Issue 24

NEW BUSINESS

MATTERS Your local business to business journal

Points of Interest in this Issue: • People are a company’s most valuable asset (p10) • Benefits of a structured IT Support Plan (p13) • Property Abandonment Landlords Beware (p12) • Meeting up - FREE Wifi, Parking and Drinks (p15) • FREE Green Print Management Strategy (p17) • Social Media Training at a reduced price (p19) • Help for your business to get back on track (p21)

BUSINESS TIPS & ADVICE! Issue 24/2012

December/January

Straightforward Expertise Established in 1928 Coleman Insurance Brokers is one of the UK’s longest established, truly independent insurance brokers; based in Poole, Southampton & Exeter.

With access to a large number of leading insurers and an excellent understanding of specialist markets our aim is to provide businesses with competitive and comprehensive insurance solutions whilst maintaining high levels of service.

Colemans are your local, professional and trusted experts in:

Business Insurance Charity & Care Insurance Property Owners Insurance Marine Insurance Private Client Insurance General Risk Services Contact our New Business Team on 01202 647444 or newbusiness@colemaninsurance.co.uk to discuss your insurance requirements.

01202 647400 www.colemaninsurance.co.uk Coleman Insurance Brokers is a trading style of E Coleman & Co Ltd which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority. v1 20/09/12

NEW BUSINESS MATTERS

Editor’s Note It is not really the time to celebrate New Year yet, although it feels as if the shops have been advertising Christmas for ages! However, it is the season to be jolly and if you are one of the unfortunate people who have to work over the Christmas break then I hope you will also be able to have a little fun.

December/January

CONTENTS 02 INSURANCE BROKERS 03 EDITORS NOTES 04 COMPLYING WITH HMRC 05 SHAREHOLDER AGREEMENTS 06 DIGITAL INFRASTRUCTURE

I appreciate that for a lot of businesses it is not fun at the moment, especially as this time of year can cause cash flow problems, but I have always said that we must change what we do to attract more business, because if we do what we have always done – then we will get what we have always got!

07 BENEFITS OF MODULAR UNITS

Of course it is not easy to embrace new technologies or new systems to improve your working methods, but we all want to survive and if possible grow in these difficult times, therefore, change is a necessity to ensure your success! To help us get more followers I have produced a retrospective series of blogs comprised of the Editor’s Notes that I have written since Issue 1 back in February 2009 and they can be viewed on our website: www.newbusinessmatters.com

11 CONTRACTORS ON SITE

The NBM Magazine approaches its fourth birthday in February 2013, when we publish our 25th Issue!

We intend to celebrate with a special Networking Party, at which we will tell you lot’s more, concerning the changes we have put in place that will make New Business Matters the best business to business journal for giving tips and advice in Dorset.

17 PRINT IT ANY COLOUR

Until then I wish you a Wonderful Christmas and a prosperous New Year!

08 HOW TO HANDLE CUSTOMERS 09 CONSIDER ASSET FINANCE 10 KEEPING EMPLOYEES SAFE 12 EMAIL MARKETING PROBLEMS 13 IT SUPPORT PLAN BENEFITS 14 PROPERTY ABANDONMENT 15 FREE WIFI, PARKING & DRINKS 16 LEAN & GREEN PRINTING 18 GET THINGS BACK ON TRACK 19 MANAGE YOUR TIME ONLINE 20 SPORTS BETTING SYSTEMS 21 COMPANY IN PARLOUS STATE 22 LONDON TAILOR IS LOCAL 23 MAINTAIN YOUR STANDARDS 24 IT SYSTEMS TO CELEBRATE

Peter Westwood

You can be the only company of your trade or profession represented in this local business to business journal.

For details on the ‘marketing packages’ available, please contact: Peter Westwood on 01202 233580 or email sales@newbusinessmatters.com New Business Matters UK Ltd Spacemaker House, 518 Wallisdown Road Bournemouth, Dorset BH11 8PT Tel: 01202 233580

The information contained within this publication is not intended to be complete. Whilst the publisher endeavours to ensure the accuracy of the information contained within this publication, its accuracy cannot be guaranteed and the publisher accepts no liability for the use of, reliance on or the accuracy of such information. The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher and therefore the publisher accepts no responsibility for them. All artwork and editorial is copywrite and may not be reproduced without prior permission from the publisher. © New Business Matters UK Limited January 2009 Designed by: Kerry Phillips, Palm Design Printed by: Remous Limited, Sherborne Published by: New Business Matters UK Limited

To receive a FREE copy go to www.newbusinessmatters.com

Page 3

ACCOUNTANCY MATTERS

December/January

Complying with HMRC Real Time Information

By Nikki Papadopoulos, Director at Hill Osborne Real Time Information (RTI) is a new payroll legislation HMRC will be introducing in April 2013. It will affect the way that information is submitted to HMRC. Under the HMRC RTI system, employers will be required to send data about PAYE, NIC and student loans every time they pay their employees, rather than with their end of year return, form P35. RTI will be introduced for some employers from April 2013 and will become mandatory by October 2013.

How does this affect you?

The last end of year return, form P35, will be for the tax year 2012/13, due for submission by May Hill Osborne 2013. Thereafter, you will have to submit online a full payment submission (FPS) each time you make a payment to your employees.

Logo Variant 1

These returns are to be submitted for all employees, including those whose earnings are below the National Insurance lower earnings limit.

Should you start doing anything now?

Yes, such as ensuring you are registered with HMRC for PAYE online, ensuring certain data you hold is complete and accurate, etc.

How can we help?

Why not take advantage of Hill Osborne’s payroll bureau? We can assist in submitting the monthly returns and ensure you are complying with all the regulations.

If you would like to review the implications for your company please contact Nikki on 01202 678555 or send an email to: nikki@hill-osborne.co.uk

C H A R T E R E D A C C O U N TA N T S & B U S I N E S S A D V I S E R S

Our aim is to provide you with the best possible service and we do this by giving you a direct access to the Director who is responsible for your affairs. This ensures that they will be able to develop a close relationship with you and establish a thorough understanding of your business. Clients can take advantage of a wide range of services as listed below.

• • • • •

Auditing Accounts preparation Taxation compliance including Self Assessment Personal and Corporate Tax Planning Inheritance Tax Planning DSM – Design Solutions in Media

D1, Arena Business Centres, Holyrood Close Poole, Dorset, BH17 7FP, UK

[T] 0845 500 4600 [E] info@dsm-design.co.uk

• • • • •

Payroll Bureau Business Start-ups and advice on acquisitions and disposals Raising of business finance Management consultancy Company secretarial services

Hill Osborne, Tower House, Parkstone Road, Poole, Dorset BH15 2JH Tel: 01202 678555 Fax: 01202 666071 Email: enquiries@hill-osborne.co.uk www.hill-osborne.co.uk

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To advertise in this local journal telephone 01202 233580

BUSINESS LAW MATTERS

December/January

Shareholders and Partnership Agreements

By Susie Sanusi, Dickinson Manser LLP Solicitors When operating a business as a company or partnership it is important to consider the rights and obligations of the people involved.

It is easy to overlook such issues especially when the owners are getting on well.

However, if it is overlooked and problems do arise it can be very difficult, stressful and expensive to resolve.

A recent High Court decision highlighted the difficulties that can arise if parties fail to consider in advance how to deal with their conflicting rights and obligations.

The case concerned a Shareholders Agreement which stated that certain parties were to be directors of the Company. Later a majority of the directors decided to remove one of the directors named in the Shareholders Agreement from office arguing that they were obliged to do so in order to comply with their fiduciary duties to the Company.

Probate, Wills & Powers of Attorney|Divorce/Family Law| Commercial Matters|Employment Advice| Court Representation|Accident Claims|Moving Home| Parking Available

The Court found against them, stating that the Director should not have been removed.

This decision reflected the wording of the Shareholders Agreement which did not make any allowance for the conflicting obligations.

Many business owners do not fully appreciate their rights and obligations or the many ways in which they can conflict. If this is true of you, we would strongly advise that you seek legal advice to help you avoid such problems.

At Dickinson Manser LLP we are experienced at advising business owners on their rights and obligations and in drafting shareholders/ partnership agreements.

For advice and assistance call 01202 673071 or email s.sanusi@dickinsonmanser.co.uk

Big business, small business, we’re the business.

• commercial leases • commercial property transactions • property development • business transfers • commercial agreements • shareholder/company matters • partnership matters • dispute resolution and mediation • employment law matters For a no obligation discussion, please contact Mark Daniels or James Love on 01202 673071

BROADSTONE – 221 The Broadway – 01202 692308 POOLE – 5 Parkstone Road – 01202 673071

www.dickinsonmanser.co.uk

To receive a FREE copy go to www.newbusinessmatters.com

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CONNECTIVITY MATTERS

C4L advert 144x210 vFINAL - 1_v4.pdf 1 23/01/2012 09:35:38

December/January

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To advertise in this local journal telephone 01202 233580

CONSTRUCTION MATTERS

December/January

Modular Units reduce installation time by 50%

By Andre Van Heerden CEO of EWL International Ltd Modular construction is fast becoming the norm of construction as it means less disruption to customers and a considerable reduced construction period. The entire project is manufactured in a factory ensuring quality is of the highest standard and it also helps to eliminate time dealing with the elements during construction.

All modular products will obviously comply with the latest building and environmental legislation, but they can also offer additional environmental features such as catching rain water for garden use and low energy lights. A lot of the construction material is also recyclable material.

By manufacturing the Modular Unit in a factory it also ensures risks are reduced and H&S increases, making it more of an attractive option.

Shower Room Bedroom

As an example the entire extension of a Doctor’s surgery can be completed in modular format in the factory and then you are only left with the foundations and fixing the units in place on site.

This reduces the site time by more than 50% and normally the extension is fully operational within 2 weeks of arriving on site One of the most popular products is a modular granny flat, which comes on site totally completed and is installed in 2 days ready for use. All that is required is clothing as it is fully fitted including TV, bed, kitchen units and lounge suite EWL Modular is a division of EWL International.

EWL Modular specialises in modular construction from small house extensions to offices, doctor’s surgeries and student accommodation.

Kitchen

Lounge/Treatment

Shower Seat

This is a typical layout of a Granny Flat with 1 Bedroom, Wet Room En-Suite, Kitchen, Lounge, Treatment Zone and Wheelchair access.

EWL International Ltd Discovery Court Business Centre, 551-553 Wallisdown Road, Poole, BH12 5AG Email: info@ewlinternational.com Website : www.ewlinternational.com Tel: 01202 853300 To receive a FREE copy go to www.newbusinessmatters.com

Page 7

CUSTOMER MATTERS

December/January

Emotional contact with a customer!

By Tony Rodgers, Director at Hambeldon Interims

F

ollowing my article in the last issue have you implemented any uncommon practices that make your customers experience a genuine, unique and quality experience which makes you different from your competitors?

Let’s think about the tactics that could be employed with minimal cost. Many people talk about understanding their customers so that they can deal with them on their level.

Engaging with customers intellectually and emotionally drives from recognising customers predominate behaviours and having a tool box of tactics that can really get you dealing with them on their level.

Are you or your team recognising Mr or Mrs Guarded? Who are sometimes known as a hard nut to crack! The protective shell of these people

can be removed by applying the correct words and phrases, such as ‘tried and tested’ or ‘secure’. What about Mr and Mrs Ego? They need to be complemented and allowed to have their say. There is also Mr and Mrs Analytical who need all the detail and more.

These are only 3 of the different customer types, there are many more. The point here is that you can only deal with a customer on their own level once you truly know their level.

When this has been achieved emotional contact with a customer can begin to flourish and you and your team can take a step closer to building a differentiated experience that will engage a customer with you for years to come.

Increase customer engagement and you will obtain increased performance across your sales and service teams!

PROVIDING REAL PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE THAT DELIVERS MEASURABLE AND PROFITABLE CHANGE

Hambledon Interims is a Dorset based consultancy that’s been helping companies, large and small, to successfully improve their customer’s experience and business profits by delivering change - to their processes and their people – through the implementation of various development and training solutions. Hambledon Interims can provide: • Interim Managers and Project Managers • Training and Development Design and Delivery Solutions • Customer Experience Development programmes • Sales and Customer Service Assessors Experience the benefit of ‘profitable sales’ by improving customer satisfaction!

T: 01258 860249 E: tony@hambeldoninterims.com W: www.hambledoninterims.com

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Nestledown Duck Street Child Okeford Dorset DT11 8ET

To advertise in this local journal telephone 01202 233580

FINANCE MATTERS

December/January

When is it right to consider Asset Finance?

By James Erwin from Access Commercial I wonder how many businesses have used cash to fund medium sized capital investment such as an upgrade to a computer system, replacement of machinery or simple refurnishing, perhaps for a guest house, pub or waiting room. I therefore wonder what value that asset has now compared to the value of the cash if it had stayed in the bank.

Finance provider will either take possession of the asset or the asset becomes the property of the business (depending on the type of Asset Finance agreement entered into).

The benefits of this are: • Cash stays in the bank account and is not tied up in a depreciating asset

Asset Finance is an option that is frequently only considered if a business simply doesn’t have enough cash to complete the whole investment.

But if one considers the benefits, it may be a better option.

• A fixed monthly payment assists cash-flow management

So, here’s how it works! The business sources the asset and negotiates its price; the Asset Finance provider purchases the asset and leases it back to the business on a monthly rental basis over a fixed term. At the end of the term the Asset

Access Commercial can offer advice and assistance in obtaining Asset Finance from a range of providers for both new and used asset purchase. Asset Finance is also available for business start ups (subject to status enquiries).

• A potential for significant tax benefits – (dependant on the organisation, expert advice should be sought).

Experienced Commercial Mortgage and Business Finance Brokers We supply solutions for all types of commercial lending and due to our close working relationship with all major and specialist lenders, including our partnership with brokers UK wide, we are able to provide the best deal for all types of commercial finance.

• Commercial Mortgages

• All forms of Factoring

• Asset Finance

• Short term Finance

• Invoice Discounting – available on a confidential basis

• Development Finance

For advice on all areas of Commercial Credit and Finance Tel: 01202 375545 Fax: 01202 465297 info@accesscommercialmortgages.com www.accesscommercialmortgages.com Members of the National Association of Commercial Finance Brokers

To receive a FREE copy go to www.newbusinessmatters.com

Page 9

IDENTIFICATION MATTERS

December/January

People are a company’s most valuable asset!

By Tony Hart from Avonwood Developments When employees are seriously injured after being hit or struck by vehicles the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) can impose fines starting from £15,000 for minor injuries rising into the hundreds of thousands for more serious injuries.

Recent statistics from the HSE have shown a 4% increase in serious accidents involving fork lift trucks in the last year.

Adding complimentary systems for keeping employees in the workplace safe from moving vehicles; Forklift Trucks, Excavators and Reach Stackers, often include multiple solutions to assist better Health and Safety practice such as technology aids, better organisational training and vehicle and pedestrian segregation.

Identifying and detecting a person who is in close proximity to a vehicle operating in a working area

Page 10

is one of the applications where RFID systems are being utilised. These systems differ from other safety aids in that they will immediately warn the driver when a person breaches a proximity zone around the vehicle. An RFID proximity warning or detection system uses personal safety transponders.

The transponder is then detected, identified and the on board system logs the data which can be analysed to enhance the safety regime.

Since people are a company’s most valuable asset, it is therefore important we consider any aid that allows each and every one of us to return home safely from work, everyday!

For further information on how to keep employees safe in the workplace please call Tony on 01202 868000 or send an email to sales@avonwood.co.uk

To advertise in this local journal telephone 01202 233580

INDUSTRIAL MATTERS

December/January

Contractors on site – the correct procedure!

By Grégory Martin, Champion Materials Handling Ltd Everyday, thousands of SMEs have contractors on site, completing a variety of different jobs. They vary from: forklift engineers, racking fitters, plumbers, delivery drivers – but the process should always remain the same.

A difference between large national companies and SMEs is the stance taken on health and safety for contractors. The larger companies tend to adhere to a strict procedure regardless of the situation. Why? Because they are aware of the serious repercussions at stake if these procedures are not followed!

Many companies believe: “It would never happen to us” or “There has never been a danger”, but an accident is a lot dearer than the cost of safety!

Communicate with contractors: • Make them aware of any hazards • Inform them on your rules on safety • Check they have correct personal protective equipment (hi-vis, safety boots etc) • Emergency procedure

• Check they have relevant training, insurance and method statement • Ensure the contractor has completed risk assessments of your site We strongly advise all companies; to get contractors to sign in and out of the premises.

You have a legal responsibility to the contractor; they will regard you as a reputable and impressive company if you follow strict procedures.

Based in Dorset and established since 1995 Champion Materials Handling Ltd provide many companies with forklift trucks – sales, hire, service and driver training, as well as racking, storage, warehouse and all safety equipment.

Visit our website www.champion-forklifts.co.uk or call us on 01202 430 323

Service is what life’s all about!

At Champion Forklifts we offer a full range of new and used equipment to suit ALL budgets New fork lift trucks:

Warehouse equipment ranging from:

• • • •

• • • • • • • •

From 1 ton to 16 tons capacity Electric LP Gas Diesel

RENTAL & LEASING AVAILABLE

Hand pallet trucks Powered pallet trucks Stackers Electric Reach Trucks Order pickers Very narrow aisle trucks Access Platforms & Cherry Pickers Racking and Mezzanine Floors

tails Call for de

Hand Pallet Trucks delivered from

Our preferred makes are Baoli, Toyota, Doosan, Mitsubishi, Linde, Combilift, Bendi and Jungheinrich but we can offer full support service that is second to none on any make of truck, picker or stacker.

£199

Freephone: 0800 021 4516 Telephone: 01202 430323 Email: sales@champion-forklifts.co.uk

www.champion-forklifts.co.uk

‘Your local Fork Lift Truck company’

To receive a FREE copy go to www.newbusinessmatters.com

Page 11

INTERNET MATTERS

December/January

Problems with DIY Email Marketing!

By Bryan Benjafield from greenmessage We all make mistakes and email marketing is no exception, especially when you’re trying to do it yourself. Here are three of the most common mistakes. with spam and potential damage to your brand.

Not testing properly Attract subscribers gradually and effectively by If you’re rushing, it’s easy to forget to send segmenting your list building strategy and adding yourself a test. However it’s one of the most sign-up forms to each page of your website important things to do during an email campaign.

No matter how good your content or design, if it Desperation ends up looking a mess to certain e-mail clients, As a business, you exist to be profitable. Email the message will be completely lost. Test often marketing helps facilitate that, but shouldn’t be – aside from spotting structural errors, it will used for the hard sell. Emails are easily deleted also highlight bits of your content which need and it doesn’t take much to put a recipient off improving. Remember, you can test as much as if you take the hard line. Treat the email as a you want – you only get one chance to send it conversation and gently guide them to relevant for real. landing pages on your website.

Greed for Subscribers For more advice, or to enquire about our fullyA desire to grow your database is normal and managed service, please contact Bryan on should be encouraged. Unfortunately, there’s a 01202 802205 or e-mail info@greenmessage.co.uk. fine line between doing so fairly and ignoring best practices. Doing so can result in trouble

FREE QR CODE For the first 10 applicants we will make a QR code that: Will go to your website or your Google Places page which will be high quality for use for Vehicle Signage or print.

Your site will also be added to Radikls.com as a link.

CALL FREE NOW ON 0800 068 058 9 Or email: nbm@radikls.com

Page 12

Fully-Managed E-Mail and SMS Marketing Packages from just £100 per month.

If you want to raise the awareness and profile of your businesses then call greenmessage on 01202 802205 or email info@greenmessage.co.uk.

We have a range of services and packages to suit all organisations, with powerful professionally-designed ad campaigns, getting your message across to a targeted audience and a wealth of statistics available for you to track progress and tailor your responses.

To advertise in this local journal telephone 01202 233580

IT MATTERS

December/January

Benefits of a structured IT Support Plan!

By David Beale from Copyrite Business Solutions Are you a slave to your company’s IT or its Master? The truth is that IT touches all aspects of business today and is an essential tool for growth and change.

Is your IT taking more and more of your time?

The challenge is harnessing the technology in a way that enhances your unique business requirements and not distracting from your core activities by voraciously using up time.

The initial important decision that the CEO can therefore make is choosing the right IT support partner who has the technical infrastructure to provide a true snapshot of where the business is today, and can be trusted to design and support a package that will take the company forward safely.

Do you need to reduce your IT administration cost?

Many companies have moved or need to change from a part time “build it as you go along” approach with hidden costs, to an overall structured IT support plan that eliminates waste - both time and money. Many SMEs find that the benefits of working with computers and IT are being lost due to constant requirement to work with different software inputting the same or similar tasks. Reports for management, statistics, accounting information, emails, research on internet; all take time and effort, but often produce similar information in a different style. The simple solution is “Why can’t this be done once, to save time and money?” Finding solutions that reduce cost & increase efficiency are shown in the two examples following:

requirement to lessen the impact of significant capital expenditure. As central IT equipment ages and becomes outdated it starts to pose a risk to the business, however Cloud computing means you no longer need to be faced with the headache of replacing it. By paying for a hosted service, your provider can ensure that the IT infrastructure is always available, for a fixed monthly cost. You can elect to have various levels of protection in place through your provider, with data storage and processing power available from a number of secure and resilient data centres.

Estate Agents – Improved Efficiency

Estate agents have been changing from simple printed advertising & local property publications to Web based solutions to market their properties. Agents need to prepare property details many times in different formats to upload to various websites such as www.rightmove. co.uk or www.primelocation.co.uk as well as their own website and the local newspaper.

This is a most time consuming task!

The solution: a single, property detail database that automatically feeds the other Websites in the correct format. Simple, cost effective and time saving. Building this solution into an existing Website or starting with a stylish new website can be carried very easily & seamlessly.

Full staff training is given. The time saved frees staff to deal with buyers and sellers.

If you want to harness the benefits of a structured IT Support Plan, to increase your efficiency and save money, then contact David Beale on 01202 848866 or send an email to david.beale@copyrite.co.uk

Fed up with IT Capital Expenditure?

As momentum grows around adoption of Cloud computing, many adopters are taking time to carefully assess which parts of it are right for their business. A common driver is the

To receive a FREE copy go to www.newbusinessmatters.com

Page 13

LETTINGS MATTERS

December/January

Property Abandonment – Landlords beware!

By Sharon Canning from Move on Rentals We think our tenants have left without saying anything. They are still in a Tenancy Agreement, are two months in arrears and we have not been able to make contact with them. Where do we stand legally? Abandonment is the voluntary surrender of a legal right, for example, an interest in land or property - a tenancy.

If a tenant has left some possessions then a Court will often interpret that as “demonstrating an intention to return” and the tenant intends the tenancy to continue. Should a landlord make a wrong decision and attempt to re-let the property only for the tenant to return then the landlord could be sued!

Under S1 (2) Protection from eviction act 1977 it is an offence for any person to unlawfully deprive or attempt to deprive a “Residential Occupier” of the premises or any part thereof and by virtue of S5(2) Housing Act 1988 a tenancy can only be bought to an end by the landlord obtaining a court possession order or by a surrender or similar act by the tenant.

Reasons for a tenant not to have been around could be a long holiday, in jail or even in hospital due to a serious accident and therefore the tenant is legally entitled to return and take up residence again. If all avenues of attempting to make contact has failed, an abandonment notice should be issued. If you have any doubts, you should go the court route.

420 Poole Road, Branksome, Poole BH12 1DF

Page 14

To advertise in this local journal telephone 01202 233580

MEETING PLACE MATTERS

December/January

To receive a FREE copy go to www.newbusinessmatters.com

Page 15

LEGAL MATTERS

December/January

Remous Limited, Wyvern Buildings, North Street, Milborne Port, Sherborne, Dorset, DT9 5EP

Remous Limited, Wyvern Buildings, North Street, Milborne Port, Sherborne, Dorset, DT9 5EP

Tel: 01963 250920

Tel: 01963 250920 Page 16

To advertise in this local journal telephone 01202 233580

Printing Matters

Decmber/January

Print it any colour as long as it’s green?

By Peter Westwood, Remous Design and Print

T

he printing process and the way in which individual printed projects are designed both have an impact on the environment. However, there are many ways in which this impact can be reduced and the printing industry itself has come a long way over the past couple of decades in changing the way it works to reduce its effect on the environment, mainly through the use of new technologies that have become available.

As environmental concerns rightly impact on all our purchasing decisions, more and more companies are looking for printers with the right ‘green’ credentials!

So, if you are concerned about the measures your printer has taken in support of their environmental impact then you should check them out to see if they recognise and adopt certain procedures in their production methods and in the materials they use to produce your printed matter.

For instance do they follow the guidelines laid down by the Forestry Stewardship Council (FSC) in the selection of recommended papers and boards and do they use cheaper, but more harmful, solvents and inks? To help demonstrate you are cutting down on your carbon footprint, we feel it is your duty to do as much as

you can to limit the damage to the environment. To this end we have listed a few key areas that you should concentrate on.

1. Paper: The paper used should be 100% Chlorine Free and the pulp, used in its production, is to be sourced from well managed wood and sustainable forests. (This means for every tree that is felled a new one is planted).

2. Waste: All paper waste and offcuts are collected once a week to be recycled for future usage.

the biggest customers of buying this scrap metal is Volkswagen!

If your printer cannot demonstrate that he is following these basic guidelines then you should seriously consider changing to one that can, such as Remous Design & Print, who as your print management provider guarantee to manage your green concerns and to help you get the best possible results whilst saving you time and money!

3. Ink: The ink used at our printers is vegetable based and not the more harmful oil based variety.

Your company can benefit directly from the active promotion of its environmental stance and Remous can help you by advising and implementing a green print management strategy!

4. Plates: All of the aluminium scrap, which is the old and unusable printing plates, should be recycled at least four times a year. We are told that one of

For further details or to arrange a FREE green print survey please call Peter on 01963 250920 or send an email to peter@remous.com

To receive a FREE copy go to www.newbusinessmatters.com

Page 17 19

RECOVERY MATTERS

December/January

BY GRAHAM DOWN | www.bscorprecovery.com

GETTING YOUR BUSINESS BACK ON ITS FEET Is your business under pressure? It’s hardly surprising given the tough few years that we’ve had. Perhaps, having been punished during the recession, you feel you’ve lost the energy, and don’t have the skills to put the business back on its feet. Here’s a quick step by step guide to getting things back on track: Be brutally honest. There’s no point in burying your head in the sand and pretending that there’s no crisis.

Moving numbers around the accounts solves nothing, and don’t kid yourself that there’s some huge new profitable contract coming in next week. Ditch the false optimism and face reality.

Understand your cash flow. It’s vital that you understand when your cash is coming in and when it’s going out. Make sure you have a carefully prepared cash flow forecast for at least the next three months, prepared on a weekly basis, and keep it up to date. Three months ought to be straightforward to predict; much longer than that and it may be like trying to gaze into a crystal ball. Be realistic in terms of what you’ll sell, and how long it will take customers to pay.

Make sure the cash is available for when it’s needed. Raise cash by getting rid of assets you don’t need, renegotiating terms with suppliers, and chasing overdue debts. Factoring or invoice discounting may be worth thinking about in some cases. Talk to HMRC before letting tax debts get into arrears – they’ll usually try to help when they can. And for goodness sake keep in touch with the bank and other lenders.

Get a plan. The people working in the business usually have a fair idea between them of what’s wrong, and what needs to be done to fix it. So trust your staff and listen to what they have to say. It’s amazing the difference that communication and honesty can make.

Of course some will have personal axes to grind, or indulge in blame and

arguments. You need to filter those out and that takes experience, but often it’s only a handful of changes that are needed to turn a business around. So put together a plan, get buy-in from everyone and make sure the plan’s on paper.

Get support. The skills needed to manage a business in distress are very different to those needed when everything’s going swimmingly. That’s why you probably need the support of someone like an experienced insolvency practitioner; someone who’s been there, done it and got the t-shirt.

We don’t charge for just listening to your problems and setting out some options. Call us for a free, no obligation conversation.

cash flow problems …or worse? clear, professional advice for you and your business when you need it most. contact us for a free initial consultation call: 01202 313624 | www.bscorprecovery.com 2nd Floor, Bristol & West House, Post Office Road, Bournemouth, BH1 1BL

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To advertise in this local journal telephone 01202 233580

SOCIAL MEDIA MATTERS

December/January

How to better manage your time online!

By Katherine Hanson – Soci@lite Is maintaining a strong Social Media presence a mission impossible?

Although staying active can be timeconsuming, HootSuite is a Social Media dashboard which enables you to view all of your activity simultaneously, eliminating the need to toggle between multiple tabs and windows.

But the benefits don’t stop there:

• View all scheduled posts in a convenient calendar format • Track real time conversations - if people are asking questions about your expertise you can respond there and then - they could be your next customer or client!

• Track all of your clicks via extensive monitoring and reporting features – HootSuite will also sync with Google Analytics and Facebook Insights • When you come across something you’d like to share across your Social Media platforms simultaneously, hit the Hootlet button

• Group and organise streams of information with different tabs • Follow blogs, industry intelligence, etc. and track keywords and searches to find new business contacts Users of HootSuite include Virgin, Unicef, WWF • Draft and schedule posts to send when most of your followers will be online to maximise impact and even The White House. So if you want to be up there with the best, it’s worth investing some on your captive audience time and effort in this revolutionary Social Media • Schedule messages in advance so that you can dashboard. share more often Contact me today (01202 798270 or katherine@social-ite.info) to discuss how Soci@lite can assist you with HootSuite and other key Social Media platforms

Soci@lite

TM

The Only Thing Worse Than Being Talked About is Not Being Talked About (Oscar Wilde) Social Media Training & Consultancy, Content Writing, WordPress Websites

Join my next online training session...

Roll up, Roll up! Join me at my next online training session You have two options: 1.

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One-to-one training at your premises

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Sign up before 31 January 2013 and receive 2 hours’ training in any of these packages for the

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To receive a FREE copy go to www.newbusinessmatters.com

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SPORTS BETTING MATTERS LEGAL MATTERS

December/January April/May

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Our traders have a 10 year track record in the “Sports and Index Trading Markets” and our trading results are updated daily. We have a full range of trading strategies on a pay as you go basis, information only and Trader’s Club membership.

Our very successful trader Colin Harris returned over 2020% tax-free profits in 20092010 gross of Betfair’s commissions using a 5% staking plan. Past performance is no guarantee for the future… In February 2012, our Horse Laying system generated over 50% tax free profits.

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ADVERTISE IN THIS SPACE?

Fine Seafront Dining at Ocean Bay Restaurant

Block out the competition and be the only company of your trade or profession represented in this local business to business journal.

A short trip over the Sandbanks Chain Ferry by car, bus or bike leads you to the town ofpackages’ Swanage and its premier For details on our ‘advertising packages’ andpicturesque the ‘marketing available seaside Restaurant, "Oceansales@newbusinessmatters.com Bay". There is plenty of window seating to admire please contact: Peter on 01202 233580 or email the views and the relaxed atmosphere gives a sense of holiday, day or night.

We are a family friendly restaurant and also offer a children's menu.

We use local produce for our menus to create interesting dishes with fresh fish, quality seafood or meats. Vegetarian options and special dietary requirements are catered for and we have party menus available to suit your function.

Full à la carte menu and extensive wine list available Roast Lunch is served all day Sunday for £9.95 For all our seasonal menus and special offers please go to www.oceanbayrestaurant.com Tel: 01929 422222 now to reserve your table Ocean Bay Restaurant, 2 Ulwell Rd, Swanage, Dorset BH19 1LH

Page 20 a FREE copy go to Towww.newbusinessmatters.com advertise in this local journal telephone 01202Page 233580 To receive 25

STRATEGY MATTERS

December/January

What is going wrong in your company?

By Paul Haley from Sterling Business

D

about it. So to sum up companies are really good at what they do, but they have no real idea of why anyone should or actually does deal with them.

To be successful it’s important to know why.

I will ignore the excuses because all they do is mask the problems and give me false information.

If I ask a company why anyone should buy their products or services you would be amazed at the answers! In short most business owners just don’t know. When I ask the question “are you any good at what you do?” they are really sure on that one, but just don’t feel confident enough to tell anyone

My theory on the difference between women business owners and men business owners (it’s fair to state that 90% of my clients are women) is explained as follows. Men will look at a problem and say what has gone wrong? Women on the other hand will look at the problem and say what did I do wrong to make that happen? The answer is never easy but questioning your performance is a good way to get a grip on what is going wrong in your company.

uring my work I hear lots of excuses from owners on why their businesses have got into their parlous state before they decided to give me a call. Did you know only 6% of Small Businesses call on professional help and advice?

WE’LL HELP YOU SEE THE POTENTIAL IN YOUR BUSINESS For clear, affordable business advice, call 07887 553242 or email paul@sterlingbusiness.co.uk www.sterlingbusiness.co.uk To receive a FREE copy go to www.newbusinessmatters.com

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TAILORING MATTERS

December/January

The high end London tailoring service that comes to you From our new office in Compton Acres, Fox Tailoring offers a complete tailoring service – visiting your location at your convenience.

Our unique service will enable every client to benefit from our extensive knowledge to achieve well fitting clothes with quality touches that single out the stylish from the safe and the samey.

We also provide made to measure shirts with fabrics and styles that are fresh and totally individual.

• Made-to-measure suits and shirts • Personal attention • Colour analysis • Corporate packages • Loyalty scheme

To arrange an appointment call John Parrett

01202 289090 Fox Tailoring Compton Acres 164 Canford Cliffs Road Poole Dorset BH13 7ES john@foxtailoringbournemouth.co.uk www.foxtailoringbournemouth.co.uk

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To advertise in this local journal telephone 01202 233580

RECRUITMENT MATTERS

December/January

Maintaining Company Standards!

By Grace Livock, Recruitment Consultant

‘T

is the season to be jolly but, while there’s a lot to be said for the moraleboosting properties of the staff celebration, be it a full-blown party or a simple Secret Santa, the fact remains that there is still work to be done – and often more than usual.

Rubicon People, a Poole-based agency, have been providing temporary staff for over thirty years and they know that at this time of year many seasonal key workers come from far afield, with many of them from Eastern Europe, where celebrations start on December 24.

In line with gift seekers and party planners up and down the land, Christmas is one of the busiest times of the year for many Dorset firms, and although any increase in business is always good news, this sudden surge can put pressure not just on the workforce, but on the day-today running of things; more importantly, it can jeopardise customer satisfaction.

As such there is a possibility that they could be leaving Dorset at a time when you still need extra support. Equally, local temps will have commitments such as a nativity play or school fair and this also needs to be taken into consideration.

So how do you maintain company standards at this, and other peak times of year, without adequate manpower? Hiring temporary workers can be a surprisingly cost-effective solution, allowing you to enhance staff levels, but only when you need to, and thus maintain ‘normal service’ even when the heat is on.

To address this, Rubicon has devised a rota system that allows some workers to finish early, and others to jump into their place with no adverse effect on the employer.

We work on the ethos that happy people are productive people, and offer all workers a means of earning extra cash at this expensive time of year, providing clients with peace of mind during peak business periods.

So, instead of struggling, juggling or, worse, missing targets or deadlines, many local companies, from manufacturers and distributers to packers and retailers, already employ seasonal workers.

Poolebeck Ltd, importers and distributors of licensed giftware, to whom Rubicon supply a high volume of temporary staff from September onwards, are advocates of the festive temp system.

And if you like the idea, but shudder at the thought of the time and effort required to sort out the advertising, interviewing, hiring and contracting this requires, not to mention the problem of finding somebody at short notice when someone fails to turn up, there are specialist recruitment agencies that can do all that for you. Naturally, this comes at a charge, but prices can be reasonable with overall costs often outweighed by the benefits.

So, if you also want to maintain your company standards, by using quality temporary staff, please give Grace a call on 01202 680311 or email grace@rubiconpeople.co.uk

A professional agency will not only have experience in recruiting the right person for the job, they will be adept at quickly providing reliable and honest staff and can advise you on possible pitfalls.

We are open until Christmas Eve and straight after the Christmas Break

Rubicon People, 71 High Street, Poole, Dorset BH15 7AF, Tel: 01202 680311 www.rubiconpeople.co.uk

To receive a FREE copy go to www.newbusinessmatters.com

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