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Stephen Smith, CEO of EMB, the leading enterprise and economic development company that delivers a range of business improvement services, welcomed the announcement of a business boosting initiative by Skills Minister John Hayes.
Full Story on Page 4
Editors Letter
So as we fall upon the festivity period and the dawn of a new year, perhaps its time to reflect on what the past year has brought to us and what the new year will bring to us. With the childrens excitement running through the house, we should all consider just how lucky we really are. As bleak as the economy may have seemed weve all managed to see another year through relatively unscathed. Okay so Greece and Ireland may be still in the peak of an economic meltdown but all is not lost and hopefully time will prove to be a great healer, albeit with a little assistance from the EU! With recent reports that each family will spend up to 700 per household for Christmas, now is the time to really take care of our finances. Its a great thing to enjoy the holiday period, but remember that we all have to face up to the reality of the new year and the costs of our spending, so make sure you spend wisely! I realise that our thoughts will naturally turn to gifts, food and wine but if you are careful a little can go a long way. If we reflect on the past year we can say that weve enjoyed a somewhat decent summer both in terms of weather and business enterprises. We have seen people even more determined to take on the struggles of our economy and start-up their own enterprises in an attempt to get them through the recession. With so much backing being given to support these individuals, weve seen growth in all sectors, so surely what the government and banks have seen gives us an insight into what we can do to emerge from the state we find ourselves in. With the above in mind and on a more cheery note, Business 2 Business News is One Year Old. Like all new businesses weve had our struggles but weve come out on top and have seen the business grow from strength to strength. We are hoping to expand in the new year to concentrate on new areas and hope to be able to continue the growth in the years to come to areas much further afield, so definitely watch this space. More excitingly our last networking meeting of 2011 is fast approaching and numbers are already looking great. We would love to see you there and perhaps share a drink, or two, pre-empting the Christmas holidays and to see what everyone will be doing in the new year to improve, change or even grow their business. I will be doing a brief, yes brief, speech about our new funding adverts and a little on what has happened during the past year and what we will be doing in the new year. Its quite unbelievable just how fast a year can go but all we can do is hope that the next year is as good to us as the last. Please visit www.business2businessnetworking.eventbrite.com and register your details now. Remember there are no membership fees and everyone is more than welcome. We look forward to seeing you all at club Kingswood on the 1st December. On a personal note, I must say a special thank you to all our team who put Business 2 Business News together each month. I wish you all a very Happy Christmas and a Merry New Year
Telephone: + 44 1702 308 140 Fax: + 44 8721 117 416 Printed By: Hamsworth Printing Oxon OX11 7HH, www.hamsworthprinting.co.uk
I
John Kain Director Commercial Banking
n listening to our customers a sense of disengagement and lack of trust is clear, with many feeling that banks are out of touch and only 40% believing they have a role to play in supporting their business ambitions. The remaining 60% felt that banks had no role and a key reason for this is that their bank has not demonstrated or shown they can help (SourceOnline Business Panel, iCD, September 2010 n=1,259). This powerful and honest feedback is key in helping us understand and respond to these concerns, driving our desire to become the bank of choice for UK SMEs.
More than 2.1 million people work from home and some 8 million spend at least som e of their working week in the house instead of at the office, according to the Of f ic e of N a t i o na l S t a t i st i c s (ONS). Working from home offers m a ny a d va nt a ge s a nd i s a n at t ra ct i ve o pt i o n f o r t od a y' s budding entrepreneur or teleworker. Being able to work at your own speed, in your own environment without the daily commute is encouraging an increase in homeworking initiatives and "bedroom start-ups". The Health and Safety E xecutive estimated in 2003/04 that 2.2 million people in Great Britain were suffering from an illness that they believed was caused or made worse by their current or past work. Estimates also indicate that self-reported work-related stress, depression or anxiety account for an estimated 12.8 million reported lost working days per year in Britain. As a result, many people are looking to escape from the pressures of their jobs and the stress of commuting and are finding that working from home provides a viable solution. In research conducted by Skillfair, 84 per cent of home workers said they were happy with the work-life balance that homeworking brings. Starting up a home business not only offers flexibility and a better working environment, but is also a cheaper option and a safer way of starting out when you're conscious of your finances in those crucial early days of going it alone. It is also ideal for parents who are
silicon.com, says: "We are witnessing a boom in people usi ng t he i nter net rem otely, whatever their method, but with this research users are telling us that the service they receive just isn't good enough. "Coupled with connections being just too hard to make, new questions we have asked show us users feel the y a re c harged too m uc h. B usi ne ss travellers contribute a disproportionate amount of revenue to the travel industry and hotels, yet are b e i n g e xp l o i t e d . They are not asking f o r f r e e c o nne c tions, just a fair fee and a reliable connection." Keen to be at the cutting edge of dem and, Virgin Rail has already recognised the need to expand internet access for its customers. While w i-f i ac ce ss ha s been readily available to first class passengers for some time, 2007 will see an initiative to begin extending the service for all travellers on board its high speed trains. Launching the service on its West Coast Main Line service, it will allow all passengers to browse the web and download digital data on rail journeys. Of the business travellers surveyed, 82 per cent were based in the UK with 66 per cent of those travelling to UK towns and cities using the rail network and 48 per cent using domestic airlines. The research also showed that international business travel has increased by 3 per cent on average in the past year. The survey found that 89 per cent of travellers thought hotels, in particular, charged too much for internet access. So the demand is clearly there, but providers need to up the quality of their supply and take a long hard look at the fees they charge.
tephen Smith, CEO of EMB, the leading enterprise and economic development company that delivers a range of business improvement services, welcomed the announcement of a business boosting initiative by Skills Minister John Hayes. "The Leadership and Management development grant scheme is a great opportunity for senior leaders of locally b a se d sm a l l a nd m e d i um s i z e d enterprises (SMEs). It will enable them to take advantage of funding that will support leadership and management trai ni ng to he lp t hem grow the i r businesses." Around 13,000 small and medium sized businesses and social e nt e r p r i se s t ha t d e m o n st r a t e a potential for growth will benefit from the Leadership and Management development grant. This w ill help stimulate innovation and employment, boosting the economy and helping develop a bigger and more cohesive soc i e t y. E sse x- ba se d b usi ne ss
S tew art R oberts H air S tudio ha s and succe ss. T hro ug h LMA S , already benefitted from the scheme Stewart was able to access funding and is gearing up to celebrate its 25th t hat e nab le d him to und e rt ak e Anniversary in Leadership and style in 2013. M a n a g e m e n t Ow ner S t ewar t development for says that working himself. This included w i t h t h e attending a specialist Leadership a nd course w ith a small Management group of other salon Advisory Service owners who were all (LMAS) run by looking to inject new EMB has been a life into their Stanfordgreat boost to his Le-Hope based skills, confidence businesses. Over a a n d i n t ur n t h e year, I will have Stephen Smith, CEO of EMB business. The attended six workshops development opportunities accessed and the ones Ive been on so far have through LMAS have been really useful proved invaluable in helping me to and are he lp i ng bot h m yse lf the create a business plan and improve business to realise our full potential. staff development, motivation and HR N ext year w e w il l m ark S tew art policies. LMAS provides eligible Roberts Hair Studios 25 years trading organisations with access to support with a relaunch of the business and and f undi ng to he lp de ve lop t he weve got a great team who are all leadership and management skills of a excited about continuing our growth key member of staff. The service is
delivered in Central England by EMB, a leading e nterprise and econom ic development company responsible for d e l i ve r i n g a r a n g e o f b u s i n e s s improvement services. Im really pleased with the positive changes happening as a result of honing my Leadership & Ma nagem ent ski l l s through LMAS, adds Stewart. It has injected new enthusiasm into my work and this is rubbing off on staff. We have a very motivated team here and as part of our development we are putting in place a more formal system to ensure people are recognised and rewarded for their customer care and performance. Everyone is very positive about the changes to the business and our future development. Two of our managers are also developing their skills in order to help implement and support the changes and weve taken on a new member of staff. The f uture is looking very positive and the business is in a strong position to grow, develop and provide
Contact the Leadership and Management Advisory Service on 0845 894 8969 or email lmas@embltd.co.uk to book your free personal leadership and management assessment or visit www.embltd.co.uk/lmas to find out more.
et Out There MTB is not just your average Mountain Bike coaching and guiding company. Incorporating Management Team Building packages, coaching and their Portable Mountain B ike E xp er i e nc e, t her e re a l l y i s something for everyone. The portable 'North Shore' style track, which is a raised timber structure, can be used
almost anywhere, indoors and out and has so far been used at schools, for private tuition and at public events and shows all over the country. Add to this their fleet of high quality mountain bikes and safety helmets, t he y r e a l l y d o o f f e r t he w ho l e package. Get Out There MTB have developed a new and exciting Management Team Building Program which is already creating quite a buzz with some of their c l i e nt s. T he pr o g ram which not only involves the fun and skill elements of Mountain B iking also incorporates proj ect pl a nni ng/m a nagem e nt/ delivery, budgetary control, de sig n m a na gem e nt, m a na gem e nt de ve l o p ment, proj ect recovery, team building and leadership. As this is a bespoke service, any other management training needs can also be included. The program is best suited for 2 teams of up to 7 participants per team and would normally run over one full day. They can however cater for larger groups and longer packages. Why not give them a go and Get On Track with their Be-Spoke Team Building package! Now onto Get Out There MTB's Portable Mountain Bike Experience.... Can't
get to the mountains or trail centres? Then let them bring them to you! Since starting out in mid 2010, Get Out There MTB have taken their North Shore track and delivered a fun and exciting experience to over 1000 people. Mountain Biking is a fun and healthy sport, but with the need to normally travel into the countryside, it's not always accessible to everyone. This is a great way to introduce a fantastic and growing sport to people in inner city areas or to take into schools. Whether it's to provide some fun for a few hours, or to have some technical coaching, this is an e xc e l le nt w a y to tak e t hi s spo rt
anywhere. The sport of Mountain Biking is growing at an amazing rate, with trail centres cropping up all over the UK. With Hadleigh Farm in Essex being the proud hosts of the Mountain Bike Cross Country Event at the 2012 Olympics, there really has never been a better time to get involved in this exciting sport. Get Out There MTB provide an excellent coaching package at Hadleigh Country Park which will take in some of the beautiful Country Park and can also include some of the North S hore track as a coachi ng tool. They can cater for schools, corporate fun days, 1 to 1 and group sessions and can include the hire of
bikes and helmets. Bikes and helmets can also be rented separately for your own private or corporate use. Their clients include Derby, Leicester and Cambridge Council, Ford (EDAP), SERCO Docklands, The CTC, Bike Club, St Thomas More High School and Mud Sweat and Gears.
Luke Farey Get Out There MTB Tel: 01702 710406 Mob: 07853 137504
Email: luke@getouttheremtb.com Web: www.getouttheremtb.com
he Lemon Tree,
based on Southchurch Road, just moments away from the centre of Southend, is a quaint little restaurant that brings an authentic taste of the Med to Essex. From the exterior you would be forgiven in thinking that this restaurant didn't have a great deal to offer, but you would be truly mistaken. Having underdone a recent transformation with the addition of a stunning atrium to the rear section, the stunning surroundings certainly dont fail to deliver. From the atrium room you get the benefit of seeing directly into the kitchens to see the chefs at work, not only does this give you a sense of pride that the owners have but also a degree of assurance that the chefs
money. For those who wish to dine on a lower budget, the restaurant now offers a week deal special that from between Sunday and Thursday who can have two courses for just 9.99. The Lemon Tree also offers you a traditional roast lunch on a Sunday which is truly exquisite. I would highly recommend paying the Lemon Tree a visit, whether you are a meat eater, a fish lover or simply a sweet fanatic everything is simply wonderful. The restaurant is open 7 days a week, it is well worth booking beforehand but if you are in the area, I would definitely take the chance and walk in, you wont be disappointed at all.
Eastwood - 199,995
Located on a good sized corner plot within walking distance to local shops and bus routes is this Three Bedroom Semi Detached House. Offers lounge, dining area and kitchen. Additional benefits include double glazing, radiator and detached garage. No Onward Chain.
Eastwood - 184,995
A two bedroom semi detached bungalow close to local bus routes and shops. The property offers a lounge, bathroom with separate w.c,kitchen breakfast room and rear garden. Some updating/modernisation required.
Eastwood - 224,995
A well presented two bedroom detached bungalow in the Heycroft School Catchment Area. The property provides a good size lounge and conservatory, modern fitted kitchen and a four piece bathroom suite.
For more information on theses properties and more contact jubilee property on 01702 512002
www.jubileeteam.com
Business Sales
SHENFIELD - HOT/FAST FOOD TAKEAWAY 85,000 Leasehold plus SAV Outstanding location - Approx. 500 sq. ft. Fitted & equipped to high standard Secure Lease Prime location
BASILDON - COFFEE SHOP & SNACK BAR 54,000 Leasehold plus SAV 1st Class Cappuccino/Coffee shop Approx. 800 sq. ft. - Seating for 74 270,000 per week footfall Superb back up kitchen
CHELMSFORD - ESTABLISHED GIFT SHOP 95,000 plus SAV Established in 1992 Approx. 500 sq. ft. New lease available - Business with potential Good location
COLCHESTER - RESTAURANT 25,000 plus SAV Spacious upper parts G/F approx. 3,750 sq. ft. 140 covers Secure lease On outskirts of town centre
ORSETT HEATH/ GRAYS CONVENIENCE STORE 49,500 Leasehold plus SAV Ideal husband/wife business Completely unopposed position Close A13 Suit first timers - Renewable lease
SOUTHEND - RETAIL PREMISES WITH A3 USE RENT 40,000 per annum Over 3,300 sq. ft. Super location - Hugh basement Heavy footfall Suit retail or A3 Use
BRENTWOOD - NURSERY & GARDEN CENTRE 799,950 Freehold Established approx. 60 years 20,000 sq. ft. commercial elements Lovely 3 bedroom det bungalow Approx. 14 acres - No onward chain
103 The Broadway, Thorpe Bay, Essex SS1 3HQ T: 01702 311037 | F: 01702 587970 | E: gerardbiagioni@dedmangray.co.uk | W: wwwdedmangray.co.uk
Gerard Biagioni
Business 2 Business News caught up with Gerard Biagioni of Dedman Gray to ask a few Questions on selling businesses in these times.
what goals he has. Before joining Dedman Gray, Gerard spent 29 years with Salmon Charles Business Agents, and has brought with him a number of substantial Clients.
erard joined Dedman Gray in June. His remit from Director Mike Gray is to develop the Business Sales side of the Companys activities. Dedman Gray already has an unrivalled reputation in both the Commercial & Residential sectors. Mike Gray recognised that the development of a dedicated Business Sales department would result in the Company being able to offer a com plete rang e of services. Gerards Business Sales experience spans almost 30 years, during which time he has become familiar with most topics relating to the sale of most types of businesses, especially Catering & Licensed Premises, Leisure & Retail businesses. These topics include planning, licensing and landlord & tenant issues. We asked Gerard to tell us
103 The Broadway, Thorpe Bay, Essex SS1 3HQ T: 01702 311037 | F: 01702 587970 | E: gerardbiagioni@dedmangray.co.uk | W: wwwdedmangray.co.uk
Angela
Improve Efficiencies
Kimberleys
Save Energy
Business
Save the Environment
Focus
Save Money
Goals that are not written down are just wishes because the will to win is important, but the will to prepare is vital
ment initiatives, funding and grants and always ask them the same questions; What are you trying to achieve? What barriers are you facing? W hat will help you becom e successful? Over the past year I have been working with a number of businesses coaching them to develop, plan and deliver their business strategies and goals. Having a business coach can be a maj or benefit to a business. A good business coach should also be able to help you ident if y the sc hem es a nd gra nt s relevant to your business strategy. Business Coaching - 1000 match funded grant For an eligible business employing 2 or more staff, the leadership and management scheme (LAMAS) provides a match funded grant of up to 1,000 to be spent on leadership training and coaching that helps grow the business, improving productivity and competitive-
By Angela Kimberley
Business woman of the year The Lantra Women and work Skills coach of the year, awarded Small Business to Business at the Essex Countywide Business Awards.
contact@angelakimberley.co.uk
Set out reform plans for Civil Service Training (m ore modern, efficient and cost effective) Introduced a moratorium on new r eg ul at i o n f or m icr o e nt er p r i se s, a nd d r o pp ed proposals for new regulations that were going to cost 350 million a year S et o ut p la ns f or 2 1 new Enterprise Zones, with extra ta x br e ak s a nd sup e rf a st broadband Boosted tax reliefs on new investments by reforming the Enterprise Investment scheme, and increasing small firms Research and Development tax relief to 225% by 2012 Cut Corporation tax by 2% to 26%, with further reductions to 23% in the pipeline Invested 1.4 billion in apprenticeships La unc hed t he 11 m i l l i o n m atch f unded Grow th a nd Innovation Fund La unc hed t he 80 m i l l i o n Community Big Society Fund Doubled the lifetime limit for Entrepreneurs Relief to 10 m illio n - Its to reward endeavor! Launched plans for business mentoring schemes In ve st e d f und i ng t ow a rd s Leadership and Management de ve lopm e nt f or 13, 000 businesses
ness. The programmes includes a free consultation with an expert adviser before the training commences, as well as a free follow-up to discuss the impact and any further skills support needed. Enterprise and Education - Calling all Schools, Colleges and Universities A ng e l a K i m b e r l e y L t d w o r k s i n partnership with Inspire Education to d e l i ve r a r a ng e o f p r o g r a m s t o establish and help raise the aspirations and develop the employability skills of young people. Angela Kimberley Ltd is pleased to a nno unc e t ha t w e now ho ld t he Licensee agreement for Essex for delivery of Inspire Education programs. Inspire Education has developed a range of programs aimed t o m ot i va t e st ud e nt s about the world of work and teach them the skills they need to m anage their ow n careers independe ntly. All programs are mapped to the principles of Statutory Im pa r t ia l A d vi c e a nd Guidance and the recommendations of the Matrix Standard. Furthermore all trainers are members of IEBE to assur e q ua lit y a nd comm itm ent to e xcellence. The Inspire Education programs have been created for educators with the following objectives:Achieve academic excellence Motivating students to achieve results Reduce the number of NEET Inspire students to independently manage their futures Delivering excellent quality impartial advice and guidance
We have a selection of programs that cover a range of topics to include:Employability Skills Employable You CV Writing Interview Coaching Job Hunting Goal Setting All programs are delivered in 2.5 hour sessions to up to 100 students by an accredited licensee. The employability skills training programmes is also available as a 12 hour workshop delivered in 6 x 2 hour sessions to 30 pupils at a time giving a more in-depth and personalized service. Tender and Procurement Winning Business With the Public Sector The public sector spend has risen from 150 billion on goods and services during 2007/2008 to an estimated 220 billion. That makes it big business and represents a massive opportunity for SME's. In addition the government
contracts is often seen as highly challenging, especially by small businesses who feel shut out by w hat t h e y s e e as complex, form and lengthy p r o c e sse s. O ur range of workshops and coaching is desig ned to he lp you develop your know ledge and capacity to understand how the public se c t o r d o e s b us i ne s s b ut m o r e importantly how to access it. Winning Business Programmes Our winning business programmes has been designed with your needs in mind whether you are a small or large organisation we can work with you on our 5 day programmes or can provide you with modular delivery be-spoked to your organisation. We will help you to:-
3. 4. 5. 6. 7.
H o w c o nt r a c t s a r e d e f i ne d , advertised and managed Met hod s a nd app ro ac he s to search for and find public sector opportunities Understand the key stages in the tendering process Developing your bidding strategies De ve lo p ing yo ur b usine ss development teams Winning business
Understand how the tender and procurement system works and how to find new business quickly and easily
have just announced new measures to support small business to make it easier to do business with the public sector and have set a goal to have a quarter of government procurement directed to SME's. They also aim to remove qualifying barriers that prevent small businesses accessing Government contracts. W inni ng public
your your
If you would like more information on any of our programs please contact Angela Kimberley on 07814 883380 or e mail contact@angelakimberley.co.uk
Plan for winning business Business registration Deve lop ing yo ur tender Delivering your tender O ur r a n g e o f w o r k s h o p s a n d business performance coaching will provide you with:-
So, with so much going on how do businesses understand how this might affect them and how they can benefit from government changes and schemes? I r e c e i ve m a n y q u e st i o n s f r o m businesses on how to access govern-
1. 2.
An introduction to the public sector and procurement How to deal with the challenges and barriers when dealing with public bodies
www.angelakimberley.co.uk
about the main goal. But one of the most interesting aspects of the report was that these people don't want to go it alone. The majority of those questioned were only interested in partnerships with other companies. Paul Achleitner, chief financial officer at insurance and asset management firm Allianz, says: "Social entrepreneurs are one potential wellspring of insight and inspiration. Individuals from Bonn to Bangalore are seizing the chance to turn challenge into opportunity, in the process pioneering new markets. "Microfinance, as an example, is now a $9 billion market that is increasingly
empowering citizens to realize their full potential in society. Our hope is that collaborating with creative thinkers will help our people realize their full potential - and to better serve the needs of p r e se nt a nd f ut u r e c u st o m e r s. " Path is a not-for-profit organisation aimed at improving global health. Its president, Chris Elias, explains why organisations benefits from working with social e ntreprene urs too. "Combating socio-economic problems
across the world is easier for a more nimble organisation that can gain access to markets that a more established corporation may not be welcome to enter," he says. "However, to increase our programmes' scope and scale requires skill sets and finances that many entrepreneurs don't have, but businesses do. At Path we count on government, foundation, corporate and individual donations and partnerships to make a greater impact."
and development costs, substantially enabling those charged with growing a business to be given tangible developmental support norm ally d i r e c t e d t o o t he r p a r t s o f t he business. This type of outsourcing w i l l no t us ua l l y be r e l e va nt to industries without bulk processing divisio ns. However f inancial institutions in particular are finding huge benefits to this arrangement, according to the Financial Services Authority. It reports that some 35 per cent of financial companies have outsourced some or all of their data processing over the past five years with corresponding business growth across the sector of 28 per cent. This may not be all due to outsourcing given the much publicised growth of lending of late but the cost savings are nonetheless immense. Outsourcing can be a difficult and fraught process but no matter what function is hived off, as well as being able to concentrate on core business issues without the normal financial
per cent of all outsourcing. This represents a large cost base for organisations, but one that does not appear to be intrinsic to developing a company' s f inancial fortunes. Outsourcing this area, according to the NCC, frees up to 15 per cent of the average organisation's operating budget, allowing these funds to be ploughed into business development activities, which typically take up a p p r o xi m a t e l y 1 8 p e r c e n t o f budgets. R educ i ng headcount, traditionally a company's highest cost ba se, b y o ut so urc i ng no n - co re functions such as human resources, accounting and administration can free resources to focus on business de ve lo pm e nt act i vi t ie s. T hi s i s especi al l y pert i ne nt gi ve n ON S f i nd i ng s t hat i n 6 0 pe r ce nt of organisations, sales personnel are outnumbered two to one on average by those engaging in administrative roles. W hile it w ould be glib to assume that administrative staff do no t ad d va l ue t o t he b usi ne ss development process, having people dedicated solely to this area is bound to bring benefits. Business process outsourcing has become extrem ely popular over recent years as the types of tasks u nd e r t a k e n a r e m a i nl y r o ut i ne repetitive processes but still requiring specialised skills. Outsourcing this pa rt ic ul a r b usi ne ss f unct i o n to organisations with a lower cost base has the potential to reduce training
overheads, capital is released to invest in product development and business growth activities that may not have been viable or possible previously, An often forgotten benefit of outsourcing is that organisations have access to first class capabilities and best practice being undertaken by specialist companies. This, as well as streamlining an organisation's processes and procedures, may make it more attractive to business prospects from new and existing clients w ho see the company as having reinvented itself and being more competitive and innovative. For all the benefits of outsourcing, Douglas Brown, in his book The Black Book of Outsourcing: How to Manage the Changes, C hal l enges and Opportuni ti es , reminds firms focused on outsourcing for business development reasons that every time a project or process is pushed out of an organisation, assets a nd int e lle ct ua l c ap it a l a re lost. Brown advises caution that the outsource provider could end up knowing an organisation's business better that it does. It is therefore important to invest time and energy in m apping o ut t he rea so ns f or outsourcing taking place, w ith a particular focus on ensuring that work that advances the state of a business is kept in-house.
G ibsonClark Recruitment
(GCR) is an independent recruitment agency who services the Essex and London area. We have a passio n to de li ver e xp erti se a nd c o m m i t m e nt t o b u s i ne s se s a n d individuals during the recruitment process. Co-founded by Directors who have experience in HR Management and the Employment Sector we pride ourselves on delivering excellent service. Having started this company I constantly hear that clients now prefer the boutique agency where they know they can speak to one individual for all their requirements and obtain a more personalised service. As a result, Gibson Clark have teamed up with a network of boutique agencies
across the UK. This means companies can experience the boutique service no matter where there requirements are. Instead of dealing with a variety of account holders in one large agency or juggling different service agreements, you can speak to us and we can ensure that you w ill receive one account holder, one service agreement and the same personal service no matter where your requirement. THE CLIENT W e approach recruitm ent f rom a business prospective which allows us to establish and maintain exceptional relations with you. By understanding your business and skills required we can source the best candidate for your
vacancy. We compliment this service by ensuring we place candidates in positions suited to their ability, talent and personality. Understanding our clients requirements is key to building and de ve lop i ng a successf ul partnership. Achieving an accurate understanding of your business and office dynamics helps to ensure our candidates are appropriate for your company. Searching for the very best talent around can be hard work and time consuming. We know exactly how to locate and handpick the best candidates from a wide range of individuals. Alternatively we can offer you a service where we partner with you to take your recruiting to the next level. The goal? Improve your hiring results and reduce
your costs. We become the voice of your recruiting team, and take responsibility for the process and results of your recruitment. THE CANDIDATE W ere interested in heari ng f rom talented, hardworking and reliable individuals who will add value to our c l i e n t s b u s i n e s s. W e k no w o u r candidates act as representatives for us and are our greatest assets. We take a personal interest in you and work with you all the way, offering an informal and friendly service. We understand it can be a stressful and worrying time looking for a new job, completing application forms and attending interviews. Thats where we can help to make it as painless and stress free as possible. We listen to your requirements, discuss your interests and ambitions, we are passionate about helping, supporting and giving advice and guidance to people who are looking for their next car ee r m o ve. A s m uc h a s i t i s important we find the right candidate for our clients it is just as important to us that we find the most suitable position for our candidates. W e find this personally rewarding. We always like to arrange a meet with our candidates and like to do this on an informal basis so we can get to know
the real you and find out exactly what kind of position you are looking for. We can help yo u w ith yo ur C V and application and make you feel fully prepared before any interview. H aving m utua l trust i s e xtrem ely important in business and we keep that in mind with everything we do. Gibson Clark specialise in the following area s: HR, B ank ing, F ina nc e/ Accounting, IT, Administration, Project M a na g e r s, R e g i o na l M a n a g e r s, Business Development Managers
Recruitment
World Sales Media Ltd are recruiting the following:
Interview Tip Be prepared Once you have been selected for an interview it is vitally important you are as best prepared as possible. Some key preparation you can do is to make sure you know your CV thoroughly and understand what would be expected from you in the role you are interviewing for (read the job specification fully). It is always important to check out the website of the company you are going to see so that you learn more about the company and where it is possible read information on the people you are interviewing with. I always tell candidates to find out something unique, it takes a bit more work but it shows you are keen to impress. by Jo Gibson
01268 544711
contact@gibsonclark.co.uk or go to www.gibsonclark.co.uk
Advertise a Position For Only 9.99 To advertise a job in Business 2 Business news Call 01702 308140
jobs@business2businessnews.com
A couple items of note for businesses this month; both reflect on the different directions that the UK Government and the EU are heading in on the green issue.
First, lets talk about Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). The European Commission has previously defined Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) as a concept whereby companies integrate social and environmental concerns in their business operations and in their interaction with their stakeholders on a voluntary basis [source: COM(2001)366]. The Commission has recently published COM(2011) 681 final, A renewed EU strategy 2011-14 for Corpo-
www.lowcarbonbusiness.org.uk
how w idespread and accepted the technology is. How much will it cost? The size and cost will depend on how m uc h r oof sp ace is a va ilab le. Remember, Solar Panels can be ground mounted as well. We will also work with you to suit your budget and can even arrange finance for you! And remember if you sign up during November you will receive a further 5% discount. Essex Eco Solar can offer As an established, local and reputable business with 35 years experience in the Electrical and Building Industry, we can offer many benefits of working with Essex Eco Solar Ltd and our Sister Company GSK Contracts Ltd. Free Energy Audit We provide a free energy audit at no obligation. Fina nce - W e can advi se yo u or arrange finance for you, to ease your start up costs. Tariff Registration We take care of all the paperwork requirements to register you for the Feed In tariff. Maintenance W e offer on going maintenance and support and can monitor your system remotely 24 hours a day all year, enabling us to ensure that maximum performance of your system is being maintained. One Company - One Contact - Many of o ur c om p et i t or s ar e no t MC S r e g i st e r e d a nd s u b - c o nt r a c t t he installation. With Essex Eco Solar Ltd you deal with us from installation to on going maintenance giving you peace of mind. www.essexecosolar.co.uk enqiuires@angelakimberley.co.uk
in place to maximize the value of their business when they come to sell. Presenting at the seminar will be Lake Falconer, Tony Stairs and C hris W alkl ett. T he se e ng ag i ng a nd entertaining speakers are all specialists in this area and bring decades of practical experience of these issues from working in big 4 accounting firms, venture capital and industry. All of these presenters will be available to speak w it h p erso nal l y af ter the seminar. Attendees will get a detailed course pack to take away. PEM Corporate Finance is a leading i nd e p e nd e nt c o r p o r a t e f i na nc e specialist which works primarily with owner managed businesses in Essex, East Anglia and London, advising on all aspects of corporate finance transactio ns, f rom m ergers and acquisitions (M&A) and company sa le s to m a na gem e nt b uy - o ut s (MBOs). The seminar will take on 24th November at the Holiday Inn Brentwood. Confidential bookings can be made online at http:// pemcf.eventbrite.com. Alternatively, places can be booked by contacting Hannah Croft on 01223 728 280 or emailing hannah@pemcf.com.
Interview Tips
Be prepared once you have been selected for an interview it is vitally important you are as best prepared as possible. Some key preparation you can do is to make sure you know your CV thoroughly and understand what would be expected from you in the role you are interviewing for (read the job specification fully). It is always important to check out the website of the company you are going to see so that you learn more about the company and where it is possible read information on the people you are interviewing with. I always tell candidates to find out something unique, it takes a bit more work but it shows you are keen to impress.
by Jo Gibson
o longer w ill you find a great woman behind every great man: these days women are out in front and they don't need anyone lurking in the shadows behind them. A recent report by Barclays Wealth, reveals that the
affluence and influence of women is growing and it's largely down to their own enterprises. Female entrepreneurs are on the rise and it's exactly this business success that is driving female wealth globally.
chorizo being one of the best he had ever sampled. I would guess this to be to each individual palette as to what works and what doesnt. Something that the Rose & Crown specialises in is Dedham Vale Beef. For those of you not aware of the difference, Dedham Vale beef is specially catered to ensure its traceability and is dry aged for between 28 - 35 days. So perhaps it came as no surprise that our second main course would be a fantastic fillet of beef with twice cooked chips, served with an accompaniment of slow roasted tomatoes with garlic and thyme. Oh my.. For the first time I can say what it means for meat to simply melt in your mouth. Heavenly seasoned to the point you could almost taste each grain of salt and pepper, not over stated with a sauce, although should you require one there are a few on offer ranging from the classic black peppercorn sauce, wedge of Cropwell Bishop Stilton or Barnaise Sauce. This, for most people, would
the best sausages Ive ever tasted (much to the dismay of Mum)
have been enough to write a more than healthy review, but we were also granted the luxury of two sumptuous puddings. For someone not overly keen on coffee flavoured desserts we were treated to Coffee Crme Brulee with a side helping of small home-made Cinnamon Doughnuts served with a Caramelised Dipping Sauce. The Crme Brulee was freshly made with real espresso coffee as opposed to artificial coffee flavouring, which led to an intensely warm taste and finished with the classic crunch to the top. I could have happily eaten a few more if I hadnt already eaten so much already. The doughnuts were simply delightful, being light and fluffy and balancing the ever so sweet but ever so delicious dipping sauce. Last, but by no means least, was the Milk, Dark & White Chocolate Trifle with Fudge Brownie pieces, Chocolate Custard, Mousse & Shavings. For all chocolate addicts out there, this is a treat to behold one in which I thought I had died and gone to heaven. This really did speak for itself, with no words really adequate enough to describe it. Whilst allowing our food to digest we could hear numerous comments from young diners as to how the sausages they had ordered were the best they had ever tasted, much to the dismay of his parents, whilst another older gentlemen stated that the mussels were quite simply divine with only a small critique that they should have been served with a finger bowl. If this is the only negative comment a restaurant can
be our host for the majority of our visit and the food started out with two hot rolls with room temperature butter, a simple but ever so important fact most restaurants seem to forget. We were then presented with not one but two delicious starters. Our first offering was a Pumpkin and Parmesan Soup made freshly in the morning. With a rich, thick and creamy texture you would be forgiven in thinking that the strong flavours of the parmesan cheese would overpower the pumpkin, but after getting the heady taste of the cheese the pumpkin gently comes through to give a wonderful aftertaste, gentle enough on the palette. Simply Devine! Whilst we thought the starters couldnt have been much better, we were then presented with the exquisite Salt and Pepper Squid with Lemon & Chilli Oil. The sensation and tenderness of the squid was out of this world. Having been quick fried the
ease in which you could cut the squid was superb and this topped with the gentle heat of the chilli oil was quite simply perfect, a dish I wouldnt hesitate to say would be hard to beat. With a few moments to appreciate what we had just eaten we were shown the wine list. Great thought and effort has been put into the availability of wines with all of the staff having had sommelier training and expansive knowledge of the wines on offer and to what it would compliment. We were presented with again two main dishes. First on offer was a simply pan fried fillet of cod served on a bed of Chorizo, potato and tomato. Whilst the cod was cooked to perfection, my own personal tastes found that the chorizo became slightly overpowering and took away some of the flavour of the cod. My co-conspirator however found it a delightful concoction with the
derive from its clientele then other establishments are definitely going to struggle in living up to the exceptionally high standards of The Rose & Crown!
For more information on Edward Halls or the Rose and Crown contact : Edward Halls Chef Patron at Rose & Crown Nayland Road Great Horkesley Colchester Essex CO6 4AH
Tel: 01206 271 251 E: info@roseandcrownhorkesley.co.uk W: roseandcrownhorkesley.co.uk
What do you do to ensure the quality of the food going out to customers? Taste, taste and taste again! Every sauce, ice cream, garnish and vegetable is tasted before it is sent out. Secondly is sourcing the very best ingredients, if you start with exceptional produce then you have a head start in terms of flavour and texture. Thirdly is my obsession with perfection and being committed to exceeding customers expectations Winning the One Competition must have been a huge achievement for you. Tell us what you have done and plan to do with the prize and how it will assist in the growth of The Rose & Crown. Winning the ONE Competition last year was an incredible achievement, the Rose & Crown has benefitted from a prize that is making a huge difference. We have undergone a branding and design overhaul from Zeal Design which has lifted us into a new dimension, this has been tied in with loads of free advertising and exceptional PR from Voice Communications in Braxted. We have had accounting from LB Group and Consultancy from Angela Kimberley and Julie Clements at Faith Performance. All these things have added tremendous value and given us exposure well beyond our normal reach, it will secure my business for the long term and allow us to continue being the best. You have a new scheme called The Business Club. Explain a little bit about it.
Business 2 Business news caught up with Ed Halls to ask him a few questions on food, idols, gadgets and his gastro pub restaurant. Did you always want to be a chef? Not at all, I didnt become a chef until I was 28 when I realised that if I loved something that much I should do it for a living. When I was much younger I wanted to a fast jet pilot! Where did you train? Because I started later a gained most of my training on the job and practised a huge amount at home, I also worked free at butchers and fishmongers on my days off to improve my skills. I did attend college part time and travelled to London from North Norfolk weekly to study patisserie
Who is your Chef Idol and why? Not sure if I have a chef idol, I tend not to idolise many people, I admire many chefs and appreciate the passion, hard work and commitment it takes to reach the highest levels; working with Marcus Wareing at Ptrus was a unique insight into what it takes to be the best. What advice would you give to someone wishing to pursue a career as a chef? Work hard, put your head down and learn as much as you can, challenge yourself to be good at the things you dont enjoy doing. What is incident? your funniest kitchen What is a typical day like for you? as a chef you develop a slightly bizarre sense of humour and often find yourself laughing uncontrollably at the smallest things, often other peoples misfortune. There is never any sympathy in a kitchen; if someone burns or cuts themselves everyone laughs at you and youd better not make a big deal of it or you get verbally torn apart. What is gadget? your favourite kitchen (Apart from horrendously long hours!) In the kitchen by 8am most days, prepping all the fresh produce thats delivered that day, we do lunch service and then have a couple of hours off. We are then back at 5.30 to get the kitchen lit up and ready for dinner service at 6pm, we finish and clean down anywhere from 10pm-12am depending on how busy we are. I do six days per week in the kitchen and do all the other business activities on Mondays when we are closed. What are your biggest challenges considering todays economy? By far the biggest challenge is getting customers through your door for the first time, we work hard to deliver so we get a lot of repeat business and recommendation but we are in the country and advertising is very expensive. Dominique Evans Assistant Editor Business 2 Business News really enjoy Malaysian food and authentic Chinese cuisine but few things compare to the dry aged local steaks we get at the Rose & Crown! The Rose & Crown Business Club has recently been launched to encourage business people to visit us particularly at lunch times. The business club offers discounts and extends special offers over weekday lunches to any business that has a membership card which is free. We offer an ideal meeting place and offer excellent food and service so it is particularly good for client entertaining. Anyone who is interested in membership need only call or email and we will send a membership card to them. Membership also offer a discount on our Christmas function menu. Many thanks to Edward for taking the time out of his busy schedule to talk to us and to wish him and the Rose & Crown all the best for the future.
Not really a gadget but our lava rock chargrill, it takes our steaks to another level, so many people fry a steak but this gets a fantastic char and great steak better! What is your favourite meal / thing to eat? I love food so this is a tough question, I
competition@business2businessnews.com
Terms & Conditions. ELIGIBILITY: This competition is open to any person resident in the UK who is 18 years of age or older at the time of entry. Employees of Business 2 Business News Ltd Or World Sales Media Ltd or its affiliates, subsidiaries, advertising or promotion agencies are not eligible, nor are members of these employees families (defined as parents, children, siblings, spouse and life partners). TO ENTER: Email competition and submit your name, postal address, email address and Business 2 Business News Ltd Or World Sales Media Ltd entry. Entries will not be returned. No purchase entry. Incomplete, damaged, defaced or illegible entries may be deemed invalid at the sole discretion of Business 2 Business News. Entry constitutes full and unconditional acceptance of these Terms and Conditions. Business 2 Business News Ltd Or World Sales Media Ltd reserve the right to disqualify anyone in breach of these Terms and Conditions. TIMING: This competition runs from 12.00:01am GMT on 20th September 2011. The closing date of this competition is 11.59:59pm GMT on 1st December 2011. Completed entries must reach Business 2 Business News Ltd Or World Sales Media Ltd no later than the closing date. USE OF DATA: Personal data which you provide when you enter this competition will not be used for future marketing activity outside of Business 2 Business News Ltd Or World Sales Media Ltd. SELECTION OF WINNERS: The winner will be determined by a random. The panel of judges will include at least one independent member. The winner will be notified by email by 1st February 2008. The winner may be required to become involved in further publicity or advertising. PRIZE: The first prize is a Apple Ipad2 (Business 2 Business News Ltd Or World Sales Media Ltd) Prizes as stated and non transferable. No cash or other alternatives available. Business 2 Business News Ltd Or World Sales Media Ltd reserve the right to substitute a prize of equal or greater value. The prize will be sent by 28th December 2011 WINNERS LIST: The winner consents to their surname being made publicly available. The winners names will be available for a period of 2 months after the closing date by email request. OTHER: No correspondence will be entered into regarding either this competition or these Terms and Conditions. In the unlikely event of a dispute, Business 2 Business News Ltd Or World Sales Media Ltd decision shall be final. Business 2 Business News Ltd Or World Sales Media Ltd reserve the right to amend, modify, cancel or withdraw this competition at any time without notice.. Promoter: Business 2 Business News Ltd Or World Sales Media Ltd, Business 2 Business News Ltd Or World Sales Media Ltd
Theres more to Southend than just the Helen Mirren and the Worlds longest pleasure pier (1.3 miles in case you didnt know). We have two football clubs, two rugby clubs, a strong athletics facilit y plus venues for all kinds of activities from sailing to skate boarding and taekwondo to tango. We als o have a young, adventurous population t h a t l ov es t o t r y n e w things. So how do you put them in contact with each other? Simple; Live Fit Magazine, launching in
November 2011. Live Fit is the brainchild of James P o e t , t h e yo u n g a n d dynamic head of Olive Juice Media Ltd, expert in getting his clients messages in front of their customers. Live fit is unique for Southend because it is the only local magazine that will target 18-35 year olds with news and features that will not j u s t m a ke i n t e r e st i n g reading but will make them want to get out and try something new. It will give sporting clubs, health, beauty and l i f e s t y l e For more information busi ness es a on Live Fit, voice to let Olive Juice Media or themselves be James Poet visit heard by new www.olivejuicemedia.co.uk customers. For example
who else can tell budding Cage Fighters where they can train for free? Or where skate boarders can buy the latest Vans shoes while being clued up on where the y can skate competitively? Or which Yoga teacher advises rugby players? Or where some of the best aroma therapists can be found? Only Live Fit. Live fit may be distributing FREE to a target readership of 60,000 but its success will be based on reader loyalty and that loyalty will depend on the quality of the writing. So if people are reading Live Fit for the features then it stands to reason that they will be captive for any advertising message published alongside. Live Fit will be distributed free from Waitrose, Southend Leisure and Tennis Ce n t r e , s p o r t s c l u b s , s p or ts sto r es, le is u r e centres, 3,000 local businesses as well as hand 2 hand. Live Fit a r e a ls o s ett in g u p a membership where local sports and fitness fans can receive great discounts from local busin esses and man y other benefits. So who is on board? Well Southend United Football Club for one, as are Parasport, Parkwood Leisure and there are others signing on every day. W ant a Voice? Call Live Fit.
S ma rtw a te r R e d u c i n g Crime F i g u r e s
A s a detective w ith the W est Midlands police, Philip Cleary was often frustrated when confronted by the simple problem of successfully matching stolen property to its rightful owner. Aside from any altruistic motivation, the problem was a real one for police: successful prosecutions rest upon proving guilt and the mere act of finding boxes of stolen electronic goods in a person's bedroom do not constitute that proof - how can they say property is stolen if it can't be traced back to a specif ic individual? Cleary was sufficiently taxed by the problem that he gave some thought to solving it. Of all the options, he had identified forensic science as the ultimate fear of most criminals. Regardless of alibis, if forensic evidence can tie a person to a place or item, it provides an irrefutable link. He noted that a f orensic "trap" w as a pote nt deterrent against crime, a fact borne out by cases where forensic science had led to a reduction in criminal activity. Cleary engaged his brother Michael, a chartered chemist and member of the Royal Society of Chemists, to develop a scie nce to m ake a solution possible. That solution was Smartwater, a non-hazardous, coded combination of chemicals in an aqueous mix. When dry, it is virtually undetectable in normal lighting, but glows under ultraviolet light. It is almost impossible to remove completely and successful analysis could be obtained from a trace less than half the size of the full stop at the end of this sentence. E ac h batc h of S m artw ate r i s u n i q ue , m a n uf a c t ur e d u nd e r
l a b o r a t o r y c o nd i t i o n s w i t h a database maintained by the Home Office Forensic Science Service. Every consignment of aqueous solution has a unique chemical make-up that contains thousands of aluminium coated particles, each with a unique numerical identifier. Together, these variables make it mathematically impossible for any two codes to be the same. The patented system used offers a potential four billion possible codes, although in theory, a few changes could make this number infinite. The solution can be painted on to an item and is then only undetectable under UV light. In essence, Smartwater is analogous to DNA profiling, linking a marked item of property back to a specific
individual. However, regardless of the be nef it s i n be i ng ab le to successfully charge the perpetrators of theft or robbery, in an ideal world you would prevent the crime tak i ng p lac e. T he ar re st a nd conviction of those responsible d o e sn' t ne g a t e t he se nse of violation felt by their victims, nor does it reduce the pernicious fear of c r im e t ha t af f e ct s w ho le communities. And it's here that Smartwater really provides the key. A recent criminal trial at the Old Bailey heard that robbers Sean and Vincent Bradish had originally targeted Thomas Cook Foreign E xchange Counters, but w ere forced to switch their attention when they discovered that the t r a ve l a g e nc y ha d f i t t e d t he
Smartwater system. After being sprayed by one of the devices d ur i n g a r a i d o n o ne o f t he company's offices, Sean Bradish was said to have been horrified to discover its crime fighting potential a nd t he com p a ny w a s ne ver targeted by the pair again. It's easy to understand the fear that such a system can engender in criminals when you consider that having been sprayed, a criminal could get involved in a simple fracas one Friday night and end up charged with numerous robberies simply because the Smartwater showed up on him back the police station. W ith U V suite s i n a n i nc r e a si ng n um b e r o f p o l i c e stations, t hat threat is a real o n e . T he s y st e m ha s b e e n adopted by a number of police forces in the UK, including Greater Manchester Police, which in a high profile exercise recently agreed to apply Smartwater to the property in over 100,000 homes in the Oldham area of the city in a bid to reduce crime figures. In addition, officers have targeted active burglars by carrying out searches of their homes in order to recover stolen property, checking on-site to see if it has been marked with S m artw a te r. T he com p a ny' s scientists have also developed a way of inserting a unique identifier code to polymer-based products and textiles at a molecular level, thus providing a chain of continuity and identification from remains even when fire reduces an object to ash. Smartwater employs over 40 staff from its base in S hropshire, b ut a nticipates doubling in size in the next two years to cope with demand for its products. With blue chip companies including Microsoft, British Airways and Tesco adopting Smartwater, and exports to countries across the world increasing, it looks like that target is well within reach.
reach o ut to c ustom ers. However this element should never be underestimated w hen w orking out how a busine ss i s to grow and develop. Hard as it is to
attract customers, the task w ill be m ade even more difficult without a well thought out st rategic b usiness development plan in place.
www.lemontreesouthend.co.uk
Great Steaks and Sea Food Authentic Stone Baked Pizza Weekly Specials Birthday Party, Christening Christmas Party, Corporate Event Wedding Celebration and more Weekday/end Menus from only 9.95(pp) Christmas Menu from only 19.95(pp) Book now for Christmas Day
Opening Hours
Open 7 days a week Monday to Saturday 11am till 2.30pm & 5am till 10pm Sunday | 11am till 3pm & 5am till 9pm
Quiz on Sea
The Kursaal Function Suite is hosting a Corporate quiz league Sponsored by Business 2 Business News
Starts Thursday 2nd February 2012 & every 1st Thursday in the month
Doors open at 6.30pm Quiz Starts at 7.30pm Food Available Pre-book as limited spaces are available
From large all day job fairs through to small intimate meetings there are two rooms available for events and also a balcony area. Kitchens have also been installed and the venue can supply all your needs including refreshments and catering. The head chef can devise any menu required including dietary needs. The function suite has its own m anageress Cather ine w ho is responsible for weddings and functions. Together they have formed a great team and brought in a new supervisor Leanne Ditton to help with extra business matters. The staff are all fully trained with qualifications and last year the function suite won New Company at the District Business Awards. The organisation are building a brilliant reputation both locally and further afield for good value and excellent customer service. Going into 2012 there are plans to increase business awareness to show what there is to offer at the Kursaal function Suite. The website has been upgraded and is very informative but keeps to the point w ith w hat the customer requires.
came from an entertainment background. Havi ng run several very successful nightclub events in Essex and London he felt their was an opportunity in Southend for a function venue. Matthew noticed a gap in the market and wanted to bring a new
approach but keep the tradition of high quality. Since forming, the business has branched out from just a place for special occasions and become a S o ut he nd B or o ug h C o unc i l approved and recommended place for business, networking and training.
Anyone wishing to find out more please check out the website www.kursaalfunctions.com
upply chain dynamics can impact considerably on our society and current evidence indicates that it may play a key role in shaping our future. Creating a better world and a reasonable future for our children and their children must be fundamental to all of us as individuals. But we need to also consider how this impacts on a business level both in the short and
longer term. For whether or not we agree with the Occupy movement, the majority do clearly agree that capitalism as we currently know it is broken. The publics trust has been lost and there is a huge outcry for institutions of all types, from banks to local authorities, to embrace a better way of working: a way of doing busine ss that em braces lo ng -te rm i sm ; va l ue s et hi c s a nd
www.ResponsibleBusinessStandard.org.uk.
particularly impacting on medium sized businesses, where owners cite the problems caused by seeing to the time-consuming legislation that has to be followed regarding employment and accounting regulations. Horgan continues: "Many entrepreneurs are caught in a regulatory trap: too big to manage regulations on their own but not big enough to employ others to e a se t he b ur d e n. D e a l i ng w i t h seemingly endless red tape is often at the expense of spending time on other priorities, such as business and product development. There are many things that business owners can do to reclaim precious time. Some banks will work with companies to conduct a review of their operational processes, identifying cost and time savings. One easy way to save time is to bank onli ne, as the research indicates, businesses that adopt new technologies are already enjoying shorter working weeks." Actually finding the time for business development remains the area where bosses feel they invest less time than they ideally should. A bout one i n 10 owners never has the time to pursue essential activities for the future of the business. But maybe the concept of a good work-life balance is a popular modern day phenomenon that is a healthy alternative to slaving away for years at your desk. When questioned on the subject, most SME owners said they craved more leisure time. Asked what they would do if they could free an extra hour each day by changing the way they worked, 72 per cent said leisure, with just a measly 5 per cent saying new business activities. You know what they say... all work and no play & hellip
opened each morning for air to blow throughout t he h o u s e a n d bring the humidity down, damp dusting can greatly improve situations as can replacing carpets w ith hard w ood floors.
How can we help? Allergy Essex are a Colchester based C om pa ny w ho pr o vid e pr od uc t s designed specifically for special dietary needs, medical conditions and allergies. Our products are also suitable for mainstream users by adding their own ingredients. We offer 2 main product ranges, Safety Alert Products such as Mediband Silicone Medical and Allergy Alert bracelets saving vital seconds in an emergency situation by speaking for you when you can't. Our second range is our food products that help those with special diets, medical conditions and allergies. Our brand is an online portal as well as having a walk in shop at Colchester Business Centre. We are open 10am until 4pm and welcome anyone to visit outside of these hours by appointment.
of years, business owners are making conscious decisions to keep the long hours to Monday to Friday wherever possible, w hile allowing time for leisure, family and friends at the weekends." But it's not just the dayto-day running of operations that's keeping managers busy. The research found that it's often the increasing burden of complying with business regulations that's keeping people burning the candle at both ends. On average, entrepreneurs spend more than 15 hours per week on administration. Think about it -that's an extra two days a week. Not surprisingly, many of them are pretty fed-up with it too. In fact, 60 per cent think it hinders them from actually doing business. This is
when they see it grow. The excitement of seeing blackberries and raspberries growing and when they are ready to eat almost becomes to much and better yet are cheaper to buy as canes. You can also get them thorn free to make it safe for children to pick. If you are still worried about spending costs, ask around. Dont forget: If you dont ask, you dont get! Speak to your friends and family. There are a lot of plants, cuttings or even seeds that you can take from existing crop. Split them or divide them, share them with your neighbours. Alternatively you can sign up with freecycle.org and see what they have to offer. Remember one thing, bedding is for pots, basket and planters. Filling up flower beds with beddings can turn out to be costly. So put your boots on and lets go gardening. Im glad my garden is my office.
Clues
Clues Across
1 Corrosive (7) 5 Occur again (5) 8 Pain (4) 9 Weight for athletes (8) 10 Tree (5,8) 13 Insect (4) 14 Always (4) 17 Questioning (13) 19 Vision (8) 20 Way out (4) 21 Examinations (5) 22 Plotter (7)
Alex Evans
For more information please contact
Clues Down
2 Nautical securing device (6) 3 Relation (7) 4 Pointer (9) 5 Garments (5) 6 More pure (7) 7 Narrated (7) 11 Vigourous (9) 12 Three-pronged implement (7) 13 Accumulates (7) 15 Utmost (7) 16 Courteous (6) 18 Destroys (5)
SOLUTIONS to Crossword Across: 1 Caustic 1 Recur 8 Ache 9 Dumbbell, 10 Horse chestnut 13 Gnat 14 Ever 17 Interrogation 19 Eyesight 20 Exit 21 Tests 22 Schemer Down: Anchor 3 Stepson 4 Indicator 5 Robes 6 Cleaner 7 Related 11 Energetic 12 Trident 13 Gathers 15 Extreme 16 Polite 18
f am ili ar w it h the most unw el com e re minder of a good night out - t he ha ng over. A lucky 25% of revellers w ho are naturally more resistant to the more unp l e a sa nt e f fects of the festive tipple will get away with it, waking up bright-eyed and b ushy tailed as usual the following morning. But for the rest of us mere mortals, how can we quell the throbbing head and queasy stomach to make it to the office on time and avoid the pointing and laughing? What causes a hangover? Many of the most unpleasant hangover symptoms are caused by one thing: dehydration. Alcohol has a diuretic effect on the body,
and the resultant fluid loss is responsible for the thumping headache and dizziness. Alcohol also irritates the stomach lining, causing the accompanying nausea, and if you're particularly unlucky, vomiting, which in turn can contribute to yet more dehydration. As if that wasn't enough, while it may feel like you sleep the sleep of the dead after a good sinful, alcohol disrupts REM sleep, leading you to feel tired, unrepressed and sluggish upon waking as your organs try desperately to repair the damage. Avoiding it in the first place Obviously, the only fool proof way to avoid a hangover is not to drink in the first place. But since that's not particularly likely at this time of the year, employ the following strategies during the night out for maximum damage limitation in the morning: Eat before you hit the town: A full stomach will slow the absorption of alcohol. A high-fat meal may be the best defence, as fat is digested more slowly and may stop the alcohol from irritating the stomach lining. Drinking a glass of milk before you go out may be an old wives tale, but it's one that seems to work. Alternate with
non-alcoholic drinks: For every glass of the good stuff, drink an equivalent amount of water or juice. Avoid fizzy drinks though, as the carbonation can l e a d t o m o r e a l c o ho l b e i ng a b sorbed. Get some fresh air: If it's safe to do so, try walking home afterwards. Don't go straight to sleep: while it's tempting to crash out the minute you get through the door, drink a pint of water and some fruit juice before bed. The juice will help keep your blood sugar up during the night and the Vitamin C will help speed up the elimination of the alcohol. Curing it If you tried all the above strategies yet still got clobbered the next morning, the following fail-safe hangover cures will help replace the lost vitamins and fluids and have you on the road to recovery in no time: Take paracetamol or ibuprofen for the headache, but avoid aspirin - it can irritate already-fragile stomachs. Try a long shower, and alternate between hot and cool water. Antacids can help settle a queasy stomach. If you prefer a more natural approach, ginger herbal tea also works well. If you can face it, a full English is often the best food-based
hangover cure. Eggs are full of cysteine, which is said to speed the elimination of alcohol from the liver, and it's a great excuse to treat yourself to a fryup. But if the idea is just too much to handle, try a banana instead. Bananas are high in potassium - a mineral often lost through drinking - and magnesium, which can relax the pounding blood vessels that contribute to the headache. They're also a natural antacid, which will calm irritated stomachs. And if you're in the 'love it' camp, Marmite on toast can give you a welcome Vitamin B boost. Steer clear of the coffee it's also a diuretic. Drink plenty of water and fruit juice instead to replace vital lost fluids and sugars. Go for a brisk walk - it might be the last thing you feel like doing, but getting the heart pumping and the blood circulating can make you feel less sluggish. Finally, take heart that you won't feel this bad forever. The majority of hangovers are over in 24 hours or less - just enough time to hit the next Christmas party and do it all over again.
ponsorship of community activities is a way for a business to reach potential customers while also raising its profile. In addition, supporting local projects brings a wealth of benefits to staff as well as giving a crucial boost to the efforts of local people. Providing sponsorship for an individual, a local team or community event or project shows corporate social responsibility (CSR), which in itself provides an ideal opportunity to generate positive media coverage. This "earned" publicity is free of charge and is immeasurable in terms of equivalent advertising spend because it is usually more targeted and more e n g a g i ng a n d h a s b e e n d e e m e d interesting and topical by editors. In
practical terms, sponsorship has more impact because it can be interactive inviting the audience to try and enjoy and then share the experience with others. And on the subject of interaction, local sponsorship means there is proper community involvement, which is an allr o und r e w a r d a nd a g e n ui ne b o nus. Managing Director and owner of the web based Sponsor Monster service, Guy Wimpory says: "Don't underestimate how many of your local sponsorship opportunities really rely on their corporate funding. Chances to make a real difference to a community whilst seeing commercial benefits can have a longterm effect for both parties. "It's not all about The Olympics. Looking closer to
otential Plus Ltd was established in 2001 by Darren Broad as a one-man business, o p e r a t i ng a s a n i nd e p e nd e nt f reela nc e co nsulta nt, i n cl o se collaboration with other training organisations. After 4 years Mark Sim p so n j oine d D ar re n a s a business partner and together, with and other like-minded consultants, expanded Potential Plus Ltd. This enabled the sourcing o f t he i r o w n c l i e n t s a n d t h e development of an improved and expanded portfolio through a wider association with specialists. The goal for Potential Plus Ltd is to establish a core set of clients, to create long-term relationships and to help the organisations they work with to grow and improve through constantly stretching individual and team performance. In meeting this challenge, to both our clients and ourselves, we collaborate w ith i nt er na l t ra i ne r s a nd e xt e r na l providers to provide an extended knowledge base and deliver a first
class product. Training has now been delivered acr o ss a var iet y of dif f ere nt industries and in many different countries, and has provided our consultants with a vast amount of experience adding positively to the m ater ia l a nd de l i ve r y of eac h programme. Our consultants have all been selected t hrough recommendation and association, are dynamic, energetic and are able to adapt to meet the demands of the different groups they deliver to. We are still a small quality driven business that focuses on the needs of the clients and adapts to enable a smooth integration of any training w e und e r t a k e . O ur st r a p l i ne Developing W inning Attitudes encapsulates exactly what we do in each of the companies with whom we work. The feedback we receive indicates that we achieve this and we are proud the say we make a difference.
For references or more details on Potential Plus Ltd please visit our web site at
www.potentialplus.net
or contact enquiries@potentialplus.net
n Essex based housing association has beaten off stiff competition to scoop a prestigious award for d elivering o utstand ing training programmes.
Br a int r e e b a se d G re e nf ie ld s Community Housing was named the National Training Awards 2011 East of E n g l a n d w i n n e r i n t h e M e d i um Employer Category at a ceremony on W ednesday 5 October, w here the
award was presented by high profile businessman Theo Paphitis. The 2011 National Training Awards celebrate and showcase Investors in People accredited em plo yer s t hat dem onstrate organisational benefits gained by directly linking the training needs of their staff to the business needs of their organisation. John Hayes, Further Education, Skills and Lifelong Learning Minister, said: The National Training Award winners show that firms that invest in workforce skills gain real dividends. Not only are their employees
more efficient. This year, National Training Award Winners were provided with the unique honour of celebrating their success on a global stage at the worlds largest international skills competition, World Skills London 2011. This event enabled NTA winners to dem onstrate their comm itm ent to developing skills and raising standards as well as showcasing their success
along side ot her top i nter natio nal businesses and organisations.
Ever experienced any of the following problems with your computer: random pop-ups appearing on your screen, unwanted and unnecessary toolbars appearing in your browser or suddenly everything loads at such a slow speed you want to hurl the hardware out of the window in frustration? Well, it could be bad news. Chances are you may have a spyware virus attacking your system.
They're annoying and remain a mystery for many of us, but spyware viruses are prevalent and continue to pose a serious risk to all businesses. These viruses can track our computer usage from the key strokes we use, the websites we browse, the information w e e nt e r o n sc r e e n, t hr o ug h t o accessing our hard drives and stealing important data. Apart from the obvious
destruction they leave in their wake, the danger is escalated when you consider that many people have no idea where they are coming from. A recent s u r v e y b y i nf o r m a t i o n s e c u r i t y solutions company Peapod showed t ha t 7 3 p e r c e nt o f b us i ne s se s suffered a spyware invasion last year and a significant 19 per cent could not pinpo int it s or ig in. T his sim p ly
highlights that a huge number of companies are risking their business by not thoroughly protecting their networks. The survey analysed the extent of the damage that could be done by a sp yw are vir us, a n orga ni satio ns' internal computer usage policies and their deployment, as well as how instant messaging (IM) technology is made secure. The findings revealed
t ha t w hi le m a ny b usi ne sse s a re attem pting to put in place safety barriers such as banning IM in the workplace, methods used to enforce t hi s are of te n o ut of date. M o st respondents said that they adopted port blocking techniques to control IM. B ut t he prob lem i s t hat m ost IM programmes are port evasive - they will often find an alternative route if the default port is blocked. Organisations open themselves up to greater risk by not recognising that IM networks are designed in such a way that they can evade many of the security controls put in place. So for those employees hell bent on spending the day chatting online, ways around a ban can be found and the potential to encounter a virus considerable. Chris Durnan, managing director of Peapod, comments on the findings: "As the survey shows, technology is not the only answer when viewed in isolation. It is also down to the user to play a key role in ensuring that spyware doesn't get a foothold in the Infrastructure." He continues: "In the case of instant messaging this is a particularly relevant point. IM is a communications tool with some pretty emphatic benefits for those who use it correctly, but carries a nasty sting for anyone careless or ignorant." It seems that most organisations don't consider IM as important as email, so it's just not monitored very often. This is surprising, for many people in the communications business are keen to point out that in legal terms they are pretty much the same thing and open to the same potential risks. "It's worrying to think that with all the focus on archiving email records that the same does not apply to instant messaging," says Sarah Carter, EMEA strategic partner manager of communications company Face Time Communications. "With all the concerns about legal and standards compliance, it's clear that there is a huge potential for organisations to catch a cold in the near future." But it's one thing to catch a cold and deal with a few sneezes in the machinery but it's quite another to find yourself with a virus so disabling you end up with a network that's completely bed-ridden and unable to operate.
use any negative feedback constructively to improve on what you currently have. If you are doing a campaign yourself you should be set up with a clearer idea of how you want to sell and who your audience is. If you are using a designer or marketeer to create your campaign you are in the best position to brief them in on exactly what you want and you will get far better results than if you are unclear about your product or service.
If you need help identifying your audience or getting the right message to the right audience have a chat to i am emily www.iamemily.co.uk
Aiming a campaign at the correct audience is key. For all campaigns you ne e d t o f i r st l y d e f i ne w ho yo ur audience are. Are they male or female? Are they young or old? The next question is where? Where are they in the country? Where are you most likely to capture this audience? W e then
Toomey Southend
The engine was quiet, virtually silent and all the dials were simple enough to understand, without someone having to go over the handbook with me. To briefly summarise its overall performance, versatility, space and price were outstanding. Those on a strict budget but still wanting something with a real presence should look no further.
Overall Ratings
Comfort - 9/10 Handling - 10/10 Performance - 10/10 Ride - 10/10 Versatility - 10/10 External Noise - 10/10 Interior - 10/10 Interior Storage - 10/10 Price - 10/10 Running cost - 10/10 Overall Rating - 99 / 100
he Toomey Motor Group is one of the UK's leading motor dealer groups based in Essex,
with new and used car dealerships for Vauxhall and Chevrolet, alike. Toomey Southend ensures that all aspects of your New or Used car and after sales requirements are dealt with swiftly and in a non-pressurised manner. Operating with so many new car dealerships and used car dealerships means the Toomey Motor Group are the number one choice for new and used car offers in Essex. With over 1000 used cars in group stock, and an ever-changing used stock, Toomey are bound to have the car to suit you. The Toomey Group offers excellent finance packages to
Toomey will always have the right p a c ka g e. Of f e r i ng t he c om p l e t e package Toomey Vauxhall also provide Vauxhall finance services as well as Vauxhall servicing and Vauxhall parts. The Chevrolet Orlando The Chevrolet Orlando definitely makes a great first impression. Being given the opportunity to test drive the latest in its stunning MPVs was definitely an eye-opener considering how swamped the market is at the moment with the large f am ily car s a nd t he rece nt releases from Peugeot and Toyota to name but a few. Without sounding biased to any particular model, each had qualities in their own right, but what couldnt be beaten was the fantastic value for money. It is always stated and pretty much proven that you pay for what you get, and I for one certainly wont dispel this. However, as great as
panel lighting leaving a subtle touch of sophistication. The dials are located to ensure inf ormation is effortlessly viewable and easy to comprehend. The seven seats are spread over the t hr ee row s w i t h t he sec o nd row boasting a 60/40 split whilst both the second and third row fold completely flat, in a very swift and easy motion.. E ve n t ho ug h t he O r l a nd o l o o k s compact from the exterior, the interior is deceptively large. Legroom is generous with headroom being ideal for even
The Chevrolet Orlando is a fantastic seven seater that provides excellent value for money. It covers every aspect for both the business operator and more importantly for the family. The safety features on the Orlando are considerably impressive and certainly take into account everyday concerns for the average road user. As expected prices do vary but when costs start from just 10,995 on the road for the LT model and from just 17,995 for the 2.0L diesel LTZ model
the tallest passenger, something I can guarantee due to my partner being a slightly taller than average 6ft 6! The interior also boasts cleverly placed storage compartments behind the radio in the centre console, doors and rear cargo areas. suit all budgets with outstanding offers at their new car dealerships and used car dealerships, whether you're looking for low rate finance or low deposits, the other MPVs are in this day and age especially, financial restraints are always at the forefront and for this very reason alone the Orlando definitely wins my vote. Whilst I was given the basic model to trial run, it had everything the f amily user and business user could possibly need. Specs & Options The smooth finish of the Chevrolet Orlandos dual cockpit is complimented by a stylish blue instrument The Orlando doesnt compromise on performance for the convenience of seven seats. Engine options between a 1.8l 5-speed petrol engine or a 2.0l diesel model which comes as either an autom atic o r 6 - speed m anua l. Personal preference would be the 2.0l diesel as this has a fantastic pull and really comes into its own. The gear shifts silkily smooth leaving the overall ride quality perfectly balanced. The Chevrolet Orlando was built for those who value flexibility. To complim ent w hat is alread y a versati le vehicle, a wide range of accessories are available to take it to another level
there i s som et hi ng de si g ne d f or everyone. The storage for me as a parent was on par with the best of the best with ample space for the chunky pushchair and shopping bags. As compared to both Peugeots 5008 and Toyotas Verso the versatility of being able to combine a vehicle to cover both the business user and the family user was integral. With the added bonus of being such great value for money there really wasnt a negative to be found.
For more information on the Chevrolet Orlando please contact Dean Birkumshaw At Toomey Vauxhall Southend On 01702 563 054
5 year warranty
Why buy 2 when 1 will do! Work, Family and Cost, Business 2 Business News test drove the Peugeot 5008
space to spacious seating, parking assistance and head up display, the 5008 certainly caters for everything. For even more freedom, all the seats in rows 2 and 3 fold individually and flat in addition the front passenger seats fold flat. Legroom has been generously thought about w ith clever storage solutions and up to 2,506 litres of luggage space should the need arise. Extra storage continues throughout the cabin including extra space in the row 2 foot wells. A nice additional extra depending on the model purchased is the Panoramic Cielo Roof, something on the model we had. This certainly provides a sense of f r e e d o m a n d sp a c e . T h e he a t reflective, tinted glass filters out 90% of the suns ultraviolet rays, in addition an electric sunblind covers up the roof at the simple touch of a button. One of the nicest small touches which shows how much Peugeot thinks of its target clientele are the items designed to suit families needs. These range from 12v chargers to additional lighting with a portable torch installed in own recess cradle that is always fully charged. Summary The 5008 certainly speaks for itself. Whilst being an ideal mode of transport for the business user it also doubles as a perfect family vehicle, a unique feature to combine two functions into one. Prices due vary on the selected optional extras but for even a basic model carries all the useful tools and comforts that you should expect. The storage for me was what became a maj or bonus, with pushchairs and for todays fuel prices. Available from only 249 per month for business users. please contact Mark Fennell at Toomeys on 01702 563155 or e mail mark.fennell@peugeotmail.co.uk
Peugeot 5008
he 5008 is one of the latest and most practical MPVs that Peugeot has brought to the market, thanks to a range of practical and user friendly initiatives. The spacious cabin and flexible, user-friendly seating are to name but a few. It also has a refined and interior quality on par with the best MPVs available on the market today. W hilst being stylish, dynamic and ver sa t ile , t he Pe ug eo t 5 00 8 is enjoyable to drive as it is practical for families as well as for business users. I had the opportunity of test driving the mid level 5008 which was at first a little daunting. Being a more experienced driver of the smaller cars, I wasnt too sure what to expect and by what Im told started driving as if I were in an articulated lorry! On a plus point, this didnt last too long and the ease in which I was able to adjust to the size and handling of the 5008 was
surprising even to me. The 5008 delivers handling, performance and technology that make the drivi ng experience truly pleasant. With regards to the actual build of the 5008, the sharp and dynamic shape imposes a bold and distinctive impression while the raking windscreen gives a breath taking view. The 5008s cabin has been designed around the driver and provides a very smooth ride. Practically the Peugeot has everything, especially a parent, could ask for. From the simple things of ample boot
Peugeot 5008 Ratings Comfort - 10/10 Handling - 10/10 Performance - 9/10 Ride - 10/10 Versatility - 10/10 External Noise - 9/10 Interior - 10/10 Interior Storage - 10/10 Price - 8/10 Running cost - 9/10 Overall Rating 95 / 100
shopping for all family requirements, there is ample space. For the business aspect and deliveries and collections you couldnt ask for more either, a happy combination of being able to save on having to have more than one vehicle per household considering todays market and financial expectations being placed on families and businesses alike. Trying to find a negative was somewhat difficult with the only small negative being the loudness of the air conditioning to demist the windscreen. This was really the best we could come up w ith! Overall its fantastic to drive, does everything it promises to do, looks great and works very economically on fuel considering its size, surely a must For more information on Toomeys, Peugeot, the 5008 or any other model please contact Mark Fennell at Toomey Peugeot Southend on 01702 563155
Toomey Southend
Accessories available with the Toyota Verso ranging from the Protection Pack, Style Pack and the Satellite Navigation System pack (available in two options depending on which model of Verso is opted for). Contract Hire Toyota has a very attractive package for the business user. With an initial down payment of 791.07 plus VAT with a remaining 35 payments of just 263.69 plus VAT thereafter, this certainly makes for a more flexible approach for the business which is financially conscious. With an average MPG of 53.3 mpg it definitely makes it economically friendly.
This year Toyota introduced its latest MPV onto the market. What makes it so different from the rest you might ask. As with the few Ive had the opportunity of test-driving recently, the Toyota Verso has one plus point above the rest and that is its adaptability to its interior, but Ill go into that shortly. As Ive already made apparent, Im used to the smaller car and so being able to adjust to the larger vehicle is a huge goal I set f or m yse lf a nd f or t he ca r manufacturers. The Toyota Verso somehow manages to suit both the larger and smaller individual whilst not compromising on space or comfort. The model tested for this review was the 2.0l D-4D TR and as experienced with the Peugeot 5008, it certainly packs a punch, which Ive found is needed to carry its size. Whether its designed for family or business use the Verso has the benefit of having Optimal Drive. This essen-
tially means that it has reduced CO emissions, better fuel economy and an enhanced performance and ensures you no longer have to give up performance to benefit from lower CO and improved economy. There are optional engine specs to choose from whether it be the 1.6 or 1.8 Valvematic 6 speed manual petrol engines to 2.0l diesel engine. The diesel option uses sophisticated diesel technology to achieve approximately 51 mpg. For those wanting that little bit more there is a M ult idr i ve S -V er sio n, w hic h comprises the latest continuously variable transmission technology and takes the effort out of changing gear whilst consuming less fuel than a conventional automatic. As I mentioned earlier the adaptability within the Verso is simply outstanding. It has 32 seating combinations with an array of clever storage solutions. The ease in which you could fold flat 1 or all
passenger sear, additional storage within the middle console box and, as appreciated by most, cup holders available for every seat, nothing seems to have been left out. Safety is paramount these days and as with many of the MPVs available on todays market, the Verso also encompasses the ISOFIX system but it has the additional benefit of using Whiplash Injury Lessening seats (WIL) and active headrests which reduce the risk of whiplash in the event of a rear-end collision. Seat belt pre-tensioners and force-limiters also installed help to reduce injury to the chest. There are numerous Option Packs and extensive
Recoverable to Recyclable 95% of the new Verso is recoverable, 100% of materials are coded and the f o ur hea vy m et a ls ha ve b e e n eliminated completely. In addition, according to Toyota policy, they offer all Toyota drivers new and innovative ways of returning their old cars. For more information visit w ww .toyota.co.uk/environm ent or contact your local Toyota Centre. Summary The Toyota Verso has a great feel to it and is certainly one of the easiest MPVs to adjust to. Storage is more than ample and with so many additional extras this certainly is a vehicle that you can make your own. The only slight
customers, the more success it's going t o w e l c o m e t hr o u g h t h e d o o r s. Businesses spend millions trying to attract new customers or win back lapsed ones and yet often neglect to de ve l o p t he i r e xi st i ng c ust om er relationships. How annoying is it to find out that your current mobile phone netw ork provider is off ering new
customers a deal that is half the price of your package? And what do you get f or yea r s of lo ya lt y to t he sam e company? Absolutely nothing - often, not even a discount on your calls. So at the first opportunity you show them who's really boss, cut your losses, and head off to a company that will give you a better deal. No one would blame you
the need for professionalism by today's entrepreneurs. So where can people look for good business interaction or networking? The internet would seem the obvious place. But hang on... that's not where they're going. The research
uncovered that the internet isn't holding the answers for once. It seems people are not relying on it for effective business networking either. Despite the fact that every man and his dog is listed on some sort of social networking
site now, whether that is MySpace or Facebook -respondents to the survey said they felt that there was a real lack of appropriate sites dedicated solely business networking. John Davis, marketing director for Barclays Local
www.gripsbikes.co.uk - Tel: 01268 776661 - Grips Bikes, 56-58 Eastwood Road, Rayleigh, Essex, SS6 7JP
Working Together can Produce Fantastic Results How well do the people in your organisation get on?
Acquisitions, take-overs and mergers means that many cultures are being smashed together without any real thought of the consequences to the people or the organisation. Conflicts arise, disciplinarians take up time and performance management drains the life out of morale. Staff sickness and absenteeism goes up and so does the cost to the business. Potential Plus Ltd is a training consultancy that works on Developing Winning Attitudes - this is something that impacts all of the issues, described above. More often than not, people have the capability to do a great job otherwise why would they have been recruited in the first place? So what happens, what changes to turn someone from great to mediocre? In our experience, its is normally down to three things: lack of purpose, lack of autonomy and lack of personal development. Potential Plus engages its audience to re-light the passion, find direction and create a desirable future, which, in turn develops harmony within teams, departments and organisations.
To book a 45 minute showcase and experience what we offer call our team on +44 (0) 1202 381990 To find out more on what we offer please visit
www.potentialplus.net