Wybo Wijnbergen Co-founder and CEO of infinitSpace, gives SMEToday’s readers his thoughts on how to combat loneliness in the new world of hybrid work patterns. The incubating lockdowns of the pandemic created a change in environmental conditions, bringing a professional revolution as companies took action to adjust to new and rapidly changing regulations. Opportunities for home working became the new normal; today a significant proportion of employees work with a degree of flexibility in their working patterns. Whether working entirely remotely, returning to the office from Monday to Friday or finding balance in hybridity, the key advantage of increased flexibility…
Author: sme-admin
As winter approaches some employees may be finding that they go to work and come home in complete darkness. This lack of daylight exposure can cause some to experience winter depression, also known as Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). This disorder impacts around 20% of the population and typically causes low mood, fatigue and increased irritability. Obviously these symptoms can affect the productivity of workers and the overall office morale. To help combat the impact of SAD at work, the experts at We Are WildGoose, team building activity providers, have put together five ways that employers can help their staff stay motivated…
More than half of Brits admit they get frustrated if they have to wait more than five hours for a response from a brand’s customer service, highlighting the need for businesses to make sure they have measures in place to support Black Friday. Nearly one in three consumers say they are happy to wait longer than this – but only up to 24 hours, according to a survey of 1,000 Brits by telecommunications provider Esendex. And many would be unforgiving of a bad experience with a company, with 85% saying they’d give a business no more than two chances before…
As we approach Black Friday, a prominent day in the ecommerce calendar with a huge potential for businesses to boost their sales, many companies will be readying their biggest offers and slashing prices. But, one thing for companies to look out for at this busy time of year is post-purchase dissonance, which can have a hugely negative impact on a firm’s bottom line. In preparation for Black Friday, Chris Gorman, head of professional services at business messaging provider Esendex, explains what post-purchase dissonance is and how, without taking this into proper consideration, businesses can run the risk of having to…
Amazon has partnered with three Small Businesses to launch – ‘Small Business, Big Experiences’– giving customers the opportunity to purchase unique experiences for the price of just one product Launching from Black Friday, 25 November, Amazon UK’s first ever ‘Small Business, Big Experiences’ will see three small businesses launch limited-edition experiences available to buy for the same price as their existing products currently available on Amazon’s online store. More than half of all products purchased on Amazon UK are sold by small businesses, where customers can find unique and giftable products from more than 85,000 small business selling partners based in the…
Black Friday and Cyber Monday are rapidly approaching. The two days are the biggest spending events of the year, and small businesses can expect to see a great deal of success if they participate effectively. In the past, the Boxing Day sales were the major shopping event that we all waited for, but those times are long since over and, these days, everything depends on Black Friday and Cyber Monday. In 2021, the UK made up 10% of all Black Friday searches worldwide. Most businesses will hope to see an increase in online traffic on Black Friday, regardless of whether…
The much-loved Colmore Food Festival is making a return to Birmingham for its 10th anniversary in July 2023. Next year, the free, must-visit festival will return in a new location in the Grounds of St Philips Cathedral and will provide guests with a tasty and affordable spread of mouth-watering mini dishes from the traders’ latest menus. Whether you’re a diehard foodie or just fancy sampling the best of the District’s food and drink scene, the festival will be host to many food and drink stalls, with a range of options available to tingle everyone’s tastebuds! The award-winning event showcases the…
Kimberly Michener, Senior Director of Brand & Marketing Communications at Identity Digital, shares her thoughts on how businesses are increasingly using descriptive domains to differentiate themselves from their competition and build better brand recognition. In a crowded market, differentiation is key. But with every company touting a unique product or selling point, how can you look to truly stand out? Despite a drive towards differentiation, many brands do not pay the right amount of care to their own domain. Too many are using domains that look similar to competitors. Or, they are using ones with deliberately misspelt, unnecessary additional words…
The last few years have been stressful for many businesses and their employees. Just as we thought the worst of the pandemic had passed, we’re beginning to experience the worst cost-of-living crisis since the 1950s with energy bills, fuel prices and food prices soaring. Businesses too are facing higher costs across supply chains, manufacturing, overheads, and more. In fact, rising inflation will be the second most impactful issue for businesses in 2022, up from 22nd globally just a year ago. Attar Naderi, Associate Director Europe & MENA at Laserfiche provides SMEToday readers with some advice on how to Maximise your resources and…
How do some businesses not only survive recession but thrive? According to Bain, 10% of organisations did well during previous recessions – and while 17% of public companies suffered, 9% bounced back stronger. But how? As James Hyde, Chief Product Officer & Founder, James and James Fulfilment explains, eCommerce retailers that prioritise core operational issues now – from supply chain optimisation to recruitment, sustainability to digital transformation – will be far better placed to grow profitably when the economic outlook improves. Changing Priorities The retail outlook has changed quickly. Businesses are not only wrestling with spiralling costs and on-going supply chain disruption but…