GM Chamber Blog

Friday Guest Blog

noreply@blogger.com (gmchamber) — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 12:13:00 +0000

Catherine Stuart-Jervis, Chief Executive , The Charity Service

Following the GMCVO Membership Survey in 2010 which indicated that many charities and groups felt they were at risk during 2012/2013 due to public spending cuts and the scarcity of grants, The Charity Service reviewed our strategy with the aim of trying to offer as much help as possible to charitable groups working at the heart of their communities.

The Charity Service is a Manchester-based UK wide charity that enhances charitable giving. We have a wide range of services that support registered charities, governance checked voluntary and community groups, individual donors and businesses to “Make More Of Every Gift”. We help charities and businesses to raise, process and distribute funds to help sustain a diverse and thriving third sector.

Larger charities are increasingly utilising more aggressive fundraising techniques and technology to access donations. The UK is a generous society but donations over the last decade have been stable. We particularly want to help charities and groups to get online so they can improve their market position to receive electronic donations which has seen an 85% growth in activity during the last three years. We also want smaller groups to understand and access tax incentives to add value to any donations received. We know that smaller, under-resourced community groups can find technology and taxes difficult so we are here to help.

Our services include Payroll Giving, Charity Cheque Accounts, Online Donation Services, Donate Now Hyperlinks for websites, Trust Management and Grant Distribution, Governance Consultancy, Wills and Inheritance Services, Charity Accountancy Services, Corporate Social Responsibility Planning and Investment Expertise. As part owner of an established charity investment expert, we offer a full charity portfolio administration, co-trustee and financial advisory and management service.

We work with businesses large and small to help plan, deliver and measure the social impact of their Corporate Social Responsibility work. We can help with payroll giving schemes, partnership brokerage with local and national charities, Community Investment activity, media engagement and provide social impact reports as necessary for tender applications.

The Charity Service is one of the longest serving of Manchester’s charities with roots going back to 1924 and is well known and respected as an independent infrastructure organisation that can help charitable organisations and donors to ensure their finances and governance requirements are well managed, effective and fully compliant.
We are a “virtual” organisation so our own administration costs are efficient, we do not seek to accrue reserves – only to remain sustainable and our fee structure is flexible and competitive. As a charity ourselves all fees raised remain within the charitable sector and enable us to offer advice and support to smaller organisations at no direct cost.

For more information please visit our recently re-launched website http://www.charityservice.org.uk/ and our online donations site http://www.mygift.co.uk/where unlike many online donation sites, we do not make a charge to register an appeal. Or you can call 0303 999 1212 for more information. Follow all our links to twitter, youtube, linkedin and flickr from the website.

I'd like to invite you to our “Strictly Funding” event co-hosted with Greater Manchester Centre for Voluntary Organisation (GMCVO) on Wednesday 18th April, where we will explore alternatives to traditional funding for third sector and not for profit organisations. This event is aimed at infrastructure and other third party organisations looking at alternatives to grants and to diversify and future proof their funding strategies. Come along to the event to get advice and explore various avenues of funding and finance resilience – after all, if you don’t, your beneficiaries could be at risk!

The keynote speaker will be Tom Latchford. You will learn about Action Planning, followed by a whistle stop tour of innovative options to explore for your organisation.

Stall Holders - including the Royal Bank of Scotland, Unity Trust Bank, Castlefield Investments, CCLA, CAF, Charity Bank and local accountancy firms – will offer expert advice on investments and other forms of social finance.

For further details, please contact Tanya Coutts, Tanya.coutts@gmcvo.org.uk 0161 277 1002.
To book please register online via the link below.

Location: GMCVO, St Thomas Centre, Ardwick Green North, Manchester, M12 6FZ.

Date: Wednesday, 18th April 2012
Website Link: http://www.gmcvo.org.uk/strictly-funding-new-opportunities-raising-and-sustaining-income

A Tick Box Exercise in Progress

noreply@blogger.com (gmchamber) — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 10:05:00 +0000

By Chris Fletcher, Policy Director at Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce

“What makes a business tick? Don't answer that just yet I will come back to that in a few moments.

“This week saw the starting pistol fired on the first QES of 2012. It doesn't seem like five minutes since we put the record-breaking Q4 survey to bed, but time and tide waits for no survey and so we are up and running again. Hopefully you have already taken part in the only economic survey that counts, that others try and emulate but can’t. So, don’t go for cheap imitations - stick with the original and best.

“On the subject of all things economic - the budget is looming and as ever we have written to the Chancellor with what members have told us (from previous QES surveys and other sources) as to what they would like to see him announce on 21st March.

“I think it's fair to say that we have been critical of government with their unique approach to a growth strategy by utterly confusing business with a myriad of similar sounding schemes that grab the headlines then seem to disappear into the Whitehall labyrinths never to return - credit easing anyone? So with this in mind, we have been succinct in our letter to the Chancellor and kept it brief: http://gmchamber-production.s3.amazonaws.com/attachments/97/original.pdf?2012

“This week also saw a very interesting article from Lord Digby Jones about giving business a vote in the upcoming mayoral referendums. This isn't as wild a possibility as you may think. I've been involved with talks at a national level about how to make something similar happen as a result of the Localism Act and the introduction of neighbourhood plans. In a nutshell, neighbourhood plans pave the way for local communities to have the power to vote on development plans for those areas. All sounds really good, but what about businesses in those areas - should they have a vote and if so, how would that happen?

“This may be a good question for a piece of policy- wonkery and naval gazing but is actually becoming a bit of a critical issue. Last year you may recall, after a piece of work done by the Chamber, Trafford Park was nominated as a business neighbourhood pilot as part of the Government’s response to look at how businesses can take advantage of the powers of neighbourhoods contained in the Localism Act. The concept was to have local plans endorsed by a business referendum to OK any decisions made on the ground. This mechanism already exists, sort of, in the rules around Business Improvement Districts but taking this one stage further under the scope of the Act and we could see joint referenda of residents and businesses from the same area voting on development plans.

“On Thursday, this issue raised its head again at a seminar I was speaking at on new rules around the retention of business rates by local authorities. I will do a separate piece on this in the next few days, but one question I posed was: “In amongst all the "excitement" around local councils being able to retain an increase in business rates, what mechanism is there for a veneer of accountability to be put on this so that the people who are funding this (i.e. business owners) have some form of say in what happens to the money raised?” I know - how about a business vote?

“Via a back door route through the Localism Act the Government has, unintentionally, opened a bit of a Pandora’s box and I'm not too sure what the results of this will be. The Chamber will continue to work, as ever, to get the best result for business and make sure that when I get asked in the future what makes a business tick, the answer will be about having more responsibility and taking control of local issues.

“So before any businesses officially get the vote why not use the opportunity for a "warm up" and take part in our QES? It will only take a tick. http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/qes"

Some Thoughts On The Bank’s Inflation Briefing

noreply@blogger.com (gmchamber) — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 12:53:00 +0000

Dr Brian Sloan

This week I’ve been to the quarterly inflation briefing held by the regional office of the Bank of England. As always it was an excellent presentation, on this occasion delivered by the regional deputy Simon Caunt standing in for John Young. I am always struck at how few people attend the Manchester briefing given the standard of delivery and the information presented in a very digestible format. I can highly recommend it and it comes complete with great butties and a view from City Tower.

I had a few thoughts as Simon spoke. He said that there were some encouraging signs at the back of the ONS data release on unemployment. Interesting, but we are in the North West and both ONS and our own survey data show weak job creation and continued loss of public sector jobs across our region. The Bank expects recession to be avoided and that growth will pick up as a consequence of consumer spending, some business investment and exports.

We share the Bank’s view that recession will be avoided, but growth must come from business investment and cannot be dependent on consumers. The economy must rebalance away from consumption, but must be supported as it shifts. Consumers are still being squeezed by inflation at 3.6%, more than the 2.2% average wage rise, and lack confidence due to job security. Business investment is weak due to the uncertain economic outlook, and without investment large numbers of jobs are unlikely to be created. Exports have continued to see growth but now require a shift in business focus towards emerging markets, which will take time. The Bank seems to believe that US growth and demand will help, but largely unreported was the US Congress vote in January that saw the country increase its debt ceiling yet again, this time by $1.2 trillion to $16.4 trillion; the US has its own debt problems that at some point must unwind.

One other concerning fact emerging from the inflation report is the increase in the cost of funding for financial institutions that is making its way to businesses and consumers as higher interest rates on debt. My question would be, how will consumer demand respond to the increasing cost of debt? Still sitting on almost double the debt levels of the late 1980s, UK consumers started to repay that debt in 2008, though this came to a halt as the recession set in and inflation took hold. Low interest rates are enabling consumers to manage their debt, but for how long will this continue if growth does not return and interest rates start to rise? A weak Sterling, caused in part by the asset purchase programme, is also causing imported inflation for consumers and businesses. Whilst oil has not yet hit the dizzy heights of $140 per barrel in 2008, people will ask why fuel prices are so high? It is because the weakness of Sterling means the price of a barrel of oil to the UK is now over £70 per barrel, the price it reached in 2008, in fact at one point today it was over £76 per barrel! More costs for businesses and consumers alike.

Much is being placed on the consumer driving growth ahead, yet that is in some doubt. Our position is that more must be done to get the economy onto a longer term path of growth and to support the regional economies. Infrastructure investment could help deliver domestic growth in the regions, supporting jobs and consumer demand, better than the current asset purchase programme that results in inflation. We require infrastructure to support business confidence that it can invest and have the ability to move people and goods now and into the future.

Investing in this infrastructure now will help domestic growth to get people into work, stimulate business investment and enable growth in the years ahead. The Government needs to facilitate this investment by removing planning obstacles, ensuring that our young people are equipped with the rights skills and that excessive regulation, especially employment legislation, is addressed.

These are just some thoughts and by no means complete, but this is a blog. I hope this encourages people to sign up for and attend the Bank’s regional quarterly briefs and join the debate.

Back To School?

noreply@blogger.com (gmchamber) — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 10:41:00 +0000

Chris Fletcher, Policy Director at Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce.

A real mixed bag of a week last week with a number of highs (unemployment), lows (inflation) and the swings and roundabouts of business issues coming out of our member committees.

The figures for unemployment were not surprising but were desperately worrying as the upward trend continued. The upside of the week was the easing of inflation with the dropping out of last year's VAT rise. Whilst both changes had been anticipated for some time the former especially still made for unpleasant reading.

The whole subject of unemployment especially youth unemployment has really been under the microscope recently with the issues discussed at our Chamber Council meeting in January and, following this, our Employment and Skills committee which met on Thursday. Part of the issue is the fact that this has been around for a number of generations with current circumstances really concentrating the damage being done. It would be very easy to skim off the most recently impacted with some short-term subsidised activity, but the view from our members is that this approach doesn't deliver the longer term impact needed not just to alleviate the problem but, more importantly, give business the access they demand to a properly trained and effective work force. Of course, if the demand for the jobs isn't there in the first place no matter what you do the problem will not be resolved. Add in the seemingly never ending issue of a lack of the right skills and a lack of "work-readiness" and there is a perfect storm raging which coupled with sluggish growth prospects does not bode well.

One possible solution that came out of the Employment and Skills committee was to look at how business can really make an impact on young people whilst they are still in school. Not just in later years but when they start secondary school - year 7 in new money. This is going to be discussed by members at our Local Council meetings over the next few weeks.Building on some good work already taking place in Stockport we will be looking for ideas to stop the talking and start taking action on this key issue. I'd be interested to hear your views on this and if you're interested in finding out more about the Chambers Local Council near you then visit www.gmchamber.co.uk/pages/our-work for more information.

This is just one issue that we are working on at present, a major one at that but it is a crucial part of our Action For Business work. Click here to find out more and get involved.

Friday Guest Blog

noreply@blogger.com (gmchamber) — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 11:17:00 +0000

Stephanie Littler from St John Ambulance, North-West, explains how to improve fire safety and keep arsonists at bay without spending too much money.

In these challenging economic times employers are having to make savings where they can. Sometimes health and safety costs can seem onerous. However not all good fire safety practices are costly. Below are some inexpensive, impactful fire safety tips which can be implemented immediately at the office to protect your business and employees from the devastating effects of fire.
Some of these include:

1. Prevent fires:

a. Turn off computers at night – to avoid the risk of an ‘electrical’ fire
b. Avoid overloading sockets. Adopt the ‘one plug, one socket’ rule; if this is not possible use extension leads instead of plug adapters.

c. Good housekeeping – ensure the bins inside and outside are not overflowing and paper is not stored by heat sources and electrical sockets
d. Close doors and windows when offices are not occupied to help prevent fires from spreading
e. In this cold and wet weather ensure staff don’t dry their clothes over portable or convector heaters
f. Provide information, instruction and staff training in fire safety and evacuation – so as the team understands what the fire hazards are in your organisation and generally, know what they can do to prevent fires and what to do in the event of a fire.
g. Supervision – after the training ensure staff do not go back to their old ways by checking they are continuing to behave ‘safely’.
h. Reduce the number of false alarms through good communication and supervision of outside contractors. Statistics show that the risk of fire and a false alarm can increase when contractors are on your premises – for example, they can do work which releases particles and dust which then triggers the fire sensors.
i. Ensure you have the legally required number of fire marshals. The four hour St John Ambulance Fire Marshal course is approved by the Institute of Fire Engineers. Many of the trainers delivering this course have actual firefighting experience.
j. Conduct fire drills every year, or preferably more, for each shift – to ensure all staff know how to react if there’s a fire and to identify any problems with your emergency plan.
k. Arson. Over 43% of all fires in the UK are now believed to be caused by arson. Alarmingly, 40% of businesses affected by arson never recover.
i. Deny the arsonist fuel - arsonists can set the contents of bins on fire and so keep waste in secured containers away from buildings and fences and ensure waste is collected regularly.
ii. Keep intruders out. Make it hard for an arsonist to enter your building through not leaving windows and doors open and a system of staff routinely and politely challenging visitors on to your premises

2. It can take only three minutes for a fire to become fierce and devastating. To ensure a safe evacuation you should have beforehand:

a. kept fire exit routes sterile – free from boxes and other items which people could trip over and which would add fuel to a fire
b. not put paper on noticeboards in the fire escape route. This paper could fuel the fire and prevent people safely exiting the building.
c. not locked fire exit doors
d. placed firefighting equipment on the escape route preferably by the fire exits – to help ensure a safe exit
e. Downloaded a free fire safety guide from the CLG website, if you’ve not done so already.

The list above is not exhaustive and your fire risk assessment, which should be reviewed regularly, will identify priority areas and suitable control measures.

Visit http://www.sja.org.uk/ for your free fire marshal calculator, further fire safety advice and to book delegates on to the St John Ambulance Fire Marshal course.

With St John Ambulance Fire Marshal training you can be the difference between a life lost and a life saved.

noreply@blogger.com (gmchamber) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 09:59:00 +0000

Anthony Fisher is Managing Director of Debtfocus

What do you do if you can’t afford to pay your bills?

The start of 2012 isn’t pleasant for some, mounting bills that just can’t be paid, debt collectors and even possible court action. The good news is that there is always a solution that doesn’t involve jail or jumping from a cliff.

First of all, write down all your debts, the amounts owed and the monthly
payment required to maintain your commitments. Next, write down
everything you have got coming in and everything you have got going out that are classed as priority bills like mortgage, gas, electric, council tax etc. Take the amount coming in and minus the amount going out and that is what you have left to pay your non-priority bills like loans, credit cards and catalogues. Now, you need to get in front of a computer and get the best deals on the market for all your priority bills, make sure you are paying the cheapest for gas,
electric and insurances etc.

You are now in a position where you can analyse if you are able to pay those debts. If you are then stick to your budget and get those debts paid off as quickly as possible and make sure you obtain the 0% APR deals where possible. If you aren’t able to pay those debts, then you should seek help from someone who will give you free advice. You can get this from the CAB or CCCCS but most Insolvency Practitioners will give free initial meetings. These are trained professionals who specialise in the law relating to debt and are generally much better qualified and informed to give you the right advice and send you in the right direction.

There are many options available and will depend on your individual circumstances, there is no one size fits all. However, as a general guidance, the options could range from a simple consolidation loan right up to personal bankruptcy or you may qualify for a government backed procedure called an Individual Voluntary Arrangement, whereby you pay your ‘disposable’ monthly payment for 5 years in full and final settlement with the balance written off.

Anthony Fisher is Managing Director of Debtfocus based in Appley Bridge, Wigan, a leading expert in financial management. Debtfocus is a Licensed Insolvency Practitioners and has two associate companies- Focus Insolvency Group Ltd that deals with corporate debt and Moneyfocus Financial Solutions Ltd that deals with financial services. Anthony and his team can be found at debtproblemsuk.com or by calling 01257 251319.

Major Changes to Employment Law in 2012

noreply@blogger.com (gmchamber) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 12:27:00 +0000

Last year businesses saw a number of significant changes in employment legislation and 2012 promises to be just as eventful.

Aarti Bedi, Employment Solicitor at colemans-ctts, examines the main changes businesses should be aware of and highlights the key reforms in employment law in 2012, including changes to the tribunal system, compensation limits and other proposed reforms.

Tribunals

From April 2012 the Government will introduce the following changes to the Tribunal System:
• The qualifying period for an employee to bring an unfair dismissal claim will increase from one to two years.
• The maximum amount of deposit a Tribunal can order a party to pay, as a condition of continuing with their proceedings, will increase from £500 to £1,000.
• The Tribunal will be able to direct parties to bear the costs of witnesses attending a hearing.
• Witness statements will be taken as read at the Employment Tribunal unless directed otherwise.
• Employment Judges will hear unfair dismissal cases alone, unless directed otherwise.

Compensation limits

• From 1st February 2012, the maximum weekly pay for calculating statutory redundancy payment & basic awards will increase from £400 to £430. The maximum unfair dismissal compensatory award will increase to £72,300.
• From 1st April 2012, the standard rate for statutory maternity, paternity and adoption pay will increase to £135.45 per week.
• From 6th April 2012, the standard rate for statutory sick pay will increase to £85.65 per week.

Other changes to look out for in 2012
Note. Many of these are still at the consultation stage.

• Introduction of employment tribunal fees.
• Introduction of financial Penalties against Employers, in the event of losing a claim.
• Reforms to allow “protected conversations” in the workplace.
• Increased Parental Leave.
• Reforms to Increase the use of mediation to resolve workplace disputes.
• Introduction of a simplified Compromise Agreement.
• Pension changes

If you are worried about the changes in the law in 2012 or any other employment matter, call Aarti on 0161 876 2502. Email aarti.bedi@colemans-ctts.co.uk or visit www.colemans-ctts.co.uk

Follow Aarti for the latest employment updates on Twitter @Aartibedi

View From The Chamber

noreply@blogger.com (gmchamber) — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 11:23:00 +0000

Dr Brian Sloan, Chief Economist at Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce

This week the British Chambers of Commerce released the national Quarterly Economic Survey results indicating that there has been a further deterioration in the UK economic situation and there is likely to be a stagnation in the first quarter of 2012.

The BCC is keen to point out that these results do not necessarily indicate that a recession is a foregone conclusion. The concern with the national picture is that demand measures have weakened, particularly the domestic market, and exports are slowing. With uncertainty over future demand from consumers and the country’s largest export market the Eurozone, business confidence has weakened along with intentions to invest in the coming months.

A clear sign of this lack of business confidence is the increasing numbers of businesses operating at capacity, yet there is a lack of investment intentions to create more capacity. As businesses are holding back with investment they are also holding back on their recruitment plans, so national unemployment is likely to increase beyond the current 2.64 million.

But how does Greater Manchester compare with the national picture. We already know that the area outperformed the regional picture, and indeed Greater Manchester for this quarter is outperforming the national picture also. Demand in the domestic economy is stronger in Greater Manchester for manufacturing, despite the challenges faced in the construction sector, and service sector demand is stronger as a result of the city centre’s financial and professional services.

Export demand for manufacturing is similar to the national picture, although service sector export demand is weaker. Greater Manchester’s job creation has outpaced the national picture, though this is weakening moving forward and looking similar to the national picture. It would seem that business confidence in our area is weakening in the same way as the national results, and leading in turn to an unwillingness to invest. We have seen the impact of the Eurozone crisis over the last two quarters’ results for Greater Manchester, and there is continued uncertainty over how that will pan out, but there is uncertainty also over domestic demand by consumers moving ahead as unemployment continues to increase.

Future growth will only come from investment. The Government’s Autumn Statement announced a package of investment and support for businesses that we warmly welcomed. What we need now is for those words to be put into action and for money to reach businesses and projects to get underway as quickly as possible.

There have been delays with Regional Growth Fund monies reaching the successful bidders as a result of due diligence, delays that cannot be repeated. But we must also look at bringing forward major infrastructure projects that will help create the confidence for businesses to start-up here or encourage foreign investment, to create jobs knowing that they can move their freight and people easily and efficiently. Changes to employment legislation, lengthy and complex planning processes and skills also have an important role in supporting business confidence by creating an environment of certainty that supports, not hinders job creation.

A recession is by no means inevitable, and given the right support our region is better placed than most to meet the challenges ahead.

What's In Store For 2012?

noreply@blogger.com (gmchamber) — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 09:33:00 +0000

Dr Brian Sloan, Chief Economist at Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce, gives his predictions for the year ahead.

2012 is likely to be another challenging year for the economy. There will be another period of slow growth, certainly very weak in the first quarter as our Quarterly Economic Survey indicates. As a consequence job creation is also likely to be very much weaker, perhaps slightly negative. Growth in the future is going to rely heavily on exports and business investment. The latter looks unlikely to become significant in the near term as there is too much uncertainty and a lack of demand.

Rebalancing and shifting the economy towards exports cannot be done at the flick of a switch and the dependency on a number of trading partners for existing export market destinations is going to weigh heavily on potential growth prospects.

Interest rates are likely to remain at the historical low probably for the whole of 2012, though speculation about increases is likely to pick up towards the end of the year.

Inflation will fall in the new year as the VAT increase drops out of the measure, the CPI measure falling perhaps to 3.5% or below by March (published in April). As the year progresses inflation should fall further.

Household consumption has been the major contributor to growth since the end of the recession, though the rate of inflation at around 5% and wage increases running at around 2% is eroding real incomes, so that consumption is flat. Uncertainty over employment prospects as unemployment nudges higher is also weighing on demand. Household consumption is unlikely to pick up early in the new year and given the raft of pre-Christmas sales, indicating the challenge for already distressed retailers, we are likely to see some big names fail as margins have been squeezed by discounting.

Unemployment will rise further in the new year at the national level, and the regional performance is also likely to be one of increased unemployment as private sector job creation in the region has weakened considerably of late. The claimant count is almost certain to rise as a result of a shift from certain benefits to job seekers allowance, though there will also be an element of the increase attributable to further public sector losses and private sector losses. The private sector is not capable or willing at this stage to create jobs in the numbers required to offset the likely upward movement in the claimant count.

As a result of the Autumn Statement announcements and Regional Growth Fund successful bids we are now starting to see some investment coming through for businesses, transport and other infrastructure improvements, as well as support for construction projects that have planning permission. There is also the additional Regional Growth Fund money of £1bn. How quick these things will get moving is unclear and they are perhaps a little late in the day to hold off some damaging impacts on the economy in 2012.

Much will hinge on the success of the European Union agreements on the Eurozone EFSF fund, though issues about sovereign debt will be with us for some time to come as those countries such as Greece, Portugal, Spain and Italy attempt to refinance existing debt in the months/years ahead.

The Nightmayor Before Christmas?

noreply@blogger.com (gmchamber) — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 15:46:00 +0000

Chris Fletcher, Policy Director at Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce

One of my favourite festive films is Tim Burton’s 1993 stop-motion classic “The Nightmare Before Christmas”. It tells the story of Jack Skellington, the king of Halloween town , discovering Christmas town and deciding that for a change he’d like to be Santa and give Christmas a unique twist. Completely missing the concept, all manner of chaos ensues with, as an example, children getting vampire teddies in their stockings on Christmas morning. Eventually Santa regains control and normal service is resumed with Jack chastened and a lot wiser after his experience. There are a number of morals and learning points that can be gleaned from this story around keeping the status quo, if it isn’t broke don’t fix it and not upsetting tried, tested and established systems.

It’s required viewing in the Fletcher household.

I just wonder if anyone at the Department for Communities and Local Government currently working on elected mayors has ever watched it?

In the same way that chaos ensued from Jack trying to force a different style and process on an established and effective event so it appears, from the sidelines, that the Government is determined to do the same with pushing forward on proposals for directly elected mayors in England’s 11 largest cities.

At present there is a government consultation on what powers an elected mayor should have and in May 2012 there will be a referendum in Manchester on whether or not the city wants an elected mayor.

Irrespective of the powers a mayor would have – and let’s be honest they will not be of an equivalent level of the Mayor of London - one of the real issues with this is at what geographical level the mayor would operate and who would be able to vote.

As things stand the mayor would just be for Manchester not Greater Manchester. This is potentially important as only 9 months ago the Government set up the Greater Manchester Combined Authority which may not mean a great deal to people but it is the only city region body of its kind, with statutory powers, outside London. At the same time the Greater Manchester Local Enterprise Partnership was set up, likewise Transport for Greater Manchester. There’s a theme developing here. So why then would you go and put in the Jack Skellington figure of a Manchester mayor and expect it all still to work in the same way?

When I asked for clarification on this from DCLG a rather baffling response was received that basically said the mayor would just be for Manchester but their influence would extend beyond those boundaries. So, as a resident of another borough in Greater Manchester I would not be able to vote for the mayor but could still be affected by decisions they make. An interesting concept.

There is a huge discussion that still needs to be had outside of the current consultation. There also needs to be a debate on how the business community will benefit from this and how its voice can be represented. It is important that we don’t lose sight of the fact that government is prepared to loosen the grip of centrally controlled powers in Whitehall – look at the recent “City Deals” announcement from Nick Clegg. But if it is going to work in the best way then a wider discussion is needed and we’ll be looking at this in 2012.

The view of the Chamber is that Greater Manchester needs a wider range of strategic powers such as are vested in the Mayor of London so that the economic potential of the region can be achieved. We’ll consult further with our members on what the best vehicle for these powers would be including the existing Combined Authority or a directly elected mayor. However we are convinced that such strategic powers can only be exercised effectively across the City region of Greater Manchester as a whole.

Jack Skellington, Santa and the residents of Halloweentown and Christmastown all lived happily ever after. I just hope that we don’t end up with the vampire teddy.

Friday Guest Blog

noreply@blogger.com (gmchamber) — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 12:22:00 +0000

Tips For Choosing An International Partner

Ken Primrose, Managing Director of Industrial Tomography Systems

Finding an international partner requires a lot of hard work and diligence, especially when in a niche industry such as the one ITS operates in. Any company should begin by looking at agents/distributors to see if they are suitable, doing thorough research in to the work that they do and who for and finally, implement a rigorous selection process.

It is not necessary – or adviseable – to use a third party in a partnership, who can often distort the communication process and lead to confusion and misleading information.

Finding potential partners can be done through a variety of different means; internet research, conferences, exhibitions, industry associations, sometimes advertisements – depending on the work - and support from groups such as UKTI and the Chamber of Commerce. If using one of these bodies, it is crucial to give a detailed brief about what the company does and is looking for and, regardless of the means in which an organisation finds a potential agent, it is important to manage expectations – how much of the sales process can they undertake and how much support will they need? Look for partners who have the right resources, contacts, customer base and capability and above all, who understand the industry the organisation works in.

Approaching a potential agent can be a time consuming, drawn out process, so it is important to be patient and expect that the process from targeting to negotiation to appointment can take far longer than expected. Do not jump at the first positive interest – it is better to take longer and appoint the right partner than to waste both time and effort on the wrong one.

Choosing a larger distributor is beneficial in that they often have more resources and coverage, however it can be disadvantageous if they are too large to dedicate enough time to your company. It can be better to be a larger contributor to a smaller company rather than a less significant contributor to a smaller one.

Always request – and take up – references before deciding on a partner, but do your own research also. Trade bodies can be an endorsement through membership, but should not be relied upon soley as a reference point.

Finally, remember that partnerships only work if both parties feel that they are getting the results. Make sure any appointed agent knows what the company’s targets and expectations are and that they regularly communicate back with accurate data. Be careful with the intial agreement and any legal issues – sometimes it will inevitably go wrong and a well-drawn up agreement will ensure that there is a legal get out clause should targets not be met and results achieved.

World leader in process tomography, Industrial Tomography Systems (http://www.itoms.com/), started life as an incubator company, bringing technologies developed at UMIST to market. ITS has now commercialised the technology so successfully that it trades in companies as far afield as Brazil and the US and boasts an impressive client list including household names such as GlaxoSmithKline, Unilever and DuPont.

First Aid App Is Free

noreply@blogger.com (gmchamber) — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 15:18:00 +0000

St John Ambulance has announced its first aid iPhone app is now free to download. The app which gives users advice on how to treat a range of emergencies, as well as minor injuries, has proven to be the difference between life and death.

Launched last year, the ‘St John Ambulance First Aid’ app became an instant success and was the UK’s best selling health and fitness app. It has now been downloaded by nearly 43,000 people – and the charity has learnt that it has already saved a life, when a mother got in touch to say she was able to give first aid to her choking baby, thanks to the app.

As winter approaches, the app gives useful advice on how to deal with effects of the cold, such as hypothermia and frostbite. It also demonstrates how to cope with emergencies such as choking or heart attacks. The charity is urging iPhone users to download the app so they have the first aid information they need to save a life or provide support while waiting for help to arrive, particularly important during winter months when ambulance waiting times may be longer.

With easily accessible step-by-step information, an intuitive interface and voice prompts for several first aid techniques, the free app is something every iPhone, iPod touch or iPad user should have.

Sue Killen, CEO, St John Ambulance, said: "We' like to thank the thousands of people who have already downloaded the app and made it possible for us to now make it free. I hope that even more people will download it now. Up to 150,000 people die in situations where first aid could have given them the chance to live and we are determined to change this. Being armed with the app could help you be the difference between a life lost and a life saved."

The app is now free to download from the Apple App Store and the charity hopes to develop a multiplatform app in 2012. For further information about St John Ambulance’s first aid and health and safety courses in the North West call 0844 770 4800 or visit sja.org.uk/training Chamber of Commerce members are entitled to a 10% discount off all St John Ambulance’s business courses in the North West (terms and conditions apply).

Guest Blog

noreply@blogger.com (gmchamber) — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 15:10:00 +0000

Investing In Inflationary Times

Stephen Samuels of Samuels Financial

Inflation can cause havoc for your personal finances as it erodes the real value of our money over time. Not surprisingly, research shows that as many as nine out of 10 people are worried about the effects it can have on their money (Source: Post Office Savings, June 2011). Inflation may have dipped slightly in June, but it is significantly above the 2 per cent target set by the Bank of England. It could yet rise above the 5 per cent barrier once the widely anticipated energy price hikes are taken into account later in the year.

If inflation ran at the Bank of England’s intended target of 2 per cent, the sum of £100,000 would be worth £67,297 in real terms 20 years later. At 4 per cent the real value would drop to £45,639, while at 5 per cent the original sum of £100,000 would be worth just £37,689 in 20 years’ time.

In short, savers and investors need to have their wits about them if their money is to keep pace with inflation. But that is easier said than done, particularly given the wide disparity between inflation and interest rates.

Basic rate taxpayers need to earn interest of 5.25 per cent on their savings in order to make a real return on their money once CPI inflation is taken into account. Higher rate taxpayers are in an even worse position, needing returns of 7 per cent to stop the value of their deposits being shrunk by inflation. But with interest rates at rock-bottom levels, accounts paying such high rates are very few and far between.

In inflationary times, when the real value of level income payments is eroded over a few years, it is important to find good and increasing sources of investment income.

This is the big dilemma for many savers today. Not unreasonably, they do not want to lose a penny of their hard-earned cash. But with increasing life expectancy and potential long-term care costs to consider, they will need their money to work harder for longer – and this is likely to mean taking on more risk.

The question is where to start?

In the current inflationary environment the yields from gilts in real terms offer few attractions – a challenge for the government of course, because it continues to have a large funding requirement. Opportunities for attractive income still exist in the corporate bond market, however investors are having to be increasingly selective. Certain investment-grade bonds offer competitive yields and lower risk, while the ‘high quality end’ of the high yield – or non-investment-grade – market continues to present income seekers with some options.

The key for investors is to hold a portfolio of funds which offers the flexibility to exploit the selective income opportunities from across the corporate bond spectrum.

One of the most efficient ways to beat inflation over the longer term is to invest in the stock market and take advantage of the dividends paid by companies. After a couple of leaner years in the teeth of the recession, the earnings of UK companies are looking far more healthy. On the back of those profits the outlook for dividends is more positive. History shows that returns on equities can beat inflation and dividends can play an important part in this. According to the Barclays Capital 2011 Equity Gilt Study, £100 invested in equities at the end of 1899 would be worth just £180 in real terms today without the reinvestment of dividend income; with reinvestment, the same portfolio would have grown to £24,133.

Diversification is also key in balancing risk and returns. For instance, commodities (such as those linked to food inflation) might be able to play a role in a balanced portfolio, so it is worth seeking out funds which invest in so-called ‘alternative assets’. Another income producing asset, commercial property is also beginning to attract attention again. Returns are up 9.1 per cent over the 12 months to the end of June (Source: IPD UK Monthly Property Index Results, June 2011). Again, history suggests that commercial property has a place in a portfolio and its long-term track record is strong, while it offers diversification from equities.

Inflation also brings particular problems for people about to retire because even a low level of inflation will seriously dent pensioners’ fixed incomes over a number of years. Anyone buying an income for life with their pension pot might assume that an annuity linked to inflation via the retail prices index (RPI) is the solution – these pay less income in the early years of retirement than a standard annuity, but eventually catch up and end up paying more later on.

But the decision is far from straightforward. How well RPI-linked annuities perform compared with “level’’ annuities depends on what happens to inflation, and you may have to live a long time after you retire for you to be “in the money”. This is why it is crucial to get advice on the once in a lifetime decision about buying an annuity – once the decision is made, there is no going back.

Inflation and uncertainty go hand in hand, but it is even more marked given the current economic turmoil. It is why investors are going to have to explore all the options to make the most from their savings and investment – and maybe taking a step up the risk ladder.

To receive a complimentary brochure covering Financial Planning, Pensions, Protection and Inheritance Tax Planning, contact Stephen Samuels of Samuels Financial on 0161 773 5777, email info@samuelsfinancial.co.uk or visit www.samuelsfinancial.co.uk

Guest Blog

noreply@blogger.com (gmchamber) — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 14:55:00 +0000

Howard Hunter, Managing Director of Bakestone

'Lunch is for wimps' was the catchphrase of eighties ambition, but it's definitely breakfast that’s become the meal to miss as people plunge headfirst into another manic day.

As the owner of a bakery, part of my job is to keep aware of trends in how people eat to keep us ahead of the competition. What we’ve noticed is that the seismic shift from sitting down for a cooked breakfast to grabbing a slice of toast on the hoof has now moved to the stage where most professionals skip breakfast altogether and power through, gradually flagging until lunch time.

However, I’m sure you probably don't need telling this, as many of you will recognise exactly what I’m talking about (you know who you are!).

Whilst part of this is symptomatic of the fact that we simply have less time nowadays, I want to fight the cause of the British Breakfast and argue that it will actually make you more successful. Your mum didn’t call it the most important meal of the day for nothing!

It’s long been proved that eating breakfast will give you more energy and reduce hunger throughout the day. Who can forget the horror of the rumbling stomach in that important business meeting?

But there’s a more sinister impact in that having an empty stomach is linked to a dramatic loss in concentration, making those who miss their breakfast munch significantly less on the ball at work. Yes, your work performance could be suffering because of losing out on breakfast!

Not only that, but isn’t it a better way to start the working day sat eating a bowl of porridge, some hot buttered toast or a bacon buttie than legging it out to the train and braving out the hunger pangs till lunch?

So to summarise, breakfast makes business sense! Bring it back into your day and see how much more you achieve. I’ll even send a free loaf to anyone who emails me who pledges to give it a go.

Guest Blog

noreply@blogger.com (gmchamber) — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 15:39:00 +0000

Investing In Inflationary Times

Francis Monteiro Dip PFS, Partner at St. James’s Place Wealth Management

Inflation can cause havoc for your personal finances as it erodes the real value of our money over time. Not surprisingly, research shows that as many as nine out of 10 people are worried about the effects it can have on their money (Source: Post Office Savings, June 2011). Inflation may have dipped slightly in June, but it is significantly above the 2 per cent target set by the Bank of England. It could yet rise above the 5 per cent barrier once the widely anticipated energy price hikes are taken into account later in the year.

If inflation ran at the Bank of England’s intended target of 2 per cent, the sum of £100,000 would be worth £67,297 in real terms 20 years later. At 4 per cent the real value would drop to £45,639, while at 5 per cent the original sum of £100,000 would be worth just £37,689 in 20 years’ time.

In short, savers and investors need to have their wits about them if their money is to keep pace with inflation. But that is easier said than done, particularly given the wide disparity between inflation and interest rates.

Basic rate taxpayers need to earn interest of 5.25 per cent on their savings in order to make a real return on their money once CPI inflation is taken into account. Higher rate taxpayers are in an even worse position, needing returns of 7 per cent to stop the value of their deposits being shrunk by inflation. But with interest rates at rock-bottom levels, accounts paying such high rates are very few and far between.

In inflationary times, when the real value of level income payments is eroded over a few years, it is important to find good and increasing sources of investment income.

This is the big dilemma for many savers today. Not unreasonably, they do not want to lose a penny of their hard-earned cash. But with increasing life expectancy and potential long-term care costs to consider, they will need their money to work harder for longer – and this is likely to mean taking on more risk.

The question is where to start?

In the current inflationary environment the yields from gilts in real terms offer few attractions – a challenge for the government of course, because it continues to have a large funding requirement. Opportunities for attractive income still exist in the corporate bond market, however investors are having to be increasingly selective. Certain investment-grade bonds offer competitive yields and lower risk, while the ‘high quality end’ of the high yield – or non-investment-grade – market continues to present income seekers with some options.

The key for investors is to hold a portfolio of funds which offers the flexibility to exploit the selective income opportunities from across the corporate bond spectrum.

One of the most efficient ways to beat inflation over the longer term is to invest in the stock market and take advantage of the dividends paid by companies. After a couple of leaner years in the teeth of the recession, the earnings of UK companies are looking far more healthy. On the back of those profits the outlook for dividends is more positive. History shows that returns on equities can beat inflation and dividends can play an important part in this. According to the Barclays Capital 2011 Equity Gilt Study, £100 invested in equities at the end of 1899 would be worth just £180 in real terms today without the reinvestment of dividend income; with reinvestment, the same portfolio would have grown to £24,133.

Diversification is also key in balancing risk and returns. For instance, commodities (such as those linked to food inflation) might be able to play a role in a balanced portfolio, so it is worth seeking out funds which invest in so-called ‘alternative assets’. Another income producing asset, commercial property is also beginning to attract attention again. Returns are up 9.1 per cent over the 12 months to the end of June (Source: IPD UK Monthly Property Index Results, June 2011). Again, history suggests that commercial property has a place in a portfolio and its long-term track record is strong, while it offers diversification from equities.

Inflation also brings particular problems for people about to retire because even a low level of inflation will seriously dent pensioners’ fixed incomes over a number of years. Anyone buying an income for life with their pension pot might assume that an annuity linked to inflation via the retail prices index (RPI) is the solution – these pay less income in the early years of retirement than a standard annuity, but eventually catch up and end up paying more later on.

But the decision is far from straightforward. How well RPI-linked annuities perform compared with “level’’ annuities depends on what happens to inflation, and you may have to live a long time after you retire for you to be “in the money”. This is why it is crucial to get advice on the once in a lifetime decision about buying an annuity – once the decision is made, there is no going back.

Inflation and uncertainty go hand in hand, but it is even more marked given the current economic turmoil. It is why investors are going to have to explore all the options to make the most from their savings and investment – and maybe taking a step up the risk ladder.

To receive a complimentary guide covering Wealth Management, Retirement Planning or Inheritance Tax Planning, produced by St. James’s Place Wealth Management, contact Francis Monteiro, Sunlight House, Quay Street, Manchester M3 3LF 0161-834-9480 or 07710 110436 www.sjpp.co.uk/acorn

Guest Blog

noreply@blogger.com (gmchamber) — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 08:15:00 +0000

Alex Swift, Regional Director at St John Ambulance in the North West

Provisional figures released by the HSE recently show a worrying increase in the number of fatal accidents in the North West. In 2010/11 there were 23* fatal accidents in the region, a 35% rise on the 2009/10 figures. The region also has the highest average of fatal accidents based on figures for the past five years.

It is worrying to see that the number of workplace deaths has risen in the region. This should be a stark reminder to all employers not to let health and safety slip down their list of priorities. The planned reduction in HSE inspection should not be interpreted as a reason to lose focus on workplace safety. It’s vital that all employers make the necessary efforts to ensure their health and safety provision is up-to-scratch, covering risk management and prevention, as well as having the skills and equipment in place to respond when an accident does occur. If not they face severe consequences.

First aid training for example is far too often seen as a regulatory tick box by employers, rather than a necessary life skill, but it does save lives. We know that up to 150,000 people die in situations where first aid could have given them the chance to live. With some 59% of people wanting first aid training in the workplace, businesses have the perfect opportunity to help reduce this figure before the progress made in previous years is lost and more unnecessary workplace deaths occur.

St John Ambulance has 24 training venues across the North West and can also deliver a range of courses in first aid and health and safety in the workplace. Chamber of Commerce members are entitled to a 10% discount off all St John Ambulance commercial courses in the North West. Call 0844 770 4800 or visit www.sja.org.uk/training

* Source: http://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/fatalinjuries.htm

Guest Blog

noreply@blogger.com (gmchamber) — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 07:53:00 +0000

The Bribery Act 2010- Is your Business ready?

Aarti Bedi, an Associate Solicitor in the Employment Team at the Old Trafford based Colemans-ctts LLP.

The Bribery Act 2010 will come into force on 1st July 2011. It has wide ranging and serious implications for all businesses, large or small. This Act creates new offences for offering or receiving a bribe, for bribery of foreign public officials and of a failure to prevent a bribe being paid on an organisation’s behalf.

Businesses will now have to turn their thoughts to how best they can comply with the new legislation to avoid being faced with claims. Here are a few key points to bear in mind:

• There is no need to put bribery prevention procedures in place if there is no risk of bribery on your behalf
• There is no offence of failing to prevent bribery if you can show that your organisation had ‘adequate procedures’ in place to prevent bribery.
• There is no need to extensively amend your handbooks, provided that you have been managing your business with sensible employment contracts and processes.
• Corporate hospitality, if genuine, will not be prohibited as long as the activity is reasonable, proportionate and made in good faith.
• Be aware that facilitation payments (in other words, payments made to officials to facilitate a business transaction) are not permitted and are considered bribes.
Individuals convicted of any of these new offences could face a penalty of up to 10 years' imprisonment. Convicted businesses will be liable to an unlimited fine for failure to prevent bribery.

For more guidance on the Bribery Act see http://www.justice.gov.uk/

If you believe your business might be susceptible to activities involving bribery then we recommend that you undertake a risk assessment. Only then will you be able to identify the “adequate procedures” required to protect your organisation in the face of this new legislation.
For assistance in implementing the provisions in your business or guarding against a claim, please contact Aarti Bedi on 0161 876 2502 or aarti.bedi@colemans-ctts.co.uk

Friday Guest Blog

noreply@blogger.com (gmchamber) — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 15:26:00 +0000

Clive Drinkwater, Regional Director for UK Trade and Investment in the North West

I was sent one of those picture texts this week by a friend who had been invited to a Royal Garden Party. He was outside the gates of Buckingham Palace resplendent in his morning suit and his wife in a beautiful outfit befitting such a special occasion. It got me thinking about how much hard work the Royal Family does on our behalf and reminded me that the winners of the Queen’s Awards for 2011 were in fact being invited to a reception at Buckingham Palace this very week.

The Queen’s Awards began in 1966 and winners are announced every year on Her Majesty’s birthday, April 21 and recognise outstanding companies in international trade, innovation and sustainable development. To be considered for the International Trade award, companies have to have seen uninterrupted growth in exports for over three years and, given the difficult economic conditions that prevailed at that time it is a particularly difficult measure to have achieved. Nevertheless, seven North West companies were successful in winning the awards and I hope that those that are able to make it to Buckingham Place enjoy their day.

I was looking at what it was, in addition to export sales growth, that the firms had in common. They range from the University of Manchester with nearly 10,000 employees to Genesys International Limited in Cheshire with only 11 staff. Macuk Neuroscience Ltd of Blackpool only began trading in 2003 but RS Clare in Liverpool is the UK’s oldest manufacturing company, having been established in 1748.

Size clearly doesn’t matter; neither does age. I think you start to get a clue when you look at Barrett Dixon Bell Ltd of Cheshire, James Halstead plc and Rayburn Trading Co, both of Manchester as well as the big and small, old and young I’ve already outlined. I lost count of the number of times that I read the words innovation or innovate in their citations. Spending on R&D or innovation in the way that the firms deliver their products and services, coupled with an attitude that is hard to describe but which, if you could bottle it, would be a world beating product on its own, inevitably lead to the sort of award winning growth in exports that these companies have all spectacularly achieved.

I’ve issued a major challenge to the North West region to dramatically grow the number of exporting companies it has. We will begin that process soon by challenging our partners to identify potential exporters, working with the Chambers of Commerce to put in place a mentoring scheme to help new exporters through the tricky first few steps. We are also planning a major event in the New Year to kick it all off. I know that there are lots of SMEs out there that have fantastic products and services that could be successful in world markets and I know that the North West will rise to meet the challenge. The potential rewards are reflected in those Queen’s Award winning companies that will be at Buckingham Place this week. Good luck to them. I hope they will soon be joined by many more - find out more on businesslink.gov if you want to be in the running for 2012.

Launch Of 'Yes To Apprenticeships'

noreply@blogger.com (gmchamber) — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 14:05:00 +0000

The Launch of ‘Yes to Apprenticeships’

By Heather Green, Director of Apprenticeships, Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce

I am really excited about today’s launch of the ‘Yes to Apprenticeship’ campaign. Our mission is to get even more Greater Manchester employers understanding the business benefits of apprenticeship recruitment and for them to join us in saying ‘Yes to Apprenticeships’ by pledging a vacancy in their company for one of this summer’s school or college leavers.

We are generating a record level of interest from employers and we already have well over 100 companies which have joined the campaign to ensure that they don’t miss out in securing the best young talent that Greater Manchester has to offer....but we are not stopping there as we need even more.

This year more school and college leavers than ever before are choosing to do an Apprenticeship in their chosen field. We already have over 2,000 pre-assessed and enthusiastic candidates on our books who want to start working, gain real skills and experience as well as work towards a nationally recognised qualification but we need the support of GM employers to make this happen.

Today’s school and college leavers are the future stars of tomorrow, potential business leaders for Greater Manchester and they need their time to shine. We’re excited and proud that ‘Yes to Apprenticeships’ will give them this.

Friday Guest Blog

noreply@blogger.com (gmchamber) — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 09:37:00 +0000

Richard Lloyd-Hughes, Sales & Operations Manager, and Charlotte Morris, Operations & Marketing Assistant, at The Gentry Grooming Co share an insight into the male grooming industry.

Here at The Gentry Grooming Co, we have a passion for ‘Putting the GREAT into British Grooming’ and the terms ‘Great’ and ‘British’ are incredibly important to us. We pride ourselves on our brand that was born in Britain; everything from our packaging to our ingredients has been manufactured and sourced in Britain. Our brand is all about being the experts in male grooming; this is implemented by a small but strong Head Office team which is the core to the franchises and Express Shave & Skin Centres. We have industry trained staff in all of our salons and Express Shave & Skin Centres and are continually developing their skills to match the ever-changing male grooming industry.

The newest addition to our Head Office team, Lynne Taylor, brings a wealth of experience from the airline industry. Lynne has been particularly insightful most recently with our upcoming event next week.
Due to the great success of our gift set in the Jet 2 in-flight retail, we will be attending the Airline Retail Conference in London to secure more contracts with other airlines. About 50 airlines will be attending, including the biggest names in the industry such as Tourvest and Scorpio. During the two day-long conference we will be showcasing the brand by introducing our gift sets and products to the airlines. Our success with Jet 2 has already sparked huge interest with buyers from other sales channels, so we are looking forward to the opportunities ARC will bring us.

As well as in-flight retail, we are constantly working towards new leads with more sales channels. We currently have an Express Shave & Skin Centre in two House of Fraser stores; in Glasgow and Manchester; and we are looking to retail our product range in other House of Fraser stores around the country by the end of the year. We are also working hard to secure space for our product range with other favourite high street retailers.

At such an evolving time in the business, we believe in the importance of our customers’ views. We want your ideas! We are open-minded and believe in one-on-one feedback as we always reply to every email and phone call in the best way that we can. Our customers are very important to us and we are always more than happy to hear your feedback on new product developments or ideas about new services that you would like to see on offer. We also like to build momentum and keep in touch with our customers via social media such as Twitter, Facebook, blogs and E-Shots.

As part of our ongoing development strategy, we will open new franchised sites over the coming months. We would love to hear from interested partners. We have a proven business model and offer industry leading training support.

Look out for our upcoming editorial piece in the September issue of the 53 Degrees Magazine.

Friday Guest Blog

noreply@blogger.com (gmchamber) — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 12:20:00 +0000

Andrea Wilson-Brown, Managing Director of BCH Digital discusses the benefits of hosted telecoms solutions and how the latest developments in telecoms, such as Pay-Tel are not only affordable for businesses of all sizes, but can put them on a level playing field with blue chip companies.

Hosted telecoms solutions have been around for a while, whilst the term ‘Cloud Technology’ is a relatively recent one they are essentially the same – web based solutions that offer economies of scale and allow for the latest technologies to be deployed instantly, without the need for investment in hardware and infrastructure.

We’ve worked with many blue-chip companies over the years, creating bespoke solutions such as customer service lines, surveys and charity donation lines amongst others. The benefits of hosted telecoms have long been known by such companies; adaptability, level of control, speed of set-up, ease of use, lack of heavy financial outlay and flexibility of service, but with the rise in ‘Cloud Technologies’ more and more businesses are becoming aware of the benefits of hosted telecoms.

Developments in hosted telecoms services, such as our recently launched Pay-Tel, give SME’s access to the same level of security, technology and quality of service, usually only affordable to large and blue-chip companies.

Pay-Tel is a hosted PCI compliant solution for taking payment over the phone. To combat credit and debit card fraud, the Payment Card Industry (set-up the by the likes of Visa and American Express) introduced a set of regulations to ensure the security and protection of private data when processing payments. These recently updated regulations are due to come into force in December this year, however meeting these regulations can prove costly if it means replacing or updating in-house infrastructure such as servers and hardware. Unfortunately not doing so can prove even more costly, with fines of up to £300, 000 and the untold damage to reputation should non-compliance lead to loss of private data or security breaches.

Pay-Tel is simple to set-up and use and rather than investing in new infrastructure, users can rely on the incredibly secure and reliable BCH servers to meet the PCI regulations, meaning businesses of all sizes now have an affordable solution to PCI compliance.

This is just one example of how hosted telecoms can help SME’s offer the same level of service as blue-chip companies, but whether it’s for sales, marketing or even debt collection, when it comes to the cloud and developing hosted telecoms solutions there are all sorts of possibilities.

Your Chamber Needs You!

noreply@blogger.com (gmchamber) — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 09:52:00 +0000

British Chambers of Commerce has committed to a campaign for a simplified, faster planning system.

While we have significant anecdotal evidence of the problems developers and businesses face, we need to explore these in more depth and gather greater member feedback to make an impact with our lobbying activities. Part of this work will involve a national survey asking for views and opinions on the planning system.

In order to assist with this work, we are offering to host a policy forum with British Chambers to help identify member concerns and to have a wider policy debate. This will take place at 11.00am on Wednesday 15 June in the Council Chamber, Churchgate House, Oxford Street, Manchester.

We need 10 to 15 people to make this work, so if this is of interest to you please email richard.critchley@gmchamber.co.uk

If you are unable to attend but know of other interested businesses, please feel free to forward them this information.

Friday Guest Blog

noreply@blogger.com (gmchamber) — Fri, 27 May 2011 09:16:00 +0000

Ken Primrose, Managing Director of Industrial Tomography Systems, shares his tips for successfully commercialising a new technology.

Industrial Tomography Systems (www.itoms.com), started life as an incubator company, bringing technologies developed at UMIST to market. ITS has now commercialised the technology so successfully that it trades with companies as far afield as Brazil and the US and boasts an impressive client list including household names such as GlaxoSmithKline, Nestle and Procter & Gamble.

Bringing a new technology to market relies upon a strategic plan and well-targeted research. It is crucial to scope potential markets and test your product offering so you identify exactly where your technology will slot in and what it will add to each market sector targeted. Finding the technology’s unique selling point and positioning it well will be of pivotal importance. A clear understanding of price, margin, volume and timing is also essential.

A business’ sales team are the ones who will ultimately sell the product so it is essential that the sales force is well briefed and knowledgeable with regard to the technology and its applications and critically its potential benefits. An ability to clearly explain the technology in straightforward terms and demonstrate how it will benefit potential client companies is highly important when attracting customers to a new product.

Having all of the relevant accreditations, patents and licences prior to releasing the product to market will not only save time, but reassure potential customers that it is a product that they can trust. However these take time and money, so you should be confident that you are addressing the right segments before investing in areas which may take a long time to pay back. Equally, a strong company reputation will work in your favour – build up a target database of relevant potential customers with which you already have a favourable reputation. This will immediately strengthen your pitch and encourage customers to immediately consider investing in the new technology, based on the company name alone.

A similar way in which to attract confidence in your product is to have the full backing of research centres and well-respected names within the sector in which the new technology will feature. Favourable recognition from well known and renowned names within the field will further strengthen the brand.

Naturally, before embarking upon any of the above, it is essential to seek out the right engineering skills. Finding the right engineering talent in the UK is getting more difficult as the Government culls visas from non-EU nationals. Although this will open up the door to British students, it will be up to 10 years before ripe talent filters through.

Commercialising a new technology can be extremely rewarding both personally, professionally and financially, however it is important to have the have confidence in the talent at your disposal, research and funding when you set off.

Friday Guest Blog: Retirement Apathy Will Cost You Dearly

noreply@blogger.com (gmchamber) — Fri, 20 May 2011 08:20:00 +0000

By Stephen Samuels, Principal of Samuels Financial

"There is much to be said for living for the moment and, for people coping with the economic downturn, getting through the week is understandably the major consideration. Yet many people risk a life of poverty in retirement because they are significantly underfunding their retirement savings.

We are all expected to live longer and there is a good chance that many of us will live almost a third of our lives in retirement so you would do well not to underestimate the size of the retirement fund you will need to live comfortably.

A pension fund of £200,000 may sound a decent sum, but today that will buy you an annual income of a little more than £10,000, which is why you need to get to grips with your retirement plans long before you pick up your gold watch. The longer you leave it, the harder it is to catch up on missed time.

The difference between starting at 25 and starting at 45 is staggering. It can be even worse for women - they live longer than men on average and many will take career breaks to have children, leaving gaps in their contributions.

A 25 year-old male who wants to retire on £20,000 a year when he gets to 65, will have to put aside £501 a month for the next 40 years. If he waits until he is 35, he would have to save £788 a month to retire on £20,000 a year. The monthly sum will rise to more than £1,300 a month, if the same man delayed saving until he was in his mid-forties (Source: Standard Life, March 2011), so it is important to start your retirement planning early.

People should seriously consider joining their company scheme, particularly if the employer is contributing to the fund as well or if it is based on final salary. Remember that an employer contribution to a pension is effectively deferred salary, so failure to join a company scheme is akin to taking a pay cut.

Yet, surprisingly, many people turn down this ‘free money’. In an experiment by Axa in 2005, tracking the lives of people in Brighton, it found that a number of people did not bother to join their company scheme even if their employer made a contribution.

However, if your employer offers a defined contribution pension scheme, rather than a final salary pension scheme (also known as a defined benefit scheme) the plan alone may not be sufficient for your needs.

Employers tend to contribute far less to defined contribution schemes than they typically used to put into final-salary schemes, so a total employer and employee contribution of say 13 per cent is likely to be insufficient to fund your entire income in retirement.

Increasing your retirement provision through AVCs (or additional voluntary contributions) or Personal Pension Plans is a highly tax-efficient way of boosting retirement provision and it is worth seeking advice on maximizing this opportunity to meet your personal goals. Even if your employer doesn’t make contributions, having a fixed sum transferred from your salary each month is a pain-free way to start the savings habit.

Retirement planning is not just about investing into a pension – Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs) can come into the mix, for instance. Indeed, younger workers who expect to be higher-rate taxpayers later in their career could consider saving via an ISA first and then moving those savings into a pension when they become higher-rate taxpayers to benefit from the higher tax relief.

It should be noted that the levels and bases of taxation and reliefs from taxation can change at any time as they are subject to changes in legislation. The value of any tax reliefs depends on individual circumstances.

As you get older and move into your forties and fifties, you need to work out whether the plans you had in place are on track. Firstly, establish what your likely state pension entitlement would be. You should also contact the pension trustees of your current and previous employers, who will be able to provide pension forecasts, as will the companies managing any private pension plans.

Given the volatility of stock markets there is a chance that what you are currently on target to receive is less than you’d ideally like, or perhaps even need. It makes sense to seek advice about how you can bridge this gap. You might need to consider whether options such as retiring later or working part-time beyond your retirement date may be a more realistic way of meeting your retirement goals.

As you get even closer to your chosen retirement age, you may need to consider reducing the risk of your investments to protect the fund you have built up over the years. Many experts suggest that this risk reduction should start at least five years before you wave goodbye to the working world for good.

Retirement planning may not be the hot topic of conversation at dinner parties and social gatherings but that does not mean it should be ignored. Planning ahead and getting your strategies in place early will mean that your dreams of a happy retirement have a greater chance of coming to fruition. Failure to act will mean that they are nothing but pipe dreams."

http://www.samuelsfinancial.co.uk/

Inflation Rises

noreply@blogger.com (gmchamber) — Tue, 17 May 2011 09:05:00 +0000

Commenting on today’s inflation figures from the Office of National Statistics, Dr Brian Sloan, Head of Business and Economic Policy at Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce, said: “As we warned last month the fall in the consumer prices index to 4.0% was only temporary, caused by the later timing of Easter this year compared to last. With inflation now rising sharply to 4.5% and with consumers already lacking confidence to commit to those big ticket purchases the effect will ripple through the economy over the coming months, inevitably reducing demand and suppressing job creation in the private sector.

“We are in a low growth environment and trading will be difficult in the domestic economy for some time to come so we must focus on promoting exports. In our opinion an interest rate rise at this time would be very damaging to the domestic economy, although inevitably this release will increase pressure on the Bank of England to raise interest rates; though we suggest that the Bank remains focused on supporting domestic growth.”