Business Independent - Hertfordshire - November '09

Michelle Mone visits the University of Herts Giving away all your wealth Are you in the right job? Work/life balance is harder for women November 2009

Michelle Mone on how to succeed

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Christmas at Tewin Bury Farm Hotel

The Restaurant at Tewin Bury Farm

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New Year’s Eve Scarlet Ball

Enjoy a Champagne Reception, 5 Course Gourmet Dinner & Entertainment to see in the New Year £95 per head

FFor or mor moree information infformation ormation on Joiner Pa Parties, arties, Private Parties, Christmas Day Lunch and a New Year’s Eve Scarlet arlet Ball plea please se contact our Special Ev Events e Team ents Team on: 01438 84 841464 41464 or email to: kelly.s [email protected] [email protected] o.uk

This month 4

Managing Editor Richard Alvin - [email protected] Editor Tracy Light - [email protected] Online Editor Paul Jones - [email protected] Contributors: [email protected] Jim Moore, Felicity Cousins, Gavin Porritt, Production Manager Stewart Hyde - [email protected] Designer James Conolly - [email protected] Sales Manager Terry Sullivan [email protected]

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Advertising Sona Shah - [email protected]

Tel: 01438 453042 Email: [email protected] Subscriptions - [email protected]

www.businessindependent.co.uk Published by: Business Independent Ltd Business & Technology Centre Bessemer Drive Stevenage Hertfordshire SG1 2DX

Copyright: 2009 Business Independent Ltd ISSN 1754-3096 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior consent of the publishers. The views expressed in any of the Business Independent series of regional magazines are not necessarily the views of the publishers Business Independent Ltd. Whilst Capital Business Media Ltd. has made every effort to ensure the accuracy of the information contained in this publication, neither they nor any contributing author can accept any legal responsibility for any consequences that may arise from errors or omissions contained in this publication or from acting on any opinions or advice given. In particular, this publication is general and not a substitute for professional advice and you should consult your own professional advisors where appropriate.

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NEWS

Dressing up windows East Herts Council is continuing to invest in local town centres to encourage shoppers and support businesses. There are a few empty shops in the town that can spoil the look of the high streets. What is the council doing about that? We’re funding a creative makeover to spruce up empty shop windows. The scheme will be piloted in Sawbridgeworth, Ware and Hertford which have seen some businesses fall prey to the recession. Local artists and community groups including schools and colleges are being invited to submit ideas for art displays that they would like to show in the windows. As Mike Carver, Executive Member for Planning Policy and Transport commented: “This is a

lovely scheme that will brighten up shop fronts and make them more attractive. It will help draw more shoppers into the towns and it’s also a fantastic opportunity for local artists and community groups to showcase their work in public.” Jan Wing, from the Ware Town Partnership, added: "Response from local agents and landlords to the project has been very positive. Ware is a wonderful town with a strong community spirit these displays will illustrate this in a very innovative way."

Where does the council find the money from? Funding comes via a Local Authority Business Growth Initiative grant — given to local authorities promoting the highest levels of economic growth in their area by allowing them to keep any increases in revenue from business rates.

What else is going on to encourage shoppers into town? Buskers in Hertford will be providing a tuneful background for shoppers and pedestrians in the county town. With the support of East Herts Council, the town council applied for and was granted licences at five venues As Hertford Town Council clerk Nina Villa said: “We wanted to

create a vibrant atmosphere in the town and one that would encourage shoppers.” The scheme was launched at the Rock in the Castle festival this summer. Speaking just after the launch Nina told the HBI: “We’ve already had lots of interest, and mostly from local musicians so it’s a good way to support them too.”

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JULIE WHITE HAS been appointed National Sales Manager at Northern Europe’s largest privately owned single site conference and training centre, Wyboston Lakes based on the Bedfordshire/Cambridgeshire border. Julie brings with her 17 years of sales and marketing experience and, as an accomplished salesperson, will be responsible for selling Wyboston Lakes’ three conference and training centres to the corporate and agency market, and increasing the profile of the company. Julie commented: “I’m very much looking forward to being instrumental in helping Wyboston Lakes achieve its business goals through both existing and new clients.”

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NEWS

Coach firm wins top award Family run business, White’s Coaches, was named Minibus Operator of the year recently as part of Route One Magazine’s Operator Excellence Awards. The coach company was selected for the nomination after being chosen by other industry members surveyed by the magazine. White’s Coaches was originally founded by Roger White almost 45 years ago. When Mr White passed away his son Greg took up the mantle and began running the business. The firm has always specialised in providing coach travel for individuals with special needs, however Greg has also branched out

into corporate travel. They hold a great many contracts including a very important one with the county council. The business is a real family affair as Greg’s mother Maureen also works at the busy company. White’s have 25 employees and run a fleet comprising of 15 vehicles. Their vehicles are specially fitted with wheelchair access to allow disabled passengers to board easily, plus selected coaches have seating areas designed to carry wheelchair users. Greg White was very proud to receive the award, dedicating it to his family and hard working employees.

Business centre Give Heli some welly upgraded Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council has installing a new communication system to the Weltech Business Centre in Ridgeway, Welwyn Garden City.

Small businesses in Hertfordshire joined in with Federation of Small Businesses members recently to raise £550 to help the fledgling Herts Air Ambulance Trust. The registered charity relies entirely on donations to raise around £2,000 for each life-saving flight.

The Weltech Business Centre is a well-established, business start up centre. The site features 50 suites and currently 33 businesses occupy 43 of the business units. Weltech also boasts a large number of ‘virtual’ clients who are not based at the site but have use of the services provided. At a cost of approximately £160,000, the installation of a state of the art system will enhance the communication services offered to all clients using Weltech. They will benefit from a new IP based telephone system that is capable of receiving text messages and making conference calls, has a fully integrated voice-mail facility, has a new call-logging function, can allow for remote/off site activation and use (tele-working), can be twinned with mobiles and can cater for videoconferencing. The centre is owned by the council and for an annual fee businesses are able to use all of the facilities provided at the centre. Rewiring has already taken place in preparation for the installation of the new system. Councillor Alan Franey, Executive Member for Resources and Equality and Diversity, said: “The Weltech Business Centre is vital to so many local businesses. The council is committed to helping local businesses, especially in these difficult economic times, and it is great news that so many will benefit from this upgraded facility.”

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NEWS

Celebrating Herts women

There are around 680,000 majority women-owned businesses in the UK generating £45 billion for the UK economy. Women’s Enterprise Day on November 18, part of Global Entrepreneurship Week, is all about celebrating successful female entrepreneurs, and inspiring more women to be the business leaders and owners of tomorrow by starting or growing their business.

In the East of England, women comprise approximately 29 per cent of the self-employed population. However, with Business Link reporting that over half of the delegates attending their start-up workshops are female, an entrepreneurial trait and desire to be self-employed is growing amongst females in the region. Jill Barnes, Deputy Chief Executive of Business Link in the East of England said: “Every day we work with and meet outstanding fe-

male entrepreneurs. Some may have a business idea and come to us for help to make it happen; others are already in business and want to grow. Days such as this are important, both in celebrating success and highlighting the brilliant women in our region who are contributing to the growth of the local economy.” Lesley Crisp, Business Link Adviser for Women’s Enterprise said: “Many women across the region have decided that setting up a business offers them not only more control over their work-life balance, but also an opportunity to use their skills, talent and knowledge to their full potential. They also appreciate that by working for themselves they will reap the rewards of the time and effort that they put in, rather then contributing to someone else’s profits. “On top of that, with unemployment increasing, many women have used redundancy as a kickstart to self-employment, rather than looking for another job. Although women often face more barriers than men when setting up a business we can help them gain the knowledge and confidence that they need with workshops, one-to-one business advice and networking events.”

Check before you invest in Radlett property

A different perspective. A BID to market plots of land in Radlett as suitable for housing has led Hertsmere Borough Council to issue a warning to potential buyers.

www.deloitte.co.uk Please contact Paul Schofield 3 Victoria Square, Victoria Street, St Albans, Hertfordshire AL1 3TF. © 2009 Deloitte LLP. All rights reserved. Member of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu

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Marketing information including leaflets have been encouraging people to buy premium plots of Green Belt land off Cobden Hill without warning potential purchasers that they are highly unlikely to get planning permission. Council planners are urging investors to speak to them before buying plots of land for potential housing developments because planning approvals are not a given. Cllr Hannah David, Hertsmere council's portfolio holder for planning, said that people needed to be on their guard. "We want to try and ensure that people are not enticed by offers that are too good to be true. We have strict controls over the developments we allow within the borough and planning permission would not generally be approved for building on green belt land," she said.

NEWS

From Welwyn with love figleaves.com to Herts Luxury lingerie, fashion and gifting e-tailer, figleaves.com, is on the move and will be relocating to a newly refurbished HQ building in Welwyn Garden City. Having been based in North London since inception, figleaves.com has now ventured into new territory, literally, with 101 employees taking up residence at 29 Broadwater Road, Welwyn Garden City. Founded in 1998 as a lingerie e-tailer, figleaves.com has organically expanded to become one of the leading lingerie, fashion and gifting destinations, catering for men, women and children. Autumn will see the launch of several new brands on the site, ranging from men’s fashion labels to women’s jewellery and home accessories, with a recent website revamp further corroborating this successful transition and more premium positioning. “The office move is a natural next step for the figleaves.com brand,” comments Chief Executive, Julia Reynolds, “not only to accommodate our growing workforce and new category areas, but also to provide an inspiring, creative and dynamic environment for an ever-evolving fashion and lingerie brand. As a growing business this additional space is crucial and we’re really excited about putting our own stamp on what’s essentially been our very own blank canvas.” Covering nearly 15,000 square feet, the increased space at Welwyn has allowed figleaves.com to be truly creative in terms of design and layout. A centrally placed, photographic studio (large enough to house a fashion catwalk) and a glass walled, high aspect sample room are just two of the aesthetically, as well as professionally, pleasing creations and are the main focal points of the open-plan, uniquely circular floor area. Designed to encourage team and individual interaction, the new office will generate a fun, fast-paced and exciting environment, with streams of natural light in abundance from wall-to-wall windows along all exteriors. Having employed local organisations to create its bespoke office space from the onset, the brand will continue to do so, thereby boosting local economy and supporting the regional business sector. On a speedy rail link from London’s Kings Cross and within walking distance of many of the area’s local amenities, the new site has come as a welcome change to employees. “I’m really looking forward to the move” explains Lisa Henderson, figleaves.com’s Marketing Executive. “From a marketing perspective it’ll be fantastic as the new photographic studio will offer so many more creative and visual opportunities.” With an already enviable incentives package in existence, figleaves.com really is the employer that everyone wants to work for! In addition to the exciting prospect of moving to plush new premises, employees will also be offered additional benefits to celebrate the move, including an extra two days holiday for all staff members and the introduction of childcare vouchers. Always on the look-out for bright new individuals, figleaves.com also offers a generous staff discount, a contributory pension scheme, life assurance and income protection. So now might be the time for all Welwyn lingerie and fashion lovers to update their CVs ... figleaves.com has come to town!

Pleased with the move: Figleaves Chief Executive Julia Reynolds

Our own Willy Wonka AN enterprising Dunmow sixth former is well on the way to becoming a real-life Willy Wonka after opening his own online sweet shop. While his classmates are weighing up their university options, most of 18-year-old Matt Appleton’s spare time will be spent running Forever Scrumptious. The football-mad teenager, right, funded the website with money raised from summer work as a coach with sports project Chelsea In The Community. The site was set to go live this week, selling more than 400 types of confectionery, from cheap and cheerful treats to high-quality Italian and Belgian chocolates. Matt has also built links with a top fudge maker, which will be supplying a range of flavours – including a Christmas pudding variety which will be on sale during the festive season. Although he always wanted to be his own boss, it wasn’t until he got his GCSEs out of the way that Matt

started to work on making that dream a reality. Listening to his friends chat about their favourite sugar-coated snacks from childhood, he realised there was a gap in the market and set about filling it. The only child, who lives in High Meadow, has had plenty of support from mum Sue and dad Ricky, but to keep his costs low he has carried out the bulk of the work. For the past few weeks he has been painstakingly photographing all his stock and uploading the pictures to the site. He has been meeting suppliers and web designers to get the project up and running on schedule. Matt, a former pupil of Gosfield School, Halstead, who now studies at a college in Chelmsford, told the Observer: “I’ve had the idea since I was about 16, but back then I had my GCSEs to sit and the timing wasn’t right. Now, I feel ready to make a go of it.

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NEWS

Train improvements THE Government has promised improved services on a key rail route through Stevenage. Business - East Coast Main LineThere will be £12 million of station improvements on the East Coast Main Line, which runs from London to Scotland and is being handed back to the Department for Transport by cashstrapped franchise holder National Express from midnight (Friday Novemner 13). There will also be improved catering and the abolition of reservation charges on the line, which will be run for the next two years by a public company - East Coast. Transport Secretary Lord Adonis said: "East Coast will remain in public hands for two years and there will be full continuity of service. But this is not a care and maintenance job. I want to see real improvements in the service and better value for money. "This is a profitable railway - it needs to be the pride of its passengers and staff too and that's my aim for East Coast." Saddled with huge £1.3 billion premiums it had to pay to the Government over the lifetime of the franchise, National Express announced last July that it would only fund its East Coast operation for a few more months. Other planned improvements and changes include a new Saturday evening service from King's Cross to Leeds, and an additional Sunday morning service from Leeds to King's In addition, the planned gating of York station

Clydesdale boosts local team structure Clydesdale Bank, has recruited a new senior partner to its team in St Albans. Roger Lewin, a former regional senior credit manager and local relationship manager with Barclays, brings more than three decades of personal and business experience to the bank’s Verulam Point Financial Solutions Centre. The bank’s specialist business banking centre, which opened in 2005, now boasts a team of 24 partners and associates who provide a wide range of local services to businesses and Private Banking members including asset finance, invoice finance, treasury and international finance. Commenting on his appointment, Roger said: “Having spent the vast majority of my career working throughout the region, I am able to bring my experience of working with local businesses to an already knowledgeable team. “Clydesdale Bank’s FSC proposition is unique in UK banking, and I look forward to introducing customers to our service. 8 | www.businessindependent.co.uk

will be scrapped in order to maintain the existing through access for non-passengers, while the completion of gating at King's Cross will be accelerated to deter fare-dodgers. Opposition MPs and rail unions have said the East Coast situation demonstrates what they describe as the weakness of the rail fran-

chise system. There have also been calls for National Express to be forced to give up its other two rail franchises - East Anglia and the London to Tilbury and Southend franchise c2c. National Express has said it will resist attempts to end the two franchises.

Herts business joins the short-listed

In the hotly contested category of New Business of the Year, Blackbird Communications is one of five shortlisted companies that has been selected for the Hertfordshire business community's answer to the Oscars. Now in its thirteenth year, the Hertfordshire Business Awards, which recognise individuals and companies that have made a significant impact on business in the county over the past 12 months. More than 25 recently launched businesses across Hertfordshire entered this year's New Business of the Year category. Stuart Brooks, Managing Director of Blackbird Communications said: "To make the shortlist of such a long-standing and prestigious competition is an incredible achievement in only our first year of trading and we're thrilled to have been recognised in this way. Being a finalist will add a great deal of credibility to our proposition to local businesses which are looking to raise their profile and we look forward to the ceremony with much anticipation." The awards will be announced at a glittering ceremony at Knebworth Barns on 26 November, which will be hosted by BBC personality, Bill Turnbull.

NEWS

And the winner is... Tewin Bury Farm Hotel, just outside of Welwyn in Hertfordshire, was delighted to be awarded ‘Outstanding Venue 2009’ from the Federation of Small Business’ at their awards in October.

St Albans web agency help charity hit their target Netcel, a leading digital agency based in Grosvenor Road, St Albans, has launched a website to help raise charitable donations for a national 1000 mile charity cycle ride. Between 25 September and 4 October 2009, around 20 industry leaders from the financial services sector competed in a 10-day, 1000 mile cycle ride from Land’s End to John O'Groats under the name MoneySpinners. The target was to raise £100,000 for Naomi House Children’s Hospice and Help The Hospices. Tim Parfitt, Managing Director at Netcel, said: “As keen cyclists ourselves in and around Hertfordshire, the team at Netcel were delighted to be have been involved in this project, and to use social media to create an innovative web 2.0 website to support this annual charity event.” To encourage people to donate while following the cyclists’ progress, Netcel has created an interactive website, www.moneyspinners.org, which allows the cyclists to update and add content to the website throughout

each day by using their BlackBerrys and iPhones. Using their camera phones, the cyclists uploaded photos through integration with Flickr, and video using YouTube. Integration with Twitter allowed the cyclists to microblog using their mobile phones, so allowing their family, friends and colleagues to keep in daily contact with the highs and lows of a cyclists’ progress. In addition, supporters were able to track the team’s progress in real-time through a Google Map which has been integrated with the GPS of one of the cyclists. Finally, a JustGiving widget displayed recent donations along with the overall amount raised so far, all in real-time. The result was an innovative website updated in real-time that provided an invaluable resource for supporters, family and work colleagues, which in turn will generate more charitable donations. To pledge your support or to view the cyclists’ progress during the event, visit www.moneyspinners.org or for further information about Netcel, visit www.netcel.com

Although the award came as a complete surprise, the hard work and dedication from all of the staff in all departments made it a well deserved accreditation. Tewin Bury Farm’s customers always comment on the fact that nothing is too much trouble and that they are always prepared to go that extra mile, this clearly proves that the customer is always right!

Charity No 286212

Creating Opportunities that Change People Lives Based in St Albans, for over 25 years Reach Out Projects has been working with young people and those with disabilities & special needs. A lot of what we do is about helping people with disabilities to access opportunities usually denied them. This includes running a small fleet of fully accessible wide-beamed canal-boats from our base at Nash Mills. We provide a wonderful experience for those who join us on board – and much needed respite support for parents and carers. We are keen to expand our services and seek funding for a new day boat. We run development programmes for young people at risk or significant disadvantage - from next year we’ll also provide mentoring and community support schemes for young people with learning needs. If you or your company would like to partner with Reach Out by sponsoring a weeks residential holiday, or volunteering as a skipper, crew-member or fundraiser – or by hiring a boat for your team day or for personal use - please get in touch. You can also join us at our autumn fundraising dinner with our special guest Prunella Scales on November 13th. Please ring Ron Overton, our Director, on 01727 818162 or e-mail [email protected] Please also check out the website on www.reachoutprojects.org.uk Reach Out Projects, Holywell Lodge, 41 Holywell Hill, St Albans, Herts AL1 1HE

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INTERVIEW

Passion, determination & focus in business We talk to bra tycoon Michelle Mone about what motivates her and why success is in your own hands

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ichelle Mone always wanted to be an entrepreneur and, at the age of 38, she has built a hugely successful career. She is founder and co-owner of MJM International, a multi-million pound lingerie company and is one of the top 3 female entrepreneurs in the UK, winning countless awards. Michelle spoke at the University of Hertfordshire’s Spotlight event, giving an insight into what has shaped her career and how she has become one of the top three businesswomen in the UK. In this article, she provides some tips on being successful in business, creating a work/life balance and her thoughts on being a working Mum. Highly-organised and focused, when Michelle achieves one goal, whether business or personal, she sets herself another one that day. She says, “You have to cram as much into your day as possible. You only live once so you may as well do as much as you can.” Michelle recommends setting goals for your business and your personal life and staying fo-

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cused. She comments, “Don’t blame others if you don’t succeed in life.” Michelle grew up in the East End of Glasgow; when she was 10 years of age her brother died.At the age of 11 she got a job delivering papers and had 17 teenagers working for her! When Michelle was 15, her father was struck down by an illness leaving him confined to a wheelchair, so she left school with no qualifications to find full-time employment. To support her family, Michelle took on a job at Labatt Brewers and climbed the ranks from Office Junior to Senior Manager, running the Sales and Marketing team by the time she was 20. When she joined the company, she had already set herself the goal of running it for the whole of Scotland and her ethos has always been to work harder, work smarter and do what it takes. It wasn’t until 1996 that her idea for Ultimo was born. When attending a dinner-dance with her husband Michael, Michelle was wearing an uncomfortable, cleavage-enhancing bra. She had a ‘light bulb’ moment: Michelle decided to invent a bra that was more comfortable, more

INTERVIEW

What do you think are the most important values in business? “Being organised and when you launch a product or service think that day about what is next, because before you know it your competitors will be ripping you off and catching up on you. There was a time when I thought that I would live off one bra in two colours for the rest of my life and I took too long to develop the next product. So this is what I am saying: don't have all your eggs in one basket!”

Do you have any tips for working Mums? “Don’t feel guilty. I am not a born Mum that can stay at home; there is nothing wrong with that, as it is a really hard job. Be very well organised and if you want to get to the top, unfortunately you will have to make sacrifices.”

What do you think the government can do to encourage entrepreneurs? “Less red tape and more support when it comes to mentoring; it’s not just about money. The biggest thing that I come across all the time is the red tape and the cost involved. Design registration and patents are a joke and it’s unbelievable how complicated it is! The money we spend to protect ourselves is unbelievable and then, when someone rips us off, we have to fight them in the courts. I think it is a disgrace and it’s stopping creativity, it’s stopping entrepreneurial ideas flowing, it’s stopping a lot of things and it needs to be looked at.” innovative, more attractive and more cleavage-enhancing than any other bra on the market. Today, she has developed beyond the original brand of Ultimo to encompass Ultimo A-D, Ultimo D-G, Ultimo Black Label, Ultimo Shapewear, Ultimo Swimwear and partner lines including Diamond Boutique for Tesco, Adore Moi for Debenhams and Michelle for George for Asda. As for the future, Michelle wants to launch Ultimo Fashion, because this is a new industry for her and she sees it a challenge. She wants to see whether she can have the same impact in the fashion business as she has in the lingerie business. She comments, “I want to launch Ultimo beauty and perfume and I have been working for a year with the people who created Dolce and Gabbana and Gucci perfume, which will launch soon. She has also been offered lots of TV shows and reality shows. As a businesswoman, she wants to take her skills and use them in a business show. “I want to do something that makes a

difference and I have a lot of networks offering me shows. I am waiting to see which ones ‘float my boat’”. We asked Michelle what is the best way to achieve a balance between a personal life and building a career? “You have to be very, very organised. I have Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) in my business and now in my home. One day I came home and the whole house was in chaos; from that moment, I decided that my house was going to be run like a business, so I set KPIs for the gardener, nanny and housekeeper.”

What are your top points to being successful in business? “Top tips would be: you have to have fire in your belly, determination, focus and you have to know your competitors inside out. You need to be very organised and a good leader. You can be superb at all these things but you cannot do it on your own, so a team is key.”

What do you think is the hardest challenge for launching a business now? “The hardest thing at the moment is obviously the banks, because they are not lending money, and it is not just about finding the money to get your idea up and running it’s about having the cash to finance the business.” Richard Farleigh, multi-millionaire investor who appeared on The BBC’s Dragons’ Den programme, will be sharing his rags to riches story with student and business entrepreneurs at the University of Hertfordshire’s Enterprise Spotlight. These events are a series of motivational sessions designed to inspire the next generation of would-be entrepreneurs to turn ideas into action. The event is on 25 November 2009 from 5.00 pm to 7.00 pm and is free of charge. Local businesses can register by emailing [email protected].

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LIFESTYLE

Giving it all away We look at the growing trend amongst the ubber wealthy to give their accumulated fortune away

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hat do Bill Gates, Warren Buffet, Sir Tom Hunter and Duncan Bannatyne all have in common?

The answer, apart from considerable success, is that they're all committed philanthropists, who have pledged to give away the bulk of their fortunes to good causes. And they're not alone as with every month that passes, more and more of the world's

wealthy announce their intention to devote their time and their money to making the world a better place.

So, what's driving them? Though there are many reasons for giving, the most often cited is that it's an enjoyable and rewarding experience. Victor Hugo once said that "as the purse is emptied, so the heart is filled", and for many, philanthropy does just that.

Festive Season Lunch Make time to enjoy a Merry Christmas with us. Why not bring your family and friends and celebrate in sumptuous surroundings?

Christmas Menu £14.95 two courses £18.95 three courses Including crackers and a welcome drink, prosecco! ******** Salad of smoked chicken with cherry tomato, cucumber and crispy bacon Goat’s cheese and pear puree with a walnut dressing Roasted tomato soup with basil pesto croutons ******** Traditional turkey with all the trimmings Fillet of sea bass with new potatoes and seasonal vegetables Aubergine compote with cous cous and a tomato sauce ******** Christmas pudding with brandy sauce HATFIELD HEATH NR. BISHOP’S STORTFORD HERTFORDSHIRE CM22 7AS T: 01279 731 441 F: 01279 730 416 E: [email protected] www.downhall.co.uk 12 | www.businessindependent.co.uk

Orange and walnut tart with caramel ice cream Chocolate mousse

LIFESTYLE It gives people pleasure and life enrichment by knowing that they're making a difference. It also allows them to achieve a spend/give balance. For instance, while he has had no problem in amassing his fortune, the hedge fund manager Arpad Busson said in a recent Guardian interview that his decision to embrace philanthropy was because he found it impossible to enjoy his wealth, knowing there are people out there who were much less fortunate than himself. For others, philanthropy can be the ideal way of instilling family values and educating their children, as showing the next generation what a difference wealth can make to others can help prepare them for the responsibilities of inheritance. When asked what he would leave his children, Warren Buffet famously remarked: "A very rich person would leave his kids enough to do anything, but not enough to do nothing." Worried about stifling their offsprings' ambitions by giving them every-

thing on a plate, entrepreneurs in particular are increasingly leaving the majority of their wealth to good causes or charitable foundations that they have created. Dragon's Den star Peter Jones has established a trust fund to reward his children for the good they do, their yearly allowance dictated by their choice of future career. He hopes it will encourage them to consider professions that make a difference to others, such as nursing or teaching, rather than focusing purely on those jobs with the best salaries. Likewise, his co-star, Duncan Bannatyne intends to leave his entire fortune to his Bannatyne Foundation. He fears that leaving his children hundreds of millions of pounds would rob their lives of any purpose.

A family affair But as well as allowing children to follow their own path, we have found amongst our clients that philanthropy can also bring families closer together. If you own a

successful family business, setting up a charitable foundation can allow those relatives not involved in the day-to-day running

of the company to work together for a common goal or purpose. For those that have sold their business or are beginning to take

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LIFESTYLE a step back from their profession, but are not quite ready to sit back totally, philanthropy is an opportunity to apply both financial capital and life experience in order to solve social problems. Rather than simply writing out a cheque, creating your own dedicated fund or taking a hands-on approach to the causes you support can ensure that your money and expertise are having the greatest impact. This can often become a career in itself, with similar rewards and the same sense of achievement. When the late Anita Roddick sold The Body Shop, it wasn't so that she could sit back and enjoy the fruits of her labours, it was so she could devote the rest of her life to her charity foundation. In addition to making an impact during your lifetime, philanthropy is also a way of supporting a cause for the long term and creating a lasting legacy. Setting up a trust that will fund organisations or charities in perpetuity will ensure that your work will always make a difference and will remind

others of how strongly you felt about a particular cause. For an example look no further than Bill Gates. At the moment he's famous for founding Microsoft, but he hopes that after he's gone, he'll be remembered for his commitment to eradicating disease and ending social inequality in Africa through the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. But whatever your initial motivation to start giving, knowing how, where and when can prove challenging. With so many deserving causes, choosing the right one is always going to be a tough decision. And once that choice is made there are further difficulties. How much to give; whether to make a single donation or regular payments; how to gauge a specific charity's performance before supporting it and how to monitor the impact your support is having. It may become hard work, and there are many companies who offer to assist, but the time spent could be more rewarding than making the money in the first place.


 
  

  





 

  





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BUSINESS ADVICE

Playing the FTSE... Andrew Whiteley, Director of WKH Financial Servies explains that when you’re looking to invest in shares or bonds, you may think about putting your money into one or more managed funds. Managed funds are pooled investments that may contain dozens of different securities, reducing the risk of holding just a few individual shares or bonds, and they can invest in a wide variety of markets and sectors. Wherever you invest, the fund managers will take one of two basic approaches to managing your money and it’s important to understand the difference so you can build an investment portfolio which truly reflects your individual investment objectives.

Active investing Fund managers who use an active investment approach aim to outperform the market by using their individual knowledge and skill. They use the results of their research to purchase more of those shares or bonds they believe show the most promise. The return delivered by an actively managed fund depends not only on the manager’s talent, but also on the costs the fund incurs.

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Gordon Brown waited many years to step into the top job, yet when he eventually did he made the mistake that so many other leaders have made before him. Gordon forgot to leave his old job behind. It is no accident that the only major success of Gordon Brown’s premiership so far has been on the world financial stage. This is a world in which he feels at home and so can use his strengths and experience to full effect. He has had somewhat less success however on the media stage, promoting himself and his government. So many leaders move into a new role and fail to assess and define the priorities of the new job, trying instead to use the skills of old that have served them so well on the upward climb.

It is this transition that can prove to be the undoing of many a talented star who has risen through the ranks delivering targets and achieving goals. The move into a more senior leadership role often brings with it new responsibilities, a broader strategic focus and the need to consider every uttered word that may be unpicked and analysed for hidden meaning. Exhausting as it may seem, every decision, every smile and every handshake must be considered. The water-coolers and corridors of offices can spurn discussions just as toxic as those in the corridors of power.

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18 | www.businessindependent.co.uk

BUSINESS ADVICE

Women won’t achieve a work/life balance due to stress at work

D

ue to greater pressures from work 40% of women who earn in excess of £40,000 don’t feel equipped with the skills to achieve a work/life balance, according to new research.

The research is based on 237 detailed online interviews with women from a range of backgrounds across the UK and with National Stress Awareness Day taking place next week (4th November) these recent findings just underline even further how stress at work is affecting women in achieving a work / life balance. The study was designed to determine to what extent women of working age in the UK agree or disagree with a range of attitude statements and determine their levels of contentment towards life, work, relationships and future prospects. Throughout the study women frequently experienced negative and stress related feelings, with 39% highlighting this fact further, by saying they are constantly feeling anxious. Janice Haddon, Managing Director of Morgan Redwood, who commissioned the report says:

“With the economic climate as it is many companies are looking to save money, one way of doing this is obviously to add to the workload of their staff. However by doing this, it is having a major  knock-on effect. Pressure from work is increasing, meaning stress levels are getting higher. And when this is happening, particularly with women, as this survey shows, a work / life balance is not being achieved.” The research also identified another interesting fact. For those women who have had children, they had experienced a loss of confidence when returning back to the workplace. Two fifths of women with children who were surveyed said they had lost confidence as a result of having a family. Janice comments: “Having children is life changing. With the pressures of returning back to work, and the worry of performing well after time off , it’s not surprising that women lose confidence after having a family. This can add to stress levels, making it harder to achieve that work / life balance, as more time is needed in the office to prove their worth and build their confidence up.”

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www.businessindependent.co.uk | 19

SECTION

New Year is crucial time for cashflow

during the month, with many being pushed into liquidation. Indeed, January 2009 saw a 78 per cent surge in business failures. Edward Rimmer continued: “During these challenging times, it’s hardly surprising that business owners are continually exposed to the threat of business failure. Although interest rates are low, This will allow them to focus on month for businesses and it can With the countdown to the which should stimulate trading survival and ensure they are in often be make or break. With New Year underway, new activity to a degree, businesses best possible shape for 2010. large amounts of excess stock research reveals businesses really feel the pinch after ChristBibby Financial Services’ Busifrom Christmas often left over, fiare in for a tough time durmas and many ensure they are as ness Factors Index, which reveals nancial liquidity can take a big hit ing the first quarter of next frugal as possible during the first key findings about the UK econas cash flow is tied up in unsold year. few months of the New Year. omy and small businesses, shows stock, and many customer inBibby Financial Services is call“We know from our own Busithat the final quarter of 2009 and voices are left outstanding.” PLEASE READowners CAREFULLY YOUR ADVERT ing on business and man- - IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT PROOFINGness Factors Index that trading the start of 2010 will see trading “We would urge small busiYouragers advert has been of Sportwise Marketing Ltd. to ensure they produced have their by 'printing.com @ Immediate Design', the production and design division conditions during the first quarter conditions worsen. This complinesses to ensure they do not Please check your advert below). now finances in order to help them carefully prior to the printing of the forthcoming publication (stated of 2010 are Your set to advert worsen, is and we ready ments statistics published earlier build up their stock levels more recessionary andany necessary alterations please highlight these clearly by marking to beavoid printed, shouldpressures you have them in the space provided and urge businesses to tighten up this year showing that slumping than is needed in anticipation of makingthe cutsinstructions to their business. following below. If demand we dofornot hear from you, we will assume the advert is correct and proceed with processes to ensure that invoices British-made goods, the Christmas rush. This will ease With recent datawithin 48 hours of the date of this proof will result in the below advert being are sent out promptly and corprinting, failureeconomic to respond printed. We will not accept coupled with difficulty in accesspressure on their cash flow in showing that Britain is still in the rectly in order to keep the cash responsibility for any errors undetected at this stage. ing finance, forced 38 per cent of order to ensure vital commitgrip of a recession, and many flowing and to consider renegotimanufacturers to cut jobs in the ments are met, such as paying commentators stating that signs ating terms with their suppliers to three months to January 2009. their staff, meaning fewer busiof recovery won’t appear until ensure they are getting the best Edward Rimmer, chief executive nesses will be forced into making spring 2010 at the very earliest, deal – perhaps by negotiating of Bibby Financial Services, the redundancies as a cost-saving.” business owners must ensure longer credit terms or flexible largest, non-bank provider of inResearch shows that forced rethey have enough financial liquid‘sale or return’ deals that allow voice finance to businesses in the dundancies are not the only isity to keep the business afloat. unsold stock to be returned.” UK, said: “January is a crucial sues small businesses encounter

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www.businessindependent.co.uk | 21

SECTION

Tap into local business advice around the world Alan Fullarton of East of England International (EEI) which delivers UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) services in the region explains how easy it is for any company to tap into a world of business advice and support to kick start overseas sales. To the uninitiated, selling overseas is a daunting prospect and, for most, the perceived barriers can be simply too great to contemplate. However, help is at hand from your local International Trade Advisors with support additionally available from a wide spectrum of UKTI services. One such UKTI service offered to businesses regardless of their size or sector is the Overseas Market Introduction Service or ‘OMIS’. This is a flexible, bespoke service that puts your business directly in touch with UKTI staff in overseas embassies who, as well as providing research and contacts in your chosen markets, can also provide focused business advice and support with events and

visits. Whether you're a first timer or a very experienced exporter, a broad range of elements can be combined to suit your individual needs. Typically, a business may use OMIS to first conduct some market analysis. This can be as specific or as broad as required and will result in a tailored report prepared by local staff who are specialists in your industry sector for their particular country. If the market analysis is favourable, more work can done to help identify some potential contacts such as local agents or distributors, and assist in establishing a dialogue with them. The next step could then be to arrange a meeting with your chosen prospects. Here, through OMIS, the UKTI teams can help organise your meeting or event down to the last detail – even using the UK embassy or consulate meeting facilities to provide a venue that is sure to impress! Exploiting the huge potential of the market in China is Letchworth-based Hanwell Instru-

ments Ltd who has made good use of OMIS. As Derek Richardson, Hanwell’s Sales Director, says: “OMIS was absolutely the right service for us at this stage. We needed to find an agent that could help us launch our products in China and then assist us in rolling out sales across the country.” Using OMIS is very straightforward and an EEI trade adviser will guide you on making the best use of the service each step of the way. As part of a government service you can trust the advice to be totally impartial, open and honest to enable you to make sound decisions. Alan comments: “OMIS provides a cost effective bespoke service that saves companies time and money. It enables them to establish contacts they need and get the expert on the ground advice in both the country of their choice and locally in the UK.” For further information about the export advice and support offered by UKTI through East of England International call 08456 419955 or visit www.eei-online.com.

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SOLICITORS

SECTION

Telling who you are by the shirt on your back G

reen and Jack’s a custom shirt maker claims to be able to read human personality from their choice of shirts. There have been lots of studies linking colour to personality. Especially the research by Dr. Max Lûscher during the early 1900's is very interesting. He studied the relationship between choices of colour to human behaviour. Dr Lûscher’s study has been used by large companies, doctors and psychologists to analyse human personality. Green and Jack’s a London based custom shirt maker has applied colour research to help their customers project the right image. The colour and fit of the shirt that one chooses gives an insight into one’s personality.

What does your shirt say about you? Crimson – high energy, confident, passionate, sensual and brave leader White – honest, practical and natural.. Pink - confident, naughty and unconventional. Black – powerful, elegant and mysterious. Blue – organised, warm, caring and intuitive personality. Yellow – original, happy and helpful. Grey – a balanced and elegant thinker. Brown – A conventional person who loves the outdoors. A well fitting shirt often conveys a structured mind and an organised personality. Choose the fit and colour that projects and compliments ones personality by visiting the custom shirt store. Green and Jack’s custom shirt maker offer free colour consultations. The perfect fit guarantee makes ordering custom made shirts risk free to customers since alterations are free of charge.

www.businessindependent.co.uk | 23

SALES ADVICE

Beating the objection Why your sales people still get price objections, here leading sales coach Andy Preston helps us look at getting those sales

W

henever I’m speaking to sales managers and directors, I find that many are frustrated that seemingly no matter what they say to their sales team, the team is still getting stumped over price objections from their clients! So, here we’re going to look at why your sales team still get price objections and how this gets in their way (and yours) of sales success. Objection handling is one of the basic skills of sales, yet I’m often amazed how many salespeople are lacking in this vital area. They might be given a little bit of training when they start in the role, often from the manager or director of the business, but then are

pretty much left alone after that! Yet out there in the field or on the phone, your salespeople are coming up against objections day after day – and price objections are one of the most common things they are likely to come up against. When I listen to their calls, salespeople often fail to demonstrate the essential skills in objection handling, “fall over” at the first objection, get de-motivated, then blame their company or their product or service for their troubles! But often, the objection only arises because of the actions of the salesperson, so let consider the main reasons why this occurs.

Reason No 1 – They generate the price objection themselves!

Whenever I’m delivering sales training and listening to salespeople live on the phones, it often astounds me how often salespeople generate objections for themselves! They may have been doing quite well on the appointment or phone call, then suddenly, something in either their voice tone or the words that they’ve just said generates a price objection from the client. It sounds crazy, but the salesperson virtually “asks” for that price objection! The minute the salesperson asks any question about price, they’re taking the conversation towards price and guess what? A price objection! Watch out if you hear your salespeople utter any of the following….. “How much do you currently pay for…..?”, “Can I give you a quote for…..?”, and the very worst one of all “what do I have to do to win your business?!!” They’ve just taken the conversation towards price! Is it any wonder they then get a price objection from the client? Many salespeople generate price objections for themselves, then struggle to deal with them when they turn up! Yet it was their own fault for taking the conversation towards price in the first place.

Reason No 2 – They’re demotivated and therefore only sell on price If your salespeople are trying to generate new business, whether that’s on the phones or face-toface, they can sometimes get demotivated, especially when things aren’t going well. The longer this goes on for, the more de-motivated and despondent they get! When they are feeling de-motivated and despondent, they struggle to believe that they’re much different from the competition, especially when they get told by potential customers “oh you

24 | www.businessindependent.co.uk

guys are all the same” on a regular basis! This leads to salespeople believing that the only difference between themselves and the competition is price! Therefore they only sell on price. Things like “if I can give you a better price for ‘x’ , can I have your business?” are uttered by the salesperson, and if by some stroke of luck they actually manage to win any business with that awful technique, if the only reason they won it was on price, they’re not going to keep it for very long, are they?

Reason No 3 – They don’t position the value well enough Whenever they’re asking questions about the client and their current situation, or presenting your own product and service, it’s vital for your salespeople to be able to position the value in what you do. If they can’t clearly communicate the value in what you do, how on earth can you expect the client to see it as valuable? If your salespeople don’t give the client any other reasons to buy other than price, how can we complain when the only difference they see is price – as that’s all the team are giving them! Therefore your salespeople have to position the value in what you offer before they get drawn into a price discussion or ask the potential client to make a buying decision. Let’s face it, the potential client is always going to look at what they will get in return for their money invested, and if they don’t see the value in going for your solution, is it any wonder your salespeople are getting objections on price?

So What Can We Do About It? As sales managers and directors, it’s important that you take a leading role in helping your salespeople avoid the mistakes listed above. Here are some suggestions you can put into place right now to prevent them from happening….

SALES ADVICE Andy’s Tip No 1 – Focus On What You Offer Get your salespeople to focus on exactly what you offer your potential clients, apart from price! Whenever I ask salespeople “what makes you different?” they often have no idea! At the very least get your team to write a list and get them to look at it every day!

Andy’s Tip No 2 – Practice Objection Handling Most salespeople’s objection handling skills are shocking. If you know your team are going to get price objections, put them to the test by checking their objection handling skills in your team meetings for example. Be prepared to cringe at their current skill level however!

Andy’s Tip No 3 – Keep Their Motivation High When things aren’t going well for a salesperson, one of the first things to suffer is their motivation levels. If they keep coming up

against price objections, they’ll feel de-motivated, despondent and like it’s a real struggle. Staying on top of them and their motivation levels will be key to their success. Follow the tips here and watch the figures of your sales team

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Andy Preston is a leading authority on sales and sales management. You can see and hear more about Andy at: www.andy-preston.com and his sales training company at www.outstanding-results.co.uk.

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www.businessindependent.co.uk | 25

MARKETING

Guaranteeing your reputation I

n this digital age it is easier for us to disseminate and obtain information than ever before.

The Web means we have information constantly at our fingertips. Meanwhile we are communicating with each other all the time via email, mobiles and text messaging.” Word of Mouth” has always been powerful, yet as the opportunities to voice our opinions increase, its importance is growing rapidly. Reputation, therefore, is more essential for companies than it ever has been. It doesn’t matter

26 | www.businessindependent.co.uk

whether you are a global enterprise or a small local outfit. Retaining customers, keeping them happy and, therefore, ensuring you have a good reputation is not easy. There are a many myths spoken about managing customers. There is, however, a simple and effective way for ensuring you are always mindful of your reputation. In any situation, ask yourself one question, “What story will my customer tell?” It is this question that enables you to decide how to handle any

situation effectively. The story the customer will tell is how you are perceived by them and, therefore, how you will be perceived by others. It is this perception that is all that matters. The customer’s perception is their reality. Whether it is right or wrong is irrelevant. Winning the customer’s heart and mind is all about how they perceive you. Let me give you an example: There is a story of an airline that launched a brand new long distance route. On their maiden voyage the plane was stuck on the runway for fourteen hours. At

that point what story would the customers tell? They would probably tell their friends and colleagues of a hellish journey that would infer that they would never fly that airline again. The next day, however, the owner of that airline called every passenger personally to apologize and offer them a discount on a future flight. The story was managed brilliantly. You see, the story was now about receiving a personal call from such a well known and busy person and the delay became incidental. Instead of the

MARKETING

airline being criticised for a poor service, the story was all about their excellent customer service and how much they care.

Think ahead If you want to ensure you manage your customers successfully; you need to be constantly thinking about the story they are likely to tell. Just sending them a

thank you note when they decide to use you, will mean they will be telling a good story. How many companies do that and yet it is so simple? During the time they are engaged with you, ask the same question. For example, If you are going to send a Christmas gift, ask the question; “What story will they tell if I send them the

standard calendar or diary branded with our company logo? There is a good chance they won’t tell any story at all. Therefore, what value have you obtained? The answer is none.

So think of the story. Find out what they like during the course of working together. Then, for example, if you know

they like milk chocolate, send them a box with a note. The impact will be huge and the story they will tell will be very positive. Managing customers does not have to be difficult. Always think about the story they will be repeating to their friends and colleagues. If you think it may be negative, think about how you can turn that around. You don’t have to spend a lot of money but you do have to give it a lot of thought. Having customers talking about you in a positive light and ensuring you have a good reputation in today’s market place is invaluable. Quite simply, you cannot afford not to. Grant Leboff is Principal of Watford based The Intelligent Sales Club working with companies on effective sales and marketing strategies and lead generation; creating a steady stream of sales opportunities for businesses. For more information visit www.intelligentsalesclub.com call 0844 478 0044

www.businessindependent.co.uk | 27

MARKETING ADVICE

The trouble with networking We asked networking coach Andy Lopata the question on many peoples lips ‘Networking events, do they work?’ There can be little doubt that networking, whether formal or otherwise, plays a key role in the sustainability and long term of success of most businesses, particularly during tough economic times. et, as we have already explored, people are missing out by making the wrong choices and adopting the wrong behavior. So how do you make the right decision? To which group or events should you devote your networking energies and how does price reflect quality? It all depends on what you want to achieve. At the moment, networking groups seem to be defined either by whether they are online or offline or, alternatively, by the time of day they meet. While useful categories for identifying which networks are convenient for you to involve yourself

with, and to which you can commit, they don’t necessarily help you make the right business decision. To decide which networking group you want to join and whether membership will be expensive or tremendous value for money, you need to have a clear vision of what success will look like from your membership. What, in other words, is going to be your return on investment? Any other business purchase tends to be accompanied by the question, ‘what value will this add to the business?’. There is no reason why networking should be any different. First of all, focus on what your goals are. What do you want to achieve from your membership? The type of group that will suit you will vary depending on whether you are looking for peer group support, referrals, to enhance your industry knowledge or

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simply getting out of your ‘cave’ and meeting other business people. There are a wide range of reasons why people network. Some of them people recognise beforehand, such as lead generation, in other cases, people find themselves enjoying the benefits passively. A proactive, considered approach to gaining these benefits can make a huge difference. Take a sheet of paper and split it into four columns. In the left hand column, write down the ten major areas you need to see improve, either in your business or personally. Where do you struggle? Where do you need help? Now in the second column, by each area of improvement, ask yourself how other people can help you achieve that goal. For example, if you have written down ‘more business’ in the left hand column, you might write ‘referrals’ alongside. You now have a clearer idea of how networking can help you than beforehand, and that should help you pick the right group but we still want to know what your return on investment will be.

How many of these improvements can you place a value on? In the third column, write down the difference such an improvement would mean to you. Quantify it where possible; if you can’t put it in words. What would it allow you to do that you can’t now? What would it mean to your personal life? How would it affect your emotional state? You now have a tool that will help you measure a network’s effectiveness for you, understand what success will look like from that network and, importantly, help you select the right network for you. In contrast, events which focus around people from the same industry tend to be more focused on Brain Building, whether through learning, best practice sharing or mutual support. Despite this, my membership of the Professional Speakers Association of the UK over the last five years has provided me with some of my strongest referrals sources. It is, however, still primarily a Brain-Building network for me.

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BUSINESS ADVICE

Companies still think of less fortunate during recession Despite the downturn, more than half of small firms in the UK are providing support to charities, according to new research. The research, conducted by Barclays One Step programme, reveals for the first time the size and scope of local business support for the charity sector, with over two million firms across the UK helping good causes through donations, volunteering and pro bono work. Steve Cooper, Managing Director of Barclays Local Business, said: “The recession provided a powerful incentive to take an axe to the non-essentials – but that hasn’t happened with support for charities. The research shows that over half of local businesses see their charity work as a responsibility to the community, not a result of boom time generosity, and they can’t and won’t walk away from it. At a grassroots level they are an army working to better our society. “In this one area the recession hasn’t had a huge impact. The amount of money donated by local businesses has remained pretty constant, whether the business feels it’s recovering from the recession or not. One of the industries with the toughest image, construction, is also one of the most generous, with around 61% helping local charities.” Stuart Etherington, CEO of the National Council for Voluntary Organisations, said: “It is imperative that companies across the country are responsible and play a role in their local community. It is therefore good to see that, despite the recession, they continue to recognise the vital contribution that voluntary and community organisations make across the UK in transforming local areas.” The research found that while a quarter of UK businesses said they currently were in recovery, more than half (53%) said they had yet to see any upturn. How-

ever support for good causes remained constant across both groups. In either recovery or recession, a third (36%) of all small firms said the amount they give has stayed the same. Nearly half (42%) said that small businesses have a responsibility to their local area and should contribute where they can. Despite the belief amongst these smaller firms that big businesses had more resources to support charity (51%), almost as many said that charities have felt the recession as well and deserve support (44%). Some small firms even think they are the best people to help out good causes: one in five (18%) said small businesses can be more focussed in their support for charity than bigger firms and a third (31%) claimed businesses should support good causes, even when times are tough. Looking ahead, 16% said they would give more to charity after the recession as they would have more money to give. Almost three quarters (71%) claim that in 2010 they will maintain levels of giving to charity.

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SECTION

Managers avoid difficult conversations with us British managers lack the ability to handle poor performance and give feedback, according to over 13,000 employees in both the public and private sectors. Results from a recent survey show managers’ behaviours are rated consistently low when holding difficult conversations with employees. Over 3,900 individual managers have been assessed in the last year by Shine Feedback (break down of public vs private sector approximately 1:3.). The data tends to be confirmed in their employee surveys too,

where a high percentage of staff (1 in 3) say they don’t have regular performance reviews. Andy Clare, managing partner of Shine Feedback, explains, “It's much like the stereotypical problem of Brits complaining in restaurants – we can grumble to our companions, but we couldn’t possibly tell the waiter. Most of us simply don’t know how to express dissatisfaction effectively and it means we avoid

difficult conversations at work too. “There are many reasons why managers are unable to handle poor performance or give feedback. It’s sensitive, can get emotional, they might have other priorities, perhaps they don’t have enough evidence. Also, when jobs are at risk during a recession, managers can be inclined to overlook poor performance, giving underachievement the benefit of the doubt. After all, who wants to be re-

sponsible for someone losing their job when there aren’t too many around? “Yet our research and observations tell us managers simply lack the practical skills and understanding of how to give challenging feedback. “At the most basic level, it’s important to remember that instead of moaning or complaining, it’s better to state that poor performance is unacceptable and provide constructive feedback to help people learn. The target of the complaint will be far more receptive. Complaining shouldn’t be mixed up with expressing dissatisfaction. There is a difference that we need to work on.”

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BUSINESS ADVICE

To spend or not on training? As all great business owners know, before we employ a member of staff we always ensure they have the right skills, knowledge and understanding to do the job. So why is it that many businesses refrain from providing any ongoing training, learning and knowledge once they have employed their staff? We have all read lots of statistics on how staff training and organisational development support the growth of the business, but the decision to train or not to train can be based on two reasons; cash and time. So what is the answer?

Starting with the cash problem... There is money that can help you. Working with Regional Development Agencies and Sector Skills Councils, training organisations such as the People Development Team, will work with you to build targeted training plans that can deliver a return on investment and utilise local, regional or national funding opportunities to support part or all of the training costs.

Here at the People Development Team, we have been able to access many pots of funding including the £1,000 from the National Leadership & Management fund which every company with up to 250 employees is entitled to and funding of up to 50% of training costs subsidised through Beyond 2010 in the East of England. Whilst women who are working in leadership or team leader positions, may also access funding through the Women and Work project that some of the Sector Skills Councils across England have available.

And now for the time problem... One solution is accessing an e-learning portal which is a great way of giving your people the learning they want at a time you want to give to them. For one, two or up to fifty of your staff the PDT Academy provides a unique individual learning platform that enables and empowers the individual and the organisation with ongoing 24/7 access to information, material and experiences to improve their knowledge and skills. For as little as £17 per month, this provides you with a huge range of leadership training.

It can be used on its own or to support a training programme. The People Development Team is currently offering a free 7 day trail so that you can see how the academy can work for you. To take up our offer of a 7 day free trial on our academy or to learn more about the funding opportunities that you can use to access our award-winning leadership and management training, please call Adam Tucker or Heidi Turnbull on 01920 485569 and we would be pleased to work with you and your teams.

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www.businessindependent.co.uk | 31

TECHNOLOGY

Showing at events Guy Clapperton shows you what you need to create the right impression first time when presenting and attending expo’s and exhibitions If Spring is the season of mellow fruitfulness then the Autumn is when the exhibitions start up in earnest. A whole new raft of kit is required to make a company’s exhibition presence fly; this magazine runs t’s own events programme, with the next one planned for December 2 at Knebworth House, and locking everything down with security hardware from Kensington so it doesn’t go walkies; meanwhile you’ll need something for a good display, equipment to help people interact with you in seminars and keep everything charged

Papershow You have an auditorium of people, you’re administering death by PowerPoint and you know you need to do something to engage them. So someone in the audience has an idea and you ask them if they could sketch it as a diagram. You take a pad over and a peculiarly thick pen, they scrawl on the paper – and it appears on screen, in real time, as they draw it. This is because the pen – and the USB key you’ve put into your computer – comprise PaperShow, a system that takes whatever is drawn onto the special paper they provide and puts it onto your laptop screen, and by extension wherever your laptop display is focused. It’s straightforward to use after a slightly fiddly set-up, in which you have to deactivate your computer’s Bluetooth and set up the key as a Bluetooth

32 | www.businessindependent.co.uk

receiver instead; once you’re over that it’s a breeze and audiences love it. One user we spoke to said it turned his presentation into a conversation, which is exactly as he wanted it. Auditorium and keynote speech settings are of course only one possible use of this gadget. Any setting in which you want extra participation will make this work. The interface is a paper pad, so you can pass it around – and unlike a whiteboard with multiple inputs from tablet computers, which could also do the job, this costs £115 per unit. Mac users will have to wait a few months for their release unless they install Bootcamp or one of the other PC emulators and install a copy of Windows, at which point it starts to work beautifully. You can also use the memory/Bluetooth key for storage – for example, storing your presentation.

TECHNOLOGY Presenter Logitech has released two new presenter tools for those auditorium moments when you’ve seen your competitor dashing to and from the computer and prodding away to change to the next slide, or asking a colleague to switch to the next image. Best for larger gatherings is the Presenter R800. This has buttons you can operate to change slides, clearly, and also a timer which vibrates when you’re two minute, a minute and 30 seconds away from whenever you’re due to finish, and when it reaches zero it starts to count the minutes so you know how long you’re overrunning. Its reception range is 100 ft, so you can do a lot of wandering around a pretty substantial room without losing control of your slides, and its laser pointer is equally visible at a distance. This costs £69.99 and has a smaller sibling, the R400, which has a 50 ft range instead and fewer bells and whistles, costs £44.99 and will still control your presentation without say the timing functions. Logitech guarantees only that these devices will be compatible with PCs, presumably because of warranties and suchlike; we tried one with a Mac running Powerpoint for the Mac and it worked perfectly without any problem at all.

Some readers might have tried the PowerPoint controllers which you can find on (for example) the iPhone. Many of these have positive feedback and appear to work; they are third party applications, however, and there is no guarantee they will work when there’s an upgrade since none are officially sanctioned by Microsoft. Logitech has also issued some new mice which are great when you can’t predict what sort of surface will be available. The Performance Mouse MX (£89.99) and the compact Anywhere Mouse MX (£69.99) both work on smooth glass surfaces, which is usually death to a mouse, by detecting tiny scratches and irregularities on the surface.

Laptop & Display The temptation, when there are laptops available for around £300 or small netbooks for under £200, is to go and buy one of those and take that around with you when you’re on the road showing stuff. The problem with that option is that the displays start to let you down – hooked up to a projector the small sub-£200 models often distort the picture and the larger cheap models are heavy and look distinctly non-businesslike. Many people – your correspondent included – opt for Apple for portability, but this is expensive and will require an adapter (under £20 from any Apple store but another layer of fiddling). For easy use with most peripherals like the aforementioned pointers, mice and Papershow products it makes sense to stick with PC for the moment, and MSi’s recent X600 laptop releases are a portable weight and have full spec for a PC. They start at £599 for a model with 320 gigabytes on the disk and no optical drive and move to £799 if you need the CD and 500 gigs of storage as part of the deal. In terms of where to send the output, Apple sells excellent quality large displays from its stores (try to avoid ordering these online or off the page, if you can go and see one and check for dead pixels it’s better than arranging a product return); many companies offer excellent projectors and recent offerings from Toshiba and Optoma offer full high-definition compatibility. Optoma also offers a pocket projector, the Pico, which fits in the pocket and will take a feed from a portable media player. This is useful for impromptu presentations when there are no obvious facilities around, other than a wall!

www.businessindependent.co.uk | 33

SECURITY

Spend points not punds this Christmas This Christmas you can bring on the festive cheer and reward your business or treat your team and as part of the Nectar Business loyalty programme you can cut the cost of Christmas by spending the Nectar points you’ve collected on your business expenditure throughout the year on a range of treats and rewards. Nectar points can be spent in thousands of ways, whether you’re looking to throw a Christmas party for your staff, treat them to a celebratory meal or a team day out. Alternatively if you want to reward the business with the latest technology or gadgets

such as sat navs or laptops or whether you simply want treat yourself to a few cases of wine or a New Year getaway. As a Nectar Business collector, it’s quick and easy to collect 2 Nectar points per £1 spent, with lots of big name partners, including Dulux Decorator Centres, BOC, Viking Direct and AA to name a few. So whether you’re buying paint supplies or company stationery you can collect lots of points quickly and easily. What’s more, businesses can amass even more points through all the Nectar consumer partners including BP and Expedia, as well as via online shopping at nectarbusiness.com/shoponline where there are over 400 retailers to

choose from such as Amazon, eBay and Play.com. Fergus Goodson and Andrew Dangerfield’s of BlueGroup Retail, a shop fitting and design company in Stockwell London has all been worth it. Their consistent determination has meant the business is now a big success and they also have many additional rewards on the way, thanks to Nectar Business. Fergus signed the company up to the Nectar Business loyalty programme two years ago when he realised they could earn Nectar points on the company’s paint supplies through Dulux Decorator Centres. Fergus also collects regular points for the business through buying sta-

tionery at Viking Direct and petrol for the company vans at BP. “Signing up to Nectar Business was a no-brainer business decision, because we place bulk orders which means we can build a lot of points quickly and very easily. We then like to save the Nectar points earn for our team Christmas party. This year, we’re thinking of a big party with lots of wine, music and even a team day out paintballing – all treats we can pay for using our Nectar points,” said Fergus. Fergus continues; “The Nectar Business programme is great, it’s quick and easy to collect and we can then use the points we earn to reward the team for all their hard work!”

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MOTORING

The pride of the fleet The Lexus LS600h L is not only the world’s first four-wheel drive hybrid V8 but also the flagship of the luxury brand’s range. It offers a discreet but strong challenge to its better known German rivals, says Dave Sumner Smith

How comfortable is it? The ‘basic’ models of the LS are large, wellequipped and comfortable. Leather upholstery, heated rear seats, electric sunshades and air conditioned front seats come as standard. The range-topper gets an extra 12cm in length, plus a specification that includes dropdown video screens, air conditioned, electronically adjustable rear seats and a cool box. There is even an optional rear relaxation pack, which adds a massage system to the adjustable Ottoman foot and thigh rest.

What is it like to drive? It may be large in scale and traditional in style, but the LS600h L is no slouch. Far from it. The 375bhp power of the 5.0-litre V8 and the rechargeable batteries generate 520Nm of torque, delivered to all four wheels through a continuously variable transmission. The net result is a seamless, smooth delivery of huge power: Brains and muscles combined with seemingly effortless ease.

brands. The fact its hybrid status wins exemption from London’s Congestion Charge and gives more than 30mpg are minor benefits. More impressive are its comfort, sophistication, space and silken refinement.

Does it make financial sense? The LS is far from cheap. The ‘base model’ starts at £61,540 and the flagship LS600h L cost £87,935. But that is £17k less than a Mercedes S600L, and the Lexus retains its value better, has a superior reputation for reliability and offers superior dealer service. Quotes on contracthireandleasing.com suggest leasing costs only two thirds of the Mercedes’ price at £1300-1400pcm.

What else should I consider? Obviously its main competitors are the BMW 7-series, Mercedes S-Class and Audi A8. The Maserati Quattroporte offers a different flavour of glamour, while the recently announced Jaguar XJ and Porsche Panamera may also be worth considering.

Will it impress? Despite its hybrid status, the Lexus is hardly trendy. But it is quietly (and deservedly) winning custom from high status European

Any toys and gadgets? The LS600h L is a toy-lover’s nirvana. As well as flip down screens to watch DVDs,

massage seats and thigh and feet supports, it also has a 19 speaker sound system, four zone climate control, rear parking camera, park assist and a pre-crash safety system. For hardcore gadget-lovers there’s even a Smart Card instead of an ignition key.

What does it say about me? The stretched Lexus is too restrained and understated to be fashionable. Like a finelytailored suit, it isn’t glamorous. It suggests the owner doesn’t need a badge to bolster their ego and is more interested in sophistication and comfort than appearing ‘flash’. www.businessindependent.co.uk | 35

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