With the EU AI Act due to start coming into effect in the next few weeks, businesses cannot avoid addressing this new regulation, or else they’ll risk paying hefty fines of up to €35 million. But that’s not all, with the new UK Labour government planning to tighten AI rules further, businesses will need to ensure they are prepared to comply. In light of this, Keith Fenner, SVP and GM EMEA at Diligent, a leading GRC SaaS company, discusses the risks and opportunities that the AI Act will bring to businesses, as well as the next steps they should take to…
Author: sme-admin
Steve Whitmarsh, chief executive officer of Henley-in-Arden based Multifleet Vehicle Management, which trades as runyourfleet, was privileged to meet King Charles at a ceremony for winners of The King’s Award for Enterprise at Windsor Castle. The invitation came after runyourfleet was recognised for its innovation in developing its unique online platform for fleet management. runyourfleet launched the platform in 2021 and was one of only 252 organisations nationally to be recognised with a prestigious King’s Award for Enterprise, and just one of 59 businesses to be recognised for innovation. Mr Whitmarsh said it was a great honour to be invited and…
Being an older person in the UK can increasingly feel like being cancelled, new research reveals. Many older people say they now feel excluded and marginalised in countless aspects of daily life – leading to an increased sense of isolation and loneliness. Not focussing on the silver pound is clearly a missed opportunity for retailers (particularly for high street fashion brands). The research reveals that many older people are desperate for more to be aimed at them, with nearly half (44%) saying they would love to wear more fashionable clothing if it was marketed at them. This is the disturbing conclusion…
A market-leading business dedicated to locating subsurface energy and mineral resources to reduce the globe’s carbon footprint, is powering its strategic growth plans after securing a £500,000 funding deal. AIM-listed Getech, based in Leeds, which specialises in data-mapping natural resources such as metals, minerals and geothermal energy, agreed the working capital facility with Reward Finance Group, which provides property investors and SMEs with tailored business finance loans and asset based solutions of up to £5m. Getech was formed in 1986 and uses its geoscience data and unique geospatial software to accelerate energy transition away from fossil fuels by developing and leading geo-energy and…
What makes a good salesperson in 2024? And what skills should they have to generate successful leads and boost results for the business? Steve Harlow, Chief Sales Officer at Sopro, comments on the skills every successful salesperson should have and how to implement them: “A good salesperson must be equipped with the necessary knowledge and tools to be productive. There are various skills a salesperson needs and different tactics they can adopt to engage with customers effectively and drive sales. Here are some of the most important ones: Social prospecting: “Using social networks as a strategic tool, social prospecting allows sellers to…
With recent figures revealing SME lending levels rose by 15% during the first quarter of this year, Kyle Eaton, money.co.uk business credit cards expert, shares his tips on choosing the right financial products for your business: There are plenty of financial products available that cater to small business owners and their specific needs, with business credit cards being one of the most popular choices. It can be difficult to know where to start when choosing a business credit card provider and a specific card. “Every business needs cash to get off the ground and pay the bills, from establishing a workplace to buying…
Roger Jackson, Founder & CEO of SenseCheck, a leader in marketing consultancy explores the critical role of feedback in marketing and identifies four major barriers that often hinder its effectiveness. He offers actionable strategies to overcome these obstacles, aiming to transform the way businesses approach feedback to drive significant improvements in their marketing efforts. Feedback in marketing is fundamental and can be the difference between campaign success or failure. No one has a monopoly of wisdom, yet so many of us struggle to give and receive opinions in ways that genuinely drive improvement. Various psychological, social, and cognitive barriers can…
An artificial intelligence coding workshop for youngsters scheduled for late July, has been so overwhelmed with bookings that its organisers, Glasgow-based British Youth International College (BYITC) Supermaths, have been forced to arrange multiple sessions to accommodate demand. “The interest in artificial intelligence coding has been phenomenal, so much so that we have been obliged to create further sessions to meet demand since the summer break is a perfect time to learn,” said BYITC Supermaths founder and computer scientist Dr Rashmi Mantri. “We know from our previous coding AI workshops that the young people start out a little uncertain and with a limited understanding…
St Luke’s – Sheffield’s Hospice is set to launch its most ambitious retail project to date…the city’s first charity department store! Last summer saw the opening of the hugely successful St Luke’s city centre store on The Moor, bringing the total number of St Luke’s shops throughout the city to 14, extending from Stocksbridge in the north to Crystal Peaks in the south. Now the charity is proud to unveil plans for an 8,500 sq ft department store at the Kilner Way Retail Park in Wadsley Bridge. Opening this autumn, the shop will offer a wide variety of pre-loved goods…
Vodafone Business’ Director of Small, Medium & Enterprise Business, Claire Harris, comments on how 5G is transforming the UK’s summer of sport. The Summer of 2024 is fast becoming a sporting blockbuster, and vendors have been catering around-the-clock for Wimbledon, The Euros, The Olympics, The British grand Prix at Silverstone and many more. Amidst the excitement, a technological revolution is unfolding, poised to redefine the fan experience and transform how vendors deliver services. 5G connectivity and the Internet of Things (IoT) promise to create smarter, more interactive, and personalised experiences for fans, while enabling vendors to operate with unprecedented efficiency. A stadium’s food and drink sales account for a huge part of the match day economy but, with…