Member Blog

The automatic enrolment legislation puts the onus fairly and squarely on employers to operate automatic enrolment correctly for their employees. The message for employers is that preparation for automatic enrolment is very important and planning for your start date cannot begin too soon.

Many firms are now planning their response to automatic enrolment and many are taking steps right now. Financial advisers are uniquely positioned to help employers fulfil their duties and below we set out some of the ways an adviser can help. We have identified a number of questions which are key for employers considering how to fulfil their responsibilities.

• When do I have to have my pension scheme in place?

• Who do I have to enrol into the pension scheme?

• How much it is going to cost?

• What are my options in terms of providing an eligible pension scheme?

• What administration systems do I need?

The Pensions Regulator (TPR) has issued its first compliance notice to an un-named employer that has not met its duties under the automatic enrolment (AE) regime, as well as warning letters to 38 other employers. As of 31 March 2013, TPR had opened a total of 89 investigations into possible non-compliance by large employers.

The great thing is Lovewell Blake Financial Planning Limited can help an employer answer the questions above right now and enable the employer to be compliant by adhering to the legislation.

We are hosting a series of free seminars around the region in order to assist employers with the answers to the above questions. Please visit https://www.lovewell-blake-fp.co.uk/ for further details and to reserve your place.

14 RULES FOR WORRY-FREE, RELIABLE EVENT COMMUNICATIONS

As the outdoor events season quietens down a bit and focus moves to planning for 2014, we thought it would be useful to list out some of the trends we have seen during 2013 which can help with 2014 planning when it comes to IT and communications at events. Although focused on outdoor events most of the topics below apply equally to indoor events too.

1. Try to Plan and Book early – It’s vital to start considering the aspects of internet and service connectivity early on in the event planning process.

Communication between the connectivity provider and the event planner is vital to ensure that the most efficient use of equipment is made according to the site layout and the correct equipment is provided. Advanced planning will provide a detailed scheme of what is required. Specifying just what you need to complete your installation in the most cost effective way.

Strong relationships between staff at the connectivity provider and the event team are essential for the understanding and delivery of services that meet the clients’ needs and expectations. The more time you spend with the computer and internet people before the event, discussing your requirements, the less time you will need to spend with them at the event. You’ll be able to get on with your work knowing that the IT side is taken care of.

2. Robust and Guaranteed Service – Slow internet speeds can be just as frustrating as not having any access at all. Any system should be robust enough to handle the load as estimated through the planning process, with capacity of speed and data volume to spare.

As well as being robust, the networks should also have a redundant backup and appropriate equipment to enable a seamless fall-back if problems occur with the main provision.

Satellite broadband can provide download speeds of up to 20Mbps. We think that two satellite dishes are better than one, which is why you’ll never see a single, lonely satellite dish at any of our event installations. If the first dish stops working, the second will quietly take over.

We still don’t think that’s enough to guarantee highest availability internet access, so we install high powered specialist mobile broadband equipment or a different satellite system for Plan C.

Vulnerable cable runs, where they cannot be avoided, should be facilitated in pairs, providing a redundant backup if the primary cable fails.

Ensure that whatever solution you choose, you know that you have a Plan B and even a Plan C.

3. PDQ / Payment Systems – Recently we have seen a significant rise in the number of events reporting problems with GPRS (mobile phone) PDQ machines – these are the credit/debit card machines used for merchandise, box offices, vendors etc.

The problem stems from the fact that at events the mobile networks (Vodafone, O2, Orange, etc) cannot handle the amount of data that users are trying to pull over the network, and with all the network congestion the PDQ machines cannot process transactions.

The problem is getting worse because of the increase in smartphones, with users downloading more data and a reluctance by operators to put in temporary masts due to their high cost.

However it is important to note that just because a temporary mast is installed, it doesn’t necessarily mean that data services will be any better as most temporary masts are more for the benefit of voice calls.

The alternative to GPRS style PDQs are Wi-Fi PDQs – exactly the same machines but using a Wi-Fi network instead. These require a Wi-Fi network and a reliable internet connection to be in place and it means the network is fully controlled and transactions on the machines are much faster. There are options to rent Wi-Fi PDQs but 2-3 weeks notice is required as the machines have to be configured with the relevant banking merchant id of you or your concession operators.

4. VPN for Ticketing Systems – VPNs (Virtual Private Networks) are a method for creating a secure connection between two locations such as an event site and a central database head office or in a data centre. They are often used by ticketing and stock systems, which are increasingly being used at event sites. These can operate by Wi-Fi or over a network cable.

There are two things to watch for: 1) VPNs require good network connectivity, especially upload, which satellite and 3G provide very well. 2) VPNs often require special firewall configuration, particularly if multiple VPNs are to be used. Different wireless networks and frequencies as well as segmented wired networks are deployed by us in this situation.

Advanced planning and testing should be done to confirm that everything will operate normally at the event.

5. Wireless Management – The use of wireless equipment on event sites continues to grow at a pace – general Wi-Fi, CCTV, ticket scanning, sound systems, audio and video links, etc. all make use of wireless solutions, many of which operate in the same frequency range. Without proper configuration these different networks may not operate harmoniously. Reliable operation can only be achieved if everyone works together and early communication and coordination is key to ensure there is no interference.

Providers should be ensuring they are involved in planning at an early stage to enable smooth running.

6. Smartphone Hunting – The rapid increase in smartphone devices with Wi-Fi creates new challenges for onsite networks, even when the event network is not intended for public access

The issue is that smartphones will continually ‘hunt’ for Wi-Fi networks and when they find one they will try to connect. This creates a small load on the network whilst they negotiate a connection. The attempt to connect will not succeed, however the combined load of many devices attempting to connect can impact network performance and the user’s experience.

The solution involves using wireless equipment designed for larger loads coupled with proper network management as low end Wi-Fi routers are not designed to deal with large numbers of users.

7. VOIP Phones – Having five bars of service on your mobile phone whilst remaining unable to place a call is becoming more frequent.

Radios are excellent for quick communications on a site and for locating team members. However, for more extended conversations, which can often take place during the set-up of an event, a temporary phone system allows conversations to take place without the need to physically meet. The use of VoIP phones at events is now commonplace and demand is growing as more people become frustrated with mobile networks at events. Conference calls become achievable, allowing several team members to join the call.

8. Smartphone Apps – More and more events are now commissioning their own apps for use at events however few events are considering the full picture which is critical for success. Most of these applications (certainly the more useful ones) require connectivity at the event to get updates. Typically the mobile networks struggle with demand at events and so the user gets a poor experience and rates the app badly. Many users also turn up at the event expecting to download the app which creates further (significant) demand. One way around this is to provide a locally controlled Wi-Fi network for use by the app. Developing a useful app that will be widely used and appreciated requires early planning to best understand the layout of the site and event.

9. Public Wi-Fi Access – The increase in smartphones coupled with the massive expansion of publicly available Wi-Fi leads to more and more expectation that events will have Wi-Fi access. The costs of expanding an existing network been provided for production onsite is small when compared to the original set up costs. This public Wi-Fi network offers new avenues for sponsorship, advertising and rich content delivery.

10. On-site engineers – When designed properly from the outset, Systems should run smoothly, however unforeseen events do occasionally happen. An engineer on-site during an event will be able to respond immediately to any surprises or last minute additions.

11. Multiple Sites – Linking dispersed areas together, eg tents, access gates, car parks, overflow areas, especially if production office is away from the site itself. Outdoor events can be spread across a wide area involving multiple sites, such as car parks VIP gate areas, public seating and production.

12. Last Minute Additions/Emergencies – Connectivity providers should have the ability to respond to sudden changes, last minute arrivals and changing conditions etc. With an onsite engineer and spare equipment factored in to the estimate, a quick response is not only guaranteed but built in to the price. With so many suppliers, retailers, etc arriving just in time for the event start, you will be sure everyone has what they need to serve attendees and ticket holders.

13. Security and Accommodation of Equipment – IT staff, like us, are notoriously protective of their equipment and having a comfortable and secure environment to store their equipment and serve as an office. To protect equipment worth many thousands of pounds and to keep a happy technical team, ensure you have a separate, lockable office or Portacabin that they can shut themselves away in.

14. Treat the IT Team As Colleagues – If you choose to have on-site engineers then they’ll be working the same long hours in the same conditions as you. They always appreciate being addressed by their names, instead of “Oy, you!” and need as much coffee and food as everyone else. So don’t forget to put your connectivity providers on the list for the catering truck.

Top five tips for interview preparation

Anyone who says that they go into an interview feeling “confident of the outcome” should think carefully. A job interview may end up being an enjoyable experience, but it usually starts with you meeting strangers you want to impress and may end up working with.

A degree of nervous energy can go in your favour, but good preparation should ensure the best possible outcome for all. The old adage “to fail to prepare is to prepare to fail” is thoroughly tested in an interview.

“The interview is one part of the recruitment process that we cannot attend with the candidate,” explains Big Sky Additions’ Director Justin Murray. “So it requires a strong partnership of the candidate doing their homework and us taking time to ensure that they are fully prepared. This not only helps to ease the inevitable nerves but also ensures the client gets the best possible impression of the candidate from the start.”

Justinexplains: “We strive to meet both sides before the interview – the client to understand the role, their culture and environment, and the candidate to know their background, skills, qualifications and experience.”

Interviews can take a variety of formats: • Biographical – reviewing your CV • Competency-based – investigating your previous experience • Assessment centres – bringing all candidates together to undertake a variety of joint and single tasks.

Looking at interview scenarios and questions they can, by and large, be broken down into three main areas

1. Who are you 2. What can you do 3. What would you like to do

Here are our top tips for interview preparation:

1. Keep abreast of industry news and latest trends. “Read the local press regularly and register for online updates from websites like Accountancy Age, the FT etc,” suggests Justin.

2. Research the company carefully. “Your preparation needs to go beyond a quick browse of their corporate website and what can be found on Google” advises Justin. “The Companies House website provides the last accounts registered for the business. If anyone you are LinkedIn to or other contacts have a connection to the business be sure to pick their brains too,” he adds.

3. Prepare your interview outfit in advance, and if you do not know the dress code err on the side of caution with a formal suit. If you are told it is “casual”, go smart casual. Avoid being too trendy or dressed down.

4. Learn your CV. “It might seem obvious, but if you can’t expand on any of the descriptions in your CV then you will soon lose credibility at interview,” explains Justin. “If a recruitment consultant or another advisor has helped you to fine tune your CV then its doubly important that you are completely familiar with the content and the wording used,” he continues.

5. Practice questions. “The inevitable “tell me about yourself” might seem straightforward to answer, but a well-prepared response can give you confidence and start the interview on a very solid footing,” suggests Justin. Responses to popular questions about a significant achievement, a triumph over adversity or good team working can also be prepared in advance. “Your recruitment consultant or someone impartial, who doesn’t know you well, can play the part of the interviewer to give you a bit of match practice,” adds Justin. Don’t be afraid to give examples of where things have not gone well. “Some of our best lessons are learnt when problems have occurred. As long as you can show that you have learnt from these times, it will come across as positive in an interview situation.”

For further advice about the interview process contact Justin Murray on 01603 516230

After reading our recent blog about interview preparation, you should be fully briefed when the big day dawns. “With thorough preparation, you should be able to thrive, not just survive the interview process,” explains Big Sky Additions’ director Sam Holt.

Read the 5 Tips below to increase your chances of converting your interview to a job offer:

1. Arriving at the interview. Do not be late, but also do not arrive too early. “If the interviewer has a timetable they may not want candidates meeting each other in reception,” Sam warns. Keep an eye out for the person coming to meet you: “Smile and shake hands with confidence,” Sam advises. When you meet the interviewer – let’s call him Peter Smith – address them as Mr Smith. Do not start out with first names; some people may see this as too relaxed or familiar. If he prefers to be called by his first name he will soon say, “Please call me Peter.”

2. During the interview, be positive, truthful and concise. “Listen to the question and answer it,” Sam says. Make eye contact with the interviewer: “If there is more than one person on the panel, try to direct answers to all of them, not just the person who asked the question,” he suggests. Bring any relevant material with you, and introduce as appropriate, ensuring it does not contain anything confidential from your current employer. Be positive about your current employer and why you are leaving: “If you moan and complain about them this interviewer will worry you would do the same about their business,” Sam adds.

3. Ask good questions. You need to prepare for the standard questions you will face like strengths and weaknesses, motivations etc, and expect the unexpected ones but you must think of some good questions to ask as well. This sounds obvious however often gets forgotten. Questions such as ” What qualities are you looking for in the person you are hoping to appoint?” or “What scope is there for personal development at your company?” will help ensure that you sound enthusiastic, inquisitive and that the interview flows well.

4. The $24,000 question – salary and terms. You may be asked in the interview to confirm your current salary and benefits and your notice period. Be truthful – do not inflate figures: “Your recruitment consultant will most likely have given this information prior to your interview, and if you are offered the job it is commonplace for employers to ask for confirmation of this in references,” advises Sam. Job offers are subject to references so if your current employer confirms a salary of £25,000 and you have said you are on £30,000, this could mean the offer is withdrawn.

5. Finishing the interview. You may feel you have been grilled for information. “Make sure you end on a positive, friendly note, thank the interviewer(s) for their time and if you are really keen on the job then say so!” emphasises Sam. Feel free to ask what the next step will be and the timescale.

For further advice about the interview process contact Sam Holt on 01603 516254 or email sam@bigskyadditions.co.uk

We all know that parking is a valuable addition to any property. As parking becomes more and more costly, a landlord who can offer parking spaces to his tenant has a distinct advantage in today’s competitive (and tenant driven) market place. But just what is the landlord offering? And from the landlord’s perspective, just what should he be offering?

If a property is described as “with parking” the tenant needs to investigate very carefully what is being proposed. The ideal situation, from the tenant’s perspective, is for the parking spaces to form part of the premises being leased (the “Demised Premises”.) The result is that the tenant will have exclusive use and occupation of the parking spaces and the landlord cannot recover them until such time as he recovers possession of the main premises. So, a good result for the tenant, but it may not be so good for the landlord.

Whenever a landlord is considering offering parking to his tenant there are a number of factors he needs to bear in mind. Is he likely to want to redevelop the land? Does he want the car parking arrangements to be fluid and flexible, enabling him to substitute alternative spaces? Is the parking to be non-exclusive, on a “first come first served” basis?

If the answer to any or all of these is “yes” the landlord will want to ensure that the parking spaces are not part of the Demised Premises, but instead are dealt with in some other way, such as a Licence to Park, which can be revoked at any time, or by reserving the right to vary the area over which the tenant can park.For the tenant, this is less satisfactory, as it leaves the way open for the parking to be withdrawn or varied by the landlord, at any time.

Because of the value placed on parking, it is not surprising that the subject has been much litigated by both landlords and tenants. In order to avoid litigation, it is important that any lease clearly reflects what is in the understanding of both parties. Certainty for the tenant can only come from having the parking spaces specifically described as part of the Demised Premises. As this may not be so attractive to a landlord who wants to retain control and flexibility, ultimately the matter becomes one of negotiation.

We receive many enquiries from people who wish to cater / prepare food from home; whether it is for a charity cake sale, or whether for a community lunch, or just as a small business.

If you start preparing food or baking from home – what would you need to think about?

Well in essence the food you provide needs to be safe for the consumer. It must be free from any contamination that could make the person consuming it ill or cause them harm (think glass &/or bacteria) So let’s start with your Premises – The where you will be preparing food– most well designed and maintained domestic kitchens will conform to Food Safety requirements- maybe with a bit of tweaking- say removing the odds & sods that accumulate and not doing the domestic washing at the same timeFloors and walls Floors and walls must be maintained in good condition. They must be easy to clean- so tiles work well. Essentially floors and walls should be smooth, hard-wearing, washable and in a good state of repair- so they can cope with the extra usage and cleaning!

Windows & Doors– openings to the outside Windows and doors must be easy to keep clean, and while you are preparing foods they should be closed- so we do not flies & other floating debris joining the food processSurfaces Surfaces (including the surfaces of any equipment you need to use) in areas where food is handled, particularly those that are touched by food, must be maintained in a good condition and be easy to clean and to disinfect.You should: • Always disinfect (think anti-bacterial spray & a clean cloth or kitchen roll) worktops before you start preparing food • Wipe up any spilt food straight away- especially foods like raw egg • Always disinfect worktops thoroughly after they have been touched by raw food including meat, poultry, soily vegetables or raw eggs • Never put ready-to-eat food, such as washed and ready to eat salad, bread or washed fruit, on a worktop or chopping board that has been touched by raw meat or other raw foods, unless you have disinfected it thoroughly first- this is cross contaminationHand Washing When you are using your kitchen for ‘commercial’ (preparing for others) purposes you need to have a separate hand basin in the kitchen for washing your hands. Hands are the easiest way for bacteria to be transferred from one food/ surface to another. Your hands need to be washed thoroughly after going to the toilet, putting the bin out, touching raw foods etc. If you have a double sink you could say one is the wash hand basin, or if you have a dishwasher use that and keep the sink free; or if you have a downstairs loo with basin close by- keep that free for your use!We have a hand-washing poster in our knowledge section of the website Other personal hygiene requirements; • Clean clothing underneath your apron • Jewellery kept to a plain wedding band style ring only • Hair tied back if it can be • Not preparing food when you are not feeling well • Covering cuts with a waterproof dressing • Short nailsStorage of Ingredients You should to store your ingredients away from your personal foods to help eliminate the risk of cross contamination and help prevent unwanted allergens in to your food. It would be best to have a separate area and fridge where your ingredients can be stored and prepared. Or if you do not have the space separate containers; for small amounts of preparation you can buy the ingredients and use them straight away! You will also need to store the finished product safely where it cannot be contaminated

Process- the how you are preparing food If you are setting up a small business then the easiest safe system of work method you can follow is the Safer Food Better Business which has been produced by the Food Standards Agency to help small businesses with their food safety management procedures and food hygiene regulations. https://www.food.gov.uk/business-industry/caterers/sfbb/sfbbcaterers/#.Uh… When you are buying your ingredients make sure you are using a reputable supplier (This could be a supermarket, a local farm shop or a wholesaler). This will ensure that the goods you’re buying are as safe as they can be You need to make sure you keep all animals/pets out of the kitchen when you are preparing and cooking your foods; as they can contaminate the food. Also all non food related items should be removed- the laundry, the pile of bills, the kids toys/ homeworkTraining Before you start your business you need to make sure that you understand all food safety aspects. It is a legal requirement for all members of staff working in a kitchen to have suitable food safety training- the law says commensurate with your duties! We recommend that all staff have a minimum of the Level 2 Award in Food Safety. Level 2 training gives you the understanding of all basic food hygiene matter- you can do this course with use via eLearning or via a taught course; check our website for further details www.redcat.gb.com eLearning is available at anytime, and we deliver a taught Food Safety course at least every month.Registering Before starting you business* you must register your home address with the Council as a food business. This is free and there is a simple form to fill in, but it is a legal requirement and you can be prosecuted if you do not register before starting. The form must be returned to the council 28 days before you begin trading. *If you intend to prepare food for 5 days in any five weeks you should be registered – small scale baking for charity sales will not need to be registered. Even if you are not registered you still need to comply with Food Safety Guidelines

Insurance If you are not sure which insurance cover you need, this should help you; Public liability insurance – will cover the cost of a claim if a customer or member of the public is injured or killed, or if their property is damaged because of your business. If you cater in different venues they will expect you to have an appropriate level of public liability cover. Employers’ liability insurance – if you hire staff, even casual or temporary workers, you must have employers’ liability cover by law. It will pay the cost of a claim from an employee who has been injured at work, or who has become seriously ill as a result of working for you We would suggest you contact Hugh J Boswell at https://www.hughjboswell.co.uk/ if you are unsure – generally it really is a small price to pay for peace of mind. NB. Some household insurance policies may contain this – so it is wise to check

Transportation, Packaging & Labelling This is the bit that takes place out of the confines of your home – if you are transporting food, it needs to be done without it becoming contaminated; sealed boxes/ tins work well. In some cases you will need to individually package foods.

It is wise to ensure that the consumer is aware of the ingredients; you could design a label, or send the food with an ingredients sheet; so that persons with Allergies, intolerances and dislikes can check- we all follow different recipes so it’s important for some people to know!Trading standards – do have a number of different information leaflets

For foods such as meat products, it would be wise to include a note to say keep refrigerated and use by….. We would suggest that your use by is only 3 days including the date of preparation; you product needs to be eaten when it is fresh and safe- and it does not contain the umpteen chemicals that shop produced food can to give it the long shelf lives we see in supermarkets! Protein Foods can be displayed for one period of up to 4 hours out of temperature control. This one period may be you transporting the food unless you use a cool bag.

With respect to Allergens the Food Standards Think Allergy poster is in the knowledge section of the website. It is imperatively that if someone has an allergy and they want to consume the food you have produced that they can ask you about the ingredients you have used, or if you are not going to be present when the food is bought- then include an ingredients label or information sheet (dependant on the event) ‘Made by Sarah D- this cake contains walnuts and a cream cheese filling’ Packaging; the amount of packaging will depend on where the food is being sold/ displayed; on a cake stall for charity- a cake stand or open tin may suffice, or you may need to individually wrap; but all packaging must be food grade, and you must prevent any contamination of the foods Many people wrongly believe that they cannot prepare food from their domestic kitchen- I hope this blog helps to dispel those myths; and with a bit of planning the food you produce for sale, for a community project or for a charity coffee morning will be safe as well as enjoyable

For further information;

Your local Environmental Health Departments may also have leaflets/ guidance. As does the Food Standards Agency www.food.gov.uk and specifically on setting up a food business https://food.gov.uk/multimedia/pdfs/publication/starting-up-booklet.pdf

‘Sweaty’ Assets

Within the current economic climate many owners of perfectly viable businesses are finding financial support from their bank and other core lenders increasingly challenging to secure.

The latest quarterly ‘Trends in Lending’ report published in Julyl by the Bank of England evidences a continued contraction in lending to UK businesses, and despite protestations to the contrary, the banks have become increasingly introspective post 2008 as recommendations from the final Vickers report (09/2011) on banking are implemented, and Basel III stretches the parameters of global banking legislation.

The resulting capital constraints many of the UK banks find themselves working under, exacerbated by reduced security values, especially in property, has ultimately resulted in restricted appetite for traditional core lending support to business customers while attracting ‘niche’ independent lenders into the business finance sector.

Many business sectors rely on a high capital asset base of tangible medium to long life business assets and while these ‘working’ assets produce core income they are often overlooked in considering their secondary value in generating additional cash for the business.

Known as ‘sweating assets’, re-finance can be a valuable tool in generating cash against existing property, plant, machinery, equipment and vehicles where alternative core funding is unavailable.

Unlocking this cash can assist with new development projects, growth or investment capital, acquisitions, working capital shortfall, re-structure of existing debt to reduce monthly debt burden, improved cash-flow, and repayment of bank debt

Asset re-finance lenders seek to understand the ‘stress’ (forced-sale) value of the subject business assets with a view to lending on a simple ‘asset lend’ basis with security against the lending specific to those assets.

Because the banks rarely take account of the working assets within a business when assessing their security position against existing and additional lending, re-finance has little or no impact on the bank’s risk position and can often be used to reduce unwanted bank exposure especially where overdraft is concerned.

While higher interest rates reflect the perceived risk to the limited number of sector lenders, where the business rationale for borrowing is robust, then pricing will be superseded by the value the cash will bring to achieve the specific business objective.

Delivery of funding through asset re-finance can generally be delivered in days rather than weeks or months with funding periods generally up to 5 years but be warned that the (unsupported) guarantees of the business owners or Directors will almost certainly be a prerequisite.

Naturally business owners will always contact their local bank Relationship Manager and other traditional financial partners for support, however where these business partners appear increasingly unable or unwilling to support many businesses owners may consider their very own untapped asset wealth to ‘self fund’.

One (of many) issues that many family businesses face is that the strategy of the business has often been set by the older generation or was set in a previous generation. The result of this can be a general lack of buy in by senior management, missed opportunities for the business and a general drop in energies to drive the business forward.

So how do you ensure that the business has focus and buy in? The key is to create and maintain passion, enthusiasm and belief.

How is this achieved? By making sure that the business has clearly defined objectives and that if those objectives are met then all the owners/key people’s own objectives will also be met. All too often people become controlled by their business, blindly following what was done before. They only spend time working in their business and never any time on their business. The best way to maintain passion, enthusiasm and belief is to ensure your business is fulfilling both your personal and business aspirations, and that includes all the family members regardless of age.

Businesses that grow successfully recognise that they do need to change and evolve. They take time out to ensure that they are moving in the direction that they want to go in, not missing out on any opportunities that may arise. Success is a process not a one off event, it is a journey, and you need to regularly review and check the route you are taking. To be successful you must have belief and you must know what it is you are striving for, only then will you be able to generate commitment, passion, energy and the drive to see the vision through.

Strategic planning for family businesses is just as important as it is for owner managed businesses and is the key to success and fulfilment.

The three key questions: Where are you now? Where do you want to go? And how are you going to get there?

Too often there is either no planning or insufficient planning, or a plan without a call for action. These businesses go off in different directions resulting in higher costs; frustration and taking longer to get to where they want to go, if indeed they ever get there. All businesses need the leadership that drives strategic thinking.

What is leadership? In order of priority and importance but not time commitment:

1. Strategic – A small amount of time, but essential 2. Management – Quality management time not administration 3. Operational – Important as long as the above are not neglected

Give your business the leadership passion and energy it deserves.

Imagine, if you will, that you are about to go shopping and on your shopping list is something for breakfast. You arrive at the supermarket and find that in the huge retail space, the only product available is cereal. There are hundreds of different types of cereals all over the store but effectively your choice is cereal or nothing from this store.

How do you choose?

Well, assuming you like cereal, you might choose from a number of different standpoints;

• What catches your eye
• The nearest option
• The biggest box, or the smallest
• The one that looks to be good value
• The one that you have seen some sort of promotion for
• The one that other people have recommended to you
• The one that you’ve never heard of but looks interesting

And many others.

How you make your decision can be influenced by hundreds of inputs that the cereal manufacturer has made into your life or other inputs that you have received from a wide range of sources.

This analogy can be readily applied to events and exhibitions. Just as our hypothetical supermarket only sells cereals so the exhibition that you go to, say to find a particular business expertise, will potentially offer and wide range of companies offering the same or similar services – how do you choose? Again the above choice influencers may come into play.

Now look at this from the other side – you are that cereal manufacturer or business service supplier, how do you stand out?

• Do you know why your customers come to you and can you show this on your stand?
• What is THEIR perception of your company – how would THEY describe you?
• Do your promotional strategies support this perception?
• What was it that helped your customer make their FIRST leap of faith to work with you?
• Why do they continue to work with you?

Knowing the above will help you greatly in most aspects of your promotion but, on top of these, exhibitions can be fickle. There are some basics to be observed.

• Are you in the right location?
• Is your stand clean and attractive?
• Does your stand have some form of stimulus to help the visitor formulate a query or even catch their eye (more on this later)?
• Do the people on your stand look attractive?
• Do you have something unique about your service that you can promote?

All big asks for many companies and while most people can put ticks against many of these factors, getting all of them is difficult.

The first couple of aspects of being seen involves a bit of planning. Have a look at the exhibition layout when choosing your stand. Imagine the sight lines across the show with plenty of interrupting clutter around others’ stands and how visible your stand will be to those just entering the show. If you go back to the supermarket example you’ll probably be aware of electronic gates as you enter the supermarket. Set inside the main doors. This area between the doors and the gates is the deceleration zone – designed to get you out of the hurly burly of the outside world and force you to slow down and be able to consider the offers within the store by not walking at pavement speed. Many stores use this open space at the front of their stores to do this. Exhibitions also have this space, sometimes coupled with a plan of the exhibition to help visitors. The question is, can your stand be seen while people are considering their options or when they are rushing by? How are you going to slow them down or catch their eye? As far as attractive is concerned, this is a very subjective issue. The stand that looks formal may only attract formal type customers. Equally, the fun stand that looks like a real party is going on may be highly reflective of the service but may not be the ideal “look” for the buyer of that service.

At an exhibition, a delicate balancing act has to be achieved between presenting your company as the ideal supplier of a solution as well as being a comfortable space for the buyer of that service to enter. Be aware of proximity, too. I’ve seen all sorts of stand that scream “come and look at me!” from across an exhibition hall but when standing near them, the gizmos used to get me across the hall also serve to make me want to get away from the stand when I’m next to it. Again, balance is required. Working on your clients’ perceptions, design the stand that they would not only find easily but also want to be part of.

Next, help the visitor. If they’ve stopped by your stand (on purpose) then they want to find out about you just as much as you want to find out about them. Give them some clues in the form of physical pieces for them to ask about on your stand (perhaps an example of your product or an award received) or, if your business is about words, tell them on banners using both words and images so that they can connect. You have probably seen this a lot already with posters like “ask us about xxx”, “find out more about xxx”. This stimulus, simple as it is, works because the question is already placed in the visitor’s mind. Also, if your business is about something that lends itself to a good visual, make sure that your visitor can see the visual. Remember, large exhibitions attract potential customers from all over the world. The big sign in English that says what you do may mean nothing to someone from the Far East but a picture gets across the message straightaway.

So, what about the people on your stand. I’m not talking about having supermodels on your stand (unless you are perhaps in that industry) but are the people there appropriate to what the visitor’s perception is of what they might encounter? Have your staff been briefed on why you are there and what they are likely to encounter. Have you been through a few potential role playing situations with them about different kinds of customer and different needs that you might expect. How are they going to handle them? Do your staff look like they might be able to help customers? Do they look experienced/fun/serious/technical/energetic and is this congruent with the customer’s likely needs? Most of all, do they look approachable? I can remember seeing one company, many years ago that I was interested in but there was only one person on the stand and he was standing, with his arms crossed on the edge of the stand (which had a plinth, thus making him tower over the visitors). Believe me, he looked about as approachable as a bouncer at a nightclub so I moved on and placed business elsewhere. Equally, obsequiousness has had me cringing at exhibitions so it is important to get the tone and balance of your welcome just right and talking to your existing clients will help you – and doesn’t cost anything.

The final aspect of your stand is to try to visually differentiate your service from the others. Many use facts and figures to do this: best, fastest, biggest, smallest, most environmental, etc. Some use various phrases such as “Award-Winning” or direct the visitor to their particular skill set, “suppliers to the big four banks/accountants/software companies, etc” or “specialist in charity or local authority solutions”. Whichever skill sets you have, make sure that these are highlighted but also make sure that they are not excluding other skills you might have. Also, use the language of your visitor, not your own. Whether it be managed or maintenance solutions or facilities management, make sure, through talking to your clients, that the language you use is that of your customer or prospect, not necessarily how you refer to it internally. The difference is that they will get it instantly rather than you having to explain each time to every visitor.

In summary, imagine that you’re the supplier that has managed to sneak in bacon into our hypothetical cereal supermarket above and design your offering accordingly.

There’s some Positive news for the UK economy from the British Chambers of Commerce, with their quarterly business survey suggesting the economy grew by 0.6% in the second quarter of 2013.

The rise in confidence is partly driven by export sales, which hit their highest level since the survey began in 1989. Employment balances also rose following a decline in the previous quarter, with +19% of manufacturing companies creating new jobs. The service employment balance (which incorporates financial and accounting roles) rose nine points, to +15%, the best level since the first quarter of 2008, while the service employment expectations balance rose 11 points, to +22%, the best since the final quarter of 2007.

“The improvement in most key balances in quarter two, building on the upturn recorded in the first quarter, supports our view that the UK economy is slowly strengthening,” said British Chambers of Commerce chief economist, David Kern. “If recent progress can be sustained, there are realistic hopes that growth forecasts will be revised up further.”

And although businesses are feeling positive, that doesn’t seem to be translating to their balance sheets: cash-flow balances in both sectors are weak, increasing by just two points to +4% in manufacturing, and falling by five points to +1% in the services sector.

“We’ve certainly seen a slight increase in confidence in the market, and a steady upturn in Accountancy Vacancies in Norfolk across all levels since the Spring,” said Big Sky Additions’ directorJustin Murray. “As a result, we have welcomed Tina Maguire to our recruitment team to ensure that we can continue to cope with rising demand for our Accountancy Recruitment services and maintain our one to one style of working to deliver exceptional customer service to all of our clients,” he added. “Tina’s extensive local business network cements our position in the Norfolk and Norwich jobs market by ensuring that we continue to be knowledgeable about all movements and developments.”

For further information and support in your financial and accountancy recruitment please call Justin on 01603 516230

The face of The Modern Finance Director (FD) is changing rapidly. Successful FD’s now play an ever increasing role in not just accountancy functions but also the senior leadership team, proactively supporting business growth and the development of a long-term vision, traditionally more solely the preserve of the Managing Director. In 2013 the modern FD and an increasing amount of Financial Controllers too, have seen their roles become more challenging due to an ever increasing global reach with a greater pressure to deliver higher quality management information. Finance is now very much about becoming a key business partner for the organisation and making sense of the systems and processes to help drive profitability and generate cash.

In an entrepreneurial business The Modern Finance Director needs to help the business owner to understand what to do and where to go in order to generate cash from within the business and possibly outside. “They need to play a crucial role in the leadership team, supporting key decision makers to understand what’s likely to make the best profits and what products or services will help to improve cash flow,” suggests Big Sky Additions’ Director Sam Holt. As part of this role, a modern FD also needs a critical understanding of which customers are likely to pay on time.

A modern Finance Directors role may also look different in terms of their own employment basis. “Increasing numbers of ambitious, growing businesses are looking for a FD to work on a part time basis or perhaps in a self employed consultancy role to give added flexibility,” explains Sam. “In this way, a smaller business is able to tap into a high level of (expensive) expertise at a lower overall cost than a full time employee,” he continues. This idea can also help to redress the gender imbalance at board level since a part time or freelance role is often more appealing to working mothers looking to achieve better work-life balance.

As a business owner or entrepreneur entering the market to recruit a new FD, it is important that you find someone you can get along with: “It is likely that you will spend a lot of time together and go through some challenging times so it really helps if everyone gets along well and understands each other,” adds Sam.

When reviewing candidates for a FD position, Sam offers the following tips:

1. It goes without saying that you must make sure they have the appropriate qualifications.
2. Look for candidates who have been there and done it at least once
3. You may want to shortlist individuals who have specific experience or an interest in your industry sector.
4. High quality candidates will bring with them a network of contacts and existing relationships with key suppliers that can be relied upon by the business – cross reference these to the business needs.
5. If there are known specific issues pre-existing in the business then it is really valuable to choose candidates with specific experience of overcoming such scenarios.
6. A top candidate should have more than just job skills – they need to be able to demonstrate business skills and an aptitude for strategic thinking too alongside appropriate inter personal strengths

For further information and support to recruit for any financial or accountancy positions in your business please call Sam on 01603 516254

In a recent report published by StoreFrontBackTalk.com, a major unnamed retailer apparently lost their PCI compliance when moving data centres. This demonstrates just how important selecting the right data centre provider is and how important the PCI DSS compliance can be. PCI DSS version 2.0 is the global data security standard that any business of any size must adhere to in order to accept payment cards, and to store, process, and/or transmit cardholder data. It presents common-sense steps that mirror best security practices. Non-compliance may result in fines or worse.

No Visibility The unnamed US retailer had, understandably, taken the decision to outsource and use a purpose built colocation facility with all of the benefits that this brings but, of course, did not have visibility of what the data centre provider was doing. In this case, a network change made for good technical reasons and with the best intentions, caused the data centre provider to place the retailer in a position of non-compliance. So serious was this that a conference call took place between the retailer, its acquiring back and card issuers just to discuss how this non-compliance should be reported. The full story is here: