business plusbradfordchamber.info/businessplus/businessplus... · Chamber Contacts Information...
19
delivering marketing for your business Autumn 2011 Bradford ChamBer memBers magazine - £3 business plus Bradford ChamBer memBers magazine - £3
Transcript of business plusbradfordchamber.info/businessplus/businessplus... · Chamber Contacts Information...
delivering marketingfor your business
businessbusinessbusinessbusinessbusinessbusinessbusinessbusinessbusinessbusinessplusbusinessplusbusinessbusinessplusbusinessplusplusplusplusplusplusplusAutumn
plusAutumn
plusAutumn
plusplusAutumn
plusAutumnAutumn
plusAutumn
plusplusAutumn
plusAutumn
plusAutumn
plusAutumn
plusAutumn
plusAutumn
plusAutumn
plusAutumn
plusAutumn
plusAutumn
plusAutumn
plusplusplusplusplus20112011
plus2011
plus2011
plus2011
plus2011
plus2011
plus2011
plus2011
plusAutumn2011
Bradford ChamBer memBers magazine - £3
businessplus
Bradford ChamBer memBers magazine - £3
Chamber ContactsInformation 01274 354751
Sponsorship 01274 777887
Membership 01274 354751
Events 01274 354759
Training 01274 354755
International 01274 354490
Lobbying 01274 354491
Environment 01274 354492
Property 01274 354493
Community 01274 354494
Finance 01274 354495
Editorial ContactsPress & PR
Send your news, press releases, or any
advertising and sponsorship queries to:
Bradford Chamber, Devere House,
Vicar Lane, Little Germany,
Bradford BD1 5AH
Editorial
‘businessplus’ is produced and designed
in-house at the Bradford Chamber.
T: 01274 230057 F: 01274 771081
W: www.bradfordchamber.co.uk
Editorial Consultant
Sue Coffey, Zymo Marketing & PR
T: 07957 558150
Printed by Resource Print Solutions
T: 0113 205 8300
DisclaimerInformation provided in this magazine is reproduced
in good faith, and is believed to be correct at
the time of publication. Bradford Chamber is not
responsible for information from third parties.
The editor reserves the right to edit articles in
accordance with the style of the magazine and to
decline any unsuitable material submitted.
Our futureEarlier this year attendees of the Keighley
Business Network were introduced to the
opportunities presented by personalised
marketing campaigns, which delivered
impressive results. As you will see from
the front cover of “businessplus” we have
adopted personalisation ourselves.
We’d love to hear what your reaction is.
It feels like the start of a new year in
the Chamber world. You have elected a
new President, Steve Wright of Thorite
and a Vice President, Paul Mackie of Rex
Procter, plus four new Chamber Council
members. It’s great to have the range of
views, knowledge and expertise committed
to helping the local business community.
Nationally we have a new Director General,
John Longworth of Harrogate, who in his
first two weeks is getting plenty of coverage
on business issues in the national media.
The Government has talked a great deal
about the Big Society and encourages more
people to volunteer to help others. Here in
Bradford we’ve a brilliant example of how
companies of all sizes have contributed to
a national initiative to have a real impact
locally. I’m referring to the House of the
Future and the rocket launch, created by
local companies as part of the British Science
Festival held in Bradford in September.
Do have a look at the relevant articles and
see what Bradford companies created.
Sandy NeedhamChief Executive
Catch up with Chamber members
Russ Piper has a healthy view on business
Is your business a rising star?
LEPs gets priorities right
High speed on the hard shoulder
Get sick, get well, get your policies right
Cooking up an online solution
Be Involved are in the house
Real life success in a virtual world
Get yourself in the club
Recycling dreams
Raising money for Manorlands
Padding it out
Planes, trains and automation systems
Keep pace with the Annual Dinner
Solving your cash conundrums
Welcome to our new members
Angel Telecom
Make marketing personal
4 Membership
10 Interview
11 Growth
12 Information
13 Lobbying
14 Employment
15 Support
16 Community
19 Property
20 Finance
23 Environment
24 Membership
25 Technology
26 International
28 Events
29 Savings
30 Directory
34 Patrons
36 Marketing
Patrons
YourChamber We hope you enjoy your final edition of businessplus this year!
By working with Chamber member Resource
Print Solutions we have produced a series of
personalised editions. These help illustrate how
effective communication can be when it’s created
with the person receiving it in mind. We always try
to make sure every businessplus has something in
it for everyone. Read on to find out our hand-picked
highlights for you in this edition.
Whatever the size of your business we hope you find
the magazine filled with relevant information to help
you in both day-to-day running and future plans for
growth and development.
Communication technology is something that every
business needs, regardless of size, structure or sector.
Visit page 25 for a ‘tablet’ overview with guidance on
the pros and cons of each model on the market.
Are you fully briefed on the latest goings on in
Bradford and the wider business community? Our
lobbying and news section on pages 12-13 will keep you
up to date on the Local Enterprise Partnerships and
proposed boundary changes. Find out too about high
speed rail and planned changes to the M62.
Plus, don’t forget to visit
www.works-smarter.co.uk/bradfordchamber
and win two tickets to Bradford Chamber’s Annual
Dinner – THE networking event of the year!
Turn to page 28 for details on the event.
2
busi
ness
plus
Aut
umn2
011
ww
w.b
radf
ordc
ham
ber.c
o.uk
/bus
ines
splu
sC
on
ten
tsbusinessplus Autum
n2011 ww
w.bradfordcham
ber.co.uk/businessplus
3
Com
men
t
Full houseMalik House Business Centre is operating at virtually 100% occupancy. This positive indicator for the future of Bradford demonstrates both the resilience and capability of local business, says the landlord.
A vibrant mix of tenants including a therapist, call centre, charity and recruitment agency have led to Malik House employing seven full time staff with 70 people working in the building altogether.
Malik House has two floors of serviced offices, hot-desks and meeting rooms plus onsite café. Virtual offices are an option for start-ups, freelancers or self-employed workers looking for a prominent, cost effective city centre base.
Business Development Director Clare Viner said: “I am delighted with everything we have achieved. Our next focus is conferences and events. We have just taken on an events and sales executive as well as a café supervisor to take the business forward. We are also actively looking at sites for new business centres to develop the Malik House brand across Yorkshire.”
Car dealership JCT600 has revamped its MINI dealership, while staff have scaled the heights of Yorkshire in a double-plus good story.
Stunt driver Russ Swift put the MINI through its paces before admiring an eye catching new feature at the extended showroom – a MINI suspended 30ft up the wall!
Representing a £700,000 investment, the new Sticker Lane showroom is double its original size and boasts a stylish black decor with orange and lime green accents, synonymous with the MINI brand. A launch event saw Russ Swift entertain guests and prize winners with his amazing driving skills. Guests were able to make and sample sushi
as well as try non-alchoholic ‘mocktails’ and complementary ice creams.
In a separate initiative, more than 20 staff undertook a 24 mile walk of the Three Peaks to raise funds for Help the Heroes. Led by chief executive John Tordoff, the team completed the 5,000 foot climb in less than 12 hours.
Approaching a hat trick!Little Germany’s Approach PR has been shortlisted for a hat trick of industry awards.
For the sixth consecutive year, the consultancy, which is celebrating a decade in business, is in the running for the Chartered Institute of Public Relations annual PRide Awards which celebrates the most talented agencies and outstanding campaigns in Yorkshire and Lincolnshire.
Approach has been shortlisted for Best Campaign Under £10k and Best Use of Social Media for its work with Reverend Ray Biddiss and his Triumph motorcycle hearse while Senior Account Manager Verity Hudson has been nominated Outstanding Young Communicator.
Approach has already won a total of 14 industry awards including Gold for Best Use of Media Relations, Gold for Corporate and Business Communications and Silver for its Charity and Not for Profit campaign.
Law firm Schofield Sweeney has confirmed a major sponsorship arrangement with the National Media Museum in Bradford. The firm is the first to join the museum’s ‘Legends’ corporate membership scheme and is now a ‘Dimbleby Partner’ named after Richard Dimbleby.
Martin Sweeney, Managing Partner of Schofield Sweeney said: “Support for the National Media Museum, one of the jewels in the city’s crown, makes sense commercially, in terms of social responsibility and as support for the arts. We are delighted to be starting out on this important partnership with the museum.”
The firm has also agreed a ‘meanwhile use’ with arts organisation Fabric for the ground floor of its Church Bank House in Little Germany.
Air heads get aheadThorite, the UK’s biggest distributor of pneumatic products has appointed Mike Armstrong as National Accounts Manager.
A compressed air and pneumatics professional, Mike is relishing the challenge of his new role, which involves managing Thorite’s innovative ‘20:20 Vision Total Air Management Programme’ on a national basis. Mike said: “Compressed air production involves considerable financial outlay, but major savings are possible using the 20:20 Vision programme. Customers also benefit from lower purchasing costs with stock management and Thorite’s massive buying power.”
In the media eyeBradford born Fatima Patel, managing director of Chamber member I & E media and Raj Parmar, Director of Sunrise Radio (Yorkshire) recently launched the UK’s first free regional Asian Sunday newspaper titled Asian Sunday.
The UK’s first female Muslim Lord Mayor officially launched the paper. 10% of all profits raised over the next
three editions will go to the Lord Mayor’s Appeal for Marie Curie. The newspaper will be published twice a month and delivered free to 100,000 homes across Bradford.
Fatima Patel said: “I always aspired to do something that connected communities. We have many positives to shout about that don’t reach traditional print media so we decided to do something about it. We spoke to our clients and potential customers who all gave us their backing.”
Shaping upBradford-based creative agency Dulay Seymour has been appointed to raise the profile of physiotherapy provider Physio Med. The agency will work together with a Leeds-based PR firm to drive the Physio Med business forward.
The agencies were appointed following a competitive three-way pitch. Phil Clayton, Managing Director of Physio Med, said: “It was clear from the first conversation with Dulay Seymour that they understood what we were about and what we needed to do.”
Managing Director of Dulay Seymour, Billy Dulay, said: “The new branding is a crucial first step in an extensive campaign, which will also include both offline and digital activity.”
Thrills and SpallsSpall Ltd, based just off Leeds Road, is one of the biggest bespoke manufacturers of football kits in the United Kingdom. But no job is too small as proved when the firm provided the Bradford Chamber team with a rush job of personalised printed t-shirts for their entry in the Rotary Club’s ‘It’s a knock out’ style games in the summer.
The Chamber team, nicknamed ‘Chamber Chumps’ for the day, came third in the event. For climbing walls, dribbling footballs and using 20ft chopsticks, the event raised over £1,700 for the Rotary Club’s charities
Dealer drives forward at the double
StoringsuccessSkipton courier Euro-tran has a new commercial storage service and recently added two new vehicles to its fleet.
Two warehouses are now available offering easy storage capabilities for businesses large and small across the region.
Ron Roberts, Marketing Director, said: “We are delighted to offer so much more to our customers thanks to our new warehouse acquisition. Our clean and secure site is the ideal storage solution for any business that needs more space but can’t justify bigger premises. The new vehicles also give us greater flexibility as we can now take more pallets and parcels.”
Watch the Baird-ie
L - R: Becky Armstrong, Verity Hudson, Vikki McCrindle, Stephanie Ayre. Sitting: Claire Moulds, Suzanne Johns
L-R: Richard Hargraves, Russ Swift and Gordon Mee
L-R: Martin Sweeney, Chris Schofield, Rob Shaw, Iain Logie Baird, Andrew Hurst and Darren Birkinshaw
L-R: Raj Parmar, Lord Mayor Naveeda Ikram and Fatima Patel
busi
ness
plus
Aut
umn2
011
ww
w.b
radf
ordc
ham
ber.c
o.uk
/mem
bers
hip
4
Mem
bers
hip
businessplus Autumn2011 w
ww
.bradfordchamber.co.uk/m
embership
5
Mem
bersh
ip
Jon’s got chemistry
Top of the apprentice popsIncommunities has acquired two top accolades.
The first was recognition in the first national Top 100 list of Apprenticeship Employers. The top 100 list is supported by the National Apprenticeship Service (NAS) and City & Guilds.
The second was winning the Yorkshire and Humberside ‘What We Are Proud Of?’ Award 2011 with its ‘Your Sporting Chance’ project.
Your Sporting Chance aims to contribute to community cohesion, reduce anti-social behaviour and reverse the stereotypical views of youths today. It works with professional sporting organisations and uses the brand and players to encourage engagement.
CR Taylor Timber has undergone a makeover following the completion of a major restructuring and rebranding programme.
Charles Taylor took over as executive chairman 12 months ago during the company’s milestone 50th anniversary year, returning the firm back to its founding family’s hands.
Charles said: “We have improved all areas of our operation and introduced a new logo which reinforces our brand and eco-friendly ethos, underpinned by our
'chain of custody' accreditations from both the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC).
The final piece of the CR Taylor Timber jigsaw has been to further strengthen its sales operation with the appointment of Andy Leech as the firm’s new sales manager. Andy, from Doncaster, has over 30 years’ experience in the timber trade across the north and midlands.
Pictured: CR Taylor Timber’s engineered timber products team
Brand development and website specialist Jon Davis has joined Bradford creative and marketing agency This is Chemistry as senior account manager. He brings 18 years of strategic marketing and communications experience to the agency, led by partners Jonathan Southcott and Martin Fisher.
This is Chemistry took up residence in Little Germany almost five years ago and work with national and regional clients.
Says Jon: “This is Chemistry set high standards in client service and I’m excited to join their team at a time of business growth.”
Health, energy and environment services provider QEST has formed a partnership with Virusafe to train staff providing a service to kill 99.99% of pathogens and bad bacteria.
MD Paul Meer now wants to introduce the service into hospitals, care homes, schools,
surgeries and vets to prevent the spread of super-bugs like MRSA.
Paul said: “QEST has the technology, products and training to provide a professional biocidal environment fogging service to combat infection. I believe prevention is better than the cure when saving lives.”
Keep an eye on I WearCity centre optician I Wear became the only practice in Bradford to stock the premium sunglasses brand Maui Jim this summer.
The Maui Jim brand is billed as the fastest growing premium polarized sunglass maker in the world, using cutting edge technology to combat intense glare and harmful UV while bringing brilliant colours to life.
The brand’s arrival was celebrated by a special invite-only showcase evening. I Wear MD Sukhvinder Virdee was extremely pleased with the success of the event as he said: “We had a fantastic turn out which led to great networking opportunities and a lot of happy customers.”
A business training programme developed by Chamber member and founder of Red Elephant HR Joanne Vose, has received approval from four of West Yorkshire’s top learning institutions.
Bradford University, Leeds Trinity University College, Wakefield College and Joseph Priestley College have all accepted the Better Business MasterClass as an
approved progression route to some of their further education programmes.
Joanne developed the Better Business MasterClass in partnership with finance expert Nigel Gorski and marketing consultant Ros Walker, after the three joined forces earlier this year to form The Business Springboard, a business training company.
Elephant flies high
Pictured: Jon Davis with original artwork by young Yorkshire artist George ‘Geo’ Law
Back to their roots
Raise the roofSocial enterprise Action for Business has enjoyed a double celebration. The 15th anniversary of Carlisle Business Centre was marked by opening refurbished conference facilities.
“It was clear that the hall needed investment to meet the sophisticated requirements of conference organisers and to allow greater flexibility for community use,” says ABL’s Chief Executive, Jenny Pupius.
The ambitious £500,000 project quite literally raised the roof of the centre. The hall’s suspended ceiling was removed to reveal the building’s apex roof with windows added for natural light. Electronically operated roller blinds shut out the daylight when required and improved AV equipment has been installed. The new look main hall seats up to 200 people, but the space can be split for smaller events.
To match the new facility, the Business Centre’s popular on-site café has also undergone a complete refurbishment and redesign.
L-R: Jenny Pupius, Councillor Naveda Ikram, Shaukat Ahmed MBE, Steve Wyler OBE
QEST cleans best
Students studying for a BTEC in construction at Tong High School in Bradford are benefitting from a new initiative led by construction consultants Rex Procter & Partners.
Six pairs of students will attend a group of Yorkshire-based building businesses during a two week period to interview a number of people within each organisation. The scheme concludes with students presenting their findings to their teachers, families and the companies involved.
Tong High School’s construction teacher, Justin Millard, said: “This is a fantastic opportunity to integrate the classroom with the reality of construction. We are very pleased to be the first school to benefit.
“We would like to thank Rex Procter & Partners and the other scheme members for taking the time and effort to engage with these young people.”
Participating businesses include Rance Booth & Smith Architects, building surveyors RP&P Management Ltd and electrical engineering contractor Pitts Wilson Electrical.
Paul Mackie, chairman at Rex Procter & Partners, said: “We strongly believe in business and the community working together to provide opportunities for young people. The aim is to raise awareness of career opportunities within the construction industry which students may not currently know about.”
Classroom in construction
L-R: Dee Malone, Jordan Oddy, Paul Mackie, Trude Feiweles, Haroon Osman, Justin Millard
Chamber member Sett sent a formal invitation to Rt Hon Liam Fox, MP, and Secretary of State for Defence, to undertake a placement at their Bradford offices. This came following comments made by Mark Prisk MP in the Independent newspaper proposing senior civil servants and ministers undertake week-long work experience placements and “get their hands dirty”.
Rob Walters, Managing Director of software developer Sett believes much could be learned by ministers and civil servants from the problems
in the ‘real world’. He said: “The private sector has a lot of knowledge that government can benefit from.”
Asked what tasks Mr Fox would be given if he chose to accept the offer of a placement at Sett, Rob Walters said: “He’d be working with me on some of the information systems projects we undertake, gaining an overview of issues clients face and the ways we aim to overcome them. He’d also be expected to empty his own bin, take deliveries and make tea for clients.”
Sett gets defensive
Kiran Virdee of I Wear
busi
ness
plus
Aut
umn2
011
ww
w.b
radf
ordc
ham
ber.c
o.uk
/mem
bers
hip
6
Mem
bers
hip
businessplus Autumn2011 w
ww
.bradfordchamber.co.uk/m
embership
7
Mem
bersh
ip
Guarding against complacencyAcclaimed Security has won the ‘Company of the Year’ award from ‘Business & Industry Today’ magazine following an assessment of customer service, new growth, innovative products, investment in staff and training, and future planning.
Roy Unwin, Managing Director of the business, said: “We are delighted to receive this highly respected award. It is wonderful to be recognised for the hard work and commitment shown by our staff.”
Business & Industry Today said: “As we looked further into Acclaimed Security, the best quote to describe them seems to be ‘second to none’. We noted that people were particularly impressed with the full and comprehensive feedback and reports. We also felt Acclaimed really do go the extra mile for their customers. Together with the impressive list of accreditations Acclaimed have, we are proud to call Acclaimed Security our Company of the Year!”
Gary Peacock, General Manager of Bradford’s Midland Hotel, is urging local employers to take on apprentices in a bid to address the shortage of jobs for young people.
Currently recruiting two apprentices, the hotel boss said: “We will work with Bradford College to give ambitious young people a springboard to a career in the hospitality industry.
“An aspiring chef will be recruited for our kitchen brigade, while a second apprentice will work ‘front of house’ providing conference and dining services.
“Our company has invested more than £3.5 million improving the hotel, which we intend to become four star rated, so it’s essential we recruit staff who share my team’s passion for high standards.”
A D Graphics Screen Printers has celebrated a major milestone this year. The printing firm, based in a 19th Century former coach house in Bradford, has achieved 30 years since it was first founded by the company’s namesakes Allison & Dunn.
David Smith, owner, says he is extremely passionate about the service provided to customers for all those years.
David said: “Our highly skilled team pride themselves on the variety of businesses we cater for and the range of materials we can print. Celebrating 30 years in business is a great testament to the dedication and expertise of our staff without whom we couldn’t produce the fine quality Screen Printed products we are so well known for.”
The company marked the occasion by launching their new website and enjoying a celebratory fish supper.
“We want to thank all our customers and look forward to the next 30 years”, added David.
Experience adds upAccountancy might be one profession where you would think a degree is a necessity, but this is not the case, as Bradford-based accountancy firm Watson Buckle is proving.
The practice recently took on new trainee Robyn Hannan, who joined straight from St Joseph’s Catholic College in Bradford following her GCSEs.
Robyn will work at the firm while studying on a three-year AAT (Association of Accounting Technicians) course.
“As I enjoy working with figures it was a logical step for me to join an accountancy practice straight from school. I hope to prove that you don’t have to have a degree to become a success in the accounting industry,” said Robyn.
Counting up the yearsNaylor Wintersgill has congratulated three members of staff for their long service with the firm. Marian Moorhouse (Payroll Manager), Wendy Wintersgill (Receptionist) and Keith Soames (Accountant) celebrated 25 years, 28 years and 47 years respectively – a total of 100 years!
The occasion was marked by staff raising a cup of tea as part of the Marie Curie “Blooming Great Tea Party” campaign. The occasion generated £60 for this worthy cause.
A musical liftWhen Mrs Overall makes a dramatic entrance in a number of ongoing amateur productions of Victoria Wood’s Acorn Antiques the Musical, it will be on an Acorn Stairlift.
Victoria Wood has personally changed the words of one of the songs to sing about the Acorn Stairlift being used.
Steeton based Acorn is one of the world’s largest suppliers of stairlifts in the world. The firm has offered a free stairlift to all of the amateur groups producing Acorn Antiques the Musical throughout the UK this year.
Dave Belmont, Company Secretary, said: “We were first approached by an amateur group near Manchester asking to borrow a stairlift. Since then, we have offered our stairlifts to every other group producing the musical.
“It is generating quite a bit of interest in the entertainments sections of regional newspapers. It isn’t often they receive a press release from a stairlift company!”
Shoot for the starsOne in a Million, a Bradford based charity that was established 5 years ago, is holding its 3rd annual Stars Awards and fundraising event at Bradford Grammar school on 22 October 2011.
Well known personalities from the world of television, sport and business will honour the achievements of Bradford’s children and young people. This year’s celebrity guests include Wayne Jacobs (ex premiership footballer), Brian Noble (ex Bradford Bulls manager), Tom Milner (Waterloo Road) and Tanya Arnold (BBC Sports presenter).
One in a Million co-founders Wayne Jacobs and Matthew Band are committed to helping children and young people, many of whom live in deprivation. Thanks to various community-based projects the charity is able to educate up to 750 children and young people every week to help them realise their full potential.
Anyone wishing to book a table should contact Craig McHugh at [email protected]
Heaton Mount, part of Bradford University School of Management, has undergone a substantial refurbishment. Now with 62 hotel-style bedrooms, contemporary dining rooms and training suites, Heaton Mount is available for both corporate and private hire.
Pitching itself as a ‘one stop shop’ for events in West Yorkshire, the venue is hoping to
host weddings, Christmas and private parties and other special occasions.
The venue can accommodate up to 195 theatre style and services include event AV hire and IT support. The colonial conservatory lounge bar, set in luxury surroundings, is also open to the public.
Farm’s on good formKeelham has been featured in the Independent newspaper’s guide to the Top 50 Farm Shops in the UK. The local retailer is just one of three farm shops featured from Yorkshire. The judging panel consisted of six ‘foodies’ and sustainability experts, including some from the BBC’s Good Food and Countryfile Magazines.
The listing encourages visitors to make a detour to the shop's 'renowned in-house butchery department'. Joint owner Victoria Robertshaw said: “We are extremely proud to be featured in the guide. It has been a great team effort to get us to where we are today.”
No apprentice apprehension
Luxury venue
L-R: Keith Soames, Wendy Wintersgill, Marian Moorhouse, Alan Wintersgill
Pictured: Mrs Overall (played by Jane Birdsall in the Huddersfield production) - sitting on an Acorn stairlift.
Roy Unwin with Acclaimed team
L-R: David Smith, Pauline Allison and Richard Allison
L-R: Rose Jackson, Simon Thomas, Gary Heppinstall, Joanne Miller and Karl Mahoneybu
sine
sspl
us A
utum
n201
1 w
ww
.bra
dfor
dcha
mbe
r.co.
uk/m
embe
rshi
p
8
Mem
bers
hip
businessplus Autumn2011 w
ww
.bradfordchamber.co.uk/m
embership
9
Mem
bersh
ip
Leap into another dimensionIs your business about to go intergalactic? Need a little boost to get off the ground?Rising stars could be just the thing for you. Created for businesses with big aspirations, it’s a scheme that offers help and support in areas where you need it most.
We can help you:• Shinealaseronyourpotential
• Developaplanofattack
• Vanquishwhat’sholdingyouback
• Turboboostyourexistingknowledgeandstrengths
• Capturetheresourcesandexpertiseyouneed
• Buildanewworldofsystemstostayincontrol
Spotlight Interview
Is my business eligible?
You may be eligible if your
business is based in the Bradford
Districtbuttradesoutsideofthe
local area and you aim to grow the
business.
Go to www.rising-stars.biz for a
quickonlinequestionnairethat
will check your eligibility and get
you started.
Got all the gear but no idea?
Whetherit’sanamazing
innovation or a business model
that’striedandtested,deciding
to take the plunge and work for
yourself can be daunting.
Ifyou’rejuststartingout,goto
www.mybusinessadvisor.org.uk for
resources, links to useful websites
and free, short, practical courses
which will help you put things in
orderanddecidewhattodonext.
Business already underway?
There are hundreds of ways
that the Chamber can help your
business to grow and save money.
From credit checks and bad debt
recovery to 24hour legal advice
and regular networking events.
Rising Stars not right for you?Bradford Chamber has something for everyone.
Visit www.bradfordchamber.co.uk for further information or
speak to our membership team now on 01274 354750
Q. Please provide a brief overview of your business and your role
A. Sovereign Health Care provides health care cash plans to consumers and businesses. My role as Chief Executive is to lead the company, formulate strategy and make sure the right support to meet objectives is in place.
Q. Describe a typical working day
A. A day will consist of meetings with direct reports, sub-board meetings and work according to current projects. At the moment I am overseeing the design and underwriting of a new cash plan. I may also be out meeting clients, speaking at events, talking to press, or presenting charity cheques. One minute I will be involved in a meeting on strategy, then product development then marketing. It’s extremely varied.
Q. Where did you work before Sovereign?
A. Before Sovereign I was director of channel acquisition at Simply Health Group.
Prior to the health care industry I worked in the field of regulated financial services.
Q. How have things changed since you first started at the firm?
A. When I first joined the company in 2006 as sales and marketing director, Sovereign was very strong financially but had been completely left behind by the competition. There was no corporate product and methods of distribution were not working. The first 18 months involved a lot of product and design work. When I became chief executive in 2009, the process of change continued.
For employees, we introduced job descriptions and appraisals linked to a reward system. Salaries were benchmarked externally.
Customers can now also purchase online or via the telephone. A new CRM system allows us to communicate with clients more effectively and has increased productivity.
Q. Who has given you the best piece of advice in your life and what was it?
A. I worked for James Bawa when he was chief executive of Scottish Legal Life and he said two things that have stuck in my mind. The first was that when we get into senior positions we touch people’s lives with the decisions we make and we should be aware of our responsibility. The second was that we should always look to leave things better than when we found them.
Q. What has been the biggest highlight of your career to date?
A. Essentially, my biggest highlight was becoming a Chief Executive having left school at 16 with just two O levels.
Q. What has been the worst moment? How did you bounce back?
A. The worst moment came at Scottish Legal Life. It was my first time as a Director and I had to make 50 people redundant, including myself. Six months later, I had applied for over 70 roles. It was at that point I started to approach things differently, became a consultant and began my journey into Health Care.
Q. What one thing to help local people would you do differently if you were Prime Minister?
A. As Prime Minister I would look to engage with the people and understand the issues people have before taking action to make a difference. Politicians often represent themselves and their own interests. In business, listening to your employees often generates better solutions and I think that there should be more of that by Politicians.
Q. How does your firm work to help move Bradford’s regeneration forward?
A. Whilst we can’t do much in terms of employing more staff we instead do a lot with charity work. We donate over half a million each year and try to touch people’s lives. It’s nice to give back to Bradford.
Q. In this time of spending cuts backs what should the council’s spending priorities be (top 3 issues, say)?
A. I think the council needs to focus on Bradford feeling better about itself – to raise its self-esteem. It should be a priority to make Bradford attractive to businesses and to people and to improve the transport infrastructure.
Q. What else can be done to help address the current skills shortages – especially in the healthcare industry?
A. The majority of our work is admin based and there isn’t the same level of skills gap as in engineering or manufacturing. I do think what is needed is a more integrated approach and training young people to be ready for available work.
Q. How has membership of Bradford Chamber helped your business?
A. There are a lot of positives. As a member of Chamber Council I have got to know many other businesses. Chamber membership provides direct access to the people who make a difference on a national and local level. Sovereign is also becoming more involved as a business and we are now sponsoring the HR Forum.
Q. What do you think of online networking web sites Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook and do you use them?
A. I do use them. Social networks are a positive thing for business allowing us to freely connect with one another.
Q. How have advances in technology changed your industry?
A. The internet has changed everything! Its potential is only limited by your own lack of imagination when it comes to making it work for your business.
Russ Piper, Sovereign Health Care
busi
ness
plus
Aut
umn2
011
ww
w.b
radf
ordc
ham
ber.c
o.uk
/inf
orm
atio
n
10
Info
rmati
on
businessplus Autumn2011 w
ww
.bradfordchamber.co.uk/grow
th
11
Gro
wth
Employment regulationsSenior civil servants from London heard direct from Chamber members about the ‘fear factor’ of businesses in relation to employment law.
Officials from the Department of Business, Innovation & Skills (BIS) discussed planned changes to regulation on rights to request flexible working and shared annual leave for new parents (see overleaf ). There was also a discussion on how the long redundancy process damages the speed of activity in the workplace.
Refusing requests for flexible working are fraught with anxiety due to the fear of being taken to tribunal, officials were told. An increasingly litigious society enabled many management decisions to be challenged, while redundancy procedures were often clinical to the extreme to avoid claims-chasers.
Recruitment prospects have been harmed by the additional rights from this month given to temporary staff, said some. Others said that, if going into business today, they would avoid taking on staff due to the pace of trying to keep up with new legislation and the need to pay specialist staff just to address the issues.
The meeting was held as part of the Government’s consultation programme on ‘Modern Workplaces’. A British Chambers of Commerce policy adviser was also present.
Hard shoulder running for parts of M62
The £140m scheme – much less than the £350m cost of building an additional lane for each side – involves using the hard shoulder and controlling traffic flows by amending speed limits. A pilot scheme in Birmingham has been operational for five years, with congestion and accidents reduced.
The changes would include technology both in and above the road between junctions 25 (Brighouse/Mirfield) and 30 (Wakefield/Rothwell) to facilitate ‘active traffic management’. The hard shoulder would be used during times of higher volume.
Plans for ‘4-lane working’ on stretches of the M62 are being welcomed by the Chamber.
While members of the Local Affairs Committee, which discussed the issue last month, felt this was not a long-term solution to road congestion, the ‘additional lane’ option offers, in effect, the same improvements without the pro-active traffic management monitoring.
Preparation work commences this month (lane closures are expected only at night) with completion in late 2013.
High Speed 2: questioned The plan to build a high speed rail line to West Yorkshire is being given a cautious welcome locally.
While the idea of a dedicated high speed line to Leeds is beneficial to that city, Bradford businesses remain unsure about the advantages. Bradford Chamber’s submission to government on High Speed 2 notes that the scheme is very expensive and that benefits may not outweigh costs. It is acknowledged that more capacity is needed in the rail network and that new lines would help to free up some of the congestion on the East Coast Main Line.
The submission also calls for continuous improvements to existing links, especially in Yorkshire and across the Pennines.
Some estimates for the full ‘Y’ formation are as high as £44bn. The local business community appears split on whether or not they want the scheme to go ahead: some say ‘do it now’, others say the country cannot afford it, while a third view challenges the cost-benefit ratio.
LEP step-upThe Leeds City Region Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) held its first annual summit last month.
Attended by 750 delegates, the event was used to launch a plan for growth, employment and reduced carbon emissions over the next five years. Four priorities for the city region were revealed: unlocking business and enterprise growth; enabling a flexible, skilled workforce; facilitating a low carbon economy; and creating the right environment for growth.
Also last month, Chairs and Board Members of LEPs nationally gathered together for the inaugural summit of the LEP network. The event was designed to help LEPs tackle issues of shared concern and raise these with ministers at the heart of Government. Four senior Government ministers were there to offer their support to Local Enterprise Partnerships and share their ambitions for economic growth, giving these important locally led bodies a direct line to Whitehall.
The British Chambers of Commerce is coordinating a national LEP network to share ideas and good practice and tackle common challenges around issues like infrastructure, training and company growth.
Business mentors are being sought in Bradford to help newcomers get started and to give guidance in the early years as they start out in business for the first time.
The existing scheme of mentoring is being built on and it is hoped that new and familiar faces will step forward to volunteer to support the ‘newbies’ and pass on their experience and knowledge.
The time needed won’t be too onerous. While we would welcome a chat with anyone with something to pass on to others, we are particularly interested in those with perhaps a little more free time than they have had in previous years.
The time needed to help support a protégé may be as little as a couple of hours a month – nor is it simply one-way traffic with all the benefit going in one direction. Mentoring others is a recognised
management development tool: some organisations require their managers to act as mentors to younger staff as it enhances their understanding of both their own and others’ roles. It has also been proved that the mentor deploys their own skills and knowledge more effectively.
Chamber Council member and current mentor Russell McGrath of Tandem Marketing, said:
“It is rewarding to watch a mentee grow in confidence and see them grow their business and become profitable. Mentoring has shown me my own strengths and also helped me realise the value of having a ‘critical friend’ to discuss challenges with and share ideas and successes.”
Please call 01274 230056 for more information or experience the rewards of being a mentor.
“Mentoring has proven to be a far more enjoyable experience than I imagined it would.”
Plans to reform the way business rate monies are distributed needs certain safeguards, the Government is being told.
Although the initiative is being welcomed as an incentive for local councils to listen more closely to business needs, areas such as Bradford will need to make sure they do not lose out from the change.
Bradford Chamber is now liaising with the local authority and with our national network to ensure a fair deal is the end result. If local councils get to retain business rate revenues (rather than passing them on to central government as now), it could lead to a more ‘pro-growth’ attitude, say the protagonists.
Bradford Chamber opposes rate-setting at local level, however, and this position is backed by the British Chambers of Commerce. BCC’s submission to government also warns against higher taxes for business (though there are no plans within the proposal for this to happen). Some business owners believe that local councils already keep business rate yield and so changing the position would align it with the perception.
The plan was discussed at last month’s Local Affairs Committee. The group also wants Bradford Council’s views on how it thinks the change can help economic development.
Rates to stay local?
Help our new business starters
Stephen takes chargeMore businesses have been added to the list of Bradford ambassadors as the new roll call of Chamber Council is complete.
The monthly meetings of the Chamber’s main policy group will be joined by Glyn Brown, Russell McGrath, Debbie Mellor and Manjinder Singh Sarai. The four are representatives of, respectively, Poplar Engineering, Tandem Marketing Solutions, Keighley Laboratories and Zsphera/The 1875 Restaurant.
In addition, Zab Chughtai of Biodegradable Bag is to cover for her brother Kamran, who is concentrating on core business.
The changes came about at the annual general meeting in the summer, which also saw new President Stephen Wright take over from Harold Robinson. Stephen runs the Thorite Group, which has nine offices and around 100 staff. Paul Mackie of Rex Procter & Partners becomes Vice-President.
Russell McGrath
L-R: Stephen Wright, Paul Mackie
Justin Robinson, Chair of Local Affairs Committee
busi
ness
plus
Aut
umn2
011
ww
w.b
radf
ordc
ham
ber.c
o.uk
/inf
orm
atio
n
12
Info
rmati
on
13
businessplus Autumn2011 w
ww
.bradfordchamber.co.uk/lobbying
Lob
byin
g
The law covering the eligibility of employees to make flexible working applications has been somewhat confusing.
A change to the law was made in October 2010 which was to take effect from 6 April 2011. This was to give the right to request flexible working to parents of children under the age 18. This was to extend the right to request to work flexibly already conferred to parents of children under the age of 17, or under the age of 18 if the child is disabled, and to employees who care for adults aged 18 or over.
However in a late amendment to the law, made on 28 March 2011 and coming into force on 1 April 2011, the elaborately named Flexible Working (Eligibility, Complaints and Remedies)) (Amendment) (Revocation) Regulations 2011 reversed the original intention to extend the age for eligibility.
The intended change to the law therefore never took place and the eligibility criteria therefore remain unchanged for the time being.
Sickness and absence from work will be governed by express and implied contractual terms and conditions in relation to the way that sickness payments and absence monitoring operate. Regardless of the nature of any policies and procedures, all employers should ensure that such policies should not discriminate in any way in terms of how they are applied to employees and also in the way they are constructed.
This is particularly relevant where such policies have elements that are discretionary, particularly in relation to the withholding of sickness payments or the commencement of absence management procedures.
In order to avoid discrimination, procedures should contain clear explanations as to how employers should be informed of sickness absence and how medical certificates should be submitted. They should also make clear the rate and the maximum period of payment for any sickness payments.
Particular care should be taken when managing any absences which may relate to disability, pregnancy and gender reassignment situations.
Where discretionary judgements are part of their contractual sick pay rules, employers should carefully apply any judgments which may result in lower amounts of sickness pay being paid to any employee.
A consistent approach across the organisation is essential to avoid any suggestion of discrimination on grounds of any protected characteristic, but in particular disability or pregnancy.
It’s recommended that the same person is always involved in such discretionary decisions and full records of all payments in relation to all types of absence kept.
Both part time and fixed term employees should be treated consistently in the application of sick pay benefits.
In sickness and in health
Did you know
that potential
discriminatory
elements can
appear in
your sickness
policies?
VegetarianIndian cuisine specialists Prashad, which
catapulted to fame following exposure on Gordon Ramsay’s
Best Restaurant series last year, asked for support through
the Chamber’s new website management service after
recognising the need to improve its online presence.
“We’dexperienced unprecedented enquiries and interest
following the show last year. It transformed our business
and generated thousands of bookings which we continued
to take over the phone,” explained
Operations Manager Bobby Patel.
“We were drowning in enquiries
which was great, but took us away
from what we were known for –
our exceptional food.”
As members of Bradford
Chamber, Bobby turned to its
Business Improvement Consultant
Scott Sellars for advice.
“The Chamber advised us to
install an online booking service to
help us cope with the demand for
tables,” Bobby explains. “Search
Engine Optimisation was also a
focus of the Chamber team to help
keep us ahead of the competition
long after the show had aired and
increase web traffic further.”
After the Chamber’s website overhaul, Prashad is not only
taking table bookings over the internet but the improved site
allows visitors to read reviews, purchase gifts and watch
Prashad’s recipe demonstrations.
Scott Sellars added: “Prashad was a great challenge
because they had an instant high volume of web traffic after
the show which created an unprecedented level of bookings
that the team needed to manage internally.
“Our aim has been to refresh the
website and sustain the enquiries while
incorporating an online booking service
to free Prashad from unmanageable
administration. Bobby and the team have
been incredibly open-minded and flexible
in embracing the level of online changes
we recommended and the result is a new
website which has taken a static shop
window into an interactive and fulfilling
online store.”
Bradford Chamber also offers email
addresses and a top class SEO service
to local businesses as well as website
management and design.
For more information visit www.bradfordchamber.co.uk or contact Scott Sellars on 01274 354496.
“As a small, family team, we needed our website to become a functional business tool to support us in our day-to-day management of the restaurant.”Bobby Patel, Operations Manager
Serving up a spicy solution
New .XXX top level domains went on international sale from 7 September 2011.Is there a threat to your brand?
From 7 September it will be possible for someone to buy yourbusinessname.XXX. This could give people the false impression that your brand is associated with adult, or other inappropriate, content.
How to overcome the threat
If you are a trademark owner, you can protect your brand. You just need to register to block the .XXX domain for your trademark. By doing this, you can prevent adult websites using your trademarked brand.
If you don’t have a trademark, you can still pre-order the .XXX domain for your business name to protect your brand. However, the registration period for non-trademark owners won’t open until the 6 December.
The Chamber can help
If you feel your brand needs protecting from this potential risk please contact Scott Sellars on 01274 354496E: [email protected]
Bradford Chamber has transformed how Prashad, one of Bradford’s best-known restaurants, manages its customers. Internet expert Scott Sellars created an online system that now handles 40% of all bookings.
For HR help and advice go to www.chamberhr.co.uk or call 01274 354497
Protect your brand online
busi
ness
plus
Aut
umn2
011
ww
w.b
radf
ordc
ham
ber.c
o.uk
/em
ploy
men
t
14
Em
plo
ymen
tbusinessplus Autum
n2011 ww
w.bradfordcham
ber.co.uk/support S
up
port
15
Driving forceBeInvolved,Bradford’sbusinessandcommunity engagement organisation, is looking forward to receiving £45,000 and a brand-new community van, thanks to its new three-year partnership with Provident Financial.
Provident Financial will donate £15,000 per year over
the next three years to support the delivery of the Be Involved
programme. The donation forms part of Provident’s ‘Good
Neighbour’ community programme, in which the company
partners local organisations across the UK to enable them to
deliver initiatives and activities to benefit local communities.
The new community van will be vital for transporting all of the
tools and materials necessary for a Be Involved team challenge
to take place. The van was formally presented to the Be Involved
team on 17 August when a team of 50 volunteers from Provident
took part in a team challenge to help create a community allotment
on the Holmewood estate.
Provident has been working closely with the Be Involved
team for the past seven years on developing and delivering its
corporate responsibility agenda. Initiatives so far have included
team challenge days involving over 350 staff a year, individual
volunteering on the boards of local community organisations,
brokerage of sponsorships and donations and pro-bono work for
Bradford District’s community and voluntary organisations.
Cathy Atkinson, Community Affairs Executive at Provident
Financial, said: “We are delighted to hand over the funding and
the new van. Both Provident and Be Involved are passionate about
working to improve our local neighbourhoods and change lives for
the better.”
Anthony Waddington, Be Involved Programme Manager,
said: “It’s fantastic that Provident has made a commitment to
supporting the Be Involved project for the next three years. We
have done some tremendous work but none of this would be
possible without financial backing and this is where Provident
has really stepped up. We would like to invite other organisations
to come on board and support us by joining the Be Involved Best
Friends and Buddies scheme.”
If your business is interested in getting involved in business volunteering you can contact the Be Involved team on 01274 354494 or at www.beinvolved.co.uk
Plans to create a ‘house of the future’ culminated in a government minister being shown around just such a place recently.
During the summer Be Involved’s Anthony Waddington suggested to a Chamber colleague that businesses in the property sector donate products and services to a run-down house to demonstrate energy efficiency. In just two months that house has been filled with various utilities and supported by more than 40 firms.
The project was linked to the British Science Festival, in Bradford on 10-15 September, which was attended by the Science Minister David Willetts. Anthony was able to escort the minister around 13 Lower Rushton Road in Thornbury accompanied by others from a steering group that met weekly to ensure progress.
Bradford Council loaned the house to Bradford Property Forum for the duration, while the project was managed by Rex Procter & Partners. Other major volunteers and contributors to the scheme included Incommunities, Rance Booth Smith and Skipton Properties.
Some businesses gave specific products – either temporary or permanent – while others simply paid for a product or service to be hired for the two-week period. Thanks go out to all those involved for their support in making this project a success.
Examples of the products and services installed in the house included:
• Photo-voltaic (solar) panels on the roof
• High quality insulation, to reduce energy demand
• Windows with top-level thermal performance to minimise heat loss
• Mechanical ventilation with heat recovery
• Voltage optimisation control of electricity
• Permeable paving to reduce pollution levels in water
Much of the project involved what is known as the Passivhaus approach, a design process more often associated with new buildings with the aim of using the minimum of energy.
Anthony said: “Hats off to everyone for stepping up and delivering on this one – it was an interesting and challenging few weeks leading up to the festival but ultimately worth it.”
Project Manager Josh Donnelly of Rex Procter & Partners added: “We had a couple of close calls with late delivery of goods but it all came together in the end. It shows what can be done when businesses work together for the greater good.”
‘Special mentions’ go out to Bradford Council for the loan of the house and Richard Sabey at Rance Booth Smith for going ‘above and beyond’ the call of duty.
Science project sees energy savings
MANY THANKS TO THESE SUPPLIERSAppletec Signs ComponentsArnold LaverBe InvolvedBradford ChamberBradford Community Environment Project Bradford CouncilBradford Environment Action TrustBradford Property ForumButterfield SignsCamiraCommunity RepaintCo-operative GroupExtreme GraphicsGamma IlluminationGreen Bean CarsGreen Building Store ICBIdealIncommunities InterfaceFLORJB M&E Plumbing & ElectricalMarshallsMK ElectricalNational Media MuseumNatural Building TechnologiesNora Flooring SystemsPaul Waite AssociatesPEC Building & ShopfittingRance Booth SmithRex Procter & PartnersSkipton PropertiesTekturaUniversity of BradfordVent-AxiaVO4HOMEWates ConstructionWatson BattyWheelden PrintWYG
Rocket launch challenge takes off Last month, as part of the British Science Festival being in Bradford, Thorite, the UK’s leading supplier of compressed air products, Be Involved and Space Connections held a challenge for young people in the District.
Thorite designed and built a powerful compressed air rocket launcher and challenged young people in Bradford to create rockets that would fly. In tests the rocket launcher reached more than 180metres!
Groups of young people were given rockets prior to the event and then asked to report to Lower Fields Primary School near Laisterdyke on 15 September. At the school there were a range of space-related activities organised by Bradford-based social enterprise Space Connections including smaller rocket launches, a mobile planetarium and opportunities to sample real astronaut space food.
Each team was provided with a basic tube. It was their job to build a rocket around the tube using whatever materials they could find. Plastic bottles, polystyrene, papier mache, plastic sheet and cardboard were among the materials used to create the rocket launcher.
Safety equipment experts Arco got involved with the challenge, donating ten white lab coats and safety helmets. These were used by Thorite and the Be Involved team staffing the event, keeping everyone safe.
Thorite’s Managing Director (and new Chamber President) Stephen Wright, said: “It was good to be involved in this worthwhile project, which showed that this key school curriculum subject is not necessarily technical or boring as some schoolchildren have previously said.”
Be Involved’s Anthony Waddington added: “This was a great idea that happened in a really short space of time. Thanks to the enthusiasm of everyone involved it proved to be a positive and fulfilling experience
There were prizes for:
Furthest flight Best looking rocket Booby prize (most dramatic launch)
busi
ness
plus
Aut
umn2
011
ww
w.b
radf
ordc
ham
ber.c
o.uk
/com
mun
ity
Com
mu
nit
y
16
businessplus Autumn2011 w
ww
.bradfordchamber.co.uk/com
munity
Com
mu
nity
17
Bradford-based Brazilian Flavours Ltd, headed by Isabel Gordon, has doubled her sales since securing product listings with supermarket giants Waitrose, Asda and Ocado. And she achieved all of this by using the Virtual Office Service provided by Bradford Chamber.
Brazilian Flavours is the UK’s leading producer of natural, gluten-free pre-mixes. Since launching in 2005, Isabel has used the Virtual Office Service at the Chamber’s Commerce Court premises to keep overheads down and create a professional image for her operation.
Bradford Chamber members can use the business reception and meeting room facilities in any of its three premises across Bradford. All are fully managed and provide clients with a professional address and secure mail storage. The facility provides a solution for smaller local businesses that want to grow with minimal financial restrictions.
Bradford Chamber also offers a Hot Desk service, funded by Bradford Kickstart, which allows small local businesses to rent office or workshop space contract-free at the Chamber’s Commerce Court, Challenge Way near Tyersal.
Andrew Robertson, Property Director at Bradford Chamber, said: “Our Virtual Office Service is an effective facility for companies like Brazilian Flavours. It’s great value and provides companies with a business address and other office services without the expense of paying salaries or rent. Businesses working from home are able to project a professional image through the service at a low cost.”
Thinking global brings local success
Isabel said:
“ The Virtual Office Service is perfect for a business like ours where overheads need to be kept to a minimum.
Securing our first big supermarket order was a real turning point and just what we needed to grow. As well as the obvious financial rewards, doing business with the major supermarkets also brings us credibility.
Having a good financial structure and lower running costs allows us to be more innovative – what Brazilian Flavours is all about.”
For information on the Virtual Office Service call 01274 354493
businessplus Autumn2011 w
ww
.bradfordchamber.co.uk/property
19
Pro
perty
eastcoast.co.uk
In business, buying a new golf club can be just as crucial as following the FTSE 100 share index. Fortunately, all of our East Coast First Class carriages have free Wi-Fi, so you can stay on top of your game for your entire journey. No wonder business is taking the train.
FREE WI-FI TO
FIRST CLASSLONDON
72 Bradford CoC Advert.indd 1 25/11/2010 10:44
With draft legislation set to be published this
autumn regarding changes to the Controlled
Foreign Company (CFC) rules ahead of full
reform in 2012, we take a look at the implications
for businesses.
The measures are being introduced in order to
stop businesses artificially diverting profits from
the UK to countries with a more favourable tax
regime, while ensuring that they can remain
competitive. As a result, the government hopes
to attract new inward investment to the UK and
ensure that companies which are already based
here chose to stay.
What do these measures mean?
Companies will be required to pay a proportion
of any profits which are considered to have been
artificially diverted through a CFC. While there
will be a number of exemptions available that
firms can use, the compliance burden is likely
to be as profound when the new rules come into
force as it is now.
The most significant change is a generous
partial exemption for finance companies,
which will offer significant benefits and lead to
substantial restructuring of offshore financing
arrangements.
Further exemptions include the low profits
exemption for smaller firms and the territorial
business exemption, which is similar to the
current exempt activities test. This will prove
useful to those companies that undertake
general commercial activities and do not pose a
significant risk of diverting profits which arise in
the UK.
The general purpose exemption is similar to the
current motive test, except there will no longer
be a default assumption that a CFC’s profits
would have arisen in the UK if it did not exist.
As the other tests are significantly complex, it
is likely that this exemption will be widely used,
especially for IP activities.
Businesses will be able to pick whichever of
these exemptions suits them best. However,
such choice will make it hard for companies with
overseas connections to work out if the rules
apply to them.
If they do, then firms will need to carry out
detailed analysis of their CFC activities to ensure
they are making the most of the new measures.
This is where advice from tax specialists, such as
those at Watson Buckle, can help.
Such complexity is also likely to be off-putting
when potential inbound investors are considering
the location for their European holding company.
Such problems could be solved by the inclusion of
an exemption for EU countries, although it seems
unlikely that this will happen.
At Watson Buckle, we have the tax expertise
to help organisations understand all the
complexities of the new CFC regime. In addition,
our clients can benefit from the international
service we offer through our membership of
MGI, which enables us to draw on a wealth of
knowledge and experience from other member
firms across the globe. For further advice and
information, please contact us.
John Kinsella, Partner
Watson Buckle Chartered Accountants
01274 516700
Expert Opinion
Beauty becomes herMelissa Downing is a determined lady.
When she first approached the Business Enterprise Fund (BEF) for a small loan of £1,500 her dream was to start her own nail and beauty salon. Despite low confidence caused by a long period of being out of work, her desire and enthusiasm shone through.
After working on her business plan with her BEF advisor, Melissa obtained the money she needed and took the first steps to realise her dream. Her first major step was to open up her salon beneath a hairdresser called “Studio” on Otley Road, in the Undercliffe area of Bradford.
Competition was fierce from the outset. Despite suffering from low sales Melissa persevered and the team at BEF have continued to keep faith with her.
Six months on and Melissa continues to work hard to make her business a success.
She said: “One of the many benefits to taking out a loan from BEF is the ongoing support. This includes an Enterprisers’ network that meets monthly in order to help one another through any difficult issues.
Melissa has taken strength from the other members of the network, from her business advisor and from the Business Enterprise Fund. Her confidence, standard of work, organisational skills and decision-making have significantly improved and she has been transformed.
Making the most oftheCFCminefield
Access to FinanceLoansThe Access2Finance team can help source any financial needs you have through their extensive contacts. They can also source finance through their own loan fund. Loans up to £60,000 are available to businesses that have been unable to access finance from conventional sources.
Intensive Business SupportIn addition to helping source finance, the Access2Finance team also provide intensive business support that has been proven to give businesses a better chance of success.
Help with getting a Bank AccountGetting a loan may not necessarily be the problem. For some sole traders getting a bank account can be difficult. The Access2Finance team have had an excellent track record over the years of helping people with bad credit history open business bank accounts to enable them to trade (as well as keeping their business finances separate from their personal finances).
Who we areAccess2Finance is part of the Business Enterprise Fund (BEF) - a not-for-profit funder of businesses and provider of loans from £500 to £100,000. BEF works with banks and intermediaries to support those businesses unable to attract financial investment. Operating in North and West Yorkshire, BEF has loaned £4.65million in the last six years, supporting 230 businesses.
Phone01274 207217 Email [email protected] www.access2finance.org.uk
Are you in the club?The Business Enterprise Fund’s social networking evenings promoting the Lend a Million initiative are now in full swing.
Two events have been held so far at two very different venues. The first was hosted in July by Leeds Brewery Tap and the second was somewhat closer to home in September at the Audi showroom on Canal Road, Bradford.
A beer tasting session took place at the Leeds venue and a free prize draw was held at the car showroom to win an Audi for the weekend. This top prize was won by Keith Smith of Santander.
Known as the ‘Five O’clock Club’ the events offer an informal networking opportunity for those involved in the financial sector. Drinks and snacks are provided, alongside the chance to compete against other businesses with a few friendly games on the Nintendo Wii.
Following BEF’s commitment to lend £1.5 million to small businesses in 2011, the post-work get togethers offer solicitors, accountants, bankers and business start-ups the chance to engage in a relaxed environment, find funding sources and learn about lenders.
Darren Precious; Sales, Marketing and Commerical Manager at Bradford Chamber said: “The 5 o’clock club networking events are always extremely well attended from a wide range of businesses including HSBC, Eversheds and Santander. With the Business Enterprise Fund looking to lend a million pounds this year, the event is a great platform to forge business relationships that will help shape the business growth of the region.”
To register support for BEF’s campaign, go to www.befund.org or call 01274 354495
Darren Precious
L-R: Meg Heath, Johnny Dumbrava, Steve Waud, Joe Cahill and Lynne Akroyd
busi
ness
plus
Aut
umn2
011
ww
w.b
radf
ordc
ham
ber.c
o.uk
/fina
nce
20
Fin
an
ce
businessplus Autumn2011 w
ww
.bradfordchamber.co.uk/finance
21
Fin
an
ce
Sleeping on the job is not an option for local entrepreneur Darren Stega-Jones.
Darrenfounded WOW Contract three years ago with a view to being the UK’s
number one supplier of contract beds and mattresses to Hotels, Guest Houses,
Holiday Parks, Student Accommodation providers and many more.
With the success of this venture even he’s the first to admit he’s somewhat
surprised by the phenomenal success he’s had with the off-shoot venture of
mattress recycling.
“It’sall happened so quickly,” he said.
“We decided to just go for it after we were
asked to help recycle 1200 mattresses
when another company let a client down.
Within 48 hours we secured premises,
machinery, transport, employed a team of
recyclers and a driver. We’ve been so busy
ever since, we haven’t looked back.”
A single mattress can take up to 23 cubic
feet of space and take over 20 years to
partly decompose. Made up of a range of
materials including foam, cotton, polyester,
steel and felt – without a skilled recycling
team, mattresses are hard to handle.
Initially, WOW was just taking away old
mattresses for customers when replacing
with new. Since meeting Sam Saxby
at BBEF however, they are now taking
deliveries of mattresses direct from
Bradford Council amongst many others.
WOW are recycling 1000s of mattresses
per month with 100% landfill avoidance.
Darrensaid: “Being part of BBEF has been fantastic for us. Sam’s newsletter
generated an enormous amount of interest in our services and the right person
at Bradford Council made contact with us. They have been delighted with
the service and are very pleased that WOW are Bradford based and employ
Bradford people. We recycle everything and with our increasing volumes,
are constantly on the look-out for companies who can take our materials.
“We only started in May 2011 and we’ve already created five jobs employing
people from the Bradford area – all of whom were long term unemployed.
All the mattresses have to be stripped down by hand to do the job properly.
The business is growing nicely and we may need new premises soon to
accommodate the increasing demand and additional services we are looking
to offer. It’s an exciting time and even though there are plenty of places to take
a nap, I don’t think we’ll be taking a rest anytime soon!”
Don’t drain your energyDate: 11 October 2011 Time: 1pm - 5pm
Venue: Mid-Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce, Huddersfield
Cost: £40 for BBEF members, £80 for non-members.
Save 10% on your energy costs. This half day course will help you to understand:
• Goodtariffsandhowtogetonthem
• Meteroperation/assetcharges/hiddencosts
• Sub-metering,supplylossesand power voltage optimisation
• Howmeterreadingshelpspotwaste
• Smartmetering
• Nightrates
• Energyeffectivelighting
• Howallstaffcancutcosts
• Cuttingcostsandfaultrateswithheatrecovery and control systems
To book please call Heather on 01274 354759All delegates receive a certificate of attendance.
1 More than just mobile A complete package for mobile, mobile broadband, email on the move and landlines – all on one bill. Includes free support from a UK based team.
2 Talk without limits Unlimited calls to over 21 million O2 mobiles in the UK and up to 10 standard UK landlines to call as much as you like. All with O2 business mobile Pay Monthly tariffs. Free voicemail and discounts on international calling as standard.
3 A network you can trust • O2voicenetworkcovers99%oftheUKpopulation
• 3Gdatanetworkcoversover84%ofthepopulationand is HSDPA ready
• ThemostpopularUKnetworkforpeoplewithsmartphones
• UnlimitedonlineaccesstothelargestnetworkofWi-Fihotspots
• Wi-Fibrowsingnottakenfromdataallowance
• Stayintouchwhenabroad.O2workswithover430phone networks in more than 190 countries
4 Support every step of the way • FreeUKbasedbusinesscustomerservicecentre8am
to 9pm, seven days a week
• Technicalteamonstandbyforassistanceoutofcorehours
• Yourownaccountmanagerifyouhavemorethanthree connections (landline or mobile) or manage your account online
• O2Gurusavailableinstore
5 Priority moments for business • Accessgreatoffersanddealsfromcompanies
including Avis, Parcelforce and Ramada hotels
• Nightsoutforyou,yourclientsandyourstaffwithpriority ticketing at O2 gigs and events all over the UK
• Discountsat100sofhighstreetretailersincludingrestaurants and cinemas
Local businessmen, Babar Khan and Chris Wain, have opened a new O2 business centre in the Pudsey area. The business centre is part of their franchise group of eight O2 stores across the UK.
O2’s national franchise programme has allowed Babar and Chris to trade the O2 brand in an O2 retail franchise outlet which they themselves own and operate. The duo have now taken that extra step forward to deliver the same great experience to the local business community.
Babar and Chris opened their first O2 franchise in Bradford Foster Square in 2007. The store displays the latest devices with a knowledgeable team who are trained to provide the highest level of service. Two ‘gurus’ are available in the store for customers who need a little extra help to get their devices up and running.
Babar said: “I am delighted with our new premises in Pudsey and the team we have there. Full training and active involvement in the business community combined with many years’ experience and skills ensure they are fully prepared to help businesses. Our intention is not to become an O2 telesales call centre but to go out and meet new businesses. We want to show them not only how technology has changed but how O2 telecom services could help their business.”
Kamran Khan will lead the team at the business centre. He is keen to point out: “We are more than just mobile phone specialists. The O2 network was recently awarded the network of the year and we can help with O2 Business Broadband and O2 Business Landlines.”
All O2 products and services are available through the new business team in Pudsey. Tariffs start from as little as £12.50 per month.
We recycle absolutely everything and with our increasing volumes, we are constantly on the look-out for new companies who can take our materials.
Sleep talking
EMShubsEnvironmental Management System Hubs are for BBEF members interested in environmental management. The hubs meet for informal networking over lunch for an hour once every quarter.
Come along, bring lunch money and:
• Meetotherlocalenvironmentalchampions
• Discusscurrentproblemsandsuccesses
• Getsupportiveideasandsuggestions
• Enjoyanicelunchwithinterestingpeople.
The next Bradford Hub will be held in December.
Contact Sam Saxby for details on 01274 354492 or email [email protected]
Why O2 for Business?
Contact them now on 0113 302 3090 Or visit them at: 103a New Pudsey Court, Bradford Road, Pudsey,Leeds,LS286AT
ADVERTISEMENT
L-R: Kamran Khan and David Price
businessplus Autumn2011 w
ww
.bradfordchamber.co.uk/environm
ent
23
En
viron
men
t
MODEL OS Processor Screen Weight 3G Storage Expandable Storage
Front Camera
Rear Camera
HDMI Out
App Store
Blackberry Play Book Blackberry 1GHz dual-core A9 7 “ 425g NO 16/32/64GB NO YES YES YES YES
HTC Flyer Android Gingerbread 1.5GHz 7 “ 420.8g YES 32GB YES YES YES NO YES
Motorola Xoom Android Honeycomb
1GHz NvidiaTegra 10.1 “ 730g YES 16/32/64GB YES YES YES YES YES
Ipad iOS4 1GHz ARM CorteNO-A8 9.7 “ 730g YES 16/32/64GB NO NO NO NO YES
Ipad 2 iOS4900MHz
dual-core ARM CorteNO-A9
9.7 “ 607g YES 16/32/64GB NO YES YES NO YES
ViewPad 7 Android Gingerbread
ARM11 600MHz 7 “ 375g YES 512MB YES YES YES NO YES
ViewPad 10 Android1.6/Windows 7
Intel AtomN455 10 “ 1.1kg NO 2.1GB NO YES NO NO NO
Samsung Galaxy Tab Android 2.2 1GHz ARM CorteNO A8 7 “ 380g YES 16/32GB YES YES YES YES YES
Dell Streak Android 2.1Qualcomm
Snapdragon 1GHz
5 “ 220g YES 2GB YES YES YES YES YES
BlackBerry PlaybookFull of shortcomings and disappointment on connectivity. At least it looks OK.
HTC Flyer HTC enter the tablet market with a stylus. The jury is still out, but we are expecting something special.
Motorola Xoom With huge processing power, clever user interface and a sleek look, the Xoom is an incredible tablet.
iPad Where it all began. Thousands of Apps, clean and easy to use UI. Apple has dominated since day one.
iPad 2 Thinner, faster and more powerful, the iPad2 is every Apple fan’s dream come true.
ViewPad 7 Quick, well built and fantastic value for money. A perfect tablet for newcomers and veterans alike.
ViewPad 10 Slow and clunky the ViewPad 10 feels more like a door stop than a mobile computing device.
Archos 70 Internet TabletAn extension to your home media system. Let down by no access to Android marketplace.
Samsung Galaxy TabSamsung’s 7inch tablet is powerful, looks good and does the job. A definite competitor in the tablet race.
Huawei S7 A tablet with a stylus, just not done with the style of the HTC Flyer. No one likes a resistive screen anymore.
Dell Streak Smaller and compact, a perfectly reasonable tablet for those worried about space.
Want more information?Contact Angel Telecom on 01274 758021
Time to take your tablets
Bradford Chamber’s new selected charity is the well-known Sue Ryder Hospice Manorlands in Oxenhope.
The selection was a joint decision between Bradford Chamber
President, Stephen Wright, and Chamber staff. As a result, all
the fund raising activity that Bradford Chamber undertakes
for the next two years will see Sue Ryder as the beneficiary.
From office dress down days and cake baking sales to a top
level raffle at the Chamber’s Annual Dinner, Manorlands will
receive all donations.
Stephen Wright, Chamber President said: “There are so
many worthy causes in the District it is hard to make the final
choice but I am delighted that as a group we have chosen
Manorlands. Bradford Chamber members and staff raise
several thousand pounds every year and I am sure that the
money will be welcomed by the home.”
Rachel Cunningham, Manorlands fundraiser said:
“We rely on volunteer donations to keep Manorlands open and
it’s great news that Bradford Chamber has chosen to support us
for the next two years. Without such support we would not be
able to provide the levels of care so many people rely on at such
difficult times in their lives. We will be encouraging Chamber
staff and members to get involved in all our fundraising
activities or to even come up with their own ideas. Our
fundraising team is always on hand to help you get organised.”
Manorlands provides care for around 640 patients every
year and relies on voluntary donations for the majority of its
£2.2 million running costs. Help is given to those affected by
cancer, multiple sclerosis, Huntingdon's disease, Parkinson's
disease, motor neurone disease, stroke, brain injury and other
life changing illnesses.
Whether you want to organise an event, take part in one
of theirs, take a collecting can, hear from a speaker at a
community group or set up a regular donation to the hospice
– the Manorlands team is there to help. Please get in touch –
they would be delighted to hear from you.
Tofindoutmoreabouthowyoucanhelp,contactthe
Manorlands team now on:
W: www.sueryder.org
T: 01535 640430
Charity begins at the Chamber
Mobile Angel Do you have any old mobile phones lying unloved in a drawer or a box? Hand them in to Chamber Patron Angel Telecom and make a percentage cash contribution to Manorlands.
Simply find out how much your phone is worth at
www.recyclemymobi.co.uk. You can then decide
whether to donate the full value of the old phone to
Manorlands or make a small contribution to the charity
and receive a cheque for the balance.
Contact Angel Telecom now for more details on 01274 758021 or visit www.angel-telecom.co.uk
busi
ness
plus
Aut
umn2
011
ww
w.b
radf
ordc
ham
ber.c
o.uk
/mem
bers
hip
24
Mem
bers
hip
businessplus Autumn2011 w
ww
.bradfordchamber.co.uk/inform
ation
25
Tech
nolo
gy
International beefs up its top teamChamber International strengthens its global trade team this month with two new appointments, extending the organisation’s wide-ranging skills in international trade.
Veteran international banker Neil Foulder joins as consultant. He comes with a wealth of experience acquired from a mix of backgrounds in manufacturing export, import and logistics. Neil will play a leading role in delivering The Chamber’s growing back office services including checking multi-million dollar payment contracts for key accounts.
“I’ve spent 36 of the last 40 years in international banking and my association with Chamber International goes back twenty years,” says Neil. “Knowing how good they are at international trade matters, I was very enthusiastic indeed about joining the team.”
Working alongside Neil and the rest of the international team is Jolene Leslie, who has joined as International Trade Administrator.
Her far-reaching role will be to support Chamber International staff and freelancers in documentation, PR, business development as well as project managing exhibitions, events and seminars.
International Trade Director Tim Bailey added: “Neil is a very valuable addition to our talent base and we’ve been very impressed by Jolene’s energy and enthusiasm.”
The ever-expanding global energy industry has ensured that an innovative business from North Yorkshire has not only thrived during the economic downturn but notched up a record year for sales in 2010.
The export business has grown steadily since 1994. This year, MHT Technology Ltd is expecting sales to grow by a further 20 per cent to around £1.8 million. Exports account for more than two-thirds of orders.
Founded 17 years ago by managing director Malcolm Tennant, (pictured) the firm is a leading international supplier of highly specialised automation systems for the energy industry. Its equipment is produced on site in the UK and includes gauging, stock accounting and data acquisition technology. It also develops its sophisticated software in-house. It has installed more than 400 systems worldwide.
Malcolm Tennant said: “We created our own distribution network first in Europe but now it’s worldwide because our customers are global businesses.”
Leeds Bradford International Airport (LBIA) has partnered with Chamber International to provide a ‘first class’ package of specialist overseas travel and business support.
Helping companies become better exporters and importers the Chamber International service includes guidance on complex international trade regulations, ‘back office’ services
to exporters and Chambers of Commerce as well as issuing essential trade documents.
The airport’s annual three million business travellers can take advantage of Chamber International’s offering which also includes a referrals service which helps businesses find suppliers, distributors, agents and partners through reliable business advice.
James Broughton, LBIA’s Sales & Marketing Manager, said: “Chamber International has a strong track-record in supporting companies trading overseas. It made perfect sense that following our £28 million passenger terminal investment we support our customer journey even further by partnering with Chamber International to offer exceptional business support.”
Chamber International’s Account Executive Nikki Cunningham said: “Our new marketing material is proudly displayed on the runway at LBIA, communicating our expertise as the ‘forerunner for international trade’. Our team of international trade experts are assisting businesses every day and our partnership with LBIA ensures corporate travellers are aware of the network of support available.”
Keeping control of a global game Recently the company has seen more interest from the Middle East. It has just despatched a £20,000 order to Saudi Arabia after a deal with a Pakistani business. For the first time the company had to use a Letter of Credit to secure payment and turned to Chamber International for expert assistance. The deal went like clockwork. The order was despatched and the company paid on schedule.
“We recognised that to grow the business we couldn’t do it in the UK market alone and so we had to look elsewhere.”
Chamber International’s partnership takes flight
ForfurtherinformationcontactNikkiCunninghamatChamberInternationalon08450347200
“I’ve had a great deal of experience working with businesses trading overseas. With so many different cultures, currencies and time-zones you have to know how to resolve problems if things go wrong.”
“I very much wanted a role where things are always busy, where there’s a challenge and where there are always new things to learn.”
A group of West Yorkshire businesses, including Chamber International, joined representatives from train operator East Coast to launch a special tribute to the region’s business and leisure travellers in September.
The group, including members of the local business community, was joined by entrepreneur Leon Doyle – star of TV’s The Apprentice – to name a train ‘West Riding Limited’ in recognition of the region’s role as a key hub for services to London.
Inspired by the first steam train to operate from Bradford to London King’s Cross – known by the same name, which launched in 1937 - the train displays an authentic replica of the original cast iron blue and white nameplate with lettering in the iconic Gill Sans font.
East Coast Managing Director Karen Boswell said: “Services run from West Yorkshire to London regularly each day, with key stations, such as Bradford, Leeds and Wakefield, forming part of
a daily early morning superfast service to King’s Cross.
“It was appropriate to pay homage to the people who regularly use our services. It is our fastest – and our most prestigious – service from the West Riding to the capital.”
The attending dignitaries experienced the train’s first journey under its new guise as it left Bradford Forster Square at 0630 and arrived at King’s Cross at 0859-asuperfastservicewhichis repeated each day at the same time.
Tim Bailey, International Trade Director of Chamber international, added: “We were delighted to join East Coast at the dedication ceremony and forward journey down to London. Our clients are expanding into national and international trading to drive business success, so a service that goes door to door to our capital in just under two and a half hours makes good business sense and we are proud supporters.”
Riding on success
busi
ness
plus
Aut
umn2
011
ww
w.b
radf
ordc
ham
ber.c
o.uk
/int
erna
tion
al
26
Inte
rnati
on
al
businessplus Autumn2011 w
ww
.bradfordchamber.co.uk/international
27
Inte
rnatio
nal
Want to give your cash flow a boost? You can bank on the Chamber!At Bradford Chamber we are always looking at ways we can help
our members to grow their business. One of the major challenges
preventing business growth is cash flow. This can be caused by slow
payment of invoices, bad debt or the cost of making a large but
essential business purchase. If any of these issues are giving you a
financial headache, here are three ways the Chamber can help.
1 Invoice Financing What is it? – Invoice Financing allows commercial organisations to release the cash tied
up in unpaid invoices helping you to get back in control of your cash-flow and achieve your
commercial goals.
Membershipbenefit – As a Chamber member you will receive a 15% discount on standard rates.
2 Asset FinanceWhat is it? - Instead of using your own funds to purchase an essential business asset that
could starve your business capital, asset finance provides a range of flexible financial solutions
that can spread the cost and lessen the impact on your cash flow.
Membershipbenefit – Chamber members receive a £250 discount on their firstAssetFinancesolution.
3 DebtRecovery What is it? – Struggling to get outstanding invoices paid? Don’t keep banging your head
against a brick wall. Work with a debt recovery expert organisation with a proven track record
of recovering bad debt.
Membershipbenefit – For debts up to £3000 there is no charge, plus Chamber members do not pay the £200 registration fee.
WhatdoIdonext?TofindoutmoreonanyoftheabovecalltheChamberon01274354495
BooK YoUr PLaCe noW
Bradford ChamberAnnual Dinner18 noVemBer 2011
The Chamber’s Annual dinner is the perfect occasion to entertain your key customers and suppliers whilst also ensuring that your business is in front of the region’s key stakeholders and VIPs.Past dinners have played host to well-known local and national organisations such as British Telecom; HSBC; JCT 600; Gordons LLP and Incommunities.
Join us this year and hear from Neil Gaydon, Chief Executive Officer of Pace. This Bradford based firm is a world leader in payTV and broadband technology. With over 2,000 employees around the globe the FTSE 250 Pace services over one third of the world’s top 100 payTV providers.
The laughs this year will be supplied by Stewart Francis - the internationally acclaimed Canadian stand-up comedian, actor and writer. Stewart will be a familiar face to those who enjoy the TV shows Mock the Week, 8 out of 10 Cats and Michael McIntyre’s Comedy Roadshow.
Choose from:✤An individual place
✤A table for 10
✤A corporate dinner package
Individual places are available for just £60+VAT for Chamber members / £90 + VAT for non-members
Corporate packagePlace your company message in front of an exclusive audience without breaking your budget.
Includes:
✤10 guest places and a drinks package
✤ Your branding on dinner materials and Bradford Chamber website
✤ Editorial in menu booklet (150 words)
✤ Link from the Bradford Chamber website to your company website
✤ Logo to appear on the screen graphics during the evening
✤ Advert and editorial in the Annual Dinner post-event supplement – to be included in the ‘businessplus’ magazine (Jan 2012)
✤ Official photograph of table and guests
All of this for just £1,500+VAT
Call 01274 354759 to book your place
28
businessplus Autumn2011 w
ww
.bradfordchamber.co.uk/savings
29
Savin
gs
busi
ness
plus
Aut
umn2
011
ww
w.b
radf
ordc
ham
ber.c
o.uk
/eve
nts
Eve
nts
Tel: 01274 303900 Email: [email protected] HOUSE 29 Manor Row, Bradford, West Yorkshire, BD1 4PS
C O M P L E T E B U S I N E S S S O L U T I O N S
www.malikhouse.co.uk
• 1st Class Serviced Offices• Conferences & Events Centre• Meeting Rooms• Business Networking• Wi-Fi Lounge• Virtual Offices• Hot Desking• MHQ - The Café
small ad:Layout 1 22/8/11 15:55 Page 1
Save £££s with the Chamber Connect member-to-member offer scheme.View member offers and apply for your card online. Start saving today!www.bradfordchamber.co.uk/connect
Save 20% on all phone accessories when bought in the Forster Square O2 shop.
Unit 19 DForster Square Retail ParkBradford, BD1 4RN
Welcome to our new membersFind current members of Bradford Chamber www.bradfordchamber.co.uk/directory
Banks & monetary
Santander UK PlcPO Box 116 Ossett, West Yorkshire WF5 5AL07595 [email protected]
Business management consultants
Mnemosyne Ltd23 Park Mount Ave BAILDON BD17 6DS07769 348257Specialist Management Training & Mentoring
Charity
Keighley & Ilkley Voluntary and Community ActionCentral Hall Alice Street Keighley, West Yorkshire BD21 3JD01535 [email protected] & Resource Centre
Charity
One In A MillionThe Bantams Business Centre Bradford City Football Club, Valley Parade BRADFORD BD8 7DY01274 [email protected] - Helping Children & Young People through Sport, Education & EnterpriseCharity - Helping Children & Young People through Sport, Education & Enterprise
Computer and related activities
Data Communication Solutions Limited34 Cyprus Avenue Thackley BRADFORD BD10 0AL01274 [email protected] Networks
Education
Prospects3rd Floor City Exchange 61 Hall Ings BRADFORD, West Yorkshire BD1 5SG01274 [email protected] of advice/guidance & education services
Insurance
Hansford Insurance Consultants Ltd153 Sunbridge Road BRADFORD BD1 2NU01274 [email protected] Brokers
Legal
Doctors Reports & ServicesCommercial House 140-148 Manningham Lane BRADFORD BD8 7JJ07779 [email protected] Agency
Manufacturing
Advanced Actuators LimitedUnit 4 Ryefield Way Silsden, West Yorkshire BD20 0EF08707 [email protected] Hydraulic Systems
Alfran Fasteners LtdCentral Ironworks Parson Street KEIGHLEY, West Yorkshire BD21 3HD01535 [email protected] of industrial fasteners
Angus-wells Ltd401 Harrogate Road BRADFORD BD2 3TF01274 [email protected]
BJM Joinery Manufacturers LtdBJM House 8 Battye Street BRADFORD BD4 8AH01274 [email protected] window framesBJM is a manufacturer of quality timber windows and doors. We manufacture and install semi and fully finished windows and doors for both domestic & commercial dwellings. We also carry out many aspects of bespoke joinery.
HDC Associates LtdBracken House Broad Lane Bradford, West Yorkshire BD4 8PA01274 [email protected]
Keighley Laboratories LtdCroft House South Street KEIGHLEY BD21 1EG01535 664211Specialists in analysis, testing & heat-treatment of metals
Medical Instruments LtdSher House 46 Houghtan Place BRADFORD BD1 3RG01274 743741
New Vision Signs And Graphics LtdVision Works 6 Ventnor Street BRADFORD BD3 9JP01274 728831Sign & Graphics Manufacturer
Marketing
Threefold Creative Ltd33 Manor Row BRADFORD BD1 4PS01274 [email protected] and marketingThreefold is a creative design agency producing effective and imaginative communications which enhance and develop clients’ brands. In understanding our clients’ businesses we ensure that their objectives remain at the heart of everything we do. No big egos or creative tantrums - just great work.
Wordup Design54 Stones Drive Ripponden HALIFAX HX6 4NY01422 [email protected] Design
Other business activities
Deafinitions195 Birch Lane BRADFORD, West Yorkshire BD5 8PN01274 [email protected] Enterprise - Services for Deaf
Tom Stapley Photography207 New Line Greengates BRADFORD, West Yorkshire BD10 0BN01274 [email protected] & Sports PhotographyTom Stapley Photography specialises in commercial,sports,interiors,hospitality,families,and PR photography
Agenda 1 Analytical Services Ltd67 Listerhills Science Park Campus Road Bradford, West Yorkshire BD7 1HR01274 [email protected] analytical services
Clockwork Eye Productions21 Bridge Street OAKWORTH BD22 7PX01535 [email protected]
Danco Tyres20a Nelson Street BRADFORD BD5 0HD07790 [email protected]
Jonathan Jacobs8 Shrike Close Clayton Heights Bradford BD6 3YG UNITED KINGDOM7977187278photography
Just Eat BradfordUnit 16 Bowling Court Industrial Estate Bradford, West Yorkshire BD3 0LZ0797 [email protected] catering
Millar TaxationSuite 4, Temple Chambers, Russell Street, Keighley, BD21 2JT0758 038 [email protected] ConsultancyMillar Taxation Limited provides employment tax and VAT consultancy services to small and medium sized accountancy practices. Clients range from sole practitioners to multi-office practices, most of which are based in the North of England. To find out more please visit our website at: www.millartaxation.co.uk
Woolbro Distribution LtdBroomfield House Bolling Road BRADFORD BD4 7BP0845 3456652Importer of fmcg
Training
Paramount Learning Limited478 Halifax Road BRADFORD BD6 2LH01274 [email protected] Services, Sales and MarketingParamount Learning is a training and personnel development consultancy that specialises in enabling your sales and customer facing staff to be more successful in winning business. With greater than 20 years actual selling experience both nationally and internationally we have a unique insight into what actually works in front of customers.
Transport, storage & communication
D G Freight LtdReed House 26 Marsh Street Rothwell LEEDS LS26 0BB0113 282 [email protected] Forwarding
Bargain Motor Spares70 Bradford Road Idle BRADFORD, West Yorkshire BD10 9JY01274 [email protected]
Bateman Ogden & Co Ltd918 Wakefield Road BRADFORD BD4 7QQ01274 729103
The Carpet Specialist Ltd128 Thornton Road Bradford, West Yorkshire BD1 2DX01274 [email protected] & Flooring
W T SuppliesUnit 1 Bradware Industrial Park Leonard Street BINGLEY BD16 1DP0845 812 [email protected] Supplies & StationeryWe are committed to giving the best prices in the industry and are almost certain we can save you money on stationery and consumables. To receive a quote from the most competitive stationery company in the area that offers free next day delivery, please give us a call now.
Lombard Shipping PlcLombard House 83 Fitzwilliam Street HUDDERSFIELD HD1 5LG01484 449000
MoorgateWorkshop 1 & Office 23 Bradford Chamber Business Park New Lane BRADFORD, West Yorkshire BD4 8BX01274 [email protected]
Find current members of Bradford Chamber
www.bradfordchamber.co.uk/directory
busi
ness
plus
Aut
umn2
011
ww
w.b
radf
ordc
ham
ber.c
o.uk
/dir
ecto
ry
30
Directory
31
businessplus Autumn2011 w
ww
.bradfordchamber.co.uk/connect
Con
nect
Save up to 60% on mobile phone bills, fixed line rental and call costsMake an immediate impact on your business by working with an independent business specialist telecoms provider. We're passionate about saving our clients' money and, with 25 years’ experience, can guarantee to save you money and ensure you get the most from your telecoms.
Save time, increase your productivity and improve the experience for your customers when they call. Add to that our absolute commitment to supporting your business and you'll discover that we go way beyond telecoms.
Continually drive down costWe're with you all the way and don't rest on our laurels. We can offer all Bradford chamber members a thorough analysis of your mobile and landline phone bills. By assessing call trends, calls to mobile and
premium numbers, roaming & international calls, billing errors and discrepancies we can make recommendations to help you eliminate unnecessary expense and save you money.
We take care of everythingWe're there for you when things go wrong. So, if you lose your mobile phone and need a replacement urgently, don't worry. One call to us and we'll manage the whole process for you - no need to spend hours on the phone to your network provider.
• Eliminate downtime
• Improve productivity
• One call and we handle it all.
Put us to the test. See for yourself just how much we could save you. Our dedicated business consultants can come to you or send us your latest bill and we'll set to work seeing what we can save you.
Business solutionsGet the most from technology and improve your productivity from
day one. We help you right from the start including set-up. No more frustrating, lengthy waits on the telephone!
Selecting the right device for your businessYour choice of mobile device can radically change the efficiency of your business. We take the time to understand your business needs and identify the platform and device capabilities that will drive productivity and operational improvements.
Implementation & roll outWe go the extra mile to ensure you get the most from your choice of mobile device and undertake:
• Installation of blackberry software
• Synchronisation of email accounts
• User training & support
Call us on 01274 758021 or email [email protected]
A highly regarded, well established freight haulage business operating throughout the UK and Europe.
With a fleet of 80+ vehicles Joda’s services include general haulage, pallet distribution, abnormal loads and freight management, freight forwarding and competitively priced logistical solutions.
Continual investment in the latest technologies and systems ensures they operate efficiently and deliver excellent service to their wide client base. All vehicles carry mobile phones. They are an essential tool for managing the fleet and improving client communications.
Situation before AngelInefficient multi network tariffs that were unsuitable for their current usage
The collapse of their previous supplier had led to disputes with the networks regarding contractual commitments.
Our ChallengeTo negotiate exit strategies for incumbent, uncompetitive mobile phone contracts
Resolve complex contract commitments and negotiate cash back settlements with networks.
Results AchievedAgreed early termination of existing uncompetitive contracts.
Negotiated substantial cash back settlement with network providers.
Established new, competitive contracts that accommodate Joda’s current and expected future usage.
Angel Telecom has had a positive impact on our business since we appointed them as our mobile phone supplier.
They have been extremely proactive at helping us resolve the contract problems we inherited, often going beyond what we would have expected from other suppliers.
As a result our mobile phone costs have stabilised and we have highly competitive tariffs going forward. Just need them to keep doing what they’re doing.
Ian Taylor, Joda Freight
case study
01274 758021
Call us on 01274 758021 and see how we can impact on your business
“At last a telecoms company who is passionate about saving you money.”
Win
£10,000
in marketing
Sign up to our FREE
business e
bulletin or
make an appointment w
ith
a business a
dvisor.
www.<<First Name>>.
>.onelessworry.co.uk/time
Haven’t got the time <<First
Name>>?
Bradford Chamber can free you from the everyday burdens of
running a business. Spend less time on the things that hold
<<Company Name>>
Go to <www.<<First Name>>.<<Surname>>
time> or call 01274 354756 to see how much time you could save.
Plus, find out how you could win marketing support worth £10,000
for <<Company Name>>.
<<First Name>> <<Surname>>
<<Company Name>>
<<Address 1>>
<<Address 2>>
<<Town>>
<<County>>
<<Postcode>>
SUPPORT IT IT IT
Patience about to snap?
Are you at the end of your tether with technology?What if we told you top quality, professional and friendly IT support was just a phone call away?
Our experienced team will support you and your business remotely (for a fast Our experienced team will support you and your business remotely (for a fast response) and on-site too.
For a chance to win a Dell Vostro laptop with Windows 7 Pro AND to find out how For a chance to win a Dell Vostro laptop with Windows 7 Pro AND to find out how our fixed cost support contracts or ‘no strings’ pay-as-you-go services can help services can help your business stay in one piece visit www.cloudfreeIT.co.uk/buspluswww.cloudfreeIT.co.uk/busplus or call us on 01535 358161
Are you at the end of your tether with technology?What if we told you top quality, professional and friendly
Our experienced team will support you and your business remotely (for a fast
For a chance to win a Dell Vostro laptop with Windows 7 Pro AND to find out how services can help
or call us
Win aWindows 7 Pro
laptop
This time, it’s personalWe hope you like your unique issue of businessplus magazine?
We wanted to show you how personalisation works. Last year,
Bradford Chamber began an innovative ‘cross media’ marketing
campaign that made use of personalised direct mail pieces, emails
and web pages.
These unique pieces were supported by web advertising, bus and
railway advertising, newspaper and social media messages. The
whole campaign was designed to increase awareness of Chamber
services and membership benefits. It also aimed to provide a
similar opportunity for a local business in the form of a high value
free prize draw.
The prize, worth £10,000, combined the services of the
organisations involved in the delivery of the campaign. These
included Resource Print Solutions, Tandem Marketing and
CBS Outdoor. Free ‘Networking Gold’ membership of Bradford
Chamber was also included alongside advertising in Bradford
Chamber publications.
The campaign was so successful, Bradford Chamber swelled new
member numbers to their highest level for over 10 years.
How it worked:900 businesses were selected
for contact in the Bradford area.
Four direct mail postcards were
sent to each business over the
course of a month. Each postcard
featured a different message and
personalised URL (web address).
The URL took the respondent to
a unique web page, personalised
with their business details. From
here, the respondent entered the
prize draw after completing a
short survey.
Responses were tracked in
real time, allowing the Chamber
team to immediately contact
those who showed an interest in
finding out more.
Results:254 members were recruited
in 2010 - 51% more than in 2009
Campaign highlights include:
600 ✱ visitors to personalised web pages
204 ✱ follow up appointments arranged
WinnersKeighley business CloudfreeIT
were the winners of the £10,000
marketing prize. Their own
exclusive £10,000 campaign
has already begun to promote
CloudfreeIT’s services to SMEs
across the District.
See advert below.
<<First Name>> <<Surname>>
<<Company Name>>
<<Address 1>>
<<Address 2>>
<<Town>>
The days of
eating at my
desk are over.
Wish you could take fi ve for lunch too <<First Name>>? Bradford Chamber can help.
www.<<First Name>>.<<Surname>>.onelessworry.co.uk/time
Win
£10,000
marketing
Wish you could take fi ve for lunch too <<First Name>
<<Surname>>.onelessworry.co.uk/time
Spending less means
I invest more in the
most important thing.
My business.
<<First Name>>, fi nd out how Bradford Chamber can help <<Company Name>> become
a more profi table business.
www.<<First Name>>.<<Surname>>.onelessworry.co.uk/money
Win £10,000marketing
become
<<Surname>
A little bird told me about a
new business opportunity…
<<First Name>> talk to Bradford Chamber about how to grow <<Company Name>>. Conversations worth having.
www.<<First Name>>.<<Surname>>.onelessworry.co.uk/growth
Win £10,000
marketing
Results:
<<First Name>> talk to Bradford Chamber about how to grow <<Company Name>Conversations worth having.
www.<<First Name>>.<<Surname>>.onelessworry.co.uk/growth
£10,000marketing
With Bradford Chamber <<First Name>>, running <<Company Name>> could start to
become more relaxing.
I’m afraid I chose the easy way
www.<<First Name>>.<<Surname>>.onelessworry.co.uk/support
Win £10,000
marketing
Personalised printPersonalisation techniques range from a simple greeting (“Hello, <first
name>”) to fully dynamic content populated with your customer’s preferences
in both text and images, all generated from your existing customer data.
Digitalprinting means that you are able to create individual mailing pieces
for every customer rather than printing a single design and hoping that your
prospects react to it – every mailer is unique and tailored to your target.
Personalised URLsA personalised URL, or PURL, is a customised web page with a unique address
for each customer on your list. PURLs link the power of personalised print to the
ease of use of the internet and is a great direct marketing tool.
By encouraging response online with a PURL you’ll be able to track which
customers are responding to your campaigns and when, allowing you to react
more quickly to generate your sale. Each web page can be fully personalised to
the customer and shares the same data as your email or direct mail piece.
Once you start to track response individually using PURLs, you have the ability
to measure the effectiveness of your campaign in real time, quickly calculate your
return on investment, and learn from your results immediately so you can make
your messages sharper next time round.
Personalised marketingPersonalising your marketing is easier than you think – all you need is a great
promotional idea and your customer database.
For advice on the most effective way to start personalising your messages call
Bradford Chamber on 01274 354751
Personalise your marketing for better resultsYour customers are
bombarded daily by
advertising from your
competition trying to
gain their attention. It is
essential to cut through
this clutter and ensure
your message stands out
from the crowd.
One of the most effective
methods is to personalise
your message, whether it’s
in print, on the web, in an
email or SMS. By ensuring
the message is relevant and
timely to each recipient, it
is more likely to get noticed
and acted upon.
We’veused personalisation
techniques to create a more
engaging cover for the
magazine you’re reading
now. Each of our members
has received a unique cover
using one of four images
incorporating their
company name.
For an introduction to PURLs and online personalisation log on towww.works-smarter.co.uk/bradfordchamber
delivering marketingfor your business
plusplusplusplusplus20112011
plus2011
plus2011
plus2011
plusAutumn2011
Bradford ChamBer mem
businessplus
Bradford ChamBer membusinessbusinessbusinessbusinessbusinessbusinessbusinessbusinessbusinessplusplusplusAutumn2011
Bradford Cham
businessplus
Bradford Cham
delivering supportfor Small Businesses
Bradford ChamBradford ChamBradford Cham
plusAutumn2011
Bradford Cham
businessplus
Bradford Cham
delivering growthfor Medium Sized Businesses
businessbusinessbusinessbusinessbusinessbusinessbusinessbusinessbusinessbusinessAutumn2011
Bradford ChamBer memBers magazine - £3
businessplus
Bradford ChamBer memBers magazine - £3
delivering savingsfor Large Businesses
businessplus Autumn2011 w
ww
.bradfordchamber.co.uk/m
arketing M
ark
etin
g
36
busi
ness
plus
Aut
umn2
011
ww
w.b
radf
ordc
ham
ber.c
o.uk
/mar
keti
ng
34
Mark
eti
ng
JOHN
AN INVITATION TO TREAT YOUR
CUSTOMERS LIKE ROYALTY
«Contac
t»
«Compa
ny»
«Addres
s 1»
«Addres
s 2»
«Addres
s 3»
We’ve got a great new way to make your customers feel reallyspecial. It’s built around personalised print - just like this advert -working alongside a personalised web page.It’s not only causing a stiramongst our customers, it’s also creating real sales leads for them.
To see how Resource can help <company name> convert moreprospects into valued customers log on to your website:
www.tomgreen.feels-special.com/chamber
RPS-ChamberAdvert_v2__ 28/09/2011 16:07 Page 1
