THE Mid, East & West Lothian CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE BUSINESS MAGAZINE
ISSUE 6 • SUMMER 2011
QR codes - engaging the smartphone generation Celebrating Midlothian Innovation Centre’s 10th Anniversary
Debt recovery in difficult times Colin Montgomerie launches new scholarship scheme
Alba Innovation Centre the premier incubation facility for the next generation of high growth potential, innovative, start-up technology companies. One of the leading business incubators for innovative technology businesses in Scotland, the Centre provides a unique combination of specialist business innovation support, with critical connections to people who can make a real difference. Tailored incubation solutions include: Alba Incubation Service – delivered by the Centre's in-house team of experienced advisors and complemented by a network of external specialists and entrepreneurs, our specialist advice is tailored to help young technology businesses launch and grow their business. NEW: This support is available to both companies based in the Centre AND to innovative, start-up technology companies across Scotland Accommodation – offering high quality, modern, office accommodation, on flexible terms under a single monthly licence fee. Virtual Office Packages are also available. Facilities and Services – state-of-the-art facilities and services including high speed internet access, a wireless network, full reception services (including a 9am-5pm manned telephone answering service) and conference and meeting room facilities. Alba Innovation Centre is operated by ICS Ltd on behalf of Scottish Enterprise For further details contact: Alba Innovation Centre, Alba Campus, Livingston EH54 7GA Tel: 01506 592 100 Email: alba@innovationcentre.org Web: www.innovationcentre.org/alba
contents Editor’s Intro................................... 4 Have You Got Your Green Ticks?..... 4
Together we are strong
WELCOME
Welcome New Members................. 5 Chamber Round Up........................ 7 Kate & William Royal Tax Breaks?........................8-9
We are celebrating a new level of collaboration in which Midlothian & East Lothian Chamber and West Lothian Chamber are agreeing to work together on matters of common benefit. Our Boards who represent the membership are looking at ways to share staff back-up in supporting key activities of the Chambers under a single brand, ‘Lothian Chamber’.
Going for Growth........................... 10 Partnership Opens Mobile Gateway to Green Business Improvements............................... 13 Wordpress Scotland User Group Launches................... 13 Colin Montgomerie Launches Junior Scholarship Scheme....14-15 QR Codes - Engaging the Smartphone Generation............... 17 Keep Your Eyes on the Road......... 19 Midlothian Innovation Centre 10th Anniversary......................20-21 Increase your Energy and Vitality...............................22-23 The Business Partnership............ 24 Debt Recovery in Difficult Times..........................26-27 Developing the Ideal Customer Experience..............28-29 Alba Business Pavilions Collect Accolade........................... 30 Scottish Science Chief Challenges MSPs.......................... 32 The Scottish Bioinformatics Forum Merges with Nexxus.......... 35 Benefits of Chamber Membership.................................. 36 Upcoming Chamber Events.......... 38 For advertising contact D-Tech on T: 01389 736000 E: sales@incommerce.biz For editorial contact editor: Laura Socha T: 0131 654 1234 E: laura.socha@met.org.uk Publisher: InCommerce Ltd Distribution: D-Tech Distribution
Welcome to the latest edition of INcommerce, where Dave McDougall, Chief Executive of West Lothian Chamber of Commerce, joins me on our front cover for a special reason.
Surveys continue to tell us that members value most the networking opportunities that Chamber membership offers. By making all most of our events joint we can at a stroke double the number of potential contacts available to help you grow your business. More faces means more opportunities- for sales, improved supply chains, co-operative ventures and learning. Joint investment in affinity schemes means that we will be able to get improved discounts for members, and be better placed to source these from local member companies. We will use this step forward to build our political influence, working at local national and European government level to influence policy in favour of the needs of our business members. We will be raising the profile of the regional economy in the Lothians outside Edinburgh through a common voice in the media. Over the coming months we want to hear from you about the issues that most concern you, and what progress you wish to see to enable the recovery and strengthen our role in increasing the health and wealth of our community. Transport issues are high on the agenda, town centre renewal is a common theme, and growth in the sunrise sectors of renewable energy and innovative bio-tech are crucial opportunities for our area. Edinburgh City Region has our capital at its hub- but the surrounding local authority areas of the Lothians, Borders and Fife have double the population of the City itself and supply a third of its workforce. It’s time to stand up and be counted. That’s best achieved by an alliance of our Chambers, and this is one more step in that direction. Dave and I welcome the members’ support for this initiative and I hope each one of you will be able to take full advantage of the opportunities ahead. Gregor Murray
InCommerce is published by InCommerce Ltd. Unit 14 Birch Road Broadmeadow Ind Est Dumbarton G82 2RE. Telephone 01389 736000. Fax 01389 736002. E-mail: info@dtechuk.com. Edited by Laura Socha, Chamber Manager, Midlothian & East Lothian Chamber of Commerce, 42/3 Hardengreen Business Park, Dalhousie Road, Dalkeith, Midlothian EH22 3NU Tel : 0131 654 1234. Email: laura.socha@met.org.uk InCommerce is fully protected by copyright and nothing may be printed wholly or in part without the written permission of the publishers. The proprietors of this magazine are publishers and not agents, or sub-agents of those who advertise therein. They cannot be held liable for any loss suffered as a result of information gained from this publication.
Chief Executive Our Corporate Partners
The views expressed by authors of articles published in this magazine are solely those of the author and are not necessarily the views of or shared by the editor, nor the publisher or the directors, shareholders and/or employees of InCommerce Ltd or D-Tech Graphic Design & Print Ltd.
THE Mid, East & West Lothian CHAMBERs OF COMMERCE MAGAZINE • SUMMER 11
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editors Intro
Have you got your green ticks? I am delighted to bring you our summer edition of InCommerce Magazine. As you can see we are have joined forces with West Lothian Chamber to deliver an even more informative and exciting business to business magazine. We are particularly thrilled at the future business possibilities this initiative may bring to all our member companies. We would like to say a big welcome to all our new members as listed on page 5, and hope you enjoy the very topical tax incentives article on pages 8 and 9. Don’t forget to pencil in some of the up-coming networking events (page 38) in your diary - to make full use of your membership. If you would like to see your business’s success highlighted in this magazine, make sure you send in your press release for inclusion in the next edition. Finally, it is on a sad note that I say good bye as I am moving on to pastures new this summer. It has been a pleasure meeting and working with you all over the past few years and I look forward to watching the new joint Lothian Chamber initiative develop from afar.
Laura Socha Chamber Manager
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THE Mid, East & West Lothian CHAMBERs OF COMMERCE MAGAZINE • SUMMER 11
How are your environmental credentials? More and more companies are reviewing their sales chain to keep up to date with today’s environmental legislation and asking their suppliers about their environmental policies– are you prepared? Businesses are discovering that not only is it good for the environment and their customers, but introducing environmental best practice can make them more profitable, increase their efficiency and enhance their reputation. One of the simplest ways to demonstrate your green credentials would be to apply for Green Business Network Green Tick Accreditation. To be awarded one tick you need an environmental policy, assess your legal compliance and demonstrate your compliance to continual environmental improvements. For two ticks in addition to the above, you require an action plan and to regularly review your suppliers. For 3 ticks it’s all about engaging your staff and introducing best practice environmental management systems. But don’t worry; the Green Business Partnership experts are on hand to help companies achieve each green tick step. Visit www.greenbusinesspartnership. org.uk to see which companies have already started their green tick journey. Contact berni@thebusinesspartnership.org.uk to find out how many ticks you could be awarded or call 0131 561 6262 for more information.
West Lothian
Midlothian & East Lothian
Welcome to our New Chamber Members Brown Optometry
Brown Optometrists was established in 1997 with a well earned reputation for high quality eye care and a wide range of stylish eyewear.
Andrew Lamont
0131 663 8818
bonnyrigg@brownopticians.co.uk www.brownopticians.co.uk
Kitchen Monsters
The Kitchen Monsters site is a great way to get kids into the kitchen and interested in the food they eat.
Al Bryce
0131 208 1650
al@kitchenmonsters.co.uk www.kitchenmonsters.co.uk
Mailboxes 247
Mailboxes 247 offers personal and commercial mailboxes, with excellent facilities, conveniently located in the heart of Leith, Edinburgh’s vibrant commercial quarter.
Terry Birns
0131 554 7564
terry~nutrend.co.uk www.mailboxes247.co.uk
Social Enterprise in East Lothian
A network which supports people and organisations to develop and run social enterprises
Elaine Gale
01620 826915
elaine@socialenterpriseineastlothian.org.uk www.socialenterpriseineastlothian.org.uk
Pink Connect Edinburgh
pinkconnect are a telecommunication company offering business telephone systems and greatly reduced call rates.
Lars Nielsen
0131 603 7070
lars@pinkconnect.com www.pinkconnect.com
ASW Bookkeeping
Bookkeeper who specialises in providing a friendly local service to sole traders, partnerships and small to medium sized businesses
Andy Westaby
07809 490513
andy.westaby@aswbookkeeping.co.uk www.aswbookkeeping.co.uk
&Coaching Ltd
Invidual management coaching, business metnoring and managemetn team workshops to enhance personal effectiveness in business.
Roger Thomas
07776 152020
roger.thomas@andcoaching.com www.andcoaching.com
Himalayan Footsteps
Specialist ethical tour operator to countries of the Himalayas. Expert in bespoke travel.
Ulrike Werner
0131 510 0523
ulrike@himalayanfootsteps.com www.himalayanfootsteps.com
Lindsays
Family Law - divorce separation, residence/ contact of children, financial provision for spouses and children.
Karen Jack
01620 890683
karenjack@lindsays.co.uk www.lindsays.co.uk
More2Accounts
We can offer day to day management and accounting expertise - without the respective costs of a full time employee of chartered accountant.
Allan Davidson
07554 014751
allan@more2accounts.co.uk
Lothian Solar
Design and installation of photo voltaic and solar thermal systems
Brian Spence
01620 870240
info@lothiansolar.co.uk www.lothiansolar.co.uk
Pumpherston Print
Website Design, Graphic Design and Printing
Gil Gillies
0800 602 9458
gil@virago22.co.uk www.virago22.co.uk
Gift Box Galore
Unique gift boxes for men,women,children and babies-on-line shop.
Louise MacDonald
(07900) 273400
info@giftboxgalore.co.uk www.giftboxgalore.co.uk
Podiatry Scotland
Health Care, Podiatry/chiropody service including clinical appointments, house visits, nursing & elderly care home visits.
Martin Godley
(07596) 954189
m.g.podiatry@gmail.com www.podiatryscotland.co.uk
Energy My Way
Renewable energy consultancy and installation
Joe Robb
01506 632810
jr@energymyway.co.uk www.energymyway.co.uk
Pertemps Recruitment Partnership Scotland Ltd
Recruitment agency- temporary & permanent staff
Jan McKendry
0141 573 0500
www.pertemps.co.uk
Iss Facility Services
Experts in facility services providing services such as FM, cleaning,catering,security and landscaping.
Stuart Marley
0844 936 1400
stuart.marley@uk.issworld.com www.uk.issworld.com
Michaela Waddell MW Photography
Qualified ( BIPP) Professional freelance photographer- weddings, portraits, commercial & Events
Michaela Waddell
7801010180
michaelawaddell@mac.com www.michaelawaddell.com
Queensferry Business Association
Business Association for South Queensferry Fiona Grant and district
0131 331 1296
info@qba.co.uk www.qba.org.uk
Sabre Guard Security Services
Security guarding
Ben Jamieson
01501 733755
info@sabre-guard.com www.sabre-guard.com
Tormar Management Consultants Ltd
HR Consultants
Hector Adam
01506 411920
tormar@btconnect.com
Mind Wheel
Hypnotherapist and licenced NLP practitioner
Liz Symington
(07590) 017360
lizsymington@tiscali.co.uk www.mind-on-wheels.net
The William Tracey Group
Recycling and resource management services
Justine Anderson
0870 062 7670
info@wmtracey.co.uk www.williamtraceygroup.com
West Lothian Credit Union
Charity to increase awareness of the benefits of credit union membership
Janet Mundy
01506 633222
info@wlcuf.org.uk www.wlcuf.org.uk
Jethro Sheppard Photography
Commercial photographic services, product Jethro Sheppard photography, business and commercial photography, photo restoration
07986 151 922
info@jethrosheppard.com www.jethrosheppard.com
Davidson Chalmers LLP
Commercial Lawyers
Vannan McKellar
0131 625 9191
mailbox@davidsonchalmers.com www.davidsonchalmers.com
A.I.M. Change Solutions Ltd
Change advisory, construction and change delivery, business analysis, process review & design, interim management.
Alasdair MacColl
01506 420254
alasdairmaccoll@googlemail.com
THE Mid, East & West Lothian CHAMBERs OF COMMERCE MAGAZINE • SUMMER 11
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Cheerleading is a great activity for all ages. ECDA offers classes for children aged from 5 years up to adults. Cheerleading brings together the disciplines of dance, gymnastics, stunts, flexibility and cheer. All our cheerleaders are given the opportunity to perform at local and national games, events and competitions.
YOUTH (5-9years)
10-11am Saturday at Meadowbank Sports Centre
JUNIOR (10-15years)
Saturday 11-12pm at Meadowbank Sports Centre
SENIOR (16+)
Fridays 6-7.30pm
SUMMER CAMP (all ages)
Kirkliston Leisure Centre 25th-27th July from 1-3pm 3/19 Allanfield Place, Brunswick Road, Edinburgh, EH7 5AJ 0131 558 3089 (Office - open all day every day) 07528599622 (Mobile) gemmaduncan@ecdacheerleading.co.uk (email)
w w w. e c d a c h e e r l e a d i n g . c o . u k
Centrex House
Meeting Spaces Centrex Conference Centre based in West Lothian in the Central Belt of Scotland, offers a large variety of rooms where flexibility and excellent service are key drivers.
space to motivate
The next time you’re planning a corporate day, think of Centrex. We have everything you need for the perfect event, whether it’s a simple team meeting or a full conference. Space is available as and when you need it, and our professional and friendly team will provide everything you need to make it a big success.
rooms to inspire
We present Boardrooms, interview suites, group rooms, exhibition space and a 220 seated conference room.
office space
education space
meeting space
conference space
Telephone: 01506 497 777 Email: reception@centrexhouse.com www.centrexhouse.co.uk Centrex House 1 Simpson Parkway, Kirkton Campus, Livingston West Lothian, EH54 7BH, Scotland
We offer rooms for every event and every budget. We present boardrooms to interview suites, group rooms to our 150-seated tiered Lecture Theatre with state of the art audio visual support. We also host syndicate rooms, exhibition space and a fully maintained PC suite. Experience our onsite restaurant serving daily specials and a snack menu to our private dining room. All our meeting rooms offer natural daylight, air conditioning, internet access and are fitted with black out blinds. Rooms are fittted with white boards or a projection screen, emergency stationery packs as well as fresh water and mints to keep you refreshed and alert. You also have your own dedicated room hostess. A full range of administration services and equipment hire is available from reception. Nothing is too much... Our experience is your experience. ADVERTISING FEATURE
chamber round up
West Lothian Chamber AGM for 2011 was held on 18th May at the impressive new Glenmorangie premises in Livingston. It was reported that the Chamber made a small surplus of £4,240 in 2010 from a turnover of £117,598. One new director (Iain Summers) was elected and two (Jim Gallacher and Fiona Barr) who stood down were thanked for their contributions to Chamber activities and developments in recent years. President Brian Wilson reported that the Chamber was looking for opportunities to help members develop their businesses. To this end collaboration with Mid and East Lothian was being pursued and the Chamber would be moving soon to new premises in Livingston. He thanked all board members for the invaluable contributions they make to the running and success of the Chamber. The AGM was followed by a whisky tasting led by Rachel Barry of Glenmorangie. Her enthusiasm was infectious and all members (even the teetotallers) appreciated the subtle distinctions and superb qualities of the different products. Glenmorangie (the “Glen of Tranquility”) is sold all over the world and chamber members were given the privilege of a guided tour through the bottling plant. It is a world class facility and an outstanding example of a Scottish business with a world class brand. The Business Mentoring programme has been renewed for a further three years and West Lothian leads the activities throughout the Lothians and the Borders. All chamber members are encouraged to participate, both as mentors sharing their experiences and expertise, and also as people being mentored. Activities and groups will be held throughout the summer and involvement of social enterprises is being encouraged. Please let us know if you would like to be involved or if you know of someone else who could participate. It’s the best, and most cost effective, way of helping the local economy to grow.
On 24th June the annual golf competition is being held at West Lothian Golf Club in conjunction with Young Enterprise Scotland. This is a great opportunity for all standards of golfer to have a break from the toils of business and compete with other like-minded businesspeople on the golf course. For the serious golfers there are excellent prizes to be won while for the less talented competitors (who have probably put more effort into their businesses!) there is the chance of a pleasant day away from the toils of the workplace. All members (from all the Lothian chambers) are welcome to enter, either as individuals or in teams. At the beginning of July West Lothian Chamber will be moving premises. Full contact details will be given to members at the time but this is a chance for the Chamber to develop its identity and work with private sector businesses (as well as the public agencies) to provide services for businesses with ambition to grow. It is vital for the Scottish economy that private sector businesses plan to grow and expand their activities. The chambers will play their part in this growth and West Lothian Chamber will provide whatever assistance is possible to encourage the process. If you have plans to expand your company over the next year please let us know. We are working to create a culture of growth and ambition and we will promote the stories of the businesspeople who are taking the lead.
THE Mid, East & West Lothian CHAMBERs OF COMMERCE MAGAZINE • SUMMER 11
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When Kate Middleton & Prince William tied the knot on 29th April, the tax implications of their nuptials was probably the last thing on their minds! However, for the rest of us, tax is an unavoidable fact of life, and one we neglect at our peril. It’s something we should consider at all stages of life – starting work, retiring, having children. And, of course, getting married.
Kate & William – Royal Tax Breaks? Tip 1: Use your income tax allowances
Tip 3: Re-write your Wills
Prior to the introduction of independent taxation of married couples in 1990, husband and wife were treated as one person for tax purposes, with a wife being regarded as her husband’s “chattel"!
In Scotland, marriage or civil partnership doesn’t invalidate a Will. However, keeping your Will up-to-date is the only way to ensure that your assets are distributed as you wish when you die, and Wills should be reviewed after any life-changing event. If you die without a Will, the law will determine how your estate will be distributed, which could be distressing for your nearest and dearest.
Under independent taxation, husbands and wives have their own personal allowances and lower and basic rate tax bands, and married couples should aim to make maximum use of these wherever possible. If one spouse is a higher-rate taxpayer and the other isn’t, transferring income-producing assets to the lowerearning spouse can mean the difference between 50% tax and 20% or 10% tax (or even no tax at all, if there’s an unused personal allowance!).
Tip 2: Use your capital gains tax annual exemptions A husband and wife each have an annual capital gains tax exemption, currently £10,600, which isn’t transferable and which is lost if not used. If capital gains are on the cards, using both exemptions can therefore allow gains of £21,200 to be realised tax-free, so it’s worth reviewing the most efficient ownership of relevant assets before sales are made (bearing in mind that assets can be transferred between spouses capital gains tax-free). In addition, ensuring that gains arise, where possible, to the lower-income spouse could mean the difference between a CGT rate of 28% and a lower rate of 18%, On a similar tack, make sure that maximum use is made of capital losses, which again aren’t transferable. If one spouse has capital losses available, and the other is about to sell an asset at a gain, the valuable asset can be transferred (without tax consequences) to the other spouse prior to sale, so that the gain when made is covered by capital losses. Entrepreneurs’ Relief can be available on qualifying sales of business assets and family company shares (with a lifetime limit of £10 million on such gains), reducing the tax rate to just 10%. Transferring assets between spouses may jeopardise such a claim, so care should be taken not to lose any entitlement to this extremely valuable relief.
8
There are few outright tax incentives to marriage. However, it does offer some planning opportunities, as well as some traps for the unwary. From December 2005, the same traps and opportunities apply to same sex couples entering into a Civil Partnership.
THE Mid, East & West Lothian CHAMBERs OF COMMERCE MAGAZINE • SUMMER 11
Tip 4: Encourage family generosity. Wedding gifts attract special inheritance exemptions, which could provide encouragement for family and friends to give generously. Gifts of up to £5,000 by parents, £2,500 by grandparents and £1,000 by others can be made totally exempt from IHT.
Tip 5: Think ahead A new spouse, new home, new responsibilities, perhaps including children – take advice and consider the financial position should one (or even both) of you die. Consider pension planning – a non-working spouse can pay £3,600 gross per annum into a stakeholder pension – and check whether existing arrangements provide a spouse’s pension following first death. While there are no specific “tax breaks” for provision for children, starting the planning early can allow efficient use of tax-free savings breaks to build up a fund for future education costs. Using both spouses’ ISA allowances – currently £10,680 each - can build up into a respectable tax-free pot over a number of years. Children over 18 have their own ISA allowances, while children over 16 can contribute £5,340 per annum into a cash-only ISA. The 2011 Budget provided an outline of the new Junior ISAs to be introduced from 1 November 2011, allowing tax free investment of up to £3,000 for those under 18 years of age who didn’t qualify for a Child Trust Fund.
Tip 6: Divide Your Assets Any income from property jointly owned by a married couple is treated for income tax purposes as belonging to them in equal shares, unless an election is made for the income to be split on the basis of the actual proportions of ownership (there are special rules for shares in close companies, which are always taxed according to actual ownership). It’s worth making sure, therefore, that any jointly held assets are taxed in the most efficient way, and that elections (which can’t be made retrospectively) are lodged where appropriate. Sometimes, of course, the automatic 50:50 split can be beneficial. Rental income from an investment property, owned 95% by a spouse paying higher-rate tax and 5% by a spouse paying tax at the basic rate, will result in 45% of the income attracting a tax saving of up to 30% (being the difference between the higher rate of 50% and the basic rate of 20%). Prior to the 2007 Pre Budget Report, the split of assets between spouses was crucial for inheritance tax purposes. This is no longer quite so important, as the IHT nil rate band, to which both spouses are entitled, is now effectively transferable. However, IHT should still be borne in mind when looking at the split of assets, to minimise the potential drain of long-term care costs on the estate of a surviving spouse.
Tip 7: But Watch out for “income-shifting”! Employing one spouse in a business run by the other spouse can be tax-efficient, but any salary paid must be reasonable for the duties carried out, otherwise the Revenue could argue that it isn’t paid wholly & exclusively for the purposes of the business, and so disallow it for tax purposes. Similarly, husband & wife partnerships are popular, and can allow the split of partnership profits to make best use of allowances and rate bands. However, the Labour Government made clear their dislike of “income-shifting” arrangements, which used companies or partnerships to “shift” income from one party to another to obtain a tax advantage. No legislation was forthcoming, but it’s possible that this issue might raise its head again at some point in the future. Such arrangements should therefore be undertaken with care, and arrangements which don’t reflect the commercial reality of the business avoided.
Tip 9 : Review Tax Credits If either spouse has children, and the couple aren’t already living together, entitlement to tax credits may be affected by marriage and the position should be reviewed.
Tip 10 : Home is where the Heart is, but think about the tax position If both spouses own homes prior to tying the knot, it’s crucial to review the capital gains tax “principal private residence” position. Both properties will qualify for PPR exemption for capital gains tax purposes up to the date of marriage (and will generally retain the exemption for three years thereafter), but a married couple is entitled to only one exempt residence between them. So, unless the plan is to sell the second property promptly, the CGT position needs to be considered. If both properties are to be retained and used as homes (i.e. city flat and country house), an election needs to be lodged within 2 years as to which will be exempt going forward. If one property is to be let, there will be an element of “letting relief” (relieving a maximum of £40,000 gain) for capital gains tax purposes. If the let property is owned jointly, each spouse is potentially entitled to the maximum letting relief. However, if a property occupied by one spouse as their home prior to marriage is transferred into joint names, the share being transferred will not attract PPR exemption on a future sale, as the recipient spouse will never have occupied the property as their PPR - so this is a case where a transfer into joint names prior to a sale may not be a good idea – the position needs to be reviewed in each case to establish the most tax efficient course of action.
Tip 8 : Give efficiently to charity. There are various reliefs for charitable giving, the most obvious being higher-rate tax relief for Gift Aid payments. While both spouses will have charities they wish to support, it makes sense, if one spouse pays higher-rate tax and the other doesn’t, for the higher earning spouse to make the gift and claim the relief.
If you’re thinking of tying the knot, think about the tax implications. It may not be romantic, but it could save valuable ££££s. For advice, contact Fiona Donaldson on 0131 440 5000.
THE Mid, East & West Lothian CHAMBERs OF COMMERCE MAGAZINE • SUMMER 11
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Polished to Perfection, West Lothian Hazel and Peter Graham, having many years knowledge and experience of the cleaning industry formed Polished 2 Perfection Ltd to offer a complete range of professional cleaning services to meet the needs of businesses across Central Scotland. The business has a seen a steady rate of growth, moving from the domestic to the corporate market.
Going for growth Do you want your Business to Flourish? Do you want to overcome barriers to your business? Do you want to grow your business and achieve your objectives? Who understands all the issues of growing a business? Someone who has done it themselves a Business Mentor The Chamber Business Mentoring programme is the sharing of knowledge, skills and experience with another person in a relationship of mutual trust. Business Mentors can play an invaluable role in contributing to the successful growth and development of aspirational individuals and their businesses. The mentoring programme can be used to develop your business and staff in a variety of ways, it can be a fresh pair of eyes to see the bigger picture. The benefits of the business mentoring programme includes:
For Individuals: • Work on your personal development; increase self-confidence, belief and awareness •
Develop key business skills for present and future roles
•
Widen your network of business contacts
•
Use an objective sounding board to develop plans and strategies
For Companies: • Improved strategic decision-making •
A tactical business development tool
•
Increased understanding of business growth and change dynamics
•
Build successful teams within your business
•
Business Mentoring is a FREE service and can either be as a 1-2-1 session or as part of a group.
For More information contact brenda.cumming@wlchamber.com or visit www.businessmentoringscotland.co.uk
THE Mid, East & West Lothian
10 CHAMBERs OF COMMERCE MAGAZINE
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SUMMER 11
General manager Peter become involved with the Business Mentoring programme to have contact with someone who has lived and breathed starting up their own business, someone who has experienced the pitfalls along the way. Peter said ‘He has found the mentoring programme very beneficial to the business and to him as an individual.’ The key areas benefited were the marketing strategies, networking, knowledge sharing, new ideas, the need to have robust plans in place and maintaining good documentation/records. Peter felt he has gained more confidence and says he would recommend the programme to others. Jane Hill, Healing for the Spirit, Scottish Borders Introduced to the Business Mentoring programme by Border’s Chamber business owner Jane realised that although she knew what she wanted to do she needed help with the business side of things. Initially Jane wanted help to increase her profile and encourage repeat business but more than that wanted to someone to look at the whole picture and give her general support. Her mentor, Ian Skinner, has a wealth of experience in semi-voluntary work having worked for Scottish Business in Community for 20 years Jane’s major achievement since meeting Ian is that she organised a Complementary Health Fair at The Tate Hall in Kelso, therapists hired stalls and the public paid an entry fee to see and sample what they have on offer. She ran her second successful complementary health fair in Berwick in April this year. Jane’s has begun to focus on employers, offering 'Stress Solutions in the Workplace' workshops and awareness sessions for staff and managers. Jane said she found Ian “encouraging, supportive and reassuring that my business idea was a good one and made me realise that I should not sell myself short”. She also said she was amazed that more people didn’t take a Business Mentor as she has found it “more than worth it, this was one of the reasons I joined the Chamber of Commerce.” Kevock Garden Plants, Midlothian Located on the banks of the Esk River, Kevok Garden Plants is an award winning nursery offering a huge selection of garden plants. The business also offers an online order service providing a wide choice of old favourites as well as rare specialist plants and an innovative garden design service. Business owner Stella Rankin was introduced to the Business Mentoring Programme through East & Midlothian Chamber of Commerce at a time when the business was going through a transition period. Working with the mentor the main issues addressed were the strategy to grow the business and develop their market. Stella said of her mentor 'It was the questions Alastair asked , rather than the advice he gave, that I found really helpful. He had the knack of asking the questions which highlighted the key issues.'
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Partnership opens mobile gateway to green business improvement
WORDPRESS SCOTLAND USER GROUP LAUNCHES
Edinburgh businesses will shortly benefit from an alliance between 2kt partner Jewel & Esk College, the Green Business Network and the Midlothian and East Lothian Chamber of Commerce. Working with the Chamber’s Business Team, Jewel & Esk College is utilising its academic expertise and access to facilities and funding to develop a mobile “going green” app. This app will allow mobile access to the unique Green Business Network Accreditation service and all of the other business improvement and networking services on the current website. What’s even more exciting is that the i-phone app will be available for use inside the next six weeks so look out for the launch party. With many of the Chamber’s business clients looking to develop innovative products, processes and services, Jewel & Esk College and its 2kt College and University partners can help identify your business needs and support delivery of solutions. Through one point of contact, we can help you:
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Find an innovative solution to help your business grow
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Access experts who can help take your business forward
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Plug the knowledge gaps which may be lacking in your organisation
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Benefit from cutting edge research and testing facilities
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Increase your competitive advantage
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Attract funding to support your developments.
2kt is part funded by ERDF, the Scottish Funding Council and SEEKIT.
A group aimed at promoting the use of WordPress to create business websites has launched in Scotland. WPScotland also aims to provide technical and design assistance to businesses whose websites are already built on the WordPress platform, through events such as seminars and clinics where business owners can get their WordPress questions answered. Martin Young of Digital My Way, the group's founder and West Scotland Regional Coordinator, said that "WordPress started out as a blogging platform, but has evolved into a powerful Content Management System used by millions of sites worldwide, from small one person businesses to FTSE 100 companies." Taryn Wallis of Phenomenoodle, East Scotland Regional Coordinator, agreed: "WordPress provides a cost-effective way for a business to create a strong web presence, and it's flexible so your site can grow as your business does. Plus, it has the benefit of being very user-friendly, which enables business owners to edit their site content themselves quite easily." The group holds monthly social gatherings in both Edinburgh and Glasgow, and invites all WordPress enthusiasts (designers, developers and end-users) to attend. Details of these and other events (such as seminars and clinics) are posted on the group's website at www. wpscotland.org and on Twitter at twitter.com/wpscotland. For more information, please contact Martin Young at martin@digitalmyway.co.uk or Taryn Wallis at taryn@ phenomenoodle.com
To find out more about how 2kt funding could help support your business innovation and growth contact Donald Calder on dcalder@jec.ac.uk, 0131 344 7190
THE Mid, East & West Lothian CHAMBERs OF COMMERCE MAGAZINE • SUMMER 11
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RYDER CUP CAPTAIN COLIN MONTGOMERIE LAUNCHES NEW JUNIOR SCHOLARSHIP SCHEME AT DEER PARK GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB
West Lothian’s Home of Golf, Deer Park Golf & Country Club, welcomed a true Scottish golfing legend a few months ago when Ryder Cup Captain Colin Montgomerie visited the Livingston club to hand out junior section scholarships to local West Lothian youngsters. Mr Montgomerie firstly handed out scholarships to the top two teenage winners of the first ever Junior Deer Park Masters held back in August – John Bayliss (Winner) and Kieran Cooney (Runner-up), both fifteen and from Uphall and Dechmont respectively – as well as four additional scholarships to four younger children who have excelled through the popular clubgolf initiative, Scotland’s national junior golf programme. They are: Megan Smith (10) from St John Ogilvy Primary; Olivia Scott (10), from Carmondean Primary; Brodie Dickson (11) from Williamson Primary and Cameron McQuaid, (10) also from Williamson Primary. Deer Park’s golf professional Sandy Strachan and his assistant John Murray have completed extra training to attain clubgolf Stage 3 coaching status and the Club is committed to developing its thriving Junior section. A number of local children aged between nine and fourteen regularly attend Saturday morning coaching sessions at Deer Park. During Colin Montgomerie’s visit, Primary 6 children from Lady of Lourdes Primary School in Blackburn
demonstrated some of the techniques used in clubgolf coaching to introduce youngsters to the game whilst other schoolchildren practised their swing indoors in a specially adapted room suitable for indoor winter use. For the first time in August last year it was decided to hold a Junior Deer Park Masters Tournament as well as the Senior event, which is a Tartan Tour Ranking Event and has been held every year at Deer Park since 2004. The Senior event, which was won this year by David Patrick of Elie Golf Club in Fife, was first conceived by Deer Park’s long standing Golf Manager Stuart Cruickshank who identified the need for an event where the golf professionals of Scotland could compete against one another, win cash prizes and play in a pro-am team format. Competition for places at the two day event is fierce with an eventual fifty pro’s from clubs all over Scotland taking part, having come through the qualifying round. Said Colin Montgomerie: “I am delighted to be here at Deer Park today and wish to congratulate the Golf & Country Club on this new scholarship initiative. It is so important to encourage youth in the game – they are the very future of golf in Scotland - and to do this right at grass roots level, with support from Clubs like Deer Park.” “Of course we are all looking forward to the next Ryder Cup being staged at Gleneagles in 2014 – this will be a fantastic showcase for Scottish golf,” he added.
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Said John Muir, Muir Group Chairman: “Our sincere thanks go to Colin Montgomerie for making time in his busy schedule to come here today and officially launch our new Junior Scholarship initiative. He has brought a great deal of delight to the youngsters here today and I am sure they will remember meeting him for a very long time.” “Our Junior Section is very important to us – the Junior Deer Park Masters event was a great success in the summer and we have decided to make it an annual event. We are great supporters of the worthy clubgolf initiative and I am sure that Colin will agree with me in saying that the correct coaching is crucial at a young age and clubgolf makes sure that the lessons are age appropriate and offers the youngsters structure and progression,” he added.
Said John: “It was fantastic to attend the prize giving of the Deer Park Masters and meet the winner, David Patrick and to chat to several other golf professionals who have made golf their career. Meeting Colin Montgomerie today has been a great experience – he was very encouraging and took time to talk to us all.” For further details on junior membership at Deer Park (which costs £89 a year for those aged 9 to 14 years) check out the website at www.deer-park.co.uk. For further details on clubgolf in Scotland see www.clubgolfscotland-youth.co.uk.
John Muir also stated: “We want to ensure that young people in Scotland are enjoying golf and being able to access it whatever their social background. We also want to expand their horizons to encourage them to join a golf club.” Holding the Junior Deer Park Masters at the same time as the Senior Masters also enabled promising teenage golfers such as winner John Bayliss to engage with the professionals over the two day tournament.
THE Mid, East & West Lothian CHAMBERs OF COMMERCE MAGAZINE • SUMMER 11
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SETON ENGINEERING Pink Architects offer a full or partial design service for small, medium and large scale domestic, residential, commercial, and community based projects. Specializing in the domestic & commercial sectors we can assist clients wishing to: • build a new home • extend their property • convert their attic/garage • refurbish/alter existing business premises 66 Morgan Way, Armadale, West Lothian, EH48 2JB tel: 01501 735372 • mob: 07890 997773 e-mail: pinkarchitects@live.co.uk • www.pinkarchitects.com
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QR Codes - Engaging the SmartPhone Generation QR (or quick response) codes have been around since 1994. They’re pretty much ubiquitous in Japan and have become increasingly popular in America and Europe, but it’s only recently that we, in the UK have started to get to grips with the technology. Marketeers and businesses have been wary of having QR codes feature in their promotions UP TILL NOW! believing that doing so would be akin to writing a brilliant radio advert before anyone owned a wireless. But a critical mass for QR codes is forming rapidly. So what exactly is a QR code? It’s basically a two-dimensional matrix of tiny squares, dots or other geometric patterns, which stores information of your choice that can be updated as often as you like (a website or Twitter address, for example). When an image of the code is captured by a SmartPhone using a FREE QR code reader, the image instantly takes you to the pre-determined data built within the code. Two trends bode well for the widespread adoption of QR codes in the near future: 4G (fourth generation) mobile spectrum rights will be opened to auction in 2012, meaning that by 2013 we should be getting smartphones running as fast as computers do now. Secondly, web-enabled smart phones are predicted to reach 50% of the market by the year’s end, which is a massive growth in such a short time span. Jim Divine, owner of CyberLogo.co.uk, has been promoting QR codes for many years. “As the buying public goes mobile, they will be harder to reach with traditional marketing. QR codes create a direct link between a consumer’s mobile phone straight to your marketing message’’. In a recent study, it was revealed that more than 72% of smart phone users who have scanned QR Codes remembered the product and brand more than conventional advertising, simply because there was a QR Code there. The QR code is with us to stay.
QR codes have already been used on a range of promotional merchandise and marketing collateral in Japan and America. What’s more important though is that you can monitor the activity each time the code is scanned if you build in a tracking mechanism. Here we look at some possible applications for promotional items, and offer you a few suggestions about how you could incorporate them into your marketing strategy. QR codes can transform your annual calendar into something a lot more interactive. If you are signed up for an exhibition in August, put a QR code on the date, and link it to a page dedicated to your exhibition plans and special offers you might be running. If you do a lot of networking, you could put a QR code on any number of promotional giveaways (pens, USB sticks) and link the code to your Web, Twitter or LinkedIn page. A QR code will help them get there faster? Turn capturing your QR code into a competition! Print your codes onto t-shirts, bags or outdoor banners, and link them to a webpage (accessed only by scanning the codes on a SmartPhone) with special voucher codes or directions on how to enter a competition or apply for a job. Create Geo location maps, Calendar events, questionnaires or surveys, the list goes on.
To find out more visit www.CyberLogo.co.uk
THE Mid, East & West Lothian CHAMBERs OF COMMERCE MAGAZINE • SUMMER 11
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ADVERTISING FEATURE
LEADBURN MANOR FLY FISHING & CORPORATE CENTRE A demonstration project of environmental excellence Scotland can be proud of.
When Fran Gilhooley first looked at the field he bought in Leadburn as a potential site for the his proposed eco-friendly fishery and corporate facility, he had no idea what he was letting himself in for. Married, with one son, a landscaping company and a career in acting, he set about the challenge. Beginning a colossal 1.2 million ton excavation in 2007 to create the fishing lochs, which took 2.5 years to complete, Fran jumped in with both feet, and has now completed the entire Leadburn Manor project, battling all the while through a formidable recession. Leadburn Manor now boasts not only 3 wonderful trout fishing lochs, a kids bait pond and a river section, but also has a very impressive zero carbon Coffee Shop Bistro, Corporate Members lounge and shower wet rooms, a large function suite and retail area. What is truly remarkable about this site is its Green Credentials.
Fran is delighted to see businesses coming to enjoy his creation now it’s complete after such a huge effort. “We do corporate events for a growing number of clients, and an ever increasing level of female participation is brilliant. But to see it all operating now is quite emotional really. I remember the site looking like a quarry only a few years ago. I honestly don’t know how I managed to maintain the energy levels and positivity to pull this off. But seeing companies book in advance now so we can treat them really well and give both them and their clients a day to remember is something I take personal pride in.” As far as concepts go, Leadburn Manor has broken into virgin territory by attempting to create a market in Edinburgh and Midlothian that, in a way, will aim to muscle into a sporting and corporate domain currently overwhelmingly serviced by golf clubs.
Leadburn Manor is totally off-grid, but what makes it unique in the UK is the extremity of its sustainable power production. It’s powered by a massive Solar Array, a Wind Turbine and a Hydro Water Wheel. Three eco sources of power extracting electricity from nature 24 hours a day.
However, as the fly fishing centre welcomes families and beginners as its primary bread and butter business, it offers a great day out even for mum and the kids in a completely earth friendly environment. With a kiddies bait pond, kids can have a ball catching smaller trout and experience the excitement of the sport, and indirectly introducing them to fly fishing.
Fran now hopes the Corporate world will turn their eyes towards Leadburn Manor, and come not only for a wonderful corporate fly fishing experience, but to learn about the unique and bold futuristic nature of Leadburn Manor with a personal guided tour.
So for a great day out in Midlothian and fun for all the family, or for a corporate day or evenings entertainment with a difference, Leadburn Manor is a wonderful option in a zero carbon environment. www.leadburnmanor.com
Keep your eyes on the road
Ensuring that your vision is good enough to drive safely may seem like common sense for a lot of people, but worryingly it’s something that often gets overlooked by employers. At present, there is no legal obligation for employers to make sure their drivers comply with minimum sight requirements. Once a driver has passed the mandatory driving test sight assessment, they are not required to prove the fitness of their eyesight again during their working lives. However, in 2011 this is set to change. New EU legislation is due to be introduced, making it mandatory for all employees who drive whilst on company business to have their eyes tested regularly in order to keep their licences. The current proposal states that holders of commercial licences (category C & D vehicles) will have to have their eyes tested every five years and holders of private licences (i.e. bikes, cars and most vans) every 10-15 years. Each EU member state has until 2013 to translate the directive into national law. However, at a time when many businesses are struggling to make ends meet, a lot of employers will no doubt be questioning who will fund the sight tests – the company or the driver? Jill Davies, Chief Executive of Westfield Health, the official health cash plan provider to the British Chambers of Commerce, suggests that the responsibility will fall to the employer to provide access to regular sight tests.
Jill said: “Practically speaking, it doesn’t really matter who pays, as long as the requirements are met. But as eye tests become a mandatory job requirement for drivers and an essential part of operating a business in compliance with health and safety regulations, many employees will be expecting their employer to fund the cost. “Employers will therefore be looking for the most costeffective way to ensure staff can gain access to optical care whenever they need it – whilst keeping additional administration and paperwork to a minimum level. “A corporate-paid health cash plan is an obvious solution, as staff can manage their own sight tests, booking appointments at a time and place convenient to them and claiming back the cost of the test and glasses (up to the limit provided) directly from the policy provider. “For a relatively small cost, this system helps the company to ensure its drivers meet the necessary requirements, without the extra paperwork.” The Westfield Health Chamber Primary Health Plan is available to most members of the Chamber of Commerce, providing cash back towards the cost of optical care as well as other forms of healthcare including dental treatment, physiotherapy and diagnostic consultations. The plan also provides fast access to MRI, CT and PET scans, a 24-hour counselling and advice line and up to six face-to-face counselling sessions or cognitive behavioural therapy sessions. For more information, please contact Westfield Health on 0845 602 1629 or visit www.westfieldhealth.com/chamber
THE Mid, East & West Lothian CHAMBERs OF COMMERCE MAGAZINE • SUMMER 11
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Midlothian Innovation Centre 10th Anniversary – Celebrating Success
Formed on 1 June 2001, Midlothian Innovation and Technology Trust (MITT) is a unique public/private partnership, the stakeholders in which are Midlothian Council and New Park Management Limited. It is a not for profit charitable organisation. As the operating company behind the Midlothian Innovation Centre, MITT was established initially as a 12-month virtual pilot study offering support and assistance to local SME businesses with aspirations to innovate and grow. On successful completion of the pilot study Midlothian Innovation Centre was formally established as a Business and Technology Park at Pentlandfield, Roslin in June 2002 providing both accommodation and a range of support services. From very modest beginnings and with the expansion through the construction of new office and laboratory space, Midlothian Innovation Centre is now home to some 70 enterprises covering a broad spectrum of business. “For small businesses, in the current economic climate particularly, it can be challenging to find the time to stand back from the day to day pressures and consider the strategic direction the enterprise should follow. It is critical for businesses to successfully grow and develop that they are alert to the changing demands of the market, innovating, developing and refining their product/service with a view to ensuring ongoing profitability and differentiating themselves from the competition. The aim here, in an environment of like minded people, is to provide the opportunity to do just that.” said Archie Paterson, Centre Manager at Midlothian Innovation Centre. By providing affordable business space and tailored support and assistance plus encouragement to network and develop, the Innovation Centre is focused on creating a vibrant business community and sustainable innovative businesses for the future. Examples of businesses based at Midlothian Innovation Centre which are making excellent progress are as follows: -
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AlbaTERN Limited Wave energy developer AlbaTERN has taken a major step towards proving its technology with the completion of a £200k funding round. This investment funds the design and development of a 10kW SQUID wave energy converter which will be deployed in the summer of 2011 to verify power output. The injection of funds builds on over three years of research and development by the team at AlbaTERN led by David Findlay. The wave energy design uses an extendable hexagonal array that is original and provides a unique balance of flexibility and strength and has exceptional high power to weight ratio efficiently capturing power from the pitch, heave and roll components of the wave energy. On completion of the summer deployment the plan is for the various components to be incorporated into the first array product and then further scaling up into larger WaveNET arrays. The company is focused on proving the principles of its technology with smaller devices, which can address niche markets, before scaling up to larger devices with a proven technology.
Addison Conservation & Design Limited Having commenced operations in September 2008, these consulting engineers have made exceptional progress with the number of projects in which they have had involvement now extending to over 400. The very highly prized knowledge and valued expertise allied to long experience of John Addison and Krystyna Pytasz, the principals of the company, have been instrumental in the company’s success. Working with a wide range of clients the company has been involved in a broad spectrum of projects addressing the built heritage, carrying out consultancy at Hopetoun House, Braemar Castle, Ellon Castle and Gardens and West Church, Thurso amongst others. The company work closely with Historic Scotland, the National Trust for Scotland and various Preservation Trusts in addressing deterioration and providing advice on consolidation works. With a wide range of private clients also providing opportunities in a range of areas including new build, the company are committed to engineering works that are in keeping with their surroundings, while meeting the highest technical requirements of the project. The future for the company is bright, aided in part by the workman whose vehicle destroyed a historic archway at Scone Palace, leaving Addisons with a heap of stonework to re- assemble – the ultimate jigsaw puzzle.
Arrayjet limited Incorporated in August 2000, Arrayjet, based at Stobo House, manufactures laboratory instruments for high-throughput biological microarrays. With sales to researchers around the world generating several million pounds in revenue the company’s customers include The Roslin Institute, The Medical Research Council of Great Britain, EMBL, Cornell University, Millipore, Novartis and CalTech. Arrayjet’s products range from the benchtop Sprint mode, capable of producing small batches of 20 slides, to the UltraMarathon with a capability of 1000 slides per pass. The technology has a number of advantages over competitors. Besides being fast and accurate the flexible print heads mean that microarrays can be printed on to a wide range of materials, not just glass slides. Arrayjet’s technology is also particularly well suited to working with proteins and the company intends to build on its technological lead in this area. Recognising the fact that its core customer base has had to cut down on capital expenditure, Arrayjet have made the decision to expand into offering a contract service for printing microarrays to customer specifications. Speaking about the company’s expansion plans, Duncan Hall, Arrayjet’s Commercial Director, said “ To date, Arrayjet has been focused on delivering its core microarray printing products based on its unique inkjet technology. Throughout this time we have had numerous enquiries from researchers who have wanted to access our printing technology and microarray development expertise on a ‘usage’ basis. We are now addressing this demand and have already signed up our first customers.”
Contact – Archie Paterson, Centre Manager Midlothian Innovation Centre, Roslin, Midlothian EH25 9RE Tel 0131 440 9000 E-mail: archie.paterson@mitt.co.uk
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Increase your Energy and Vitality this Summer
Finally the days are getting lighter, longer and thankfully warmer, which means summer is here! It’s time to pack away winter wardrobes and welcome new summer style, grass is getting greener, flowers are blooming and a whole wealth of seasonal foods are available. Eating seasonal and ideally locally grown food, keeps you stay in tune to the earth, its elements, and most importantly to your own body cycles. Seasonal awareness and diet can provide the right type of fuel to protect you from the climate, as our environment provides the best foods to support your health and keep you in balance, allowing you to have a healthier, more energising summer. The warmth of summer requires a lighter diet and fresher, juicier, higher water content foods and that is exactly what nature provides during this season. You should typically be filling up on: •
fresh berry fruits
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salad vegetables such as lettuce, tomatoes and peppers
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vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, onions, cabbage, peas and mushrooms
Summer is also a time of more activity, and so it is an easier time to get fit and shed the pounds. Any outdoor exercise programme that you have started or are starting must be accompanied by good energy giving foods to support the increased energy output. Grade A energy foods include apples, avocados, turnips, carrots, oat based foods, oily fish and most nuts and seeds. As we enter the peak time of year for sunshine it is a good time to reflect on “the sunshine vitamin” vitamin D, which is vital for your health. Much has been written about this nutrient recently, and although it is found in foods such as oily fish, eggs, real butter or full fat milk its primary source for optimum health is from sunlight. Many people see the sun as a health hazard while some see it as a source of health, plus many experts are divided on sun exposure and the amount of vitamin D we should be getting. Because everyone is different and many factors affect vitamin D production, it’s best to seek proper advice. To find out more contact Mr Colin McKeand, Nutri-tox at colin@nutri-tox.com.
Still craving high protein and heavier cooked fat foods? Try eating these during cooler parts of the day and allow you body to fuel on lighter food the rest of the day. This is a good time to experiment with special diets and healthier eating, and remember to stay well hydrated by drinking more water in the hotter months.
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The Business Partnership
The Business Partnership offer paid industry placements for current students and recent Graduates from all academic backgrounds. This is a cost effective way for companies to ‘try before they buy’ as well as giving preprofessionals an opportunity to gain much sought after industry experience. As we all know, the competition for graduate jobs is at an all time high. With the added pressure of industry experience before graduation many students are keen to find degreerelevant positions during the summer and apply the knowledge and skills they have gained to real life situations. After a recent survey, around 95% of past students placed by The Business Partnership answered that they would not have been able to take part in any placement programme if they had not received a training allowance throughout the duration of their project. This was mainly due to costs such as travel expenses and living costs and some students relocating for a short time for their placement. The Step Classic and Environmental Placement Programme student placements and Step Graduate placement programme have been running successfully for a number of years. Catriona Leaver, a past student, who was placed at TRS Ribbons commented “The placement provided me with a unique insight into the industry of my choice, in order to better gauge my future career direction and put my degree into practice. I feel the placement was mutually beneficial,
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as I received experience and the company benefited from the skills I had acquired in university.” Due to the amount of students looking for paid placements during their summer holidays, it is beneficial for host companies to offer some sort remuneration for the work being carried out. Benefits to host companies include; access to highly educated, motivated and professional candidates to fulfil temporary business needs. Host companies can also benefit from trying out students or graduates for a brief period of time with no commitment. However, if the successful candidate turns out to be a right ‘fit’ for the company, the company then has the option to offer something more permanent once the trial period is completed. Charlotte Hanna of The Green Insurance Company is delighted with her student from the Environmental Placement Programme. She commented, “Overall, the volume and complexity of work undertaken and the great results received above speaks for itself. This is a phenomenal achievement in just 8 weeks. I could not speak more highly of our student and given the chance we would keep her longer!” Ms Hanna then went onto some up her experience of the placement programme; “I would highly recommend the programme. It was easy to get involved with, the process has worked well, and I would certainly consider taking part next year as well.” If you would like anymore information on the programmes The Business Partnership offer please contact Project Manager Louise Evison on louise@thebusinesspartnership. org.uk / 0131 561 6263.
CHAPS Central Heating and Plumbing Services We are a recently formed company, from the decision of a major company to shut down it’s local branch. We decided to use the same staff and site personnel to establish a new company, using the same experienced operatives in the Heating, Plumbing and Gas services field. We will cater for any domestic and small commercial works including Installations, Servicing and general maintenance requirements. We also carry a building services design service in the company for those who need any type of Plumbing, Water, Air conditioning and drainage services designed in addition to Heating and Gas services.
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Debt Recovery in Difficult Times Businesses are struggling in these recessionary times. In particular, major difficulties can arise when debtors fail to pay what they are due. To the Creditor, the knock on effect can be catastrophic. In this article, litigation specialist Maggie Moodie from Morton Fraser Solicitors gives some top tips for ways in which businesses can effectively avoid and combat difficulties when they are not paid by debtors.
How can businesses attempt to maintain cash flow when debtors are struggling to pay? Cash flow: two little words, but ultimately the key to any successful business. A business may struggle to survive without maintaining a healthy cash flow. Even if a business has a number of high net worth assets and an impressive balance sheet, it is irrelevant if the business’ creditors are able to establish that it cannot pay its debts as they fall due. If this so called “apparent insolvency” can be established to the satisfaction of a court, then a business may face bankruptcy. Contractual terms. First, businesses should provide debtors with clear, unambiguous contractual terms. Debtors should be left in no doubt about what is to be paid and when. Statements. It may also be worth setting out a statement on payment terms and explaining the reasons behind why obligations must be met timeously.
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Consistency. Make clear that any failure to pay on time
will not simply be ignored. Businesses must ensure debtors know that action will be taken if there is a failure to pay. By being up front and consistent, debtors will know that consequences will follow should a payment be missed. Some debtors will deliberately fail to pay those creditors who have a poor track record in debt recovery. Preventative Measures. Consider credit checking customers before you agree to contract with them. Companies such as Experian can provide credit reports relatively cheaply.
Maggie’s Top Tips: Use clear contractual terms Issue regular statements Be consistent Establish a credit checking system
How can businesses attempt to improve credit control when debtors are struggling to pay? A robust credit control system is important. Many businesses automatically issue demand letters when payment isn’t made on time but it is very often more productive to pick up the phone and speak to your customer. If you opt for making a call, it is however important that you keep a record of the conversation and that if you are promised payment by a certain date; you follow up on that date with a further call or a demand letter.
Credit control letters also serve a purpose. If you are forced to raise a court action for payment, you will want evidence that you have made a formal demand for payment and made clear that if payment hasn’t been made by a certain date, you or your solicitors intend to raise to proceedings.
Maggie’s top tips: Pick up the phone and speak to your customers Use credit control letters
How can businesses effectively manage the need for court action? With the best will in the world, the most robust credit control procedures can fail to produce results. At this stage, businesses have to consider whether or not court action is appropriate. Solicitors. Unless the debt is under £5,000, limited companies require to instruct solicitors to raise court proceedings. For debts under £5,000, you should consider raising the court action yourself. The Small Claims Court was designed to avoid legal costs and Sheriff Courts are very helpful in advising on the process if you decide to go for this option. Bear in mind, however, that sometimes even one letter from a solicitor rather than the business itself wields good results. Court procedure. The vast majority of cases settle before any substantive hearing is held. It is highly unusual for a hearing on evidence (a Proof) to go ahead, particularly in debt recovery cases. In most cases, the debtor either does not defend the action (in which case a court order or “decree” is pronounced automatically) or the debtor defends the action but parties come to a settlement agreement in order to avoid costs.
Enforcement. Finally it is important to bear in mind that obtaining a court order or decree is not necessarily the end of the matter. Yes, it is an official document ordering the debtor to pay. However, this does not mean the debtor will actually produce the money! There are a variety of ways to attempt to enforce court orders in Scotland such as serving arrestments (which freezes money due to the debtor in the hands of a third party), attachments (which may ultimately lead to the sale of the debtor’s moveable property) or inhibitions (which prevent the sale of land or buildings without first settling the debt). It may be worthwhile to instruct your solicitor to ensure that the most effective enforcement method is used to ensure optimum recovery and minimum cost is carried out properly.
Maggie’s top tips: For debts under £5,000, you should consider raising the court action yourself. Consider a letter from a Solicitor. Seek advice on enforcement.
In Summary
A successful business needs to have healthy cash flow and robust credit control procedures. Ensuring debtors know where they stand is important. A consistent approach is necessary. Whilst chasing customers can be a difficult and sensitive task, it’s often a necessary evil if you want to survive.
If you would like to discuss any aspect of this article with Maggie you can contact her directly at Morton Fraser Solicitors on 0131 247 1019 maggie.moodie@mroton-fraser.com
THE Mid, East & West Lothian CHAMBERs OF COMMERCE MAGAZINE • SUMMER 11
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Developing the Ideal Customer Experience The Customer Ladder of Loyalty Lose a customer and you will spend 6 – 10 times more to replace him than it would have cost you to keep him! Loyal customers represent the lifeblood of business. Is keeping and maintaining loyal customers a high priority for your business? Do you have a well designed ongoing strategy for building an ever increasing number of loyal customers? Is good customer service enough? Think about this scenario. One business provides average customer service and the other prides itself in its good customer service. However, the first business systematically writes a follow-up letter to its customers inviting them to buy again while the second business, with arguably better customer service, does not. If an individual purchases from both establishments, from where do you think they will most likely make their next purchase? How does one build loyal customers? – By moving them up the Customer Ladder of Loyalty. Just like a normal ladder, we move up one rung at a time. And, just like a normal ladder, when we step on the first rung we don’t hang around there for a while before doing something. We want to climb up right away or get off the ladder. Conceptually the Customer Ladder of Loyalty looks like this:
Raving Fan Advocate Member Customer Shopper Prospect Suspect
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The rungs on the Loyalty Ladder are: Suspect: potential customers within your target market with whom you have had no contact. Prospect: Suspects who have made contact with you, or you with them, enabling you to gather contact details for further communication and entering into your database. This provides the owner with a picture of the type of buyers the business is attracting. Shopper: Someone who has purchased once from you. On average it takes 2.5 purchases for a customer to cover the advertising costs that attracted him to your business. At this point the shoppers’ contact details should be verified to insure the accuracy and completeness of your database entry. Customer: Someone who has purchased more than once from you. A second purchase is an important step in building a long term relationship. Studies have shown that it is 6 times easier to sell to a customer than to make an initial sale to a suspect. Member: Someone who has a sense of loyalty and belonging. A frequent buyers club with some unique benefits and/or value will help build that sense of belonging. Usually, members will tell others about your product or service if asked. Advocate: Someone who sells you to others. They will give referrals or promote you, and they remain a loyal buyer. They are one of your most valuable assets. Raving Fan: Someone who can’t stop selling for you. They have had such a great experience in doing business with you that they continually promote that Wow experience. Raving fans are created only by consistantly delivering over-thetop customer experiences. They are virtual sales people for you, and more valuable than your sales team, because their message has more credibility. “Getting to Raving Fan status is the result of putting your customers first and having exceptonal relationships with them from the beginning.” Says ActionCOACH Tony Hoskins. Remember “Fan” is short for fanatic. The question for your business is: How can my business create a fanatical following from its customers? What businesses come to mind when you think of companies who have created and successfully implemented strategies on a national scale for creating Raving Fans – Starbucks, Apple, and Toyota? Imagine the impact on your business if you continually add Raving Fans to your customer base!
Tony Hoskins is a local business owner and business coach with 30+ years of business experience. Forward your business questions to: 01968 682688 or tonyhoskins@actioncoach.com
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Alba Business Pavilions Collects accolade at the BCO awards
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The BCO awards define excellence in office space, providing public recognition for quality design, functionality and innovation. The judges praised the high quality of entries, hailing the winning buildings as best practice examples of innovative and environmentally sensitive design and commercial realism. Pamela Grant, Development Director, Miller Developments, said: “We are delighted to have collected this accolade, Alba Business Pavilions was recognised for its ability to provide innovative office space which has been designed and built to the highest quality. “BCO awards are judged by our industry peers, so this level of recognition is a great reflection on our product offer at Alba, which is providing innovative development in the business home concept.” Phil Miller, Chief Executive, Miller Developments, welcoming the award, commented, “Miller Developments is enjoying a successful start to 2011 after being named ‘Regional Property Developer of the Year’ for both Scotland and East Midlands. We are also entering the second quarter with a number of significant deals completed, with more in the pipeline for coming months. We are currently focused on development in the UK where we see opportunities with good occupational demand that are being held back by a lack of development finance.” Alba Business Pavilions, located at the Alba Campus, Livingston, is a bespoke office development completed in 2008 and boasts a strong tenant line up, including the Jane Moore Trust, Bridge View Consultants Limited, Compass Catering and Edinburgh Napier University.
The Pen-y-coe Press The Pen-y-coe Press now situated at 7 Bridge Street, Penicuik, Midlothian EH26 8LL, was first started by John L. Wallace in 1952 as a hobby. Starting with a small hand machine for printing tickets, it wasn’t long before he decided that there was enough work to start up in business for himself and subsequently moved to premises in West Street, Penicuik. In 1964 he moved to the present address at 7 Bridge Street where he enlarged the stationery side of the business and started printing The Town Crier, a monthly information leaflet of events happening in Penicuik. This is still being printed today. In 1979 he formed a partnership with his son Ian Wallace and daughter Ann and when he died in 1990 they took the responsibility of running the business. Ann has since retired (in 2004) and Ian still runs the business along with his wife Pat and two co-workers, Pearl Troup and Scott Jenkins. ADVERTISING FEATURE
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A leading member of Scotland’s science community is writing to MSPs, asking them to spell out how they plan to help the sector against a backdrop of budget cuts. Malcolm Bateman, chair of Edinburgh Science Triangle, says Scottish science leads the world in several areas and is worth at least £35 billion a year to the country’s economy. Yet, he says the SNP administration at Holyrood appears to have no firm plans for future funding of the sector. Mr Bateman, who also sits on the boards of several life science companies and is the CEO of the Roslin BioCentre, says: “Clearly the new administration is going to have to juggle competing claims on an already stretched budget, but we have to protect the future of this very valuable sector. “One area of specific interest for us is the change in European funding. We feel that the future of the European Structural funds is unclear and likely to result in far less investment in Scotland generally. Scotland can access €820m in the period 2007-2013 from the Structural Funds - exactly half what we received under the previous round. However it underlines the scale of funding that we need to replace if the Structural Funds are no longer available to us. “The European Commission has determined that the 8th Framework Programme (Framework for Innovation) will be now designed around innovation and not just science and technology. This shift means they want the Framework programme to be delivering economic impacts more like those previously supported by the European Regional Development Grant.” “We believe there is considerable merit for the Scottish Government to prioritise getting more out of the Framework programmes than the Structural Funds, given the latter are governed by the member states directly whereas the Commission is more influenced by regional governments, and so we potentially have more influence in Scotland on the framework programmes.” He added: “We must ensure the 8th Framework programme truly reflects the innovation process we have developed in Scotland using Structural Funds and for which Scotland has won many awards.” Mr Bateman is writing to local MSPs urging them to raise the issue in parliament.
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The Scottish Bioinformatics Forum merges with Nexxus Set up in 2001 to “establish Scotland as a globally recognised and leading location for conducting cutting edge bioinformatics research and sustainable commercial activity”, the Scottish Bioinformatics Forum (SBF) has been highly successful in achieving its aims. Now that SBF has matured as an initiative, gained acceptance and had significant interactions and impact cross-Scotland and further afield, the time has come to ring in a new phase. Nexxus, the life science networking organisation for Scotland’s life scientists established in 2003, has broadly similar aims to the Forum and is already familiar to many of its members through its website, publications and events. The timely merger of the two bodies is therefore seen as a highly beneficial move by both organisations. As SBF’s former Director, Chris Janssen explained, “The success to date of the SBF is a clear consequence of, and tribute to, the activities of SBF members, but also a testament to the positive impact of SBF’s relationship with, and home in, the Royal Society of Edinburgh (RSE). RSE’s role, in taking on SBF as a project of the RSE Scotland Foundation, has been in nurturing SBF to a pan-Scotland initiative.
Graeme Boyle, Director of Nexxus said, “We are delighted to welcome SBF’s members – some of whom already engage with us – to our wider network. Bioinformatics is a vital component of Scotland’s wide and varied life science offering and Nexxus looks forward to having a more active involvement in continuing to build upon this recognised strength. The joining of the two memberships can only benefit and strengthen both groups by providing access to wider contacts and enhanced opportunities for collaboration and knowledge exchange.” Scottish strengths in bioinformatics include structure and function of biomolecules, genetics of complex diseases, pathway biology, functional genomics and high-throughput technologies. This expertise and technology is being used to find answers and solutions in the fields of cancer, cardio-vascular, development, and infectious diseases research.
“As a well established and well supported network, we were keen to find a safe pair of hands to take over SBF’s running on a day to day basis and to continue representation of our 500 members. In a nutshell, we needed an organisation that already successfully engaged with life science academics and industry across Scotland and whose mission - to promote and support Scotland’s expertise and capabilities - mirrored ours. Nexxus is the ideal candidate to ensure continuity in provision of the type of services and level of responsiveness and assistance which our members have come to expect.”
THE Mid, East & West Lothian CHAMBERs OF COMMERCE MAGAZINE • SUMMER 11
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Benefits of Chamber Membership
The Chamber is a not-for-profit business organisation dedicated to the furtherance of members’ interests. It is the largest private sector business support organisation in Britain. The Midlothian & East Lothian Chamber of Commerce and West Lothian chamber of Commerce is directed by a voluntary Board elected from among the membership. Day to day operations is managed by the Chamber team. The Chamber is also represented on a variety of organisations and committees. It has regular meetings with Scottish Chambers of Commerce, local authorities, local MPs, MSPs and MEPs and with Scottish Enterprise at which it promotes members’ views. The Chamber is in a stronger negotiating position than individual members can be and uses its bargaining power for the benefit of members. A graduated scale of membership fees makes the chamber accessible to everyone, from new starts to multinationals. And you do not have to be based in the area to join - only to be interested in business in the area.
Benefits include: ■■ Regular networking events with the opportunity to promote their business ■■ Business Awards & Enterprise Exhibitions ■■ Monthly e-newsletters which promote member businesses to nearly 3000 companies ■■ Opportunity to host site visits/networking events ■■ Subsidised knowledge sharing seminars
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■■ Free training workshops run by Business Gateway in Midlothian & East Lothian ■■ Free access to Business Mentoring Scotland; where successful business people share their knowledge with other businesses ■■ Cost-effective HR solutions including downloadable contracts ■■ Competitively-priced private medical cover or cashback health plans ■■ Member-to-member offers available through our website and e-newsletter ■■ Discounted products for members including business insurance ■■ Listing in the national Scottish Chambers Directory ■■ Business support and advice ■■ Free copies of our quarterly magazine ‘InCommerce’ and a discounted rate for advertising ■■ An on-line presence via the Chamber website business listing ■■ Joint events with West Lothian & Mid & East Lothian Chamber of Commerce For more information on joining visit www.melcc.org.uk or www.wlchamber.com. Alternatively call West Lothian Chamber on 01506 777937 or Mid & East Lothian Chamber on 0131 654 1234.
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