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Yorkshire Franchise Show arrives in Leeds for second year running
The exhibition showcases 35+ innovative, inspiring and proven franchised business formulas handing you a safer and supportive way to start your own business. And all exhibitors have licenses available for the Yorkshire region and beyond
The event is a one-stop-franchise-shop for the general public - and the shows are hosted with a smile. They're are unstuffy, relaxed, informative and somewhere amongst the exhibitors youre sure to find your perfect business format.
Free entry. Free car parking. Easy to find venue. And once here, you can browse the businesses on offer and take in drop-in workshops advising on finance and start up enterprise
You're looking for that new challenge this year? Then well see you at Elland Road in February and well hand you the keys to a new self employed career.
Saturday, 27th February 2010
Elland Road Conference Centre
Leeds United FC
LS11 0ES
Can Technology change the way we franchise?
Whether you are developing your own franchise business or looking to join another, you need to outsmart the competition, keep your overheads down and above all conquer the ever talked about recession. So how can you not only survive the recession, but come out the other end smiling? One common claim by franchisors is that software can be a valuable weapon, helping you manage and grow your business. But are these claims really true?
We asked industry expert George Perfect, a consultant for Biznik, how he feels software is used in franchised businesses today. He stated that "Although most businesses use IT daily, many restrict this to just the basic accounts and office software. Some companies have now gone further and started to use software to manage relationships between franchisees and franchisors, improving the franchisees experience and making their business more competitive"
Many franchisors have experienced the benefits that a well-designed franchise management system can bring. Simon Albert from The PC Support Group chose to use software to help manage his franchise as he felt it would help with his franchise recruitment. "The fact that we use central software to manage basic sales lead activities like appointment setting and opportunity management is a big bonus for new recruits - it shows just how much we care about their success". His fast growing IT franchise used Franchise 360 designed by GreyRidge Software "because it works the way we do, fast and to the point."
Another success story comes from Ginny Murphy, BFA member and CEO of The Wheel Specialist. She bought in software to gain a better understanding of her business as a whole and to help her monitor her growing franchise network wherever she was in the world. The software we use directs us towards activities that will help us to grow, giving us the efficiency and visibility that helps our business succeed."
Many businesses worry that investing in software is an expense that they could do without. George Perfect disagrees "Actually, it is the other way around. Those that don't invest in smart systems are stacking up big problems for themselves and might well lose their competitive edge over time. Plus, due to the recession there are some great deals around at the moment".
If you are looking to invest in technology, experts recommend that you work with a good supplier, who knows exactly how your business can benefit from a system. Many software houses will tell you that each franchise is the same and an off the shelf product will do. Realistically, only you know your business, if you can work with a supplier who understands what you need your system could deliver great results. As ever in franchising keep your eyes on the money and shop around until you find a system and a supplier which suits the way your business works.
How To Deal With Low Morale During A Recession
Worry causes stress and right now job insecurity is every employee's biggest worry - no-one can guarantee that people won't lose jobs - who knows how much longer the recession will last - but what you can do, as a team leader, manager or business owner, is be aware' of the signs of low morale and stress, and step in as quickly as possible to do something about it.
If you are a sensory' manager or business owner - you will actually feel' low morale. You will sense a deadness or an apathy in your people. And being sensory you will pick up that lack of energy very quickly.
However, for non-sensory managers or owners, there are some very clear signs that morale is dipping in your team or business.
The signs are:
Sickness levels will increase as people start to succumb to various bodily symptoms - headaches; insomnia; an increased susceptibility to colds and flu because they are feeling low
Accidents will increase as a result of low attention to detail
Productivity will be affected - and no amount of whip cracking will help
So here are my ten tips for dealing with low morale and worker stress during a recession - or during ANY turbulent times...
1. COMMUNICATE - in the absence of real information (even bad news) employees will speculate; the gossip mill will be rife and stories become embellished with the telling. Be honest and be honest frequently. Keep people informed
2. Celebrate the good stuff - even if there isn't much to celebrate right now FIND SOME THINGS - and do this also on a frequent basis - like Today we salvaged a customer who was going elsewhere and we did it by offering them the very best customer service and care'
3. Involve your staff - have regular brain storming session about ways to create efficiencies and reward the best ideas with 2 movie tickets ($40 won't break the bank)
4. Have a theme' of the week - like this week we are going to have a quality' drive - anyone who can improve the quality of any system or process can have Friday afternoon off
5. Do an employee draw and let the winner spend a morning in a different department - amazing what people see in another area
6. If the office or plant is fairly quiet - ask everyone to write down ONE THING I WOULD LIKE TO LEARN on a piece of post-it pad - and ONE THING I'D LIKE TO TEACH - and let people pair up for a couple of hours a week
7. Offer a Mystery weekend for the very best idea anyone can come up with for a new product or service
8. Organise a few impromptu things - like ask everyone to bring in a plate and have a joint breakfast - organize a temp for ONE HOUR to man the phones - use this opportunity to let your people know how much you value them.
9. Have a weekly employee draw and let the winner go out and visit a client or a supplier- getting to know our customers and suppliers face-to-face is a huge energy boost for both parties - they may even come back with an order or reduced supply cost!
10. Instead of an employee of the week' which has become a bit yawn, yawn, have a competition one Friday afternoon for joke of the week - or song of the week - or story of the week... prize can be as simple as a bar of chocolate
When I sent the tips over to the journalist she commented that what I seemed to be saying was have more fun' at work. Yes and no. Fun is great - I have no problem with creating a fun place to work. But this is about more than fun - it is about re-energising people; which is very different from just having a fun day. After all, who will appreciate a fun theme when their job is at risk - it is almost insulting.
So the theme to my tips is more about finding cheap ways to keep people energized and interested - there is nothing that affects productivity so much as lack of energy.
My belief is that if you keep finding ways to keep the energy levels high, even though sales might be low, people will be motivated to come to work; they will be motivated to get involved in all the productivity improvement ideas, because involvement has been fun and creative rather than a whip across their shoulders.
Recessions can be the best thing that has ever happened to your business. They can actually bring your business to LIFE!
About the author: Ann Andrews is a specialist in working with high performing teams. An ex work study engineer and initiator of self-managed teams in a manufacturing organisation, Ann is now an international speaker; HR consultant; team facilitator; author and the creator of The Corporate Toolbox. She has written four books and contributed to five others. One of her books Did I Really Employ You? is being translated into Arabic and Russian. Ann is a past National President of NSANZ (National Speakers' Association of NZ) and a CSP (Certified Professional Speaker) one of only 120 women in the world who have achieved this standard of accreditation.
Neck & Neck Make Their Debut In The Web
Madrid, 20 October 2009 NECK & NECK launches this season with the promotion of its new website, in which the change in design, both simpler and more modern is not the only novelty. Starting this month, the companys loyal clientele as well as those who have only just discovered it for the first time will be able to buy easily over the internet thanks to the newly inaugurated NECK & NECK online shop. In this way, the acclaimed children's clothing company extends its presence in the web, reinforcing at the same time its outstanding international expansion.
The new NECK & NECK website has been created with the aim of facilitating easy access to contents of interest to the users. At the same time taking into consideration the highest standards in the matter regarding navigation, accessibility and visual design, it contains diverse navigational elements and a greater number of images and videos.
The NECK & NECK online shops stands out from amongst the various other web sections. Translated into two languages, it puts more than 500 points of references at the disposal of NECK & NECKs clientele each season.
NECK & NECK state that not only are we strengthening and bringing our image and presence up to date online but our intention is also to interact with our customers and for them to do so as well amongst themselves With this in mind, we have established a section called Community in which we not only keep up our blog, but we have also created two new sections Notice Board and Forum with the aim of encouraging users to nurture new conversations and dialogues between themselves.
This launch confirms NECK & NECKs conclusive commitment to the new technologies resulting in moving one step nearer to consolidating their presence within the international market.
With this new online image NECK & NECK, who already is one of the foremost companies in the children's clothing sector, with a commercial network of more than 200 sales points throughout 10 countries, continues to strive to become the leading international company in childrens fashion.
Seeking the Holy Grail of Online Advertising
Because online advertising can seem easy at first, many companies go about it the wrong way. Too many people see online advertising in the same way as traditional offline advertising. In the real world a business succeeds partly through making their brand constantly visible, regularly bringing it to the attention of potential customers, through such media as mail shots, flyers, leaflets, business cards, radio and television. But this principle does not apply online in the same way.
Bombarding people with banner adverts and emails will more than likely result in your email address becoming added to spam lists, and rarely seen.
Banner adverts are becoming less popular as more and more people use software which filters out banners and adverts on web pages. Instead, tactics such as article distribution, backlinks, reciprocal links, search engine optimization and other techniques help to advertise and promote your business using a form of online advertising more akin to voting.
It is the companies online who are linked to, recommended, promoted and referred to across many different websites who become more visible, rising up the search engine results and being viewed more frequently on Google.
Knowing your niche market, and identifying appropriate keywords will help you to tailor your online advertising and promotion to the audience you are trying to reach. With so many millions of people online, it is important that your advertising is designed to target the right people, in the right way, rather than attempting to bombard as many people as possible with your brand.
One of the biggest challenges as far as online advertising is concerned is identifying ways in which you can communicate your message to the right people in ways which will not have your advert either ignored, overlooked or specifically filtered. The problem is that most users have become wise to banners along the top of websites, and vertical skyscraper banners along the side of some pages too. This has resulted in many users developing filtered vision, so that they become unconscious of these adverts.
To overcome this method of not seeing or overlooking adverts, some advertisers have developed adverts which cannot possibly be ignored or overlooked, with flashy colors, vibrant hues and rapid movement designed to grab attention. The trouble is that most of these adverts are embedded on web pages that the user has specifically navigated to for the purpose of finding out information, rather than being bombarded with a carnival of hypnotic gaiety designed to wrestle their eyeballs to the ground and force them to read the advert.
The trouble here is that this often results in resentment - not a good start for anyone attempting to use online advertising to attract customers.
Most modern web browsers have the option to filter certain advertisers'
messages and adverts, and if you resort to gross harassment of the peripheral vision, you are likely to find your adverts never even seen.
This begs the question - how can you possibly be successful when it comes to advertising online if an increasing number of visitors have developed the art of blinkered vision for those adverts which are calm and gentle, and actively filter those adverts which jump out in an attempt to grab attention?
The answer is simple - as with all forms of advertising, whether on the internet or in the real world - you have to think along different lines.
There are many examples of internet advertising trends which have become hugely successful, and although copying these ideas doesn't necessarily guarantee success, in some cases they can be worth pursuing, and if nothing else, they serve as examples of the fact that alternatives do exist.
Viral videos or viral advertisements are perhaps the greatest success story in online advertising. This is where a company or business creates what seems to be a spoof advertisement, or simple a very clever one, which has a massive appeal that makes people want to share the video with their friends and family. A hilarious, quirky, weird or thought provoking video, which may not even make it explicitly obvious at first that it is an advert at all, can often find itself receiving millions of hits, and being forwarded and shared across the internet at a rate which no normal advertising medium could possibly hope to match. Although instances of this are rare, they do exist, and are well worth considering.
One of the modern trends in internet technology is the wide range of ways in which people can share links, through website such as del.icio.us, digg.com, stumbleupon.com and network sites such as FaceBook. Finding a way to encourage users to share your adverts, videos and other content through these sites is perhaps the best possible way of promoting your site or services, at relatively little cost. It's not guaranteed, and does represent something of a gamble, but the benefit of success in this field of online advertising is phenomenal, and unrivaled by any other form of advertising.
Naz Daud is the founder of CityLocal. This Franchise Opportunity is for people who would like to work from home and be their own boss.
Money back Guarantee – Pre School Photography
littleAngels are so confident their business system works…if you do not have a successful start to your business in the first year, you get your money back.
All you do is follow the littleAngels system. A proven business system, which shields you from expensive mistakes and risks. With the franchisors guidance and your efforts, a successful business is created.
This is the original pre-school photo franchise. The business fits in easily with family life, and is easy to learn. You will also have great fun, because every day is different.
High quality portrait and group photographs are produced by this fast growing, national photography company. These are presented in modern, bright and exciting presentation packs, unique to littleAngels.
Initially the company grew up from a business built in and around pre-school groups, children’s nurseries and playgroups. This results in a large demand for family portraits, with many other lucrative opportunities, also being exploited by littleAngels franchisees.
Each photographer operates in their own territory, marketing their work and taking photographs. All the production is taken care of at Head Office including delivery.
Because littleAngels is a franchise, each photographer works for themselves, but they are not on their own. The franchisor is only as successful as the franchisees, so there is continual back up from the main office. The business system is proven to work. littleAngels say taking the photos is comparatively easy. The hard work is in gaining the opportunity to do the job, and managing the shoot on the day. All this is taught and demonstrated by the management team.
Most shoots take place between 9.00 and 12.00am. Monday to Friday. So this is a golden opportunity for the photographer who works mostly at the weekend or evening to add on good profitable business.
'Kip McGrath Education centres specialise in tutoring maths and English for 6-16 year olds.
Kip McGrath gives teachers the opportunity to run their own successful business based on a well establish model. We are currently looking for new franchisees and we will be running a free, open 'Partnering with Kip McGrath' seminar on Saturday 20th June. This is a great way to get the information you need, ask questions and understand more about how Kip McGrath works and find out if it is the right opportunity for you. If you are a qualified teacher, interested in becoming a franchisee and you live in the East Midlands area then this is for you! It will be held at the Hilton Hotel at East Midlands airport from 11.00am to 12.30pm
As property prices hit rock bottom, we give you our Top Tips on making fast cost savings
Q) In the current economic climate, what
would be your top tips for helping
companies make fast savings in their
property costs?
A) There are 4 key strategies. The first one
would be for example, to try and pay your
rent monthly instead of quarterly. Secondly,
it may be worth trying to trade one of your
lease clauses, for example you may be able
to negotiate a period of 3-6 months rent free
in exchange for handing something back to
the landlord. A common one would be for
example a break clause. Thirdly, if you are
struggling to pay your rent, it may be
worthwhile contacting your landlord and
negotiating a short term period of reduction,
whilst you are finding it difficult. Finally if
you have part of your accommodation
empty it could be possible to sub-let part of
that accommodation. You would of course
need to check your lease, but it’s something
that’s worth considering
Q) What other options are available to
companies if they now have empty floor
space, due to downsizing?
A) It could be possible to lodge an empty
rates application on the vacant parts of the
accommodation. It could be rooms or it could
be sections of a building. As a rule of thumb,
you would pay nothing for 3 months on
vacant shops and offices and you would pay
nothing on industrial properties for 6 months.
Q) Does the space need to be empty to
qualify for the relief?
A) Not necessarily, each local authority is
different but as a rough rule of thumb, I would
usually recommend moving any office
furniture into the least valuable space.
Q) Is there any other scope to reduce
business rates?
A) Yes it is still possible to actually
challenge your normal rating assessment.
They revaluate every 5 years. The current
one is still effective until 2010. You can
appeal their decision and get a reduction all
the way back to 2005.
Q) Typically from your experience, what
savings can be achieved?
A) It does vary depending on the property
types, but on average we can achieve a saving
of 14% per annum.
It started with a Nib
To celebrate its fifth anniversary, MP-PR announces its new brand identity and radically revamped website.
During a consultative process that included one graphic designer, two franchising professionals, and a visit to the pub to scratch out some ideas on the back of a beer mat, MP-PR’s new branding was born.
Having spent the last three months locked away in a darkened room designing, developing and fine tuning the website, MP-PR founder Matt Pigott and company director Alex Waite are now ready to pull up the blinds to tell the franchising world about the company’s latest developments.
Says Matt: “I’ve always loved the pen as part of MP-PR’s branding, but now it’s got a more modern, abstract feel to it. The silhouette of the pen nib on the new site represents the passion that we have for high quality writing and design.”
With a host of added extras, including valuable hints and tips to help franchisors recruit franchisees, the new site is an altogether better browsing experience.
“The vibrant pink was chosen to contrast with the standard blacks, whites and greys of the business world,” says Matt. “I wanted a certain joie de vivre to leap out from the brand, and I think we’ve succeeded in achieving that. Now we have a highly memorable, future-proof identity. Who knows, one day I might even franchise the business myself!”
Adds company director, Alex Waite: “As a PR consultancy that specialises in franchising, MP-PR’s new website needed to demonstrate a clear understanding of the franchise industry, a firm grasp of good copywriting, an eye for design and a handle on social media and modern marketing techniques. What people are realising today is that good sites aren’t just online brochures; they are entities that live, breathe and develop. Moreover, they should be interactive to encourage people to revisit the site. And that’s why we’ll be moving with the times and adding new content to the site every day.”
Designed and built entirely in-house MP-PR’s new site is simple to use, easily navigated and creatively fuses elements of business and fun.
Listen to MP-PR’s tune of the week, follow the directors on Twitter, get handy marketing hints and tips and learn more about MP-PR’s services as the franchise industry’s leading PR specialists
School holidays are a piece of cake with ComputerXplorers in Dublin
ComputerXplorers run fun and educational ICT classes, in subjects such as rocketeering, film making, robotics, Crime Scene Investigation and clay animation. Taught in pre-schools, schools, afterschool clubs, community venues and holiday camps, ComputerXplorers run sessions to suit children aged three to 13 years old.
Company owner Nicola Cosgrave set the children the week-long crime investigation challenge during the first week of a summer holiday camp for six to eight-year-olds.
Nicola has teamed up with Chuckleberries, a group of privately-owned nurseries which organised the camps with the theme “Brain and Train”. The aim is to exercise the children’s grey matter and keep them fit and amused at the same time.
Nicola explains: “In the mornings the children learnt about forensics, using computers along with digital microscopes to analyse hair, fingerprints, footprints, substances and fabrics, to solve the mystery – “Who stole the Birthday Cake? Each day they were given print outs of their work to take home for parents to guess what they were looking at up close. There’s a real buzz during the sessions, the children love them.”
In the afternoons, they take part in games, arts and crafts, music, and soccer at the Chuckleberries premises in the Village Centre, Knocklyon, Dublin.
The camp continues throughout July at Chuckleberries, and ComputerXplorers change the theme of the sessions from week to week. Next week (wk com 20 July) the theme is 3D Animation and the children will make their own film.
“The children are very focused,” said Nicola. “The great thing with ComputerXplorers is that children don’t feel they’re learning – they just see it as fun.
“Chuckleberries are good to work with – their vision for children’s learning is very similar to ComputerXplorers – creating confidence and self belief while learning and they understand the importance of technology on a child’s development can help ascertain this. I think the combination of their activities and the ICT classes work well to give children great variety in their week-long camp.”
The link-up with Chuckleberries is a first and owner Barbara Thornberry is very pleased with the outcome. “It’s great that ComputerXplorers can offer a complete, well-taught package with great flexibility,” she said.
“The children seem very taken with it and Nicola is great to work with – the two of us have a similar passion for things.”
Nicola opened ComputerXplorers Dublin in April 2009, whilst working as a computer room assistant in her local primary school.
Toddlers can handle computers too
On Thursday mornings John Reynolds, owner of ComputerXplorers South East Wales, teaches ICT to a group of nine nursery pupils from Pontymoile Under Fives nursery at Pontypool Active Living Centre. ComputerXplorers run ICT classes that are fun and educational for children aged 3 to 13.
ComputerXplorers run ICT classes that are fun and educational for children aged 3 to 13.
Isobel Yacomen, Manager of Pontymoile Under Fives said: “We’ve been running the sessions since October and the children love them. Their parents are also delighted with the new skills they are developing, giving the children a head start before they go to school.”
The children, who are taught in groups of three for 20 minutes at a time, use interactive software packages with popular characters from film and TV such as Nemo and Bob the Builder, to develop their numeracy skills and letter recognition. They also get to grips with basic programming, by giving instructions to BeeBot - the robot, which helps their spatial awareness and basic maths. The children get reward stickers after every session and a certificate at the end of each module.
John Reynolds, ComputerXplorers, said: “The aims of each course vary. But the nursery and parents say the children are much more confident using the computer in the nursery and at home. Their number recognition skills have improved, and their problem-solving is much better.”
John added: “The classes have a huge impact on the children’s preparation for primary school, especially as ICT is central to the Government’s plans for education.”
“It gives them the opportunity to use ICT, which they may not be able to do at home, and we can provide a much wider range of software activities than most nurseries can offer.”
ComputerXplorers classes are available in schools, during curriculum time, after-school and holiday clubs.
Catch the bug!
YogaBugs, creator of fun and creative kids yoga, which is done through imaginative story telling and magical adventures, has had enough of the bad Bugs and wants to spread some good Bugs around London tomorrow.
The YogaBug will be found at various locations around the capital, entertaining children and having fun. Taking the city's mind off MPs Expenses, Swine Flu, Credit Crunch and the nations attempt to win back the Ashes!
The goal of his mission is to make children and their parents aware of how valuable the practise of yoga can be in their lives. According to Head Teacher Geraldine Barford in Derby "It has given the children a positive image of themselves, particularly those who are not necessarily sporty", she went on to say "many children have a weakness in creating mental images which causes difficulty in reading and oral comprehension, YogaBugs classes encourage expression as well as a great physical work out!"
YogaBugs Teacher, Lynn Exley recently remarked, "I truly believe that by reaching people with the benefits yoga can bring, we have the capability to change the lives of children and families for the better."
Commenting on the "Catch the Bug" campaign, YogaBugs CEO Mark Goode said "we figured this was a fun way of getting out and spreading the word. It's the summer holidays; parents are at a loss at what do with their children. We have had some really positive feedback from parents and their children who have attended classes but we are far from realising our true goal which is to have every child in the country actively enjoying and benefiting from YogaBugs."
He went on to explain "people often see us as some sort of "yummy mummy" activity which is far from the truth. Many of our classes are funded through various initiatives (such as Every Child Matters, Change4Life and School Sports Partnerships) in state schools so it is truly accessible to all children; the challenge is getting the message out there".
We will have our life size Bug around the capital at various tourist hot spots throughout the week and inviting members of the public to join him to do some fun yoga moves. It doesn't matter what age they are, anyone can join in.
YogaBugs Founder and Yoga Guru, Fenella Lindsell "we want to do for children's exercise, what Jamie Oliver has done for School Dinners!"
We will be photographing him at these sites and forwarding the images to the press along with a caption note and clue to our next destination. The press are being invited to catch him en route!
FitKid Short Listed for Marketing Awards!!!
With so many joint promotions, all with an aim to help get kids active, FitKid’s marketing campaigns are as full as ever. Much of their activity generates a lot of interest from the Media and over the last year, FitKid has run activities and promotions with a variety of big brands such as Subway for healthier children’s birthday parties.
The latest joint venture is with the internationally renowned children’s entertainment brand LazyTown. Magnus Scheving appeared live on BBC Breakfast to launch a new partnership between FitKid and LazyTown on Wednesday 7th January.
With so much publicity for FitKid and its network of partners, FitKid put together an entry for ‘The Best PR Campaign’ for the much respected National Franchise Marketing Awards. “We are thrilled to be in the finals with some other fantastic and well respected brands,” says Nicky Kay, Managing Director for FitKid.
Nicky and her husband Simon Kay, will be attending the awards finals next week with their fingers crossed for a good result. “Winning the award would mean so much to us. We can use the additional publicity to continue to promote a healthy lifestyle for children and encourage parents and their kids to lead an active lifestyle together,” adds Nicky.
With so much concern and media interest over child health and obesity, LazyTown and FitKid’s partnership, combined with the awards, will cement two companies with drive and passion to offer healthy lifestyle choices to children.
The Franchise Marketing Awards winners will be announced at the Annual Awards dinner taking place next Friday 20th March in London.
UK PLCs Missing Major Cost Saving Opportunity
It isn’t just MPs and Cabinet Ministers Iwho should have an eagle eye on their
expenses. The same goes for businesses
throughout the UK, according to a new study
conducted by research organisation YouGov.
More than a third (34%) of the 1,320 board
directors and senior managers interviewed
said that their organisations had not put in
place any cost reduction programmes for
business expenditure during the last six
months and nearly half of respondents (46%)
had not conducted any contract renegotiations
with suppliers since September 2008, when
the steep decline in the economy started. And
more than half of all respondents (56%) felt
they could achieve cost savings of 6% or
more for their businesses.
The study – Is your Business COSTING
you? - was commissioned by the Expense
Reduction Analysts’ Centre for Cost
and Purchase ManagementTM, to gain insights
into business expenditure management
from board directors and senior
managers across the country and a range of
industries.
Other findings included:
where contract renegotiations have taken
place, only 16% had gained an extension
in credit terms; and just 8% had
managed to change payment terms from
advance to arrears. In addition, just 36%
had negotiated a reduction in prices and
only 18% had agreed changes to service
level agreements to be more appropriate
to their requirements.
just 33% of those interviewed said their
organisations had measured cost
reduction achievements and only the
same percentage had benchmarked
suppliers’ costs in the marketplace over
the last 12 months.
less than 1 in 10 of respondents were
very satisfied with their organisations’
drives to reduce such business expenditure.
the biggest barrier to reducing costs, as
experienced by respondents, was lack of
time (39%).
39% of respondents said they had not
carried out any checks on the financial
standing of their suppliers and 18%
indicated that they had only conducted
checks every year or longer than a year.
51% of those interviewed did not feel their
checks on suppliers were adequate.
Robert Allison, Managing Director of
Expense Reduction Analysts, the UK’s
largest Cost and Purchase ManagementTM
consultancy says: “It is clear that a major
opportunity to retain profit during these
harsh times is going begging.
The prime focus for companies is the top
line – with 57% of respondents stating
increasing sales as the priority for increasing
profitability. However, the study highlights
that there is also a major opportunity to
increase the bottom line by reviewing and
taking action on day-to-day business
expenditure, which in many cases has gone
unchecked for a long time.
The survey also reveals that there is an
opportunity to renegotiate contractual
terms harder with suppliers during these
tough times. However this should not be
at the expense of the quality of service you
receive as this could impact on your
service to customers.”
He added: “It should be noted that any
reductions in business expenditure go
straight to the bottom line. Therefore, on a
typical industry profit margin of around
8%, a business would need to generate
sales of a quarter of a million pounds to
make the same bottom line impact as cost
savings of just £20,000.”
Colin Mills, CEO and Founder of The FD
Centre, a provider of part-time Financial
Directors, comments: “It is clear to see
that there is a significant untapped
opportunity for businesses of all sizes to
reduce costs, particularly important during
the current harsh economic climate.
Companies have been feeling the pressure
of the recession for some time now and they
really now need to step up to the mark in
terms of developing effective cost
management strategies, whether it be wider
and tighter benchmarking of suppliers,
measuring cost reduction achievements or
renegotiating contractual terms. By doing so
not only will they steer their
organisations through the current economic
crisis, but they will also ensure their companies
will be stronger when recovery returns.”
World Famous Founder Set For St Albans Seminar
John Schnatter, the youngest person ever to be inducted into the US Business Hall of Fame, has built his delivery and takeaway chain from one store in a Kentucky broom cupboard to 3,400 outlets across 30 different countries - generating a staggering $1.13 billion in 2008 alone.
Still the current chairman and CEO of the global phenomenon, John became fascinated with serving quality food while working in a local pizza parlour at the age of 15, and later sold his treasured Camaro to fund the purchase of his first oven and mixer.
Today the Camaro is back, sitting proudly in the foyer of Papa John’s multi-million dollar head office in Louisville, Kentucky – and the man behind the empire is ready to pass on some of the key points behind his success at a seminar in St Albans on Tuesday May 12th 2009.
The event will take place from 3pm to 4pm at Papa John’s St Albans store, 182 Hatfield Road and places are offered free of charge, but are strictly limited and registration is required.
Papa John’s UK managing director Ian Saunders is delighted that the company founder, who was also named as one of the Outstanding Young Americans at the turn of the century, will tell his story to UK business people.
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He said: “John is one of the most inspirational people on the planet when it comes to putting your finger on the desire and drive that you need to turn a germ of a business idea into a huge success story.
“Opportunities to hear him talk in this kind of format are very limited and we are honoured that he has agreed to take some time out of his UK tour of stores to tell people how it all happened for him.
“As a franchise business we know that this country has a whole host of budding entrepreneurs who are looking for help and advice on how to really take their ideas and ambitions and turn them into results – and there is no better role model for that than John.”
