Norfolk Chambers of Commerce mission is to connect, support and give voice to ALL businesses in Norfolk, and as we move to our new home in Norwich city centre we aim to make it easier for businesses to access business support, networking and collaboration opportunities – and there are more Norfolk Chambers hubs across Norfolk to come!
What you need is business support that is easily accessible wherever you are in Norfolk – including meeting face-to-face.
What we do is move your Norfolk Chambers to key locations starting in Norwich and we are setting about building vibrant hubs throughout Norfolk for all to use.
What You Need Is What We Do.
And this is just the start. We are currently busily settling into our new home in Hardwick House on Agricultural Hall Plain, the old Savills building, or Anglia TV, or post office building, depending on your age! Eventually this will become a busy business hub, sporting a business cafe and space to hold events and networking sessions. We are also planning to open up business hubs in all corners of Norfolk, so that wherever you are there will be ways that you can connect, get support and talk to us about what you need to make your business great.
Chris Sargisson, CEO of Norfolk Chambers said: “Another piece of the ‘modernise the Chambers’ jigsaw slots into place. To truly represent the business community we needed to be better imbedded in the business community and this new space (and hopefully future locations) will do just that.”
2020 will be Captain Fawcett Ltd’s 10th anniversary. ‘Moving from the kitchen table to international markets has been an extraordinary journey’ says founder Richie Finney.
Based on the Hardwick Narrows in King’s Lynn, and a West Norfolk Chambers member, Captain Fawcett is both a supplier and manufacturer of simply ‘First Class Gentlemen’s Grooming Requisites’. As the Captain’s alter ego, Richie admits that he didn’t initially set out to found a leading men’s grooming brand when he started making his own moustache wax on the kitchen stove at his home in Terrington St Clement.
Once the ball was rolling though the business model developed organically. It was, says Richie, ‘about balancing risk, opportunity and collaboration while staying absolutely true to the integrity of the brand’s figurehead, Captain Fawcett himself’. He adds that the Captain has always been grateful for the support of both the DIT and Chambers of Commerce.
A couple of years ago things began to plateau. Being in the middle ground position the company was unable to take advantage of the discounts that come with purchasing larger quantities. So other measures were necessary to increase sales and profitability.
The Captain is a talented strategist. Measures were taken.
‘The first action was to find distribution partners who were willing to get behind the brand and support its growth with the existing pricing; secondly Captain Fawcett began to enable more cost-effective purchasing and the locking in of reliable suppliers, a process which is ongoing’.
The Captain has outstanding powers of delegation and his next step was to send Richie on a journey to some 19 countries seeking new distributors and strengthening relationships with Captain Fawcett’s valued customer base. These travels were in part supported by assistance received from the Department of International Trade in a bid to further the growth of export markets.
Investment secured in 2018 has enabled the development of 24 new products being launch in 2019 and 2020.
A sound strategy and a firm commitment have resulted in Captain Fawcett being on gentleman’s lips worldwide. Hundreds of loyal customers, barbers and retailers – including Harvey Nichols and Selfridges – tag him in their social media posts each and every week.
Captain. We salute you.
We’d love to hear your views on the issues facing business today. If you want your thoughts expressed in this news column let us know. email haze.carver@norfolkchamber.co.uk This article can also be found in Friday’s 27 September, 2019 Lynn News.
The past 18 months has been challenging, but what do you need right now and in the next few months to help support business growth?
What You Need Is What We Do, and Team Norfolk Chambers would like to know what Norfolk businesses need so that we can be better placed to provide you with tailored support, connections and knowledge.
You will be glad to know that this is not a long-winded survey! Instead we would like to hear from you on email, telephone, social media and even face-to-face what you need right now to help your business, your employees and yourself.
If you follow us on social (check us out on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter @NorfolkChamber) take part in our poll, comment on our posts or send us a message. If you are a Norfolk Chamber member, contact your account manager and let them know. If you like to talk to a real person pick up the phone and call us on 01603 625977. If you prefer to email, drop us a message at hello@norfolkchambers.co.uk
This is the time to get your views heard and find the help and support you need to do better business.
So what are you waiting for? Team Norfolk Chambers is here and ready to support you in whatever way they can.
Find out some of the ways we can help you in business by checking out our trading cards here
Commenting on today’s interest rate decision by the Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee, Suren Thiru, Head of Economics at the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC), said:
“While the Bank of England’s decision to keep interest rates on hold was widely expected, there was a surprising shift in the committee’s voting pattern, with one member voting for a rate rise. This partly reflects the fact that the Monetary Policy Committee are facing a more challenging period, with inflation likely to move materially above the 2% target in the coming months. Furthermore, if US monetary policy continues to tighten as expected, it may weigh on UK rate decisions by increasing the downward pressure on Sterling, pushing UK price growth higher.
“However, with UK economic conditions likely to become more subdued over the near term, and little evidence that higher inflation is becoming entrenched in stronger pay growth, the MPC has sufficient leeway to tolerate a prolonged period of above target inflation. Therefore, while the next move in interest rates is likely to be upwards, we don’t expect this to happen until the end of 2018.
“With the MPC close to exhausting the monetary policy tools available to them, the government must do more to support business confidence and incentivise investment, particularly by tackling the rising input costs faced by businesses.”
It’s not a familiar predicament. Most businesses are fighting competitors for a bigger share of the market. But what do you do when the market is so tough that the com-petitors have disappeared? In 1933 there were 33 light aircraft manufacturers in the UK. One factory alone employed 3000 staff. Today, The Light Aircraft Company Limited is the last company standing. Norfolk Chambers Member Paul Hendry-Smith sees the glass as definitely more than half full though. Yes, he admits that there are some pressures on the market, but what he sees for his business, The Light Aircraft Company Ltd, is huge potential. So why has this market proved so difficult? For a start, the demands made by current regulations, let alone future changes from, among others, the Civil Aviation Authority, have been too much for some companies to bear from an administration standpoint, and an excessive cost burden for others. Paul says that The Light Aircraft Company Ltd are addressing the demands ‘with a lot of hard work, innovation in design, changes of airframes for better handling, nurturing staff which at the end of the day are the life blood of the company, and producing a quality product which is recognised throughout the UK, Europe and in many other parts of the world’. And if that’s not enough they’ve expanded with two new designs. Looked at objectively the idea of a market so ferocious it’s removed the competition is downright alarming. But, in the global picture, aviation is developing and survival and success will come for those who see the challenges as opportunities. So, with the dramatic changes afoot in the EU and UK regarding aviation, what are the challenges facing The Light aircraft Company Ltd? ‘We have 2 new designs that we have to upgrade, we need to ensure our raw material and assembly costs under control through careful purchasing and man management. We make every effort and even pay a premium for UK produced raw materials. We must protect our manufacturing industries come what may. The key for us now and in the future is twofold, to get more of our aircraft out into the flight training school arena, because people buy aircraft that they train in; and we need to find the right dealers for our aircraft in other countries. That’s the biggest challenge. When we are looking for the right people and companies to partner with we need to get along with them well, they need to have the passion for aviation, they need to “get” what our aircraft are about, they have to understand their market in their country. The list is endless and the nights sleepless at times’ says Paul. Identifying the objectives is essential. It’s about focus. And with this level of focus, yes, you can make your business fly in a market where even the competitors have flown! We’d love to hear your views on the issues facing business today. If you want your thoughts expressed in this news column let us know. email haze.carver@norfolkchamber.co.uk This article can also be found in Wednesday’s 2 October, 2019 EDP News.
Quite possibly the wettest Sunday in a while, but the perfect day to attend WellBeing International’s Menopause Workshop. My colleague Tina and I splashed our way to Erpingham House in Tombland, Norwich ready to find out more!
A fantastic venue, delicious vegan nibbles (oh, so good!), a beautiful lunch and a welcoming, warm group of women all wanting to hear more about ways of dealing with the challenges the Menopauses brings.
It’s not always an easy subject to discuss, especially in the workplace. There are stereotypes and pre-conceptions to contend with, and as with pregnancy, the symptoms can vary greatly.
After hearing Kate Pigeon-Owen, Director of Wellbeing International Ltd, talk at one of our Chamber events on menopause in the workplace I wanted to hear more!
Kate talked about the science behind the emotional, mental and physical changes, and set out a 5-Step approach to create your own individual action plan. We talked about sleep, anxiety, weight and hot flushes – it was a very relaxed atmosphere, and Kate’s engagement and passion about the positive changes were uplifting and energising.
I like to think forewarned is forearmed, and we came away having bonded with a fantastic group of women, lots of sciencey stuff under our belts and a positive plan for this next stage of our lives.
The day will be hosted by Kate Pigeon-Owen and will look at the emotional, mental and physical changes and we’ll give you Wellbeing’s five step approach to an easier Menopause.
Did you know the Chambers Four services are here to support you at every stage; maximise time, limit costs and grow your business too. The Chamber Four services are available as, and when you need them. Our team are always on hand to support and point you in the right direction. Working in partnership with Quest, this offers your business access to an ‘outstanding’ scheme with exclusive services, for HR, Legal, Tax, and Health and Safety all included for no extra cost with your Chamber membership, no matter what size of business you are. • One phone number – 01455 852037 • One website- Quest – give us a call if you don’t know your login details. • Legal Expenses insurance- £1,000,000 of cover, £100,000 for claims, no excess Chamber Four Services gives you unlimited access to four business advice lines and over 750 free business documents. The 24/7 business advice line is available on 01455 852037. You will be connected to a trained advisor straight away, and the service is completely free to access. The document library has over 750 free fully downloadable business documents, click here to access this. ChamberHR With unlimited access to experienced HR advisors to help with any problem, from taking on your first employee to employment advice on discipline and grievance, apprenticeships, national living wage and more. All the advice is supported by the document library featuring over 400 free downloadable employment documents. ChamberHealth & Safety Getting Health and Safety right for any business is important, members have access to advice and a range of 100 downloadable documents covering risk assessments, manual handling, vulnerable groups and more! ChamberLegal Access to experienced legal advisors who can help with contract disputes, debt recovery, property issues and more. There are also almost 200 legal documents on the website such as contracts, checklists, letters etc. ChamberTax Access to experienced advisors who can advise on tax or VAT also including HMRC investigations, property income, VAT exemptions and more. Insurance Underpinning all the above services. Members have the protection of a legal expenses insurance policy that includes tax enquiry cover, employment indemnity cover and a wide range of legal cover for the business and employees. Don’t just take our word for it… “I wanted to take a moment to pass on my thanks to the Chamber for pointing ourselves to the ‘Chamber Four Services, Quest Cover’ for our HR needs – As a small business with growth ambitions I have personally found the HR Services invaluable guiding ourselves as novices through recruitment process, staff development plans keeping us on track with the appropriate documentation. If any members are looking for a HR solution at the start of their growth journey or simply a refresh from an alternative angle give ‘Chamber Four Services’ a try” – Adrian Brooks, Chatsbrook Vehicle & Asset Finance.
Up until the 6th Aug 2021, HMRC will accept full import declarations for anything imported since 1st Jan 2021. Importers must therefore take action now by submitting a full import declaration.
The imports will however be deemed ‘non-compliant’ by HMRC, who may decide to apply civil penalties after looking into any outstanding duty debts that exist, and/or repeat offences evident.
Acting quickly could therefore save importers money.
Follow this link to also note the Additional steps required for ‘late’ declarations. Check whether the Tax, Duty, or HMRC exchange rate was different when the goods were imported. If it is different, you must file a supplementary declaration.
Also, please note, that because the goods have been imported ‘non-compliantly’, it will not be possible to defer any of the liabilities to import duties. Postponed VAT accounting cannot be used. You must either use your deferment account, or Flexible Accounting System for VAT.
The Norfolk ChamberCustoms team are here to help. Call us now on 01603 729 707.
We aim to make our customers smile because happy customers stay for longer and spend more, which in turn creates a great trading environment for our retailers and caterers, helping them sustain their business and the thousands of local jobs that they provide.
We want our customers to really love coming to our Centre, to tell their friends and to come back, and it is through our brand that we create the emotional engagement that translates into customer loyalty.
Our brand is about making joyful memories, so that next time our potential customers are thinking about how to spend their time they choose intu. Those memories may come from one great event or a particular moment during their visit, so we do our best to make sure eveyr visit is memorable – with world class customer services, excellent facilities, the best examples of the best brands, and our signature products and services.
One of our measures of customer satisfaction is Tell into, a net promoter score (NPS) system, it is important to us as there is a strong link between high NPS, dwell time and spend. the right type of events, such as our recent and hugely successful Big Bugs tour, have a positive impact on this measure as they drive both engagement and footfall.
Most importantly for me is our customers’ contact with intu staff as tgus always has a very positive impact on NPS. Our teams are encouraged to interact with customers as often as possible during their day to day activities, and when we can generate a smile moment from just doing what we do and being who we are, we knoe we’ve done what we’re truly here to do.
As well as the NPS, Tell intu provides invaluable customer insight which enables us to improve our offer. We recently relaunched our Family Club because mums, dads and carers told us they wanted to have fun with their kids rather than leave them in a club. So we redesigned the club around that shared experience and over 5,000 local children and their families have signed up.
The value of a strong brand is well documented across many industries so, with ‘making customers smile’ being at the heart of our brand, is it working for intu? Since we rebranded in 2013 we have measured not only brand awareness but also efficacy through independent insight consultancy Hall & Partners. Five years on partner Kurt Stuhllemmer, exlains their findings:
“intu has successfully captured a strong sense of momentum with UK consumers in a relatively short space of time. intu ensures that brands are able to deliver to customers’ needs in destinations that they want to visit and that are already being talked about as destinations on the way up.
“This has manifested itself in a consistently strong sense of ‘brand advocacy’ with 60 per cent* of consumers aware of the intu brand saying they would recommend it to a friend. Those that would recommend the brand are over 14 times more likely to ‘go far out of their way to visit’ the centres than those they would not recommend, highlighting the importance of the brand’s successful focus on delivering experiences that delight and drive advocacy.
“This is also helping to drive repeat footfall, with 73 per cent* of intu brand advocates considering cisiting a centre as ‘the only one I would consider shopping at’ or ‘it’s one I would consider shopping at abose most overs’. In contrast, it is just 11 per cent* for non-advocates.”
So that’ll be a yes then!
*Continuous category brand equity study, Hall & Partners. All data quoted represents the full year average Jan-Dec 2018.
Following last week’s Norwich City Vision 2040 Conference, where Chris Sargisson, CEO of Norfolk Chambers helped to a launch an initiative to support Norwich and Norfolk towards becoming carbon neutral. Norfolk Chambers, together with the Tyndall Centre, UEA, Aviva and Norwich City Council are calling for ‘super hero’ business leaders to join and form the ‘Norwich Business Climate Leaders.’ (NBCL)
The business need to focus on climate change is routed in corporate accountability with many business leaders viewing the issue as one of the greatest risks to growth stating: ‘business climate change isn’t just an environmental issue, it’s a pressing financial issue’.
What can we do?
Well, a former boss of Unilever recently spoke on how company boards should put climate change into their strategy and should seek “heroic business leaders” to deliver that strategy.
Heroic business leaders need to drive a compelling shift towards a low-carbon and more inclusive way of doing business and will need to do some heroic and exceptional things:
Setting new targets and measurements that are currently not being discussed, whilst still focused on the KPI’s that are being discussed.
Drive a strategic narrative into their business, that empowers everyone to think and act differently.
Influence and motivate those outside their business: supply chains, employees, other businesses, and the policy makers.
Create and embracing some ‘Big Hairy Audacious Climate Goals’!
These Big Hairy Audacious Climate Goals, when set won’t be achievable until dramatic mechanisms to stimulate new and different progress are put into place, forcing the re-engineering of the organisation to achieve them. A paradox in other words!
We need to do this because ‘normal’ isn’t working and we are on target to miss the global warming target set in the Paris Agreement in 2016.
If you’re a business leader, either already on the zero carbon journey or wanting to start then you’re a ‘hero’ and we’d love to hear from you.
With your input and the support of The Tyndall Centre, UEA, Aviva and Norwich City Council, we can form the Norwich Business Climate Leaders to set the exemplar of change and help save the world.
Drop me an email if any of this strikes a chord and we’ll be in touch.
Chris Sargisson Chris.sargisson@norfolkchamber.co.uk
Responding to the announcement of the new UK approach to the Northern Ireland Protocol, William Bain, Head of Trade Policy at the BCC, said:
“Businesses in both Great Britain and Northern Ireland need durable, workable, negotiated solutions on compliance with the Protocol to ensure the continued two-way flow of goods East-West and North-South. The UK and EU governments need to work together to find solutions which work for business.
“A negotiated solution on customs, agri-food and e-commerce deliveries which deals with all of the red tape issues, is preferable to unilateral actions. An SPS agreement would deal with the most obtrusive border checks and controls, but customs and e-commerce issues also need to be dealt with by the autumn.
“Since January there has been continued uncertainty for businesses as various easements have been applied, followed by approaching cliff edges and then extensions of the easements. Firms need durable and consistent arrangements which provide clarity about trading conditions in the medium to long-term.
“Stronger engagement with business, particularly in Northern Ireland, must be central to the next stage of this process if viable solutions are to be found.”
Commenting on the publication of the Taylor Review, Chris Sargisson, Chief Executive of Norfolk Chamber said:
“The world of work is changing, and it is only right that employment law and practice change with it. Matthew Taylor has rightly recognised that the UK’s flexible labour market is a great source of strength and competitive advantage, but has also recommended some common-sense changes where grey areas have emerged in recent years. Norfolk firms already face high costs in addition to wages and we are pleased that he has acknowledged that, and has sought to avoid adding to these burdens at a time of uncertainty and change.
“Civic-minded business leaders across Norfolk have expressed concerns about the consequences of insecure employment in their local communities in recent years, and recognise there is a two-way bargain that needs to be struck that gives flexibility and security to both employers and employees. Civic businesses will also agree with Taylor on the importance of good-quality work, and opportunities for growth, development and workplace health.
“While the notion of a wage premium in exchange for uncertain working hours is superficially attractive, it could have unforeseen consequences, and push wage costs up elsewhere. Further expert consideration of the potential impact of such a measure on jobs will be needed.
“If the new category of ‘dependent contractors’ proposed by the review is implemented, it must have a clear legal definition to prevent any ambiguity or unintended knock-on effects.
“The government should consult widely with business and employees over the coming months to ensure any response to the Taylor Review is proportionate, fair and above all unbureaucratic.”