We have produced a member list database for managing member information.
Features:
Templated email messages for easy send of similar information.
Custom fields of varying types.
Selection by attribute AND individual name. This means that one can select an attribute of committee which sends to those with that specific attribute attached.
Reporting on full information or simple list
Planned Features
Scheduled emails
More comprehensive reporting
Billing ability if required.
Heirarchical display of audited outbound contact
Inbound contact management
If any thing here sounds interesting, or you wish to know more please contact me using my email address and I shall be most forthcoming.
Have you ever sighed at the thought of ringing your bank, or a utility provider? Is this because experience tells you that you’ll be asked to press 1 for that department, then 2 for the next, then another to describe your reason for calling, then you’re asked to enter your account details and pass a security check before you actually speak to a human being? Then often are told you haven’t reached the team you need and need to be transferred? Does that feel great – particularly as the number you’ve rung is called Customer Service and it can feel anything but.
As someone who relishes good customer service, like most of us I am sure, I want to speak to someone that understands, can give advice or rectify any issue we have in the least amount of time. We want the ‘Perfect Customer Experience’.
However, we all know in the real world this doesn’t always happen but I am still happy if the person I speak to at least gives it a try and promises to call me back if they need to look into my issue further.
A recent survey said that only 26% of consumers responded positively when asked if they believe customer service centres provide great support, compared to 49% who did not. This clearly shows how the industry is missing the mark in relation to customer expectations.
In 2011 80% of consumers said they prefer talking to an advisor on the phone, but times have changed – consumers now want to be able to research for themselves and take control of the conversation – including the ability to communicate in multiple ways, including e-mail, live chat, or ‘click to call’ support from a website.
So while I believe that it is still extremely important to maintain a strong phone presence, it is equally important to demonstrate that you have consistency of response quality across other multi-media channels, including social media platforms.
Customer satisfaction is finally climbing up the priority list and, in my opinion, is the most important factor of a successful business. These changes are indicative that consumer demands are driving the shift in metrics.
Here at Credo Asset Finance, we have always been striving for the ‘Perfect Customer Experience’ and we invite customers to go to our ‘Meet the Team’ page so they can see who they are dealing with. Clicking onto individual profiles outline their specialism and their contact details and helps potential customers find the right person they want quickly and simply. Our web analytics show this is one of our most viewed pages, so we know we’re right to invest in this page – have a look at ithere!
We are also available on e-mail, live chat and social media platforms, giving people choice on how to contact us. We have invested in our YouTube channel too and created some useful videos to help with all the finance jargon, take a look at it here!For free, true advice about your Asset Finance needs remember you can always call too! We love to chat!
And we also love to learn! What’s your secret of great customer service in your business?
Owning your business premises could help you build a bigger pension fund.
Indisputably, pensions have a powerful tax advantage, but if you’re a director or owner of a small business, the company’s assets could help you generate a bigger pension fund faster.
The boost is achieved by holding your business premises within a pension wrapper. Once those premises (including any commercial or agricultural land) are ‘owned’ by the pension, they can be leased back to the business and, significantly, rent paid by the business can go directly into your pension pot.
The tax breaks mean that business owners can build their retirement nest eggs quicker, especially if tax-relievable contributions are made from income.
Building on success
The commercial property market has been performing well over the past few years, owing to improving economic conditions and low interest rates.
Of course, good performance shouldn’t be seen as a guide to the future, since there will be years when property falls in value.
Putting capital gains to one side, however, it may be that the decision to move property into a pension wrapper is validated by the combination of tax benefits and new pension freedoms; these include the availability of uncapped income from age 55 and the possibility of mitigating death taxes altogether.
Safety warning
Only a self-invested personal pension (SIPP) and a small self-administered scheme (SSAS) can hold commercial property. Many business owners will not have sufficient funds to purchase their premises outright, so they can face the challenge of borrowing money to acquire the property. The rules allow investors to borrow up to 50% of the value of their pension pot to fund the purchase.
Once everything is established, there’s also the task of making sure that rental income is invested appropriately.
Remember also that property tends to be illiquid when compared to other investments. It could take months, or even years, to sell the premises at the right price – the market might be down at just the moment you want to sell.
These are just some of the reasons that directors and owners of small businesses should seek advice from a specialist before taking action.
Height restriction
One increasing challenge is the introduction of a reduced lifetime allowance of £1 million in April 2016.
To receive a complimentary guide covering wealth management, retirement planning or Inheritance Tax planning, contact Martin Vincent on 07725 971543 or email martin.vincent@sjpp.co.uk
The levels and bases of taxation, and reliefs from taxation, can change at any time. The value of any tax relief depends on individual circumstances.
Help young people kick-start their careers with Future You – a free careers app for 13-21 year olds in Norfolk. Using skills, aptitudes and qualifications, Future You can help young people identify their ideal careers in one of Norfolk’s six leading growth sectors.
Future You is a completely free careers guidance app, developed for young people, by young people. The app is available for both Apple phone users and Android and there is also an online web tool.
The app is designed to help young people recognise the wealth of career opportunities available to them right on their doorstep in Norfolk. Norfolk has six leading growth sectors which provide a vast range of career prospects.
We have identified the six leading growth areas as follows:
Energy
Engineering
Life sciences
Creative industries
Financial Services
Health and social care
The app takes interests, skills and aptitudes and provides link to advice and support on what different jobs are available within each growth sector, it identifies the career pathways that are available and what steps to take. There is also support in creating the perfect CV, preparing for an interview as well as highlighting the latest apprenticeships and traineeships available to them and much more.
Future You is supported by six partner companies who, with the help of their employees, brought the Future You campaign to life. Those companies are:
Marsh UK
Institute of Food Research
Norse Care
Perenco Ltd
osbornenash
Dodman Limited
If your company falls within one of these six growth Sectors we are here to help
We are always looking for more local businesses who represent the 6 key growth areas to support and work with us to help promote Future You to future generations of talent in Norfolk.
If you would like any further information about the Future You app and how to get involved then we would love to hear from you. Please email the communications team atmarketing@norfolk.gov.uk
For more information on Future You, including how to download the app as well as the six case studies featured within the Future You campaign visit www.futureyounorfolk.com
Future you is also on twitter – follow @Norfolk_FY for app support and feedback, tips and advice as well as highlighting current vacancies and how to make the most of Future You. We are always looking for ways in which we can improve Future You and your feedback is greatly appreciated to help make Future You a better experience for everyone.
The Future You team will be at the Norfolk Skills and Careers Festival to connect first hand with the future generation of talent in Norfolk and help demonstrate the Future You app and the support it can offer.
It’s a year when thinking ahead, and concerning ourselves about the future, will be vital. Now, more than ever, business needs the next generation of workforce to be motivated and ready for work. Without the right skills though, that new workforce becomes not just a wasted resource but a demotivating trap for school leavers and graduates.
A recent survey of youngsters in their GCSE year found them pessimistic about their future. We need to change this. Because we know that, although challenging, the future for the Norfolk business world is full of opportunities.
Closing the skills gap, and supporting young people into work have to be key objectives for 2016.
As we celebrate being Committed to Business since 1896, we can think of no better way to mark our 120 years anniversary than to focus on the future, through making a difference to Norfolk’s young people’s lives.
Of course it’s been fun to take a look back at history, and we’re proud of the contribution that the Chamber business members have made to the region’s commercial development over all those years. We will be adding what we have found onto our website during the year. But it is the future which really matters. We’re delighted to use our celebration year as a catalyst to support young people.
At The Norfolk Chamber of Commerce we’ve launched our Norfolk Chamber Anniversary Fund. It’s aimed at providing grant awards to charitable organisations, working within Norfolk, with young people aged up to 25. It’s about increasing access to employment and improving the opportunities and career options open to young people across the county.
To show we mean business we’ve committed to match all donations pound for pound. And now we’re asking businesses to donate what they can because just a few pounds can make a big difference to a young person’s life.
We all have the same aim to help our young people understand how to translate what they like doing and are good at in schools into roles and jobs within the world of work. Those jobs are with employers who need the workforce of the future. We all have to work together, to make the two groups come together in a perfect match. A match of youth and experience, skills and roles.
There’s a new movie out just now. You may have heard something about it. Something to do with Star Wars? It’s called The Force Awakens. Well, in 2016, as we celebrate our anniversary we will be taking a look at a long, long time ago. But we’ll also be awakening the force. The workforce. Supporting it, developing it and making it fit for purpose. Because the next generation is here. The future has arrived.
Nestlé fails in its battle to protect the shape of its KitKat bar as a trademark, after High Court of England and Wales rules that the chocolate bar has failed to acquire distinctiveness through use. Novagraaf’s Claire Jones outlines the implications for brand owners.
Obtaining trademark protection of shapes is not as common or as simple as trademark protection for other types of signs, such as words, slogans or logos.
Registration limitations exclude shapes from trademark protection, if:
they consist of a shape which results from the nature of the goods themselves;
the shape gives substantial value to the goods; or
if the shape of goods is necessary to obtain a technical result.
Shapes that are not excluded on these grounds can obtain trademark protection, but – as with trademarks in general – only if they satisfy criteria for distinctiveness. In practice, this is quite a hurdle as it can be difficult to argue that consumers recognise a shape as a distinguishing mark of a particular undertaking. Ideally, shapes need to depart significantly from the norm or customs of the sector in order to fulfil the essential function of a trademark of indicating a product’s origin.
Why KitKat’s four-finger shape falls short In 2010, Nestlé filed an application to register a trademark for its four fingered KitKat bar. As the application was for a shape mark, the (word) mark KitKat was not included in the application.
The UK Intellectual Property Office (IPO) originally accepted the application and registered the shape mark; however, competitor Cadbury’s opposed the registration. In the procedure that followed, the High Court of Justice of England and Wales referred the following questions to the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) for a preliminary ruling.
In essence, the procedure concerned the following questions:
Is the shape of the KitKat bar excluded from trademark protection because one of the grounds for refusal is applicable? And, if the answer to that question is negative;
Has the shape acquired a distinctive character through use?
Applying the grounds for refusal With respect to the first question, the CJEU heard arguments that the chocolate bar’s shape contained three essential features: one of which results from the nature of the goods themselves and two of which are necessary to obtain a technical result.
The court discussed that it is possible for the essential features of a sign to be covered by one or more grounds of refusal. It then went on to clarify that the grounds of refusal regarding the technical result must be interpreted as referring only to the manner in which the goods at issue function and not the manner in which they are manufactured. The court also clarified that registration may be refused only where at least one of those grounds is fully applicable to the sign at issue. The case was then returned to the UK courts for review.
A final refusal by the High Court of England and Wales Guided by the CJEU’s opinion, Mr Justice Arnold concluded that: “In order to demonstrate that a sign has acquired distinctive character, the applicant or trademark proprietor must prove that, at the relevant date, a significant proportion of the relevant class of persons perceives the relevant goods or services as originating from a particular undertaking because of the sign in question (as opposed to any other trademark which may also be present).” (para 57)
In other words, to prove acquired distinctiveness, Nestlé must show that the relevant public recognises the shape in itself as originating from Nestlé. However, Mr Justice Arnold ruled that was only able to establish association, which was not sufficient to demonstrate the necessary acquisition of distinctive character. The shape was, therefore, deemed ineligible for registration and the appeal was dismissed.
Implications for trademark holders In effect, there was substantial evidence presented in the proceedings to show that consumers associated the shape of the bar with the KitKat brand, but not that consumers already relied upon that shape before purchase. Therefore, the main evidence point to come out of the proceedings is that the evidence must show that consumers perceive the trademark as indicating exclusive origin from one particular undertaking. However, the application of such a test was not made entirely clear by Mr Justice Arnold, and this point is likely to be contended in the future.
The bar for acquired distinctiveness of shapes has been set very high and consumers will be foremost in any analysis.
Claire Jones is a trademark attorney in the London offices of Novagraaf.
The new year is a good time to step back and assess whether the IP rights in your portfolio are adding value to your business, but where should you begin?
Many companies estimate the healthiness and relative worth of their IP portfolios based on size alone. However, those IP rights could be worth far less than hoped if the following checks and balances aren’t also considered. IP portfolios are frequently cluttered with unused registrations or starved by gaps in coverage; reviewing your IP now via a detailed audit could help you to identify ways to streamline your portfolio in 2016, saving you money while also improving the efficiency of your assets.
Step 1: Review your IP records and data for accuracy The data in your IP portfolio needs to be accurate and up-to-date, otherwise you may find that you don’t quite own the rights that you think you do. Taking the time now to cleanse, update and rationalise your IP data can save you both time and money in the long-run, as it will identify errors in the records, as well as unnecessary costs such as duplicate registrations (e.g between national and CTM rights).
Centralising IP ownership can also help you to avoid unnecessary costs and risks, e.g. due to refusals or duplicate records. This also enables companies to file oppositions or to act against infringement on behalf of one formal party, instead of being forced to initiate double procedures in case of decentralised ownership.
Step 2: Audit your IP portfolio for value A regular IP audit enables you to assess the value of your portfolio against the costs involved in growing and maintaining the IP rights it contains. It helps to identify, for example, trademark rights that are being renewed despite never being used, as well as gaps in protection, which might leave a company exposed. To undertake this audit, we would first recommend:
Reviewing your IP strategy to ensure that it takes into account your strategic business goals;
Prioritising your IP rights (e.g. between ‘core’ and ‘non-core’), and markets (countries and goods/services) based on current branding/R&D strategy and future plans;
Auditing licensing and royalty agreements to ensure that the rights have been correctly maintained and the revenues received; and
Reviewing your supplier list to see if it is possible to generate further cost savings by consolidating your IP portfolio with one provider.
Step 3: Conduct regular healthchecks Completing an IP audit is only the first step in what should be a regular programme of portfolio reviews. By conducting audits at regular intervals (ideally at least every six months), you can ensure that your portfolio continues to evolve as your business does, and it could also identify additional savings in the future; for example, by:
Merging registrations;
Allowing possible duplicate (local) registrations to lapse; and
Identifying unexploited rights that could be sold, licensed or allowed to lapse.
Find out more Novagraaf regularly undertakes IP audits for customers, helping them to assess the efficiency of their rights, to identify gaps in coverage and to highlight areas where they could save costs. You can find out more about this service and our methodology on our website.
Howdy ~ my name is Shannon, I am 21 years old and I am a new Swarm apprentice. My new job role is Operations Assistant.
Well so far I have constantly been enthralled by everybody’s enthusiasm to get things up and running and it has been quite exciting. I am glad to be in a training position again because I just feel that there is so much more that I need to learn. I also met Robert Ashton a couple of days ago, and first impressions…well, let’s just say that he is quite a character; someone with a quirky and spirited personality. Everybody here is kind of like that, really. This will make life working at Swarm much more interesting, yes indeedy.
Before I applied for the first apprenticeship I did, my perceptions of being an apprentice were very much outdated. In fact, when I thought of the word apprentice, a blacksmith came to mind… so you can probably imagine how surprising it was when I saw how many different ones there were and discovered what they were actually like.
So before I enrolled with Swarm, I thought that being an Enterprise apprentice would just be the same as any other apprenticeship role. But no, it is actually better in a lot of ways (not that my last one was rubbish, of course). I really enjoyed the last one and learnt a lot from it – I could have just got a normal job afterwards – but I chose to be a Swarm apprentice instead because it will give me the confidence to reach my potential, and do the maximum that I can do, not the least that I can get away with.
Well, it’s better than just sitting there doing nothing but converting oxygen into carbon dioxide until your boss gives you another mundane task to finish off, at least until they trust that you can do some of the more complicated stuff – which is understandable I suppose, but not really challenging enough.
Doing an apprenticeship then joining Swarm has also really opened my eyes, helped me to set goals for myself and the business, and given me more understanding as well – that you can’t just come out of some university and expect to be doing a high-powered job that will get you earning a huge amount of money. It just isn’t going to happen. Most employers these days want EXPERIENCED employees, so obviously it’s not good enough just to have a wealth of knowledge on a particular subject but not have a clue what you have to do when it comes to actually doing the job. So I also have the chance to get a good job that would usually be given to a highly-trained experienced expert before a university graduate. (It’s not that I’m against doing a university degree. It’s one of my future goals.)
My goals for the Swarm business within the next five years are to help raise awareness of the value of doing an apprenticeship, and of course the benefits. I would also like the business to find ways of supporting young people by using other means. Basically though, I would just like to help Swarm become a well-known organisation throughout the country.
My personal goals for me are to eventually pass my driving test, gain a thorough knowledge of the Swarm Apprenticeships business, complete the enterprise qualification, and as I mentioned earlier – start doing a degree with the Open University.
So, in conclusion… to any employers, please think about taking on an apprentice. To anyone who has just finished doing their GCSEs, their A-Levels, or perhaps just want a fresh start in life doing something else… I say go for an Apprenticeship, you won’t regret it – or at least think about it, because you would really be missing out on something great!
Here’s an anomaly. Surveys undertaken by Norfolk schools show that our young people are pessimistic about their future. At the same time, and although there are economic challenges, and some sectors are finding it very difficult, as a whole, Norfolk’s business community are quietly optimistic about the future.
I find that not just sad but unacceptable. Sad that our young people feel that way. Unacceptable because it appears we have a communication gap.
So the question is, how do we pass on that optimism about opportunities to Norfolk’s young people?
There’s a lot of talk about the links between education and business, and a new programme encouraging businesses to become voluntary Enterprise Advisers was launched this week. But what is business’ role?
I believe it’s simply to inspire our young people about the opportunities that are open to them. I say simply, but in reality this is going to be very challenging. It’s going to take teamwork.
Ironically, given the ‘gap’, many schools are now run as businesses. (As a slight digression it’s a bizarre fact that, as businesses, many are grappling with considerable Apprentice Levy charges).
But it’s within schools that the ‘gap’ comes into sharper focus and the objectives become clearer. The education leaders in schools are the experts at how students are taught. What the business community can do is add value by making real the reason our young people are learning.
Primarily that reason is to be able to become part of the workforce.
That’s why we need need to equip them with a flexibility of skills. We need them to know that there are jobs which will enthuse them. Jobs that may not exist yet, such is the rate of change!
This is no longer a ‘nice to have’ agenda. As a business community we need to give our time and problem solving ability to address it. As well as being important to the lives and wellbeing of our young people it makes good business sense. They are our future workforce.
Norfolk’s Education leaders within our schools, colleges, universities and our local authorities are open to finding ways to make this work. The Norfolk Chamber has taken up the mantle on behalf of the business community to help facilitate change. There’s a lot of good work already happening in schools, and many businesses are already giving time and expertise. But, I believe we have to do more, and do it more effectively.
So, this is a call to action. Be open to how you, and your organisation, can help.
I believe that even a small contribution of collective time from the business community can help motivate our young people, improve the county’s exam results, and support our education leaders and their staff. Most of all it can ensure that Norfolk’s young people understand their options and opportunities and are looking forward to the future.
We talk a lot about Team Norfolk. This is one objective that it can achieve. It’s where the team work comes in.
Has the New Year heralded the start of a new career for you? However experienced you are, the first few weeks in a new job can be just as intimidating as they are exciting. We’ve compiled some of the top tips our recruitment consultants regularly share as part of their ongoing support for our candidates, even after they’ve found them a new role.
1. Build respect
Build respect and trust by looking for ways to help out and take an interest in what other people are doing. Try to pick up on your new colleague’s working styles and adapt your approach to meet their needs. If you are a manager, take time to get to know your team as well as other senior colleagues. Building relationships will enable you to nurture a strong team spirit and establish yourself as a supportive leader from day one.
2. Understand the new culture
Use your first few weeks to absorb what goes on around you in order to understand the organisation’s culture and values, and how it engages with its customers, employees and the local community. In many instances the culture will stem from an organisation’s origins. Read up on its history as well as any current mission statements, business plans and company handbooks. Also, look at how new ideas are developed and implemented, and understand who the key decision makers are.
3. Get to grips with your job description
A written job description is only one element in fully understanding your responsibilities. It’s also important to establish people’s expectations of you, and for you to discover the structure and skills available within your team to help you meet these expectations. Although you will be expected to deliver results eventually, be patient and don’t rush with ambitious goals. Spend time developing your knowledge of the organisation’s industry, its customers, competitors, products, services and people. When you have absorbed the necessary information, you will be in a stronger position to really start performing at your best.
4. Build a rapport with the boss
Request meetings with your boss on a consistent basis to review your performance, and also to establish a rapport. If they haven’t provided you with a list of expectations for your probationary period, take proactive action. Either ask your manager to write some goals and objectives for you, or write them yourself and ask for them to be approved. Make sure you schedule in an informal review of your performance halfway through the probationary period, so you can put yourself back on course if things are going wrong.
5. Find a mentor
As you get introduced to senior staff, look for those who convey reliability, confidence and initiative, and who could act as a mentor for you. Mentoring has numerous benefits, from having an experienced, knowledgeable person to bounce ideas off, through to someone who actively helps direct and advance your career within the organisation.
Every time snow falls or is forecast we receive calls and emails asking ‘Will I be sued if I clear snow from a path? Or do I have to keep my Car Park clear?’
The simple answer is yes you can, if you do it carefully!
You are unlikely to be sued if you are sensible.
So how to clear snow and ice…..
When you clear snow and ice:
Do it early in the day – it’s easier to move fresh, loose snow- if you remove the top layer the sun may melt the rest.
Don’t use water – it might refreeze and turn to black ice & become more dangerous.
Use salt if possible – it will melt the ice or snow and stop it from refreezing overnight (but don’t use the salt from salting bins as this is used to keep roads clear)NB Do take care not to cover plants in salt.
You can use ash and sand if you don’t have enough salt – it will provide grip underfoot pay extra attention when clearing steps and steep pathways – using more salt may help.It is best to salt the night before before persons use the path in the morning.
Take care where you move the snow.When you’re shovelling snow, take care where you put it so it doesn’t block people’s paths or drains. Make sure you make a path down the middle of the area to be cleared first, so you have a clear surface to walk on. Then shovel the snow from the centre of the path to the sides.
Be flexible with staff’s and your own traveling plans this will ensure that staff are reducing the risk of accidents by travelling at peak icy times; Consider if you can staff working from home to avoid the need to travel, non urgent meetings can be postponed – Ensure clothing is appropriate, and phones are charged.
Safety Policy & Risk Assessments; Ensure your safety management system covers work travel and work arrangements for such conditions.
At Home offer to clear your neighbours’ paths.If your neighbour will have difficulty getting in and out of their home, offer to clear snow and ice around their property as well. Check that any elderly or disabled neighbours are safe in the cold weather.
If you follow the above sensible guidance you are unlikely to be sued when you clear a path, and your staff & visitors will have a reduced risk of slipping or falling in the Ice or Snow.
‘I trust you becauseyour customer service is great.
I trust you becauseyour product is good quality and reliable.
I trust you becauseI know I can get in touch with you if I need to.
I trust you becauseyou clearly value my custom and I feel special.
I trust you becauseI like you.
I trust you becauseyou keep me updated with news and ideas or products.
I trust you becauseyou don’t always want to just ‘sell’ to me.’
………said the happy customer to the customer-centric, modern day business.
If you have many customers who are saying the same thing to you, stop reading. You’re clearly aware of what sort of marketplace we live in in 2016. Otherwise read on!
It doesn’t matter what business you are in, if you have customers, this year you will be prioritising ‘trust’. ‘Trust is earned, not given.’ We know the mantra and we also know its value. And yet many businesses are still operating under the illusion that the customers are out there and that business will arrive at their door, till or webpage as if by magic.
They won’t.
This is the age of the customer. Google the phrase ‘customer-centric’ and you’ll have enough blogs or articles to read until 2017. The customer is in the driving seat. Your customer will know all about you, the good and the bad, and will know all about your competitors. Your customer won’t hesitate to seek out the best deal or offer and will use reviews, social media and referrals to assess your credibility.Your customers’opinionof you will be based on data, whether accurate or not. Your customers’reactionto you will be emotional.
According toForrester Analyst Anjali Laito, “Emotion is often the primary factor influencing customer loyalty and the strongest driver of customer retention, enrichment and advocacy”.
One thing will drive your customer back to you and keep them close – TRUST.
“The most credible advertising comes straight from the people we know and trust. For that reason, it should come as no surprise that more than eight in ten global respondents (83 percent) say they completely or somewhat trust the recommendations of friends and family. But trust isn’t confined only to those in our inner circle, as two-thirds (66 percent) say they trust consumer opinions posted online-the third-most-trusted form of advertising.” -(Nielsen, 2015 report)
If your customer trusts you, they will love you. If trust is there, you will have earned an advocate, a raving fan and a lifetime supporter. Trust is a belief in the reliability, truth, or ability of….; it is an expectation of faith and consistency. That expectation is not granted as a ‘default’.