Week including new client meetings, bookkeeping & management accounts, First aid training, networking, team meeting & plan launch of new DVD

week included bookkeeping, management accounts, Oxford Business Network breakfast, Pathfinder club meeting & Email marketing software demo's

What is out of date?

If you are selling food, then it is obvious when one of your products becomes out of date as it is past its best before date quoted. However do you regularly review your offering to ensure that it still matches the expectations of todays market and has not gone out of date?The reaction of a consumer to eating something out of date would be one of disappointment. Perhaps this could be related to a prospects expecations when they are reviewing your web site to read about a product or service that has not evolved or been updated for a long time?If it is not broken, then don't fix it, but we encourage you to regularly review your offering and how you fit in todays ever changing market place.

Does your company pension pass the NEST test?

From October 2012 UK employers will have new responsibilities to enrol any employees aged between 22 and state retirement age earning over £7,475 per annum into the Government’s own National Employment Savings Trust (NEST) savings scheme, if their current pension provision does not meet the Government’s new standards.

The actual dates are dependant on the company size by employee count, but one thing is for certain every employer needs to start making plans now.

What this means for you as an employer is that any existing employee pension schemes you have in place must meet the Government’s new standards of an 8% contribution of qualifying earnings which includes a 3% contribution from the employer. If your level of company contribution falls short, you may need to either increase your current level of contribution, start an additional scheme to compliment your existing one, or start a new scheme to replace you existing one, to avoid your employees being auto-enrolled into the Government’s scheme.

NEST will be a low cost, low charge option, and employees can still obtain tax relief on contributions, but it will not accept transfers in or out. Employees do also have the option of opting out of NEST, but the employer will have responsibility of auto enrolling them back into NEST again every 3 years.

For more information on NEST, go to www.nestpensions.org .uk

With the first NEST deadlines less than a year away, now is a good time to examine your Company’s pension provision with the help of an expert, such as CRM & AGM Independent Financial Advisers, 30 Bankside Court, Kidlington. They can be contacted by telephone on 01865 370708

week included meeting at the Institute of Certified Bookkeepers, First Aid Training, Bookkeeping, Management Accounts,

week included bookkeeping, management accounts, first aid training, Pathfinder club meeting and 'hands on' marketing support

So does a deal with a supplier like Groupon work for you?

Well the answer is very definite. It depends!!! Yes such a promotion can drive new customers to your door, it can create a greater awareness of your business, it can move dead stock, it can help you build greater relationships or the offer can be upsold with further sales, but at what price? We will all have read the horror stories from some businesses not putting a maximum number on their offer. Yes perhaps the business owner should know their own capacity etc, but surely the suppliers of these group buying offers have a responsibility?You should also take care what impact the offer has on your pricing short term and then the long term expectations of your customer. A1 supports one client who now receives a number of calls per week asking when they are making their next offer, having only undertaken the initial promotion as a loss leader and a test. There is also the customer perception that if you offered it for one price then, why can't you offer that price now or what profit are you making from my purchase. From a straight forward financial aspect, then the deal offered is unlikely to be profitable, but may generate cash for the business. You also have to be careful that your offer may attract the wrong type of customer for your business.

Tax rebates looking phishy

HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) is warning taxpayers not to fall victim to ‘phishing’ emails sent out by fraudsters. The email tells the recipient they are due a tax rebate, and provides a link to a clone of HMRC’s website where the recipient is asked to give their credit card or bank details. Fraudsters then try to take money from the account using the details provided. Victims risk having their bank accounts emptied and their personal details sold on to other organised criminal gangs.HMRC strongly advises customers to:

• Check the advice published at www.hmrc.gov.uk/security/index.htm to see if the email you have received is listed
• Forward suspicious emails to HMRC at phishing@hmrc.gsi.gov.uk and then delete it from your computer/mail account
• Do not click on websites, links contained in suspicious emails or open attachments
• Follow advice from www.getsafeonline.co.uk

If you have reason to believe that you have been the victim of an email scam, report the matter to your bank/card issuer as soon as possible. If in doubt please check with HMRC at http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/security/fraud-attempts.htm

week included Marketing support, Pathfinder club in Oxfordshire, bookkeeping and some great goal setting

Is Vinnie fighting the good fight?

The British Heart Foundation launched a new campaign promoting giving CPR Basic Life Support to Cardiac Arrest Victims. Their new advert shows Hollywood hard man Vinnie Jones giving only chest compression CPR to the rhythm of the Bee Gees classic “Stayin Alive”. The advert is specifically targeted at untrained members of the public to raise awareness that any CPR is better than no CPR, so even an untrained bystander can assist...that's who the advert is targeted at right ? But, now it's raising questions? We have had some enquiries asking whether there have been changes to first aid procedures as a result of seeing the new advert. The answer is no. Their current training protocol stands. If you have been formally trained you should continue to combine rescue breathing and chest compressions. Of course, if for any reason you feel unable to give the rescue breaths or forget what to do, then chest compressions alone can still help the victim until medical professionals arrive.

week included bookkeeping, new client start up support, meeting of the Institute of Certified Bookkeepers, Business Builder Forum

Some articles worth a read?

Here are links to a few articles published recently that you may find of interest:

Employers - why you should issue an employment contract! by Gap HR

Sales - How to be successful at Cold Calling by Bytestart.co.uk

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