lifestyle
FOCUS ON QUALITY Why customers pay more for a better experience
4
Inspiring PR Campaigns
And what you can learn from them
A working relationship Google’s office romance
Putting the soul back into business Feel good about your shoes
40%
Fares will have risen since 2008 when 2014’s increase comes into effect
Alan Sugar Lord
“It’s the small businesses that are the backbone of the economy”.
1
Magnetic Jewellery & Wellness The Healing Power of Magnets The beneficial influence which magnets have over how the body functions was already known to the ancient Egyptians & Chinese. Magnets are a universal natural therapy for your health, without undesirable effects. Millions of people worldwide rely on the positive benefits of magnets to: • Promote well being • Ease Pain • Reduce Stress • Gain Energy • Alleviate Depression Magnets improve the systems blood circulation. They raise the blood flow and the oxygen to the cells. Wearing Magnetic Jewellery has produced positive results with a wide range of ailments such as arthritis, rheumatism, insomnia, nervousness, migraine, tennis elbow, back or period pains. Astonishing success stories are reported with healing for animals as well as people when wearing magnetic jewellery and accessories.
2 rmbusiness.co.uk
Magnet Heart Strip
Magnet Pebble - Massager
Sportex - Designer sports jewellery
Can be worn day and night on any part of the body. This piece consists of 2 parts. The magnetic element, which exerts its magnetic force is worn under the clothing with the logo turned towards the skin. The matching stainless steel counterpart is worn on the outside and holds the magnet in place.
For massaging and relaxing, this palmstone has one flat and one domed side. It’s made of polished stainless steel & copper and quickly adjusts to body temperature & feels extremely pleasant on the skin.
A hugely successful addition to the energetix range of products. Tough, hard wearing silicone wrist and neckbands, with extra strong watertight integrated magnets. Increases energy, ideal for sports-minded people but in a range of attractive colours that can be worn with leisurewear.
Water Products
Magnet Bandage
Products for your Pets
These products enable you to create a magnetic force directly into your drinking water. The magnetic stick and coaster comes in different designs and makes the 2 litres of water we need to drink each day, more enjoyable, even plants thrive and grow.
Ideal for backache & back pains. Can be worn day and night, very comfortable to wear, providing warmth, comfort and helps to reduce tension. Can be used under your pillow at night, on the back of a chair or just for sitting on. Comes with decorative cover in various colours.
For genuine animal lovers - jewellery for all the family - especially dogs, cats & horses. They thrive on being fit, healthy and energetic. Just like the water sticks, add a large magnet to their drinking bowl or add decorative magnets to their collars, designs such as a paw, a bone or a horseshoe. They deserve the best just as you do.
Where do you purchase Energetix products? Energetix are members of, “The direct selling association,” (DSA) and therefore products can only be purchased through independent distributors. Should you wish to receive more information, place an order or perhaps arrange a presentation in your own home, simply contact Alan Ealey or John Parrett on 01708 56398.
Be your own boss - a career with energetix As Energetix is relatively new to the UK, we are looking for consultants/distributors who wish to earn extra income on a part-time basis. Our marketing system offers opportunities as a second source of income or as a main occupation through to a national/international career. It is your choice. Magnetic Jewellery is simple to present and offers great earning opportunities. Monthly ‘Business Presentations’ are available to see the range of products and how you can utilise this opportunity to your benefit. They are held on the first Wednesday of every month at: Ye Olde Plough House, Brentwood Road, Bulphan, Essex, RM14 3SR – 7.30pm - 9.30pm The next meetings is 2nd October and 5th November. We are independent distributors, based in Hornchurch. Alternatively you can view the range of products on www.magneticfox.energetix.tv or visit our Mens Tailoring showroom at: Fox Tailoring, 187 Station Lane, Hornchurch, Essex, RM12 6LL | 01708 438761 | Email: John@foxtailoring.com NB: People using pacemakers, other electronic devices and women who are pregnant are advised not to wear magnets. ENERGETIX ARE MEMBERS OF THE DIRECT SELLING ASSOCIATION.
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The RM Business Team Editor in Chief Tony Wittridge tony@rmbusiness.co.uk Editor Amber Sudbury amber@rmbusiness.co.uk Art Editor Jade Warrington jade@rmbusiness.co.uk Staff Writer Ivana Sidey ivana@rmbusiness.co.uk Brand Sales Manager Rob Wittridge rob@rmbusiness.co.uk Sales Executive David Marshall david@rmmagazine.co.uk Distribution Manager Zak Hasan zak@rmmagazine.co.uk Networking Barry Hicks whatson@rmbusiness.co.uk
From the
Editor The government’s plans to raise business rates for small businesses are to be introduced in April 2015. Ed Miliband has pledged to reverse these changes should Labour win the next election, claiming that it would help 1.5 million small businesses, but at what cost? Sounds good on the surface, but what does this really mean for businesses if Labour were to get into power? What would it mean if Mr Miliband were to win and reverse Conservatives planning reforms? Could he still deliver on his promises to build more houses, or would this mean getting into further debt? The last thing that this country needs is a policy that will undermine the recovery. Sure, as a small business why wouldn’t you want to save money, but at what cost? What is the true value and consequences of reversing this Tax? Surely it’s us hard working honest folk who will pay with higher taxes and higher mortgage rates? And in this Labour coined cost-of-livingcrises, who can afford the repercussions of an un-thoughtful, headline grabbing campaign designed to win an election, and not to aid a recovery. On more of a lighthearted note, did anyone catch Boris on The last Leg? Next Prime minister maybe? I think we need a little crazy to run this country. Plus, he’s hilarious and not fundamentally stuck up his own backside.
Administration Brooke Warrington brooke@rmbusiness.co.uk Other Contributors: Katie Flynn, Jessica Groom,Warren Knight, Yvonne Bendall, Cllr Michael White, Cllr Ron Ower, Jill Poet, Kevin Hayler, John Parrett, John Booth, Simon Fordham, Daniel Chase and Jacqueline Hall.
Want To Talk To Us? 01708 475789 www.rmbusiness.co.uk Follow us on Twitter @RMbusiness and facebook.com/rmbusiness
Amber
Amber Sudbury Editor
Tony Wittridge Editor in Chief
Published by RM Magazine Ltd. Please note that while the publishers take care to be accurate, no liability will be accepted under any circumstance should any of the contents of this magazine be incorrect. All rights reserved. Reproduction of whole or in part without permission of the publisher is strictly prohibited. RM Magazine Ltd, 3-11 Grenfell Avenue, Hornchurch, Essex, RM12 4DN
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A 3-package wardrobe offer to “suit” your pocket. Ideal for starting that new job, your first rung up the corporate ladder after college/ university, or maybe you just need to change your image.
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Made To Measure suit- Pure wool fabric 3 cotton shirts + 3 silk ties… £599 Weddings The growing trend for couples to marry in a broader range of locations means that a more diverse look for the wedding ceremony is now available. So many different locations, so many different styles. Every wedding has a colour theme and this can be brought into the Grooms outfit with matching linings, personalised detailing, buttonhole stitching, or even the couples initials or Wedding date. No excuse for forgetting the anniversary.
For any information on any of our services, or to arrange a visit our showroom in Hornchurch, or for a consultant to visit you, please contact. Fox Tailoring, 187 Station Lane, Hornchurch, Essex, RM12 6LL | 88 Wood Street, London, EC2V 7RS 01708 563 995 | 0800 021 3182 | E-mail john@foxtailoring.com | Twitter: @Foxtailoring | LinkedIn: John Parrett | Facebook: Fox Tailoring
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Business for the soul
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Tweets of the month BBC News (UK) @BBCNews “A great vote of confidence in the UK economy” - @David_ Cameron welcomes Jaguar Land Rover announcing 1,700 new jobs http://bbc.in/1b06VAz 10 Sep
Financial Express @FinancialXpress Nokia targets Apple Inc’s iPhone 5S, iPhone 5C, after taking Samsung Galaxy S4 for a ride http://fexp.in/AjK35965
ukecohomes @ukecohomes
11 Sep
U.K. Unemployment Rate Unexpectedly Declines to 7.7%. MORE good news, still along way to go though. http://bloom.bg/1d5bbgx 11 Sep Danny Sullivan @dannysullivan
@simonjenkins4 on #hs2 - “It’s a crazy project and everyone who comes into contact with it...knows it” #wato 11 Sep
Tweat_Up @Tweat_Up
Sigh. Ordered iPhone online. Now what am I going to do at 5am. Not get up & not get in line? #FirstWorldProblems 20 Sep
8 rmbusiness.co.uk
Nick Sutton @suttonnick
Least interesting restaurant opening of all time? The Ramsay/Beckham thing or are you secretly/openly excited by it and already booked in? 8 Sep
this month
T U O L SEL The government has confirmed plans to privatise the Royal Mail. The plans are to start selling off shares in the company to both private and institutional investors over the next few weeks.
The government wish to move the service into the private sector. The estimated value of the Royal Mail is £3 billion, but the government is only planning to sell off a portion of the company at this point. The government released a statement on 12th September claiming that they would “retain flexibility around the size of the stake to be sold, as this will be influenced by market conditions at the time of the transaction, investor demand and the objective to ensure that value for money for the taxpayer is achieved.” It’s common knowledge that the Royal Mail was in a dire financial state just a few years ago. Now, this has all changed. Operating profits, for the year to end March, were more than doubled. Last year, the Government made the decision to transfer the Royal Mail pension fund onto the public books. Finally, as part of the new privatisation deal, the Royal Mail will now borrow from the private sector rather than the government. Vince Cable, The Business Secretary, believes the sale is needed to secure a future for the company. He said: “These measures will help ensure the long-term sustainability of the six days a week, one-price-goes-anywhere universal postal service.” The Royal Mail has insisted that the sell-off will not have any impact on post offices. In the short term the service is likely to remain the same as far as customers are concerned. The six-days-a-week postal service with one stamp price guaranteeing delivery anywhere in the country will be protected, according to Vince Cable. CEO of Parcel2Go.com, James Greenbury claimed that all of this could change. He said: “Long term, I expect six-days-a-week delivery will fall away, as consumers will no longer need it. You can see similar plans being trialled in the Netherlands and the US.” It’s also believed that prices will rise in the long term. Greenbury pointed out, “prices have been rising for some time – the cost of stamps and parcels is up 50% to 100% as the Royal Mail realigned pricing. It’s one of the main reasons why it has returned to profit, and I see no reason to expect a private company to do different.” 9
you may be
interested in...
Boris Johnson as the celebrity guest on Channel 4’s The Last Leg. The Mayor of London delivers twenty glorious minutes of pure Boris Johnson gold, mentioning Essex, and revealing that he doesn’t watch TOWIE. “It creates lots of public policy problems.” Boris discusses London’s 40-year high birthrate. “You’ve got to build more homes, get government to keep investing in public transport in London so we can all the things we need to, but it helps us make our case. It’s a good thing, a great sign of people’s confidence in London. What’s happened, I’m not going to bore you with this, but people are not moving out of London in the way they used to in the sixties and seventies, they’re not going to Essex. Nothing wrong with Essex, they’re staying because schools are better, transport is better, and people want to bring up their kids here.” Alex Brooker, a co-host on the show chimed in with, “I don’t think that’s the reason why people aren’t going to Essex. TOWIE’s the reason why people aren’t going to Essex.” Boris replied, “I haven’t watched that.”
10 rmbusiness.co.uk
Q&A
this month
What does the Havering Business Awards do for Business? To answer this question we have asked the finalist for the prestigious ‘New Business of the Year’ award, what their thoughts are. Jason Crow - Total Site Projects Limited www.total-site.co.uk
Kelly Murfitt - Doggie Delights www.doggiedelightz.co.uk
Anesta Broad - Anesta Broad Photography www.anestabroadphotography.co.uk
Total Site Projects are very happy to be nominated as finalists for Best New Business at The Havering Business Awards 2013.
Being a Dog Groomer is a job, that for me, is my dream job which I absolutely love doing - I was given the chance over 2 and a half years ago to take on a shop, which I never thought in a million years would be as successful as it is now within a short period of time.
I have often admired businesses that win awards, but it was only from attending a Havering Women In Business Networking event that I learnt about the Havering Business Awards. I was reminded that you have to take action to be considered for an award, and after a lot of thought, I realised that I could greatly benefit from entering.
It is always rewarding to receive recognition for the company especially as one of our clients nominated us for the award. The Havering Business Awards will help raise our profile within the local community, and this will help us to attract more candidates and clients, therefore increasing revenue and profit. We will also receive exposure and free marketing courtesy of the Havering Business Awards. Being a finalist at the Havering Business Awards 2013 is an exceptional award in its self, let alone if Total Site wins it. This demonstrates to our clients and candidates that we are moving in the right direction and vast becoming an award winning business.
Being part of the Business Awards is an amazing experience, not just for me but for my girls who work with me too. We work very closely together, and show them that what we do is not just a job but also a way of life. We help the dogs by keeping them in good condition, which can also be very challenging, so to be recognised for something that we enjoy doing is worthwhile. We have a close relationship with local animal colleges, and to be able to tell them that we have been recognised within the community shows and proves to the students that we have a love for animals, and that whatever they want to do, they can achieve it. The Business Awards will help raise our profile within the community. Doggie Delights is not just a Dog Groomers, we are also a good retail stockist, and with the help of other fellow Canine Experts, we can help with nutrition, dog training and behaviour, for our customers. Doggie Delights is still young, I have lots of plans in the pipeline and just being able just to say that Doggie Delights was a finalist in the Havering Business Awards is just a steppingstone to the future.
The process alone forced me to dissect my business and hold myself to account, which is vital in any business, especially when you are your own boss. I had to ask myself a lot of brutal questions: Am on track to achieve my goals? What am I proud of? What do I need to do better? What will success look like for me in years to come? So I was bewildered for days when I found out that I had been shortlisted as a finalist for New Business of the Year. I felt honoured that my business had been recognised. It is great taking pictures, creating art and getting paid for it, but it is important for me to know that my photographs make a difference. So establishing my business wasn’t easy. I knew that I was essentially selling my creative vision, time, skills and experience. Long days and nights spent developing my brand, website, editing, reading, honing skills, a social media presence, business workflow, preferred supplier list seemed endless because I wanted my business to be an extension of me and to build public confidence in me too. 11
Putting the Sole Back Into Business
Back in 2001, Natalie Dean noticed a gap in the market, and just like that, Beyond Skin was born. The stylish, good quality, non-leather footwear was a manifestation of her transition from vegetarian to vegan and a refusal to compromise. Today she is the director of the company that she runs with Heather Whittle.
It seems like every business has jumped on the ethical bandwagon, but Beyond Skin have managed to create environmentally friendly, 100% vegan shoes that have stayed in vogue, and even put a spring in celebrity’s steps. This is fashion with a real passion 12 rmbusiness.co.uk
But why did she want to start a 100% vegan shoe company? “Past attempts to combine fashion and ethics generally resulted in one side of the equation being sacrificed. I wanted to prove that fashion and ethics did not have to be mutually exclusive. Veganism in particular encouraged me to become intensely aware that everything I did had a consequence. It was empowering to know that the choices I made both as a consumer, and how I ran my business, could and did make a difference.� Natalie explained. And inspiration really can strike at any time.
business focus The business’ name came from an album Natalie had by an artist called Nitin Sawhney, called Beyond Skin. It stayed because it best represented Natalie’s business statement. The album was a powerful and emotive one, conveying the same reaction she hoped customers would have when they opted for a vegan alternative, rather than a leather shoe. Ethics are a huge influence in Beyond Skin. Slowly the cosmetic and fashion industry are making conscious, world-saving choices, while many other brands are publishing results of their rescued carbon footprint. But for Natalie, this wasn’t a move in the right direction, but a step to base her entire brand’s philosophy on.
good quality, and competitive within our market.” “Speaking of which, pricing your product is always a tricky issue.” Natalie agreed, “and Beyond Skin have recently launched a ‘diffusion’ line of more affordable shoes that range from £69 to £150 to broaden our market.” They also produce a ‘boutique’ line, which ranges between £110 and £250. It is all produced in Spain, although they work with very tight margins, which has considerably slowed their growth. “This year in particular has been tough. Our main factory in Spain closed, taking with it the majority of our Spring ’13 order. Because of this setback, we were then unable to launch our diffusion line for Autumn ’13. The banks sadly did not step in and help, so we turned to our customers who generated crowd funding for the new line. Kickstarter.com is a new concept here in the UK where people pledge and effectively buy your product in advance. We were so happy and lucky to have such loyal customers to support us and we successfully raised the funds we needed.”
“Many people are already aware that the meat, fish, dairy, leather, exotic skin and fur industry are usually shunned for their cruelty, something that sadly isn’t always an issue for everyone. But slowly awareness is increasing, and people are beginning to learn about the human and environmental costs of these industries that often exploit people and the planet. I wanted to contribute in a positive way and help change people’s perception so they would buy with ethics in mind. I hoped to create a But when you have such a varied market, it is difficult to cater for them. luxury footwear brand that was unique and stylish, but also happened to The best thing to do is to stay current and most importantly, listen to be vegan.” feedback. Beyond Skin currently re-package and re-introduce styles each season that they know work well for the brand through feedback via their But for every business, and even one in the footwear industry, the social networks. And as an ethical company, Beyond Skin also made the first steps are always the most difficult. When Beyond Skin was first conscious move to work alongside a charity – so how did Natalie chose established, they gifted celebrities who shared a similar philosophy. who they worked with? This was an explosive way to create brand awareness and introduce themselves to the press. Celebrity endorsement has now grown “Each season sees an animal head on one of our shoes. We hope this organically, and they frequently receive requests by stylists, managers, will become a signature of the brand. We chose the Dog’s Trust for and sometimes directly from the ladies themselves. Celebrity placement Spring ’13 because we are huge dog lovers, and I have two of my own. is also a valuable tool, as some consumers like to see who’s wearing Moving forward, the charities will most likely be chosen season to season what & where to buy it. Beyond Skin has been worn by celebrities such as from our personal favourites. Look out for the horse head for Autumn ’13 Natalie Portman, Leona Lewis, Cheryl Cole, Alicia Silverstone and Anne with donations going to PETA.” Hathaway, and Natalie and Heather appreciate the support. So when you’ve experienced success ranging from winning Grazia’s So what is the importance of good press? Ethical Fashion Entrepreneur Award to PETA’s Best Designer Footwear “We have seen more and more people choose to adopt greener and Award, where do you go next? more ethical lifestyles. Media support has been paramount to this new sense of social responsibility, and I feel this is one of the main Natalie exclusively told us that, “We are currently embarking on the contributors to this massive growth of ethical consumerism, and to our process of finding investment to take Beyond Skin to the next stage own success. We were fortunate enough to have been on the crest of in its business. This includes launching new product ranges including a wave and we were already established when ‘eco’ and ‘green’ hit accessories and menswear, so watch this space….” the headlines. This has helped us tremendously and been a massive contributor to our brands awareness. However, both us and other ethical For More information, or to buy a pair of Beyond Skin shoes, businesses cannot survive on our ethical merits alone. Like any other visit: www.beyondskin.co.uk business, we have to continue to produce goods that are well designed,
We were so happy and lucky to have such loyal customers to support us and we successfully raised the funds we needed. 13
C58.50621BM Apprentice Week 18/07/2013 16:20 Page 1
● Do you want your company to be
more successful? Competitive? Innovative? ● Apprentices are proven to
generate sustainable growth in most business areas. ● Business funding up to £1500* is
available if this is your first apprentice. ● Havering College offers employers
an apprenticeship training service that is second to none, helping you and your employees find the right course, at the right level. We can even create one just for you tailor made to your business. * Conditions apply
For more information on our quality assured apprenticeship opportunities contact our Business Services Team
01708 462800 employerenquiry@havering-college.ac.uk www.havering-college.ac.uk Havering College of Further and Higher Education Ardleigh Green Campus, Ardleigh Green Road,Hornchurch, Essex RM11 2LL
lifestyle
NPS: Do You Know The Score? The NPS method of measuring customer loyalty has been around for a while now, and if you’re wondering, NPS stands for Net Promoter Score. In order to arrive at the score, you must ask just one question: How likely are you to recommend (my company) to a friend or colleague? Responses are on a scale of zero to ten. Zero meaning no chance, and 10 meaning definitely. Respondents that rate your business between zero and six are classed as detractors, and those that score you at seven or eight are passive. Those giving you nine or 10 are promoters. To work out the percentage of detractors and promoters, simply subtract the detractors from the promoters, and the answer is your NPS score. The system was developed by Fred Reichheld of Bain & Co, and after research undertaken with Satmetrix to address the issue that measuring customer satisfaction does not accurately reflect customer loyalty. Discounting the passives, the ambivalent ones who are neither dissatisfied or satisfied enough to feel loyal, meaning that they are unlikely to express an opinion either way, and focusing on those who do feel strongly enough to express their opinion, the NPS method gives you an idea of how people are talking about your
company. That is vital piece of information allows you to get an idea of the public perception that people have of your company, and whether you are likely to gain customers, or lose them. Knowing that this could have a positive effect on company profits, the NPS method was seized upon by businesses who loved its simplicity and wanted to believe that it was the one indicator that they needed to measure business performance. Unfortunately, customer relationships are too complex to be fully explained in the answer to a single question. A low score, for instance, gives no indication of what your customers particularly dislike, and when businesses began to realise that conscientiously measuring their NPS was not magically improving profits, there was a backlash against the system. Nowadays, sensible businesses recognise it for what it is: a very useful indicator that can, when used alongside other methods of evaluating customer satisfaction and business performance, add a valuable perspective to the overall picture. It also has the advantage of being beautifully easy; an NPS survey
conducted for instance through Survey Monkey can be set up in next to no time. Patrick Zanella, Global Services Product Manager at Enterasys Networks, believes that NPS is gaining traction. He explains why he values it: “Using only one question in a survey may seem like a novel approach, especially since most companies typically use far more than one question in their surveys. However, I think asking this one question really brings focus to the age-old way people typically use in deciding who they do business with, using word of mouth recommendations from people they know and trust.” Asking only one question not only makes it easier and more likely for customers to respond to the survey, it gets right to the point of determining whether a person thinks enough of a company to recommend it. While the NPS score is certainly not the only way to measure customer loyalty, it certainly provides a glimpse into how customers view your business, giving you the perfect opportunity to make improvements, or give yourself a well deserving pat on the back.
15
profile
Lord Alan Sugar,
“...stop blaming everyone else, you’ve got to help yourself...” W
Doing business is clearly serious business to Lord Sugar, and this is sound advice from such a hailed businessman, but for what reasons should you even go into business in the first place?
Knighted in 2000 for his services to business, Lord Sugar also holds two honorary Doctorates of Science, awarded to him by two separate universities.
“It’s an exciting time starting a business,” says Lord Sugar. “Although it’s got to be for the right reasons. You can’t just leap out of bed on a Monday morning, thinking, ‘oh, I fancy being in business because that’s a fashionable industry or because it’s a fashionable thing’. You can only start in business because you are expert at something and that expertise has been acquired most likely by working for someone else in the past, and then you make that decision that you now want to go and do that same thing for yourself.”
e all know Lord Alan Sugar as a billionaire business man, famed for his catchphrase “you’re fired,” and his, at times, comical quips at hopeful candidates on the hit show The Apprentice, but let’s not forget how he got there. Yes his time on The Apprentice and his infamous quotes have gained him a lot of media attention, but beneath all of the hype and media attention, is an honest, hard working, and extremely successful businessman. He is very clearly and unequivocally doing something very, very right.
Growing up in a council flat, Lord Sugar attended an ordinary primary and secondary school, and earned extra cash in his spare time, working at a greengrocer in Hackney. He left school at the age of 16, and after a brief stint working for the civil service, Lord Sugar sold car aerials and electrical goods from the back of a van, so who better to give budding entrepreneurs advice on how to start a business? So what’s the first bit of advice Lord sugar has for those that want to go into business for themselves? “No bank’s going to give you money on the basis of your ideas,” says Lord Sugar. “You need a business strategy, clear plan, balance sheet and informed backers. No one’s going to tell you how to do it, and if you don’t know how to do it, then stay with the job you’re doing. Because if you’ve not got a road map in your head, then forget it.” 16 rmbusiness.co.uk
So when is the best time to start a business? “Do not start a business on your own if you haven’t had experience in it,” says Lord Sugar, “That’s the way you start, because you’ve amassed some experience, not because you just randomly think it’s a good idea.” So experience counts for everything it would seem, but in business not everything is created equal, and Lord Sugar believes that women are at a disadvantage due to current equality laws. He is well known for his opinionated views, and Lord Sugar famously caused a kafuffle when expressing his stance on women in the workplace, accused of having an out-dated attitude. Lord sugar insists that equality laws prevent employers from being able to ask certain questions, which in turn make it difficult for women to find jobs. >
“These laws are counter-productive for women, that’s the bottom line,” expressed Sugar. “You’re not allowed to ask, so it’s easy – just don’t employ them. It will get harder to get a job as a woman.” Business isn’t just hard for women though, with the introduction of new government policies designed to help businesses in the UK and boost the economy, Lord Sugar is sceptical that those that govern the country even know what they’re doing. “All these governments talk about wanting to encourage people into going into business, but they don’t have a clue how to do it. The government are blaming the banks, but with The Apprentice we’re saying, stop blaming everyone else, you’ve got to help yourself. It’s as simple as that.” So how confident is Lord Sugar on the success of these new plans? “Look, I’m from Hackney, not from Eton.I’m talking about starting a business from scratch and making a lot of money. That’s my culture. I’m the first to admit that it is beyond my comprehension, all this talk about the economy and all that b*llocks. Quite frankly it is the small businesses and the one-man bands that employ maybe two, three or four people, which are the backbone of the economy of this country. It is not the Shells, the BPs or the Marks and Spencers’. It’s the small businesses, and that’s what I’ve always supported and whatI hope The Apprentice supports.” 17
2013 2013
HBA 2013 Awards Ceremony on 4th October Hosted by Rory Bremner
Go to www.haveringbusinessawards.co.uk to see the finalists and winners or follow the news on twitter @havbusawards or facebook https://www.facebook.com/HaveringBusinessAwards 18 rmbusiness.co.uk
work force development
The top 5 things to help grow your business It’s official, we are no longer in recession and the good times are just around the corner! Is your company prepared for what lays ahead? In this article, we asked The Business Guru, Simon Fordham for his top five most powerful actions to help take your business to the next level.
1
Be Prepared for Growth
A growing business consumes two things: time and money. When your business begins to grow, you must react early or be caught out. If in the next month your marketing campaign is a phenomenal success and enquiries and orders increase, are you ready for the increase in emails and telephone calls that you’ll receive? How are you going to fund the extra orders, maintain your customer service, and supply back end support? It’s far better to have cash in the bank to support expansion than try to raise capital. Not being prepared could mean you lose customers and leads, costing more than a few sales; it could cost you your reputation.
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Be Everywhere
Your business is not going to grow unless people see it and are reminded of it. If you want to gain brand recognition, you have to make sure that people know that your business exists. One of the reasons we recognise Virgin is because it’s everywhere. Just having a Twitter and Facebook profile won’t elevate your brand; you have to actively participate to be effective. Seek the opinions and needs of your readers, customers, and clients. Make sure the world knows who you are and what you do, and remind them as often as you can.
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Lose Your Ego
There is a difference between having confidence and having a big ego. Confidence gives you the courage to take risks, whereas your ego may stop you from getting help when you need it, and you could become closed off to good ideas because you only do things your way. Many of the entrepreneurs I work with like being in control, but sometimes this gets in the way, because as leaders we should know our limitations. If there is someone better than you at a job, and it will help grow the business, let them do it. This may also reduce your stress and make work more enjoyable.
It’s important to trust your employee’s ability to do the job they were hired to do. Give them the freedom to use their skills and talents to make your business better. Ensure they have guidelines to work to and are able to come to you for advice if they need it. Allow mentors, consultants, customers, and even your competition the freedom to evaluate your business objectively. Once you let go of your ego, opportunities will present themselves that will help your business grow.
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Create a Need, Resolve a Problem
Many entrepreneurs I help speak of creating a need or demand for their unique product or service, or providing a solution to a problem. The key is to provide so much value, that the consumer feels as though they need your product or service. Likewise with web-content, If you offer outstanding comments, readers will feel moved to visit the site, share it with friends, and more likely buy from you. Build trust with your target market and this will give you more customers.
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Form an Alliance
Partnering up with a similar business can be powerful, as the opportunity for growth can be tremendous if the right alliance is formed. The alliance should be mutually beneficial for both parties, expose your customers to each other and gain credibility by having a reputable partner endorsing your web presence, product, or service. If you want to grow your business, leverage your relationships with people and other businesses. Take these five actions and apply them to your business strategies and see the dramatic change that happens.
David Henderson Co-Founder and Principal Consultant Thebiznessguru.com 19
Employee Tribunal Fees Unions attacked the controversial new rules and union bosses and employment lawyers predicted “chaos” for the new fees, where employees could be forced to pay up to £1,200 to make a claim. Fees even apply for claims against unfair dismissal and discrimination.
" Its only achievement will be to price vulnerable people out of justice." Unite have agreed to pay the legal fees of its members, although the GMB held a protest against the fees outside an employment tribunal in central London on Monday 29th July. Workers are now charged one fee to bring a claim, another if it is heard and a further charge if they wish to appeal the decision. The size of the claim will roughly give an idea as to how much the fee will be. Smaller claims such as unpaid wages are believed to cost roughly £160 to place and another £230 if they proceed, whereas larger ones such as unfair dismissal could initially cost £250 and then another £950. Some agree with the new rules, the CBI and Federation of Small Business argued that the fees would help to reduce speculative or weak claims. The Government have insisted that it was right to take some of the £74m cost of workplace disputes away from taxpayers. Len McCluskey, chief of Unite, claimed that the “work-bashing Government” had engineered “a throwback to Victorian times.” He continued, “Seeking redress for unfair dismissal and discrimination and other injustices in the workplace is a fundamental human right – but now ministers are putting up insurmountable financial hurdles for working people in pursuit of justice. We estimate that this will affect 150,000 workers a year. This is not an aid to economic recovery but a means to keep working people frightened and insecure.” Frances O’Grady, TUC general secretary, said: “By charging up-front fees for harassment and abuse claims, the Government is making it easier for employers to get away with the most appalling behaviour. These reforms are part of a wider campaign to get rid of workers’ basic rights at work. Its only achievement will be to price vulnerable people out of justice.” Lawyers have pointed out that staff are less likely to challenge their bosses and therefore there is a smaller chance of them obeying their legal duties. Elizabeth George from Leigh Day said: “This sends a very dangerous message to employers” and added that it could potentially penalise pregnant women, the sick, disabled and elderly. Justice Minister, Helen Grant, said: “It’s important that we try to reduce the financial burden on the taxpayer. It costs £74m per annum to run the employment tribunal system and we genuinely feel that users who can afford to contribute should do so. We will monitor the impact very, very carefully on women and other individuals with protected characteristics to ensure that justice and fairness is done and if it is not done, of course we will look at it again.”
20 rmbusiness.co.uk
http://www.flickr.com/photos/stevec77/107868154/
For the first time since employment tribunals began, the government enrolled new fees for workers filing an employment tribunal case back in July.
work lifestyle force
5 Tips for Holding a Good Meeting There are no secrets for holding a good meeting; they are usually a really effective way for people to communicate. Meetings held between colleagues are an easy way to brainstorm together and share ideas. They can also be more personal and are the preferred way to praise someone or give a disciplinary. Meetings could also be with clients; you can pitch ideas to them, close a sale, have a ‘catch-up’ on progress, or even just get to know the people behind the emails and phone calls. So how do you make a meeting effective?
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Communicate well – Meetings tend to go well when people can communicate effectively with each other. Communication is one of the most important elements in a meeting because everyone has the right to share their opinion and should be listened to and respected when doing so. If you’re leading a meeting, you need to keep people interested. The last thing anyone wants or needs is an hour long lecture on a Monday morning about how to staple documents correctly; keep it short and sweet without overcomplicating simple tasks. If it’s a discussion based meeting, engage the participants by keeping eye contact or asking questions.
Invite the right people at the right time – Letting people know when there’s a meeting is a vital factor because without any attendees there wouldn’t be a meeting. Most people are likely to have plans within their busy schedule, so you can’t just write their name down and hope for the best. Give attendees enough notice before hand to gauge an idea of numbers. Letting the attendees know a while before the meeting allows them time to prepare their own notes and useful information to bring along. Another tip is to never invite people to an important meeting just to fill numbers; they’re likely to pick up on the fact that they don’t really have any significance in the meeting.
Be well prepared – Meeting always run smoothly when there’s something to work around like a schedule or a plan. Although it may seem obvious, the venue, time, date, attendees, refreshments and significant staff (i.e. notes taker) need to be organised well before the date. Being well prepped will stop any awkward silences as well as embarrassment. Having all electricals set up is a good idea, giving you time to locate and (hopefully) fix any problems or find an alternative. It looks unprofessional flicking through several sheets of paper while stumbling on words with burning red cheeks; have notes or documents in the correct order. These may seem like silly things but if you come across as unprepared and not too bothered; your attendees are likely to have the same attitude. Involve everyone – A meeting can’t be successful if people are left out. Granted, not everyone is the loud, outgoing type but sometimes the shyest person in the room can have some great ideas. With a gentle nudge, they may feel as though they can join in and that their opinion does matter. Ignoring them completely and not asking them for opinions or ideas can leave them feeling isolated. You need to ensure that you’re not too pushy though, this could lead people to feel as though they are being picked on, and that’s the last thing you want (especially if your meeting is about team building). Treat everyone fairly and encourage everyone to share their opinions or ideas.
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Keep it under control – There’s nothing wrong with a bit of passion, but if you have several passionate people in one room it can become chaos. It’s okay for people to disagree and have different opinions, as long as they’re put across in the right way. It’s unprofessional to sit in a meeting and shout your ideas or opinions over someone else’s. Listen to everyone before you have your say, they could have different views but their ideas may be good ones. There’s no need to come across as rude, even if their ideas seem ridiculous. The head of the meeting should take it upon themselves to keep the meeting under control and moving in the right direction.
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Runaway Train Fares Rail fairs are due to rise again, leading to claims that we have the most expensive train travel in Europe, if not the world. This time they are due to rise by an average of 4.1% from January 2014, which will be applied to all fares, including season tickets. And although the actual price rise is unlikely to be revealed for some time, why are they going up by at least 1% above inflation?
Did you know that rail companies are allowed flexibility, which allows them to increase fares by as much as 6% above the Retail Price Index? Although this must be balanced out with cuts elsewhere or small rises, it is possible that this increase may actually be an even bigger than average increase than has been announced. Showing no signs of stopping, a similar price increase of RPI plus 1% has been announced by the Government for 2015. In short, we have had inflation busting fare increases every year since 2004.
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How much regulated fares will have risen since 2008 when 2014’s increase comes into effect So why are fares continuing to increase? The Government wants passengers to pay for the running of its railways. A White Paper in 2007, ‘Delivering a Sustainable Railway’, said that by 2014 its target was to get 75% of the money from fares and 25% from taxpayers. So we can expect fares to keep increasing for some time yet. The Government also claim that it is paying for multi billion pound improvements across the networks. And yet despite the high cost, record numbers of people are using the trains, because there are numerous cheap deals to be had if you are booking in advance or travelling off peak. Compared to the cost of using your car with the added cost of insurance, petrol, road tax etc, the train still looks to be cheap by comparison.
So would we be better off under a Labour Government? The shadow transport secretary Maria Eagle has said that Labour would stop the train companies “fiddling the cap” and adding 5% on popular routes. “It gives a big advantage to train companies to maximise their revenues whilst leaving commuters who have no other realistic choice having to face this cost of living crisis that just keeps getting worse and worse and worse.”
So will the price increases be the same for everyone? Well no they won’t. The Scottish Government is going to cap regulated peak fares at RPI in January 2014 and January 2015, and will freeze regulated off peak fares after 2013 as long as the RPI is below 3.5% per annum. Northern Ireland does not plan any increases, and the Welsh cannot decide what they are going to do.
The present Government in its last command paper promised to address “the concerns about rail fares and the impact they have on hard-pressed families - by ending inflation-busting increases in average regulated fares at the earliest opportunity.” They haven’t however put a timescale on it, so who knows when it will happen.
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Annual rail fare changes vs nominal pay 2004=100. Rail fare data is from the ORR, while pay data is from Hay Group. ‘Operative’ jobs include clerks, receptionists and data entry roles, while ‘professional’ includes accountants, analysts and engineers.
lifestyle All tickets Season tickets Operative pay Professional pay
Source: Hay Group
£151.3
£120
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2005
2004
£100
Patrick McLoughlin, the transport secretary, said: “Running the railways is a hugely expensive business. The taxpayer overall is still putting in huge amounts of money... and I’m afraid the passenger also has to make his contribution.” He continued, saying there had been a “vast growth” in passenger numbers, and added, “what we’re doing is driving up the levels of investment so people get more reliable train services and better facilities as well.” But how does this affect local commuters? Those that travel from Romford to London Liverpool Street will be hit really hard with an estimated rise of 4.1%, taking your annual season ticket from £1708 to £1778. Those commuting from Rainham to London Fenchurch Street with C2C who are currently paying the same for their season ticket, can expect a similar rise in their fares. David Sidebottom, from watchdog Passenger Focus, said travellers would “shrug wearily” at the news of another rise, adding: “It is crucial that more trains arrive on time, investment in future improvements continues, and the basic promises that the industry make, are delivered.” As the general public are finding it more and more difficult to afford to travel by rail, Richard Hebditch from the Campaign for Better Transport said; “It’s really starting to eat into people’s incomes.”
Local residents who use the trains have met the news with anger and disgust, and have taken to social networking sites Facebook and Twitter to complain about the state of the trains, criticising that they were filthy with food and drink, which covered floors and seating. Another commuter commented that even though there are price rises each year, trains on the Shenfield to Liverpool Street line are antiques, and it’s hard to see any benefits.
The TUC showed their objection by organising demonstrations at around 50 railway stations across the country. Their General Secretary, Frances O’Grady, said that the passengers were “lining the pockets of the shareholders of private rail companies,” and expressed a wish that the government renationalise the railways.
A C2C spokesman said the company will not release a formal statement until the new ticket prices are announced, while a Greater Anglia spokesman said: “The government determines the average ticket price for regulated fares in January. The details of the actual fare increases which will take place in January 2014 will be available later this year.” 23
sales & marketing
Growing Your Business With Online Sales •
Written by Warren Knight www.warrenknight.co.uk @wvrknight
Having a new business is difficult, but maintaining this and creating success through online sales is the hardest part. As someone who owns a small business, I know how hard it can be and I am still learning. Here are 4 ways you can grow your business through online sales by using the tools available to you. 1. Social Media Social media has been a hot topic for a very long time now and will be for the foreseeable future. When it comes to increasing your online sales, you need to look at the following things: •
Finding the right social networks - To make sure you are targeting the right social networks, you need to do some research into where your target market is most likely to hang out. Decide which community responds the best and focus on that network. We all know it is difficult to really dedicate time to every social network so don’t be sparse with your time and only spend your time on the networks that will convert for your business.
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Start talking about your industry sector - I see a lot of businesses who just talk about themselves and they wonder why people unlike their page. Really do your research into your business sector and share informative blogs and statistics to make your audience really engage with your business.
2. Inbound Marketing Inbound marketing is the use of email marketing, blogging, infographics and other content marketing tools. When it comes to Inbound Marketing, consider the following: •
Having a weekly blog - This is very important as your website will always need fresh content, and a great way to do this is through blogging.
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Finding the right time to send out your email newsletter - Really test your database to see when they are actively reading the emails that you send and focus on sending your emails out at that time of day. This is important as an email open turns into a click, which could turn into a purchase.
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Use Infographics to share informative content with your audience. To create an engaging Infographic, you will either need to hire a designer to do this, or use a tool like Visual.ly to create something worth sharing.
3. Online Engagement Learning to engage online can be a struggle for small businesses so here are some tips to help you engage with your community; •
Engage with Influencers - Using the likes of Twitter, Facebook, and forums to find people who are leading experts in your industry can help build brand awareness.
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Really know HOW to engage - By this I mean learning what a “like” and a “retweet” means for your business. If someone shows interest in your brand, you need to engage with them.
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Always check your emails - I know this can be hard, especially if you are really busy, but checking your emails, especially if there is something important can be crucial as you may lose a paying customer.
4. SEO SEO can be very crucial to your online success when done correctly and when you have understood the meaning of Onsite and Offsite SEO; •
Onsite SEO - Includes Keywords, Meta Tags, Link Structure, Page Content, Site Map, Navigation, Analytics and Google Webmaster Tools. You will need to do your research into every part of Onsite SEO, or work with an expert to really understand the workings behind Search Engine Optimisation.
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Offsite SEO is about PR, PPC (Pay Per Click), Content, Sentiment and building a Semantic web where you engage with people via mobile and location.
If you would like to hear me speak about the above four topics in person, I am going to be a Keynote Speaker on both days of the Great British Business Show on the 28th and 29th of November. You can book your complimentary ticket here to hear my Online Sales Masterclass.
A Working Relationship The mere rumour of a romance between colleagues is often enough to get the whole office talking. So what happens when you’re the multi-billionaire co-founder of Google? Are office romances ever a good idea? September saw the very public split of Sergey Brin and his wife of six years, Amanda Wojcicki. Naturally with such a high profile couple there is a lot of hearsay; but it has been confirmed that Sergey and his wife are living apart, causing a digital drama that is the talk of Silicon Valley in California. His new partner is believed to be Amanda Rosenberg, a 26 year old who also happens to be a Google employee. The pair had to spend an increasing amount of time together since promotion began for computerised spectacles known as Google Glass – Sergey’s latest obsession that Amanda is the marketing manager of. All of this doesn’t really explain why the pair were pictured together at New York Fashion Week earlier in the year though. And if Sergey and his wife do split up, it seems unlikely to affect the company directly. But his personal life may not be quite so lucky, as the couple are said to have signed a pre-nuptial agreement. Put simply; any evidence of an affair emerges during their married life, as mother of Sergey’s two children, Amanda stands to earn a healthy chunk of his estimated £15 billion fortune.
But how common are office romances? Thirty-nine per cent of 4,216 employees surveyed this year by Career Builder found that they had dated a co-worker at least once during their working lives. Could it be the simple thrill, or simply love? Cynicism aside, thirty per cent of people asked ended up marrying the
co-worker they had dated. And they are in good company. Other famous couples who fell in love at work include Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, and not to mention American president Barack Obama and his wife Michele. Now more than ever, UK businesses need to anticipate office romances. Huffington Post has recently revealed that attitudes have changed for the new generation of employees, also known as millennial employees. An incredible eighty four per-cent of workers aged 18-29 say they would have a romantic relationship with a co-worker, compared to just 36 percent of Generation X workers (ages 30-46) and 29 per-cent of Boomers (age 47-66), according to a recent Workplace Options survey. And 40 per-cent of millennials say they would have no problem dating their supervisors (compared to just 10 per-cent of older generations). Far from feeling nervous, the younger generation cite a work place romance as a boost to their career and morale.
What does it mean for your business? More than one-third of employees aren’t sure if there’s a company policy about dating at the office. So if your business doesn’t have such a policy, it’s time to consider it. Employees may now have a more relaxed attitude, but you need to be concerned about possible sexual harassment charges or complaints about perceived (or real) employee favouritism. But most importantly, acknowledge employee behaviour with an open mind.
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Most Inspiring PR Campaigns of all Time In a world full of dull mass marketing, the only way to stand out is to be remarkable. This will increase your sales and marketing spend, allow you to dominate the category and maybe even generate lifetime value from your customers. But this is often easier said than done, so what is it that makes some companies so brilliantly unforgettable?
‘Share a Coke’ – Coca-Cola (2013)
What can we learn?
As we all know, the world’s largest beverage company replaced its usual branding with 150 of the UK’s most popular names. But from the brand’s perspective, the best part was the addition of the hashtag #shareacoke to encourage customers to promote the brand online, meaning that the majority of their publicity was done by other people with relatively little effort.
Don’t be scared of mass market penetration. Most campaigns have a core demographic. Using people’s names made consumers feel unique, and the global campaign suddenly felt very personal. And with 3D printing becoming more realistic for both brands and consumer’s – personalised marketing campaigns are only going to grow to make the customer feel even more special. For example, in Converse’s flagship shop you can now design and build your own trainers in just an hour
The response was incredible. Everyone knows how important social media is nowadays for a brand, and if Coca-Cola are still learning, maybe we need to listen to what they have to say. The simple idea saw their Facebook community grow globally by 6.8%, while the hashtag was used 29, 000 times, all within the first month the campaign was launched.
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The Genius lies with its simplicity. The user generated content made the campaign a success in both the real and the virtual world, ready to influence other customer’s. So don’t try and be too smart and maybe your company will be the next successful campaign offering affordable, personalised products?
‘The Refresh Project’ – Pepsi (2010)
What can we learn?
Arguably one of the most ground-breaking campaigns of all time, purely because of its shock value. Everyone thought they knew Pepsi. They were predictable and after 23 years, they had poured hundreds of thousands of dollars on Super Bowl adverts; until they suddenly stopped. In 2010 they opted out of the campaign and spent 1/3 of their annual budget on a huge social media campaign called ‘The Refresh Project.’ Pepsi pledged to hand over $20 million in grants for do-good projects customers voted on. However, sadly the project was pulled after just 10 months following a series of fraud allegations.
Don’t be afraid to surprise people. Yes it is good to be reliable, and it is even better to be good at what you do. But if you have also been doing the same things for 23 years, how about a shake up to get people’s attention again and remind them you’re still around. Shock everyone by not doing the same thing at least once. Do brand relevant work. It is always amazing to do charity work and least of all give back to the community that has helped you. Even high profile ’do-good’ projects don’t do much good if people don’t understand why you are involved. Learn from Pepsi’s mistakes and conduct every project properly.
sales & marketing
‘Flash Mob’ – T-Mobile (2009) Imagine you are on your way to work, and suddenly hundreds of people start singing and dancing all around you – then just as quickly they disappear. This was the idea behind T-Mobile’s hugely popular campaign, where three separate videos amazed and amused thousands of people through YouTube and television ads. The innovative campaign was voted ‘TV Commercial of the Year’ at the 2010 British Television Advertising Awards, alongside being the most viewed flash mob video on YouTube.
What can we learn? Invest in great storytelling. People need to believe in you as a brand to believe in your product. If you capture people’s imaginations this will be so much easier. Make sure the campaign reflects what you are trying to sell. T-Mobile’s slogan was “Life is for sharing.” So by creating a common experience that people wanted to share, they managed that. Creating an experience that you could only share really quickly and effectively on your phone, through a video, phone call or picture, the campaign was a huge success. As a result of the campaign, searches for T-Mobile increased by 40%.
‘Kisses’ – Burberry (2013)
What can we learn?
The British fashion house is often seen in the media for being fashion forward, but this year it surpassed itself with its digitally innovative ‘kisses’ campaign. They partnered with Google to create an interactive campaign that allows users to send letters sealed with a virtual kiss of their own lips to friends and loved ones across the world. This created a clever and charming campaign, and a way to finally humanise technology.
Don’t be afraid to collaborate. There is no doubt that Burberry are successful in their own right, and by joining forces with global giant Google, they were able to reach even more people than ever before. So if you want to tap into a new market, is it feasible to link up with the market leader? Most importantly, is it a relevant move and not a greedy one?
Be innovative. Burberry are the first people to ever do anything like this, which was argued that it had nothing to do with clothing. While this may be true, it adopted the principles of the brand; it was chic and fun. And more than that, it allowed customers a little piece of Burberry even if they couldn’t justify buying one of their iconic trenches. But from the brand’s perspective, it ensured they stayed on everyone’s lips. 27
sales & marketing
CreatinG Awesome Blog Titles
It’s common sense that an awesome blog needs an awesome title, but it’s simply not as simple as that. You need to consider a number of points when creating a title for a blog such as SEO, and what will grab the attention of the readers. Writing a great blog is obviously important, however if there isn’t a good title to go with it, it will be hard trying to gain readers. You need a title that will engage readers and get them excited before they’ve even opened your blog post. So how do you do it?
Keep it short
Be Passionate
Your main goal is to get people to read your blog, so you need to make your title short and catchy but to the point. A super long title isn’t needed as long as you clearly explain what it’s about and do so in an interesting way, people are going to want to read it.
There are never any brownie points for sticking to what you know; it’s good to be adventurous. Although, when writing blog posts it helps to be passionate, you tend to write better if you’re interested in the subject or excited by it. You do need to take notice of search engines yet you should keep in mind that you’re writing for actual people, so pick a title that will satisfy both.
Be SEO savvy When you come to think about SEO, you need to think about key words. Just don’t overdo it. Stuffing 5 key words into a 6 word title probably isn’t going to work or make any kind of sense. A great guideline to go by is ‘post titles with ten words should contain two key words’. While some keyword-fanatics may be falling of their chairs, this is considered SEO rich. It will do better in search rankings as well as attracting readers.
It’s tempting to write funny/witty titles for your blogs, which sometimes is acceptable, but on the whole they don’t tend to do well in searches. Even though it may attract attention and generate interest, this is pointless if no one can find it. You need to ask yourself ‘would people type this in a search engine?’ and if the answer is no, we all know what you need to do!
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Use good spelling and grammar Even though search engines don’t particularly worry about the correct grammar and automatically correct your spelling, it doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t care. If a reader notices a spelling or grammar mistake in the title of a blog, it’s highly unlikely that they’ll even bother to click it.
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using DON’T
for business Using LinkedIn for business has become a great way to gain recognition. LinkedIn is growing in popularity amongst millions of business people, so why would you hesitate to create a company page to show them? It’s the perfect social media platform to get your business name and brand out there, as well as interacting with new and potential customers and clients. If it’s been said once, it’s been said a thousand times; you should ALWAYS have a separate social media account for your business, as using your personal account is a recipe for disaster. True story. We’ll be looking at using LinkedIn as a company page, as well as personally, plus brushing up on the most used lingo. Who should use LinkedIn? All you businessy people. Why should you use LinkedIn? No matter how busy you are, within a click you can be linked to all of the attendees of your last meeting. It gets your company out there, and who wouldn’t want that? What do I put on LinkedIn? • A short bio • Links to your website • Links to relevant material • Job vacancies • Contact information If it’s your personal account, you can also include your skills and qualifications etc. If you’re using a company page, people will generally follow to see updates, not to read paragraphs and paragraphs. Business people are busy you know. How frequently should I post? As with most social networking sites, the ideal amount would be 2-3 times each day, as long as it’s relevant and useful. If you post a video of a cat doing a back-flip, it doesn’t really count as ‘useful content’ or show your business to be serious and professional. Unless of course you’re a cat back-flipping rating company, which we’re still yet to discover. Darn it.
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ABUSE THESE WORDS LinkedIn conducted a study of the most overused buzzwords, the top 5 being: Creative, Organisational, Effective, Extensive Experience and Track Record. There’s nothing wrong with these words, just ensure that you’re using them for the right reasons and in the right context, not just saying them because they ‘sound good’ – they don’t. BABBLE Early mornings, endless meetings and tonnes of paper work, if there’s one thing that business people lack, it’s time. This means no rambling, so keep it to the point. FORGET TO UNCHECK When sending messages to multiple people, you really can’t afford to forget to uncheck the ‘allow recipients to see each other’s names and email addresses’ option. It could all get a little embarrassing. FORGET WHO YOU’RE POSTING TO Even on your personal LinkedIn account, chances are you’ll be connected to business contacts. Don’t forget it. Your personal LinkedIn account is NOT the same as your personal Facebook and Twitter accounts; so any rude jokes or drunken pictures are strictly forbidden. BE CREEPY When sending messages don’t start it with ‘I see you viewed my profile…’ it’s creepy and it’s weird and it’s just wrong. Okay, they might come across stalkery unless they have a valid reason to view it but this will, without a doubt, out stalk their stalkerness. Just no.
sales & marketing lifestyle
It’s not all about sales you know Don’t just post endless offers; your connections will get bored. A worthwhile offer here and there, of course, no one can complain, but being bombarded every ten minutes is a bit extreme. If you are going to post an offer in an attempt to gain sales, remember who you’re posting to, will they respond in a positive way or is there another way that you can grab their attention, without plastering your offers over their homepage? Remember that LinkedIn is all about the actual people behind the businesses, so you need to interact with them correctly.
Jargon buster Connections The people that you invite, or have invited you to connect. It’s just like ‘friend-ing or following’ someone. These connections are connected to other people, who are connected to more people and so on.
jobs, make business contacts. Companies can also benefit from LinkedIn Groups. By starting or sponsoring a group, companies can build longlasting relationships with customers.
Your Network The group of users that you can contact through your connections, users who are more than three degrees away from you but are willing to be contacted without referral and members of groups you share.
Request A request for contact sent from one user to the other. Company Page – A Company Page helps LinkedIn members learn about your business, brand, products and services, and job opportunities. Any LinkedIn member can follow a Company Page.
Group LinkedIn Groups provide a place for professionals in the same industry or with similar interests to share content, find answers, post and view
Profile Your ‘public face’. It’s what others will see when they find you in a search, just like most other social networking websites.
Size Guide
image courtesy of www.mediabistro.com/alltwitter/social-media-image-guide_b47533
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Benefit in Kind Tax Rules What is it? An employee may benefit from their employment by receiving a benefit that does not take the form of money. Such profits are often called benefits in kind although they are sometimes called ‘perks’ or ‘fringe benefits’. Benefits in kind are usually goods and services provided to an employee for free or at greatly reduced costs. Some Benefits in kind will not be taxed and therefore will not be needed on your tax return, if you get one. Some will only be taxed for people who aren’t in lower paid employment (earning less than £8,500). There are some benefits that are taxed for everyone, regardless of their income. Benefits you don’t have to pay tax on include: • • • • • •
Contributions paid by your employer into an approved occupational or personal pension scheme for you as an employee. (Nearly all schemes are included.) Cheap or free canteen meals, if these are provided for all employees, even if sepa rate facilities are provided for different groups of employees. In-house sports facilities. Works buses, or subsidies to public bus services, to get employees to and from work. Genuine personal gifts given for reasons unconnected with the job, for example, retirement gifts other than cash, or wedding gifts. Gifts, other than cash, that you receive from someone other than your employer, for example, seats at sporting or cultural events, providing that any gift or outing is not worth more than £250 in a single year.
Benefits you may have to pay tax on would include: • • • •
Company car – depending on the car’s list price, its carbon dioxide emissions and the type of fuel it uses. Loans at low interest rates – You may have to pay tax on this benefit if your employer lends you more than £5,000 interest free, or charges you less than the official rate of interest on a loan. Living accommodation (for you or one of your relatives) – depending on whether or not the accommodation costs more than £75,000. Medical Insurance.
How are employees affected? The most common taxable benefit in kind (BIK) is a company car, and if you earn more than £8,500 per year, you will be expected to pay BIK tax. The general idea of the rule is- the more you earn and the more expensive and gas-guzzling the vehicle, the more BIK tax you will be expected to pay. From 2014 to 2016, company car tax rates are set to increase by 1% (for cars emitting more than 75g/km of carbon dioxide) to a maximum of 35% in 2014-2015. In both 2015-2016 and 2016-2017, it’s believed that there will be an increase by 2% to a maximum of 37%.
32 rmbusiness.co.uk
money matters
Goes Up Teen Wage Earlier this year, in April, the government revealed that the National Minimum Wage for teens will increase. This is thought to be beneficial to the economy, especially as more and more teens opt to enrol into an apprenticeship. The apprentice wage was under debate in April, and the Business Secretary made a decision to up it along with the other youth wages.
April - June 2013
973k
16-24 year olds were unemployed
From the beginning of this month, 16-20 year olds will see an increase in their wage, as will apprentices. The National Minimum Wage for 16-17 year olds has increased by 4p to £3.72, and by 5p for 18-20 year olds, making their hourly rate £5.03. The Low Pay Commission had suggested that the hourly rate for apprentices should stay frozen; however Ministers have rejected this, announcing a 3p increase to £2.68. Adults are also due to see an increase from £6.19 to £6.31. Around the time of the revelation, Frances O’Grady, TUC general secretary said, “Boosting the incomes of the low paid goes straight into the economy, and wage-led growth must be part of the recovery so we would have liked to have seen minimum wage rates go up further” he continued, “but we are pleased that ministers have increased the apprenticeship rate. This sends a positive signal about the importance of apprentices” and “we will continue to urge the many employers who can afford it to implement a full living wage for their staff.”
In April, Business Secretary Vince Cable portrayed worry as he said that there was evidence that “a significant number of employees are not paying apprentices the relevant minimum wage rate.” He continued to say that “apprentices are the heart of our goal to support a stronger economy, and so it is important to continue to make them attractive to young people.” Therefore he chose not to take the LPC’s proposal to freeze the apprentice’s hourly rate and stated “instead I am raising it in line with the youth rates.”
4.60
4.77
4.83
4.98
4.98
3.64 3.68
3.68
4.92
5.03 16-17 year olds
4.45
3.72
2013
2012
2011
3.57
2009
2008
2005
3.40
2007
3.00
2006
3.00
2004
3.30
3.53
2010
4.10
4.25
3.80
2003
NATIONAL MINIMUM WAGE (£ per hour)
Tim Thomas, of the manufacturers’ organisation the EEF, said, “The modest increase in the apprenticeship rate is unlikely to negatively affect apprenticeship recruitment and of much greater importance is the raising of apprenticeships standards.” He believes that there should be “better information and advice to students and ensure that apprenticeships are truly employerled and employer-driven.”
18-21 year olds
29k
less people claiming JSA in July 2013
33
With over 17 years experience in the finance and banking industry, Annecto UK Director Kevin Hayler, will be sharing his wealth of knowledge on a broad range of payment and finance services. We interviewed Kevin to find out a little more about Annecto UK, and what we can expect over the coming months. What was your inspiration for starting Annecto? Well, Annecto means to connect and that is our entire philosophy. We want to make connections with businesses to help them grow and thrive in a tough climate. Retailers are finding it more and more difficult to survive, never mind to upgrade technology and move forward when they are struggling to stay afloat. We want to make it easier for them to do this through strong advice and financial relief. Retailers have been feeling the pinch since 2009; with a significant change in the way consumers now shop and ecommerce currently accounting for 15% of all retail sales, they need to stay ahead of the curve and that’s where we come in.
We need to invest in great ideas and people who are willing to see them through. My advice: It’s daunting going it alone, and I found that there was no-one to guide me through the minefield. You simply have to learn every step of the way and accept that you will make mistakes. The key is to learn from those mistakes and to not make them again. I bring this into my business advice and talk openly about the mistakes I made so that a new business owner doesn’t make them. What do you think are the traits that every entrepreneur should have in order to be successful?
What is your background? I’ve worked in the Credit Card industry for over 17 years, starting in 1995 with Barclaycard as a Sales Manager then progressing through the ranks before moving to Bank of Scotland in 2003. From there I moved into the world of Independent Sales Organisations in 2007 and specialised in building Sales Divisions and training them on how to work with SME’s. This experience has given me a very rounded view of the Card Processing market in the UK and I have a deep understanding of the SME sector and what Independent businesses need from their suppliers. Starting your own business is a daunting experience, what have been the main roadblocks for you? Put very simply, money and advice. Getting hold of the funding for my business was a huge challenge when it shouldn’t have been. Surely, after all that’s happened in the last 5 years, this is the wrong attitude.
34 rmbusiness.co.uk
Drive, commitment and a total belief in what they are doing. These are needed to overcome the hurdles that you will undoubtedly face. However, I also believe that you should surround yourself with a network of successful people, listen to their experiences, and learn from the things you hear. What do you think sets your business apart from others like it in the industry? My personal experience in the card processing industry has helped me gain a solid understanding of the needs of retailers in the UK and beyond. Our one-to-one business advisors are that bit more personal than a telesales exec or a website. We assign a personal advisor to all of our clients who will select the right products, provide real savings and then do everything we can to provide outstanding service for them.
Where do you see the business a year down the line? Since we launched in 2012 we have hired 60 agents and advisors and our team will continue to grow as our client base does. We want to become the voice of the industry. Our goal is to grow and change the perception of the credit card industry through great service, solid advice and true value for money. We will provide products that help SME owners save money and products that will help businesses grow through capital investment and through schemes that help increase customer footfall & trade. Where do you see the future of the industry? As regards to retail, and card processing specifically, we’ve seen a lot of buzz of late around both contactless payments and mobile wallets. Both are exciting developments, and although it may be some time before mobile wallets become anywhere near mainstream, contactless payments have already started to take off across the UK and Ireland. The convenience factor and time saving nature of this will become a major attraction for people making small purchases, specifically those who don’t like carrying cash around.
save 30% by switching to Annecto Reduced Rates Faster Transactions Better Service
The challenge that faces both of these forms of payment is how many consumers view them with a kind of hesitation and have trouble trusting the technology. I recently wrote a blog post on this very topic. (www.annectouk.wordpress.com). After experiencing contactless payments first hand for the first time, I wanted to share my thoughts and inform people about the technology, the security, and the underlying need. Hopefully I helped to quash some myths and discomfort on the subject. What I do know is that the current climate is challenging but also exciting. Especially if you are prepared to understand the changes that are happening and embrace new technology. Your customers are changing the way they shop, are you changing with them?
www.annectouk.co.uk 0800 131 0049 hello@annecto.co.uk Linkedin - annectoukLtd Twitter - @annectouk
It’s easy to switch, call us now on
0800 131 0049
All Annecto terminals will be set up and tested before they are delivered to you, therefore we know they already work. They will have your merchant number and details already loaded so all you have to do is to plug it in and you are ready to go.
Countertop Terminals
Mobile Terminals
Ecommerce
Portable Terminals
Contactless
Virtual Terminal
Call 0800 131 0049 Email hello@ annectouk.co.uk Online www.annectouk.co.uk
35
Is An Old Fashioned Loan Good For Business? If you work from home, or have had a few days off away from the daily grind, chances are you have seen a few of the catchy adverts for the guarantor loans on daytime TV. But what does this mean, and is it a business model that should be catching our eye? Let’s take a look at one of the more memorably titled companies. Amigo Loans boasts the tag line ‘if your friends can trust you, we can too.’ But what does this actually mean? It all started with the economic crisis, which has seen a lot of change in consumer and business habits. Millions of people have faced the cold shoulder from the bank that they used to see as a pillar of strength and a reliable body. But the banks have obviously recently become less inclined to take risks, leaving customers who had a bad credit score, feeling like their only option was a pay day loan. Not an option many would take lightly as the APR is often as high as 4,000 per cent.
budding entrepreneurs are being forced to put their dreams on hold as they are held back by banks that still won't give them a chance... 36 rmbusiness.co.uk
Luckily for many, there are more options than paying an extortionate level of APR or not borrowing at all. Guarantor loans are willing to lend to people who the banks won’t touch, giving them a chance to improve their credit rating again by proving they are now a responsible borrower. James Benamor, CEO of Amigo Loans, the UK’s longest running guarantor loans company explained that, “Many payday borrowers are left in a downward spiral of debt, unable to repay the loan at the end of the month, being forced to roll it over, or re-borrow from another
payday lender. It’s clear that, until now, many payday customers are unaware of the available alternatives, like guarantor loans.” Benamor’s Amigo Loans is shaking up the industry by returning to a more traditional, trust based form of lending, and borrowers are asked to provide a guarantor to back their application. “When it’s a social relationship people are much less likely to walk away from a debt than if it was to a bank. A guarantor loan is what Banks used to call ‘a loan’, until the invention of computerised credit scoring. Back then your local bank manager would know you and lend to you based on your assets or your income. If he didn’t feel comfortable lending to you, he’d ask for your Mum, Dad, brother or sister to guarantee the loan. Amigo loans are just the same old concept brought online and up to date.” he explained. The best part is that almost anyone can act as a guarantor, provided they are not someone like a spouse who is financially linked to you. So you could look to a friend, family member or even a work colleague. Companies will have their own policy beyond this rule, but generally your guarantor will have to be a UK home owner, be aged 21 years or over, and have a good credit history themselves. They will be checked, but it will be typically identical to a
money matters regular credit check – so they should expect to be asked to provide bank details, a statement and a proof of ID.
...After all, beyond the exterior you are dealing with serious businesses, and if payments are not met, companies like Amigo Loans will soon no longer look like your friends.
So who are the real winners? Well on face value the loans are aimed at people that cannot obtain mainstream credit. But the reality is that companies like Amigo are actually putting a legal obligation on the relative or friend to repay the money. As a business model it is a very lucrative one. The companies are able to charge higher interest rates than banks – but the reality is that they have the same level of security in the sense that they are actually lending to homeowners with good credit histories. Or to explain it better, Tim Moss, head of loans at Moneysupermarket has said that: “The guarantor effectively underwrites the borrower. If you think about it, if somebody asked you to be a guarantor, you would know them well and know their job situation and understand if they have missed payments before. So the lending company gets double underwriting and credit checking.” Amigo Loans offers loans between £500 and £5,000 over a one to five-year period at an APR of 49.9 per cent. It boasts no credit scoring, no early settlement charges, no fees, or late payment charges. Benamor said: “Amigo Loans gives customers the opportunity to rebuild their credit score. We write back to all of the credit reference agencies, in the borrower’s name, meaning that if the borrower has paid
on time, they are able to rebuild or improve their credit score.” Benamor continued: “There is a huge amount of talent and ambition in the UK, but budding entrepreneurs are being forced to put their dreams on hold as they are held back by banks that still won’t give them a chance. The stress and sometimes humiliation of being turned down by their bank is leading SMEs to give up on their business ventures altogether, and a growing number are being forced down the payday route. People who want to start their own business need to be aware of the other options and alternative forms of credit available - whether that’s through a guarantor loan, or a credit union.” But the real question you need to ask is whether a guarantor loan the right option for you. The model is a lucrative one for the lender. So if you are considering putting yourself in the position of becoming a guarantor, perhaps advise that any borrower tries to borrow from family and friends first. But if you do want to deal with a loan company to help you start up your business or get your rating back on track – ensure that you can meet the payments. After all, beyond the exterior you are dealing with serious businesses, and if payments are not met, companies like Amigo Loans will soon no longer look like your friends.
Robertson Milroy
Chartered Accountants & Tax Advisors • Tax Advise including Capital Gains Tax & Inheritance Tax Planning • Audit, Accountancy, VAT, Payroll etc • Personal Tax Returns • Retirement Strategies & Estate Planning • Business Start-Ups • Strategic Business Planning & Advice • Corporate Finance
Free Initial Consultation
01708 475220
mail@robertsonmilroy.com | www.robertsonmilroy.com Coopers House, 65a Wingletye Lane, Hornchurch, RM11 3AT
37
Trademarking – What Does it Mean For Businesses?
As we all know, the UK is an advanced economy, and innovation is crucial to ensure that your business has a competitive edge. Every owner will want to protect their ideas, so why are trademarks so important? Every business has its own personality and identity. So a trademark is really a sign that can distinguish your goods or service from your competitors. In other words, it is your brand – and we all know how important that is. The words, logo, font, or even a combination of all three are what make a company recognisable. When this is done well, the elements can become so intertwined that a customer may find it hard to separate them. For example; who can think of McDonalds without thinking of the ‘Golden Arches’ or what about trying to separate sportswear brand Nike from the iconic tick, or the catchy ‘Just Do It’ slogan? It is because they are so iconic and catchy, that you’re going to want to protect your well thought out ideas and brand identity to prevent other people from stealing them. After all, they could be taking away your best marketing tool. >
38 rmbusiness.co.uk
legal So once you have thought of a brand and want to trademark it, the only way to register it is to apply to the Intellectual Property Office. But be sure that someone else’s idea hasn’t inspired you, because a trademark will only be acceptable if they are distinctive for the goods and services that you provide. In other words, they need to be recognised as a sign that differentiates your goods or services as different from someone else’s. If not – you could find yourself in a lot of trouble both personally and for your business. Whether a trademark is the same or even similar to one that someone else has used we are dealing with ‘trademark infringement.’ And you could be in infringement of really almost anything; colours, words, logos, fonts – for example if you sell a drink in a can the same shade as Coca-Cola you may be accused of infringing their trademark. The real risk is the fact there is no legal definition of infringement – it is decided by the court on a case by case basis. There is no legal definition for fair use either. The relevance of this is a little confusing. All words are fair game, it is the way you use them that could see you in court. You cannot trademark a celebrities’ name or image, unless you have been given their explicit permission. So you can’t raise your own profile by using someone else’s. When you trademark a word or phrase they are limited to a certain category. So you can’t name a fashion line Versace but you could for a restaurant. And to add to the confusion, this means that even if a word is trademarked, it can still be used. So the best advice is to register your trademark. That is the only way you will have the little ‘R’ written after it, which can give you a large amount of legal protection. The ‘TM’ you sometimes see means the trademark is not registered – and so if someone tries to claim your trademark, it is difficult to prove the date you started using it and therefore whether it belonged to you first. Plus ensure that it does not describe your goods or service, is deceptive, or is relating to illegal activity or else it will not be registered – the same applies if it is not distinctive enough.
“
So a trademark is really a sign that can distinguish your goods or service from your competitors.
“
And as we have said, choose your words carefully when trademarking. Cases have fallen through because they are considered to be ‘common usage.’ – meaning they are such common words they do not belong to one particular person. This is the case for words like ‘And’ ‘The’ and ‘But’ for example. But as our habits change, new words become popular, aspirin has now become open to fair use – whereas it was once owned by own person who lost it when it became too popular! However, beware the giants – Facebook have successfully trademarked the popular word ‘Face’, but only for telecommunication devices! For more information, visit www.ipo.gov.uk
39
Are you a Social Entrepreneur or a Responsible Entrepreneur? Or just a business owner?
Many people think of an entrepreneur as a highly successful business person, frequently with several profitable businesses under their belt. But the dictionary definition is: a person who undertakes an enterprise or business. Using that definition, every business owner can re-classify themselves as an entrepreneur!
Jill Poet Managing Director of the Organisation for Responsible Businesses (ORB) www.orbuk.org.uk www.ResponsibleBusinessStandard.org.uk
In fairness, I’m sure everyone would agree that it takes a fair degree of entrepreneurial spirit to start a business, regardless of your personal perception of entrepreneurship. There’s certainly a big campaign in the UK to get people of all ages and walks of life to start their own businesses. And we all know that small businesses are the engine room of the British economy! So if a business owner is an entrepreneur, what is the distinction between a social entrepreneur and a responsible entrepreneur? I would hope that the difference is purely semantics, that they both essentially mean the same thing. But it seems not. The general consensus is that social entrepreneurs run social enterprises i.e. not-forprofit organisations delivering specific projects of social value to communities; whereas responsible entrepreneurs are just, well, responsible business people.
Doesn’t this miss the point? Regardless of whether you are caring for disabled people or repairing cars, they are both services needed by society. And the “not-for-profit” label can be somewhat misleading. Every organisation needs to make a profit, even if that profit is used to support good causes, ploughed back in to the business for development, or used to pay salaries. Ah, salaries! Did you know CEOs of some not-for-profit organisations earn more than the Prime Minister? Don’t get me wrong. We have some superb social enterprises and charities in the UK providing fantastic services for society. Many of the individuals involved in those stellar organisations reap very little financial reward, although they do gain a great deal of personal satisfaction. But equally, we have many “normal” businesses that are run by “responsible entrepreneurs.” Businesses that are successful and profitable, but that also contribute to their local communities, look after their staff and pro-actively reduce their environmental impacts. So perhaps it’s time we stopped differentiating between social enterprises and normal businesses and start acknowledging and celebrating Responsible Entrepreneurship. The Responsible Entrepreneurship Conference is being held on 18th November as part of the Global Entrepreneurship Week. For more information or to book please visit www.responsibleentrepreneurshipconference. entbrite.co.uk
40 rmbusiness.co.uk
business for the soul
Forwardthinking firms should focus on quality of service, not money-saving gimmicks The recession may have spawned a nation of cost-cutters, scrambling to save money on products and services, but to retain and attract customers over the longer term, companies should instead look to provide first class customer service, says green energy UK, a provider of sustainable energy. It’s no surprise that this period of economic uncertainty has borne an army of bargain hunters, but it has also created a more competitive business environment, meaning that customers are now looking for better service for their money from the companies that they do business with. In fact, even in a negative economy, customer experience is a high priority for the new breed of supersavvy consumers, with 60% often or always paying more for a better experience, and 59% willing to try a new brand or company for a better service experience, according to a Customer Experience Impact Report conducted by Harris Group.
People also want a better bang for their buck, so finding new and innovative ways of ensuring that they don’t start to look else where, is one of the key factors for consumers when looking at food, clothes, or even electricity prices, as everyone is looking to cut costs, says Stewart. Initiatives such as customer share schemes can make a real difference and make customers feel like they’re getting something back for their custom, which is a huge step in securing loyalty.
60%
of customers often pay more for a better experience
Saving money at all costs is no longer the order of the day, according to Doug Stewart, CEO of green energy UK. Whilst the economic climate remains challenging, we’ve found the attitude towards value for money has changed. For many consumers, the emphasis seems to have shifted in the direction of value and what value means, says Stewart. Many people now view value for money as something that includes the entire service, and most are frustrated with cheaper services or products.
In addition, the environment is becoming more of a key factor in customer’s purchasing decisions. The issue of climate change has increased in priority, as many homes and businesses now try to find energy from a variety of renewable sources.
Green energy UK is a supplier of green electricity in the United Kingdom. Its customer base, who have made the switch to cleaner energy, comprises of homes and businesses from around the country. “We’re a small company, and it’s something that we’re really proud of, as it means that we’re small enough to care about our customers and give them a great service. We find that really matters these days.” For information on how to reduce your carbon footprint, visit: www.greenenergy.uk.com.
41
thurrock ChamberS The men from the Ministry come calling… Well it was one woman and two men who actually came from Her Majesty’s Treasury to visit Thurrock and find out what Essex businesses were thinking about the state of the UK economy. Kindly hosted by Rates Ford we had assembled a range of medium and small businesses to tell them warts and all what they were experiencing on a day to day basis. Access to finance and the views of the banks towards businesses, especially small ones, was a hot topic with a strong view that, despite the money that the Government had put into the banks, it was still extremely difficult to get funding unless you were in a position that you really didn’t need it at all! Planning and the attitude of councils across Essex towards businesses were, as you might expect, also somewhat controversial. There were several case studies where businesses had put in perfectly reasonable planning applications, only to see them rejected by the planners. In one case, they had resubmitted their application, taking into account the council’s reasons for refusal, only to see it refused yet again, leaving them with the feeling that perhaps the local authority didn’t want them to succeed in creating new jobs for local people. Just getting around Essex, and especially in and out of the county via the Dartford Crossing, was something else that was causing concern to all those present. All tat were present needed to use the road networks on a daily basis to successfully run their business, and all were finding that time and time again, they were ending up stuck in queues of traffic resulting in late deliveries, or arriving late for meetings with customers. Everyone felt that there was a real need for Essex to get its fair share of Government investment in its roads and rail networks. The improvements to junction 30 on the M25 are very welcome, and the upgrading of parts of the A130 and A127 likewise, but there is still a need for more to be done. With Essex having two major airports at Stansted and Southend, the existing port at Tilbury, and the new London Gateway container terminal well under way towards receiving its first ship towards the end of the year, there is a major need to see the south Essex road network made fit for the 21st century. This is just one example of what Essex Chambers are doing for businesses of all sizes in Thurrock and elsewhere. To find out more, come along to our Thurrock office open day on the 3rd October. Phone Sharon at 01375 265298 or go to www.essexchambers.co.uk 42 rmbusiness.co.uk
Denise Rossiter Chief Executive Essex Chambers of Commerce
what’s on
THE RM BUSINESS GUIDE to Written by Barry Hicks
NETWORKING
Are you prepared and planning your Networking Christmas? If you have many business contacts, you may wish to invite some of your clients and future clients to your own function this year. You may not have the premises to hold such a function, so I would suggest that you look now for the right place.
Alternatively you may wish to set dates aside during December where you can attend networking events or be available if you receive invitations to business functions. Obvious your own business comes first, but if you make the effort to attend, even if you have not done much networking earlier in the year, it could be worthwhile. You never know who you will come across at one of these functions.
It does not have to be expensive and there are plenty of venues willing to let you have a private room or area in their establishment at no cost depending on how many people you invite. Obviously you will pay for If you have any networking news or involved in organising a network the drink and food, but if you restrict the event time wisely, you should be group or event in the coming months please email me the details for able to budget accordingly. It will give you a chance for inviting possible consideration to be included on these pages. new clients who can also network with your current clients. If you already have a good reputation or want to improve your business profile, what do you have to lose?
I arrived at 1.15pm at the venue and there were several attendees waiting to go upstairs for the meeting, some of them I recognised from other events, but most I had not met before. Once upstairs we took our seats and Gregory introduced Ninja Networking and gave us all a business card which had 6 Ninja networking tips on. There quote “They are simple, very powerful and they work” (You will have to go along to one of their sessions to find out what they are.) Gregory then explained the Ninja charter and what they are trying to achieve.
I decided this month to review a new start up Networking Group which I received an invite for. The name of the group is Ninja Networking and they meet at lunchtime on a Tuesday fortnightly. The events are only 55 minutes long and are limited to 30 participants at each session. There are two sessions, 12.00pm to 12.55pm, and 1.30pm to 2.25pm. I went to the second session, which had a dozen or more participants and bearing in mind, this is a new venture and only their second meeting. I believe that they are looking
for quality not quantity, and the cost is minimal at £3.00, which includes a £1 donation to a charity selected by a member, plus a complimentary coffee/tea/juice. Membership to the group after you have attended 3 sessions is £25.00 per year, and I suspect that it will not be long before both sessions are oversubscribed. The venue is in the centre of Chelmsford at Buscall & Flynns Tearoom & Bakery just opposite the large Tesco store. The event is organised and presented by Gregory J Baker and Scott C Campbell.
Each member was then asked to introduce themselves in less than 20 seconds. It was apparent from this the idea of this meeting, was to be succinct and direct, and this set the tone for the rest of the meeting. Gregory then introduced Scott who gave a short presentation on “5 Ways to generate leads from your website on auto-pilot.” I liked the brief presentation which would have wetted your appetite for more. We were then each given a raffle ticket for the two prizes on offer. The first being a donation of the money collected for your choice of charity and the second a free consultation with Scott on marketing. The 10 minutes left of the meeting was left for one to one networking. These meetings could fit into your lunch hour especially if you are based in the Chelmsford area.
43
Tuesday 1st October
Tuesday 8th October
Thursday 17th October
Essex Business Network
Southend, Park Inn Palace Hotel, 7am www.essexbusinessnetwork.co.uk
Nexus Network Group
Essex Business Club
Essex Business Network
Southend, Park Inn Palace Hotel, 7am www.essexbusinessnetwork.co.uk
Moulsham Mill, Chelmsford, 7:30pm www.essexbusinessclub.org.uk
Essex Business Network
Wednesday 9th October Redbridge College, 7am www.essexbusinessnetwork.co.uk
Wednesday 2nd October
Thursday 10th October
Essex Business Network
Nexus Network Group
Redbridge College, 7am www.essexbusinessnetwork.co.uk
Brentwood Chamber of Commerce
Marygreen Manor, 7:45am www.brentwoodchambers.co.uk/events.php
Thursday 3rd October Nexus Network Group
Meet De Rougemont Manor, 6:30am www.nexusnetworking.co.uk
Essex Business Network
Meet De Rougemont Manor, 6:30am www.nexusnetworking.co.uk
Essex Business Network
Basildon - Campanile Hotel, 8am Brentwood, Marygreen Manor, 8am www.essexbusinessnetwork.co.uk
Double Whammy Networking Organisation for Responsible Businesses (ORB)
12:00 to 14:30 Southend On Sea, United Kingdom www.doublewhammylaunch.eventbrite.co.uk
Basildon - Campanile Hotel, 8am Brentwood, Marygreen Manor, 8am www.essexbusinessnetwork.co.uk
Friday 11th October
Friday 4th October
Chelmsford Golf Club, 7am www.essexbusinessnetwork.co.uk
Essex Business Network
Chelmsford Golf Club, 7am www.essexbusinessnetwork.co.uk
Havering Chamber of Commerce Queens Theatre, Hornchurch, 7:30am www.haveringbusiness.co.uk
Essex Business Network
Witham, White Hart Hotel, 8am www.essexbusinessnetwork.co.uk
Biscotti Brentwood
Essex Business Network
Essex Business Network
Witham, White Hart Hotel, 8am http://www.essexbusinessnetwork.co.uk
Tuesday 15th OctobeR Essex Business Network
Southend, Park Inn Palace Hotel, 7am www.essexbusinessnetwork.co.uk
Wednesday 16th OctobeR
Marygreen Manor, 10am www.businessbiscotti.co.uk/essex/brentwood. html
Essex Business Network
Havering Business Awards
Barking & Dagenham Chamber of Commerce
Thames Chase Community Forest Centre, Cranham, 7pm www.haveringbusinessawards.co.uk
44 rmbusiness.co.uk
Meet De Rougemont Manor, 6:30am www.nexusnetworking.co.uk
Essex Business Network
Basildon -Campanile Hotel, 8am Brentwood, Marygreen Manor, 8am www.essexbusinessnetwork.co.uk
Friday 18th October Essex Business Network
Chelmsford Golf Club, 7am Witham, White Hart Hotel, 8am www.essexbusinessnetwork.co.uk
Monday 21st October Ebang
Haywain Beefeater Conference Rooms, 3:45pm www.businessadvisoressex.co.uk
Tuesday 22nd October Essex Business Network
Southend, Park Inn Palace Hotel, 7am www.essexbusinessnetwork.co.uk
Wednesday 23rd October Essex Business Network
Redbridge College, 7am www.essexbusinessnetwork.co.uk
Soutend Peers
Park View, 7:30am www.networking-on-sea.co.uk/mtgs
Thursday 24th October Nexus Network Group
De Rougemont Manor, 6:30am www.nexusnetworking.co.uk
Redbridge College, 7am www.essexbusinessnetwork.co.uk
London EXPO, 10am www.bdchamber.co.uk
Thursday 24th October Essex Business Network
Basildon - Campanile Hotel, 8am Brentwood, Marygreen Manor, 8am www.essexbusinessnetwork.co.uk
what’s on Friday 25th October
Friday 1st November
Tuesday 12th November
Essex Business Network
Havering Chamber of Commerce
Barking & Dagenham Chamber of Commerce, 6pm
Chelmsford Golf Club, 7am Witham, White Hart Hotel, 8am www.essexbusinessnetwork.co.uk
Queens Theatre, Hornchurch, 7:30am www.haveringbusiness.co.uk
Thursday 31st October
Tuesday 5th November
Thursday 14th November
Essex Business Club
Nexus Network Group
Moulsham Mill Chelmsford, 7:30pm www.essexbusinessclub.org.uk
RM Business Networking Brickyard, Hornchurch, 6pm www.rmbusiness.co.uk
Thursday 31st October Nexus Network Group
De Rougemont Manor, 6:30am www.nexusnetworking.co.uk/index.php Friday
www.bdchamber.co.uk
Thursday 7th November Nexus Network Group Meet De Rougemont Manor, 6:30am
Meet De Rougemont Manor, 6:30am www.nexusnetworking.co.uk
Brentwood Chamber of Commerce Marygreen Manor, 6pm www.brentwoodchambers.co.uk
www.nexusnetworking.co.uk
*For up-to-date information please visit: www.rmbusiness.co.uk
Wednesday 16th October 2013
BUSINESS INNOVATIONS EVENT ORSETT HALL | RM16 3HS | 10AM - 4PM Enhance your proformance with smart technologies Book Now! Email callie@lgnetworks.co.uk to confirm your attendance 45
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5D to ISN AY S ’T T AW O HE E
F W ON E OR LY W K KIN AY G
car review
This month’s car news
FORD CELEBRATES 20 YEARS OF MONDEO Ford Mondeo celebrates 20 years, with more than 4.5 million sold across Europe, 1,400,000 in the UK, with technologies advanced by Mondeo, including airbags, traction control, intelligent protection, Adaptive Cruise Control and EcoBoost engines
PORSCHE LIFTS THE LID ON NEW 911 TURBO CABRIOLET MODELS DEALERS SAY 38% OF CUSTOMERS ASK ABOUT CO2 EMISSIONS Flagship 911 Turbo and Turbo S Coupé models now joined by Dealers are reporting a rise in the number of consumers asking them Cabriolet versions and are set to make public debut at LA Auto Show for CO2 information as part of the used car buying process, according in November. to the latest survey from vehicle information expert, .
VOLVO AND REEVOO PARTNERSHIP REASSURES CAR BUYERS WITH REAL CUSTOMER REVIEWS
MERCEDES-BENZ VOTED BRITAIN’S COOLEST “FULL-LINE” CAR BRAND
Volvo and Reevoo join forces to reassure customers researching their next car online. Peace of mind for customers that they’re buying a Volvo that is independently rated and recommended.
DEALERS SAY 38% OF CUSTOMERS ASK ABOUT CO2 EMISSIONS Mercedes-Benz again features prominently in the annual Dealers are reporting a rise in the number of consumers asking them CoolBrands® list, ranked 11th from more than 10,000 for CO2 information as part of the used car buying process, according independently-identified brands in the 2013/14 survey. to the latest survey from vehicle information expert, .
For more information visit www.RMbusiness.co.uk
47
Swinging for the Sweet-Spot 3 tips for doing business on the Golf course Golf has always been perceived as boring by the onlookers that do not play, or worse, as it is often seen as a way for shrewd businessmen to plot unscrupulous deals; there is after all no one but the playing party around to hear. This, however, wouldn’t be a correct evaluation of game. Spending four hours with someone that you would like to do business with, is the perfect opportunity to spend an uninterrupted amount of quality time in their company; something that is difficult to achieve in the office. When you do business with someone, knowing his or her character isn’t something that you can easily do in a few meetings. On a golf course however, you are able to see how well a person copes with pressure, whether or not they lose their temper easily, and how strategically they think; virtues regarded highly in business. The culture of golf boasts scrupulous honesty, which is clearly demonstrated by top golfers who will impose a penalty upon themselves if they accidently move their ball. Even if that means that they will then lose a tournament; honesty is an imperative part of the game. Below are 3 points that you should always bear in mind when doing business on the golf course.
Build relationships The four hour window that you have on the course is the perfect opportunity to show how you, and to watch how others, conduct themselves. In the fast paced world that we live in, the prospect of allowing yourself to become disconnected, even if only a short period of time, is the perfect chance to nurture solid business relationships. Tip: An enemy on the course doesn’t have to mean an enemy in everyday life. Use the course to challenge yourself, and when the game has finished, you would have built a good foundation for friendship, so don’t let winning become everything.
Watch behaviour Golf will teach you how a person reacts in certain situations, how they deal with competitive situations, and how they adhere to necessary etiquette. If a player decides to use their phone, even though it is very bad golfing etiquette, what else in life or in business does this person ignore to suit themselves? Tip: Don’t let the little things get to you. Golf is all about having fun and making sure that all of the players are having a good time on the course. Courtesy and integrity play vital roles, and if you want to succeed in doing business on the course, remember that is more important to show that you respect the traditions of the game, rather than winning. 48 rmbusiness.co.uk
Practice like a Pro As with anything in life, practice makes all the difference. Successful people do not simply turn up and try their luck; they work hard, practice, and spends weeks, months and even years getting to where they are now. Pay your dues; waggle. Tip: Remember that before you become great at anything, you will have probably made mistakes, become frustrated, and thought about giving up. Practice your game and keep on practicing. There is always room for improvement, and the better you are, the more impressed your fellows players will be.
Get into golf A healthy workplace is a healthy business Encourage your staff to get active with golf and help them stay happy, healthy and productive Healthy, happy employees take less sick days and are more productive. Studies show workplace health programmes can increase job satisfaction and reduce staff turnover by up to 25% cutting the costs of temporary staff, recruitment and retraining. Golf can help reduce stress and brings some impressive health and wellbeing benefits for your staff. It can burn calories, lower cholesterol and may even help you live longer – golfers survive an average of five more years than the rest of the population. It provides a healthy dose of nature and fresh air.
Enhance your staff benefits with the low cost beginner courses on offer across the county Direct your staff to getintogolf.org to find an activity and make a valuable addition to your staff benefits package and an investment in long-term employee wellbeing. Build stronger connections between team members with a, bespoke taster event at a golf club near you A PGA professional will introduce you to the game, covering all the basics such as long game, chipping and putting. We can also include skills challenges such as a putting competition for individuals or teams. Equipment will be provided, along with refreshments and the opportunity for follow-on beginner courses. Depending on your needs an event can last two to three hours.
To Find your nearest centre visit getintogolf.org/essex arrange a taster event email info@getintogolf.org
w w w. w a r l e y p a r k g c . c o . u k
Colts riding high for Warley Park Warley Park’s prospects look in fine hands over the coming years, with the young age groups having a tremendous season in 2013.
Baille, who is also 15, won the Colts Championship, beating both Ryan and Tom as he returned a score of two-under-par.
The Colts team reached the semi-finals of the prestigious Essex Youth Shield, only to go down to a 3-2 defeat against Stoke-by-Nayland at Rochford Hundred Golf Club.
Everyone at the club would like to congratulate and thank section organisers John Williams, Ron Lowe, Michael Cox and Elizabeth Brown, along with Wayne Selley and Russell Killington, the PGA professionals who are based at the club and who teach the colts.
prospects look in fine hands over the coming years
Having recently introduced some excellent family discount membership schemes, club manager Stuart Orrin is optimistic about the future: “The standard of our juniors at Warley Park is mind-blowing and interested parents from Brentwood and the surrounding area are fighting for an opportunity for their children to join the section. Although we are currently at our limit of 50 members, a few of the Colts will turn 18 soon, meaning that spaces will become available shortly."
“
”
Meanwhile, Ryan Cox and Bailee Curran have represented Essex at Under-16 level, with Joe DeFries and Edward Brown also representing the Essex U-14 and U-13’s respectively. Joe gave an enormous boost to the club’s fortunes by winning the season-long U-14 Essex Tour, a testing competition which attracted 70 contestants and was run over six different courses around the county. Edward was also delighted to clinch 2nd place overall in the final round. It’s not just the boys, either: Ellisha Cox played for Essex U-12s and Sophie Wheeler won county events, giving her strong prospects of playing for Essex in the near future. Within the club itself, Ryan* won the Midweek Club Championship at the age of just 15 by matching par over 18 holes then beating his father, a previous club champion, on the first play-off hole. However, he was beaten in the 2013 Weekend Club Championship by a fellow Colt, 16-year-old Tom Fenton, in a play-off. The pair had seen off the challenge of over 100, mainly adult, club members to top the leaderboard after 36 holes on a score of three-under-par. 50 rmbusiness.co.uk
“
The standard of our juniors at Warley Park is mind-blowing
”
.................................................... For more information, contact Stuart Orrin on 01277 224891
*has just received his first call-up to England
Alter for Autumn - with this trendy transition
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JEAGER.CO.UK 51
www.dingvideo.com is the ‘Ideas’ website that brings businesses and products to life! Ding Video is a global video business directory where you’ll find a wide range of categories to search and upload your video to, including: Holidays & Travel, Entertainment, Events, Things to Do, Services, and Items for Sale. The way it works People looking for Ideas can visit Ding video, and by watching your video, they can see your business, service or product come to life! You can also add a link to your website in your listing. So if you have a promotional video for your business, service or product, you can upload it for FREE into the relevant category. The Ding Video team can also digitally market your video for you, extending your potential audience even further.
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The iPhone 5s I
t’s been eagerly awaited for some time; after the release of the iPhone 5, Apple fans couldn’t wait to be presented with the new release, assumed to be the iPhone 5s. Just as imagined, the iPhone 5s is now here, but surprisingly, it’s also brought along a new, colourful friend; the iPhone 5c.
iPhone 5s The iPhone 5s comes with the new slogan ‘Forward thinking.’ Seems to be just that. As with every S series, this new phone is bursting with new features, software and, with a sleek design available in a new range of colours – gold silver and space grey, it’s almost guaranteed that it will be on the top of everyone’s Christmas list. Touch ID Possibly the most exciting new feature of all. The very first iPhone brought the idea of a touch smartphone to the world; now it’s been taken to the next level. The fingerprint identity sensor is, according to Apple ‘the perfect password’. Which makes sense as it’s always with you and you can’t forget it. The sensor is placed in the Home button, which is now made from laser-cut sapphire crystal. Software reads the ridges of your print and finds the match to unlock phone. A7 Chip According to Apple, ‘there’s fast. And then there’s A7 fast.’ The new iPhone features an A7 chip that gives you CPU (central processing unit) and graphics performance at almost double the speed of the A6 chip. It also boasts that the iPhone 5s, along with the A7 chip, is the first 64-bit smartphone in the world. The A7 chip supports OpenGL ES version 3.0 which promises to deliver Mac computer, PC and gaming console standard graphics. Apple claim that the difference is amazing and that the whole gaming experience feels much more realistic.
54 rmbusiness.co.uk
iSight Camera The new iSight camera has meant that the 5s features advanced technologies and is custom designed for both the hardware and software. Just some of the capabilities of the new iSight camera include: Larger Sensor. Larger Pixels. Larger Aperture, continuous burst mode, True Tone flash, Auto image stabilisation, slow motion video, live video zoom, square photos, Panorama photos and photo filters. You can now take awesome photos, without being an expert photographer. iOS 7 Designed with iPhone 5s in mind, iOS 7 takes full advantage of the new technologies such as the A7 chip, the Touch ID and the iSight camera. The new software includes fantastic new features such as smarter multitasking,
AirDrop and Control Centre, all of which are designed to make every-day tasks faster and more enjoyable. Don’t be put off by the new and most advanced mobile OS, it’s a breeze to find your way round. iPhoto, iMovie and iWork The iPhone 5s has the potential to become a photo-editing, movie-making, memoir-writing and presentation-sharing with the new iPhoto, iMovie and iWork apps – Pages, Keynote, Numbers, Podcasts and iBooks. iPhoto allows you to organise, edit and share photos, iMovie edits video and audio recordings, Pages lets you produce documents, newsletters and reports. Each of these apps offers something truly amazing. You can download these apps for free from the App Store.
The iPhone 5c
T
he iPhone 5c was an unexpected, yet hugely welcomed, release. A new engaging pop of colour has been given to the smartphones and now the Home screen and wallpaper compliment the exterior, which was previously a choice of black or white. Packed with new features, some slightly different from the 5s, the iPhone 5c is sure to be a hit. Colours Colour is a great tool of expression and what better way to express your love for your new iPhone 5c than with a choice of five fabulously unique colours. The deep, rich colours of the new smartphones would be unachievable with a metal exterior, yet vulnerable plastic simply wasn’t an option. Apple created a steel-reinforced frame which doubles up as an antenna. The iPhone 5c is available in white, blue, green, red and yellow.
A6 Chip Although it’s not quite as speedy as the 5s A7 chip, the A6 sure holds its own. Waiting for your apps to load, regretting starting a download and biding your time whilst your favourite blog loads, is now a thing of the past. You can do all the things you love doing at great speeds. The A6 chip is also designed to improve battery life, with 10 hours Browsing Time, 10 hours Talk Time and 10 hours Video Playback time. You can spend all day on your colourful new iPhone without worrying about the battery life. Ultra-Fast Wireless Boasting ‘more coverage than ever before’ the iPhone 5c also supports more networks than ever. This means that more people can experience super-fast download and upload speeds. You can now take advantage of ultrafast networks in more places, which is really handy when you’re travelling around.
technology lifestyle
HD FaceTime Camera The iPhone 5c, as well as the 5s, comes with a great new HD FaceTime camera. The larger pixels and backside illumination sensor gives increased sensitivity in low light. We all love FaceTime, but it’s fair to say that the previous camera’s weren’t exactly the clearest. This is now all in the past, and we can’t wait to give it a try. With the new 5c, you can make audioonly FaceTime calls with ultra-clear sound. Great for when you’re having a bad hair day. Cases If there’s one thing Apple don’t want, it’s for anyone to think that their new 5c cases were an after-thought. Since the new model was in design, so were the cases, which is probably why they fit perfectly together. Created for protection and fun, you can create 30 eyepopping designs with the 5 coloured phones and 6 coloured cases. With soft touch silicone, an impeccable fit and microfiber lining, the 5c won’t just look great, it will be in perfect condition. Available in red, white, black, blue, green and yellow. 55
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56 rmbusiness.co.uk
At SLR Investment Consultants Limited we share investment ideas with the aim to increase your income for today and your wealth for tomorrow through asset backed products, secured on property and land. To arrange a free, no obligation consultation at a time and place to suit you please contact us. SLR Investment Consultants Limited is not regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and is not authorised to offer advice to the general public concerning any regulated or unregulated investment or product.
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If you know that you can’t run a company without IT, but it just seems to cause you headaches, you need help. Not just someone to sell you the latest gizmo, but someone to help you ensure your IT system does what YOU want it to do. Call us today to see how we can help.
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Warrington Chase provides specialist accountancy recruitment solutions for the East London and Essex regions. We tailor our service and price to your business and ensure we get you get the right person to look after your finances with minimal disruption to your busy schedule.
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Essex Chambers of Commerce is a fully independent body offering a comprehensive and continuously developing range of business services. For more information about Essex Chambers of Commerce and how we might assist you and your business aspirations please visit our website. Should you have any questions we will be pleased to assist you.
Havering Chamber of Commerce and Industry represents over 200 Businesses who employ over 2,750 people. We have been around for 25 years and now we have a new business address and a new partnership, working for business with the London Borough of Havering. HCCI is the voice of business in Havering.
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Positive Media believe that successful communication is at the core of every successful business. Piecing together the necessary components to create a winning marketing campaign entails creativity, passion and a successful understanding of the campaigns end goal.
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We have a passion for helping business’s go forward, by generating new business. This is quite simply really, lead generation. You supply the data, your target market, we make the calls and build a relationship with your prospects, sending emails and ultimately booking a meeting for you to present your company.
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Kosho now in its 2nd year as raised the standard for bars in Essex providing the best music, atmosphere and drinks deals in town. The stylish West End theme makes it the trendiest bar in Essex which is why we hit capacity every night. If you would like to hire Kosho exclusively for your company we can cater for all events from corporate meetings to pop video shoots, available from Sunday to Wednesday.
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60 rmbusiness.co.uk