Entries tagged: Virtual Switchboards

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…

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…

In 2017 London’s Oxford Street saw 291 instances of ‘theft by moped.’ And Oxford Street isn’t alone. According to the Metropolitan Police, drive by thefts across London’s main shopping streets increased sixfold in the two…

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…

December: a time for reflection and a time for planning. No we aren’t talking here about arranging the Christmas party or organising the secret Santa although undoubtedly they are looming large in the calendars of…

Trawling through the small business news, two items in particular caught this writer’s eye.  And in the best traditions of news reporting although the two items aren’t directly related there is some good news and…

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.…

EEF/BDO’s manufacturing survey for the second quarter of 2017 reveals good news virtually across the sector. So much so that the report’s authors have revised upwards their forecasts for manufacturing growth in the remainder…

And the winner is…..

Yes the awards season has arrived and the media is full of tearful winners and their acceptance speeches. At the time of writing the Baftas and the Grammys are…

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…

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…

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…

“The UK is now a smartphone society” according to an Ofcom report which reveals that the smartphone has overtaken the laptop as the surfing device of choice. Just one year ago 22% of us turned…

It’s FA Cup weekend and that means one thing; the media are going out of their way to pack our heads with statistics and facts, comment and analysis as they bid to raise the excitement…

The red telephone box. Once a regular sight in our towns and villages, like so much of the past it is gradually fading from view as its function is replaced by modern technologies. In its…

Love it or hate it, there is something compelling about April Fools’ Day. Whilst some pranks are perhaps better not repeated and others are for more general consumption, some display a depth of care and…

According to new figures released this week, the drive to lower greenhouse gas emissions is starting to deliver results. The combination of a reduction in coal fired electricity generation, an overall reduction in power consumption…

It seems strange that a scant year ago we were reporting on a fall in the level of inflation to 2%, the first time inflation levels had met government set targets since November 2009. Today…

With winter’s icy grip holding sway across large sections of the UK, it is a fair bet that there are a number of business continuity plans being well and truly tested as employees are unable…

Compared to previous winters, this one (at the time of writing at least) has been comparatively benign. Yes we have had the ‘weather bomb’ but it was fairly short lived and certainly nothing like as…

How secure is your phone system? If you aren’t sure then now may be the time to find out, before fraudsters find out on your behalf. The long Christmas break is on its way and…

The Business Continuity Institute has announced the results of a survey into emergency communication planning. The survey concentrated on mid to large sized entities but the lessons in respect of the importance of planning are…

The success of the European Space Agency in sending a probe across billions of kilometres to land on a small comet has captured the headlines. On 12th November those at the Rosetta project’s headquarters cheered…

A recent article in The New York Times has highlighted the dangers of leaving phone systems unsecured. According to the article, hackers broke into an architecture firm in San Francisco and managed to dial $166,000 of…

The headline news for 1st October was the abolition of that national institution, the tax disc. But the beginning of October also marked a raft of changes in UK law including an increase in the…

Following successful introductions elsewhere in the country, Ofcom have taken the next step in its phased move towards maximising the availability of telephone numbers for new users within an area. With effect from 1st October…