Inefficiency in a business often sneaks up on you. You start off with a spreadsheet here or there to help you track revenue or to assist with project management and expenses. Before long, you’re repeating entry data across different systems and several spreadsheets. Left to fester, these inefficient processes slow down your business. Sales, and naturally growth slows because your team doesn’t have the time to focus on bringing in more business alongside all the admin that’s now involved in their roles. Regardless of the industry you’re in, efficiency is key to a successful business. Without efficiency across the board, you’ll see…
Author: sme-admin
The problem of unpaid invoices is probably at least as old as invoices themselves (give or take 28 days for payment). In the vast majority of cases, bills are raised and bills are paid – most of them promptly and within the payment terms. When invoices are not paid the problem invariably falls into two camps: (1) can’t pay; and/or (2) won’t pay. Can’t pay is normally a more difficult problem to resolve and to an extent can be mitigated against, by for example, seeking payment in advance of services or running credit checks. Troublingly but inevitably, sometimes “can’t pay”…
Among the many adaptations we made during the Covid-19 pandemic, one of the most impactful has been home working. For most owners and employees this was temporary, but for some the advantages of working from home have led to calls for a more permanent change in their work-life balance. One such route is hybrid working, where people have some type of home-working arrangement alongside time spent in the office. In fact a 2020 survey by YouGov of 4933 adults in the UK found that 57% wanted the option to work from home to continue, of which 18% wanted to work…
Nicki Clark is Chief Executive of employee-owned, North East-based business support organisations UMi. Nicki recently received an OBE in the Queen’s Jubilee birthday honours for services to business and social enterprise in North East England. Nicki started out in banking, travelled the world selling soft drinks or ‘posh pop’ as she likes to describe it, has set up businesses and social enterprises and worked closely with both the public and private sector. Nicki believes passionately that businesses have the power to make a difference to lives and the world around us, so she’s made sure that UMi measures success by more…
Composite-based additive manufacturing appears to be on the verge of breaking through as a ‘mainstream’ method of production, according to a new report on disruptive 3D printing technologies. While composites have been used in traditional FDM 3D printing applications for a number of years, questions over speed, cost and maximum build volume have acted as barriers to mass implementation. However, the advent of new ‘long- fibre’ technology looks set to disrupt the industry and pave the way for widespread adoption, according to Printing the Impossible – a new report on composite-based additive manufacturing (CBAM) co-authored by Ricoh 3D and Impossible Objects. CBAM…
With the cost-of-living skyrocketing across the country, the need for comprehensive, coherent financial planning advice has never been more urgent. This year’s Financial Planning Week, which falls between 3rd – 9th October, is aiming to empower consumers by debunking myths surrounding household finances and enabling honest dialogues around the topic. Organised annually by the professional body the Chartered Institute for Securities & Investments (CISI), the Financial Planning Week initiative is spearheaded by Certified Financial Planner professionals and supported by their firms. Acumen Financial Planning will be participating in the initiative at its offices in Aberdeenshire, Edinburgh and Glasgow with a host of…
Technology has made significant advancements and has already solved many of the supply chain challenges affecting companies today. However, we can’t claim that all the challenges have decreased when compared to previous years. On the contrary, globalisation, trade sanctions, Brexit, an eCommerce revolution and finally a global pandemic are just some of the factors that are complicating an overcomplicated supply chain – especially for companies that might lack the resources of bigger corporations. Developments in AI have assisted in the planning and development of operations across the supply chain. And if the pandemic has taught us one thing, it is…
Following the government announcement that it will be increasing support for UK businesses to help them get through the energy crisis, and ahead of tomorrow’s mini budget, Sharon Ellis, head of business networks at Virgin Money, has commented on what the new support package means for business. Additionally, to help businesses cut down on their energy costs, Sharon has shared some practical advice for how companies can improve their energy efficiency and cut down on excess use and waste. The government support package to help businesses deal with the soaring costs of energy this winter is a welcome decision that will…
Managing remote workers does not have to mean struggling with disconnection and distance. When done right, it can actually strengthen your team’s culture and cohesion. Explaining how, is Benjamin Drury – The Culture Guy, an independent consultant who helps business leaders shape the culture of their organisations to drive their success. Holding a team together is difficult enough face-to-face, but the shift to far more remote management of workers over the past two and a half years has raised some real issues. It’s not enough to use the same paradigms and systems to manage and develop teams as you did…
Businesses and individuals across West Yorkshire are being given the chance to shine as the West Yorkshire Innovation Festival returns for another year. Taking place from 3 to 7 October 2022, the week-long festival will feature a range of diverse events designed to celebrate and inspire innovation in the region. These include workshops, talks and interactive sessions delivered by partners of the West Yorkshire Innovation Network including, Innovate UK KTN, Clarion and Lloyds Banking each developed to help attendees uncover the depth of what innovation involves, as well as receive actionable guidance and support on their own innovation. Organisations in West…