Member Blog

Rex Ekaireb started his career as a chartered accountant in the 1970s after qualifying in London. Gaining his qualification and some initial experience in London ley Rex to ply his trade for a number of years. By 1982, he made the move into the diamond district of London, Hatton Garden. It was there that Ekaireb, with his brothers in law set up a jewellery business which after just a few years and by 1986, was sold to a large public company.

The larger company kept Rex on their board, such was his experience and knowledge in the area as well as the value he could bring to the company. As part of the larger company, Rex became one of the go to retail jewellers in the area, no small feat. Rex wisely advised large company to purchase other jewellers in the area who would form an otherwise very captive audience for the company.

Rex Ekaireb learned all of the initial governance he needed in the industry and left the public company to go into manufacturing of jewellery and by 1989 he had become one of the largest suppliers of wedding rings to the UK retail giant, Argos. Around 1992, Rex left the company and helped his own family build up their business, whose profits were then invested in London’s then fledgling buy to let market. They purchased properties throughout the Capital including in Hatton Garden, Knightsbridge and other sought after locations.

By 2006, Rex Ekaireb had fully left the jewellery industry and was wholly focused on the family property business which he worked tirelessly to strengthen and build up further.

Rex Ekaireb – Business to Charity

Having seen good success in jewellery and the property market, Ekaireb left business in the 2000s and then switched focuses to one of his passions in life; charity and helping those most in need.

He has spent many years and countless hours working with children and those most vulnerable throughout the UK, Europe and the world. He has worked with the likes of the British Red Cross and Great Ormond Street Hospital in London, for whom he donated hundreds of soft toys at a time of crisis for the hospital. Rex Ekaireb has also worked with the United Nations (UN), specifically helping political prisoners throughout Eastern Europe.

Rex’s strong view is that children with one or both parents missing from their lives, do not have the same opportunities in life as those that do. Therefore, by working to help secure the release of the parents, it is the children that will thrive and continue to succeed throughout their lives.

Rex Ekaireb is particularly proud of having not just having set up and then nurtured a very successful business and property portfolio, but having also been able to use his wealth and success over the years to help those less fortunate. Charity is something particularly close to Ekaireb’s heart and something that to this day, he continues to devote huge amounts of time and effort into.

Lots of us dream about starting our own businesses, but how hard is it and what do you need to know before you get started? While there are a few exceptions to the rule (like Mark Zuckerberg and Steve Jobs), most successful entrepreneurs gained the knowledge they needed to run a business by studying at university.

Running a business requires a lot of knowledge and takes a great deal of planning. Before starting your own business, you need to understand how a business works. In order to do this, you should consider completing a degree that gives you the knowledge and experience you need to succeed in the business world.

So, how do you know which degrees can help you do this? And, how do you choose which one’s perfect for you when there are so many courses available? To help you out, we’ve come up with a list of some of the best courses you can study if you want to navigate your way through the world of business:

Business Management

If you’re interested in starting a business, then completing a degree in business management might be the perfect choice for you. Business owners and managers need to be able to make good decisions and guide others. A degree in business management can help you to learn the skills you need in order to achieve this. Some of the skills you will learn include:

• Learning about all areas of business from finance to marketing
• Becoming a good team-player
• Learn how to effectively manage people
• Leadership skills – most business owners will tell you that leadership skills are the key to a successful business.

One of the most popular places to study in the UK is Norwich. Norwich is a charming city that has an amazing nightlife. If you want to learn more about studying here, then check out this guide to Norwich from Uni Compare which will allow you to see if it would be the right city for you. This website allows you to compare studying in Norwich with studying in other areas of the UK, so if you don’t feel this university is a good fit, you can explore some other reviews.

Business Administration

Most of the successful entrepreneurs around the world have completed a business administration degree. This degree covers most areas of business including accounting, finance, marketing and administration. If you’re setting up a business or are wanting your business to expand, then a business administration degree can help you achieve this.

Computer Science

Technology has changed the business world a lot in the last ten years. Business owners are now expected to be able to implement and use new technology in their businesses. A computer science degree will teach you how to integrate technology into your business, which is extremely important as most business transactions are now completed online.

Accounting

All business owners should consider completing a degree in accounting. This course will teach you the skills you need to prepare financial statements, file taxes and much more. Hiring an accountant for your business can be expensive, so being able to do it yourself could save you (and your new company) a lot of money.

Law

Almost all businesses have to hire a lawyer to deal with the legal aspects of their business. Business lawyers help you make sure that your business complies with local laws and regulations. They will also help you create contracts, buy property, obtain licenses and file taxes.

If you choose to complete a law degree, you will be able to save yourself a great deal of money. You will have the skills needed to deal with any legal matters and you’ll be able to make appropriate decisions instead of outsourcing your legal matters to a business lawyer.

Analytics

Analytics is crucial to the expansion of any company. Businesses need to be able to obtain and use information from external and internal sources properly. A degree in analytics will teach you how to collect data, how to analyse it, and how to improve your company by using it.  

Industrial Engineering

You may not expect to see a degree in industrial engineering in this list. When we think of engineers, we don’t usually think of a CEO, but a degree in industrial engineering can give you the knowledge you need in a number of business areas from supply-chain management and policy analysis, to cost planning and project management.

Most industrial engineers have the imagination and critical thinking needed to create a successful business. Engineers often have a good eye for detail and they’re able to use a range of technological and information systems. All of these factors are reasons why a degree in industrial engineering is a great choice for people wanting to start their own business.

Lots of us dream about starting our own businesses, but it’s often harder than we think. Completing one of the above degrees can help you achieve your dreams. Which one would you choose?

On 15th March Captain Fawcett’s commercial business came to nigh on an immediate halt.  As for all companies in these most peculiar times, this was clearly of huge concern. In our case this is Captain Fawcett’s 10th Anniversary year and we were heading for our best annual turn-over to date.

As a company the options were to close for the duration and mothball – or to plough on and keep going.  Captain Fawcett sells a range of simply ‘First Class Gentlemen’s Grooming Requisites’ both wholesale and retail worldwide with personal orders available online via our website.  Although these direct sales account for only a small percentage of our annual turnover (12%) it was nonetheless important to be seen to be ‘Keeping a Stiff Upper Lip Regardless’, which incidentally is a company trademark and press on!

We reluctantly furloughed a number of staff and run with the barest minimum essential crew, however we never actually closed, and that has turned out to have stood the company in good stead. All management and creatives, including founder and owner Richie Finney agreed to take a 20% reduction in their monthly salary, although in truth  they were actually working considerably harder than normal, which is significant as Richie is by nature a driven character and on occasion an exacting taskmaster.

This difficult decision was taken not only in a bid to reduce company overheads but also to show solidarity with other members of the team who had been furloughed, thus demonstrating our customary ‘we are all in this together’ spirit.

The majority of the work necessary to keep Captain Fawcett afloat is just not possible to achieve remotely.  Therefore all government guidelines were followed to the letter, with precautions regarding safe distancing, provision of masks plus regular hand washing and sanitising. As a manufactory of cosmetics, our building was already scrupulously clean, however we went the extra mile and despite being a naturally sociable company, we split lunch breaks enabling staff to eat alone. 

There were a few staffing issues, with members of the team  who had not been furloughed rightfully concerned about coming into work, so we listened and acted on any points raised.  We also took some time to explain how the furlough system worked and why, due to the nature of the job, staying at home for 80% of a salary instead of coming into work for 100% was not a realistic or for that matter an available option.

As a company we decided to take advantage of all available assistance, such as a rate rebate and the interest free loan which was used to pay off existing loans, payment of which were compromised due to the sudden change in income and cashflow. However, we wanted to continue to pay all our bills, rent and suppliers promptly, rather than create any ill feeling. We have taken care to build up a great trustworthy business over many years and didn’t want to disrupt our hitherto good working relationships with our supply companies.

Our global social media profile is already significant, so we concentrated on raising it further, keeping up high quality content twice a day and shooting a number of fun and promotional films in house. This positive action contributed to a staggering 160% increase in internet sales during April alone.

Although our commercial sales had effectively been demolished, we ended our tax year in April up 4% on the previous year which, given the current world climate, was somewhat reassuring. We sell into over 40 countries and as the world is slowly stretching and awaking to an albeit new form of normality, we in turn are seeing our overseas sales begin to pick up.

On the back of this great news, we took an informed punt and have reinstated the crew at Fawcett HQ, although whether this was the right course of action will be shown in the fullness of time.

A company is only as good as its team members and it’s important to encourage a positive spirit. To that end, contrary to battening down the hatches and weathering the storm, instead we have not only continued with but actually accelerated our company’s growth plans.  This action will result in a whole host of new and exciting Captain Fawcett products being ready to be launched later in 2020.

Will it be Boom or Bust? All I can say is watch this space.

Meanwhile, there is another string to our bow…

Captain Fawcett has a sister company, McCavity’s Contract Fillers (every pun intended). It was created 3.5 years ago to manufacture and supply Captain Fawcett’s Moustache Wax, Beard Oils & Balms on demand and this it continues to do.  However, given the benefit of experience it was decided at the beginning of 2020 that McCavity’s needed to stand alone as a business and not rely on Captain Fawcett as its sole source of revenue.

This transpired to be somewhat fortuitous! With that in mind McCavity’s built a stand alone website & joined a number of contract filling industry professional organisations.  As a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic these agencies started to refer commercial hand sanitiser filling jobs to us. Due to the national emergency we did our bit, quickly shifted direction and to date have decanted over 32 metric tonnes into 50ml, 100ml, 250ml 1 litre & 5 litre containers.  This work continues, to the extent that, as well as employing 3 full time members of staff, we have had to engage a number of temporary staff to fulfil the demand.

As a direct result of the contract filling work Captain Fawcett was able to purchase a tonne of Hand Sanitiser Gel and this in turn has been packaged on brand. Sales of Captain Fawcett’s Handy Sanitiser are now contributing to the NHS by donating 10% of all proceeds to NHS Charities.

Of course the situation continues to shift and there is much uncertainty both in the UK and in our international markets.  However, there is a reason we trademarked the phrase ‘Keeping a Stiff Upper Lip Regardless’ and thus far at least, it’s a shared company attitude which appears to be lifting staff morale, keeping business on track and giving us all a ‘look ahead’ spirit.

Time will tell…time will indeed tell.

We are often told that the customer is always right and while there is merit in this, it is often something that needs to be taken with a pinch of salt. Customers might not always be right, but their opinions are crucial if a business owner wants to be able to impress them and guarantee loyal customers. Businesses who do not focus on their customers can find themselves in a lot of trouble when it comes to securing leads and building their brand. In order to increase sales and secure conversions, many business owners in the UK are implementing CRM strategies that aim to improve customer service and increase sales over time. In this article, we are going to look at some of the reasons why CRM strategies are so important for businesses in 2020.

Identifying Leads

When it comes to making money, leads need to be chased and they are often the focus for many business owners. Many businesses in the UK will have entire teams dedicated to identifying these leads and making sure that they follow through with the final purchase. Ignoring leads can result in a lack of sales and this is the last thing that the business owner will want. The great thing about a CRM strategy is that it allows business owners to identify these leads at a much quicker rate. With knowledge of how customers are acting and what they like to see, these leads can be converted into real sales and this is key in 2020.

Improving The Customer Experience

Disgruntled customers have a lot of power in 2020 and the last thing you will want is for a customer who has had a bad experience to share it with their friends. With the power of social media, it is possible for a brand to have its reputation tarnished in a matter of minutes in 2020. Many big brands have suffered as a result of this kind of public smear campaign and so others must take note. This is why it is so important for business owners to do what they can to improve the customer experience. With the help of a CRM strategy, this is possible as all of the important parts of the customer journey can be carefully analysed.

Analysing the Customer Data

If a business really wants to succeed in 2020, there must be time spent on analysing the various departments and what they are doing to contribute to the overall success of the business. This includes analysing sales, analysing customer service and marketing as these are some of the key areas. Without the help of analytics, it would be impossible to tell what is working well and what isn’t. With an effective CRM strategy, businesses can create reports and insights into their data that can be used to make more informed decisions in the future. This is key for businesses who are hoping to make more money without spending more this year.

Conclusion

Regardless of whether a business only has a few employees or if it is a global company with many employees worldwide, customer relationships are key. Smaller businesses depend on their small number of customers to continue operating and larger businesses need to maintain that reputation to stay at the top. For those hoping to improve their customer relationships, there must be time spent on CRM strategies in 2020. Make sure to consider everything that we have discussed if you are hoping to increase your own sales this year.

Home insurance can be costly. According to stats, home insurance prices are quickly skyrocketing. This means that you’ll need to spend more money to safeguard your home against damage or destruction. And one of the best ways is to get an insurance quote. However, understanding home insurance quotes can be a challenge. Cost isn’t the only issue of concern. You also want to make sure that the policy will fully meet your needs in case disaster strikes.

The Basics

A home insurance quote typically refers to an estimate of what you’re going to pay for a policy. And it’s based on various factors, including the size of your home, your neighborhood, and whether or not there’s a fire station nearby. Different companies utilize different formulas to calculate quotes, hence prices can vary widely. To boost your chances of landing the best rate, you should compare as many quotes as you can. But since a home insurance quote is just an estimate, it might not precisely match the premium you’ll end up paying for coverage.

Components of Home Insurance Quote

There are several factors that can affect your home insurance quote. And these include the size of your home as well as your personal possessions. Insurance companies weigh these factors in different ways. Therefore, one insurer’s terms might be more convenient than those being offered by another company.

Credit Score

If you have a bad credit rating, you might end up paying more for a home insurance quote. Most insurers believe that people with blemished credit are more likely to file claims. However, there are those who don’t consider your credit history when setting home insurance rates.

Security

The level of security can affect your homeowner’s insurance quote. For instance, if you have installed security cameras, your home insurance quote will come down.

Location

If your home is located in a risk area, your quote will be higher. For instance, those located in hurricane-prone areas tend to pay more on homeowner insurance.

Home Insurance Cost

According to research, homeowners’ insurance typically costs around £1,211 per year on average. However, prices can vary significantly between different companies. Your home insurance quotes will provide more specific details.

Most insurers provide free home insurance quotes via their website, through phone, or in person. Shopping around for home insurance quotes doesn’t impact your credit score at all. But having a bad credit rating is more likely to increase the cost of your coverage policy.

Home Insurance Quote and Mortgage

Do you have a mortgage? Well, your lender might probably ask you to have homeowners insurance in effect on closing day. Searching for quotes in advance allows you to make the best decisions regarding coverage.

Conclusion

Most home insurance providers offer bundled quotes for both cars, as well as, home insurance. Purchasing more than one policy from the same insurance company can help you get significant discounts. Shop around for home insurance by doing more research.

But is that the only determinant factor? Well, there are several other things you should take into consideration. And these include your credit score, your home’s location, and whether or not you own an aggressive dog. 

As we plan our return to work, it’s likely we will all need to adjust in order to recover as quickly and safely as possible. To support businesses in this effort, we have developed a range of Covid Mangament products including linkable office screens, sanitiser stations, graphics and information displays.

All our products are manufactured in-house at our UK factory, ensuing extraordinary service, high quality and quick turnaround for every client, reliably supporting your business reopening & recovering. 

Our advice remains the same when considering these products:

– Only buy when you absolutely NEED to, there are several DIY options you can employ & our advice is free!

– Double check your sources, many companies may not be legitmate and several scams have been flagged. Make sure your supplier is a registered business you can trust.

– Consider lead times. Even if you are told you can get hold of the equipment or products, this may be subject to very long lead times in some cases.

– Quality over quantity. In reality, none of us need any further stress or expense as we recover from the impacts of Covid and lockdown. So if you do have a need to buy any products to help you reopen, make sure you buy only what you need and that these are fit for purpose. Cheaper products or inferior materials will likely result in breakage or a poor product that is there for safety after all, so consider this in your purchase. 

You can explore our own range of Covid Management products here. 

All are manufactured here in our Norwich based factory and can be adapted on request to suit your needs. All are supplied with graphcis customised to suit your brand and purpose. If you have any questions or needs, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us. We are commited to delivering our extrordinary service in these extraordinary times, with any recovery needing all of us to pull together collectively for the benefit of all. 

We wish you every success as reopening, recovery and relief comes to so many businesses in need. 

Hi Amy … thanks for joining us. Can you tell us about your career? When did you join Hatch Brenner?

Hello. I joined Hatch Brenner in 2015. I started my career in marketing after completing a Psychology degree at Birmingham University. Since then, I’ve with a variety of businesses but this is the second law firm I’ve worked with.

What do you enjoy about your job?

It is fascinating to work alongside complete experts in their respective fields. The lawyers are dealing directly with individual people helping them to navigate massive milestones in their lives. They provide support to people moving house, getting married, setting up businesses, dealing with conflict or personal injury and helping to manage the death of loved ones.

The whole team approaches these situations compassionately and professionally, and it is very rewarding to receive the positive feedback we get from clients once the work is completed.

Hatch Brenner really is a lovely firm, and everyone there is hard working, down-to-earth and caring.

What does your role include?

I am responsible for the overall promotion of the firm. This includes traditional marketing communications like brochures, banners, online and adverts, as well as encouraging the lawyers to build relationships within the business community and going networking myself.

We also do a lot of work in the community, and I help to manage our ongoing sponsorship and charity projects and events.

What makes a good lawyer?

Patience, a good listener, empathetic, solution-focused and detail-orientated.

What is a typical day like at Hatch Brenner?

Varied! The management meetings usually take place in the morning, when the post is distributed and staff catch up with emails. We have a very busy office at 4 Theatre Street, with clients coming in for meetings, as well as ‘walk-ins’ from the city, when people pop in to ask about our services.

I work part-time, and when I am in the office, I try to get round to see as many of the lawyers as I can face to face to catch up.

What do you love about your job? And what can make it difficult?

Again, I enjoy the variety. A law firm is like lots of smaller businesses under the same umbrella, as each area of law works in different ways.

Our conveyancing and wills teams can have a much shorter turnaround for completing a house move or writing and signing off on a will. In other departments, like dispute resolution, a case can progress for many years before eventually settling at mediation, or going to court.

Each, therefore, needs a different approach for marketing. As a result, each lawyer has a different approach to promoting their work and building new relationships.

What makes Hatch Brenner special?

We are a family firm. It’s a small team and it has a special feel. Having been based in Norwich for such a long time – since 1905 at 4 Theatre Street – we are embedded in the community. We take a lot of pride in supporting other Norwich organisations in their work.

Our staff are all very accessible, open and welcoming – it can feel daunting for people to go to a solicitor for help, but we can genuinely put people at ease and guide them through the process.

What positive feedback do you get from clients?

A lot of our clients have been with the firm for a very long time and have used us for generations. They would never look to use another solicitor, which is a credit to the firm.

We are all very dedicated to delivering a high level of client service, in line with the firm’s core values. This is reflected in our client satisfaction scores – our most recent figures showed 100% of clients would use us again, and 100% would recommend us to a friend.

What advice would you have for anyone thinking of entering the legal profession?

I would say you do have a career for the longer term if you are willing to work hard, and flexibly approach any opportunities.

Things are changing in the profession. Individuals access information and services in new ways – but this will result in a changing landscape for the legal profession, which is very exciting for new trainees.

There are lots of routes in, and a career in our vital support functions of administration, IT, marketing and finance also offers lots of great opportunities for career satisfaction. I would approach firms for work experience, and talk to people already in the profession about entry options, which include university but there are other options too.

What do you like doing with your time off?

Spending time with my family, walks on the beach, camping, sewing and crochet, and running.

Hatch Brenner is very active in the community. Why do you think that is important?

We are all really proud to support community and charity projects in Norwich. As a long-established business, it is right to give something back as best we can, and the lawyers get massive satisfaction from giving their time and expertise to our charity partners where they can.

For me, it is all about building relationships, and we have a great network of friends and supporters in the community. Norwich is a fantastic place to do business, and the support we are able to give each other makes it even better!

Find out more: www.hatchbrenner.co.uk/community

Hey everyone, I hate to be writing this post but in the interest of being honest and upfront with everyone who supports us. At a time when all businesses are struggling, I have had to be constantly reassessing the viability as a business and the ability to survive the current economic climate. As a business I am not entitled to any of the support the government or banks offer to small businesses and the self-employed during this time, and for the first month since I started our sales were unable to cover our production costs which I have battled to keep as low as possible even when that meant printing our magazine outside of Norwich when I would love nothing more than to make Norwich Nights magazine inside of Norfolk, I also do not take any money from the business and rely on other means to support myself.

Although I am continuing to fight to keep Norwich Nights Magazine active in very uncertain times, June’s issue was the first issue that the business could not afford to print. I personally funded the print of this months issue: which is the only reason it went to print. As I have previously said July’s issue is a joint issue and we will then return in September, I will be taking a rest week then decisions will need to made as to the future direction of the magazine there are options such as online-only, are only streams of income are advertising and subscriptions.

There is also the decision of whether to close the magazine, I am giving a deadline of 30 November 2020 to make the decision on whether or not to close the business if things haven’t improved. Although our advertising sales and subscriptions currently come from outside of Norfolk. There are local individuals and businesses who have supported the magazine from the very beginning and I would like to say a heartfelt thank you, I will continue to work to keep the magazine open for as long as possible.

In the meantime if you get value from the magazine I would love to hear from you, as it helps inform decisions.

I will post another update in August 2020.

All the Best Melissa xx

Far too often, companies that have had their credentials compromised and sold on the Dark Web don’t know it until they have been informed by the police – but by then, it’s too late.

What is the Dark Web? 

The Dark web is a hidden universe within the “Deep Web” – a sub-layer of the internet that is hidden from conventional search engines like Google, Bing and Yahoo. These search engines only surface 0.04% of the indexed internet. The other 99.96% of the internet is made up of databases, private networks and the dark web. Because you can operate in the dark web anonymously, the dark web holds a lot of stolen data and illegal activity. 

Does the identification of my companies exposed credentials mean we are being targeted by hackers?

While we can’t say definitively that the data we’ve discovered has already been used to exploit your business, the fact that we are able to identify this data should be very concerning. Businesses should consult their internal or external IT and/or security teams to determine if they have suffered a cyber incident or data breach.

If my data is on the dark web, can it be removed?

The short answer is no. Once the data is listed for sale on the dark web, it is copied and distributed VERY quickly to a large number of cyber criminals. This is why IT and Cyber Security companies like ourselves and our security department Labsec put a lot of effort into making sure that companies are protected in the first place. If your details are found on the dark web; you can spring into action to make sure that your passwords and details are quickly changed so that the stolen data is instantly obsolete.

How can I tell if my details are for sale? 

Our Cyber Security department Labsec can quickly and easily tell you if your company details are available for sale on the Dark web. We have access to a tool that scans the dark web for your company domain and alert you to any instances where your details are being sold. We can also tell you exactly what details are available.  Cybersecurity doesn’t have to be too overwhelming, expensive or complicated.

The first step to protecting your business is understanding your risk. 

Contact us today for your FREE report. 

Developing a good email list isn’t easy. To grow your following from zero and build up a list of engaged recipients takes time. However, it’s certainly not impossible to achieve for any business, it just requires a tried-and-tested strategy. So, where do you begin and how can you make sure that you’re doing it right?

Here are Smart Messenger top five tips to getting more sign-ups to your email list.

1.     Create consumable content 

Make sure that every piece of content you write is valuable and relevant to your audience. People who sign up to your list should know what to expect from you, agree that it’s interesting and useful for them and be willing to engage with it.

If you haven’t established the point of your email list and signed people up on that premise, it’ll be more difficult to build it. Every bit of content you share – whether it’s on social media or hosted on your website – should include an invitation to sign up to your email list.

If you are unsure what sort of content to write, take a look at our blog post: What content should I create for my email marketing campaigns?

2.     Position sign-up forms carefully

Avoid the temptation to use spammy pop-up forms on your website, instead, think carefully about positioning your sign-up form. Consider you’re a sign up form in your website header or footer, and add one at the end of every blog post.

3.     Keep it simple

Don’t ask for too much information in your sign-up form, stick to getting an email address and, if you really need it, a name. In doing so, you are protecting yourself from having to process lots of data and risk falling foul of GDPR rules. Also, if people only have to part with an email address and their name, they’re more likely to do so. Make it simple, make it easy, watch it work.

4.     Be strategic

Don’t rely on a sign-up form on your website, use different techniques to encourage people to add themselves to your list. Host a webinar or such like, where people will sign up for the event and the list at the same time. Take physical sign up forms to events and networking. Make it easy for people to share your emails with their contacts and have a link to your sign-up form on all your social media platforms too.

5.     Get a good reputation!

Your sender reputation determines whether your recipients’ email service provider allows your message to reach their inbox. If you have a history of unsubscribes, high bounce rates and numerous spam complaints, they’ll send you to junk. Make sure that your list is populated by people who want to be on it and are genuinely interested in your content. If your sender reputation is impeccable, your chances of success increase.

If you’d like more hints and tips about email marketing and our other services, please sign up to the Smart Messenger email list.

If you are ready to begin email marketing and are looking for the right platform to get started, please contact our Smart Messenger team.

Smart Messenger is a UK Email Marketing system, that is fully supported and costs less than you may think.

If you are unaware of accounting software, we’ll enlighten you about it. In simple words, accounting software is used by professionals to cater for financial transactions such as tax compliance, accounts receivable, invoicing, cash flow analysis, balance sheets, and trial balance. Using accounting software is imperative because it can help a company realize its growth over a certain period. So when a company is entitled to a yearly report, it will help in planning for the future.

In today’s time, every company wants fast and efficient processing of their financial transactions. Long delays can cause damage to the company’s reputation and affect productivity at work. So here are a few important benefits of using accounting software:

1.      Simple and Easy To Use

The first and most obvious benefit of accounting software is, it is user friendly. For instance, if you have to manually enter a lot of data frequently for calculations, there will always be a high risk of human error. However, if you use accounting software, you will need to add the data just once, and the software will reuse it for future calculations. For instance, if you want to calculate the monthly wage of an employee after deducting holidays in a certain month, the software will automatically use the figure that was entered in the beginning.

2.      Saves Time

Because a large part of the calculations will be done by the software, you will easily be able to save a lot of time. This way, a firm will have more time to look after other business issues. Visit QTAC to know more about how a professional accounting software assists businesses in their work. Time is a very important factor today because firms need to constantly plan multiple things simultaneously. So now, when you will use automatic software to calculate the wages, the HR department will have more time to plan different strategies for organizational growth.

3.      Fewer Costs

Cost is a major factor when it comes to managing the finances of a firm. In most cases, when companies don’t have an efficient payroll system or even a professional accountant, they need to hire third-party services that can be very costly. Because accounting software is easy to use, one doesn’t need to spend extra money to hire an accountant. This enables firms to cut down on their budget and spend it elsewhere for the betterment of the business. Before you decide to settle for any particular accounting software online, don’t forget to read the customer reviews.

4.      Secure Storage of Company Data

Sensitive data is of paramount importance to any company, especially when it is related to finance. With phishing scams and ransomware attacks being rampant across the globe, it has become even more important for firms to be more discreet about their information. The intrusion of payroll services might seem to be a safe option, but there is always a risk of company information leaking out. However, with accounting software, you can store all data in one place and use it whenever you want.

There is very little in the way of news outside coronavirus, which is unsurprising, but with the Agriculture Bill having its second reading and debate in the House of Lords on 10 June and possible Royal Assent in due course, the agricultural industry will brace itself for its biggest upheaval since 1973.

The current pandemic has demonstrated the importance of having a strong and resilient supply chain especially for domestic output.  The Bill is based on the overarching principle of public money for public goods and on the face of it, the principal demands of the major industry voices for the Agriculture Bill are seemingly straightforward: strong provisions on food security, safeguarding of standards and resilience and support for the production of food. Nothing these days is straightforward.

The ‘Parish’ amendment to the Bill, which sought to enshrine in law the parity of standards of imported food with our own domestic output was voted down in parliament. Given that the current government had promised to maintain high standards on imported food, and they have a large majority, this came as quite a surprise. The main reason for its rejection was that it would be potentially harmful to future trade deals the UK is hoping to achieve as we would be seen to be discriminating against other countries’ food standards, which is against World Trade Organisation (WTO) rules.  So, is UK agriculture going to be thrown under the bus for the greater good of the UK economy? Yes and no.

Just because the UK may end up importing cheaper alternatives, will people buy them? Of course they will. Is that any different to the current situation? Not really. One thing the pandemic has showcased is the ability and capability of the UK food production network. If, as expected, the Bill passes in its current format, the UK agricultural industry will be faced with a PR problem in how it continues to inform consumers about its produce. This has always been a problem and it doesn’t matter how many Red Tractors or Union Flags are stuck on packaging, there will always be a percentage of consumers who will purchase purely on price and not provenance. If people want to buy chlorinated chicken and they are fully aware that’s what they’re doing, then how can we stop them? We can’t, but chlorinated chicken doesn’t have to be on the menu as the US has pointed out in its other worldwide trade deals that exclude it or have a dual-tariff system in place.

While a concerted PR effort to reinforce our food security and production standards will help, the average consumer will more than likely have less disposable income as a result of the pandemic.  Even before the crisis, average UK household spend on food was 10.6% compared to 25% only a generation ago. The percentage may not change, as the household income will fall, so there will be a net reduction. Only time will tell if there’s a wholesale shift into cheaper alternatives, but consumers do tend to be creatures of habit.

Pressure on farm income will come from the phased reduction in Basic Payment Scheme from next year. There are lobbying efforts to see this deferred until 2022 but the money tree in Westminster is looking more than parched so it’s unlikely this will happen, but the pressure must be applied.

It’s unlikely the sector voices will get exactly what they want from the Bill but hopefully it will only be a distraction allowing the UK to focus on what it can do best. UK producers will have to think more about what they produce rather than how. The UK government is desperate to get itself the best trade deals around the world so the concessions, however they may impact so-called smaller industries, will be made.

Bruce Masson

Partner, MHA Larking Gowen

www.larking-gowen.co.uk