It’s now less than three years until the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) is switched off in the UK, which means businesses must switch to digital now. With so much misinformation around how to navigate this switch off, Kristian Torode, Director and Co-Founder of business telecoms services provider, Crystaline, busts some of the myths around the switchover to digital phonelines. Digital phonelines use a different type of technology to make calls — such as Voice over Internet Protocol, or VoIP. Instead of relying on physical, copper lines, VoIP transmits voice calls over the internet by converting the audio at one…
Author: sme-admin
Irrespective of the broader economy the fight for IT talent remains and it starts with the companies’ senior managers. With the unemployment level in the UK at its lowest since 1974 and pay growth still failing to keep pace with soaring inflation, organisations looking to build out their IT teams need to look internally. This is according to managed services provider Espria. Clinton Groome, COO at Espria, stated: “For businesses large and small, organisations looking to bolster their IT teams, need to look within the organisation first to ensure that it is offering the most attractive careers.” Compounding this problem…
Author: Jeremy Kourdi, executive coach and director of leadership consultancy Kourdi Associates. Formerly VP of The Economist Group, he is an expert in leadership, business development & coaching and has written 29 business books. This may be controversial but I believe that preparing for a recession is something that every business should do, regularly, whether economic misery is on the horizon or not. Why? Because shifting mindsets, making constant improvements, and preparing for a future different to today are all vital for the sustained health of any business. That said, some actions that are always desirable become indispensable when a recession…
Louise Taft of Jurit LLP, Chair of the Employment Lawyers Association’s Brexit Standing Committee discusses the impact of the promise to scrap EU “red tape” After the political upheaval of the autumn, the Government is pressing ahead with its “Brexit Freedoms Bill”, officially known as the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill. If passed, it will bring the most profound changes to employment law in decades. The Bill essentially reverses the position created by the EU Withdrawal Act, which preserved the status quo on EU derived law, creating a “snapshot” of the law as it existed at 31 December…
Nicky Tozer, SVP, EMEA, Oracle NetSuite, provides SMEToday’s readers with some pointers on how to navigate economic uncertainties in 2023. As we head into the new year, the instability of the past few years is set to draw out in a potentially lengthy downturn in the UK economy. Under the strain of supply chain issues, geo-political tensions and cost-of-living crises, businesses are being pressed to accomplish more with less resources. But how will this affect British businesses in 2023? Organisations can expect a closer examination of finances, with policymakers placing a high priority on recession-proofing. Business leaders should try to…
On 22nd January Chinese New Year will arrive, and this year it is the year of the rabbit. It’s good to be aware that for some of your colleagues this may be an important time of year. Just because you don’t traditionally celebrate the Chinese New Year, it doesn’t mean that you can’t start to do so. It’s something that can be socially beneficial for a workforce and be inclusive to people from different cultures and backgrounds. What is Chinese New Year? This history of the Chinese new year stems back over 3500 years and originated within the Shang Dynasty.…
The “SMBs Driving Economic Recovery” report from Sage – the leader in accounting, financial, HR and payroll technology for SMBs – last week revealed that, despite ongoing economic turbulence, growth in turnover for UK SMBs is expected to outperform the growth rate for all businesses from 2023-2025, with SMBs expected to make up 51.9% of total business turnover in the UK economy by 2025. Working with Cebr, one of the UK’s leading economics consultancies, Sage has researched eight markets globally to understand SMBs’ role in driving economic recovery, and using historic insights from the last recession in 2007-2009, predict trends up until 2025. The…
According to a report commissioned by the government historical total Venture Capital investment levels in female founders have remained significantly low, at under 5% in the UK and this needs to change. In this piece, PwC talks about what they are doing to try to change this. PwC Raise | Ventures partners with fast-growing, early-stage companies looking to raise between £1m – £30m to fund growth and provide support and expertise throughout the investment journey. They work with many inspiring entrepreneurs building disruptive tech companies that are changing our lives and very often having a positive impact on society. Some…
It goes without saying that keeping an eye on outgoings and profit margins is crucial for any business, but it’s also essential to keep tabs on the margin of safety, perhaps now more than ever in the age of uncertainty. But what is it, why is it important and what invaluable insights can it give SME owners? John Edwards, Chief Executive and Group Executive International of The Institute of Financial Accountants (IFA), explains. Why is it important for a business owner to know their margin of safety? Quite simply, the margin of safety is the amount of sales that a…
Virtualnet began life over 20 years ago as an Internet Marketing Consultancy. We quickly evolved into a software development agency by also offering bespoke web solutions. We have had a varied client base over the years from well-known large organisations to smaller companies and charities. This has meant we’ve turned our hand to several projects, right from basic requirements to fully functioning web solutions. We have a 95% client retention rate year on year. We can design and develop tailor-made software solutions to suit the needs of any organisation. Our experienced in-house team of Developers and Account Managers have years…