Late payments are a perennial issue for SMEs. This roadblock has reared its head again recently with the publication of a recent report stating, against the backdrop of Covid fallout, almost two thirds of small businesses (65%) believe that late payments are putting their businesses at risk. This is also the thinking behind new initiatives such as Good Business Pays, encouraging larger companies to fast track payments to smaller businesses, helping to level the playing field and reduce the pressures on smaller enterprises’ finances. As a result of these pressures, the research also found that businesses have been looking to…
Author: sme-admin
Flexible childcare provider, Bubble, is offering start-ups the chance to enhance their employee benefits packages and increase appeal to top talent through free on-demand babysitting. It is offering 50 Greater London start-ups £1,000 of free childcare credits, which can be used on the app and exchanged for flexible childcare. The parent-led, trust and community based app, which has over 100,000 registered users, is championing one of the main demands of the current workforce. As hybrid working becomes the norm, it’s vital parents and carers have access to a contemporary childcare model to match. Research shows that working parents make up three in seven…
CRM is a core component of the operational toolkit – even SME adoption levels have now reached 79%, according to a recent survey from Workbooks. And yet, CRM success rates are still too low. For every business achieving phenomenal business transformation, another will have wasted resources and seen zero return. As a mature market, there are countless CRM solutions now available, many of which are loaded with fantastic features and functionality. So what makes the difference between CRM failure and CRM success? So CAs John Cheney, CEO of cloud-based CRM vendor Workbooks, explains, it isn’t the technology that delivers success –…
UK healthcare provider, Vita Health Group, has launched a unique course to help improve and equalise access to mental health support for workers across the UK. The Mental Health Advocacy course has been designed by a team of experienced clinicians for all types of workers across the UK, including small businesses, employees at SMEs, consultants and the self-employed. Delegates will learn to recognise and positively respond to the signs and symptoms of common mental health conditions, and effectively guide their colleagues and co-workers towards the right support. The Covid-19 pandemic has exacerbated the problem of poor mental health amongst employees, the self-employed,…
A recent report showed that multinational corporations in the U.S. and Europe reported a loss of $9.5bn in Q1 2021 due to currency volatility. And these were just the published figures. If even the largest corporates with hedging experts are losing money, how are SMEs expected to fare, with fewer staff and smaller budgets? While volatility may be considered “low” for those seeking alpha, many corporate treasurers do not share that view. EUR/USD went from 1.17 to 1.22 over the last 12 months and that in itself is enough to be of great concern to most companies. There are also…
After losing his mother to cancer in 2018 and his brother a year later to the same disease, in 2020 Shimron Equiano’s recruitment business was hampered by the pandemic. It was in these dark moments that he reflected on his life, purpose and legacy for the first time in 10 years, and the vision for BlocSquared was born. The brainchild of Shimron Equiano, BlocSquared is a new marketing and advertising platform offering ‘digital real estate’, giving side-hustlers a new place to call home and established businesses a valuable tool in their marketing armoury. BlocSquared aims to provide 1% of the UK’s…
According to data from What Customers Want, 91 per cent of consumers prefer to purchase from small to medium-sized businesses. Why? Unlike their corporate-scale rivals, small businesses offer a personal service, better relationships and typically, better communication. But, what about when communication isn’t up to scratch? Here, Kristian Torode, Director and Co-Founder of business comms provider Crystaline, presents some top considerations that SMEs should bear in mind when selecting their communications technology partner. Putting an effective communication setup into place is a challenge for SMEs. Data from the Enterprise Research Centre revealed that some of the key communications challenges that smaller businesses face include…
The electronics industry has been under increasing pressure, with the pandemic seeing a rising demand for electrical devices as many people stay at home longer – and at the same time need to work, stay connected with loved ones and be entertained. But while this may be good news for companies’ bottom-lines, it has placed an almost unprecedented strain on the industry’s manufacturing processes. Indeed, the electronics industry is currently experiencing a computer chip shortage – the chips, also known as semiconductors, are required for consumer devices to be able to work. A boom in demand as well as Covid-impacted supply chains are just…
The current financial year is in full swing (6th April 2021 – 5th April 2022) but as we pass the halfway point, there are some particularly pressing deadlines on the horizon. We’re here to make sure you’re well prepared for all the upcoming dates and deadlines, so you don’t run into any unnecessary penalties or trouble with HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC). In this article, we cover: Key tax year dates and deadlines for business owners What happens if you miss a tax deadline (and ‘reasonable excuses’ for filing late) Tips on how to make sure you never miss a…
According to The Open University’s annual business report published in partnership with the Institute of Directors, UK employers are facing a skills shortage when it comes to hiring specialist, entry level talent. The Open University’s annual Business Barometer 2021 report reveals 63% of organisation leaders are struggling with recruitment as candidates lack specialist skills and relevant experience. In fact, almost a quarter (24 per cent) believe that finding staff with the right skillset remains the single biggest challenge facing organisations in the next five years. The report reveals almost half (45 per cent) of employers struggle when recruiting for non-senior roles. Despite the challenges associated with hiring entry level talent, more than half (56 per cent) of businesses believe that apprenticeships…