the edge - for business in wirral | issue 8

theedge News

4

Let’s Eat!

8

Wirral Business Fair

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The IT Edition

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Bit to Geophyte

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The Edge For Living

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Shortlist

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Wetroom Revolution

25

The Lawns Restaurant

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Wirral Arts Scene

28

10 Ways to Improve Efficiency

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Elaine Owen Technology Review 30 Outlook: Fred Howard

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Tech Wars

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Gadgets and Gizmos

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Outlook: Koogar

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Christmas Party Time!

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Networking

42

Events Diary

44

Coffee Break

46

Classifieds

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A Let’s Go! Publication Issue Eight Editor Barry Bragg Publisher Melissa Bragg Design & Production Neil Rees for Sunrisedp (www.sunrisedp.co.uk) Creative Assistant Alex Ramsey Sales Executive Steve Lomas Published by Let’s Go! Publishing Limited.

With kind thanks to our contributors.

To advertise in future issues email melissa@theedgewirral.co.uk or telephone (0151) 200 7422. To contribute email editor@theedgewirral.co.uk. © Copyright Let’s Go! Publishing Limited 2012 No part of this publication may be reproduced, either in part or as a whole, including artwork, without prior written consent. All details are correct at time of publication. The editor of The Edge has consulted sources believed to be reliable in their efforts to provide information that is accurate and true at the time of publication. The views expressed in this publication are those of their authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinion or policy of Let’s Go! Publishing Ltd.

Hello and welcome to issue 8 of the Edge magazine. Our featured topic in this issue is IT, something guaranteed to send a shiver down the spines of many business owners.

In some respects a company IT system is like the engine of a car. We don’t necessarily need to know the fine detail of how it works in order to make good use of it and when it’s running well we pretty much take it for granted. When it stops working however we are usually thrown into chaos and panic as everything grinds to a shuddering halt and we rely on ‘roadside recovery’ to get us going again.

Taking the motoring analogy further allows us to examine the likelihood of us suffering a breakdown. Are we driving the latest, fully warranted model, straight off the production line or a 15 year old banger on its way to the scrap yard? Chances are it’s something in between as a mixture of finance and necessity dictates what we feel we can afford. What matters most of all is that our IT systems suit the requirements of our business and we’ve got a host of local IT specialists included in this issue who can work with you to ascertain what IT will work best for your company and help you to implement it.

Inside we have a great festive dining guide; our very own networking feature and we also introduce our new lifestyle supplement ‘Edge for Living’ where we hope to inspire you to enjoy the fruits of your labour. You work hard to earn it so why not indulge yourself! As always, we hope you enjoy this issue and find it a useful weapon in your business armoury.

Please keep sending us your news and feedback. It’s great to read your views and we hope to hear from you in time for our next issue in November.

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theedge

For enquiries and comments email news@theedgewirral.co.uk tweet @theedgewirral web www.theedgewirral.co.uk or find us on facebook

The Candice Colley Foundation to host fundraising event THORNTON HALL HOTEL is to play host to a charity evening on behalf of The Candice Colley Foundation – launched in memory of a young Wirral woman whose brave fight against leukaemia inspired thousands to join the bone marrow register.

The Candice Colley Foundation was launched in April 2011 by the family and friends of 23-year-old Candice Colley, to support those suffering from the disease or going through bone marrow transplants.

Candice lost her four year battle with leukaemia in December 2010, despite a successful Bone Marrow transplant.

The charity event – which will have a ‘pink or purple’ theme – will be held on Saturday October 13 starting at 6.45pm with a champagne reception, followed by a three course dinner with wine and coffee in the hotel’s Torintone Suite.

Radio Merseyside DJ Willie Miller will compere the evening, which will feature music from Wirral band The Pickups and DJ sets. To help raise funds for the foundation there will be an auction with lots of fabulous prizes generously donated by shops and business on the Wirral. All guests will receive a goody bag on arrival.

Candice’s mum Angela Marincowitz said: “It was Candice’s wish for a foundation to be set up to make life a little easier for people who were going through similar illness and treatment, as well as their families. This could be for things like hospital parking, tunnel tolls or TV cards.

“By hosting events like this at Thornton Hall Hotel we aim to raise funds needed for the foundation to be able to support people and families who are going through the same as what we did. In advance I would like to thank people for helping to support

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the Candice Colley foundation and joining us for these important events.”

“Any extra support local business or organisations can offer with donating a raffle prize, or items for the goodie bags and auction at the ball would be gratefully received.”

Geoff Dale general manager said: “We are delighted to be hosting this event on behalf of The Candice Colley Foundation and we hope to draw in a large crowd to support such an inspirational charity.”

Tickets for the event are £55 each – which includes a champagne reception and three course dinner with wine and coffee.

For further information please or to book tickets call Angela on 07582 926 926 or visit www.candicecolley.co.uk.

Marine Point goes from strength to strength NEPTUNE INVESTMENTS has attracted Prezzo to take a second unit at Marine Point, leasing a 3,500 sq ft waterside unit for its Mexican restaurant brand Chimichanga.

Prezzo’s eponymous Italian chain already operates next to the unit where Chimichanga will be based. The company has signed a 20-year lease at £18/sq ft for the second unit.

Danny Hynd, director of Neptune Investments, sister company of Neptune Developments which developed the seaside scheme, said: “All of the operators within the development are reporting very strong trade at Marine Point, despite the bad weather and the difficult economic climate.

It tells us we’ve got the product right which is why Prezzo were happy to commit to bringing their Chimichanga brand to the scheme.

“We’ve only got two waterside units

remaining and the rest of the development is trading strongly so we’re enjoying firm interest in the last available space.”

Trading at the scheme are The Light Cinemas, Greene King’s Hungry Horse, Starbucks and a 24,000 sq ft Grosvenor G Casino. There is also a Morrisons supermarket, Brooklyn Diner, Café Crème, a 66-bed Travelodge hotel and Home Bargains.

John Sullivan, co-owner of the Light Cinemas, said: “We set fairly ambitious spend targets because we know from other outlets that our cinemas out-perform the competition, but we’ve beaten even those forecasts. Marine Point has been a great move for us.” Hynd said that trading data shared with Neptune by the Floral Pavilion Theatre and the bowling alley on Marine Promenade also point to an uplift in trade in the area since the scheme opened.

news

Vacant high street shop levels rise THe nuMBer of vacant shops blighting the uK’s high streets and shopping centres has continued to rise, a report has revealed, amid grim warnings that some will never fully recover. Ministers have been urged to make it easier for vacant shops to be used for alternative purposes after a report by the local Data Company showed the average vacancy rate rose to 14.6% at the end of June, up from 14.3% six months ago.

The data, compiled by looking at 145,000 shops in 506 town centres, showed the worst-performing region overall was the north West, with average vacancy rates of 20.1%. The sharpest decline was suffered by the West Midlands, with 18.9% of shops closed, compared with 17.7% six months

ago. All regions have seen an increase over the past year apart from london, which has fallen to 10.1%. The best high street was at Chalfont St Peter in Buckinghamshire, where there are no empty shops. local Data Company director Matthew Hopkinson said: “At worst, it is about managing decline to enable alternative uses for a centre to take over and, at best, it is maintaining positive trends in the face of increasingly fierce competition and costs.”

CPL Learning achieves ‘outstanding’ Ofsted award BIrKenHeAD BASeD learning provider CPl learning, part of the international CPl Training Group, were awarded a Grade 1 by Ofsted for their outstanding teaching and assessment practices. A partner of BCTG, the lead provider of a consortia who deliver a range of Skills Funding Agency programmes across england, CPl learning were selected, along with several other providers, to be observed as part of the BCTG’s Ofsted inspection.

The inspection took place at national care service provider Mears Care, in their Hoylake office. In its assessment of CPl learning, Ofsted inspectors drew attention to the relationship between Mears Care and CPl and delivery methods used by the learning provider: “Outstanding teaching and assessment practices, excellent support from the employer and a true partnership.”

Mears Care Business Manager, Paul Cooper, has also been impressed by CPl’s involvement and intense approach to training his staff: “To attack learning the way we have is something we couldn’t have done without CPl. They make us feel like we are their number one client, in fact their only client, with all the support and attention they give us.”

Overall BCTG were awarded a Grade 2. CPl was one of only three of BCTG’s learning providers who received a Grade 1 and great feedback from Ofsted. CPl learning delivers level 2 and 3 Apprenticeships in Health and Social Care, Business and Administration, IT as well as Management and a range of other further education qualifications.

MSoft recruiting after fresh NHS success A WIrrAl healthcare technology company is celebrating after winning a clutch of new tenders, which will add £2m to its revenues. Wirral’s MSoft eSolutions has just been selected to provide its bloodtracking systems to Hull and east yorkshire Hospitals nHS Trust, meaning that it has won all eight tenders for which it bid in the last financial year.

As a result, MSoft is recruiting four new staff members, taking its team to 18. Hull has chosen MSoft’s Bloodhound solution

for its three principal hospitals - Hull royal Infirmary, Castle Hill Hospital and Princess royal Hospital. Matt McAlister, managing director of MSoft eSolutions, said: “Winning Hull and east yorkshire completes a remarkable clean sweep for and will mean more than £2m in revenue.

We were already providing our Bloodhound solution to hospitals in lincolnshire so this latest success strengthens our presence on the east coast.”

Park strikes website deal for Flexecash CHRISTMAS SAVINGS and pre-paid gift card firm Park Group has struck a deal with the website TopCashBack. In a stock market statement the Birkenhead company said the website is now offering its flexecash pre-paid gift card to 1.5 million members.

Park’s flexecash was launched a year ago and is the platform behind a range of pre-paid gift cards which are accepted by 25 high-street retailers.

Consumers using the website earn cash back on online purchases undertaken through its site. The flexecash card will be offered to its customers as a way of returning cash, alongside existing BACS and PayPal methods. Park’s chief executive Chris Houghton said: “We’re very pleased to announce this latest progress for the flexecash platform, which is enjoying great traction since launch and, in line with our strategy, is proving adaptable to a wide range of applications.

Wirral Dog Groomer wins national award GlynIS STuArT, owner of Trendy Pooches in Market Street, Hoylake, beat off competition from other groomers from around the uK to land the very first Animology Groomer Of The Month award. Despite strong competition from canine stylists across the uK, Glynis’ entry of Oscar the Wire Fox Terrier proved too good for the rest, earning her the Animology Groomer Of The Month award for June.

Group 55, the company behind the award-winning Animology product range, has launched a monthly competition for groomers, the Groomer Of The Month competition. Free to enter, all entrants have to do is submit a before and after picture of a dog that they have groomed. Group 55’s sales manager Martin Breen commented: “Glynis thoroughly deserves this award, as the many people who voted for her entry will agree. Oscar looked at his brilliant best after Glynis had worked her magic on him, and I’m sure his owner was delighted.” www.theedgewirral.co.uk | 5

news

Major street tree programme for Wirral Waters UP TO 600 new street trees, a rejuvenated park and other environmental improvements are set to benefit neighbourhoods surrounding the Wirral Waters development, marking the start of ambitious plans for the greening of the local area.

The £1.4 million tree planting project in partnership with Peel Holdings is funded by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) through the Forestry Commission’s Newlands programme, and will be delivered by The Mersey Forest over the next three years, beginning this winter. The funding includes community consultation and establishment of the trees for the first five years. Wirral Council has agreed to take responsibility for the longterm care of the trees.

The scheme will brighten key transport routes into Birkenhead’s docks to enhance local neighbourhoods, provide more attractive walking and cycling routes to Wirral Waters, and demonstrate to investors that the area’s regeneration is moving beyond its planning phase into delivery on the ground. The first 170 trees will be planted by March 2013 at locations including Hoylake Road, Duke Street, Gaultby Road and parts of Ilchester Park.

These areas provide routes to some of the first parts of Wirral Waters to be developed, such as around the International Trade

Centre at West Float, where site preparation works have now begun.

Richard Mawdsley, Development Surveyor for Peel Holdings said: “This investment has been drawn in as a consequence of the partnership approach Peel is taking to improve the wider area as well as the land it owns. Against a wider backdrop of austerity and funding cuts, this project has continued because of and to support Wirral Waters.

Wirral Business to benefit from faster BT Broadband

WIRRAL BUSINESSES have welcomed the latest upgrade by BT to open up faster broadband to almost 6,500 homes and businesses in Birkenhead. Birkenhead is the latest area to benefit from upgrades as part of the roll-out of BT’s next generation broadband service over copper lines and offering download speeds of up to 20 megabits per second – more than double the fastest speed previously available from BT. The faster broadband is already available to around 454,000 homes and businesses across Merseyside. By next spring around 93% of homes and businesses in the region will be served by an exchange which has been upgraded to deliver these higher speeds.

Ken Davies, Wirral Chamber of Commerce 6 | www.theedgewirral.co.uk

chief executive, said: “I welcome this latest development which makes faster broadband available to thousands more businesses and homes across the county. “This kind of investment by BT is vital for the continued growth and prosperity of Wirral. “In a fast-changing, increasingly competitive world, faster broadband is tremendously important for local businesses and for individuals wanting to develop their skills and education.”

A&A Marketing celebrates 25th Anniversary A&A MARKETING was founded by Freddie Almond in 1987 and operated from the family home. As the company grew, a move to Conway House followed and in 1992 the company was appointed by the Royal Navy as the sole supplier of Commemorative Memorabilia for the Battle of the Atlantic celebrations.

In 1995 the company moved again to accommodate its own printing facilities.

After the sudden death of its founder in

Play.com improves reputation with local service PLAY.COM has brought its Contact Centre back to the UK, as part of its drive to create a more personal service offering for UK shoppers through a local team. In addition to improving the service on offer to its customers, they have created 55 full-time Wirral jobs, where its customer management partner, The Contact Company, is based.

Adam Stewart, Director of Marketing at Rakuten’s Play.com commented on the new onshore service: “Research shows that consumers feel a greater affinity and are more trusting of retailers that provide a local and knowledgeable service to those based overseas. With careful consideration we decided one of the first steps to deliver an improved personal service was to bring the Contact Centre back to the UK” Catherine Miles, Head of Project Management at The Contact Company commented on the partnership: “Customer service should be an integral part of any retailers offering and is a critical factor in customer relations and retention. We have been working with Rakuten’s Play.com to ensure that all our agents are well educated on the site’s products, so not only can they provide a considerate and an efficient personal response to all enquiries, they can also offer product insight.

1998 the company was taken over by son Andrew who quickly got to work stabilising and streamlining and moving forward into the 21st Century. The company now operates from premises in Hamilton Square in the heart of the business district and continues to supply large and small companies across the country.

Andrew says “I think I would put the company’s success of the last 25 years down to a very personal approach in the way we handle every enquiry plus our attention to detail and our unrivalled knowledge of the promotional merchandise industry”

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IT

UNIVERSITY OF LIVERPOOL I.T. ACADEMY PUTTING THE POWER AT YOUR FINGERTIPS

Microsoft Office Specialist recognised Certification The University of Liverpool, led by the School of Electrical Engineering, Electronics and Computer Science is opening its I.T. Academy in September 2012 with the launch of the globally recognised Microsoft Office Specialist recognised certification qualification.

The I.T. Academy will be running tutorials and exams in the following Microsoft applications.

• • • • •

Word 2010 Excel 2010 PowerPoint 2010 Outlook 2010 Access 2010

Who are they for?

Whether you are a Business or organisation looking to upgrade your employees IT skills or an individual wishing to improve your employability/promotion prospects the Microsoft Office Specialist Certification qualifications are the ideal solution.

Registration Fee £75 plus VAT. Registration fee entitles delegates to: • Microsoft e-learning training materials • GMETRIX e-learning training materials • 1 online examination • Attendance at Wednesday morning or afternoon tutorials at the University of Liverpool Computer Science Department

Booking/Further Information To find out more about these courses/ register for qualifications please visit: www.cpd.csc.liv.ac.uk or contact a.craig@csc.liv.ac.uk or phone+44 (0)151 795 4269

Microsoft and the Microsoft Office logo are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries.

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news

Let’s Go! Publishing Launch www.lets-eat-wirral.co.uk Win dinner for two every week for a year!

L

et’s Go! Publishing is proud to announce the launch of a new online resource for Wirral diners. Free membership and up to date, comprehensive coverage makes Let’s Eat! the only dining website you will ever need. Let’s Eat! is a complete directory of every Wirral restaurant and features all the information you need to know about dining out in Wirral. From the smallest café to the largest hotel if you are looking for news, reviews, recipes, menus, regular offers or special deals, Let’s Eat has got all the local knowledge and more.

Director of Let’s Go! Barry Bragg said “Wirral has a remarkably buoyant restaurant scene with over 250 establishments and so much to be proud of. As someone who has spent a decade reviewing Wirral restaurants for the local press I think it’s such a shame that the area is so poorly represented on national dining websites. Coming from a publishing background we appreciate the importance of good content which is why

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we will be listing extensive details of every restaurant in Wirral. That way we know that our members will have access to all the information they need to make the right decisions when dining out” Members can use the website to search for restaurants by area, cuisine or any of 50 other searchable features which will take just a couple of mouse clicks. The website will be introducing special dining offers and discounts deals and you will be able to book a table at a restaurant of your choice with the click of a button. Members will soon be able to download the mobile app to access the site when out and about so they will never miss a deal and they’ll be able to rate their restaurant experience and leave recommendations and reviews for other Wirral diners in real time.

Let’s Eat! celebrates all that is good about eating out in Wirral. Sign up today and you will be entered into a weekly draw to win dinner for 2 at a top Wirral restaurant.”

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news

Businesses uncertain about the readiness of school leavers for work EIGHT IN 10 businesses don’t believe school leavers are ready for work and say more should be done to help prepare them for employment, according to new findings from the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB).

59 per cent of survey respondents who already employ 16 to 17-year-olds reported that their young employees had poor literacy skills. Numeracy was also judged to be poor by 55 per cent and 56 per cent said communication skills fell short.

Of the 2,774 survey respondents that employ 16 to 17-year-olds, 77 per cent found that school leavers’ general business awareness was poor. So extending the duty on schools to provide careers’ guidance to pupils as early as possible is key. Early careers guidance and equipping young people with skills such as CV writing, time-keeping, problem solving and team working would not only help employers, but would give young people a better understanding of potential jobs and career paths.

John Walker, National Chairman, Federation of Small Businesses, said: “Businesses are ready to invest time and money training staff in job-related skills but expect them to come with at least the basics. It is a concern that businesses have again highlighted numeracy, literacy and core workplace skills, such as communication, as major problems. These are the skills with which young people need to be equipped to be successful in today’s tough jobs market. We want to see schools give these skills a higher priority by embedding them in all teaching from an early stage. All schools should be offering work experience to their pupils and engaging with local small businesses to ensure that young people are getting the work-related learning that they need.”

Award for local businesswoman WELL POLISHED are proud to announce that local Lady Nicola Lloyd Jones wins the prestigious title of “Well Polished Franchise of the Year 2012” which was awarded at their recent conference.

Nicola who covers the South Wirral area for Well Polished was presented with her award by Managing Director Sandra Venables.

Sandra went on to say that Nicola is an asset to our company as she has offered outstanding customer service to her clients and has dramatically increased her turnover and client base since joining the company in 2011. The key to our success is customer service this is something we take very seriously. Nicola also passed our mystery shopping challenge with flying colours.

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businessfair

Something for every business Wirral & Chester Business Fair 2012

H

undreds of businesses from across the Wirral and Chester areas and beyond will be taking part in the eighth annual Wirral and Chester Business Fair, which returns to New Brighton Floral Pavilion on Thursday 27th September from 10.30am to 3.30pm. Supported

by Wild Thang and Invest Wirral, this one-day event will place the focus on supporting and showcasing local companies from all business sectors. Around fifty local companies will be exhibiting on the day, giving visitors the chance to make face-to-face contacts, network and source new suppliers or partners.

Visitors will also be able to benefit from the specialist support and advice of ‘Ask the Expert’

Contributors including Wirral Borough Council, local Accountants Woods Squared and Institute of Export & International Trade, as well as The Chartered Management Institute and Chartered Institute of Marketing, who will each be offering one to one advice clinics to attendees. A host of free Workshops will be running on topics including ‘What is IP - How to Protect your Ideas and Innovations’ (Intellectual Property Office), ‘Understanding your competition and how to beat them’ (CIM), ‘Sales and Marketing Tips to Grow Your Business’ (Achieve Consulting) and ‘Crash course in E-mail and Social Media Marketing’ (iContact). Networking Sessions running alongside the exhibition and workshops provide visitors with additional opportunities to network and make lots of new contacts.

Kathy Haines, of Event Organisers Liverpool BA commented “Ever since we held the first Wirral & Chester Business Fair in 2005, it has grown to be one of our most popular annual events, regularly attracting 50+ exhibitors and 400-500 visitors.”

“We’re delighted to be holding the event again this year, at a time when it’s more important than ever that small and medium sized businesses are given the opportunities provided by our events to maintain regular contact with their existing customers, grow their list of contacts and access the information and support they need to thrive.”

“We try to make our events as accessible

and affordable as possible for all businesses, whatever their size or circumstances, with visiting the Fair and all features being completely free and exhibition space available from £225+VAT for those looking to have a higher profile on the day.”

FREE ENTRY

Business Exhibition - Free Business Clinics - Ask the Expert - Free Event Programme & Business Guide Business Support & Advice Free Workshops - Other Special Features i For more information about the Wirral & Chester

Business Fair and to register for your free place(s) please call Liverpool BA on 0151 709 8932 or visit the events website at www.businessfairsuk.com.

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feature

Getting IT Right Information technology (IT) is a branch of engineering dealing with the use of computers and telecommunications equipment to store, retrieve, transmit and manipulate data. The Oxford English Dictionary defines IT as ‘the study or use of electronic equipment, especially computers, for storing and analysing information’.

T

he term is commonly used as a synonym for computers and computer networks, but it also encompasses other information distribution technologies such as television and telephones.

“The goal of IT, since its inception, has been the timely delivery of information to those who need it.

If IT could deliver to its users all of the information all of the time, it would be impossible for anyone to make a mistake.”

Ephraim Schwartz Understanding the difference between data and information is the key for any business. Data is the bits of information our systems store. The system could be any type - those old metal filing cabinets still found around many offices, store data as does a rolodex card system or that 500 gigabyte hard-drive on your laptop. Information is data transformed (e.g., gathered, analysed, collated and sorted) to allow the user to digest and comprehend the implications of the data for timely, accurate, and effective decision-making.

Getting this process right is the key to successful IT and like any other function in business doing it right means getting 14 | www.theedgewirral.co.uk

expert advice and input. Whether you operate your business from a laptop and a smart phone; a static office or a multi location national or international network there are improvements you can make to your systems that will bring you operational advantages, greater productivity and improved decision making capabilities.

IT is constantly changing and we need to remain aware of those changes to maintain our competitive edge. Whether that is more intuitive software, smarter communications, faster data storage and retrieval, or more powerful computer equipment, it is not reasonable to imagine we can keep tabs on these fast paced changes personally and we certainly can’t all afford the expense of our own IT departments.

Likewise we also need to consider our IT systems in terms of regular appropriate maintenance, robust backup systems and even disaster recovery so that we have contingencies in place to recover effectively from accidents, mishaps or sabotage.

On the following pages we have compiled profiles on some of Wirral’s leading IT companies who between them can offer advice and support on all aspects of your IT requirements, even if you don’t yet know what they are. Getting the experts in at the planning stage will often save you time and money in the long run and in many cases initial consultations are free.

Every organisation’s IT strategy needs to securely store and transform the huge volumes of data being collected into information that can be readily accessed by all decision makers. Systems should be flexible, timely, and subject to ad hoc changes where necessary. That’s what business intelligence is about, as in a competitive world effective IT is often about survival, not just improvement or excellence.

“Business is now so complex and difficult, the survival of firms so hazardous in an environment increasingly unpredictable, competitive, and fraught with danger, that our continued existence depends on the day-today mobilisation of every ounce of intelligence.”

Konosuke Matsushita, founder of Panasonic

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itspecial

W

hen the Commodore 64 was first manufactured in 1982 it boasted the mammoth operating memory of 64 kilobytes (hence the name). Now, 30 years on, the best selling personal/ business computer of all time has been relaunched by Commodore USA and incorporates a slightly more respectable 4 Gigabytes of memory. With terabyte hard drives becoming the norm our appetite for information is rapacious and shows no sign of slowing anytime soon. To put things into context we’ve compiled a table of units of information, alongside some interesting information on… well, information!

There has been much discussion about the impact of the so-called “information age.” Prior to 2003, mankind had generated a sum total of 5 Exabytes of content historically. Today it is estimated we generate this amount of content measured in days.

The world’s technological capacity to store information grew from 2.6 exabytes in 1982 to 295 exabytes in 2007. This is equivalent to less than one 730-MB CDROM per person in 1982, roughly 4 CD-ROM per person in 1993, 12 CD-ROM per person in 2000, and almost 61 CD-ROM per person in 2007. Piling up the imagined 404 billion CD-ROM from 2007 would create a stack from the earth to the moon and a quarter of this distance beyond.

The world’s technological capacity to receive information through one-way broadcast networks was 432 exabytes in 1986 and 1,900 in 2007. The world’s effective capacity to exchange information through two-way telecommunication 20 | www.theedgewirral.co.uk

networks was 0.281 exabytes in 1982 and 65 exabytes in 2007. In 2010 6.5 Trillion SMS messages were sent worldwide.

Considering that most people didn’t start using the Short-Message-Service until 2002, this is tremendous growth. In the US in 2012 more than 200 Billion messages will be sent monthly.

In 2004, global monthly Internet traffic passed 1 exabyte for the first time. In January 2007, Bret Swanson of the Discovery Institute coined the term exaflood for a supposedly impending flood of exabytes that would cause the Internet’s congestive collapse. Nevertheless, global Internet traffic has continued its exponential growth, undisturbed, and as of March 2010 it is estimated at 21 exabytes per month.

The June 2009 update of the Cisco Visual Networking Index IP traffic forecast, predicts that by 2013, annual global IP traffic will reach two-thirds of a zettabyte or 667 exabytes. Internet video will generate over 18 exabytes per month in 2013.

Global mobile data traffic is estimated to grow to over two exabytes per month by 2013.

An IDC paper sponsored

by EMC Corporation states that 161 exabytes of data were created in 2006, “3 million times the amount of information contained in all the books ever written,”

with the number expected to hit 988 exabytes in 2010.

According to the CSIRO, in the next decade, astronomers expect to be processing 10 petabytes of data every hour from the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) telescope. The array will generate one exabyte every four days. IBM is designing hardware to process this information.

Several filesystems use disk formats that support theoretical volume sizes of several exabytes, although the userspace tools cannot yet administer such filesystems.

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forliving

Shoot Mini Basin Monobloc from Waterlooo Bathrooms

HEAVENLY HOMESTYLE

Measuring Spoons and Love Cushion from The Drawing Room

‘Hot Maguerita’ wall art and X-Frame Coffee Table from Suite Sensation

Claudia Canova Ostrich Print iPhone Case and Liberty Melamine Cake Stand from Tapleys

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forliving

Wet rooms have seen rapid growth in popularity in the UK and are having a major impact on bathroom layout and design.

T

he concept of the domestic wet room is relatively recent but the idea is now fully developed. Many Brits have holidayed abroad and stayed in luxuruy hotels and villas where they have been exposed to the convenience and freedom of the wet room.

Wet rooms are at the cutting edge of stylish bathroom design and are all about accessibility, functionality and space. Particularly useful where level entry to the shower area is essential, they also give a feeling of spaciousness and minimalism by making the best use of the available space. Without steps or enclosures there are fewer chances of slips and trips; cleaning is so much easier and hygiene levels are excellent.

In the UK a large proportion of bathrooms are no bigger than two metres square and a wet room will maximise this space. The use of mini-valves, fullyintegrated handles for furnishings and the use of glass are all exceptionally popular at present, with sleek minimalism the order of the day for optimum design appeal. Manufacturers have designed ‘tanking systems’ to fully seal the bathroom against water leaks, creating a fully water tight bathroom with no separate shower tray.

As with any bathroom installation careful planning is the key element in any new wet room installation.

The positioning of all water and power services should be meticulously considered before the tanking process commences since the sealed area should never be punctured or pierced after installation. The process can be quite detailed and allowance for the room to be completely out of use for several days should be made.

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forliving

by Barry Bragg the edge for living

A

n evening at the Lawns restaurant at the Thornton Hall Hotel will leave you reaching for the thesaurus in search of new superlatives to describe a unique dining experience. Wirral is blessed with many restaurants, offering everything from cheap and cheerful buffets to fine dining and everything in between. It also boasts the honour of Merseyside’s only Michelin Star restaurant amongst its more illustrious dining destinations but the Lawns is a venue to match the very best and satisfy the demands of the most discerning of diners.

If dining on fine foods in sumptuous surroundings sounds appealing then the Lawns is without doubt the ideal destination. The dining room is a grand and stately affair with a stunning wood panelled ceiling sporting a pair of large, elegant crystal chandeliers. The classical styling continues with further architectural features like the intricate decorative Greco Roman plaster relief running around the room just below ceiling height; oak panelled walls; large ornate picture windows overlooking sculptured grounds and the grandiose, intricately carved stone fireplace and wood surround.

Such a perfect setting demands a menu to match and the chefs at this 3 AA rosette, award winning restaurant do not disappoint. A superb selection of stunningly creative and inventive 26 | www.theedgewirral.co.uk

cuisine awaits the eager diner. Utilising the very finest locally sourced, seasonal ingredients and transforming them into culinary works of art with a visual appeal as striking as their exquisite flavours. This is as good as it gets. An amuse bouche of bitter apple jelly with smoked mackerel mousse and horseradish foam set the tone for an evening of sheer indulgence.

Starters of CH63 wood pigeon with quinoa, seed granola and pomegranate jelly (£9) and cured salmon, 90 minute egg, pickled shitake mushroom, sour dough crumb and charred purple broccoli (£10) left us savouring each perfectly prepared morsel.

Main courses of Thornton Hough rose veal fillet, creamed mushrooms, sweetbread ravioli, cottage pie and whipped potato (£28) and free range chicken breast, leg lasagne, butternut squash with truffled leeks (£20) were technically accomplished, visually appealing, intensely flavoured and intelligently designed. While there is clearly much artistic merit on display the Lawns manages to balance that style with the substance of good hearty food which is central to every dish. Side dishes of chunky twice cooked chips, carrots and mange tout bore further testament to this as did the freshly baked bread rolls which accompanied our starters.

Service at the Lawns is also to be commended, carried out by a waiting on team who are as

If dining on fine foods in sumptuous surroundings sounds appealing then the Lawns is without doubt the ideal destination smartly attired as they are well informed about each of the dishes they are serving. Their amiable personalities and welcoming demeanour allow patrons to feel completely relaxed and at ease within these fine surroundings.

A pre dessert palette cleanser of sparkling white wine jelly topped with blackcurrant foam complete with popping candy admirably embodied the chef ’s take on a kir royale. Chilled chocolate mousse wrapped in a milk chocolate shell and topped with passion fruit compote and iced yoghurt quenelle (£9) was another masterful creation as was the equally impressive banana mousse with condensed milk parfait and caramelised banana (£9). The Lawns left us hugely impressed with a flawless display of culinary excellence. The personable service of its attentive staff allowed us free reign to immerse ourselves in the stately grandeur of the surroundings and obtain maximum enjoyment from what turned out to be a very special occasion. i www.lawnsrestaurant.co.uk

www.theedgewirral.co.uk | 27

forliving

The impact original art can have in improving the look and feel of our homes is often overlooked.

Bespoke artwork needn’t be the exclusive preserve of the wealthy. Commissioning a new work of art or buying an original piece isn’t prohibitively expensive. There are many extremely talented artists, creating exquisite works of art right here on our doorsteps. Wirral is home to a thriving community of talented artists, working with every medium imaginable and producing pieces that will add a unique dimension and look truly stunning in your home.

Robert Macoy (above) qualified

as Advance Glass Craftsman in 1992, having studied art & design in conjunction with a four year apprenticeship. He has a wealth of professional experience and in-depth knowledge of many glass working techniques; fusing, deep carved sandblasting, laminating and UV bonding are specialist areas. Robbie has established a reputation for creating original contemporary art and has designed and installed his art across the UK, from commercial work to private commissions. Prestigious clients include 10 Downing Street and the Earl of Derby. i www.robbiemacoy.co.uk 28 | www.theedgewirral.co.uk

Marianthi Lainas (left) is a professional photographer based in Hoylake. Her images are made using digital camera equipment with an emphasis on capturing the essence of a scene ‘in camera’ rather than relying on computer enhancements afterwards. An award winner at the 2011 Wirral Spring Art & Photography Exhibition, her images are regularly published in travel guides, magazines and newspapers, feature on greetings cards and calendars and her limited edition prints are increasingly in demand from private clients. i www.openspaceimages.com

toptips

Technology to make your business

more efficient To keep pace in an increasingly competitive world, your business needs to run as efficiently as possible.

Sooner or later, any company not operating efficiently will be out of business. Efficiency is even more important for SMEs because their resources are limited compared to larger companies. Here are 10 tips for using network technology to help your business work more efficiently, cut costs, improve customer satisfaction, and stay ahead of the competition.

Give employees secure, consistent access to information.

You have an advantage over larger competitors because you can react quickly to business changes. But you can quickly lose this edge if your company network is frequently down, sluggish, or unsecured. A secure, reliable network based on intelligent routers and switches lets your employees access the information and tools they need to keep ahead of competitors.

Deliver anytime, anywhere access to employees on the go.

To stay productive on the move, employees need to be able to reach the people and information they need—anywhere, anytime.

With tools like virtual private networks and Cloud services, your employees can work outside the office and still enjoy safe access to the business network.

Create effective business processes with partners.

Some large companies make efficient, secure business processes a prerequisite for doing business with them. To meet the business needs of your partners, you need a secure, reliable network.

Make it easy to work together.

Smooth collaboration between employees, partners, suppliers, and customers is a sure-fire way to boost efficiency while also reducing costs. An intelligent network lets your business take advantage of interactive calendaring, videoconferencing, unified communications, and other technologies for easy collaboration.

Enable employees to take their phone systems wherever they go.

Missed calls create delays, wasted opportunities, and lost revenues. With a networked voice and data solution, your employees can have one phone number that rings simultaneously on multiple devices, so customers reach the right person the first time.

Your staff can access all their communications from anywhere, checking for e-mail, voicemail, and faxes from just one inbox.

Streamline customer communications.

Delivering fast, knowledgeable service is the best way to keep customers satisfied.

Linking your network phone system to a customer relationship management (CRM) solution is a great way to enhance customer communications. When a customer calls, a pop-up window with their records appears on an employee’s IP phone screen, computer screen, or both.

Reduce unproductive travel time.

All too often, time spent on the road is time lost. A networked phone solution that offers

video calls and Web conferencing can help reduce the time and expense of travelling to offsite meetings and training sessions. Instead of spending time travelling, you can use the time to get work done with technology.

Employ a managed service provider.

Is managing a network the best use of your employees’ time? In some situations, it is advantageous to hire a managed service provider for network administration. Working with a managed service provider can free your IT staff to focus on other IT tasks and use their time more effectively.

Improve employee satisfaction.

Aging phone systems and slow networks can frustrate your employees and annoy your customers. In some cases, an employee might become burned out and decide to move on.

To help ensure that employees are productive and satisfied, your business needs a secure, reliable, and fast network.

Develop a long-term technology plan.

The process of replacing obsolete hardware can interrupt your employees and bring the office to a standstill. You can minimize such disruptions by carefully determining short- and long-term business objectives and working with your network vendor to deploy technology that matches them. www.theedgewirral.co.uk | 29

review

Blackberry PlayBook vs Nexus 7

By Elaine Owen FRSA Chair of Wirral’s Digital and Creative forum & MD of Designated Associates

O

ver the summer holiday period I had the pleasure of reviewing the PlayBook (BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2, 32GB – PC World £149) and Nexus 7 (Asus Google Nexus 7, 16GB – PC World £199). My review is on the devices as they were intended to be used with the software supplied or made available to all general consumers.

My first impression of both devices has been very good, however, when comparing them it felt unfair as they are two very different devices offering different value to the consumer. As I finalise this review BlackBerry have just released a 4G/LTE version of the PlayBook the device appears to be much the same, just with a data connection, which, for some is essential. Its price tag however, differs greatly from the Nexus 7 in a big way.

ORIENTATION A downside for some with the Nexus is that the home screen and browsing of the apps and key features are all set to Portrait mode only. Both tablets did change orientation from Landscape to Portrait, however, Google has set in stone that the device is intended to be operated in a portrait fashion before you access the necessary app or game.

WIFI Both units come with WIFI that covers b/g/n networks and both work very well when in use. Both do not include a mobile data connection meaning that online content can only be used in a WIFI hot spot area, so unless you have an Internet anywhere solution like that of BT then you need to find a WIFI coffee shop but it was very easy to tether the units to my mobile phone for that “anywhere Internet” solution.

STORAGE Surprisingly neither unit has an expandable storage slots. Asus Google Nexus 7 comes in 8GB and 16GB configurations and the BlackBerry PlayBook with 16GB, 32GB and 64GB units available. With 64GB from BlackBerry, the question may be, “do you need anymore?” However, with the Nexus 7 having options of only 8GB and 16GB, you may worry that this will very quickly “fill up”. Google’s viewpoint on this is that we need to get away from local storage. The Nexus 7 stores much

of its data in the Cloud. For example; when you want to watch a movie etc… then this streams from the Cloud onto the device, thus negating the fact of requiring large amounts of internal storage, this also means you have an automatic backup in the event of loss or breakage etc… This is an interesting take on the age old storage issue and one that I know from our client’s regular questions and concerns regarding Cloud storage that will be met with mixed feelings, however streaming “Transformers - Dark Side of the Moon” over my WIFI worked brilliantly, smooth and in HD quality. The experience was excellent for the whole duration of the film.

BLUETOOTH Bluetooth is also present with both so you can setup a Bluetooth headset for either device.

PERFORMANCE The performance of both devices was excellent. I did not experience a slow down or lag in programs at all with the Nexus, even though keeping the whole family happy I was running intensive graphic games, movies and typical business tasks like email, calendar scheduling and Internet research all simultaneously. The Playbook only faltered in a couple of areas where there was a lot of content like pictures and videos to chose from when browsing, but then played all content as expected.

Volume control on the PlayBook is a nightmare. You need to repetitively depress with your finger nails a stubborn button which does not respond well. This was frustrating each time you had to alter the sound. The Nexus sound was a dream to control - hassle and trouble free. On headphones, the sound quality of both devices was excellent.

The Nexus gives an excellent level of information instantly when resumed. Once prompted with the lock screen you can view Owner Information, or whatever you wish to appear upon this screen (great if misplaced); Battery level, Bluetooth, WIFI status, notification bar for emails as well as the current date and time.

BATTERY The PlayBook battery required regular topping up each day even without much use and the Nexus would do a full day out and the evening with full use of graphics and applications work etc. We utilised Google translate all day and every day as where we were staying English was hardly spoken, so Google won brownie points there.

OTHER INTERESTING STUFF Reading eBooks on both of the tablets was a good experience however when considering the cost of a Kindle the Nexus in particular gives you so much more for your money and feels great to hold when reading.

Google Currents and Google Now really bring the Nexus to life. Google Currents allows for you to keep up with trends in stories and makes your favourite content available to you where it has been optimised for your device.

Google Now allows you to ask questions of the Nexus which replies via information cards, audible answers or a Google search.

PlayBook contacts area allows for linking into social network sources so when you look at a contact you can see a very rich and full picture of him or her without having to browse through a number of applications.

Utilising familiar practices of “rooting” devices to get around manufacturers restrictions, side loading applications onto devices, you can achieve the following and much more: Adobe Flash Player support for website browsing can run on a Nexus 7 with a different browser. Other Android applications not designed for the PlayBook OS 2 can be installed and operate as they should, OnThe-Go cables and applications can allow additional storage via USB memory sticks, landscape home screen for the Nexus 7 and auto tilting, plus much more.

Send your comments to elaine@theedgewirral.co.uk or tweet us @theedgewirral 30 | www.theedgewirral.co.uk

www.theedgewirral.co.uk | 31

opinion

CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY with Frederick Howard

“Are you aware of, and compliant with, VDU Health and Safety regulations?” asks Optometrist Fred Howard, of Wirral based Frederick Howard Opticians.

M

any of the patients we meet and examine in our practices use computers as part of their employment. We therefore ask who their employers are, to check if their examination will be covered by one of the Corporate eyecare schemes we participate with.

It is surprising to find that many, including actual employers, appear to be unaware of the regulations and responsibilities relating to staff regarding computer use, VDU and display screens.

Put simply, employers should provide all staff ‘habitually’ using computers as a significant part of the normal work, with free VDU

32 | www.theedgewirral.co.uk

screening/sight tests paid for by their company. Also, should they need corrective spectacles specifically for use at the computer distance, the employer must provide them.

Under the Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992 you are required to ‘minimise risks in VDU use’.

To comply – employers need to reduce the risks associated with the employees work station, potentially including risk assessments and ensuring that the employee’s sight is not adversely affecting their ability to use their VDU. These regulations apply to all employers regardless of the number of employees.

The Optometrist will indicate appropriate intervals for subsequent examinations.

Having an employee VDU scheme that is simple to administer with a cost effective sight care package, makes the whole process a straightforward and inexpensive way of looking after your staff.

Frederick Howard Opticians provide such schemes for some of Wirral’s largest employers. Evening and Saturday appointments are available to minimise disruption to your working day.

For further information please contact David Taylor directly on 07806782544 or ring any practice.

To learn more about ensuring you are meeting the eye care requirements of your staff – you can download a useful HSE document entitled ‘Working With VDUs’ at www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/ indg36.pdf which outlines details relating to minimising the risks associated with VDU use including eyecare. i www.frederickhowardopticians.co.uk

feature

A

s business owners we all have competitors fighting for our customers. Sometimes they use fair methods and sometimes foul but it’s important to not to take things personally or let the opposition get under your skin.

Following the ongoing patent war between Apple and Samsung, we’re looking back at some other epic tech battles that have dominated the business world over the last few decades. Oracle, Apple, Google, Facebook, Microsoft; we’ve seen some of the biggest names in some of the nastiest conflicts. There is plenty for us all to learn from these titanic struggles as the balance of power shifts, markets change, and there’s a disturbance in the Force. Let’s call it... Tech Wars!

iOS vs. Android with the future of mobile as the

prize, there couldn’t be more drama? Throw in the fiery words of the most admired CEO in history, the late Steve Jobs and you have a classic conflict to put others in the shade: “I will spend my last dying breath if I need to, and I will spend every penny of Apple’s $40 billion in the bank, to right this wrong. I’m going to destroy Android because it’s a stolen product. I’m willing to go thermonuclear on this. They are scared to death because they know they are guilty.”

VHS vs. Beta - VHS and Beta are pretty much gone now, but

the two technologies sparked the first battle for the living room -- specifically, home movies. VHS, of course, won. It was the machine that launched a thousand video shops around the country. But nothing lasts forever, and VHS itself became victim to the DVD, which, in turn, is succumbing to streaming movies.

PC vs. Mac - This is the greatest tech battle ever, played out on the small screen pitting the geeks against the cool kids. It is the battle from which all other battles have been judged. The words “I’m a PC, I’m a Mac” have become part of our culture. So who has won? Like Star Wars Jedi vs. Sith, the tide turns with every generation. The battle goes on!

Nintendo, Xbox, and PlayStation have been battling

it out in the gaming industry for years, from home video consoles to mobile platforms. It’s been fun to watch and play, and if you’ve got kids, you’ve probably paid for them all. The intense competition has led to huge advancements in gaming, including epic online adventures, magnificent first-person shooting campaigns, and the Wii. Gaming now is one of the biggest markets for consumer tech.

Facebook vs. MySpace - In the super-hot social

networking space, Facebook rules the waves. But it wasn’t always that way. MySpace used to be the most visited social networking site in the world, riding pop culture, music, and teenyboppers to

lofty heights. Then came Facebook which appealed to the young, university-educated professional and ushered social networking into the mainstream.

Google vs. Yahoo - Remember when “search” was a neat little Web tool from companies with cute sounding names? It didn’t take long for search to become a powerful market driven by search engines with complex algorithms that generate fortunes of online advertising revenues. Google squashed Yahoo and became one of the biggest, baddest tech companies on the planet. Struggling Yahoo has had five Chief Executives in five years and now hopes ex-Googler Marissa Mayer can lead a comeback.

Google Apps vs. Microsoft Office - When Google

Apps first appeared on the Web to go head-to-head with the venerable Microsoft Office suite, it didn’t look like a fair fight.

Google Apps were quirky to use and didn’t feel ready for prime time.

But tech wars can turn on a sixpence and Google Apps has taken a bite out of Microsoft’s market share, although Office is likely to continue to dominate the all-important productivity market for the foreseeable future.

Internet Explorer vs. Netscape Navigator - If you were following the tech scene in the 1990s, you’d remember the browser war between Microsoft Internet Explorer and Netscape Navigator -- one that drew in the American Department of Justice and put Microsoft in the crosshairs of a precedent-setting antitrust case. www.theedgewirral.co.uk | 33

review

Diane Tremarco, designer, writer and gizmo addict gives us the low down on the latest technology toys making our lives easier and more fun @dianetremarco

Eton Road Torq

£35.95 from: www.amazon.co.uk

Haupgauge MYTV2GO Receiver £99 from www.play.com

This easy to use digital wireless TV receiver is designed so you can watch or record TV on your iPad, iPod, iPhone, MAC or PC over a built in WiFi network which means you won’t be using your 3G data tariff.

Yes, that means you can watch your favourite programmes with cost free abandon and with a quality that far outstrips conventional ways of mobile TV streaming applications.

The Koubachi Wi-Fi Plant Sensor £70 from www.koubachi.com

The Wi-Fi Plant Sensor is placed in the soil of any pot plant to monitor the key vitality parameters of a plant: soil moisture, temperature and light intensity. Using a built-in Wi-Fi module, the data is sent to the Koubachi Cloud, where it is analysed.

The plant owner is then provided with detailed instructions via the Koubachi Phone App or Web App, to show how and when to care for your beloved plants.

34 | www.theedgewirral.co.uk

This self-powered roadside spotlight and emergency beacon is a “must have” when you are travelling up and down the country.

No batteries needed with its wind-up handle, 1 minute’s cranking yields 15 minutes of powerful LED torchlight and flashing beacon. The Road Torq, which stands up neatly on its own 3 legs, may also be charged via a DC car power lead – great for changing a tyre in the dark. Great price too for a really useful gadget....

BenQ G1 Digital Camera £279.00 from www.benq.co.uk

BenQ, announces the launch of the G1 the world’s slimmest F1.8 swivel screen digital camera. This 14 Mega pixel camera is great for taking photos day or night and packed full of features. It’s a great choice for Christmas for anyone who loves photography and wants a pocket sized camera for every day. This clever little gadget can capture breathtaking night views without worry about hand jitters blurring the images, ideal for the office party!

HomeMonitor™ Cloud Camera Service £199 from www.homemonitoronline.com

HomeMonitor™ is a new ‘plug & play’ monitoring system which offers a simple and connective system for people to watch their home/office from any device, anywhere. Users can now see and store events when using any internet-enabled computer or smartphone, keeping them in touch with whatever matters most.

Setup involves connecting the dedicated HomeMonitor™ camera to a home network, through Wi-Fi or Ethernet cable, creating an online account, and that’s it - your camera is setup ready to be viewed!

opinion

CREATE A BEAUTIFUL ONLINE EXPERIENCE with Amanda Daniels Director, Koogar

K

eeping your website up to date shouldn’t be a chore nor should it be ignored. When you visit a website that has information which isn’t up to date even by a month your confidence in that company drops, thoughts going through your mind are; 1.

2.

3.

Are they still going?

Mustn’t be successful or wanting to grow They obviously can’t be bothered

And its natural to think if they can’t be bothered why should I be? I don’t want to have to trawl the Internet for information on them unless this item/product is rare and that I MUST have it.

Most business owners know that having a website is essential for the company, not only to backup what you do but it’s also there to make sure people can find you. In fact, a website is much more than that! It’s a place where you should share experiences others have had with you and the experience of working with you and your company. A website should not be built but it should be “created” and moulded into a marketing tool that helps you sell your company to the audience you want to attract. “Create a beautiful online experience” - Randy Zucherberg (iStrategy 2012; Amsterdam) Design the journey you want the audience to take. Move them through the website by clicking on various links. Get them to read pages, posts and testimonials and look at images to make them think about things.

13% more people buy when images and words are together!

When designing your website always have in mind; “What is the end goal?” Is it to get the user to fill in a form? Pick the phone up? Book an appointment with you? Whatever outcome you want, you need to guide them to it and all things related.

By keeping your site up to date and engaging you will do 4 things: 1.

2.

3.

4.

Evolve the website together with the company, brand and ethos You will be found more easily Keep your visitors coming back to see more Create something that is similar to the face-to-face experience

All I hear is, we want more hits to the website, people commenting on our blog posts, more emails from people interested in buying from us as well as being found naturally for the right keywords.

When creating this experience, remember it is for your audience to ‘walk past’ your on-line ‘shop window’, get to the next step and ultimately buy from you - make it easy for them and enjoyable! i www.koogar.co.uk www.theedgewirral.co.uk | 35

36 | www.theedgewirral.co.uk

christmasparties

Christmas Party How to organise a

The Definitive Guide

The company’s Christmas party can make or break company relations.

As a whole, the event will either confirm negative held views of an organisation that have been building up over the course of a year, or embellish them and build upon existing positive attitudes.

T

he behaviour of staff members during the extravaganza can dramatically effect careers too. Utilising positive networking opportunities can help a team member to climb the corporate ladder or a drunken five-minute indiscretion can bring about a year of embarrassment and humiliation and send reputations nosediving!

Then there’s the reputation of the Christmas party organiser. Get it right and you’re the darling of the company, get it wrong, and management may well be questioning your professional capabilities.

That’s why it’s so important to make sure that as the organiser you really have got all your bases covered.

Whether your company is holding a bespoke corporate Christmas party or your celebration is organised more like a social work event, it’s important to plan it well. While doubtless you’ll be thinking of what venue, food, entertainment and music you will be offering, there’s a whole host of ‘behind the scene’ issues to take into account.

Some companies now even produce a ‘Christmas party policy’. While this may seem a bit po’faced, it’s good insurance, as not only does it provide evidence that as an organisation you have taken steps to ensure against any misdemeanours, it sends out a very clear message to staff that inappropriate behaviour of any description is a disciplinary offence.

Legal responsibilities

Small talk

Did you know that businesses can be held responsible for the behaviour of their staff at a work event that is held outside normal hours? So if you get into a situation at a Christmas Party where a colleague behaves inappropriately towards another member of staff, say in a sexually or violent way, the company can be liable.

Thus make sure that your company has all the correct procedures in place covering harassment and bullying, discipline and grievance and discrimination, otherwise it is quite possible that either you or a colleague will be representing the company in a tribunal.

Make sure that managers are briefed fully on what subjects to avoid while nibbling on their canapés. Subjects such as wage rises and promotions should be avoided at all costs, and by the way any promises made could actually turn out to be contractually binding. So in all keep to the small talk! >

Types of Christmas Celebration Festive Lunches – usually enjoyed during an afternoon off work, or if you really can’t spare the time, an extra long lunch break.

Festive Dining – Good food, good wine, choose from Wirral’s unparalleled selection of fantastic restaurants for a great meal out complete with crackers and Christmas Pud! Shared Christmas Party nights – mix with people from other Wirral firms and enjoy a great festive feast and entertainment or dancing too.

Themed Christmas Party Nights – A fun night out with a fun, unique theme to make it even more memorable.

Exclusive Christmas Party – pick a venue and create a bespoke celebration to really reward your staff and sometimes key clients too. www.theedgewirral.co.uk | 37

christmasparties The Truth Serum

Getting home safely

The Morning After

Free food and drink is always very appealing to staff, it’s often seen as a just reward for the year’s hard work. However, many conflicts and inappropriate situations can be avoided by controlling the amount of alcohol on offer. Make it clear to staff that drunken behaviour will not be tolerated, and make sure that along with the (limited) alcohol on offer you also provide soft drinks.

Make sure that staff can get home easily and that no one drives if they have been drinking. Free minicabs or buses at the end of the night is a good idea, but if you can’t stretch to that then make sure you are holding the event in an accessible place and book local taxis fleets for the end of the evening. The welfare of staff is your responsibility, and you need to demonstrate that it has been considered.

Plan it in advance. You need to make it clear what you expect from staff the morning after the night before. Tolerance on late arrivals is one thing, but a noshow is quite another. Once again, these expectations need to be communicated to your team.

Tweet us your Christmas party stories @theedgewirral

Organise a hassle free Christmas Party

Advice for staff

• Even if you don’t want to, it’s a good idea to attend your Christmas Party. It can prove to be an excellent networking situation.

• Avoid going to the pub beforehand, and don’t be late.

• Make a point of actually talking to staff and managers you don’t usually mix with. It can help to alter perceptions of you.

• Avoid contentious issues when talking to other staff members.

• Dress appropriately. Avoid overly revealing clothes - after all you are a professional and this is still a work situation.

• Don’t get drunk.

• Don’t ask the boss for a pay rise or make unguarded comments about other staff members.

• Avoid ‘slow dancing’ or any inappropriate behaviour you’ll regret the next day.

• Make sure you have sorted out your transport home.

• Enjoy yourself appropriately and remember that it’s your professional reputation at stake.

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www.theedgewirral.co.uk | 41

networking networking networking networking networking networking networking networking Networking

Bathrooms

Children’s Parties Venue

Jenny (07540 746 720) or Laura (07833 628 034) www.childsplayparties.co.uk party@childsplayparties.co.uk 134A Seaview Road, Wallasey, CH45 4PE

Childsplay Parties provide amazing, complete parties at affordable prices. We provide a fantastic, exclusive children’s party venue, great games and activities, party bags, tailored invitations, party food, entertainment, peace of mind and much more…

Our goal is simple…“To take away your anxiety and stress and provide the very best, affordable children’s parties that we possibly can.”

We’re proud parents (5 wonderful children between us) and we know how important your child’s happiness is.

Our attention to detail (and love of having fun!) means that at a Childsplay Parties party, everyone will have a fantastic time and your child will be made to feel super special throughout.

Everything about the parties we provide is professional and meticulously planned but on the whole we’re a friendly bunch and we like a laugh!

42 | www.theedgewirral.co.uk

networking orking networking networking networking networking networking networking netw Business Magazine

Accountant

The Edge is Wirral’s business magazine.

Published every other month, it’s packed full of news, advice and information for Wirral’s business community. It serves as a market place for businesses in Wirral who use it to find new clients and suppliers and keep up with local market information.

The distribution is totally unique as is it is sent in the post, personally addressed, to the business owner or decision maker at every business in Wirral and Ellesmere Port – over 8,500 copies as well as another 1000 copies which are left out in business centres in Liverpool, Chester and Warrington. With marketing options starting from just £85, The Edge offers Wirral’s most effective, targeted, low cost marketing platform to reach Wirral Businesses.

www.theedgewirral.co.uk | 43

networking

Events& Networking

September

October

Mon 17th 9.30am-4.30pm PowerPoint Training, Birkenhead Help you produce dynamic and professional presentations.

For information 0151 650 6907 www.squareonetraining.com

Tues 2nd 6-8pm.

Meet a Mentor (CIM) Liverpool Business School, LJMU. Find out about the benefits of Chartered Institute of Marketing membership and the new mentoring scheme. 01628 427 340 cimevents@cim.co.uk

Wed 19th 5-7pm Wirral Digital & Creative Forum Network with other local businesses within the digital and creative sectors and hear key relevant presentations. www.businesswirral.com Wed 19th 2pm Property Auction at The Village Hotel www.smithandsons.net or see page 10 for full property list.

Tues &Wed 18th – 19th 9.30-4.30pm Excel Training, Birkenhead Advanced course incl Macro’s and other higher functions of the software. For information 0151 650 6907 www.squareonetraining.com Mon 24th 9.30-4.30pm Sage Line 50 Training, Birkenead Learn everyday features of Sage.

For information 0151 650 6907 www.squareonetraining.com Thurs 27th 10.30am-3.30pm Wirral & Chester Business Fair Hundreds of businesses and visitors from across the Wirral and Chester areas and beyond. Floral Pavilion, New Brighton.

See page 13 for more information.

Thurs 27th 9am-5pm Social Media Workshop in Wirral. Information and booking: www.koogartraining.co.uk 44 | www.theedgewirral.co.uk

Wed 3rd 5-7.30pm Hands-on Facebook Training Wirral. Bring your laptop £40+VATpp www.koogar.co.uk Wed 3rd 2-4pm HMRC – Customs Masterclass An overview of Export Preference, Inward Processing Relief (IPR) and Outward Processing Relief (OPR). FREE Liverpool Chamber of Commerce, Old Hall Street, Liverpool. 0151 227 1234 export@liverpoolchamber.org.uk Thurs 4th 10am-2pm A Digital Approach to Successful Business Social Media Seminars at Designated Associates - see page 8 for more detail.

Fri 5th 3.30-5.30pm Thank Switch it’s Friday!

The relaxed and friendly networking event, open to both Switch members and nonmembers. Liverpool Innovation Park, Edge Lane, Liverpool, see page 9.

Mon 8th 5pm Business Equipment Auction Clwyd Auctions, Deeside www.clydauctions.co.uk 8th – 10th 9:30–16:30 (all days) AutoCAD Essentials Level 1, Bromborough An introduction to Auto CAD features, commands and techniques. For information 0151 650 6907 www.squareonetraining.com

Wed 10th 8am-12noon North West Export Hub – Go Further, Export Advice on Export related topics and answers for the many questions new Exporters will have. Egerton House. nothwestexporthub101012.eventbrite.com Wed 10th 7.30-9.30pm.

Free Business Networking Networking event for anyone running a business in Wirral or the surrounding area.

The Chimneys, Hooton. FREE. www.wirralbusinessassociation.co.uk Wed 10th 5-7.30pm Hands-on Facebook Training Wirral. Bring your laptop £40+VATpp www.koogar.co.uk Thurs 11th 6-8pm Monthly Networking event CEPN networking at Holiday Inn Ellesmere Port - £10 per person, see page 41 Thurs 11th 4.30pm-7.30pm Priory Annual Networking Event Guest speakers, a charity prize draw and the opportunity to meet and network with around 150 other local businesses.

The Village Hotel, Bromborough. www.the-priory.co.uk All week 12th – 19th Flintshire Business Week See page 11 for more information Tues 16th 9:30–16:30 Excel Express, Birkenhead Learn the popular data manipulation features of Excel – FAST! For anyone who exports data from SAP or for those who want to learn about Pivot Tables, VLookups and more.

For information 0151 650 6907 www.squareonetraining.com

networking

Tues 16th 12noon-1.30pm Social Media Means Business Introduction to Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn so that you can start using them effectively. Sandwiches, Coffee and Networking! Vale House, Vale Park, Wallasey, CH45 1LZ. Book at www.wirralchamber.org.uk Wed 17th 5-7.30pm Hands-on Facebook Training Wirral. Bring your laptop £40+VATpp www.koogar.co.uk Wed 17th 8–10.30am HMRC – Masterclass: VAT Trading with other countries Presented by Sue Harper from HMRC at Egerton House, 0151 650 6915 www.vattradinghmrc.eventbrite.com

Fri 16th 10–11.30am November’s Fruit Cake Friday FREE Networking and topical seminar at Thursby House in Bromborough. Book your place at 0151 346 2000 Thurs 29th 6-8pm Marketing Success – Liverpool ONE Donna Howitt, marketing director at Liverpool ONE presents the secrets of the retail centre’s marketing success at LJMU, Redmonds Building, Clarence Street, Liverpool, www.cim.co.uk/Events Thurs 29th 9am-5pm Social Media Workshop in Mold, North Wales Information and booking www.koogartraining.co.uk

December Wed 5th 2pm Property Auction at The Village Hotel. www.smithandsons.net or see page 10 for full property list.

Thurs 6th A Digital Approach to successful business - Social Media Seminars 10am-2pm Designated Associates - see page 8 for more detail Thurs 6th 6-8pm Networking and Wine Tasting evening CEPN networking at Holiday Inn Ellesmere Port - £10 per person, see page 41

Thurs 19th 10–11.30am October’s Fruit Cake Friday FREE Networking and topical seminar at Thursby House in Bromborough. Book your place at 0151 346 2000 Thurs 25th 9am-5pm Social Media Workshop in Runcorn. Information and booking www.koogartraining.co.uk

November Thurs 1st 8-10am Priory Business Forum Networking and topical seminars over coffee and a bacon batch. Maritime Engineering College, Birkenhead. FREE. www.the-priory.co.uk Thurs 8th 6-8pm Monthly Networking event CEPN networking at Holiday Inn Ellesmere Port - £10 per person, see page 41 Mon 12th 5pm Business Equipment Auction Clwyd Auctions, Deeside www.clydauctions.co.uk Wed 14th 7.30-9.30pm Free Business Networking Networking event for anyone running a business in Wirral or the surrounding area.

The Chimneys, Hooton. FREE. www.wirralbusinessassociation.co.uk www.theedgewirral.co.uk | 45

coffeebreak

A sniglet is a word that should appear in the dictionary but doesn’t...

cylences - long gaps in a phone conversation that occur because one person is also reading e-mail, IMing or cybershopping.

negabytes per second (NBps) - a

CrackBerry - slang for BlackBerry, often used in the sense of a “CrackBerry addict,” or one who is always checking and responding to emails on the handheld device.

ohnosecond - that very short moment in

dot gone - pre-Internet bubble bust startup

oxoxomoron - a person who includes

measure of data transfer that seems so slow it can only be assumed to be flowing backwards.

As we all spend more time in front of our computers or on our smartphones and IT begins to dominate our daily lives there has evolved a new breed of conundrums, situations and labels for our behaviours. Do you recognise yourself in any of these?

e-dundancy - sending someone an e-mail

at the same time you’re having an IM conversation with them.

symbolic “hugs and kisses” at the end of their e-mail.

alpha geek - the most knowledgeable,

egosurf - to search for yourself on Google

pebcak - help desk lingo for user error (problem exists between chair and keyboard).

technically proficient person in an office or work group.

analog-retentive - those people who

obstinately cling to outmoded technology.

AlzIMers - forgetting who you’re talking to

and typing in the wrong IM window.

animousity - vigorously clicking your

pointer device because a page is loading too slowly. See also: screen spasm - pages that try to load simultaneously on your computer screen as a direct result of your animousity.

e-mailsculation - what happens when the IT department abruptly takes away access to an email account from a worker that’s been fired, including archives, distribution lists and contacts. e-mnesia -- the condition of having

time during which you realize that you have pressed the wrong key and deleted hours, days, or weeks of work.

percussive maintenance - the fine art

of whacking the crap out of an electronic device to get it to work again.

phenomenot - the Latest, Greatest,

wizz-bang whatever that’s not what it’s proclaimed to be.

sent or received an e-mail and having no recollection of it whatsoever.

phenomenut - the guy who runs right out

famspam - unsolicited email sent by family

random excess memory - memory you

members.

fauxtography - altering a photographic

and buys phenomenots.

were talked into buying in order to solve some problem that never did get resolved.

image with editing software to create an image that appears real but is in fact misleading or untrue.

reBay - to buy something on eBay and

bee break - the act of sneaking off to the

faxcination - staring intently at the fax machine because you’re waiting for a fax to come through.

whatever that lands in his inbox to everyone he knows .

beer Googles - searches on the Internet

fonesia - the affliction that strikes when

AOL-WOL - disappearing from an IM

conversation without notice.

bathroom in the middle of dinner, concert or work to scroll through one’s BlackBerry.

made while intoxicated, sometimes resulting in information looking more attractive or credible than it would otherwise.

you dial a phone number and forget whom you were calling just as they answer.

gleemail - inspirational emails forwarded

immediately put it back up for auction.

regurgimailer - someone who forwards schoogle - to Google the names of old classmates.

spamouflage - an intentional typo, such as

Vikagra , used by spammers to fool spam filters.

by a friend or coworker that may or may not bring joy to your inbox.

spammified - when an email ends up in

discussing why a deadline was missed or a project failed and who was responsible.

id10t error - help desk log lingo for clueless end-user.

unstant messaging - minimising your IM window when your boss walks by.

Bluetooth fairy - someone who walks

IMdecision - repeatedly erasing an IM text

WAPathy - lack of interest in wireless technology.

blamestorming - sitting around in a group,

around with a blinking Bluetooth headset permanently affixed to his ear. (Remember the kid’s song “Little rabbit foo-foo?”)

blurker - someone who reads a blog or

box because you change your mind about what you want to say.

IMglish - the combination of chat

blogs regularly but never comments or contributes to the discussion.

abbreviations and online slang commonly encountered in instant messages conversations.

cellphonic appraisal - the activity that occurs when a ringing cell phone causes everyone in the room to check and see if it’s theirs.

Macrimination - the automatic assumption that whatever is wrong is caused by the Mac on the network.

46 | www.theedgewirral.co.uk

the spam folder by mistake.

zen mail - an e-mail message that arrives without text in the message body.

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