NORTH WEST DEVELOPMENT AGENCY
NORTH WEST BUSINESS SUPPORT SIMPLIFICATION EVENT, 1 AUGUST - GROUP FEEDBACK
Final Report
August 2007 Regeneris Consulting Ltd One Ashley Road Altrincham, Cheshire WA14 2DT Tel: 0161 926 9214 Fax: 0161 926 8545 Web: www.regeneris.co.uk
North West Business Support Simplification Event, 1 August - Group Feedback
CONTENTS 1.
INTRODUCTION
1
2.
KEY MESSAGES
2
3.
WORKSHOP FEEDBACK
5
A-00350
North West Business Support Simplification Event, 1 August - Group Feedback
1.
Introduction
1.1
This report provides detailed feedback from the North West Business Support Simplification event which took place on 1st August at Manchester’s Lowry Centre. The aim of the exercise was to provide a region wide opportunity for all organisations in the business support landscape to contribute to the consolidated regional response to the DTI consultation Simplifying Business Support. The consultation was launched in June 2007 and concludes in September 2007. Delegates attended one of six workshop sessions, and were asked to address a number of the 16 consultation questions posed by the DTI. These questions were grouped into themes for the workshops.
Workshop Themes 1. National Offers & Local Needs: Does the proposed national portfolio of 24 business support offers help partners in the North West implement BSSP?
2. Access Points: How can Business Link be supported to become the primary gateway of publicly funded business support? 3. Efficiency & Effectiveness: How can services be improved to increase efficiency whilst continuing to tackle business needs in the region and maintaining impact on business performance?
4. Intelligence: How should we gather and utilise information on impact and performance?
5. Co-ordination & Oversight: At what level is decision-making about business support provision best undertaken?
DTI Questions Q1 Do you think the business support outlined in Figure 2 and at Annex A adequately covers the key needs of business and helps achieve public policy aims outlined in this document? Q5 Do the business support themes make it easier for you to know what publicly-funded support is available to meet the needs of your business? Are they the right themes? Q6 To what extent will reducing the amount of branded business support make it easier to know what is available to meet the needs of your business? Q8 How can Business Link be further developed to meet business and government needs consistent with this policy? Q9 How can business support services make best use of Business Link as the primary access channel for business? Q2 Where do you see duplication in publicly-funded business support? Q3 Where do you feel support is adequately provided by the private sector, thereby reducing the need for public sector support? Q4 What publicly-funded business support do you regard as being of the highest priority? Q7 How can the delivery of business support be better arranged to minimise customer confusion and achieve economies of scale? Q12 If you have experience of using publicly-funded business support, what were the costs to you of finding out what was available to meet your needs? Q13 How much do you think our proposals could reduce your costs in looking for and understanding publicly-funded business support? Q14 How far do you agree with our initial estimates of the benefits and costs of simplifying publicly-funded business support? Q15 Are there other benefits or costs to the proposals? Q10 Do you agree with the proposed strategic oversight of business support? Q11 Is there another option that you think we should consider and how would you justify it? Q16 How far will our proposals make it simpler for business to know what publicly-funded business support is available and how to access it?
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North West Business Support Simplification Event, 1 August - Group Feedback
2.
Key Messages
2.1
A review of the feedback from the six workshop sessions drew out the following key messages.
Theme 1: National Offers & Local Needs 2.2
The proposed business support framework was broadly welcomed. However, delegates pointed to a need for more detail about what would be constituted by the individual business support ‘offers’.
2.3
There were particularly strong views about the need for local flexibility to be maintained in some form, along with the need to be able to tailor services to the needs of clients. Delegates emphasised the continued need for a local presence. Substantial expertise is already embedded in the system and this should be recognised. Examples of local differences include: •
Specific needs of BME communities;
•
Needs of deprived communities;
•
Industrial areas and the contrast with the needs of rural areas.
2.4
Some concern was evident over the overlap between the different categories in the framework (eg. start ups)
2.5
A number of potential gaps were highlighted, including: •
Sites and premises;
•
Micro-business support;
•
Marketing (see below);
•
Enterprise in deprived communities;
•
Support for sectors;
•
HR and recruitment;
•
Social enterprise;
•
Inclusion agenda.
2.6
Several groups singled out the importance of marketing and ‘routes’ to market. Emphasis on international marketing possibly overlooks the significance of companies’ operating in domestic markets.
2.7
A number of delegates raised the questions of support with legal and regulatory obligations and suggested that this should be incorporated.
2.8
There was some potential for businesses to remain confused. This particularly related to the role of Business Link, with some uncertainty about where the service ‘started’ in the framework, and the utility of a generalised service when many businesses required specialist assistance from the outset.
Theme 2: Access Points 2.9
Business Link needs to ensure that its services are well publicised from the outset. One or two concerns were expressed about the timetable for the simplification process and the need to raise awareness quickly of the changes taking place and the new services on offer. Broadly, the single branding concept was welcomed.
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North West Business Support Simplification Event, 1 August - Group Feedback
2.10
A related issue was the degree to which the marketing of Business Link should be tailored to specific types of business/entrepreneur (eg. BME communities, women entrepreneurs).
2.11
Several groups raised the issue of confidence in Business Link, and there appeared to be some uncertainty about whether the proposed changes would strengthen the reputation of Business Link with businesses and providers. Its ability to establish its credibility at an early stage would be a significant factor in the determining its success.
2.12
Some concerns were also expressed about whether Business Link would continue to offer a service that was sufficiently flexible for locally specific requirements. This would need to be balanced by the imperative to reduce duplication, although this was recognised by some delegates as a difficult balance to strike.
2.13
Good quality information held and distributed by Business Link, along with the continued availability of experts, would be important factors in the success of the IDB service. This information needs to be accessible to businesses and providers, and web based tools could play an important part in achieving this. Developing the supplier database was acknowledged by some delegates as a difficult challenge.
2.14
Points were raised about the relationship between Business Link and providers. Would this be sufficiently impartial, and would it enable businesses to access the appropriate specialist support? One or two groups highlighted a particular need for sector specialists. There should be stronger links with other organisations (eg. LSC), and several delegates saw Business Link as potentially having a coordinating role.
2.15
One or two groups suggested that funding should be separate from the assessment of the needs of the business.
Theme 3: Efficiency and Effectiveness 2.16
There were clear messages about the need to simplify and consolidate the target framework. One group described the issue as a ‘low hanging fruit’ problem. It might be more appropriate to focus on outcomes than outputs. Government could assist by taking a harder look at evaluating the effectiveness of an intervention and simplify the target system. More external verification of impact would be useful.
2.17
Strong quality assurance arrangements and clarity in the contracting process were seen as key factors in reducing the potential for duplication and ensuring the credibility of services.
2.18
Issues about the accessibility and openness of Business Link were echoed under this theme. This applied in equal measure to other public sector agencies and the private sector, and would be a significant factor in creating an effective service.
2.19
A number of delegates suggested that a sectoral focus would be the most effective approach, but there was no consensus on this issue. Others felt that particular communities and/or geographical areas should be targeted.
2.20
Local and regional strategies and solutions need to be aligned (i.e. ERDF and Local Area Agreements).
2.21
Several delegate suggested that emphasis on market failure should be balanced with a focus on social equity. For example, start ups in deprived communities and worklessness need to be addressed as a means to tackle social challenges.
2.22
Getting the Business Link service right would be important. Businesses would need good quality advice from people with the right sort of knowledge. Business Link needs to
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North West Business Support Simplification Event, 1 August - Group Feedback
demonstrate the benefits of intervention and offer options for which the business itself can take the final decision.
Theme 4: Intelligence 2.23
There was a broad array of suggestions about how intelligence might be improved. Issues raised included: •
The possibility of a standardised information gathering approach and collection point.
•
The importance of good quality feedback, perhaps through customer satisfaction surveys.
•
The need to draw on existing good practice and the expertise of local providers.
•
The idea of a Regional Forum to interpret national and local data/impacts.
Theme 5: Coordination and Oversight 2.24
There was general support for the principle of co-ordination and oversight lying at the regional level, but it will be vital that local differences in economic need and circumstance are reflected in any decision-making. Responsibility should be devolved to the lowest possible level. Greater understanding of how national and regional schemes are delivered within subregional and local areas is needed, to avoid duplication of activity at the local level.
2.25
It was also argued that business must be represented on the key decision-making bodies (i.e. tapping in to the opinion of real businesses). The co-ordination/oversight committee must seek/utilise intelligence on the private sector business support market, as an input into its decision-making process on which types of interventions require public support.
2.26
However, publicly funded provision should be about more than just filing a gap in the private sector market. The co-ordinating/oversight committee must play a key role in identifying opportunities for investment (i.e. where returns on investment are likely to be greatest), rather than simply looking for private sector gaps to fill.
2.27
Accountability of those delivering publicly funded business support was felt to be an important issue. The question was raised about whether local interventions should be explictly expected to contribute towards Local Area Agreement (LAA) goals. Maximisation of value for money should be a key objective of any co-ordination/oversight of business support.
2.28
Lastly, the co-ordination and oversight body must priovide clarity over the process of implenting business support simplification in the region. Currently, there are too many general statements, and it is the detailed arrangements that are most important.
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North West Business Support Simplification Event, 1 August - Group Feedback
3.
Workshop Feedback
3.1
This section contains the responses from each of the six breakout groups. Each group was asked to consider the questions relating to theme 1 (National Offers and Local Needs) and theme 2 (Access Points) along with one of the remaining three themes. Rapporteurs were asked to record key points from the discussions which were conducted in sub-groups. This feedback is provided below.
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North West Business Support Simplification Event, 1 August - Group Feedback
Group 1 Responses Workshop Theme 1. National Offers & Local Needs: Does the proposed national portfolio of 24 business support offers help partners in the North West implement BSSP?
TABLE 1 Broadly OK as a tool-kit; it is sufficiently broad and as long as it can be adapted in future to respond to business needs/demand. But, this does raise the question as to what the review process is. It is unclear whether regulatory assistance and incubation/managed workspace (and indeed other forms of property provision) are included.
The framework does need to be tested against different stages of the business development from start-up, onwards and including microbusinesses. Different marketing approaches as well as different services may be required at each stage. It is unclear how handholding businesses through the process (including inward investment) of developing their businesses is incorporated; this could be thought of as after-care. 2. Access Points: How can Business Link be supported to become the primary gateway of publicly funded business support?
Business Link, they need to be able to guide/hand hold businesses through the process of accessing and implementing business support.
There is a need to embrace the knowledge platform, but this does need to adapt to local circumstances (e.g. in LEGI areas) through local business communications strategies in order to build business confidence.
3. Efficiency & Effectiveness: How can services be improved to increase efficiency whilst continuing to tackle business needs in the region and maintaining impact on business performance?
Need to be clear about the quality assurance process for business support deliverers, linked to an evolving product catalogue (using an ebay type response). Perhaps in the second phase, Business Link should encourage professional standards of advice in the public and private sector (this may even stimulate growth of the market too). There is an on-going debate and the role of sub-regions and local areas and how Business Link can respond to local needs and fill knowledge gaps.
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North West Business Support Simplification Event, 1 August - Group Feedback
Workshop Theme 1. National Offers & Local Needs: Does the proposed national portfolio of 24 business support offers help partners in the North West implement BSSP?
TABLE 2 The framework does appear broad enough; however interest will be in the detail which we cannot answer yet. Q6 depends on the strength of the brand and communication of it.
Is there too much of an assumption that all business want to grow? Support needs to include assistance for survival and support for social benefit and for lifestyle businesses. 2. Access Points: How can Business Link be supported to become the primary gateway of publicly funded business support?
Regular contact with business support providers is needed in order to understand what is available. Web content needs to improve to provide information on products.
There is a need to be able refer businesses into Business Link as well as out and for Business Link to better market themselves. 3. Efficiency & Effectiveness: How can services be improved to increase efficiency whilst continuing to tackle business needs in the region and maintaining impact on business performance?
Simplification really requires a consolidation of targets and eligibility criteria from funding bodies.
Need to “unshackle� advisors to be more biased about recommendations (more like the private sector) and provide customer ratings to back this up.
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North West Business Support Simplification Event, 1 August - Group Feedback
Workshop Theme 1. National Offers & Local Needs: Does the proposed national portfolio of 24 business support offers help partners in the North West implement BSSP?
TABLE 3 Confused by the process and the lack of information to consult upon. There appear to be gaps around micro-business support i.e. growth & continuation planning plus business expansion and survival. Need to move away from the defined clusters and involve more small businesses.
The framework will help, but it is unclear what constraints will be in place at the local level and who will police it.
2. Access Points: How can Business Link be supported to become the primary gateway of publicly funded business support?
There is benefit in having a strong Business Link brand, although it needs to have contact details on every support programme. This will move away from local knowledge, support and involvement. Is one access point the best way forward? Should consider sharing information of the progress of enquiries. Business Link needs to know what is out there from local authorities, enterprise agencies etc. And need to be more than just a catalogue . Better understanding of the gaps and better alignment between programmes will help. There is a fundamental problem for businesses in knowing what Business Link does offer. Need to link the service to those sources which small businesses tend to go to for advice. Should also think about a service/price comparison type web service too.
3. Efficiency & Effectiveness: How can services be improved to increase efficiency whilst continuing to tackle business needs in the region and maintaining impact on business performance?
Triage for business enquiries so they can be directed to right action. Need to: • get the right staff doing the right job and investing in their market knowledge • follow-up on advice given • sit down with a person who understands their needs • provide a well-balanced and considered responses (not an immediate one necessarily) • develop a relationship for the future.
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North West Business Support Simplification Event, 1 August - Group Feedback
Group 2 Responses Workshop Theme 1. National Offers & Local Needs: Does the proposed national portfolio of 24 business support offers help partners in the North West implement BSSP?
Generally, the broad picture was supported, although partners requested clarity about what the term ‘offer’ meant. An offer could still potentially contain many different projects/products, and therefore a framework containing fewer offers will not neccesarily simplify the business support network. Getting the right products is arguably just as important as getting the right broad business suport theme headings (i.e. the practicalities of product/project design and delivery are the key challenge). Although partners felt that the framework provided a pretty comprehensive coverage of key business needs, some gaps were highlighted around sites/premises and marketing (although the role of the private sector in these two areas and the need for public intervention were not touched upon). Spatial dimensions need to be brought out. For example, it is currently unclear how enterprise within deprived communities woud fit into the framework. It is imperative that the framework allows for sufficient local flexibility to tackle key issues (whether around culture of enterprise or how to boost business density). Partners also suggested that job creation should be a key objective of business support, and the framework did not offer a clear picture of how this would be achieved. The focus on environmental factors was welcomed, but it was argued that issues would be tackeld more effectively with tailored local services. Perhaps the key message is that whatever overarching framework is put in place, it must permit the flexibility to provide a customised intervention to the business client, and we need to develop some agreed measures of success in business support simplification. Some prioritisation over the relative importance of each of the 24 offers to the target business community would be welcomed.
2. Access Points: How can Business Link be supported to become the primary gateway of publicly funded business support?
If Business Link is to become the one-stop-shop for publicly funded busines support, it faces a number of challenges. A key challenge is one of credibility and reputation. There is currently a great deal of scepticism about the quality of the Business Link offer (among businesses and among those within the business support network), not all of which is entirely fair. However, perceptions play a role in influencing business decisions, and Business Link needs to take steps to improve its reputation. Building credibility is vital if all partners are to have trust in Business Link, and if its brand is to gain value. Signposting is a key element of the Information, Diagnostics and
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North West Business Support Simplification Event, 1 August - Group Feedback
Brokerage (IBD) model. Business Link and partners across the region (and at a different spatial levels) must work together to share intelligence and databases, to promote better targeting of support to businesses and information sharing within the business suport network. However, partners stressed that the initial point of contact at Business Link must be an advisor with sufficient understanding of both business needs and of the business support process, so that businesses are given appropariate up-to-date information and/or advice (i.e. Business Link must not become a call-centre type operation). Knowing where to refer businesses following an initial enquiry will be a vital part of the Business Link service. Linked to the above, speed of response to business enquiries and flexibility of response (i.e. extent to which response is tailored, rather than generic) are very important in bolstering organisational reputation.
5. Co-ordination & Oversight: At what level is decisionmaking about business support provision best undertaken?
The general view was that this is a complex issue, with no easy solution. Vested interests will always be lurking. Nevertheless, there was general support for the principle of co-ordination and oversight lying at the regional level, but it will be vital that local differences in economic need and circumstance are reflected in any decisionmaking. Greater understanding of how national and regional schemes are delivered within sub-regional and local areas is needed, to avoid duplication of activity at the local level. It was also argued that business must be represented on the key decision-making bodies (i.e. tapping into the opinions of real businesses). Transparency was seen as crucial here. The co-ordination/oversight committee must seek/utilise intelligence on the private sector business support market, as an input into its decision-making process on whcih types of interventions require public support. However, publicly funded provision should be about more than just filing a gap in the private sector market. The coordinating/oversight committee must play a key role in identifying opportunities for investment (i.e. where returns on investment are likely to be greatest), rather than simply looking for private sector gaps to fill. The committe must take a holistic approach and must keep in mind that the ultimate aim of BSSP is to improve quality of sevice to businesses. Raising awareness among businesses over eligibilty (e.g. on particular funding streams) also has an important role to play in ensuring that businesses know precisely what Business Link can do for them. The need to work together with private sector representative groups (e.g. CBI, IoD, FSB and local Chambers) was seen as important here.
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North West Business Support Simplification Event, 1 August - Group Feedback
Accountability of those delivering publicly funded business support was felt to be an important issue. The question was raised about whether local interventions should be explictly expected to contribute towards Local Area Agreement (LAA) goals. Maximisation of value for money should be a key objective of any co-ordination/oversight of business support. Lastly, the co-ordination and oversight body must priovide clarity over the process of implenting business support simplification in the region. Currently, there are too many general statements, and it is the detailed arrangements that are most important.
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North West Business Support Simplification Event, 1 August - Group Feedback
Group 3 Responses Workshop Themes 1. National Offers & Local Needs: Does the proposed national portfolio of 24 business support offers help partners in the North West implement BSSP? 2. Access Points: How can Business Link be supported to become the primary gateway of publicly funded business support?
TABLE 1 1. Overall fairly happy with the offers, sufficiently generic to work in most locations – what matters is local delivery 2. Support package needs to be “sector sensitive” in additional to geographical sensitivities (e.g. relating to Objective 1 status) 3. Some concern over the cross over between the categories as some processes are generic – e.g. start-up 1. IDB is a logical approach but needs developing. The knowledge platform is not comprehensive enough. There is a lack of hand holding client through the process, clients referred to product catalogue with little guidance. 2. Would like to see the knowledge platform be a genuine portal with external links and search facilities (e.g. to sector specialist information) 3. Concern that better knowledge of BL staff may lead them to promote “favourites” 4. Lack of feedback and communication to provider network from BL – they are operating in the dark; need two way communication and a better relationship. 5. Need to have sector specialists embedded in BL (beyond just the NWDA target sectors) and better sector intelligence (Sector Skills Councils facing a national challenge in ensuring consistent information for firms in all regions)
4. Intelligence: How should we gather and utilise information on impact and performance?
Did not cover in any depth
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North West Business Support Simplification Event, 1 August - Group Feedback
Workshop Themes 1. National Offers & Local Needs: Does the proposed national portfolio of 24 business support offers help partners in the North West implement BSSP?
TABLE 2 1. Legal and regulation area is missing 2. National and local marketing missing (as opposed to international) 3. Supply chain networks missing 4. HR and recruitment missing 5. Should be no boundaries for brokerage (whatever the business needs) [as opposed to what service public sector then subsidises the deliver of] 6. Firms need to be able to source training nationally – not just from those on Products Directory 7. Need local presence to understand business needs and local discretion 8. Overall found framework unclear [especially in relation to degree of flexibility]
2. Access Points: How can Business Link be supported to become the primary gateway of publicly funded business support?
4. Intelligence: How should we gather and utilise information on impact and performance?
1. Agreed with the principle of sharing information on business needs 2. Could have other support service providers conducting dialogue with BL on behalf of the company 3. Need to consider branding of LSC, Train to Gain and Export support – competing brands with BL 1. Should include qualitative as well as quantitative measures 2. Should consider business excellence model 3. Should consider social accounting (triple bottom line measures etc) 4. Perhaps there should be Service Level Agreements on penetration of IDB service
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North West Business Support Simplification Event, 1 August - Group Feedback
Workshop Themes 1. National Offers & Local Needs: Does the proposed national portfolio of 24 business support offers help partners in the North West implement BSSP?
TABLE 3
•
"Sales and marketing development" - too international in focus, many companies want advice on expanding sales nationally
•
Businesses in different geographic regions often have different aspirations/ambitions i.e. higher number of companies want to go international in say Manchester compared with remote parts of Cumbria.
•
Rural businesses need different product set - e.g. farmers don't see business link as a service for them.
•
Topics are very broad - nothing will be stopped/changed as a result of this.
•
Language used is not appropriate for business - what does "support networks" mean to a business
•
Top line of figure 2 is useful but companies will be put off by list below - they need to be guided through this.
•
How can we ensure that companies are cross referred between products - i.e. they may ring up and ask about international trade but then how does that company also find out about say innovation advice (which might be highly appropriate for them)?
•
Local needs can only be met by regional delivery - this adds credibility, national offers/programmes may seem too remote.
•
Need to be able to use "key words" to find relevant products - businesses might use very different language.
•
“Sales and marketing development" - too international in focus, many companies want advice on expanding sales nationally.
•
Businesses in different geographic regions often have different aspirations/ambitions i.e. higher number of companies want to go international in say Manchester compared with remote parts of Cumbria.
•
Rural businesses need different product set - e.g. farmers don't see business link as a service for them.
•
Topics are very broad - nothing will be stopped/changed as a result of this
•
Language used is not appropriate for business - what does
•
"support networks" mean to a business
•
Top line of figure 2 is useful but companies will be put off by list below - they need to be guided through this
•
How can we ensure that companies are cross referred between products - i.e. they may ring up and ask about international trade but then how does that company also find out about say innovation advice (which might be highly appropriate for them)?
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2. Access Points: How can Business Link be supported to become the primary gateway of publicly funded business support?
4. Intelligence: How should we gather and utilise information on impact and performance?
•
Local needs can only be met by regional delivery - this adds credibility, national offers/programmes may seem too remote.
•
Need to be able to use "key words" to find relevant products - businesses might use very different language.
•
Need to get accountants recommend business link.
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Pushing the brand at the moment but need to ensure that customers see value in the offer.
•
Need to get the wider private sector to buy-in and promote the business link concept.
•
Need to get greater awareness of possibility of registering on the business link systems - not all providers have registered.
•
Business link perceived to focus on "micro" businesses rather than on medium sized businesses.
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Fundamental issue is creating transparency with business link – how do you know that the best available solution is being brokered in for you?
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Feedback needs to be captured at the point of delivery.
•
Takes too long to find feedback forms.
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Most companies access the web site at night - but then there are no business advisers available to help them.
•
Businesses need to be able to see what other businesses thought of the service - a "tripadvisor/amazon" review system would be useful.
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and
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North West Business Support Simplification Event, 1 August - Group Feedback
Workshop Themes 1. National Offers & Local Needs: Does the proposed national portfolio of 24 business support offers help partners in the North West implement BSSP?
POINTS FROM ALL TABLES 1. List generally OK, so long can be locally tailored in terms of delivery 2. Missing “routes to market” as an area – framework includes international but not relevant to lots of firms. Many firms good at producing a product but not selling it. 3. If only targeting market failure then pitching very low – system needs to support success - focus on "beacon businesses". 4. If only market failure then often intervention is too late - resources required are greater - early intervention around opportunity could yield greater results/prevent future market failures occurring/coming into play. 5. Companies need help via all stages of their life. 6. Central schemes - lack credibility, not integrated with local networks/economies, often supply chain is within local communities.
2. Access Points: How can Business Link be supported to become the primary gateway of publicly funded business support?
1. Big issues in getting knowledge platform up to data and with local information – otherwise lacks credibility, but recognised an immense task to develop supplier base 2. A related issue is skills of brokers in understanding and then using the knowledge platform 3. Getting right people to work as brokers is key [long standing BL issue] 4. Challenge of BL credibility with farmers/rural firms [compared to Farming Advisory Service] 5. In some areas businesses fed up with constant change (e.g. Greater Manchester) and so not prepared to take new BL too seriously
4. Intelligence: How should we gather and utilise information on impact and performance?
6. An issue how national level services (e.g. of a sectoral nature) get played into knowledge portal across all regions Did not cover in any depth.
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Group 4 Responses Workshop Theme 1. National Offers & Local Needs: Does the proposed national portfolio of 24 business support offers help partners in the North West implement BSSP?
2. Access Points: How can Business Link be supported to become the primary gateway of publicly funded business support?
4. Intelligence: How should we gather and utilise information on impact and performance?
TABLE 1
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Start-up funding is very important.
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Legal Employment Queries – where do these fit in?
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How will the service be monitored?
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Need more on the definition of ‘assisted’ as a means by which to monitor performance.
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NWDA to monitor performance on a national/regional/local level.
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Felt that this question was pitched at the wrong audience – should be asking the private sector (was referring to the DTI question).
Need to do more consultation with local business – need to keep chasing businesses for their opinion on the paper. Framework overall is fine, but felt that some of the offers had been included under the wrong themes.
What will the feedback process be like? Need to work on a local level. Employers need to be thoroughly consulted. Wider engagement with universities is required
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North West Business Support Simplification Event, 1 August - Group Feedback
Workshop Theme 1. National Offers & Local Needs: Does the proposed national portfolio of 24 business support offers help partners in the North West implement BSSP?
TABLE 2 Yes and No – Yes insofar as it covers everything. No in that it provides insufficient detail. What the group is very interested in is the flexibility within this.
2. Access Points: How can Business Link be supported to become the primary gateway of publicly funded business support?
- BL needs to work in close partnership with all partners and delivery organisations to make this happen. - BL – should be less paper work, particularly at the diagnostic stage. - Need to develop and keep up to date a comprehensive product database. Need one CRM System.
4. Intelligence: How should we gather and utilise information on impact and performance?
- Need to standardise information collection (both in terms of the info and the approach). - Need to have one collection point – one resource which everyone feeds into.
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North West Business Support Simplification Event, 1 August - Group Feedback
Workshop Theme 1. National Offers & Local Needs: Does the proposed national portfolio of 24 business support offers help partners in the North West implement BSSP?
TABLE 3 - Framework is satisfactory but concern about how this will translate on the ground. Could still be confusing for businesses. - Concerns that Business Link will still not provide the right signposting for the companies. They need to have local knowledge. - Process driven by desire to reduce costs rather than improve effectiveness. - Concerns about whether there will be several providers or one sole provider delivering products. - Concerns about loss of expertise in the delivery and provider base. Local providers know what works and we shouldn’t lose this knowledge.
2. Access Points: How can Business Link be supported to become the primary gateway of publicly funded business support?
- Information is meaningless if the intelligence is not behind the data. - Shared knowledge platform is essential – it is difficult to support companies and there is a danger that companies may be visited by several publicly funded bodies. - Need to have continuous development of Business Link staff. - Providers need to have a good understanding of IDB. - There is a credibility issue with Business Link. There is a need for transparency in terms of how the decision over signposting to a particular provider is made. - Need to know how Business Link has performed i.e. how many companies they have dealt with, in what sectors etc. over a certain time period. - Need to avoid information overload. - Need to be wary of Business Link handing enquiries to providers. Some providers may not want to deal with particular clients.
4. Intelligence: How should we gather and utilise information on impact and performance?
- Need to draw on good practice from previous experience and not just focus on how practices will develop in future. - Danger is that rationalisation will create particular gaps in the market. - Need to share expertise and benefit of local providers. - Need to have a Regional Forum that interprets national and local data/impacts. - Important to have feedback.
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Workshop Theme 1. National Offers & Local Needs: Does the proposed national portfolio of 24 business support offers help partners in the North West implement BSSP?
TABLE 4 In reducing the offers are we trying to shoehorn to too small a number – will we lose the detail? How do we pick up the need to be proactive in encouraging companies to take up new opportunities, rather than just encouraging them to use existing products? We need to ensure that small businesses themselves can feed into this process, not just representative bodies. Business Link should use case studies to promote the services offered. What should be the rationale behind intervention? There needs to be a consistent gateway in determining whether or not public sector business support should be offered. The amount of funding is going down therefore we need to be more selective over which companies receive it. How can the portfolio of products reflect local needs and priorities for intervention? How are local priorities set – a local economic development strategy? Local knowledge on the operation of economies is vital.
2. Access Points: How can Business Link be supported to become the primary gateway of publicly funded business support?
“Business Link is not a delivery mechanism, it is a gateway, it is a web based business”. In the portfolio we should have a fair payment scheme to encourage companies to pay suppliers in a timely manner. Business Link need to know what help is out there – they need to get out more and communicate with localities and partners. Businesses need to understand the new BL system and services – marketing and communication by BL needed. “Just Ask” campaign to start shortly. Tailored marketing will be required to different industry sectors, geographical groups and target communities (EM, Women, Benefit Claimants).
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4. Intelligence: How should we gather and utilise information on impact and performance?
We need feedback from customer satisfaction surveys (independent). We need to assess impact of intervention on business performance – such as GVA/sales/jobs On start up – survival rates would be a good indicator – we should compare across regions too We should be careful that what we manage is a direct consequence of the intervention made.
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Group 5 Responses Workshop Themes 1. National Offers & Local Needs: Does the proposed national portfolio of 24 business support offers help partners in the North West implement BSSP? 2. Access Points: How can Business Link be supported to become the primary gateway of publicly funded business support?
3. Efficiency and Effectiveness: How can services be improved to increase efficiency whilst continuing to tackle business needs in the region and maintaining impact on business performance?
TABLE 1 4. At both regional and local level, there are specific needs which reflect different issue in the area and the economy. The portfolio in the proposals may not address this. 5. The themes create some potential for some confusion as access to funding should match needs which cut across multiple themes.
6. The allocation of funding must be independent of the delivery of business support. The beneficiary should be free to choose their preferred service provider. 7. To ensure high quality initial business diagnostic there needs to be a separation of the funding and the assessment of the needs of the business. The latter requires independent experts in business management.
1. Contract management of delivery needs absolute clarity of scope and terms for partners in order to minimise the duplication of service delivery. 2. Openness and coordination of the Business Links is important. The Business Links need to be more open and accessible to other agencies and the private sector, and engage them to deliver the best possible support services.
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Workshop Themes 1. National Offers & Local Needs: Does the proposed national portfolio of 24 business support offers help partners in the North West implement BSSP?
TABLE 2 9. Many differences across region, between local areas and among different types of businesses. Examples include: - the particular needs of ethnic communities where unemployment and deprivation levels may be high. Businesses in these areas need to be targeted, and there should not just be a focus on university spin offs. - The needs of the low skilled to assist them in starting businesses. - Differences in access to funding can also make things difficult in the North West. - Industrialised areas and rural areas have different needs. Remote rural areas face particular challenges in obtaining support. - Not all sectors are covered across the whole region. 10. A targeted approach to SMEs and BME communities should be adopted. 11. The North West may be missing out because it is seen as too affluent and businesses are moving to areas where support is more extensive.
2. Access Points: How can Business Link be supported to become the primary gateway of publicly funded business support?
4. There is a lack of awareness about what the Business Link service will offer. It should be a generator of fresh, new ideas in a new and fresh way. Business Link needs to appreciate and understand the business support that is already available. It role needs to be clear, and customers need to know what this role is. 5. There should be clarity about how branding of products will fit with branding of Business Link. 6. One-to-one relationships are important to businesses. Are the Business Links going to have the time to diagnose the problem rather than just ‘throw’ products at businesses. 7. Risk of duplicated targets or organisations chasing own targets. This sways how Business Link works with other organisations. There is a need to convey the totality of support from Government in a clear way. 8. Business Link needs to broaden its reach to work with the 3rd sector. 9. There should be stronger linkages with other publicly funded organisations such as the LSC. 10. More information to businesses should be channelled through specialist groups. 11. HEIs are already doing a substantial amount of work with businesses and Business Link shouldn’t reinvent the wheel. 12. Minority ethnic businesses are an untapped resource for
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Business Link. 13. The new system needs to make it simpler for a business to move from one organisation to another. Business Link needs to coordinate this. 14. Business Link needs a very high quality information bank. 15. How will Business Link work with the Chambers of Commerce and other organisations? For example, there have already been some difficulties in relationships with cluster incubators. 16. There is a danger that provider organisations will start to compete for funding without strong coordination. 17. Businesses need to know who to talk to and what to expect. They need to manage expectations and not over promise. This will involve careful marketing of services and the resources to be able to deliver. 18. Publicity about what Business Link offers needs to be issued now regardless of progress of simplification process. Success stories to show how service has changed and improved are required to build confidence.
3. Efficiency and Effectiveness: How can services be improved to increase efficiency whilst continuing to tackle business needs in the region and maintaining impact on business performance?
5. There is a need to balance market failure emphasis with social equity and ensure that there is a level playing field. Market failure may just mean a lack of awareness and understanding is present. 6. In the drive for high growth businesses in the North West, intervention by specialist providers is needed before Business Link becomes involved. In turn, Business Link needs to signpost towards more specialist services. 7. Business Link needs to demonstrate the benefits of intervention. It needs to provide options for which the business itself can take the final decision. 8. Business Link needs to offer services at a time and place to suit businesses. They need to be equitable across the whole region. 9. There is some potential for overlaps in the number of SMEs assisted. May be better to chase outcomes rather than simply outputs in form of number of SMEs. Everyone in the delivery chain can count some intervention so it looks like 100 but is actually only 20. 10. Government needs to take a harder look at evaluating the effectiveness of an intervention and simplify the target system. More external verification of impact would be useful. 11. May be a danger of oversimplifying the system, losing some of its sophistication. Duplication is not always negative.
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Different areas of the region may require very similar (but not identical) service tailored to local need. 12. Government needs to get business support infrastructure in place first before launch at marketing at national level takes place. 13. What will happen to continuity of relationships if the smaller, diverse organisations start to lose contracts to deliver support as part of the simplification process?
Workshop Themes 1. National Offers & Local Needs: Does the proposed national portfolio of 24 business support offers help partners in the North West implement BSSP?
TABLE 3 7. Figure 2 is concise and comprehensive. 8. Some uncertainty about where Business Link service starts. 9. Need to understand the fit of social enterprise and the inclusion agenda as this is a potential gap. 10. Outreach and awareness raising doesn’t sit well in Business Link. This is better achieved through local level intervention i.e. through local authorities. 11. Concern that there will be duplication, especially when local funding is available. A reduction in the number of brands would help, but there is a need to understand what specific businesses want. 12. Not clear whether the common Business Link brand across public sector organisations, with appropriate accreditation, will increase employer confidence.
2. Access Points: How can Business Link be supported to become the primary gateway of publicly funded business support?
13. Business Link needs to be slick, straightforward and no-nonsense. It needs to make use of local expertise, but as one branded offer that can reduce duplication and bureaucracy. 14. Needs to be one brand regardless of organisation. 15. Impartiality is the Business Link’s USP, but should it be. 16. There is a need for quality assurance. This is vital for employer and broker confidence. Brokers need to be supported to offer specialist knowledge.
3. Efficiency and Effectiveness: How can services be improved to increase efficiency whilst continuing to tackle business needs in the region and maintaining impact
17. Sectors need to be the key factor, rather than the locality. 18. Need to build local capacity through appropriate sectoral focus which will benefit the economy. 19. Local and regional strategies and solutions need to be aligned (i.e. ERDF and Local Area Agreements). 20. Improving services could involve a provider database, stronger
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on business performance?
quality assurance, more advertising. 21. What is the role of the SSPA? Can they take the role of ‘stamping’ provision on a database? 22. The fewer options that are given to business, the better. 23. The target system needs to be changed. There is a ‘low hanging fruit’ problem. 24. Need to take risks to ensure future productivity. Long term aims as well as short term objectives need to be adopted, and all companies need to be encouraged to innovate. 25. There should be a mix of support across Figure 2. 26. Start ups in deprived communities and worklessness needs to be addressed. There are socially important issues to be addressed.
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Group 6 Responses Workshop Themes 1. National Offers & Local Needs: Does the proposed national portfolio of 24 business support offers help partners in the North West implement BSSP?
ALL TABLES From the outset there was lack of clarity on the themes, and the group felt it was hard to discuss this without understanding the programmes and schemes, which would fit under the themes. The focus of the discussion for one of the groups was about what was missing from the list as opposed to evaluating what was in it, and there was a request that the region be provided with a detailed written scope of the themes, to also include international aspects of business support. It was felt that the themes would be confusing to SMEs who, from the delegates’ experiences, “don’t know what they want”. The feedback was that SMEs tend to seek out specialists if they require help, and would not used a generalised service providing signposting assistance. One group was concerned certain programmes would not be covered under the existing themes and felt that more emphasis should be placed on Business Growth & Mentoring as a separate theme. Questions were also asked about where more operational activities would be placed such as IP Protection & legal support. All of the groups expressed confusion about the “100 programmes” – i.e. where had the figure come from? Would a framework model be used to evaluate the continuation or end to a particular programme? Would this mean that the number of offerings would remain the same, but consortiums would need to be formed to deliver 3-4 programmes under each theme? There were several comments that the timeframe of September was unrealistic for reaching an agreement on the themes. A major issue was where European programmes would fit into the programme activity – in order to avoid proliferation, would regions have to seek consent from central government to progress projects under Objective 1 funding, framework 7 etc.? No conclusion was reached here. Every group agreed that reduced branding was a positive step and would be less confusing for businesses.
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2. Access Points: How can Business Link be supported to become the primary gateway of publicly funded business support?
The scepticism about BL’s ability to deliver the role expected of it was a concurrent theme for all three groups. It was felt that on the whole, Northwest businesses have a highly negative view of the regional BL and avoid using it, referring instead to go straight to the appropriate organisations for specialist help. In the general feedback session delegates wanted it reported back that from a customer perspective “it takes 40 years to build a reputation, and 3 minutes to destroy it…Business Link have had their 3 minutes!” It was felt that even if the BL was re-branded, unless the individuals in the organisation were appropriately educated, and in many cases changed, they would not have the brokerage and diagnostic skills required to signpost clients correctly. Two of the groups shared the view that in the new organisation it would be vital for BL staff to be informed in a clear concise way, what the delivery people could offer. There was concern that without an account management system, clients could be given the wrong expectation of what the programmes and services could offer, particularly if companies have to meet specific criteria to get support. A major concern raised by all three groups was how the new role of BL would be communicated to the marketplace. The general consensus was that a simple campaign would be needed to establish quality and image, but this should not be done until all retraining of staff had been undertaken, to avoid customer disillusionment. Key emphasis was also placed on the need for Business Link to reach out to more sectors and geographical areas.
5. Co-ordination & Oversight: At what level is decisionmaking about business support provision best undertaken?
All 3 groups strongly believed that decision-making should stay firmly within the region – the point made by the plenary was how could an individual in central government know more than local groups and authorities about the deprived communities in Manchester? Responsibility should be devolved to the lowest possible level. It was acknowledged that some areas may wish to be more localised than others. The question was raised as to who would co-ordinate regional ERDF/ESF projects? The overall view was that regional strategic thinking should defer to local decision making and delivery channels.
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