Member Blog

The Covid pandemic has been tough on many businesses; one of the consequences of the economic turmoil of the past 12 months has been a significant increase in the number of new businesses starting up.

In 2020, around 85,000 more new businesses were registered than in 2019 in the UK; that is an increase of more than 12%.  This shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise.  Many individuals found their existing jobs either furloughed for long periods of time or disappearing completely.  With fewer employers recruiting – and with furloughed employees finding themselves stuck at home with time on their hands – many of those new start-ups have resulted from necessity.

But not all.  One thing the pandemic has made us all do is re-examine our lives.  The realisation that life, and our lifestyles, are more fragile than we thought has made many re-evaluate the jobs we are doing, and what we want for the future. 

More control over our own destinies and a better work/life balance often come top in surveys of people’s priorities, and owning your own business is often seen as a way of achieving those goals.

Whether you have been forced into setting up your own business because you have lost your job, you are doing it because your life goals have changed, or it’s just something you have always wanted to do, the self-employment path is full of pitfalls. 

According to the Office for National Statistics, 80% of new businesses fail in their first year.  Yet there are ways to significantly improve those odds; here are ten tips to help you avoid becoming one of those failure statistics.

1. Be clear on your goals

Knowing exactly what you want to achieve from your new business will help you stay focussed on making it a success.  Is it a lifestyle business, designed to give you a better work/life balance?  Are you setting up something which will provide a long-term income for your family, and which you will aim to pass on to the next generation?  Are you aiming to build something really big, or keep it small and perfectly formed?  What is your exit strategy – will you simply close it down when you retire, or do you have a five year plan to sell the business?  Each of these objectives will require a different approach as you get your new enterprise up and running.

2. Know your market

Too many people start new businesses without a clear idea of what the market opportunity really is, and what competition they are likely to face.  Research the market thoroughly to ensure that what you are planning to offer genuinely meets a need.  Know what is important to your audience – not just in product terms, but in other ways such as ethically.  You need to build a brand which is true to what you do, relevant to your audience, and differentiating.

3. Get the structure right

Setting up as a sole trader is the simplest model, but that won’t be right for everyone.  If you are going into business with someone else, is a partnership model right for you?  Should you be forming a company, offering you protection from liability (but also requiring higher levels of regulatory compliance)?  If your start-up is going to involve a lot of R&D, then you might want to benefit from tax relief on that expenditure – but you can only do so with the right business structure.  There are many things to consider, and expert advice is key.

4. Cashflow is king

This is a cliché for a reason: most businesses ultimately fail because they run out of cash.  How you finance the start-up, decisions about whether to buy or lease capital items, credit-checking clients are all vital.  Monitoring cashflow should be one of your top priorities.

5. Collect every debt

A key part of keeping tabs on cashflow is ensuring you are being paid.  Many new entrepreneurs are reticent when it comes to asking for payment, afraid of upsetting new and much-needed clients.  In actual fact, most clients will respect you more if they see that they are being asked to value what you do.  It’s too easy to let debts linger until they become a real problem.

6. To VAT or not to VAT

The UK has a relatively high threshold at which businesses have to register for VAT, and for many start-ups it therefore becomes optional.  Some shy away from registering because they fear it is too complicated, but especially for business-to-business enterprises, it can be worth registering voluntarily (although often less so for companies selling direct to consumers).

7. Get your compliance set up at the outset

You would be surprised how many new businesses get to the end of year one and find that their record-keeping is inadequate to do what they have to do to file accounts.  The days of shoeboxes stuffed full of receipts have gone; with the advent of Making Tax Digital, it’s a no-brainer to set up your day to day accounting on a cloud accounting platform like Xero from day one.  This will keep your bookkeeping in order, and it has the bonus of being able to grow with your business, so you won’t have to migrate from one system to another in the future.

8. Consider where you operate

This has been the year of working form home, and many small businesses can be effectively run from a home office.  But that won’t be right for everyone, and not just for logistical reasons: if your aim is a better work/life balance, will basing your whole working life in your home achieve that?  There are many options, from shared working spaces to low-cost and expandable start-up units.

9. Employing people

Many small businesses get going with just the founder, but if you are successful, the chances are you will need to start employing people before long.  That means having processes in places for payroll, auto-enrolment pensions, HR policies, and so on.  The consequences of getting this wrong can be very serious, so if you think you will need to take on staff, get these things in place early on.

10. Take advice

When you start your own business, it’s all new to you, but pretty much every problem you are likely to face has been faced by many before you.  So don’t be afraid to take advice from wherever you can find it – the Chamber of Commerce, specialist start-up advice agencies, business advisors such as Lovewell Blake, forums on social media – the list goes on.  You don’t have to do it on your own.

If you would like to speak to one of our advisers, contact us here.

A year on from the first lockdown and a large number of workers are still working remotely under the Government guidelines. With teams working remotely it can be increasingly difficult to spot the signs that a worker is suffering with stress or nearing a point of burnout. According to the Mental Health Foundation 74% of UK adults have felt so stressed at some point over the last year they felt overwhelmed or unable to cope. The following points help identity the warning signs, enabling you to take action and provide support as required.

1. Ensure they are taking breaks

With teams working remotely it’s harder for managers to identity if staff are working through lunches. It can be tempting for a worker to eat at their desk and continue with tasks rather than taking a break. Managers should encourage the team to continue taking breaks whilst working from home and remind them of the importance of these breaks. Taking a break away from work and the screen is proven to improve productivity following the break.

2. Regular calls

Having regular communication with workers is not only important for their wellbeing and the flow of communication, it also allows managers to assess workload and help a worker delegate tasks if required. These calls also allow the manager to spot any differences in the worker’s characteristics which could be a sign of stress or low mood.

3. Encourage staff to take holiday

Whilst annual leave cannot currently be used for trips abroad or weekends away it’s still important for workers to take a break away from work to rest and relax. Managers should look to encourage staff to be booking holiday to help avoid burnout. This will also help prevent a build-up of holiday impacting staffing levels and business operations once the economy and borders open up again.

4. Monitor workload / working hours

The lines between work and home life can easily become blurred whilst working from home. Workers may stay logged on later as they no longer have their commute, evening routines or social plans prompting them to leave the office. You may be able to spot if an increase in working hours through increased levels of overtime, or maybe the time of day which emails are being sent or documents are saved.

5. Signpost to support  

Lockdown and adapting to working from home has been difficult for many for a number of reasons. Look to provide information signposting staff to where they can access support, such as their GP or NHS wellbeing services. Aim to create a working environment where workers feel able to speak about any concerns they may have. It may be that you look to implement a wellbeing or mental health policy so workers know how to get support should they need it.

With the threat of an impending mental health pandemic impacting the nation as a result of lockdown restrictions it is important, now more than ever, to take a pro-active approach with regards to workers’ health and wellbeing. Following the tips above will help ensure your workforce stay well and continue to be productive in the coming months.

If you require assistance with managing workers and their health and wellbeing, including drafting policies or training line managers then please get in touch with the HR consultancy team on 01603 663300.

As we at PlantGrow know, soil health is vital to protecting the environment. We’ve teamed up with Derek from @fiveminutegardener to show you the simple steps you can take in your garden to help reduce carbon emissions.

“I work in a busy finance job which can often be very stressful, so getting to stop off at the allotment either before or after a day in the office really helps to give my mind that little bit of a break and lets me unwind. Over the past year my son has really taken to gardening and now at two (and three quarters), he sees going up to the allotment as a real treat. Until I bought a house with my wife, we had gone many years without a garden of our own. Having a lawn that needed to be cut gave me 45 minutes to switch off from all of life’s worries. From that point, I was hooked on gardening. I then learnt to grow food that is not only better for my family than shop bought produce, but better for the environment too.   For this reason, I believe it is so important to grow organically and to reduce our carbon footprint as much as possible. By growing organically, you can truly benefit your plants simply by looking after the soil. The idea is to try and give nature a helping hand to do exactly what it wants to do. An estimated 45% of waste sent to landfill in the UK is compostable, and when it begins to decompose it will release methane gas which is over 85 times worse for the environment than carbon dioxide (CO2). If the same items were correctly composted down, we could avoid any carbon being released into the air and lock it into the soil. We can fix a lot of our climate change problems by locking down more carbon into the soil.   Climate change is largely impacted by having too much carbon in the atmosphere. 40% of the CO2 is pulled in by plants as part of the photosynthesis process and is pushed through to the soil to feed the micro-organisms that in turn feed the plants and create topsoil. A thin layer of compost can bring more carbon into the soil each year. Combine this with no-dig methods, mulching, use of green manures and growing more trees can not only slow down climate change but it can reverse it. If it sounds too simple, that’s because it is: we can all support the regenerative loop of life.”

Derek’s simple steps to using your garden to help the environment

Watch Derek and his son explain how you can play your part in reversing climate change. If your soil is healthy, it can pull in three times as much carbon into the ground. There are two easy things that Derek recommends to help keep your soil healthy and help the environment.

Use the no dig method to lock carbon into your soil

The no dig method is exactly what it sounds like – don’t dig or till your soil! When you do, it releases carbon back into the air and disturbs the micro-organisms so undoes all your hard work of making your soil healthy. It also reduces weeds, so it’s a win-win! If you do get weed growth, you can control them with shallow hoeing, hand weeding and mulching.

Compost your food waste

Composting your food waste is so easy to do if you have room for a composter in your garden. You can compost your grass cuttings and any other materials that will break down (like certain types of cardboard), and within a couple of months you’ll be able to use that compost over your raised beds. It will feed the soil and lock in the carbon to help reverse climate change.

Boris Johnson has announced a potential lockdown roadmap for England regarding the easing of lockdown restrictions. We know what this means for us as individuals, but what should you be doing if you are a business owner?

The lockdown roadmap will allow a slow and steady easing of restrictions, with the hopes of all UK businesses to eventually reopen in 2021. Companies are therefore preparing to open their doors to customers again, ensuring they understand all of the necessary precautions and are aware of which dates are applicable to their industry. 

This roadmap indicates estimated dates in which we may expect to have some restrictions being eased. The dates suggested are preliminary and are subject to change in line with the developments of the virus and the data collected over the coming weeks and months.

From 12th April, a large list of businesses will be allowed to reopen. This includes all retail, personal care premises such as hairdressers and nail salons, outdoor hospitality with no ‘substantial meal’ requirements and no curfew, domestic overnight stays in self-contained accommodation (for those in the same household only), indoor leisure such as gyms and spas (not including saunas and steam rooms), outdoor attractions such as zoos, theme parks and drive-in cinemas, and libraries and community centres.

From 17th May, other areas of businesses will begin to operate again. This includes indoor hospitality with table-ordering services and no curfew, indoor entertainment and attractions such as cinemas, museums and theatres, remaining outdoor entertainment such as performances, organised indoor adult sport such as badminton, and remaining accommodation such as hotels, hostels and B&Bs. At this time, international travel will be subject for review.

From 21st June, there will no longer be any legal limits on social contact or life events, meaning that all remaining closed settings (including nightclubs and large theatre performances) can be reopened.

These steps, of course, are subject to the vaccine deployment programme continuing successfully, along with evidence to support the effectiveness of the vaccines. Another determining factor is the rates of infection, providing that they do not risk hospitalisation at a level that will put too much pressure on the NHS. New variants will also be monitored as they risk fundamentally changing the government’s assessment of possible lockdown lifting.

Details on the future of the government furlough scheme for both businesses and workers have not yet been clarified, however we are expecting more on furlough updates in the coming weeks.

If your business is preparing to reopen, ensure that you have completed the following:

• Un-furlough staff
• Cancel any out-of-office messages, such as phone and email
• Reinstate essential services, such as waste removal
• Ensure you have adequate stock of hand soap, hand sanitiser and paper towels
• If not, make sure to purchase consumables (paper towel, facial tissues, bin bags, hand sanitiser, wipes, gloves, PPE equipment etc)
• Arrange contract cleaners
• Ensure you have adequate floor signage, such as 2m markings
• Wall and message signs
• If your business premises gets busy, you may want to install barriers for customers for safe queuing and social distancing
• Separation screens for areas where social distancing isn’t possible
• Check heating utilities such as gas and electricity
• Reinstate your Emergency Action Plan. This is in place should someone an employee develop coronavirus symptoms

It is important to note that, even with lockdown restrictions easing, businesses and individuals must still adhere to social distancing and regular hand washing to help prevent the spread of infection. Laws on social distancing still remain throughout, up until the government officially announces otherwise.

For a complete list of lockdown roadmap details, please consult the gov.uk’s article, and a full list of working safely during coronavirus can be found here. This is once again subject to change, and guidance will be updated accordingly.

The law surrounding VAT on gift cards changed recently to align legislation with the EU. That’s why we’ve put together everything you need to know about selling gift cards and/or vouchers as a business.

Hearing of this legislation change, one of our clients posed an interesting question. This client owns a very lovely bookshop in Norfolk and they wanted to start selling gift cards. The question asked was whether VAT must be declared at the point of sale of the gift cards, or once they have been redeemed for goods.

On the face of it, this seems like an easy question to answer because books are zero-rated, meaning VAT wouldn’t need to be declared at any point. It isn’t quite as simple as that though, because it isn’t just books that are sold in the bookshop. There is also a vast array of book-related items on offer such as bookmarks and bookends, as well as merchandise such as mugs and bags.

This is where it gets a little more complicated. Many of the non-book items aren’t zero-rated, so VAT must be paid on them. The question remains then, does our client need to declare VAT on the sale of gift cards or at the point where the goods are redeemed?

In this instance, the answer is that VAT only needs to be declared on VAT chargeable products at the point they are redeemed with the gift card. We advised and supported our client through the process of rolling out gift cards so that now, she is selling them comfortably and compliantly.

However, if you, the reader, approached us about gift cards, we might give you a very different answer. This is the point of this blog, to highlight that the rules vary depending on your business and the products you sell.

The point at which VAT is declared for gift cards depends on whether it’s a single or multipurpose gift card. A single purpose gift card is one that allows the holder to receive goods or services of one type which are subject to just one rate of VAT. With these types of gift card, VAT is paid at the point of sale, not when it is redeemed.

Multipurpose gift cards are exactly the opposite. These are used when your business is selling a variety of products that don’t all fall under the same rate of VAT. When using these gift cards, VAT is paid once the goods are redeemed.

If, for example, you own a company that delivers one type of service, everything you do will be subject to the same rate of VAT. You would, therefore, be issuing single purpose gift cards, meaning VAT would be declared at the point of sale.

If, on the other hand, you own a general goods shop selling an array of different products from vegetables to toiletries, you would be issuing multipurpose gift cards and VAT would be paid at the point the gift card is redeemed. The appropriate rate of VAT would be charged on a product-by-product basis. Why someone would use a gift card to purchase vegetables or toiletries is a question for another blog.

It is worth pointing out that it isn’t always as simple as this though. Different rules apply when gift cards are sold at discounted rates. Matters are complicated further when one business sells gift cards that can be redeemed at other establishments. In these cases, more specific advice is necessary.

With the way things are right now, we’re all looking long and hard at our outgoing expenses and what they bring to our businesses. The Coronavirus pandemic has had a brutal impact on businesses of all sizes while we wait for things to bounce back, and it’s made every single decision with a price tag attached to it a lot more difficult. Is this really essential? Is this something we can do ourselves? Is there a way we can do this without spending any money?

With so many free translation software tools available, it might be tempting to cut corners and avoid using budget on a professional service, but there are plenty of reasons why this is an investment you will not regret. Here are just a few.

You Are Paying For Professionalism

This may sound a little obvious, but when we’re paying for a service, of course we have certain expectations. We expect a level of expertise that we don’t have ourselves. We expect to be kept updated on every stage of the process should we find it necessary. We are also paying for speed and efficiency, and these are some of the most important things that a good translation service will offer.

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This isn’t a situation where you feed a block of text into a processor and get immediate results of uncertain quality. A professional translation service will be able to offer a quick turnaround, but they will not do so at the expense of the quality of their work. Any business owner knows that the balance between speed and quality is the hallmark of a service worth paying for.

You Are Paying For A Guarantee Of Accuracy

We are fully aware that there are free translation software options out there. While we might be comfortable using a quick free search to translate a menu, or to remind ourselves what a foreign movie’s original title means, you need a lot more expertise if you require translation for business purposes.

You need a stamp of authority, and a good translation service will offer you a legally verified translation. Certified translation services help both parties rest easy knowing that nothing has been overlooked and no mistakes have been made. London Translations can offer certified translations for a range of documents from business and legal to passports and driver’s licenses.

You Are Paying For Native Speakers

With all due respect to the language skills you may have, if you’re not a native speaker, there will always be something that you will miss. Think about the English language and all its double-meanings, eccentricities and nuances that must be an absolute nightmare for people from other countries to get their head around. Language is about more than a word’s meaning, it’s about phrasing, tone and style. A native speaker will be able to get far more out of what they are given than just what’s on the page. Say you’re looking to translate Italian into English, there are several Italian words that don’t really translate!

If your online business is not taking advantage of live chat software, you are missing out on gaining new visitors, converting traffic, and building a solid trustworthy reputation. Here is a more detailed look at how live chat software can benefit your business.

Live Chat Enhances the Customer Support Experience

The most successful online businesses provide excellent customer support. By being on hand to answer questions and solve issues quickly, companies can ensure customer satisfaction. In turn, that leads to repeat customers and higher revenue. Customers typically prefer live chat over other communication options because they can get questions answered immediately instead of having to send an email and not knowing how long it will take to get a response.

Furthermore, live chat reduces repetition for your customers. No one wants to have to repeat again and again the issues they have been having, but that is typical of normal customer support methods. But with live chat software, customer service agents can read archived details of the customer’s issue to speed up the process.

Some Business Can Use Live Chat to Enhance Their Products or Services

Live chat is not just beneficial for customer support reasons. Some businesses are able to adopt live chat as part of their products and services. For example, online live casinos enable players to play games like live blackjack or roulette in real-time with actual dealers. By including live chat features, live casinos allow players to interact with the dealers in real-time for a much more immersive and enjoyable gaming experience.

Live Chat Can Increase Sales and Conversions

Providing excellent customer service is a great way of backhandedly making sales, but a live chat function also enables you to increase sales and conversions directly. According to the American Marketing Association, B2B companies that use live chat software see an average 20% conversion increase. Furthermore, according to eMarketer, 35% of people who use live chat end up making a purchase. Live chat is basically like having a ready-made sales assistant continually on standby, so it is no wonder live chat software is increasingly being used by online businesses of all types.

Live Chat Can Contribute Toward Increasing Average Order Values

Live chat cannot only help your business to increase sales. It can also help to increase the value of each sale. Because live chat enables customers to talk about their needs, you can recommend similar products and services better and cross-sell to increase the average order value. For example, if a customer makes use of live chat to talk through their needs for purchasing a new laptop, you could sell the customer not only the right laptop but also accessories like a carry case and a portable disc drive.

Live Chat Enables You to Reduce Customer Support Costs

Traditionally, customer support services are expensive. Call centre staff can handle both phone and email requests, but they can only handle one customer issue at a time. On the other hand, live chat software enables customer service agents to engage with up to six simultaneous chats. By being able to handle more customers, you can reduce your customer support costs.

Live Chat Enables You to Build Trust with Your Customers

People are naturally sceptical about buying things online from companies they do not know. But a live chat function can drastically alter how customers feel about a platform. With live chat, customers are able to have immediate chats to find out more about your company and its products or services. By having access to a customer agent in the same way as a customer would in a brick-and-mortar shop, visitors to your website will have more trust in your company and they are more likely to convert into customers.

There is no doubt there are innumerable benefits to drinking water, but did you know that your organisation can benefit from having a water dispenser at the office? Here are five advantages of having one:

It shows that your organisation supports sustainability

There are many ways to make your business more sustainable. By adding a water dispenser, you will be helping your employees lower their plastic usage, since they won’t have to buy bottled water. This is good for the environment, as there are many issues associated with high plastic usage.

It can save you money

In 2018, an estimated 141.4 million working days were lost in the UK due to injury or sickness. By providing your employees with fresh drinking water, there is a chance to decrease that number. Even a small margin would make a huge difference. A decrease could also translate to lower insurance costs.

Additionally, if you chose to get water dispensers from the right company, you may be able to have immense savings in your energy utility costs. For example, if you install a Cooler Sense water cooler, you would be able to keep your employees cool in the heat of the summer while using significantly less energy.

It can encourage employees to be more active

You don’t want your employees to be sitting at their desks all day. While there are many ways to encourage them to be more active, a water dispenser would easily serve the same purpose, since your employees would have to occasionally leave their desks to get some water and take a break.

It can help employees relax

Next to the water dispenser, your employees get to relax, have a drink, and chat. Small talk made away from the desk will help your employees take a mini-break from work pressures, allowing them to return to their desks feeling rejuvenated and refreshed. Additionally, there are many negative effects of staring at screens for too long, so it may also be beneficial for their eyes to take a break from the glare of their computer screens.

Your dispenser as décor

What is the first thing your visitors see when they come into your office? Imagine how a sleek-looking water dispenser would add to your reception décor. Depending on what company you choose to provide your water dispenser, you may also have the choice to design your own custom dispenser for the office, complete with your company’s logo. Not only will this look great, but it will help give your office a professional feel for any visitors. Having a water dispenser in your office is beneficial for both your employees and your office as a whole. You will be able to save a little more at the end of the month effortlessly, promote more casual face-to-face engagements and get a new way to market yourself, all while ensuring that your employees get clean, uncontaminated water in line with the UK law on hydration and work.

Mobile manufacturers have been advertising “5G ready” mobile devices in recent months, so where does this leave 4G connectivity solutions? How has mobile technology evolved in recent months?

Understanding the G in 4G

The G refers to the “generation” of a mobile network. The first generation was the 1G network which started in the 1980’s in Japan. Subsequent generations have followed which are 2G, 3G, 4G and 5G.  

Ten years on from the launch of 3G, in 2008 the ITU-R International Telecommunications Union-Radio communications sector set the requirements for the 4G standard. The peak speed requirement for 4G services was set at 100Mbps for mobile connectivity and up to 1Gbps for static deployments.  

This 4th generation network supports internet access for services such as HD mobile TV, HD video and video conferencing as well as gaming services, which all require high speed connectivity. This is the current standard which is openly available on most mobile devices throughout the UK. 

What is 5G?

5G is the next generation connectivity network for mobile devices. Several 5G ready mobile devices have recently launched. The 5G network is suited specifically to high density areas as the data signal can only travel across shorter distances. Therefore, 5G is currently only suited to cities and has been rolled out in London, Edinburgh, Birmingham, Belfast, Manchester and Cardiff. More cities will become 5G ready by the end of 2019 including Bristol, Coventry, Glasgow, Hull, Leeds, Leicester, Liverpool, Newcastle, Nottingham and Sheffield. 5G intends to improve on the speeds of 4G LTE with download speeds of up to 20Mbps being promised.  

What’s the difference between 4G and 5G?

The 4G network is still the primary mobile network used in the UK. 4G and 5G are on different network frequencies, meaning if you wanted to connect to either a 4G or 5G network, your mobile device will have to have the correct chip for that frequency. 5G frequencies for the UK are 3.4 to 3.8 Ghz.  

Essentially 4G is the best network for people who don’t live in London, Edinburgh, Birmingham, Belfast, Manchester or Cardiff. 4G is still the best network for anyone that doesn’t have a 5G device or whom doesn’t live in the current 5G ready cities.  

Will 4G become irrelevant?

Not anytime soon! 4G and 5G will coexist alongside each other for a good while. Many devices will be using the 4G network for at least another decade especially IOT and smart home devices. Devices that need a lot of battery life will struggle on the current 5G network as it guzzles battery life. 5G is currently only suitable for people in the five cities mentioned that have a 4G enabled device.  

What does it mean for internet and broadband services?

4G isn’t going away. 4G will remain the most prominent data network for a long time. 4G will remain what people connect to in rural locations. The 4G network remains a quality network and it is being expanded upon and getting faster all the time.

What is Internet Failover?

In the IT industry, internet failover is a term typically used to describe a secondary standby internet solution which will kick into action as soon as the primary internet system fails. Internet failover is usually automatic.

Another term often used in a similar vein to internet failover is internet switchover. This is used to describe the switch from a primary to secondary internet connection. Switchover requires human interference, unlike failover.

  Why does your business need Internet Failover?

If keeping your business online is essential for it to run successfully, then internet failover is necessary for your business. Think about all the systems used in your organisation that require an internet connection; cloud computing systems, VPN’s, firewalls, video conferencing, research and communicating with your customers via email or VoiP.

Maybe you need to use a card machine such as iZettle or an EPOS system? Even printing requires an internet connection. An internet failover solution for your business will enable you to stay online and use all these services even when your primary internet connection fails. If your primary internet connection experiences downtime it could cost your business thousands of pounds. Not to mention the time spent apologising to customers and recovering afterwards.

How do you set up a successful failover system?

1. Choose the best primary method of connectivity for your business. This could be wireless, satellite or ADSL.
2. Choose the best secondary method of connectivity for your business. At FreeClix, we love using SimRush as an internet failover solution. It’s a superfast 4G LTE connection. Being non-cabled it’s the perfect failover option for businesses that use wired connections as their primary method of connectivity.
3. Synchronise the methods of connectivity to ensure the secondary internet connection fires when the primary internet connection fails. The exact configuration will depend on your connectivity solution, consult your internet service provider or networking consultant if in doubt.
4. Don’t forget to test! Make sure you test your internet failover solution is working properly before it goes live. You don’t want any problems with your failover if you need to use it!
5. Providing the test works, sit back and relax. Now you have a successfully set up an internet failover, grab a coffee and celebrate no more downtime.

Who can help me with internet failover?

FreeClix are passionate about keeping businesses connected and online. We have over twenty years’ experience providing internet failover consultancy services for businesses. Our wealth of expertise will ensure you receive the correct internet failover solution for your business, at the right price.

You mentioned 4G LTE failover – is that best?

It massively depends on your business, its location, your resources and your failover needs. If you are currently using a wired internet connection, then SimRush is an excellent 4G LTE failover option. However, if you are using SimRush or another 4G LTE connectivity product for your primary connection, an alternative failover solution might work better for your business. In summary, it depends on several factors which we are happy to discuss with you. Don’t hesitate to give us a call if you need some advice.

How do I sort my internet failover once and for all?

We love talking about internet failover. We just love talking about connectivity full stop. So email, call 01603 703340 or use our contact form any time to speak to our friendly team about your internet failover needs.

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AJ Bell doesn’t avoid telling forthcoming clients that it is a prize-winning platform – it’s in the organization’s slogan. It’s less clear precisely which grant it has won, however, there’s no questioning AJ Bell is a reputable item, particularly for new financial backers. One of the best ETF platforms in the UK Opening or moving an Isa is direct and AJ Bell offers helpful advisers for walking new financial investors through the cycle. The platform additionally has the records of the most valued finances to help financial investors pick from the wide scope of ETFs accessible.

Bestinvest

Bestinvest’s free aides offer financial traders thoughts for assets for their Isa. It merits being careful about the contrast among starting and progressing charges – Bestinvest appears to have concurrences with some asset directors which permits them to cut introductory expenses. Best UK-friendly eft platform It additionally pushes the utilization of effectively directed reserves instead of modest ETFs. The platform has broad statistical surveying and a group of organization news from Share cast. Maybe not the best stage for purchasing ETFs, but rather a suitable contribution for financial investors who usually exchange shares.

Barclays Smart Investor

Barclays’ excessively stripped-back Smart Investor stage shocked ordinary clients when it was dispatched in 2017. The change from the old Barclays Stockbroker item was not close to as smooth as it ought to have been. Be that as it may, the platform is currently going full speed ahead and is a decent choice for new financial investors searching for a modest, straightforward platform. Best UK-friendly eft platform, Expenses are simply 0.1 percent, with at least £4 per month. Financial investors with greater portfolios ought to know that the yearly expense isn’t tightened downwards and the month-to-month charges are covered at an astounding £125.

Fidelity

Fidelity’s valuing structure is deluding. For financial investors with little portfolios (up to £7,500), yearly charges are fixed at £45 – great worth in case you’re near the £7,500 mark, however awful worth on the off chance that you just have a little portfolio. Past £7,500 the platform gets a rate evaluating structure beginning at 0.35 percent – in this way if the estimation of your portfolio slants over the £7,500 mark, you’ll go from paying 0.006 percent each year to 0.35 percent each year rapidly. The best etf platform uk, the platform’s own scope of ETFs offers nice global openness. They are not particularly modest contrasted and the 200 different ETFs offered on its foundation, large numbers of them sold by iShares.

Hargreaves Lansdown

The go-to platform for DIY financial investors has a major cluster of ETFs that can be separated by store chief or area. Hargreaves is proclaimed for its usability and admittance to an enormous volume of data and speculation. Financial investors ought to be careful about Hargreaves’ convoluted snare of charges. Best UK-friendly Platform. A portion of the finances it offers inside its ‘best purchase’ records are very much valued as Hargreaves manages the hidden asset supplier. Assets that don’t go under its best purchase records are relatively costly. The actual platform isn’t particularly modest, contrasted and different suppliers. The progressing yearly expense is 0.45 percent of portfolios up to £250,000 and purchasing and selling costs are £11.95 per ETF.

IG

IG has a massive scope of ETFs to browse, covering different resource classes, including value, fixed pay, property, and products. To help explore the somewhat overpowering number of items accessible, IG has an early showing instrument that permits clients to channel by area, topography, or execution. Expenses are moderate and paid at a fixed rate instead of as a level of the portfolio, which makes the platform appropriate to financial investors with medium-sized portfolios. The platform offers its clients incredible admittance to information albeit this is introduced in a significantly complex manner.

Vanguard

The origin of uninvolved putting dispatched its UK speculation platform in 2017. Obviously, given the organization’s standards and plan of action, its costs are exceptionally serious. Progressing charges are simply 0.15 percent (and surprisingly at that point, the stage just energizes portfolios worth £250,000) and there are no managing charges. Financial investors are restricted to Vanguard’s own ETFs, however thinking about the scope of items and serious costs, that isn’t really an issue, particularly for the individuals who are glad to adopt a hands-off strategy to their paying.

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