Rearranging layouts, installing protective screens, arranging for deep cleans…. there is certainly plenty to think about for those businesses which are contemplating a return to work. Whilst some businesses have remained open throughout the crisis,…
Although it looks like things aren’t going to be changing in the short term, it seems increasingly likely that the lockdown restrictions will be easing in some way over the coming month or two.
…Amidst continuing Brexit uncertainty, election upheaval and a reduction in footfall over the Christmas period, the UK’s SMEs had an uneasy time as 2019 drew to a close. So much so that the Federation of…
What’s in a number? We’ve written in the past about the importance of choosing the right mix of local, national or international telephone numbers to best suit your customer base. But there are other numbers…
We live in a 24/7 world. That world is influenced and inhabited by technology and people; and driven by demand. Its nature is one of expectation and every time we meet that expectation the demand…
How are the UK’s smaller businesses coping with current trading conditions? Well, depending on how you read the statistics, it is a bit of a good news/bad news scenario.
Released at the beginning…
It’s August, schools are well and truly out and the holiday exodus is in full flow. As a result normal commuter routes have quietened noticeably whilst the regular Friday/Saturday getaway is blocking motorways and other…
How easy is it to switch your phone provider? Well if you have a mobile phone then new Ofcom rules have come into force which should make switching far easier. Out goes the need…
The phone rings and an automated voice starts to inform you that either your internet connection has been sending out fake signals or your tax return has been flagged up as faulty and you are…
As a SME business where do you find your main customer base? Now I appreciate that your answers will be many and varied depending on your business size and market place. After all, with SMEs…
When the subject of SMEs comes up in the news or in conversation what springs to mind? Perhaps your local corner shop or independent garage, a one man band or just a handful of people…
It doesn’t matter whether you are a small, medium, or large business; customers are key to your success. So why is it that all too often we look at product or pricing rather than people?…
For football and rugby union supporters the month of May is a bittersweet time. Whether it’s relief at your team’s survival for another year, elation at a promotion gained or facing the sad reality of…
After a long hot weekend which saw May bank holiday temperature records broken in the UK, it seems almost indecent to talk about planning for a rainy day. And we do have to admit that…
Back to work after the Easter break and it’s time to check if your phone security stood up to the test of a long double bank holiday weekend. And this poses a problem. With potential…
UK SMEs plan to go back to basics in order to support their growth plans for 2018. So says a report commissioned by American Express and Oxford Economics which also revealed that the UK SME…
It may have its origins in a travel company initiative but Blue Monday now seems to be firmly established in the business calendar. In 2018 this allegedly most depressing of days falls on 15th January,…
What is the UK’s highest mountain peak? Hands up all those who said Ben Nevis? Sorry but you are wrong; the answer is Mount Hope which at 3,239m is more than twice the…
It’s scarcely a month since we were talking about the effects of Hurricane Irma and now we have our own hurricane to worry about. Ironically in a week in which various news reports have been…
September is here and those placards and posters which have been foretelling doom all summer long have now come true! It’s ‘back to school’ time.
For parents that means the trauma of sorting…
On 30 June 2017 the 999 service celebrated its eightieth birthday. The oldest emergency telephone service in the world came about following a fire in a doctor’s surgery in 1935 in which five people perished.…
We may live in a technological age but, according to a new report, businesses may not be taking full advantage of the technologies which are available to them. The report, commissioned by Exact, revealed that…
Regardless of the rise in internet communication sites such as Facebook and Twitter, for many of us telephones are still the go-to communication device.
One man band or multinational corporation; no matter what the business there are a few truths which are universal. No I am not talking here about probity or operating ethically or within the law, although…
The first month of 2016 may have been characterised by jitters in the stock markets, but one thing which is undiminished is our enthusiasm for starting up new businesses. According to the website StartUp…
How do you pay for small purchases? Are you an enthusiastic early adopter of one or more of the smart pay options, do you prefer to make use of your credit or debit card, or…
How secure is your field of business? Are you likely to be offering the same services in five, ten, or even twenty year’s time? When we go into business we may expect some changes in…
You know how it is; you’ve done your research, you’ve got all your paperwork together, you’ve cleared some space in your diary and now you’re ready to call. When you do, the phone rings and…
If you run an SME organisation, particularly if you are on the smaller side of the SME spectrum; where do you turn to for business advice? There are plenty of national and local business support…
When you’re in business, particularly when you’re one of the small or medium enterprises which make up the majority of businesses in the UK, juggling cash flow can seem like an endless task. Never does…
Communication is key