in Hitchin. Nice to have a different outlook on advertising. AZ have 239 reviews on bestofhitchin and it’s a big part of their marketing strategy. They also make full use of the website and facebook reviews widgets. Call David and the team on 01462 438999
Pinehill Hospital Pinehill Hospital have been bestofhitchin members for over 5 years, they regularly put press releases onto the blog, and use the events and printed newsletters to promote their FREE awareness talks. They have 96 reviews at the moment - only 4 to go before they get their 100 Club Certificate! Call the hospital on 01462 759780
We are looking for... At thebestof Hitchin we are on the lookout for other great members. This month we are looking for...
• Florists • Photographer • Handyman • Driving Instructors • Locksmith If you know a business that fits the bill, please contact the team:
01462 759700 | hitchin@thebestof.co.uk 4 | The Voice of Hitchin - Nov 2015 | thebestof.co.uk/hitchin
Eight out of ten cats... Don’t worry, I’m not about to introduce a ‘TV’ section into our newsletter or wax lyrical about cat food. What I am going to do is introduce you to some statistics about the consumer purchasing journey and how it’s changed over the last few years. 92% of Consumers Read Online Reviews I know, I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. Reviews are key to driving new business and keeping existing customers. The number of consumers reading online reviews about local businesses has shot up! Increasing by 22% in the last five years. It has become part of the consumer buying process, so if you’re not displaying great reviews for all to see, you can guarantee you’re losing potential business.
40% of consumers form an opinion by reading 1-3 reviews (vs. 29% in 2014) Now, before you throw your review cards away, or worse, stop asking for reviews, there is actually a caveat to this statistic. Consumers want to read 1 to 3 reviews, but they want to see many more! They will read the most up to date reviews and then assume all the previous ones will follow a similar pattern. Just the fact the reviews are there gives the consumer
confidence that the company they are researching has consistently and constantly provided a great product/service. Interestingly, the age of the review was key as well, with 44% of consumers feeling that a review should have been written in the last month to be relevant. The BrightLocal Survey said “Online reviews should be sought after and encouraged on a regular basis. We can now see that a best case scenario would involve having up to 10 positive online reviews, all written within the last 2-3 months. Of course, these levels will vary for different types of businesses. Some businesses attract reviews more readily than others – think ‘restaurants’ vs. ‘dry cleaners’ – and the recency factor is more significant. A review that is 9 months old will lose impact for a restaurant whereas consumers searching for an estate agent will happily consider reviews from 9-12 months ago as this type of service doesn’t change so rapidly.”
Almost 48% of consumers, after reading online reviews, will visit the company’s website Oh how behaviours have changed! Gone are the days when people picked up the phone it seems. Only 9% of consumers said their next step was to call a business. In fact, they were almost 3 times more likely to visit the company’s premises than phone. Now obviously, reviews are only part of the consumers’ purchasing journey, but if you have the right product or service, give value for money and have excellent customer service, it would be a dreadful shame to lose that potential customer to the competition because you weren’t displaying enough relevant online reviews. If you’re struggling to get those all important reviews, or would like to know how to start collecting them just give us a call. We’ll be more than happy to help! thebestof.co.uk/hitchin | The Voice of Hitchin - Nov 2015 | 5
Meet The Members We’re consistently uncovering hidden gems. Say a big hello to our local heroes.
Give them a call and say hello!
Legacy Contract Cleaning
Legacy Contract Cleaning specialises in both domestic and commercial cleaning services for homes and businesses in Hitchin and the surrounding villages, plus ironing services and carpet and upholstery cleaning. As well as being very experienced they are highly recommended locally and are rated “5 star” by Rated People.
Call Rachel or Daniel on 01462 231924
Roberto’s
Born in the UK but raised in Italy, chef and owner Robert was taught to cook by his father (also a chef) before training as a professional chef himself and working for many years in busy restaurants in Italy. After returning to the UK and running the highly-regarded Sapori restaurant in Woburn he has now created this stylish and authentic Italian restaurant in Hitchin.
Call Roberto’s on 01462 337030
Options Admin
When you need business administration services and support on a flexible basis, maybe for just a few hours per week, then Options Admin in Hitchin can help. Their virtual assistants can cover everything from handling emails and correspondence to credit control, bookkeeping and event organising.
Give Elaine a call on 07912 121330
The Town Fryer
Town Fryer is a firm favourite among Hitchin’s fish and chip take aways – a chippy where everything is just right and done really well. They also specialise in catering for informal functions where a portion of fish and chips is a welcome part of the event! Alan and Andy use high-quality fish from sustainable stocks, frozen at sea within minutes of being caught to preserve its flavour and texture. The potatoes are freshly cut every day and fried in small batches for maximum freshness.
Call Alan and Andy on 01462 437021
Samantha Byron Counselling
Experienced counsellor Samantha Byron offers therapeutic counselling for anyone in the Hitchin area who is struggling with issues such as anxiety, depression, bereavement or low selfesteem, or is dealing with any kind of crisis or conflict affecting their lives. Samantha has worked with young children and teenagers a lot as her reviews on thebestofhitchin reflect.
Call Samantha on 07830 919820
Clockhouse Catering
The team are equally happy to cater for you in your own home, providing canapés for a cocktail party, an extravagant 5-course sit-down meal, or a barbecue for a family get together. Clockhouse’s business owner and chef Paul Tew has a simple ethos – providing clients with “very special food”.
Call Paul on 01462 436444
Want to be featured on our Meet The Members page? Call us on 01462 759700 and let us know! 6 | The Voice of Hitchin - Nov 2015 | thebestof.co.uk/hitchin
Dates For Your Diary Some important dates coming up in the calendar!
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Wilbury Way Networking
5
Women In Business Networking (WIBN)
rd
Nov
th
Nov
10
th
Nov
This event will be informal but informative. Those attending will be encouraged to network with other business owners and to get to know each other. If you are not used to networking then this is a very easy and non pressured way to get involved. You don’t have to be a business based in Wilbury Way to attend. 01462 600145
National networking organisation for Women In Business who are either employed or run their own businesses. They meet in Hitchin on the 1st Tuesday of each month 12-2 at The Sun Hotel. 07989 020647
Cuppa Connect
This informal drop in/drop out networking has been running for over 3 years and is open to all businesses and organisation s in the area. Hosted by The Victoria Pub on Ickleford Road, Hitchin it runs from 9.30am-11.30am and costs £5 on the door. 01462 759700
16
Xero Bookkeeping Course
10
BNI Networking
21
Base 52 Growth Club
th
Nov
th
Dec
st
Jan 2016
Xero Bookkeeping system is well known but if you are not sure how to use it best for your own accounting needs then come along to a workshop which is very hands on. You will be able to ask specific questions relating to your own business needs. 01462 600145 One of the largest business/networking organisations in the world, BNI Blaze offers structured, supportive business support and networking opportunities for businesses in Hitchin and the local area. They meet at Mount Pleasant Golf Club in Lower Stondon on a Friday morning at 6.45am. 07714 898736 Growth Club is a facilitated networking session run by Hitchin accountants Base 52 with a guest speaker and breakfast and costs £10 to attend. 9.30am-11.00am. 01462 423152
Community Partners For people who go out of their way for the community. Dr Hadwen Trust (DHT) Dr Hadwen Trust (DHT) is the UK’s leading non-animal medical research charity based in Portmill Lane, Hitchin. As well as raising valuable funds, having a presence on the high street helps to raise the profile of DHT and makes people aware that cruelty-free medical research is possible. Patron, and Downton Abbey star, Peter Egan opened the Hitchin charity shop a few months ago which stocks only goods which are not derived from animals. Contact: Dr Hadwen Trust, 16 Churchyard, Hitchin, SG5 1HR. 01462 372788
Hitchin Tilehouse Rotary Club There are 4 Rotary clubs in Hitchin and 5 years ago Louise was introduced to the Tilehouse club by a client. She went along to a Friday morning breakfast meeting and was blown away by the organisation. The club is 70 strong and has members from all walks of life. They join for different reasons but at the heart is the need to help in someway. As well as having a lot of laughs, the club organise all sorts of local events and helps out local groups with time as well as cash. They are involved with Hitchin schools in a mentoring programme for Y11/Y12 students and with young writers at Y6/Y7. The first ‘Zombie Quest’ will be at Halloween which is a first for the club. It’s an interactive live game involving humans and zombies! The Wine and Food festival is now in it’s 7th year and raises around £5,000 each year. Tickets can be purchased for the wine exhibition by visiting thebestof hitchin website. They are £5 each.
We would highly recommend you visiting Hitchin Tilehouse Rotary Club to find out more www.tilehouserotary.org thebestof.co.uk/hitchin | The Voice of Hitchin - Nov 2015 | 7
thebestof Hitchin is run by Keith and Louise Yexley
At a glance At thebestof we go out of our way to provide our members with all the marketing tools that will help them grow locally. We pride ourselves on being committed and dedicated in working with only thebest local businesses that are recommended by local people. Focussing on 4 key areas, thebestof has a proven track record of ensuring our members get; Local Exposure Connections Marketing support Brand Building We do this through 17 core elements including our reviews facility, our consumer app, our dedicated feature pages for each member and through social media, not forgetting direct email campaigns to our ever growing local database - plus much much more!
Hi, we’re Keith and Louise Yexley, and we’re here to connect you with all the other brilliant businesses on Hitchin site. We’re passionate about all of our members and we’re here to help, please get in touch!
Everything we do is about bespoke, results driven marketing, ensuring that our members get what they need, at the right time for them and the good news is that we can tailor everything we do, to your local budget. We really do what we say we will do;
Bringing trusted businesses and the community together
Call us on 01462 759700 Keith and Louise Yexley hitchin@thebestof.co.uk
Did you know... Along with our newly launched e-commerce platform we are delighted to announce our Event Ticketing System too! If you are running a business or social event and want to sell tickets you can now do this through us. You will get full access to your own ticketing dashboard. If you are running a free event but still want to keep account of who is coming you can also use the system and there is no cost involved.You can also use this to sell tickets to events such as New Years Eve parties, Seminars, shows, infact anywhere you need a ticket! Either get in contact with us direct with any questions you may have or upload your event onto the website and press the “Add Ticket” button and we will make contact with you to explain how this works.
Call 01462 759700 www.thebestof.co.uk/hitchin /thebestofhitchin @bestofhitchin
Bringing trusted businesses and the community together