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THEBUSINESSTHE INDEPENDENT MAGAZINE FOR DORSET, WEST HANTS AND SALISBURY

No. 184 FEBRUARY 2015 Established 1994

Delivering your news to business leaders for 20 yearsFEATURING: BUSINESS NEWS | FINANCE MATTERS | LAW LINES | SPECIAL FEATURES

F o r t h e l a t e s t n e w s v i s i t t h e w e b s i t e a t w w w . b i z m a g . c o . u k

HR professionals risk losing the war for talent

South west firms concerned for health and wellbeing of employees

This new book, by Gail Thomas, highlights How Delegation Can Give you Space to Succeed. Published by Capstone this book provides managers and business owners with the knowledge to effectively delegate in order to better invest our time in trying new things, being more creative and achieving business growth.As demonstrated in the book, the value of successful delegation is significant. Identifying some of the key benefits, author Gail Thomas notes: ‘Many business owners believe they could grow their company by more than 50% if they could free up just 10% of their time. This makes the current value of delegation to SMEs and the UK economy around £3bn per annum.’I am delighted to announce we have secured the editorial services of Investment and Pension specialist, Charlwood IFA. Martyn (the Managing Director) is a columnist and contributor to Hampshire Life, Dorset and other lifestyle magazines and has agreed to provide regular and topical articles for the benefit of our readers.

Gill Bevis, Editor

people on the movesponsored by

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ContentsOn the frontSouth west firms affected by staff health problems. See page 10.

Opinions expressed within this publication are those of the contributors and not necessarily of the publisher. Every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the contents of The Business, but legal responsibility cannot be accepted for errors, omissions or misleading statements. The Business is fully protected by copyright. Nothing contained within this magazine may be reprinted or reproduced in whole or in part without the written permission of the publisher.

© The Business (Dorset) Ltd 2015 All rights reservedISSN 1354-3806

The Business magazine is mailed free-of-charge to named business people within Dorset, West Hants and Salisbury. Recipients are occasionally contacted to maintain correct mailing details and to provide information regarding special features. Contact us to receive the magazine or to be removed from the mailing list on 01425 471500.

2 people on the move

4 business news

8 the voice – Predictions and wishes for 2015

10 health matters

11 are your investments and pensions working for you? Martyn Charlwood looks back on 2014 together with his firms house view for 2015

12 finance focus

14 special feature – HR resolved

17 company news – Celebrating 10 years of Darren Northeast PR

18 law lines – Obesity a disability?

20 online solutions

23 franchising – Renewed interest in franchising brands

24 special feature – Promote and display

27 Rowan White Photographic – Telling stories in pictures and words

28 property & development

29 driving force – Quentin Willson to visit Hampshire

31 Q & A – James Bawa, Chief Executive, Teachers Building Society

The gift of time

Dedicated employee

Chris Cave, who started his career at Greendale Construction aged just 16, has gained Chartered Status as a Member of the Chartered Institute of Building at just 24 years old.In order to gain the relevant qualifications to further his career whilst working at Greendale, Chris attended Bournemouth & Poole College undertaking an HNC in Construction Management from September 2008 to June 2010. He then completed his degree at Southampton Solent University studying a BSc (Hons) in Construction Management, graduating in June 2013.

New chair for IoD

Recruitment agency founder Angela Fletcher is the new Chair of the Dorset branch of the Institute of Directors (IoD).An existing committee member, Angela established Rock Recruitment in 2007 and now operates from branches in Christchurch and Poole, employing ten staff. Angela was named Entrepreneur and Businesswoman of the Year in the South West Venus Awards in 2010 and 2011 respectively and has been a finalist in both the IoD Director Awards and Dorset Business Awards.

New arrivals

L-r: Nicola Hall and Jo Tout with Nigel Smith, Managing Partner, Ellis Jones Solicitors

Ellis Jones has strengthened the private client department at its Canford Cliffs office with two new appointments.Keen horse rider Nicola Hall has re-joined the firm as a Solicitor while keep fit enthusiast Jo Tout has been appointed as a Probate Executive.

Sustainable work

Stephanie Lee has joined Dorset-based Eco Sustainable Solutions as Compliance Manager. Formerly an Environmental Officer with the Environment Agency for five years, Stephanie spent the last decade working in the Borough of Poole’s Environmental Health department. Her work included dealing with permits, air quality and contaminated land.

Acorn MD

Acorn Property Group has appointed Stuart Callaghan as the new Managing Director to run its Acorn South region.

Busy time for working mother

Exciting times lie ahead for Poole Chamber of Trade and Commerce as another new Director joins the board. Joanne Tomlin, Managing Director of Meridian Lifts, has a wealth of experience of doing business in Poole. A working mother, Joanne has also become a Governor of Winchelsea School where she can lend her business expertise along with her parental skills to this worthy cause.

Bright future

Experienced business executive Brian Marsh has joined an expanding renewable energy investor and developer in Dorset. He has been appointed head of sales at Renewable Energy Investments in Ferndown as the company continues to grow nationally.

New site for Paul

MC Plan & Site Services, a firm of independent building inspectors in the south, has welcomed Paul Adams as a new member of staff at its Poole office.

AmbassadorSarah Spivey, Managing Director of Modulift UK Ltd, will be this year’s lady representative taking to the board at The Lifting Equipment Engineers Association.

From partner to president

Katharine Jones, Partner and Land Law Solicitor at Dorset and Somerset solicitors firm Humphries Kirk, is elected as President of the Dorset Law Society. Katharine is the second female to be elected president in the Dorset Law Society’s history, the first being former Humphries Kirk partner Felicity Hedger who currently works for the firm as a consultant.

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60 Skydivers required Diverse Abilities is looking for 60 daring individuals to sign up and take part in an exciting skydive challenge over the Wiltshire countryside on Sunday 14th June to celebrate the charity’s diamond anniversary. The charity supports over 600 adults and children with disabilities in Dorset.

Participants will be skydiving 10,000 feet and will be attached to a professional skydiver from the airfield’s flight team.

The actual skydive is free, providing a minimum sponsorship of £395 is raised before your jump. A deposit of £50 is payable when you sign up.

Please contact Sharon Wells via [email protected]

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WPR Wordcaster Public Relations Business News

Wiltshire hospice launch

Guy Ritchie and his fiancée Jacqui Ainsley with Julia’s House nursesPicture: Shaun James Cox

Julia’s House is to build a children’s hospice in Wiltshire. The children’s hospice charity, which already offers home-based community care in south Wiltshire, is now looking to extend its support to other families with life-limited children by building them a small, dedicated hospice from which to roll out a county-wide care service.

Thanks to private fundraising by patrons, most notably the Film Director Guy Ritchie and his fiancée Jacqui Ainsley, Julia’s House now has nearly half of the £3m needed to build a hospice. A public appeal will be launched in Wiltshire to raise the remaining funds.

The charity will be looking for a central location to make the new hospice accessible to as many Wiltshire families as possible. It is hoped to be able to open the hospice within two to three years.

Dorset telecoms company receives national recognition

Daron Hutt

For the third year in succession, 4Com Plc has received national recognition with a leading business award. Achieving the highest accreditation of a Best Companies 3 star award, and named as one of The Sunday Times 100 Best Small Companies to Work For 2015.

Final positions for the Sunday Times top 100 small companies will be revealed at an awards ceremony at Battersea Evolution in London on the evening of Wednesday 25th February 2015. The Sunday Times will then produce and print a feature supplement, distributed nationally with the printed edition of the newspaper on Sunday 8th March 2015.

Chairman and Managing Director, Daron Hutt said, ‘I am once again so proud and pleased for 4Com to be recognised with this award and accreditation. We are all looking forward to the 25th February when we will learn our final ranking and where we place in the Sunday Times 100 Best Small Companies To Work For 2015 list.’

MOUSTACHES RAISE OVER £1,500 FOR MOVEMBERNormally clean-shaven accountants at the Poole office of international accountancy and business advisory firm Mazars grew moustaches of all shapes and sizes to raise over £1,500 for charity. Thirteen staff supported the venture, comprising 11 ‘Mo Brothers’ and 2 ‘Mo Sistas’ with the Mo Brothers ditching their razors in favour of facial hair throughout November to support the Movember Foundation – a leading global organisation committed to changing the face of men’s health.

The Movember Foundation challenges men to grow moustaches during Movember (formerly known as November), to spark conversation and raise awareness as well as vital funds for its men’s health programmes. To date, 4 million moustaches have been grown worldwide and over £300m raised to fund over 800 programmes in 21 countries.

Craig MacLean from Mazars said, ‘This is a very important issue, with Movember supporting, in particular, programmes covering testicular cancer, prostrate cancer and mental health. But, in addition, it has been great fun, with support from staff, clients and friends.’

Moustaches at Mazars

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Dorset secures three Business Women Award National Winners Friday 23rd January, 2015 saw the second year of the Venus Business Women Awards National Finals double in size with 124 regional winners compete for a National Venus Award Trophy.

The Venus Awards National Finals brings together all the regional winners, a group of truly inspirational and influential women, to an event where the crème de la crème vie for the National title in their respective categories. This year 23 winners from eight regions were crowned at a lunchtime celebration held at the beautiful and stunning Hand Picked Hotel – Audley’s Wood, Basingstoke.

The deserving National winners were chosen from a massive 13,225 nominations and applications as well as 34,066 votes. With inspirational Speakers Jenni Steel and Dr Lynda Shaw, the day also included stories of hardship and triumph with plenty of laughter and many tears.

Dorset Venus Awards regional winners carried off national titles for the Marketing & PR Category which was won by Simone Thomas, owner of MWAH and Hair Loss Bournemouth. Simone previously had a career in TV, film and magazine modelling in her early 20s and knows all too well the trauma of hair loss, having lost her hair twice. As a result, she has put her empathy to great use by setting up a business creating hair pieces and wigs for women who have lost their hair and are looking for products that are free of any parabens and are glue and adhesive free.

Pippa Latimer-Harris won the Small Business Category, which was sponsored in Dorset by Dutton Gregory Solicitors, for her Latimer House business, Pippa owns and runs Latimer House in Christchurch. A Downton Abbey style department store over three floors selling unusual painted furniture, pianos, rocking horses, driftwood mirrors, fabrics and local artisans art creations. In addition the Latimer House Craft school is now open offering creative one day workshops in painted furniture, sewing etc, as well as vintage birthday and hen parties.

Anna-Lee Kewley won the New Media Category which was sponsored locally by Rocket Digital Media for her Baby Moos website business. Started with just £230 in 2010 and a new baby in tow, Anna’s business has attracted attention from all top baby media brands and such celebrities as Kirsty Allsop and the late Peaches Geldof and now has stockists worldwide!

Started in Dorset six years ago, Venus Awards is looking to expand the awards to even more regions of the country so that more women can receive the recognition they deserve. They are on the search for a national title sponsor.

l www.venusawards.co.uk

The Dorset National Venus Awards finalists 2015

Visit www.bizmag.co.ukFebruary 2015Visit www.bizmag.co.uk February 20154 5V i s i t w w w . b i z m a g . c o . u k f o r t h e l a t e s t n e w s

business news

Over a third of small to medium-sized businesses in the south west have never changed their finance provider, according to findings come from the Close Brothers Business Barometer.

Fab Frocks of Westbourne is now the only authorised retailer of Mac Duggal dresses in this area. Mac Duggal designer dresses come from Chicago and have a strong American celebrity following.

The 30th birthday of the Sinclair C5, one of the most unusual vehicles ever to be built in Britain, is being celebrated by the National Motor Museum.

JR Autotechnics has everything to celebrate in 2015 after relocating the business from the centre of Weymouth to Link Park at the end of 2014, the company will celebrate its 10th anniversary in May 2015.

Nominations are now open for an awards scheme to recognise those making an outstanding contribution to conserving the unique landscape and traditions of the New Forest. l www.newforestnpa.gov.uk/awards

As part of its ‘Charity of the Year’ partnership with regional charity Autism Wessex, Frettens Solicitors has donated £5,000 to fund the installation of a new sensory room at Penny Farthing residential home.

Under 18% of undergraduates studying computing are women, according to research recently released by Information Age.

Cotswold-based clothing brand Weird Fish has appointed Dorset PR agency Liz Lean PR to develop its public relations strategy and brand identity, as it embarks on an exciting period of growth, both within the UK and globally.

Critical power specialist, Powertecnique, has been shortlisted in The News Business Excellence Awards 2015.

The Bournemouth & Poole College and Borough of Poole have reached agreement over the sale of the college’s site at Lower Constitution Hill, Poole. The agreement, worth £1.9m to the college, means the final piece of funding for a new £11m college complex is now in place.

House prices and the number of potential new buyers in the south west rose in December, bucking the general trend across most other parts of the UK, according to the latest RICS Residential Market Survey.

An appeal for donations of bird food to support the wild fowl living on the lake enjoyed by patients and staff at Royal Bournemouth Hospital has been answered by Verwood based retail group PamPurredPets. The company has pledged a long term supply of food to support the work of Paul Fox, who is the full time carpenter and voluntary wildlife conservationist.DW 2014 123 X 185 29/4/14 11:02 Page 1

Clare Balding to host 11th Annual First Women Awards Nominations are now open for the 11th annual First Women Awards, created by Real Business and supported by the CBI. The 2015 awards ceremony will be hosted by presenter, writer and BAFTA-winning broadcaster Clare Balding.

The awards are central to the First Women Programme, which was created to bring together and celebrate the success of senior-level businesswomen and professionals from a wide variety of often male-dominated sectors.

The First Women Awards feature 12 categories ranging from Public Service and Finance to Science & Technology. This year, two new categories have been introduced - First Woman in Entrepreneurship and Young Achiever of the Year, which celebrates successful women under 35.

Entries close on 10th April. Winners will be announced at the annual awards ceremony, taking place at the London Marriott Hotel, Grosvenor Square on Thursday 11th June, 2015.

l http://firstwomen.co.uk/awards

Introducing AIM Altitude

AIM Altitude has been officially launched, following the recent acquisition of Altitude Aerospace Interiors by AIM Aviation. The launch of the new trading name signifies the merger of the two companies.

AIM Altitude will use the expertise of its teams across the UK and Europe, New Zealand, the Middle East and North America together to provide leading-edge solutions for aircraft interiors.

Mark Edwards, CEO of AIM Altitude, said, ‘As AIM Altitude we are offering our combined strengths to the airlines and OEMs. We plan to further enhance our reputation, making the name AIM Altitude synonymous with the provision of inspirational design, meticulous engineering and quality craftsmanship.’

Along with the new name, AIM Altitude is also unveiling a new-look website.

l www.aimaltitude.com

Mark Edwards

Clare Balding at last year’s awards.

Planning a world-class golf resortAward-winning planning and design consultancy Terence O’Rourke has helped St. Mellion International Golf Resort gain planning permission for 199 golf homes, bringing its vision of hosting world-class tournaments in the south west a step closer.

£21,000 for local charitiesFJB Hotels raised the bar for local charities, working alongside Wave 105 Cash for Kids to raise £21,000 for distribution amongst children’s projects in the area.

The FJB group, which comprises of the Sandbanks, Haven, Harbour Heights and Chine hotels, nominated Wave 105 Cash for Kids as its charity partner of the year for 2014. As well as hosting a series of fundraising events throughout the year, guests have been invited to donate £1 from their room bill towards the charity. Achieving a superb total of £21,000.

Special guest Bournemouth Mayor Chris Mayne, hotel staff and suppliers were invited to the prestigious Harbour Heights Hotel to witness the announcements of where this money will be distributed.

FJB Hotels Managing Director, John Butterworth presented the cheques to Wave 105’s Managing Director Martin Ball and Commercial Director Jon Brooks who are representatives for the charity.

FJB Hotels is set to continue fundraising for Wave 105 Cash for Kids in 2015 with an exciting schedule of events as well as further guest donations.

MANUFACTURERS PRESS AHEAD WITH FURTHER GROWTH IN ORDERSNew orders continued to expand for British manufacturers in the three months to January, but firms expect their export orders to tail-off in the coming quarter, according to the latest CBI Quarterly Industrial Trends Survey.

Changing face of technologyAccording to a YouGov survey conducted for the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers announced recently, digital music devices – such as MP3 players – digital cameras and wearables were considered the three technologies most likely to be redundant or unnecessary this year. On the other hand smart phones, tablets and 3D printers, will be the most influential. The online survey, conducted in late December 2014, questioned over two thousand adults of Great Britain to understand their perception of influential and redundant technologies in 2015.

Local company scoops gold

The team at Janine Pattison StudiosJanine Pattison Studios, a garden and landscape design practice based in Bournemouth, has won Gold and Best Landscape of the Year in the National Express Newspapers New Homes Gardens Awards 2014.

The winning project is a stunning new contemporary property overlooking the sylvan Parkstone Golf Course and historic natural harbour of Poole Bay.

Retail sales figures rallyThe UK sales figures announced recently show a sign of relief for the retail sector. Following an extended period of poor performance, during which big high street names seemed to be struggling to get to grips with the falling footfall, numbers show that December saw the revival of the sector.

Sales in December increased by 4.3% compared with December 2013. In addition, consumers have once again spoken loud and clear. Online sales in the UK grew by 8% in December compared to a year earlier.*

* www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/rsi/retail-sales/december-2014/index.html


business news

Technology licensing –things to considerIf you are considering licensing your technology here aresome things to be thinking about:

Exclusivity – your licensee is likely to want exclusivity as he will beinvesting in production and selling. In which countries will you givehim exclusivity and are there customers in those markets you wouldstill want to be able to sell to?

Duration – your licensee is probably going to want a three or fiveyear minimum. In return you may want minimum royaltyrequirements to make sure he exploits the technology. You shouldalso consider milestones he needs to achieve along the way. Yourlicensee may say it’s going to take a few years to get sales. If that’sso, what do you expect him to do before then; for example, whendoes he need to have geared up with tooling? You don’t want to waita few years and find he’s not ready to start selling, especially if hehas exclusivity.

Field of use – will you restrict your licensee to using the technologyto a particular field of use if it has applications in different areas?

Technical assistance– what help will you give your licensee and atwhat cost?

Royalties – can you negotiate an advance on royalties? When willroyalties get paid? You’ll want the licensee’s auditors to confirmsales and/or a right to inspect his records to make sure you’regetting what is due. Sales should be on arms’ length terms so hedoesn’t sell at low prices to associated parties to reduce your royalty.

Standards – you’ll want to be able to control quality and inspectproduction to maintain your reputation.

Improvements – who will be able to use improvements made tothe technology?

If your agreement covers countries in the EU, complex rules applyto technology transfer agreements which we can help you with.

For further information please contact:

David Ashplant, Partner01202 786165 [email protected]

L-r: Richard Thwaites, Clydesdale Bank; Tracey Bridgewater, Tozers Solicitors (solictors for John Romans); John Romans, Owner/MD of John Romans Park Homes Ltd and Nick Davis, Clydesdale Bank

Park operator homes in on £3m expansion planOne of the UK’s leading operators of residential parks has announced further expansion following the completion of a £3m funding package with Clydesdale Bank.

John Romans Park Homes, which already owns 12 residential parks at sites across Dorset, Hampshire and Somerset, has acquired The Lookout Holiday Park in Wareham, Dorset.

The 12-acre site houses a variety of two and three-bedroom homes available for rental and is the latest addition to a portfolio which includes six existing parks in Dorset, five in Hampshire and one in Somerset.

The deal was delivered by Nick Davis, Relationship Manager, and Richard Thwaites, Business Development Manager, at Clydesdale Bank’s Business and Private Banking Centre in Reading.

John Romans Park Homes has an annual turnover of approximately £5m and employs 12 full and part-time staff across all its sites.

Mark Constantine cites good management as key to success

L-r: Tracey Wood, Mark Constantine and Frances Miles

Lush founder, Mark Constantine, took to the stand for the last Poole Business Lunch Club of 2014, where he yet again captured the audience with his compelling and engaging mix of story-telling and business insight.

Touching on an array of subjects, Mark focused the presentation on asking whether the economic climate really did affect business? Drawing from his own experience with the hugely successful Lush Cosmetics brand, Mark concluded that he firmly believes a business’s success is fundamentally down to successful and inspiring management.

Discussing what makes a successful entrepreneur, Mark looked at how, like himself, many have had to overcome obstacles in their early life which gave them the drive to succeed. Talking of his own personal experience of the emotional consequences of growing up without a father figure and how early memories had not only given him the strong desire to succeed but also shaped his creative input when developing products, Mark spoke of how he became briefly re-acquainted with his father shortly before his death, and how the Lush product, ‘Dear John,’ had been inspired by him.

Founded by Jobshop UK Directors, Tracey Wood and Frances Miles, the Poole Business Lunch Club has been running for fourteen years, during which, Mark’s talks have become something of an exclusive annual ‘tradition.’

Frances said, ‘As we move into 2015, the Poole Business Lunch Club will continue to evolve. We have always received fantastic feedback for our business lunches and events, and will continue to bring the most topical, inspiring and thought provoking speakers to events planned for 2015.’

Predictions and wishes for 2015Retail on the upswing...

n Virgin Media Business has found 77% of business is from referrals and 66%, and destined to climb, from NETWORKING/personal contacts.

My wish for 2015? More face-to-face enthusiasm through

networking in real time!

n People will start taking notice of the importance and perils of their social media presence - you can destroy your business in two tweets.

My prediction for 2015? 2015 is the time to take advice from social media experts!

n 1 in 5 shops are still not Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) compliant. Do restaurants have large print menus?

My prediction is… the government will ensure they DO.

n Clothes shops - are the changing rooms down STAIRS? My wish for 2015? Make sure you can cater for ALL your customers. The DDA will be

enforced in 2015.n The curse of the ‘never ending sale’. Price manipulation, creative

claims of the levels of discount – all retail tricks that leave a bitter taste in the mouth of the shopper, especially when THEY showed good faith only days or hours before prices tumble again but only after they were hiked when you really needed it.

My wish for 2015? Honest autumn sales, prices set for ‘the golden quarter’ (Christmas),

then genuine January sales.n Amazon opened a ‘sarcastic store’ but found it really worked and is

opening the first one for real. Could 2015 be the year when cyber retailing started occupying bricks and mortar?

For people to come back to the High Street to shop in real time with real people – as long as the shops are still open and are staffed at levels where they can serve them with a smile!

That’s MY wish for 2015.Nigel P. Hedges, the small voice in Business

Nigel P. Hedges

the voice

Sponsors required for fundraising Fashion ShowThe Hadland Foundation has requested support from local businesses for their project funding emergency child care when mothers’ are in Court with domestic abuse cases.

The next fundraising event is a fashion show to be held on Friday 27th March in Boscombe. The charity is looking for a local business to sponsor the event.

E-mail [email protected]

Christchurch’s 40 year success storyIf you are considering where would be the ideal restaurant for that special business meeting / lunch or evening out in Christchurch, then look no further than La Mamma pizzeria & trattoria Italian restaurant.

Since being established in 1974 this friendly, family and relaxed atmosphere restaurant, has gained recognition for its superbly cooked cuisine and has been a Daily Echo Newspaper ‘Best of the Best Awards Winner’ five times.

The staff at La Mamma are extremely welcoming which accounts for why the restaurant is always busy and is an excellent choice for both business and social occasions.

La Mamma is a traditional Italian restaurant where light lunches are just £6.95, and parking is only a few paces away.

Choose from the wide selection of typical Italian cuisine and discover for yourself why La Mamma has been in business for 40 years.

For reservations call 01202 471608.

Abbotsbury gardens to invent anniversary aleAbbotsbury Subtropical Gardens is working with the Dorset microbrewery Gyle 59 to produce a special ale for its 250th anniversary this year.

The beer will be flavoured with Drimys lanceolata, also known as mountain pepper, an Australian rainforest shrub that grows in the gardens. Mountain pepper is used today as a bushfood condiment to spice curries. It is high in antioxidants and was once used to treat scurvy in sailors.

Abbotsbury Subtropical Gardens were established in 1765 by Elizabeth, the first Countess of Ilchester, as a kitchen garden for her nearby castle.Eurozone in crisis/EU quantitative

easing: expert comment from Institute of ExportAs the Eurozone hurtles towards a potential crisis following the Syriza victory - and as the European Central Bank goes ahead with EU quantitative easing, Lesley Batchelor, Director General of the Institute of Export says, the ongoing developments may provide an opportunity to pull Greece out of its downward spiral.

With regards to quantitative easing, Lesley says it’s vital British exporters are prepared to harness the potential wealth of trade opportunities if the European Central Bank goes ahead with quantitative easing which will pump €50bn ($58bn) a month into the European economy for the next year.

Batchelor, says, ‘Although the quantitative easing would not come into effect until March, British exporters should take action now and start planning by revisiting former clients to reopen doors to new opportunities.’

Visit www.bizmag.co.ukFebruary 2015 9Visit www.bizmag.co.uk February 20158

www.charlwoodifa.com

About Martyn Charlwood

South west firms affected by staff health problems

Medical negligence

Almost a fifth (19%) of small to medium-sized businesses in the south west have suffered negative impacts caused by staff health and wellbeing issues, a survey has revealed. Of that number, 63% have reported a rise in absenteeism, while 19% have experienced a drop in productivity and a further 13% have seen an increase in staff turnover.

The findings come from the Close Brothers Business Barometer, a quarterly survey that canvasses the opinion of SME owners and senior management across the UK.

Robin Goddard, Regional Director for Close Brothers Invoice Finance in the south west said, ‘Anything that has a negative impact on an employee’s wellbeing will likely be reflected in their performance and consequently, that of the overall business.

‘Figures from the government estimate that almost 130 million working days are lost every year to sickness in the UK and that ill health among employees costs the national economy approximately £100bn*.

‘Whether it is mental or physical, any form of stress or illness can be detrimental to productivity and efficiency in the workplace. It can reduce the power and morale of the workforce and become a significant drain on resources.’

The Business Barometer also revealed that maintaining the health and wellbeing of employees is a priority for the majority (81%) of firms in the south west.

‘It’s encouraging to see that businesses are taking steps to both support their workforce and counter the negative impact of employee health concerns. We found that over a third of firms polled in the region have introduced perks and benefits for employees such as health insurance, gym membership and company cars, and 26% say they do so to support the wellbeing of their staff.

‘For some SMEs, managing health in the workplace may seem like a challenging and costly task, but it is an important issue and one that shouldn’t be avoided. Especially when it can bring such clear benefits to your business,’ added Mr Goddard.* Department of Work and Pensions, 2014

Coles Miller has expanded its UK team of specialist medical negligence solicitors with the appointment of Penny Skertchly.

Penny said, ‘Instances of clinical negligence are increasing because of the limitations on resources being placed on the NHS.

‘Also, because of the internet, people are becoming better informed about medical conditions and are more likely to question the advice they receive from their GP or hospital.’

Cosmetic surgery Nuffield Health Bournemouth Hospital is holding a complimentary educational cosmetic event with the opportunity to speak one-to-one to a consultant plastic surgeon, on Monday 23rd February, with refreshments at 6.30pm and a lecture starting at 7pm. The event will be held at Compton Acres Italian Villa, Poole.

Are your investments and pensions working for you?…

…Allow us to propose an alternative

2014 held more surprises than a Hitchcock movie with possibly the biggest twist being retained for the autumn. Expectations had centred

on markets being valued on fundamentals as the US Federal Reserve’s monetary stimulus came to an end. It was anticipated that there would be a gradual increase in economic growth prompting a rotation out of fixed interest bonds into equities. The big unknown was the extent to which the colossal increase in money supply would cause inflation to rise.

Over the course of 2014 investors took a stream of geopolitical unrest and contrasting economic data in their stride, supported by central bank buying. The only noteworthy market correction came in October as the Federal Reserve signalled an end to Quantitative Easing.

The Bank of Japan then picked up the baton and boosted its own stimulus package to include purchases of domestic and overseas equities. As deflation threatened the Eurozone, President Draghi of the European Central Bank finally presented plans for a monetary easing package. Investors realised that the game hadn’t changed, just the players and they returned to buying mode. The only inflation problem was a lack of it - helping bonds to outperform all developed stockmarkets with the exception of the US.

So what is expected for 2015… We entered the new year needing a period of consolidation to allow company earnings to catch up with market valuations. At the time of writing, shares in the UK looked to be on a firmer footing with positive growth and less stretched valuations. We feel there is likely to be a period of uncertainty ahead of May’s general election with the possibility of a hung parliament which will dictate whether or not the UK remains in the EU. This uncertainty risks dampening consumer and business confidence and possibly deterring investment in the UK.

The US stockmarket is arguably already fully valued but the economic positioning compares well to the rest of the world. Europe is in more of a mess than a toddlers placemat but will be supported by central bank money, as will Japan. Fixed interest bonds look expensive but could get more so if the threat of deflation persists, and property will remain a low volatility option with a reasonable yield.

To some, this may seem to paint a rather bleak picture yet circumstances such as these are where the experience and expertise of Discretionary Investment Managers such as ourselves can turn things on their head and really add value. So long as interest rates remain at historically low levels, in many cases offering negative returns after adjusting for inflation, then other asset classes will offer attractive alternatives.

Yes, we do see another year of volatile markets but we will look to exploit these buying opportunities within what we believe will be an overall future trend of rising markets.

Our Investment and Pension specialist, Martyn Charlwood, looks back on 2014 together with his firms house view for 2015.

Top Tips for Savvy InvestorsAlways seek advice from an independent Financial Adviser

Select an Adviser experienced and qualified to maximise returns and add value, not just a cost

Seek a transparent and competitive charging structure

Remember! ‘Good advice is a great investment’

charlwoodifa

Charlwood IFA is a trading style of Charlwood IFA Ltd which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority. Charlwood IFA Ltd is Registered in England; Registered No: 04820268. Registered Address: As above

charlwoodifa Ltd 35 Seamoor Road, Westbourne, Bournemouth, BH4 9AE

Tel: (01202) 768512 Fax: (01202) 763301 Email: [email protected]: www.charlwoodifa.com

Penny Skertchly

Robin Goddard

Martyn is the Managing Director of Charlwood IFA, one of the region’s most respected and astute Wealth Managers who look after those investable assets of £250,000 plus.

Contact Charlwood IFA on 01202 768512 or visit charlwoodifa.com

health matters

Billionaire boss does 75 press-ups on his 75th birthday for staff

Jim Thompson

How would your boss celebrate his 75th birthday? Well, if you are an employee at Crown Worldwide it’s by doing one press-up for every year of his life in front of cheering office staff!

Entrepreneur Jim Thompson is the founder and chairman of logistics giant Crown Worldwide, which he started in 1965 and now has a turnover in excess of 800m USD as it approaches its 50th anniversary in the next few weeks.

The American-born businessman could easily be forgiven for taking it easy and enjoying the kind of lifestyle you would expect of the owner of a company with offices in some 60 countries around the globe.

But instead he continues to lead the business with vigour – and demonstrates his fitness each year with an unusual birthday ritual that is tipped to become an internet hit.

So, on 14th January he dropped to the floor in front of colleagues at Crown Worldwide’s headquarters in Hong Kong to push out 75 press-ups – in just 47 seconds.

‘It’s become a tradition and creates quite a stir,’ said Jim, who hails from New Jersey in the United States but has homes in Hong Kong, London and Ireland. ‘I think they had a few bets going on about whether I could do it or not - but I did, and it became a ritual that every year on my birthday I had to do a press-up for every year of my life. Now it’s like a trademark.’

l www.crownworldwide.com

Visit www.bizmag.co.ukFebruary 2015 11Visit www.bizmag.co.uk10

finance focus

Salary or dividends?Can a business reduce its tax liabilities by paying dividends as opposed to salary? The answer is not always obvious, and only a thorough review of the business by an expert can determine the right response. Deciding what’s right for you very much depends on circumstances. The following table outlines some of the initial considerations:

For more information, please contact Steve Beaumont on 0370 770 8111 or email [email protected]

Taylorcocks, 4 St Stephen’s Court, 15-17 St Stephen’s Road, Bournemouth BH2 6LA

www.taylorcocks.co.uk

chartered accountants & chartered tax adviserswe go further

145,000 ‘homepreneurs’ mistakenly believe home contents insurance will cover their businessNew research* from small business insurer, Direct Line for Business and Enterprise Nation, reveals 145,000 home-based business owners have rejected business insurance on the basis that they believe their commercial activities are covered under their home insurance policy.

Home contents insurance can often cover office equipment but it does not offer the full cover home business owners need. By relying on their home insurance alone, many ‘homepreneurs’ are putting their businesses and livelihoods at risk.

The research also highlights that two in every five home businesses are not insured at all. This lack of insurance puts home businesses at significant financial risk. Operators of these businesses may not recognise the potential liabilities they face. Standard home insurance will not necessarily cover stock stored at home and neither will it cover public liability, or loss of earnings due to an insurable event, such as a flood or a fire.

One in seven (14%) home businesses have clients visit their home. If a customer is injured, or has their property damaged during a visit, a lack of public liability insurance could lead to financial and legal obligations that could bankrupt a business.

Jazz Gakhal, Head of Direct Line for Business commented, ‘Home businesses are booming at the moment; they are creating jobs and local wealth, as well as boosting the national economy by around £300bn**. With that in mind it’s worrying to see that a significant proportion of them have not taken out business insurance to protect their assets.

‘Home business insurance can be purchased in addition to home insurance and provides essential business cover for a wide range of businesses operating from home. With Direct Line for Business insurance, this costs as little as £53*** a year. That’s less than £5 a month to cover you against the potential emotional and financial loss caused by an accident or theft.’

Almost a third (29%) of home business operators believe they do not need insurance because they are not big enough. However, the size of the business does not reduce their liabilities if something does go wrong. Even a small scale operation could face significant liabilities potentially running into hundreds and thousands of pounds were they to be found responsible for a customer being injured.

Beatriz Garcia-Martinez, who runs SecurelyBe from home, commented, ‘The insurance world can be difficult to navigate for a start-up business. Depending on your type of business and sector it can require extensive research in to the legalities of business. This is difficult task for small operation to undertake because it can take lots of time and often certain expertise that home businesses may lack.

‘Small business owners need insurers to partner with them from the beginning, to help us understand the essentials we need now and might need in the future.’

Direct Line for Business offers a simple online tool that can help small businesses begin to understand what insurance is right for their operation.

l www.directlineforbusiness.co.uk/business-insurance* Research conducted by Enterprise Nation in association with Direct Line for Business among a representative sample of 600 UK home based businesses between 12th August 2014 and 3rd October 2014 ** www.gov.uk/government/news/backing-for-home-based-business-boom*** 44% of customers achieved £53 including Insurance Premium Tax Jan to Jun 2014

L-r: Mandy Gardiner, PW Payroll Solutions; Bryan McDaniel, The Pensions Regulator and Bill Law, Princecroft WillisThe message, from The Pensions Regulator,

comes as staff at medium-sized companies, employing less than 60 workers, become the latest to be automatically enrolled. The reforms are considered the biggest change to saving for retirement for over a century. The first small and micro employers will need to be ready this summer.

The law means both employers and their staff will pay in to the workplace pensions. It is aimed at encouraging millions of individuals aged 16 to 74 to save more - or save for the first time - for their retirement. According to latest figures, only one in three private sector workers were in a pension scheme in 2012 and the trend has been downwards for the last 40 years. Automatic enrolment aims to change that trend.

Start planning now for pensions auto enrolment seminar toldEmployers should start planning now for new workplace pension duties as they roll out to medium and small businesses over the coming months.

A seminar in Poole, staged by PW Payroll Solutions, heard the importance of employers giving themselves plenty of time to put plans in place for auto enrolment. All employers have a staging date which is set in law and is when the duties come into force for their business. It is the date from when automatic enrolment activities must become ‘business as usual’, like real-time PAYE.

Large firms employing more than 120,000 people started auto enrolment three years ago and the majority of larger size medium employers had their staging date in 2014. Now it’s the turn for smaller companies to approach their staging dates with the next two years to act.

Bryan McDaniel, Industry Liaison Manager with The Pensions Regulator, said it was

vital that employers began planning well in advance of their staging date.

He told the seminar, ‘Our advice is don’t leave it until the last minute but, instead, start planning 12 months before your staging date.

‘You’ll need to develop your initial plans, find out who to enrol, choose your software, check records and choose a pension scheme.

‘The role of The Pensions Regulator is to educate and enable employers to comply with their duties but we do have enforcement powers. Employers who fail to act risk a fine.

‘We’d urge employers to visit our website at www.thepensionsregulator.gov.uk and see what needs to be done,’ added Mr McDaniel.

Mandy Gardiner, Head of Payroll Services at PW Payroll Solutions, said , ‘We will be holding further seminars on auto enrolment so if anyone is interested in attending they should contact us on 01202 663700.’

Taylorcocks’ specialist tax advisers are able to provide a review service that enables businesses to see which method would work best for their company and ultimately the amount of money they could save. The review includes:1. A review of the remuneration for each shareholder taking into account

any other income they have.2. Identification of the savings available depending upon whether these are

received by the shareholders, retained by the company or split between them.

3. Guidance on the correct dividend procedures to ensure that they comply with company law so that the legality of the dividends cannot be challenged by HM Revenue and Customs.

4. A review of the effect of the new policy on the company’s corporation tax.

5. An analysis of the effect of the new policy on the shareholders’ self assessment and their tax payments.

6. A review of other considerations such as properly waiving salaries, impact on life policies, impact on pension arrangements etc

CONS

Can be expensive in National Insurance for

smaller companies

Can be used only to pay employees of the company

Can usually only be paid from accrued profits of the

company (although we have been able to overcome this

in some circumstances)

PAYE

Div

iden

ds

PROS

Lots of free help available from the Revenue

Tax and National Insurance liabilities are easy to calculate and

are paid at source

PAYE lets you utilise your personal allowance and starting rate of tax

where applicable

Payroll expenses are deductible from the profit chargeable to

Corporation Tax

No National Insurance

More tax efficient in most circumstances

Can be paid to individuals who are not employees of

the company (they must be shareholders)

FURTHER EXPANSION FOR ALAN & THOMAS

Local insurance specialist Alan & Thomas has started 2015 in positive mood by acquiring another new office. Hot on the heels of two broker acquisitions in Dorchester during the second half of 2014, the Poole-based broker has now acquired Bennetts Commercial Ltd based in Basingstoke.

This acquisition takes the broker to five offices across the south of England and will see them now manage in excess of £30m in gross written insurance premium for businesses and private individuals across the UK.

Bennetts will continue to trade in their own name initially and their existing team of ten staff will all be retained and led by Director Carole Lowe, who has been with the Basingstoke broker for five years.

Founded in 2002 by Phil Casement following a management buyout of the commercial

division of Bennetts GB Ltd, Bennetts Commercial provides risk management advice and bespoke insurance solutions for a wide range of businesses throughout Hampshire and beyond.

‘As a team, we are delighted to become part of the Alan & Thomas Group. We have witnessed over recent years how they have grown their business and profile, and we are looking forward to working with them to build an even more successful office in our region,’ said Carole.

Chief Executive Officer of Alan & Thomas, Julian Boughton, is equally thrilled with the news, ‘To begin 2015 by adding Bennetts to the A&T Group is a great coup for us. We were well aware of the solid business that they had built since 2002 and we are looking forward to working with the team in Basingstoke to grow the business even further.

‘By expanding into Hampshire, we can now offer our products and services to businesses and private individuals in the Hampshire and M3/M4 corridor area in a more focussed way. This is another step in our plan to create an even larger hub office footprint in the south of England.’

The Poole-based broker, the only independent to have achieved Chartered Insurance Broker status in Dorset, was advised on the acquisition by Princecroft Willis Accountants and Frettens Solicitors.

Julian Boughton with Carole Lowe

Ward Goodman lend community groups a helping handThe audit and accounts team at Ward Goodman has voluntarily helped to manage the accounts of two Wimborne based community groups; Wimborne Minster Chamber of Trade and Commerce and Wimborne and District Community Association.

The accounts of Wimborne Chamber of Trade and Commerce had been in need of attention before Ward Goodman Audit and Accounts Manager, Jen Richardson, offered to step in as the chamber’s treasurer, following the retirement of the previous accountant. Since becoming the chamber’s treasurer, Jen has literally transformed their accounts and committee members now receive complete management accounts each month for discussion at the chamber committee meetings.

Jen and her team have also voluntarily taken on the accounts at the Wimborne and District Community Association, an organisation which runs the Allendale Community Centre providing a hub for community groups and individuals to meet.


Engage Executive Jobs Director, Sally Bennett

1 The Triangle,Bournemouth BH2 5RY

Tel: 01202 674488www.engageexecutivejobs.com

Bournemouth driving national economic growth A new report finds Bournemouth has experienced the fifth largest growth in the country in the number of new jobs created in the area over the past decade.

Bournemouth is the only town in the south west where jobs have not fallen behind the UK average and in fact the town has seen a 10% increase with 15,500 jobs created.

The Centre for Cities report, entitled ‘Outlook 2015’, reveals that national growth between 2004 and 2013 was largely driven by only a handful of towns and cities, including Bournemouth, thanks to increasing populations, growth in the number of businesses, and the creation of thousands of new jobs.

The Leader of Bournemouth Council, Councillor John Beesley, said, ‘More jobs and growth in the local economy is welcome news. We have big ambitions for Bournemouth’s future and we strongly believe that we need to take the lead in building a better Bournemouth.

‘Despite the considerable challenges of the recession we have been strategically investing in regeneration projects to attract inward investment, improving our transport network, supporting business start-ups and striving to retain graduate talent in the town to increase our skills base.’

Demand for professional talent up 29% as one in three UK workers plan to move jobsProfessional recruitment firms now have 29% more vacancies on their books than this time last year according to new survey data from the Association of Professional Staffing Companies (APSCo). This increase in opportunities coincides with the latest research from the Institute of Leadership & Management which has announced that 37% of workers are planning to leave their current jobs in 2015 - a dramatic increase from 2014 (19%) and 2013 (13%).

Growth across the board but engineering continues to lead the wayBeneath this headline figure, the latest data from APSCo reveals that growth in the professional staffing market continues to climb across all of the trade association’s core sector groups. Permanent vacancies across finance & accounting, IT, engineering and media & marketing are all up year-on-year (16%, 31%, 53% and 15% respectively). This positive sentiment is in line with recent figures released by the CBI, which reported that half of British businesses are planning to expand their workforce in 2015.

Uncertainty surrounding upcoming election may impact hiringDespite this positivity, however, APSCo warns that it remains to be seen what impact the General Election will have on the professional recruitment market. The latest Deloitte CFO Survey, for example, reveals that the May’s General Election is of major concern to organisations. In fact, when asked to rate the level of risk posed on a scale of 0 to 100, CFOs attached a 63 rating to the General Election – significantly higher than the 56 attached to deflation of the Euro or the 39 points awarded to further cuts in spending. This may be because many analysts have predicted that, given the surge in support for smaller parties such as Ukip, the SNP and the Greens, a hung parliament is a real possibility. For this reason, companies are likely to remain cautious surrounding hiring in early 2015 as CFOs resist investing in talent until the political landscape is less volatile.

Resolving HR throughexecutive recruitment solutionsResolving the challenges that recruiting within the HR sector brings, Executive Recruitment Director for Engage Executive Jobs, Sally Bennett, draws upon her 12 years of recruitment experience and in-depth knowledge of HR; its function within an organisation and its challenges, to match the ideal candidate to the organisation.

CIPD qualified, Sally’s experience as a global recruiter and her specialism in HR recruitment for both agency and corporate organisations, enables Engage to offer a tailor-made and holistic executive search service honed to the precise requirements of its client.

Being keenly aware that people are key to the success of a business, and recruitment of the right people in a timely manner essential, Sally’s previous role as Business Partner at Farrow and Ball has given her a broad range of relevant experience with first-hand knowledge of direct campaigns, working in partnership with different functions across the organisation, and offering advice on additional areas of people management.

Locally, Engage will be organising HR forums offering the opportunity to discuss hot topics in a confidential arena of shared experiences where subjects discussed include addressing change, employee engagement, and employer of choice.

Under Sally’s expert leadership, Engage works in partnership with its clients, as an extension of the team, in order to really understand the culture within the company it is recruiting for; an essential practice in successful recruitment.

Approaching every project individually, each brief is taken personally, followed by an in-depth search process, involving an accurate selection of candidates, for face to face interviews before the final shortlist is presented to the client and supported with a concise profile overview.

Engage’s comprehensive approach to recruitment, encompassing all aspects of its client’s business ensure all candidates presented for interview are not just fully qualified and experienced for the role but also fully briefed on the organisation and motivated at interview.

Sally said, ‘In this challenging marketplace which is short of available talent, people are the foundation of any organisation. Engage prides itself on implementing a range of techniques in order to find the right match. With my background in Recruitment and Human Resource Management for a global organisation I am transferring my own skills to help develop strong partnerships with organisations. Over time I plan to add value and build a trust in our client partnerships in order that they view Engage as an extension of the Human Resource Department.’

HR professionals risk losing the war for talent

Award winning HR stars

HR teams are at risk of losing the talent attraction war unless they work more closely with PR and marketing teams to create an engaging employee value proposition, according to global RPO and talent management firm, Cielo.

At a time when the competition for global talent is increasing, results from the recent Cielo Talent Activation Index have revealed that just 13% of poor performing organisations rated the quality of the company Employer Value Proposition (EVP) as very effective in attracting talent. This is compared to 86% of leading businesses.

This suggests that HR teams need to create a compelling and engaging EVP through more effective communication strategies or risk losing the war for talent. According to Cielo, this can be achieved through collaborating with PR and marketing

experts, as Sue Brooks, Cielo’s Chief Innovation Officer explains:

HR professionals are great at the people management element expected of the function, but communication in this digital world is perhaps out of the comfort zone of many such individuals. However, given that a company’s PR or marketing team will have the expert skills to create compelling communications strategies that truly engage with the target audience, HR must collaborate more with these teams.’

‘Human resources professionals have a lot on their shoulders at the moment – particularly given the growing competition for staff and the ever-changing needs of talent. But it can’t be overlooked that these experts don’t need to manage all people related issues on their own. Utilising the likes of communications experts will only aid the success of a corporate EVP.

The winners of the ACAS Dorset and Hampshire HR Awards supported by Bond Williams Professional Recruitment have been announced. Merlin Entertainment scoops the HR Team Award.

Tea Colaianni, who nominated the team, said staff development and training, as well as incentives, are key to the company’s continued global success.

The winner of the HR Professional Award is Rebecca Spain, from BCHA. Her colleagues nominated her for her outstanding commitment and ethical practice.

Bond Williams Professional Recruitment Director Claire Bond said, ‘We truly believe HR staff in our region do not get their time to shine - and, more importantly, companies rarely get the chance to show off those stars who work so hard recruiting, managing, engaging and retaining the right team to move the company forward. We are so pleased to give them that platform to shine and recognise at least some of the fantastic HR professionals we have in the region. This is our second year of the Bond Williams HR Awards and we were thrilled with the applications and level of detail, they really were exceptional and very well deserved.’

The team at Merlin Entertainment

For more information or to discuss your own circumstancescall us on 01202 875 900 or visit www.wardgoodman.co.uk

All successful relationships start with a conversation...let’s talk.You deserve to work with a firm that values your long-term success as much as its own. Many individuals and businesses across Dorset put their trust in us to be their Chartered Accountant

or Financial Adviser, so contact us and let’s get the conversation started.


Visit www.bizmag.co.ukFebruary 2015 17

L-r: Justin Cohen, Darren Northeast and Matt Jenkins

Bournemouth PR Agency, Darren Northeast PR (DNPR) hits a significant milestone this month marking 10 years of business. The story of Darren Northeast PR is one of tenacity, determination and hard work; surviving one of the UK’s greatest recessions at a time when PR agencies were deemed surplus, to become a thriving Dorset business.

Celebrating 10 years of Darren Northeast PR

With great passion and persistence, Darren Northeast PR threw all their efforts into the business and continued to look forward and were able to survive through one of the worst recessions in decades.

‘PR and training agencies were among the first things to be cut by businesses during the recession. However, this helped us discover how important it is to keep going, through even the toughest times. Business is never easy and never should be. The important thing is to always push for more.’

In the last few years, Darren Northeast PR has gone from strength to strength, welcoming in new members of staff including Director of Operations, Justin Cohen, who joined DNPR after the recession. Justin, who started working freelance, was eventually brought on board as it was clear he had a great talent for managing day-to-day operations and was able to develop operational systems which worked well for Darren Northeast PR. Alongside Justin, Darren stresses how important it is to have proper systems in place for every side of the businesses, believing professionalism in all aspects of a business is key.

Office 62, Drewitt House, 865 Ringwood Road, Bournemouth, BH11 8LWTelephone: 01202 676762 | Mobile: 07736 643138 | Email: [email protected]: www.darrennortheast.co.uk

2014 was DNPR’s most successful year yet as the company had both its best financial year to date and also reached a record number of clients. Due to this, the company also became incorporated. Darren marks this as a massive turning point for the business and feels the company has now gone well beyond himself as an individual and is an entire entity of its own.

‘We feel so fortunate to be in the position we are today. DNPR has allowed us to travel all over the world and work with clients from a plethora of sectors and industries, so there is never a dull moment! If we could stress one thing it would be to always treat people with respect and in return they’ll help you. Also ignore the detractors, not everyone can like you but don’t let that affect who you are as a professional or your business.’

This year marks the 10th anniversary of Darren Northeast PR, a massive achievement for any company and one Mr Northeast, along with all those who have been involved with the company are extremely proud of.

For more information visit www.darrennortheast.co.uk

Darren Northeast PR was first founded in February 2005. The first client of Darren Northeast PR was a mortgage company who had specifically requested the services of Darren Northeast PR, having known Darren from a previous working relationship. From there, Darren Northeast PR worked hard on a day to day basis, never taking the foot off the accelerator to ensure new business continually came in. Alongside this, business networking played a crucial part in the development and growth of Darren Northeast PR as Darren is keen to highlight:

‘Networking is such a powerful resource and it is a great way of going out and meeting people. If you are willing to listen, people will get to know you and trust you and if they like you as a person they will want to work with you. There is nothing more complicated to it than that. We have met the majority of our clients through networking and it has played such a pivotal part in the success of DNPR.’

For the first three years Darren Northeast PR steadily grew until the recession hit in 2008. Despite being a particularly tough time for Darren Northeast PR, this only pushed them to work with an even more focused attitude. ss

ssrecruitment

Then talk to SOS recruitment about your dream job today

Contact an experienced member of the SOS team:

Call: 01202 292888 | Click: [email protected] in: 181-183 Old Christchurch Road, Bournemouth, BH1 1JUwww.sosrecruitment.co.uk

CRAVE A WORK/LIFE BALANCE?

We specialise in Temporary, Permanent and Contract recruitment at all levels, including:

Administration, Banking, Business Development, Customer Service, Engineering, Finance, HR, Industrial, Insurance, IT,

Legal, Management, Marketing, PR, Property, Sales and Technical amongst others.

law lines

My business has gone from strength to strength whilst working with Steele Raymond. They always deliver a professional service and make a big difference for us.

““

Mark Bennett, founder,Patisserie Mark Bennett Ltd

The SteeleRaymonddifference...

At the heart of commercial law in Dorset

Dorset commercial law firm Steele Raymond LLP has advised local family run firm, Golden Acres Group on its sale to Wyevale Garden Centres, a long standing and well established UK chain.

The transaction completed in December 2014, with the acquired centres including John Brown’s Garden Centre and West Parley Garden Centre in Dorset, Landford Garden Centre in Salisbury and Cadnam Garden Centre in Hampshire.

Steele Raymond’s top tier commercial team acted on behalf of the seller, owner Paul Richards. The transaction was led by Corporate Partner Nick Davies and Commercial Property Partner Chris Twaits, who between them have considerable experience in acting for a wide range of business clients across a variety of sectors.

Nick Davies commented, ‘The transaction involved a variety of complex corporate and commercial property aspects, which our leading team at Steele Raymond is well equipped to deal with. We have acted for Golden Acres Group and owner Paul Richards for a number of years and seen it grow into a highly successful chain of garden centres across the south. It was great to be able to help Paul achieve his ambitions, and we wish the new owners well.’

Paul Richards added, ‘I was very pleased to have Steele Raymond’s advice and assistance in relation to the sale of my company, which I have grown over many years. The team worked tirelessly to ensure that my commercial objectives were met. I would recommend anyone buying or selling a company to use Steele Raymond’s top tier commercial team.’

Steele Raymond LLP has recently completed the refurbishment of its offices at Richmond Point in Bournemouth. The refurbishment work creates a totally new fresh office environment for the firm’s employees and clients, and follows hot on the heels of its new branding and website www.steeleraymond.co.uk.

Chairman Tim Stone commented, ‘As Steele Raymond continues to be at the heart of commercial law in Dorset, this is an exciting time for us with lots of positive changes taking place within the business. Following the unveiling of our new website, rebrand and refurbishment in recent weeks, we’re delighted to see the new office structure starting to take shape. We’re looking forward to welcoming clients into a fresh,

STEELE RAYMOND ADVISES ON SALE OF THE GOLDEN ACRES GROUP

more inviting and dynamic environment that more closely reflects our position as one of Dorset and the south west’s leading law firms.’

For more information on the trusted legal advice Steele Raymond offers businesses and individuals, visit: www.steeleraymond.co.uk

Nick Davies

3 West Borough Wimborne Dorset BH21 1LU Tel: 01202 882456

We’re here to help you

WHERE THERE’S NO WILL, THERE’S A HELLISH LEGACYBy Rachel Fleet, Partner, DibbensJenni Russell wrote an article in The Times recently entitled ‘Where There’s No Will, There’s A Hellish Legacy’ wondering why the British are so careless about protecting the people that they love and suggesting that we should all be forced to write Wills.

She cited an example of a friend who was married and separated, but not divorced, and who had lived with a partner for some time but had not made a Will. On his death, his estranged wife ‘… a woman he no longer cared for and who was equally indifferent to him… is in line for a glorious windfall but his partner doesn’t have enough money coming in to pay the bills’. The estranged wife inherited everything.

She goes on to comment, ‘My friend would have been horrified if he had understood that he was creating this nightmarish situation. He simply never stopped to think about the consequences. He knew he ought to have an up to date Will but he couldn’t take it seriously just as most of us don’t.’

She feels that we are unbelievably casual about making Wills. Almost two-thirds of adults in this country do not have a Will at all, while more than a tenth of those who do have a Will need to update it.

Jenni Russell consulted a random sample of six of her friends, all house earning professionals with children. Five of them had no Wills. All of them assumed that they did not need one, and assumed that everything would be sorted out as they wanted it to be done and none had made plans for underage children. Not one of them understood the consequences of intestacy and the unmarried couples did not understand that they have little or no status in English Law in terms of inheritance at this point in time.

She goes on, in the article, to comment that ignorance of the rules forces terrible distress, that people can be left embittered, impoverished or even homeless and that this is an indication of a broken system. She says, ‘Britons couple an absolute belief in the right to leave their money as they please with a profound reluctance to get on with making that decision. The State leaves people to make a Will or not as they please, but that laissez-faire approach is indefensible when lives can be so damaged as a result.’

However, she points out that the law insists that everyone wears a seatbelt, pays for pensions and prohibits smoking in public but in her view it is much more important that people are made to think responsibly about inheritance and that it should be socially as well as legally unacceptable to avoid it.

Her closing remark sums it all up quite nicely, ‘Refusing to think about others, averting our eyes from our own mortality isn’t cool. It is as my bereaved friend bitterly observes, supremely selfish. The one person it doesn’t affect is the person who dies, but it can leave everyone else’s spirit tangled in hell.’

You should review an existing Will that was made more than five years ago and if you have no Will then you should make one – NOW!

Obesity a disability?This question was put to the European Court of Justice recently as the Danish case of Mr Kaltoft was brought. Mr Kaltoft was dismissed after 15 years employment as a child-minder for Billund local authority, and he argued that his obesity was a factor in his dismissal. Gina McCadden, Paralegal for Hampshire-based law firm Warner Goodman LLP here reviews the case and the implications this has for employers.

At the time of Mr Kaltoft’s dismissal four years ago, Billund local authority claimed that there was a decline in the number of children in the area, and so Mr Kaltoft was no longer needed. Mr Kaltoft brought a discrimination claim against his former employers. He argued that he was dismissed due to his weight following rumours amongst former colleagues that he was too obese to bend down to tie children’s shoes and play with them, a claim Mr Kaltoft denies was true.

In order to come to a decision, the Danish Courts referred the case to the European Court of Justice to clarify whether obesity could be classed as a disability and therefore protected against discrimination.

The Court held that there is no part of EU discrimination law which expressly protects against obesity but if obesity results from a long term physical, mental or psychological impairment which hinders ‘full and effective participation in professional life on an equal basis with other workers’ then it could constitute a disability. The origin or contribution a person has towards the disability was held to be irrelevant so obesity itself may constitute a disability.

‘The outcome of this case could have a significant impact on employers,’ begins Gina. ‘As the decision is binding across all EU members the UK are under an obligation to incorporate this decision into National Law. The Equality Act 2010 places a duty upon UK employers to make reasonable adjustments for employees in order to counter the effects of a disability. This means that employers may now be under a duty to make reasonable adjustments for obese employees, if their obesity has a negative impact upon their working life.’

The question will then become what is classed as reasonable. ‘Reasonable adjustments may be providing larger chairs or special car parking, and there must also be protection for these employees from verbal harassment. A suitable adjustment will be made on a case by case basis, and this could lead to further complications for employers as there may be differences in certain industries, for example, as to how a person’s weight could affect their daily work.’

Gina concludes, ‘With one in four people in the UK classified as obese this may place a great burden upon employers to adjust working conditions and patterns for many employees and may even open the floodgates to more discrimination claims.’

Gina McCadden


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Blue Chip achieves record year via investment in infrastructure, people and process

Responsive websites boost business salesIt seems the best approach for your business this New Year is to make your website ‘responsive’. Have you looked at your site on a tablet and different smart phones? If your site is correctly sized, and provides an optimal viewing experience with minimum scrolling, more customers will engage with your content. With a distinct audience shift to mobile browsing, search engines are placing responsive sites higher.

Radikls’ client, weathervanes-direct.co.uk, has reported an increase in customer activity with statistics revealing that 48% of enquiries came through its new responsive website design.

Steve Randall, of fencingcentre.co.uk, also says, ‘Our sales of log cabins and other products have increased by 25% since we became responsive and developed our search engine marketing.’

Tony Raybould of Radikls says, ‘We have seen very quickly that a responsive website is essential in today’s consumer market.’

IT specialist Blue Chip has announced its eighth consecutive year of growth, with turnover for 2013/2014 at £22m and staff numbers increasing to over 175, attributing the year-on-year performance to a long-term business strategy which embraces the future.

Blue Chip Managing Director, Richard Cook said, ‘We have worked hard in recent years to take the business forward, investing in infrastructure for a new generation of IT services and expanding our business services further. By default this has led to the formalisation of business processes to provide consistency and efficiency at an even higher level, with both customers and staff clearly understanding the above-industry expectations and standards of our award-winning service and delivery.’

Underpinning this has been the investment of a further £1m in the best available datacentre capacity and infrastructure at Vodafone’s Tier 3 datacentres in Leeds and Uxbridge, expansion of its Leeds operation and a restructure of the account management team to provide dedicated, specialist support to SME, corporate and enterprise customers, relevant to their size.

Blue Chip customer, Stuart Thomas, Client Services Director at First Choice said, ‘Over the last couple of years we have found Blue Chip to be responsive and technically competent which, in today’s market, is high praise indeed. They have worked hard to ensure that we remain a satisfied customer and can be relied on to provide considered and skilled responses to challenging and changing technical requirements.’

l www.bluechip.uk.com

Cloud is not a golden chaliceBy Rob Rutherford, QuoStar

Many IT service providers are pumping cloud services as an end-to-end IT solution within businesses. This is simply negligent; cloud isn’t always the best solution. There aren’t many businesses where some type of cloud service won’t deliver any business gain - but that doesn’t mean you should be throwing everything into the cloud without consideration.

Rob Rutherford

Cloud is just a tool, no different from a new server or piece

of software. Just because it provides clear benefits in one area of your business, does not suggest that it should be applied to every possible area.

It’s important to remember that cloud isn’t a new technology, what’s new is the hype. Hype clouds judgement, it creates a herd mentality, creates a sense of urgency and a fear of missing out.

Because of this hype, we have every man and his dog trying to provide and resell cloud services to fill a demand. IT isn’t simple - true business enhancement comes from careful analysis, effective tailoring and solid integration of numerous different technologies and systems.

When going into the cloud, consider these questions:-Questions to ask yourself:

� Has our business and its operation been analysed in suitable depth by the provider, and a clear business case made?

� Are there any changes to the business in the foreseeable future that could impact our chosen solution?

� Do we have options, both in and out of the cloud?

� Do we clearly understand the benefits and drawbacks of the different options?

�What are the true costs of the options over the term of the contract or life of the solution?

�What other costs need to be factored in to the project, ie do we need additional network connections, to allocation internal resource, etc?

� If this doesn’t work - how are we going to fail-back?

Questions to ask the provider: �What is the financial status of the provider? � How long have they been delivering cloud services?

�What certifications and accreditations do they hold?

�What are their service level agreements and what happens if they don’t meet them?

� How will you exit the cloud service should you wish to or need to?

� Do they have control of their infrastructure and services, or are they reselling someone else’s?

� How can they assist with your migration into the cloud - and vice versa?

�What can impact the service they are delivering to you, and how can those risks/effectors be mitigated?

�What levels of resilience have you built in to your infrastructure? What happens when a server fails? A network connection? A disk storage system?

� How are you securing our data from external threats?

Don’t steer away from cloud. As with any IT system, when it’s been chosen through careful analysis and tailored to a business’s operations the results can be impressive and game changing.

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For more information or to discuss your IT requirements, telephone 01202 308000 or visit www.enhanced.co.uk

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Visit www.bizmag.co.uk February 201520

online solutions

FSB uncovers ‘two–speed digital economy’ in the south westNew research from the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) has 41% of rural small businesses in the south west are dissatisfied with the quality of their broadband provision. The data showed significantly more dissatisfaction compared to urban small businesses (28% dissatisfied).

This issue is predicted to become even more significant over the next two years, as small firms become more reliant on a high quality broadband connection to do business. 73% of businesses in the south west said that e-mail will be critical to

their business, while just under half (47%) said broadband will be essential to engaging with their customers in the next two years.

The current lack of broadband infrastructure serving small firms threatens the expansion of the £400bn rural economy. The business opportunity includes 28% of all UK firms and over one million small businesses.

The FSB research uncovered rural businesses’ dissatisfaction across a number of areas, including reliability (38% dissatisfied), upload speed (50% dissatisfied) and download speed (48% dissatisfied).

Neil Eames, Development Manager for the Federation of Small Businesses, said, ‘This research paints a worrying

picture of a divided business broadband landscape in the UK, and unless addressed highlights a clear obstacle to growth in the coming years. We risk seeing the emergence of a two-speed online economy resulting from poor rural broadband infrastructure. It’s worrying that as many as 14% of UK small firms still view the lack of a reliable broadband connection as being the primary barrier to their growth. A reliable connection is now viewed as a key business requirement by 94% of small UK businesses, yet continued poor connectivity in rural areas represents a huge missed opportunity for economic growth in many parts of the country. These gaps and weaknesses need to be addressed as a matter of priority with the minimum of 10 Mbps to all business premises by 2018/19, and a pledge to deliver minimum speeds of 100Mbs to all by 2030.’

Improvements to the UK’s broadband provision have been made in recent years, with 16% of rural businesses now having access to super-fast broadband and more packages targeted at the needs of business, but the FSB believes that more could be done. The government’s strategy to deliver 24Mbps broadband to 95% of all users by 2017 is not sufficiently ambitious, especially for the 5% of mainly rural businesses left receiving just 2Mbps, which is barely sufficient for even basic tasks like sending commercial e-mails.

As a result of the findings laid out in its ‘Fourth Utility’ report, the FSB is calling for government to conduct a comprehensive review of broadband policy. This includes measures to encourage more competition for better packages in the business broadband market, a commitment to accelerate the roll-out of 4G mobile services and prioritisation of fibre-optic provision to business parks and enterprise zones.

QUAYSTONE: THE POWER BEHINDwww.bizmag.co.uk

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Telecommunications firm VoIP Unlimited ‘sales’ into 2015

L-r: VoIP Unlimited’s new sales recruits Matthew Darkins, Jess Loce and Jamie Shergold.

Poole-based telecommunications firm VoIP Unlimited has appointed three new recruits to join its growing sales team. The new starters will liaise with customers and engage with new prospects, as part of the company’s rapid growth and development.

Jess Loce joins as a Sales Executive and is well versed in communicating new ideas and concepts to high level IT management. With experience in office and field based sales and customer services, Matthew Darkins also joins the company as a Sales Executive. Jamie Shergold has been appointed as an Account Manager, boasting nine years’ experience working in IT sales roles he brings with him a wealth of knowledge in targeted sales.

In addition to the three new sales recruits, Coral Winters has joined the provisioning department, where she will manage the end-to-end delivery of services and solutions provided by the sales team and take responsibility for tracking and managing service delivery activities.

franchising

Find a franchise to suit you4Networking is supporting the Franchise Show at ExCel, London 20th–21st February 2015. Once again, there is a fantastic line up of more than 150 of the world’s best franchise brands exhibiting at the show. Now in its fourth year, the Spring National Franchise Exhibition has become a firm date in the franchise industry’s diary.

The two day Franchise Show will host over 60 free seminars and workshops, demonstrating, displaying and answering questions about franchising. The expert speakers will offer information and advice on legal, financial, business and administrative support in order for you to succeed in franchising.

The Franchise Show is completely free to attend, so whether you are new or experienced to the world of franchising, you are invited to explore the brands, enjoy the free seminars and take advantage of all of the on-site expertise available.

Athletics gold medallist Kriss Akabusi joins Bournemouth-based property franchiseLegendary runner Kriss Akabusi has joined Bournemouth-based franchise, Platinum Property Partners (PPP).

The specialist buy-to-let business helps both novice and seasoned property investors to build their own portfolios of high quality, high performing Houses in Multiple Occupation for professional tenants.

After being commissioned to give a motivational talk at the PPP National Workshop in April, Kriss was impressed by the camaraderie of the network and strength of the property investment model that the

Renewed interest in franchising brands

partners all followed. Kriss, who is most famous for

his worldwide athletics triumphs, will begin building his buy-to-let portfolio with the support of PPP in the next few months, when he finishes his MBA at Ashridge Business School. This will be alongside the great work he does through The Akabusi Charitable Trust and The Akabusi Company, which helps businesses to leverage key messages in exciting and thought-provoking ways.

Founder and Chairman of PPP, Steve Bolton, added, ‘Just like all of our other partners, Kriss joined PPP so that he can build his own

high-profit, low-risk property portfolio. His goal is to increase his income, provide greater pension security and leave a lasting legacy for his children and grandchildren. Our job is to mentor and support Kriss every step of the way and we look forward to building a long term win-win partnership together.’

l www.platinumpropertypartners.co.uk

The UK Franchise Directory (UKFD), published by Franchise Development Services, has seen a sharp increase in website traffic. The market leading publication has been established in print since 1981, and serves as the UK’s number one destination for franchise business listings across sectors.

The Publishing Group launched a new website for the UK Franchise Directory in June, with increased focus on its online offering including social, mobile, and video content.

However, while the new technology has helped facilitate growth, Professor Roy Seaman, Founder and Managing Director of the UK Franchise Directory,

said that this level of new interest spells good news for the Franchising industry at large:

‘The UK Franchise Directory has been established in some form for more than 30 years,’ said Professor Seaman. ‘It has long-since provided a barometer for the volume of franchise opportunities on the market across different sectors, as well as the level of interest from potential new franchise owners. The last 12 months has seen strong growth throughout the Franchise sector more generally. Such a steep rise in visits to the UKFD website implies a renewed interest in franchising brands amongst potential franchise owners.’

l www.theukfranchisedirectory.net

L-r: Kriss Akabusi and Steve Bolton

Visit www.bizmag.co.uk February 201522 Visit www.bizmag.co.ukFebruary 2015 23www.student-crm.co.uk

Dom Yeadon is the Managing Director of Data Harvesting’s Student CRM, the UK’s most loved student recruitment solution for universities and colleges.

Buy or build?

01202 477855 www.student-crm.co.ukHomegrown in Poole, UK

6 reasons to buy an online solution from the experts instead of tackling a big DIY build in-house.

Many companies battle with buy or build - do you buy in an existing online solution (such as a CRM, extranet or microsite) or do you build it yourself, using your own team in-house?

Being experts in the higher education industry, we regularly come across universities and colleges who believe it’s better to build their own CRM solution in-house rather than buying an existing product.

Here’s why we believe it’s best to leave it to the experts.

1. Years of experienceThese companies have been working on similar projects for years and know what works and what doesn’t, giving you valuable insight and cutting edge features which are at the forefront of technological advancements.

2. People powerThese people are experts in their field, who know everything there is to know about data, security, coding and everything in between.

3. TimeframesManaging the project externally means there’s less chance of scope creep and more chance the project will run smoothly and meet the deadline.

4. Ongoing supportYou’ve got access to the technical experts. They’ll help you to set it up and get it working efficiently for your business, resulting in a healthy ROI. They’ll be in it for the long term, providing support as you need it.

5. The futureIn the ever-changing technology industry, it’s good to keep up to date with the latest legislation. A dedicated partner for your online solution will keep you fully updated and ahead of the competition.

6. The final productThe final product will be sustainable, flexible and have an all-round better user experience.

Uniform Management & Branded Products

01202 473311taylormadedesigns.co.uk

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Nearly half of trade show exhibitors don’t measure ROI

Poole Harbour Boat ShowPoole will host its own dedicated boat show on the weekend of 9th and 10th May, organised and operated by Poole Harbour Commissioners (PHC).

The free public event will take place on Poole Quay, and at PHC’s award-wining marina Poole Quay Boat Haven, and will incorporate a variety of marine-related businesses, family focused entertainment and other elements associated with a regional boat show. Inspired by other boat shows in areas such as Jersey, PHC believe Poole is a perfect location for an all-encompassing boat show celebrating the rich and varied boating business present in the town.

Businesses in the marine sector are invited to take stands at the show, which has the full support and backing of the British Marine Federation and organisations such as the RNLI will be playing a key role across the weekend. The event is also supported by Poole Tourism which will include the show in its annual events programme and has scheduled the dates in May to co-ordinate around other summer events.

For information regarding stand space and opportunities to get involved with the inaugural show, please contact John Binder at Poole Quay Boat Haven on 01202 649488.

Poole Quay Boat Haven

Raise money and support with custom T-Shirts and donations...

Ollie Galpin

Local company Hotline.co.uk has developed a new crowdfunding website to help anyone raise funds online for anything they are passionate about.

Founder Ollie Galpin comments, ‘Having supplied printed T-Shirts for the past 25 years to a multitude of good causes and events, we know they are a great way to raise funds and awareness, however, up until now it’s always been a costly and time consuming affair having to purchase the inventory and guess how many you can sell’.

tboom.co.uk is a free and easy solution that can help you finance a community project, support a loved one or charity, or raise money for a school or team. Now there’s no need to spend hours shaking a tin in the rain, running marathons in bad weather and baking endless trays of cakes to raise funds for your cause or someone you love. Watch the video at tboom.co.uk!

l www.tboom.co.uk

Hotel’s first networking session

to marketing spend being placed in the wrong areas, which directly impacts the performance of the business as a whole.’

Others were more careful about measurement. 39% of those surveyed claimed that trade shows were a profitable way to market their business. Happy exhibitors cited reasons such as being able to reach out to many potential customers in a short space of time and giving

L-r: Rosie Wallace, Dee Clayton and Jane Swift

The Days Hotel Marsham Court Hotel’s first networking session for new businesses attracted over 60 people.

New2Business Networking began at the hotel in Russell Cotes Road, Bournemouth, on Wednesday 14th January, to help new starters make valuable business connections.

Attendees at the free event ranged from accountants and marketers to photographers, a hair salon owner and a dating consultant.

The hotel’s Director, Rosie Wallace said, ‘The evening was a great success and proved that there is a real need for networking tailored to new businesses in Bournemouth and Poole.’

Breaking the ice at New2Business was the author and public speaking trainer Dee Clayton, who gave a presentation entitled: Newbie Networking – Addressing the Fear Factor.

Jane Swift, Business Development Manager at the Days Hotel Marsham Court added, ‘We welcomed brand new businesses, those starting with the help of the Prince’s Trust and a small number of established business owners there to offer advice. We hope to grow and help more new businesses in the coming months.’

The next New2Business will take place from 5pm–7pm at the Days Hotel Marsham Court, 3 Russell Cotes Road, Bournemouth on Wednesday 11th March.

l http://bit.ly/14HyehS

Almost half of businesses at trade shows don’t know if the exhibition activity is profitable, according to a recent survey by Display Wizard.

when it comes to the profitability of this type of marketing.

Diarmuid Beary, Owner of Display Wizard, expressed surprise at the findings: ‘It’s crucial for businesses to have a good understanding of the return on their marketing spend in order to sensibly assign budgets for the following year.

‘The fact that so many companies are unable to measure the ROI of a huge opportunity like trade show marketing could lead

consumers the opportunity to see the real people behind the company. Just 17% claimed trade shows were not profitable, with arguments ranging from the cost of exhibition stands to a need to underprice products to appeal to customers.

Display Wizard recently released an online guide to trade show success.

l www.displaywizard.co.uk/display-hub/trade-show-guide/

Get noticed with an A3 desktop bannerRingwood-based Letters and Logos claims signs are one of the most cost effective ways of advertising. You could call them visual marketing.

In an exhibition or trade show most exhibitors will have a printed back drop to their stand or pitch. The larger roll up or pop up banners all need to go to the rear of the stand. This means that any representative on the stand, particularly if it is quite a confined space, is stood in front of the graphics. Also, as the displays are at the back of the area, attendees cannot see the display until they are right in front of the stand.

Being more compact, the A3 roller banner has several

advantages over its larger counterparts. It can be placed in front of the representatives, therefore the message is not obscured by them. This could be

on a podium or a table etc. It can also be used as a reference point for sales, depending to what is printed on the banner; a picture speaks a thousand words. Placed at the front of the stands or on a table, they can be visible from further away. The A3 desktop banner is easily transported and quick to erect. So if time is short, these are a very effective communication tool.

Whilst the A3 banner will never replace its larger counterparts, or pop ups, it is a useful addition to the advertising and marketing mix.

Call 01425 477281.

l www.lettersandlogos.co.uk

When asked if they saw a positive return on investment (ROI) from their recent trade show activity, 44% said they either didn’t know or they didn’t measure the results.

In a survey of 100 business owners and marketing managers, 77% said they had exhibited at one or more conferences in the last year, but despite 45% saying they used industry events regularly (two or more in the last year) it seems most are in the dark

The Hotel & Catering Show opens at the BIC, Bournemouth 17th–18th March 2015.

l http://hotel-expo.co.uk/

Mini fest – Party in the ParkThis year’s Party in the Park is returning for another year over the August bank holiday weekend on 29th and 30th August.The mini fest in the village of Ashley Cross has continued to grow over 15 years. Enquiries to [email protected]

Get involved with Bournemouth 7s After two successive sell-out events, Bournemouth 7s Festival 2015 returns on 22nd–24th May and will again host a massive 30,000 people across the Bank Holiday weekend. Aside from the sport, some of the best local and national live bands and DJs will be on stage across many live arenas including the Tuborg Beer Tent and Kopparberg’s Big Top Dance Tent.

l www.bournemouth7s.com

Salisbury Big Business EventThe next Big Business Event in Salisbury will run from 21st–23rd April.

l www.salisburybigbusiness.co.uk

PROMOTE AND DISPLAY

Visit www.bizmag.co.uk February 201524 Visit www.bizmag.co.ukFebruary 2015 25

27R O WA N W H I T E P H O T O G R A P H I C t e l l i n g s t o r i e s i n p i c t u r e s a n d w o r d s

A one-stop shop... for press releases and photography guaranteed to get you noticedRowan White Photographic telling stories in pictures and words for 29 yearsFor all your photographic requirements from Architecture to Web, from Conference to PRA coffee and a chat will cost you nothing... ‘One call to me and I’ll come to you.’

Contact Noel White on 01202 518618 or e-mail: [email protected]

To the door...Howard Woodward, Managing Director of Mail Boxes Etc., the local business services provider, had an unusual event to deal with just before Christmas.

A passing van veered off the road and crashed into the front of the Lansdowne store, luckily no-one was injured.

Howard commented, ‘This clearly wasn’t a Mail Boxes Etc. delivery as we pride ourselves on the quality of our service and all our drivers are “encouraged” to get out of their vehicle before making a delivery. “To the door” has a very different connotation to “through the door” and I’m sure that’s the way our customers prefer it!’

One of the specialist offerings provided by Mail Boxes Etc. is the packaging and guaranteed safe delivery of parcels worldwide, ‘to the door’, whatever their shape or size. The company has built an enviable reputation, and customer loyalty, based on the quality and attention to detail of this, and all the other services it provides.

For more information about all the services that Mail Boxes Etc. has to offer visit www.mbebh1.co.uk, e-mail [email protected] or ring 01202 299151.

Rest assured you’re insuredIn recent years it would appear that the insurance industry has gradually moved further and further away from providing a personal service.

To counter this trend John Palmer has just launched his own insurance business, Coversure Insurance Services (Poole), operating from premises in Upper Parkstone. With 12 years experience working for a well known insurance company, four of them as manager at a branch that he established and then developed into a thriving business in its own right, he is well placed to do it all again, but for himself this time.

John commented, ‘Recent research reveals that a large proportion of individuals and businesses are either under-insured, or not insured at all for the purpose they thought they were covered for’. He continued, ‘A good example of this is the rise in self-employed people who work from home believing that their domestic home policy will cover them for use of home as a business. This is not the case with the majority of policies, especially in respect of public liability, and I would advise everyone to check the level of their cover’.

Chris, a local business owner thought he was covered for the installation, in multi million pound homes, of the showers/baths he supplies, until he checked with Coversure. He remarked, ‘It transpired that I was only covered for public liability on my own premises, so if I had caused any kind of problem or accident on-site I would have been liable. Not having the right cover could have cost me my business so I can’t thank John enough for his thoroughness and professionalism’.

As well as the problem with under-insurance it has also recently come to light that the well known insurance comparison sites, as advertised on television, are not all as competitive as they claim to be, and therefore

the customer has not been getting a full range of like-for-like quotes.

Coversure, as the name suggests, ensures that the cover supplied matches exactly, or betters, that requested by the client, and at the best price possible. This applies to all cover, from Motor/Van/Fleet Insurance to Home and Contents/Buildings Insurance and from Public Liability to Landlords Insurance, in fact you name it and Coversure will be able to assist.

It is the intention to build long term relationships with clients and to this end John will be getting back on the networking trail, where to many he is already well known. Coversure is different from other brokers in the sense that a face-to-face service is offered, both in respect of insurance offered and claims made, with, thankfully, no distant call-centres and their inherent problems.

Metamorphosis...

‘The Four Basics of Powerful Time Management’ is a workshop being run by Shirley on the 13th February, 3.30pm-5.30pm at the Ferndown Forest Golf Club, more information is available on this and the other services offered by visiting www.shirleythompson.biz

Shirley can be contacted on 01425 480631 or 07793 745450.

More in the pipeline...As reported in the December issue of The Business, 2015 sees the expansion of UKh2o, the Westbourne-based specialist supplier of Kinetico water softening systems, both in the breadth of services offered as well as staff numbers.

To date, the supply and fitting of water softeners has been the mainstay of UKh2o. Now, joining Mike Lombard, Managing Director, is Danny Wills, a ‘Gas Safe’ registered plumber who will broaden UKh2o’s offering. This will include the design and installation of central heating systems, repairing or replacing gas boilers, and all other aspects of plumbing associated with both gas and water.

Also joining the team is Chris Kyriacou who will oversee the day to day running of the company, as well as generate sales leads. For the last 10 years he has worked in sales, advertising and marketing, most recently with a local publication. Chris remarked, ‘Last year Kinetico ran a national sales campaign resulting in a 4-fold increase in enquiries which, as a consequence, has led to an increased workload for UKh2o. I will be able to ease the load on Mike and further develop the business while Mike and Danny are busy on site’.

Another ‘string to the bow’ of UKh2o is that its water softeners can now be supplied to other independent plumbers, a service that was not previously possible. There are three models available, the SuperSoft HE, SuperSoft HF and the SuperSoft +, all come with a 5 year parts guarantee. This will further increase the business opportunities for Ukh2o, and is a completely new market for Chris to develop.

The majority of Dorset suffers from the supply of hard water, this

equates, in technical terms, to 270 mg/ltr as Calcium Carbonate (CaCO3). The water supplied in some Dorset postcode areas is as high as 289 mg/ltr as CaCO3, and water systems, washing machines, boilers etc are prone to more damage and therefore a shorter life.

With soft water, up to 75% less detergent, washing powder, soap and shampoo is used, and a family of four could save up to £400 a year on these products alone.

Fitting a UKh2o Kinetico water softener prevents the build-up of lime-scale by removing magnesium and calcium dissolved in the water, thereby reducing heating costs by maintaining the efficiency of water heating appliances.

Doctorate in Coaching and Mentoring, the benefit of which will be shared with those she mentors, and through her voluntary work with the Project Management Institute UK.

Shirley provides coaching and mentoring to individuals, whether employees, contractors or business owners, particularly for the development of individual soft skills and to help facilitate teamwork for those who’ve experienced her coaching.

After over 30 years with IBM, the last five as Project Manager, Shirley Thompson decided to start her own business, and since 2009 has traded as ‘The Desk Coach’.

Now, as her company and the services she provides have evolved, Shirley has decided that it’s time for a rebrand. She commented, ‘From the end of February 2015 I’ll be using my own name as a trading title, as I feel it better expresses

the personal association I have with, and feel for, my clients’.As a person who practises what she preaches, and having an ethos

of ‘giving back’, Shirley is currently in year four of five studying for her

For readers of The Business, UKh2o is offering £100 inc. VAT off the normal water softener installation cost of £350 inc. VAT. Offer valid until March 31st 2015.If you would like to contact Mike for a no obligation consultation, call 01202 653006 by e-mail [email protected] or to find out more you can visit www.ukh2o.com You can see customer testimonials at www.reviewcentre.com

If you have an event to be covered, a story to be told, or would like to be featured on these pages call Noel White on 01202 518618 or e-mail [email protected]

Rowan White Photographic is a one-stop shop for press releases and photography. Noel White and his team are recognised for their creative flair and professional approach. They are the preferred choice of many hotels, restaurants, manufacturers, architects, interior designers, retail shops, PR companies, advertising agencies and cosmetics brands throughout the UK and especially within Dorset, Wiltshire & Hampshire.

Get your company noticed with corporate and PR photography.27

Mike Lombard

Shirley Thompson

John Palmer

John is currently offering a FREE without obligation INSURANCE HEALTHCHECK, when quoting The Business.If you would like more information about the services provided by Coversure you can call John on 01202 929141, by e-mail at [email protected] or you can visit www.coversure.co.uk/office/poole

26

Road test: Peugeot 308 By Tim Saunders

Facts at a glanceNew price range: £14,995 - £25,945Top speed: 124mph0-60mph: 9.8secs

parking brake, which while easy to use, is not as attractive to me as a traditional handbrake.

The panoramic glass roof, a £500 option on the test model, is a fantastic addition because it makes the cabin light and airy. There’s an electric cover, too. We all agree that this roof should also be a sunroof because sometimes you want the option of being able to open the roof up.

As cars become wider some speed bumps that are meant to be the width of a car forcing drivers to slow down are actually not wide enough for the 308, which for the driver is a joy but defeats the object of sleeping policemen.

The Pug is a versatile car looking the part no matter what the plan; family or business. It will transport a dishwasher to the tip, collect a load of logs and swallow enough luggage for a family get away.

‘If you’re on the hunt for a family hatchback then the new Peugeot 308 needs to be on your list,’ writes Parkers, the car experts. ‘There isn’t one particular stand-out reason for this but a host of smaller reasons that add up to a compelling case for the new 308 as your next new car. As any family knows you need great practicality, low running costs and a real value for money price tag. The 308 is claimed to have the biggest boot in its class, and it can stow significantly more luggage than the popular Ford Focus and company car favourite, the VW Golf.

‘Running costs are kept low thanks to frugal and low-emission diesel and petrol engines, with the 1.2-litre petrol and 1.6-litre diesel particularly kind to wallets. The 92bhp diesel has an official average figure of over 78mpg so high 60s should be possible in everyday driving.’

Watch the video at www.testdrives.biz

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It takes something pretty special to become the Car of the Year.

And this is what the Peugeot 308

achieved in 2014.

It’s certainly a striking family hatchback and its side profile reminds me a little of the Mercedes A-Class, which can only be good. However, it’s obviously far better than that and during my time with it I have been surprised on many fronts.

Firstly, you would be forgiven for thinking that you were driving a sporty 1.8-litre or 2-litre but it is only powered by a 1.2-litre petrol engine. The engineers at Peugeot have worked overtime getting as much as they possibly can from this tiddly little unit, which produces a sporty 130bhp. Needless to say it’s a joy to drive and the smooth six speed automatic gearbox can even be driven like a manual should the mood allow. This is a feel good car; one in which the driver is equipped to tackle any challenges the open road throws at him. If extra oomph is required simply press the sports mode located to the left of the gearbox. While it doesn’t provide lightning performance it does increase the revs and a little ‘s’ appears on the dash. If conditions become icy there’s an ice mode to the right of the gearbox giving the driver extra security that the vehicle isn’t going to slide down the road.

With its comfy seats and bags of technology this is certainly a driver’s car. Many of the controls can be found on the centre console, home to the sat nav and the reversing camera. The heating controls for instance are operated from here. This is all very well but it is actually slower than the traditional manual dial I find. I still find that there is a delay when engaging the auto box and the electronic

Power: 130bhpEconomy: 54mpg

SUCCESSFUL YEAR

Dave Wolfenden

2014 saw turnover increase by 12% for Ferndown and Andover based Abacus Vehicle Hire, with trade increasing at its hire centre in Andover which opened in 2011, and the welcome return of many corporate clients who have seen their own businesses increase and so require additional transport. The diverse choice of vehicles on the 600 strong Abacus fleet received a £1.2m investment in 2014 to ensure that the average age of cars, vans, trucks, minibuses and motorhomes is maintained at 2.5 years.

‘I’m delighted with the results as it’s a very real barometer as to how many of our customers are returning to a more confident level,’ said Dave Wolfenden, Managing Director and founder of Abacus.

In the spring, Abacus will complete a £500,000 extension to its Andover Hire Centre with undercover vehicle check in/out area and will offer employment to an additional three people. There will also be a delivery of 20 new motorhomes following a £810,000 order now placed in time for the new season.

Visitor registration goes live CV Show 2015 visitor registration has gone live at www.cvshow.com and the organisers are confident that this year’s show at Birmingham’s NEC from 14th–16th April has everything it needs to make the event another runaway success.

property & devlopment

New family homes for BournemouthA new housing scheme worth £10.4m has been proposed for the 9-11 St Stephen’s Road car park site, near Bournemouth Square, to encourage more families to live in the town centre. The plan is to build up to 56 new homes, made up of eight town houses and 48 apartments along with residential car parking.

Highly commended for Henderson Green design team

Henderson Green, a south coast building services consultancy, has received a Highly Commended award at the Building Better Healthcare Awards 2014. The consultancy was proud to be part of the design team for the recognised Teenage Young Adult Unit at Southampton General Hospital.

Henderson Green was responsible for the design and implementation of all the electrical and mechanical services to the six in-patient beds and day care facilities, and worked in close collaboration with principle contractor Kier, Studio Four Architects and structural engineers, White Structures.

Investment in PoundburyGoadsby has recently taken instructions to market Mey House in Poundbury which is an attractive multi let office investment which is 100% let. Mey House is an award winning landmark office building providing modern office accommodation along with a good level of parking. Goadsby is seeking offers in excess of £3.35m which reflects a net initial yield of 8.07% after purchaser’s costs of 5.8%.

For further information contact Tom Chapman on 01202 550121.

Flooding hints and tips As winter sets in and the weather takes a turn for the worse insurers gear up to deal with increased claims. What can you do to prevent or minimise the effects?

Let’s start with flooding. Last year saw extensive flooding affecting homes and businesses across the UK. What can you do if you are concerned about flooding, how can you prevent or minimise losses, and what can you do should it happen.

If you are concerned.. You can check with the Environment Agency who can advise if you are in an area prone to flooding, also on the latest flood information in your area. Gather all your insurance details including the out of hours contact details for insurers, together with emergency contacts for staff, customers and suppliers should you require to notify them. Place this in a waterproof wallet. Make a pack if you feel you are at risk of being stranded in the workplace, torch, phone charger, warm clothing. You can install measure to protect property, lots of information can be found at The National Flood Forum.

Preventing or minimising.. What can you do when you feel flooding is inevitable? Keep safe, your own safety is most important. The safety of those around you. You may have to plan for children, elderly or disabled. Check with neighbours; consider how to look after pets. To minimise damage can you safely move more expensive, electrical or sentimental items upstairs or higher in the property. If there is time, move your home or fleet vehicles safely to higher ground. Turn off gas and electricity supplies and water supplies before you leave a property.

What if you are flooded.. Call your insurers as soon as you are able to do safely do so. Most have emergency and out of hours numbers they can talk you through what to do next. Be careful when returning to a property, it may be damaged or have hidden dangers, especially if there is still flood water in it. Do not drink the water or use the gas or electricity until you have been advised by an expert that it is safe to do so. Take pictures of the damage to property. Remember it can take weeks to dry out a property following a flood, your insurers may find you alternative accommodation, check your policy for this cover.

This really is a very brief overview, for further information feel free to contact the office on 0845 270 6720 or e-mail [email protected]

For more information regarding the products offered by Aspire Insurance Services, or to see how Tristan may assist you to find the correct level of cover, telephone 01202 851165 or visit the website at www.aspireinsure.co.uk

Resilient economy drives firm real estate outlook in the south

� Tenant demand in the south rises for the ninth consecutive quarter across each market sector

� Sharp fall in availability of space compounded further by Permitted Development Rights

� Strength of investment enquiries points to further material gains in capital values

Tenant demand for commercial property continues to rise, at the all-sector level in the south, for the ninth consecutive quarter according to the latest RICS Commercial Market Survey, with 31% more chartered surveyors across the region also reporting greater investment interest.

Mey House

Visit www.bizmag.co.uk February 201528 February 2015 29

22 DEC | Teachers

House Magazine half page adPage 2 of 3

Visit teachersbs.co.uk or call 0800 378 669 to speak to an advisor

Thinking of movinghome in the new year?

Teachers Building Society, Allenview House, Hanham Road, Wimborne, Dorset BH21 1AG. Authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority (Register no. 156580).

We’ve got mortgages wrapped up Teachers Building Society is committed to providing a personal, professional and effi cient service alongside a variety of mortgage products for Wessex* residents.

Our in-house underwriters assess each case individually and on its own merits.

92% of new mortgage customers who completed our survey rated our services as ‘good’ or ‘excellent’ in 2014.*Dorset, Hampshire and Wiltshire.

lucky I am to live in this part of the world.

Q How would you like your staff to describe you?Determined.

Q Whom do admire most in business and why?The late Sir Harvey Jones (ICI) – he could walk into a business and immediately ‘smell’ what wasn’t right and what needed fixing.

Q What’s the most satisfying part of your job?Making people’s dreams come true – from owning that first house to helping them move into their dream home!

Q What keeps you motivated in the work environment?Success – whether it’s seeing staff grow or watching Teachers beat another target.

Q What is your favourite book and why?Maverick! by Ricardo Semler – it personifies that management doesn’t have to be conventional.

driving force

Q&A

Q What was your first job?Working as a porter at the Manchester Hotel – it taught me a lot about work ethic and good and bad management.

Q How did you first get started with Teachers Building Society?I was working in Scotland commuting each week and I spotted the job advert in The Times.

Q What has been your greatest business achievement to date?Probably last year – Teachers Building Society yet again surpassed all its lending records since it was founded in 1966 – and keeps going from strength to strength.

Q Where do you see growth opportunities for TBS?We are just launching a range of specialist mortgage products for education professionals. This will ensure we are able to cater for teachers from their first mortgage right through into retirement. We hope to

bring out a specialist local product range in the next few years too.

Q How would you describe your management style?Determined and a tad unorthodox. Through the years I’ve learnt to laugh at myself and recognise my weaknesses.

Q What has been you biggest challenge during the past few years?Getting through the financial crisis post 2008. Had the government not rescued the big banks who knows what life would have been like for all of us.

Q What advice would you give a graduate entering the business world?Work hard, always go the extra mile – and don’t be too quick to write off the wise old grey haired person in the office – his/her counsel may one day be invaluable to you!

Q How do you relax after a busy day?Going for a run along the beach looking out towards the Purbecks and recognising how

Safety firstThatcham Research has named the Land Rover Discovery Sport as the winner of the What Car? Car of the Year Safety Award.

From the BBC to the Blue Lamp Trust

Quentin Willson

Monte Carlo or Bust!

Copyright: David Jones, Red Dragon Motorsport (UK)

Bournemouth-based Red Dragon Motorsport (UK) has put together another Helluvit Sports Car Tour, scheduled to set off as dawn is breaking on 12th April, 2015 to travel down to Monaco to arrive in time for the opening of a very special motor show.

The organisers have planned the run to mark the 10th Anniversary of the foundation of the free-to-join Helluvit Sports Car Club. The run is dedicated to Helluvit member Colin Jones, also known as ‘CJ’, a lifelong Aston Martin, Jaguar and British motorbike fan, who sadly passed away on 26th November after a short illness.

The run is designed to arrive in time for participants to attend the Top Marques Monaco Luxury and Supercar Show on 16th April.

James Bawa joined Teachers Building Society in 2002 and he has overseen the Society’s transformation into a specialist lender in the education sector and Wessex region. As the UK recovers from the most significant economic downturn in recent times, Teachers Building Society has just announced a second consecutive record-breaking year for lending. In 2015 James is determined to keep the success going.

James Bawa, Chief Executive, Teachers Building SocietyUK car manufacturing defies export challenges with year of growth

� 1,528,148 cars manufactured in the UK in 2014 – a 1.2% increase on the previous year and the best year since 2007.

� Strongest December in a decade saw 108,721 cars produced, up 27.1% on December 2013.

� Growth comes despite challenges in some export markets.

� Output for the UK market matched the growth in overall UK registrations, rising 8.0%.

Mike Hawes, SMMT Chief Executive, said, ‘Placed in context, a 1.2% growth in UK car manufacturing in 2014 represents a very successful year. The industry has overcome various challenges, including slower than expected EU recovery and weakness in some global markets.‘

Motoring expert and former Top Gear presenter Quentin Willson is to visit Hampshire later this year in a bid to make the county’s roads a safer place.

Hampshire charity The Blue Lamp Trust has unveiled the presenter and writer as its guest speaker for this year’s annual conference.

Quentin Willson will provide the keynote speech at this year’s event, to be held at the Hampshire Fire & Rescue Service Headquarters in Eastleigh on 15th May.

The Blue Lamp Trust, which provides driver training for businesses and puts all of its profits into a scheme to help victims of crime, runs its conference every year to hammer home the importance of safe driving for Hampshire businesses.

The conference is free and aimed at employers, directors, HR managers, fleet managers and health & safety managers.

To reserve a free place at the event, e-mail [email protected]

In previous years, the show has been opened by James Bond film star Roger Moore and HRH Prince Albert of Monaco, but this year the identity of the celebrity doing the honours remains a closely-

guarded secret.The dates of the run are: Sunday

12th April - Sunday 19th April 2015 (8 days, inclusive of travel).

l www.helluvit.co.uk

NEW TEAM AT WESTOVER RENAULT BLAST 2014 TARGETS

L-r: Callum Holland, Tyrone Wright, Gene Garrett-Sadler, James Butler, Jamie Speed, James Smith, Kevin Davies and Jack Simpson

The team at Westover Renault smashed the 2014 targets set by the manufacturer, thanks to a consolidated team, an appealing product range and some strong offers throughout 2014. December sales were up 165% on 2013 and September 2014 saw the highest number of sales of one model ever for Westover Renault, with no less than 101 Clios ordered in those few weeks alone.

‘This is a real sign that Dorset has got its mojo back!’ says Chris Swain, Westover Renault Brand Manager. ‘We’ve definitely seen a boost in confidence in the region over the last few months, with buyers increasingly eager to consider upgrading their car to a new model.

‘The smaller vehicles are our most popular ones at the moment because people still have a keen eye on day to day running costs, hence the runaway success of the Clio and the surge in enquiries for the Captur crossover and the Zoe electric car. Encouragingly, 62% and 68% of our Clio and Captur sales respectively are to people who have never owned a Renault before, which really says something about the level of interest in the brand at the moment.

‘We’ve got a superb team on board here now, led by our Sales Manager, Jamie Speed. They’re all young and there’s a great relationship between them – plenty of banter and enthusiasm, coupled with a real desire to deliver top quality customer service.’

Prices for a new Renault start from just £9,489.

l www.westovergroup.co.uk


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Our NaaS offering is built around the Vodafone Network – the UK’s best in class and most extensive business network - this coupled with a wealth of in-house expertise and Network investment provides the basis for an extensive service offering, capable of providing private and internet connectivity which is both customisable and versatile. Can you afford to say no? Contact us for a free of charge Network as a Service (NaaS) consultation: phone 0845 034 7222 or email [email protected]

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