NECC - The little book of 200 business tips

BUSINESS TIPS

T H E L I T T L E B O O K O F

Sponsored by

04-05 / Foreword from our president

06-07 / Foreword from our sponsor

200 BUSINESS TIPS08-24 / Culture, Brand & Strategy

25-49 / Marketing & Communications

50-65 / Relationships & Networking

66-78 / Sales

79-84 / Exporting

85-102 / Customer Service

103-127 / Leadership & Management

C O N T E N T S

128-141 / Recruitment

142-148 / HR & Employee Wellbeing

149-159 / Training & Development

160-190 / Problem Solving & Decision Making

191-201 / Financial & Performance Management

202-210 / Technology, Process & Innovation

211-221 / Contracts & Supplier Management

222-223 / Celebrating 200 years of North East Business

224-225 / Sponsor Profile

NECC200 PATRONS

We all want to be successful in our businesses and our careers. Every one of us has had our own unique journey, picking up useful tips and learning invaluable life lessons along the way. So why don’t we share this to help us all enjoy further success and ensure our region’s businesses grow and prosper?

As part of its 200th anniversary celebrations, NECC has worked with Activ Technology and Microsoft to compile 200 top business tips from its members; words of wisdom from successful

people, operating within and leading organisations of all shapes and sizes, across all sectors. There are tips and insights in a whole range of business areas including leadership, strategy, recruitment, marketing, HR and finance.

So whether you’re on the first rung of the career ladder or an experienced senior manager, just starting your own business or running an established plc, you can find some useful nuggets of advice which may just change your outlook or solve your challenge.

FO R E W O R D F RO M O U R P R ES I D E N T

Foreword from our president

Mike Matthews MBE

page 5

Foreword from our sponsor

FO R E W O R D F RO M O U R S PO N S O R

Welcome to NECC’s 200th anniversary business tips book. We’re proud to have been able to sponsor such an iconic milestone and to be a part of NECC’s 200th year celebrations. The book has been nearly a year in the making and represents a significant collaboration between the North East’s business leaders. There are many outstanding

leaders in this region, each with their own ideas, tips, tricks and ways of doing things, and this book has brought the best of them together in one easily referenced document. We hope you enjoy the tips as well as finding the book informative. When you’re done, keep it handy - you never know when you may need that touch of inspiration!

Ian Gillespie, Managing Director, Activ Technology

page 7

C U LT U R E , B R A N D & S T R AT EGY

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Culture Brand & Strategy

Every company should focus on its core business and deliver it to the best of its ability. IT is an essential part of your business foundation. You need a solid backbone that is robust and frees you to do what you do best.

Pete Watson, CEO

Focus on core business

Atlas Cloud, www.atlascloud.co.uk

Keep asking ‘What does success look like?’

Tony Pitchford, Sales Director

Visualise success


BalticTraining, www.baltictraining.com

It’s not all about the moneyJohn Bignall, Director

People think business is just about making money and the media reinforce this view with the public. I think of it with the metaphor of a three-legged table - return on investment, service to customers and fair employment. All are equally important. Failure of any one brings down the business eventually.

page 11

Bignall Group, www.bignall.co.uk

Bond Dickinson, www.bonddickinson.com

Havea plan

If you fail to plan, you may as well plan to fail.

John Marshall, Partner


Cogiva, www.cogiva.com

A leader must spend time explicitly defining and crafting the business culture. Every organisation has a culture, whether deliberately cultivated or left to organically develop. Your culture will affect the business more than anything else so spend the time to define the culture you actually want.

Ben Drury, Uber Geek

Be explicit in defining your culture


Fifteen Digital, www.fifteendigital.co.uk

Your company culture is more important than your strategy and always will be. Your strategy may outline the scope and direction of the business, but your culture is the tool which will help you most to achieve your goals.John Borthwick, MD

Think culture before

strategy

Heart Land design www.heartlanddesign.co.uk

Work out what it is that makes you unique, what makes you stand apart from the crowd, and sing it loud. Sort out a marketing strategy, get a business mentor and network at every opportunity. Getting yourself known in the right circles and building trust is critical to your long-term success.

Tamsin Harrison, Director

Stand apart from the

crowd, and sing it loud


Horizonworks, www.horizonworks.co.uk

Plan your business journeySamantha Davidson, MD

A clear and focused marketing strategy is essential to positioning your company effectively in the market, providing a framework for growth and ensuring marketing activity is cost effective. Running a business without a marketing strategy is like setting off on a journey without any directions. Current and future developments in your market will have an impact on your company, so ensure you plan for these and review and refine your marketing strategy as time goes on.

Nifco UK Ltd, www.nifcoeu.com

Shoot for the moon: Even if you don’t reach it in the end, you’ll go a very long way.

Mike Matthews, MBE, European Operations Officer Nifco Europe, MD Nifco UK

Shoot for the moon


Northstar Ventures, www.northstarventures.co.uk

STAND OUT

Ian Richards, Director

Be creative – understand what makes your business unique, and look for ways to improve and make it stand out from the competition. Recognise that you don’t know everything, and be open to new ideas and new approaches to your business.

Seaward Electronic, www.seaward.co.uk

Trademark your brands with confidence and without large legal fees using the low cost “Right Start” service offered by the Intellectual Property Office.

Mark Marsh, Finance Director

Protect your brands


St Benedict’s Hospice, www.stbenedicts.co.uk

Ensure that Corporate Social Responsibility is part of your business and where possible keep it local. Customers will be happy to align with a business that is seen to be putting something back into their community.

Catrina Flynn, Fundraising Manager

Make CSR local

St Cuthbert’s Hospice, www.stcuthbertshospice.com

Be honest, explicit and intentional about the values which drive your business; articulate the behaviours that evidence those values in action; recruit and select using these behaviours as criteria; reward and encourage these behaviours; train and develop to reinforce these behaviours.

Paul Marriott, Chief Executive

Articulate your values


TEDCO Business Support Ltd, www.tedco.org

Be clear about what you do and do it better than anyone else.

Carole White, Chief Executive

Be clear about what you do

The Franchise Companywww.franchisecompany.co.uk

When thinking of franchising in the long term, consider the issues of branding and internal systems and processes. If you have these two issues sorted from the early days, franchise expansion is so much easier.

Mashud Choudhury, Consultant

Get branding and systems sorted early

Tyne & Wear Fire & Rescue Service, www.twfire.gov.uk


&Vision without action is a dream. Action without vision is simply passing the time. Action with vision is making a positive difference.

Vision action

Tom Capeling, Chief Fire Officer

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Marketing & Communications

M A R K E T I N G & C O M M U N I C AT I O N S

Andrew and Pete, www.andrewandpete.com

When doing marketing, don’t always do the obvious because it has probably already been done a thousand times. If you think being different and standing out is risky, try blurring into the crowd.

Andrew Pickering & Peter Gartland, Founders

Don’t do the obvious

b Software Solutions www.bsoftwaresolutions.co.uk

If you’re undertaking a Pay-Per-Click online advertising campaign, do your research and make your strategy applicable to users. Insufficient keyword research, poor advert content, and lack of time sensitive targeting, geo targeting, page optimisation, and negative keywords are all common pitfalls.

Bev Griffiths, Account Manager

Research your customer


Bravo Charlie Communications, www.bravocharliecomms.co.uk

Each of your employees is a communicator. It’s not just the job of people with “communication” in their title. Supportive, informed employees help your business achieve results. Every employee should understand and use “best practice” communication whether it’s sending clear, concise emails, running successful meetings, or answering the telephone.

Andrew Stainthorpe, MD

Communication is not only

the job of the comms team

Community Communication Ltd, www.communitycommunication.co.uk

page 29

Get noticed and remembered

To get your business noticed and remembered, consider using branded promotional products. An innovative and functional yet desirable branded gift that’s relevant to your business and appropriate to your customer will be appreciated, kept and used - and be a frequent reminder of you!

John Dunwell, Owner & MD

Crafter’s Companion, www.crafterscompanion.co.uk

Know your customer! Understanding who your core customer is and what they want will be the key to a successful business. There’s no point spending thousands of pounds on promoting your company if it’s to the wrong audience. Spending time doing your research and profiling your customer will be invaluable to you.

Sara Davies, Sales Director

Do your research and profile your

customer


Dolezal Consulting, www.dolezalconsulting.com

Mobile marketing is going through a renaissance due to smart phones and tablets. Make sure your website is mobile friendly and send mobile friendly social media campaigns and e-newsletter templates. 40% of google search is now from a mobile device which will increase in years to come.

Joanne Dolezal, Lead Consultant

Be mobile friendly

GLAD Marketing, www.gladmarketing.com


Mobile devices are taking over desktop computer usage for local business searches. If your website is not mobile friendly your potential customers will click away from your website and find your mobile-friendly competitors’ websites instead.

David Smales, Owner

Make sure your website is mobile friendly

I Am You Limitedwww.iamyou.co.uk

Ensure you are being

social – not selling

Amanda Dixon, MD

Make sure, when using social media, you are using the platforms your target audience is using - not just the ones you prefer. Ensure you are being social – not selling – engage with people, talk to them. This is by far the best way to raise your profile and increase your audience.


John Lilley & Gillie Ltd, www.lilleyandgillie.co.uk

To make a success in business you need three things; have the right product at the right price, ready for delivery to your customer at the right time.

Richard Bowyer, Head of Group Compliance

Have the right

product…

Meditek, www.meditek.co.uk

Review the financials of other companies in your market, to analyse industry performance and identify trends. For example, if some businesses have increased turnover and profits, and others are stable or declining, the more successful businesses may be doing something that you could do in order to better your performance.

Phillip Rice, MD

Monitor competitor performance


PD Ports Group, www.pdports.co.uk

Always put the

audience first

Kirsten Donkin, PR and Communications Manager

Always put the audience first. Think of things from their perspective to really get them to connect. ‘What’s in it for me?’ will be their question. So when promoting your business, sell the benefits your services can deliver rather than listing what you have to sell.

Phlebotomy Training Serviceswww.phlebotomytraining.co.uk

It is a “black hole” for content but persist with Facebook and Twitter.

Andrew Purkiss, Director

Be mindful of the social media black hole


Sage UK Ltd, www.sage.com

Invest in digital marketing. It’s a great way of getting your business to the corners of the region, country and world that you can’t physically reach and will broaden your market opportunity no matter what type or size of business you are. If you’re a small business, it will help you to ‘fight big’.Paul Say, Marketing Director

Invest in digital

marketing

Salus First Aid Training, www.salusfirstaidtraining.co.uk

Stay true to your pricing and don’t sell yourself short but decide on your own true value. Everyone wants the cheapest but cheapest is not always best.

Darren Jones, Director

Stay true to your pricing


Sheridan Design, www.sheridandesign.co.uk

First impressions count

First impressions count. Make sure first contacts are impressive – reception areas, business cards, email signatures, the appearance of your customer-facing representatives, the way the phone is answered – and ensure your marketing materials are as good as the company as a whole.

Mark Anderson, Business Development Manager

STCS, www.stcs.co.uk

Let your market place shape your offering. Whenever we are thinking of a new service or product variation, our customers help us to shape the outcome. We engage with our customers early and widely and because of their input the final outcome is always far better.

Stephen Connolly, Business Development Manager

Let your market place

shape your offering


STO Consulting, www.STOconsulting.co.uk

Buy your own website domain. Buy your own hosting. There’s absolutely no need to have anyone else buy these on your behalf. You own all of your other business assets – make sure you have full control of your business website also. This applies regardless of who designs, develops and maintains it.

Graeme Jordan, MD

Take control of your website

Sunderland Live www.sunderlandlive.co.uk

So what? When delivering a message to your customers always aim to engage with them, rather than just talking at them. Read your proposed communication and then ask yourself “So what?”

Laura Kemp, Business Development Manager

Ask yourself “So what?”


TA Plastic Supplies Ltd, www.taplastics.co.uk

Offer a varied

product range

John Humphreys, Director

Offer a varied range of products and services - many “small eggs in one basket”.

Team Massive Results, www.teammassiveresults.com

Differentiateyourself

The biggest killer of businesses is a lack of profitability caused by being in price competition. Make sure you create a clear differentiation between you and your competition. Understand, create, maintain and above all promote your points of differentiation at all times.

Ian Kinnery, Business Coach


tent, www.tent.uk.com

In a predominantly digital age it’s easy to forget the human and personal touch. Instead of always emailing, tweeting and social media commenting, pick up the phone to talk or send old-fashioned mail like postcards and letters to contacts and prospects. This will build more sincere business relationships.

Sarah Raad, Business Development Director

Get back to phoning and posting letters

The Chartered Institute of Marketingwww.cim.co.uk

Never forget your customer. If they don’t want what your organisation provides then you have no organisation.

Anne Godfrey, Chief Executive

Never forget your customer


Waltons Clark Whitehill Limited, www.waltonscw.co.uk

Know there is a demand for your product and where it is, appreciate its value, and be well aware of your competition.

Brian Beaumont, Business Development Specialist

Be aware of your competition

Yellow Box Marketingwww.yellowboxmarketing.co.uk

If your business hasn’t already implemented a website that is mobile friendly this needs to be high on your list of priorities when it comes to your digital marketing. The number of potential customers viewing your website on their smart phone will continue to increase and alienating them will mean you lose their custom.

Bradley Johnson, Partner

Alienate mobile

customers and you will lose their custom

R E L AT I O N S H I P S & N E T W O R K I N G

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Relationships & Networking

Brewin Dolphin, www.brewin.co.uk

Build your networks. From the moment you enter the business world connections with people you can or might do business with become important. You will find years later that you have access to those who can help you with ideas, new orders or even a new job. Your networks from social activities like sport are valuable too.

John Duns, Business Development Director

Build your networks


Daisy Chain, www.daisychainproject.co.uk

Treat everyone from service users to suppliers with respect and understanding of their position.

Judith Haysmore, CEO

Respect others

Fergusons Transport, www.fergytrux.com

Always maintain honesty and integrity. Whilst it may be tempting to stray your reputation will suffer if you do and long term business success is built upon your reputation, good or bad. It always pays to be honest and communicate any difficulty before the customer asks about it.Alan Ferguson OBE, Executive Chairman

Always maintain

honesty and integrity


GEM Partnership, www.gempartnership.com

Invest time to build up and maintain your network of contacts; the help, knowledge and expertise that can be gleaned from this community is invaluable throughout your career.

Ian Miller, Operations Director

Build and maintain your network

In The Fast Lane Eventswww.inthefastlaneevents.co.uk

Be seen! It’s extremely important to ‘get out there’ and network to build up your connections. Stand back and listen to people, ask questions, don’t go marching in with a sales pitch. Follow up your new connections after the initial meeting to build on your business ‘relationship’.

Lou Murray, Owner

Be seen


Ixion Holdings Ltd, www.ixionholdings.com

Build relationships and trust at networking events; people don’t want to be sold to at the first initial meeting. Get to know people, listen and make an appointment after the event to meet and discuss business matters.

Paul Taylor, Employment Engagement Executive

Get to know

people, build trust

Labman Automation Limited, www.labman.co.uk

At the beginning of any business relationship it is worth forgetting for a moment about the risks, commercial aspects and making returns in order to give it a chance, as you never know where it will lead.

Robert Talintyre, Senior Manager

Explore relationship potential


Linked in Control, www.linkedincontrol.com

Ensure the time you spend at networking events is effective by not limiting yourself to only talking to friends and colleagues. Spread your wings and, importantly, refer others. ‘Givers gain’ should be your watchword.

Tom Fenwick-Brown, MD

Don’t stick to the easy

conversations at networking

events

LMA Training & Consultancywww.lysamorrison.com

Ever find some people difficult to deal with and others easier? The difference could be language patterns: match theirs to motivate and influence them – they’ll feel understood. Do they talk about achieving or avoiding things? In detail or generally? Thoughts or feelings? Boost your performance by mastering your ‘tuning-in’ skills.

Lysa Morrison, MD

Tune in to others


Mattioli Woods PLC, www.mattioli-woods.com

Try to get a positive outcome from every client interaction. This doesn’t have to be a sale of your services. In the long term, gaining a referral, a new networking contact, a commitment to a joint project or the resolution of a problem can be more beneficial.

Michael Fryer, Senior Consultant

Try to get a positive outcome from every client interaction

OpenCRM, www.opencrm.co.uk

Apply a satellite delay in your actions and reactions to any comments. That pause helps when you are so emotionally attached to what you do.

Graham Anderson, CEO

Think before you speak


Raw Digital Trainingwww.rawdigitaltraining.co.uk

Social media success requires effort. It’s absolutely vital that you pair your online and offline connections. Make sure you connect online with people you’ve met at real life events to ensure continuity of relationship. You never know when they, or someone they know, may need your services.

Joanna Wake, MD

Pair your online and offline connections

Sixth Sense Learning www.sixthsenselearning.com

Feedback is a gift. We are all blessed with the ability to provide other people with feed back about how their actions make us feel. We should all exercise this right more often.

Danny Gray, Commercial Director

Feedback is a gift


Tyne Metropolitan College, www.tynemet.ac.uk

Better to keep your mouth shut and people think you are a fool than open it and confirm it.

Jon Vincent, Principal & Chief Executive

Better to keep your mouth shut

Village Urban Resort Newcastlewww.village-hotels.co.uk

Businesses are full of ups and downs, good times and bad. When times are good, don’t forget to stay in touch with those who supported you through the tough times. You never know when you might need their help again.

Stay in touch with those who supported

youKaren Dobson, Meeting & Events

Sales Manager

S A L E S

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Sales

Acorn Web Offset, www.acornweb.co.uk

Re-engage in appropriate working partnerships and look beyond commodity pricing. Invest time in pre-qualified business relationships and unearth longer run, mutual value. Time to walk away from low-margin, one-sided transactional chaos!

Matthew Carry, Sales Director

Look beyond

commodity pricing

S A L E S

Durham Tees Valley Airportwww.durhamteesvalleyairport.com

Never be afraid to ask for that opportunity. You’ll regret it if someone else gets the chance because they got their feet in first. Keep visible.

James Grant, Partnerships & Comms Executive

Ask for the business

Easby Gale & Philipson, www.egandp.co.uk

Always put yourself in the shoes of the person you are talking to when trying to present the reasons why they should do business with you.

Philip Morris, MD

Put yourself in their shoes

S A L E S

H&G Training, www.hgtraining.co.uk

Never give up. Shy bairns get nowt!

Jacqui Hampton, Director & Owner

Never give up

Jo Hand Recruitment, www.johandrecruitment.co.uk

Know your numbers, learn how to work out your hourly, daily, weekly and monthly break-even point and then gross profits and profits. Check them all daily! These are called your daily “run” rates. This way you will stay ahead of any cash flow surprises.

Jo Hand, MD

Know your numbers

S A L E S

JPG First Aid and Safety Training Services, www.jpgfirstaid.co.uk

Never burn your bridges. Always take a knock back with good grace and dignity and stay on good terms with your clients, even if they are looking elsewhere. Returning clients always remember a kind word or deed.

John Gray, MD

Always take a knock back

with good grace and dignity

New Results Training, www.newresultstraining.co.uk

Advocates are a great way of building your business. Advocates come from the customers who really love what you do. Ask them for specific introductions into two or more potential new customers. Everyone loves a personal referral, as people buy from people they know, like and trust. Advocates help you build trust.

Nevil Tynemouth, Director

Identify your advocates

Offstone Publishing, www.offstonepublishing.co.uk

S A L E S

It’s great to aim high, but be realistic with your sales goals and be prepared to start off with a small project when working with a new business prospect. Do it exceptionally well and it will invariably lead to bigger and better work with them.

Gary Ramsay, Partner

Be realistic with your sales goals

PG Legal, www.pglegal.co.uk

page 75

Do what you said you’d do for the price that you said you’d charge.

Jonathan Fletcher, Director

Honour your commitments

S A L E S

Tait Walker LLP, www.taitwalker.co.uk

Always know your customer and take the time to understand their needs and build a relationship. Don’t assume they need what you are selling, try to understand where they are trying to get to and how you can support them along the way.

Brian Laidlaw, Partner

Don’t assume they need what you are selling

True Potential Wealth Management LLP, www.tpllp.com

Aim to contact at least five people per day, including two new contacts, by face to face or telephone as this is the best way to promote your services or business. Effective use of social media can also build referrals and prove an efficient form of advertising.

Michael Sudworth, Wealth & Equity Partner

Contact five people

per day

S A L E S

Xtreme Signs, www.xtreamgroup.com

Your clients are your network. Ask for referrals and make sure they know all of your services.

Pete Mitchell Studio Manager

Ask for referrals

Exporting

E X P O RT I N G

To be a successful exporter you must visit your customers in their countries. In my experience, if the customer can see, touch and feel your product he will buy it.

Ecco Finishing Supplies Ltd, www.eccofinishingsupplies.com

Keith Miller, MD

Visit your customers in their countries

HSBC, www.hsbc.co.uk

If you can’t finance your exports or get paid by your new customers, any time and energy put into developing the export side of your business will be not only wasted, but potentially a huge financial risk to your business. Trade finance can

give you the financial boost you need to explore overseas opportunities and fulfil those early orders, so speak to your bank’s international finance team to

discuss the options available to you.

Martin Rogers, International Trade Manager

Get your finances in order

E X P O RT I N G

Know the overseas documentation and delivery requirements before you accept an order. Otherwise, when the goods are ready to move – usually late – you’re at risk of not being compliant with any letter of credit and delayed payment is inevitable. Also, everyone involved in the process is totally stressed.

John Christal, Director

Know the overseas documentation

and delivery requirements

before you accept an order

Origma Global Services Ltd, www.origmaglobal.com

If you have selected your target export market, the key to success is to find a partner (agent/distributor) who knows the customers and who you like working with. Then make sure the partner takes some risk as well and that the goals are aligned, be flexible and have some patience.

Tobias Heintz, MD

Find a partner who knows the customers and who you like working with

Pinnacle RE-Tec Ltd, www.pinnacleretec.com

E X P O RT I N G

When working in the chemical industry ensure that all products supplied to Europe are REACH Compliant (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals). This is an EU regulation to improve protection of health and environment when dealing with chemicals.

Mike Lowe, Plant Manager

Ensure chemicals are REACH compliant

Techwax Ltd, www.ashland.com

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CustomerService

C U S TO M E R S E RV I C E

Arc Wealth Limited, www.arc-wealth.com

Provide outstanding customer service. A business builds on its reputation and it is important to deliver high quality service. Develop a client service charter to enable you to meet client expectations and develop relationships, which then increases retention.Andrew Chambers, MD

Provide outstanding

customer service

CLR Law, www.clrlaw.co.uk

Find your niche and deliver your service to the highest standards. Excellent customer service is paramount. Clients welcome the personal touch and will always recommend you if they’ve had a first class experience.

Claire Rolston, Director

Find your niche


Durham Marriott Hotel Royal Countywww.DurhamMarriottRoyalCounty.co.uk

Only close attention to the fine details of any operation makes the

operation first class.

J Willard Marriott, Founder (1927)

Achieving first class

EHL UK Building Maintenance & Facility Services www.ehluk.co.uk

Achieving first class

My motto in business and in life: Always over deliver, but never overwhelm - a great reminder

to always give a little more than you promise.

Gary Stainsby, MD

Always over deliver


energyTEAM, www.energ-group.com/energy-procurement-brokers

It’s much easier and definitely more cost effective to retain good customers than to lose them and try to win new ones.

Karen Brogden, Corporate Business Manager

Keeping customers is

easier than winning

them

Holiday Inn Darlington A1 Scotch Corner www.hidarlington.co.uk

The customer isn’t always right but they are always the customer.

Elliot Newton, Sales Manager

The customer isn’t always right…


North East Finance Ltd, www.northeastfinance.org

Jane Reynolds, Tees Valley Business Manager & County Durham Business Manager

Be so good they cannot ignore you

North of England Commissioning Support, www.necsu.nhs.uk

To deliver high quality outcomes when delivering any service it’s important to enmesh yourself with the customer. Your teams need to look and feel like part of the customer’s team, adopting their values and objectives, owning their problems and risks and sharing their pain when things aren’t going well.

David Randall, Business Development Director

Enmesh yourself with the customer


NRG Group Plc, www.nrgplc.com

Chris Rigg, Chief Executive

Keep your people and customers happy

If you work hard to keep your people and customers happy the rest will follow.

Park Commercial, www.parkcommercial.co.uk

Deliver what you promise.

Allison Lonsdale, Account Executive

Meet customer expectations


Returnable Packaging Solutions Ltd, www.rpsltd.com

Tim Hutchinson, Director

Good service is everything

Rocket Dog Creative, www.rocketdogcreative.com

Eat your own dog food: If you think your services are worth selling to others, be sure to rely on them yourself. Not only will you make an excellent case study, but you’ll find any problems before your customers do.

Christopher Hogg, Director

Eat your own dog food


Samwon Tech (Europe) Ltdwww.samwontecheurope.com

Remember that the most important person in your business is your customer.

Garry Quickfall, MD

Customer is king

Solarglide, www.solarglide.com

Keep communicative, even when things don’t run smoothly. Most clients will be happy when you’ve given them notice and been honest and upfront. If you choose to ignore them in times of crisis, then your brand and customer loyalty could be seriously damaged.

Paul Pringle, MD

Keep customers updated constantly


United Carlton Office Systems Ltd, www.united-carlton.co.uk

A small change in attitude can make a huge difference in business; listen to and understand your customers’ needs, if you don’t someone else will.

John Watson, MD

Understand your customer

Urban River Creative, www.Urbanriver.com

page 101

It isn’t always about what you do right, but how you solve something which has gone wrong. A negative can sometimes turn into a much bigger positive and will be remembered. Be honest, clients will appreciate it in the long-term.

Carl Buckley, MD

Negatives can become positives

Virgin Money, www.virginmoney.com


Focus on how you can stand out from the crowd, do things better than your competitors and make sure your customers and staff are happy. If you can get that right, success will come.

Brian Giles, Head of External Communications

Make customers

and staff happy

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Leadership & Management

L E A D E R S H I P & M A N AG E M E N T

Activ Technology, www.helloactiv.co.uk

Don’t over complicate situations, remember your customers are at the heart of your business - give them the service they deserve and ensure your team are motivated and inspired.

Ian Gillespie, MD

Don’t over complicate it

Amacus Ltd, www.amacusltd.co.uk

Address mistakes immediately

When an employee has made a mistake, act immediately, don’t let it fester or sweep it under the table - the quicker you address the issue the faster it stops.

Christine Hall, MD


Avanta Enterprise ltd, www.avanta.uk.com

Read “Stephen Covey’s 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” and apply it to yourself, your role and in everyday life and you will be much more effective.

Lisa Watson, NE Relationship Manager

Embed habits and become effective

Cramlington Precison Forge Ltd, www.cpfl-tvs.com

Always focus on the positive behaviour of your employees.Steve Rose, Director

Focus on positive

behaviour


Darlington Credit Unionwww.darlingtoncreditunion.co.uk

Never stop listening, never stop learning.

Tony Brockley, CEO

Never stop listening

Distance Learning College & Trainingwww.dlcandtraining.co.uk/corporate

Identify employees goals

Maximise the potential of your employees by identifying their strengths, goals, aims, objectives and support them in achieving these. By investing in employee development you are investing in your organisation’s future, improving productivity, knowledge and understanding of your staff which in turn influences the positive performance of your business.

Jacky Stansfield, Business Training & Development Manager


Horizons Life Coachingwww.horizonslifecoaching.co.uk

People work best when they feel good about themselves. This is almost always the time when they buy into a vision of what the organisation wants to achieve and are given a level of autonomy to carry out their contribution. Great leaders recognise both of these factors: vision and autonomy.

Paul Hemphill, Leadership and Wellbeing Coach

Give vision and autonomy

Engage your whole team in developing the vision and values for your business. Link these to your growth strategy, and then deliver them relentlessly.

Chris Hyde, MD

Engage employees in

developing business strategy

JDP Contracting Services Ltdwww.jdp-contracting.co.uk


Lamba Welding Systems, www.lambaweld.co.uk

Recognise ability and reward it. Promote teamwork. Set an example for those who look to you for guidance.

Hannah Bates, Sales & Purchasing

Recognise ability and reward it

Marks & Spencer, www.marksandspencer.com

Keep it simple! Clear vision supported by realistic strategy, communicated consistently to engage, empower and motivate your team to drive results. Don’t over complicate and always stay ‘in touch’.

Elaine Carey, Regional Finance & Operations Manager

Keep It Simple!


Minkon ltd, www.Minkon.co.uk

Keep employees

updated on progress

Mal Dodds, MD

Make a short and long term plan for what you want to achieve in your business and regularly pass the message to your team. They are the people who can make it happen. Most importantly, update them when it starts to come off.

Nicholas Jackson

Put your ego

awayNick Jackson, Executive Coach

The leader’s task is to listen to and support the team, giving guidance and setting an example. Put your ego away and imagine yourself at the base of an inverted pyramid - not at the top sitting above everyone else. This is how you gain loyalty, efficiency and openness - it works!


Nobia UK, www.nobia.com

You can’t be a great manager if you’re not a good coach. Have regular coaching conversations with your team. Learn what drives each person and provide timely feedback. Listen deeply, restrain your impulse to provide the answers, invite people to open up and think creatively - they will find the answer themselves.

Paul Colman, Factory Manager

You can’t be a great manager if you’re not a good coach

Nordic Focus Training Groupwww.nftg.co.uk

When something goes wrong at work the immediate response is often emotional and when managers then talk to staff with a tinge of annoyance it causes that person to become emotional and defensive. Try to allow managers to vent their frustration with you in a “safe environment” first so that when they tackle the issue they will hopefully achieve the right outcome.

Kully Brooks, MD

Create a “safe environment” for managers to vent their frustrations


North East Business & Innovation Centre, www.ne-bic.co.uk

Look at how your team

can achieve, rather than

you personallyPaul McEldon, Chief Executive

To lead a business to success you must look at how your team can achieve, rather than you personally. No individual can do everything, and from the minute you take on your first employee you must invest and trust in them in order to grow as an organisation.

Heidi Mottram OBE, Chief Executive

Northumbrian Water Group, www.nwl.co.uk

People work for people, not companies. YOU have to be worth working for.

Heidi Mottram OBE, Chief Executive

People work for people…


People Gauge Limited, www.peoplegauge.com

People don’t really care what you think, until they believe that you really care. People may forget exactly what you said but they will never forget how you made them feel. Employee engagement is not a dark art but get it right and it works like magic!

Maggie Pavlou, Owner

People never forget how you made them feel

Prismatical Ltdwww.prismatical.co.uk

Managers cannot motivate employees but they can demotivate them. A good manager therefore does not try and motivate their employees they set about creating the environment that allows the right employees to motivate themselves.

Tony Slimmings, MD

You can’t motivate

your employees


Sail Away Coaching, www.sailawaycoaching.com

Make sure that everyone loves to come to work and that they know exactly what they are doing when they get there.

Nick Gilroy, MD

Give clarity in every role

St Teresa’s Hospice, www.darlingtonhospice.org.uk

A happy, well-informed and engaged workforce will promote your business in places that you couldn’t possibly reach! Empower your staff, pay them market rates (living wage), get them involved in the decision-making processes, find many ways to say thank you and demonstrate that you understand their jobs.

Jane Bradshaw, Hospice Director

Find many ways to say thank you


Sunderland Association Football Club, www.safc.com

With the right

attitude…Gary Hutchinson, Commercial Director

With the right attitude, willingness to work hard and support from the people around you, there will always be opportunities to grow your business.

The Lakes Distillerywww.lakesdistillery.com

To foster an entrepreneurial business you need two key ingredients: Iconic figures to look up to and someone to hold your hand on your business journey - a mentor. Take time out of your business to be inspired and learn from others, and seek help and guidance wherever it is available to greatly increase your chances of success.Nigel Mills, Chairman

Take time out of your business

to be inspired and learn from

others


UK Steel Enterprise, www.uksteelenterprise.co.uk

Economics is defined as “the efficient use of scarce resources.” The most scarce resource in business is your time. Plan your time carefully and

ensure that you delegate any appropriate tasks to the team around you as effectively and efficiently as possible.

Peter Taylor, Area Manager

Delegate

Wolters Kluwer, www.cronersolutions.co.uk

Put yourself in other people’s shoes and listen. You learn most with your mouth shut and your ears open. But be yourself - that’s what allows you to speak with passion when you do speak.

Mike Allen, Croner MD

Be yourself

R EC R U I T M E N T

???

Recruitment

Catalyst, www.pluscatalyst.co.uk

Five minutes of the right advice can be worth £5m whether that’s on finding the right people to improve your organisation’s performance or on planning your next career move. People are the catalysts of progress, so choose your recruitment consultancy wisely.

Paul Wilson, MD

Choose your recruitment consultancy wisely


COCO, www.coco.org.uk

Working in the charity sector, as with any business it is essential to surround yourself with great people. Recruitment is possibly one of the biggest challenges and it is essential to hire people who possess skills you don’t to enhance your business and encourage them to speak up on strategic decision making so that you’re all working towards the same goals.

Lucy Philipson, CEO

Surround yourself with great people

Fleet Recruitment Ltd, www.fleetrecruitment.co.uk

You can impart product knowledge fairly quickly, but what you can’t impart is the personality, tenacity, get up and go and spark needed to be a great salesperson, so don’t be afraid to recruit people from outside of your industry.

Neil O’Connor, MD

Recruit from other industries


Gordon Brown Law Firm LLP, www.gblf.co.uk

Regardless of the sector within which you operate, embracing diversity in the workplace is about embracing current and future employees as individuals and identifying key strengths which your business can benefit from. At times you have to be creative and flexible to capture the right people.

Kathryn Taylor, Managing Partner

Embrace diversity in the workplace

Newcastle University Business Schoolwww.ncl.ac.uk/nubs

Failure isn’t fatal, culture is critical, recruit for character, train for skills.

Dr Joanna Berry, Director of External Relations

Recruit for character,

train for skills


PJA Distribution, www.pjadistribution.co.uk

Get involved with university

and college placement

schemesGraham Robson, Sales Manager

Get involved with university/college placement schemes. It’s not just for big companies and it’s a useful talent-spotting exercise for future permanent roles. Faculty staff will help you find a good match for your needs and it’s an effective way of raising your profile locally.

Rolls-Royce North East Training Centrewww.rrnetc.co.uk

Support the future of young people today by employing an apprentice to enhance and support your business tomorrow.

Karen Routledge, Business Development Manager

Employ apprentices


Smart Resourcing Solutions Ltd www.smart-resourcing-solutions.com

Provide specific interview training in your organisation. Use interview scorecards to capture relevant evidence. Benefits include an efficient team conducting interviews, provides a consistent brand image and process along with an audit trail that supports managing the process of decisions in the event that the candidate challenges or requests feedback.

Sophie Milliken, Operations Director

Provide interview training for interviewers

South Tyneside Training and Enterprise Network Limited

www.southtynesideten.com

Recruiting locally helps the local economy. Use free matching services to address any skills gap and job vacancies you may have in your business.

Hazel Marchbank McCallion, Chief Executive

Recruit locally


South West Durham Training Limitedwww.southwestdurham.co.uk

successionPlan

Investment in apprentices is a good business decision. They can help to address skills shortages, contribute to business aims and assist with growth or succession plans.

Trevor Alley, CEO

Teesside University, www.tees.ac.uk/sections/theforge

The support of a fresh-thinking university graduate, combined with academic expertise can be the fundamental solution for your design, technical or business challenges, and ultimately improve performance and productivity.

Cliff Hardcastle, Deputy Vice Chancellor (Research & Business)

Bring in fresh thinking


The Endeavour Partnershipwww.endeavourpartnership.com

Identify the gaps in your

expertiseDenis Pinnegar, Consultant

Understand what you know and what you do well and surround yourself with people who add value to the areas that you don’t do well.

TTE Technical Training, www.tte.co.uk

Invest in the future success of your business - employ apprentices today!

Steve Grant, Group MD

Invest in the future

H R & E M P LOY E E W E L L B E I N G

???

HR & Employee Wellbeing

hr4u-tlc, www.hr4u-tlc.co.uk

To calculate holiday pay for zero hours contracts - pay employees a plussage of 12.07% on hourly rate. This is calculated by subtracting basic leave (28 days) from total working days (260) and expressing the balance (232) as the denominator and 28 as the numerator (then multiply by 100 to get the percentage).

Tony Leather, Consultant

Calculating holiday pay for

zero hours contracts


IN’n’OUT Centres, www.in-n-out.co.uk

If your windscreen takes too long to demist, you may need a new air conditioning pollen filter. Due to obvious safety implications, you should have it checked regularly. Plus if you have hay fever you will want an effective pollen filter – sneezing when driving is never ideal!

Ash Thompson, Centre Principal

Sneezing when driving is never ideal

Kiran Singh

Bring more focus to employer/employee wellbeing. This is an important element to a successful business, for example, workplace seated massage and other holistic therapies.

Kiran Singh, MD

Look after your employees’ wellbeing


Right Hand HR, www.rhhr.com

It is important to realise that as soon as you employ one person you have become an employer; therefore governed by employment legislation. Always seek advice from a good HR practitioner to ensure the employer/employee relationship has a good solid foundation, in line with current employment legislation.

Judy Pearson, Head of HR Consulting NE

Always seek advice from a good HR Practitioner

UK Workplace Bullying,www.ukworkplacebullying.co.uk

Create an agreed code of conduct with your employees focusing on positive workplace behaviours. This can act as a reference point to measure behaviour and minimise incidents of workplace conflict.

Fergus Roseburgh, Consultant

Create a staff code of conduct with your teams


Westfield Health, www.westfieldhealth.com

Look after your people; happy, healthy employees are at the heart of any successful business, so it’s vital that employers give something back and nurture the wellbeing and morale of those who commit their time and skills to helping the organisation to grow.

Paul Shires, Executive Director Sales & Marketing

Nurture employee wellbeing

and morale

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Training & Development

T R A I N I N G & D E V E LO P M E N T

ACAS, www.acas.org.uk

Wendy Parker, Director for ACAS North East & Scotland

Engage your workforce

Productivity through people. An engaged workforce is a productive one. Take time to invest in your staff through training and engagement.

Better Brand agency, www.betterbrandagency.com

Invest in the best team you can afford around you and your business. Your people and culture are the heart of the business and provide the foundation for growth.

Mark Easby, MD

Invest in the best

team you can afford


Derwentside Homes, www.derwentsidehomes.co.uk

It’s not the company that’s successful; it’s the people within it. Invest in them.

Geraldine Kay, Chief Executive

Invest in your people

Durham Cathedral, www.durhamcathedral.co.uk

Some of the best and most creative ideas can come from graduate interns and the newest employees. Give them the encouragement and freedom to think creatively. You may be pleasantly surprised!

Philip Davies, Chapter Clerk

Fresh eyes can see the answer


GP Strategies Training Ltd, www.gpsta.co.uk

Gareth Robins, Regional Delivery Team Manager

Try an apprenticeship

Build a better future for yourself. Earn as you learn, gain a nationally recognised qualification, be part of the job market.

In Training, www.intraining.co.uk

Continue to invest in young people, as they are the future leaders.

Abigail Bundy, Regional Director

Invest in tomorrow’s

leaders


Induction Pipe Bending UK, www.inductionbending.co.uk

Work hard and follow your instincts. Invest in your company. Treat your workforce as you would like to be treated. Invest in youth and experience.

Jim Cairns, Director

Invest in youth and experience

Help your staff to realise their potential through good quality training and development opportunities. It will help you develop a productive, loyal workforce who will be more likely to remain in the company and progress through the ranks. Ultimately saving you money on recruitment costs as well.

Matt Goldsmith, Regional Manager NE

Help your staff to realise

their potential

Learndirect, www.learndirect.com/business

Morrison & Mann, www.morrisonandmann.com


Create a more agile and resilient workforce by giving and valuing time for colleagues to share ideas and contribute to the organisation’s plans and ambitions. Offer coaching to your aspirant leaders and see your business rise to the challenge of the complex world it seeks to be the best in.

Julia Morrison, Director

Give employees time to share ideas

Never miss an opportunity to upskill your workforce. It helps raise motivation, company loyalty and customer service standards which can lead to improved performance and may increase profits. Reward them further by ensuring that your training is accredited and certificated to add value and give a real sense of achievement.Upskill

your workforceJohn Earland, Business Development Manager

One Awards, www.oneawards.org.uk

P R O B L E M S O LV I N G & D EC I S I O N M A K I N G

???

Problem Solving & Decision Making

Aon Risk Solutions, www.Aon.co.uk

It may seem totally obvious but in every decision there has to be an element of common sense. Does it feel right? Some people have no common sense – so if you have it – use it!

Christine Wood, Business Development

Use common sense - if you have it!


Blackswan, www.globalblackswan.com

It’s not the next decision

that’s important

Maurice Duffy, MD

It’s not the next decision that’s important, it’s the decision that it enables you to make after that, you should focus on.

C H Evans Associates Ltdwww.chevansassociates.com

Let go and

move onChris Evans, MD

Sometimes you just have to let go and accept that the business model does not work and move on. Quite often when someone starts a business for the first time they look at what they know rather than what is a business.


Curo Marketing, www.curomarketing.com

Never be afraid of failure. Whether that is ultimately as a business or within a certain project. Your fear of failure will ultimately hold you back from ever fully succeeding.

Mark Blacklee, MD

Never be afraid of failure

emBarkArchitecture, www.embarkarchitecture.com

Always seek expert advice before you think you will need it.Neil Barker, Director

Seek advice

before you need it


Franks The Flooring Store, www.frankstheflooringstore.com

My Dad always said to me: “If you can’t afford to pay for it, do without, and if you are hungry for it, work a bit harder”

David Stubbs, Financial Director

Can’t afford it? Go without

Gateshead College, www.gateshead.ac.uk

Keep focused on why you are doing something, even when the how is becoming more and more difficult.

Judith Doyle, Principal & Chief Executive

Focus on the WHY


Go North East, www.simplygo.com

If you don’t have to, never rush a decision.

Kevin Carr, MD

Never rush a decision

Groundwork NE & Cumbriawww.groundwork.org.uk/sites/northeast

Don’t be afraid if you fail in some things, learn, move on and celebrate the successes.

Kate Culverhouse, Chief Executive

Celebrate the successes


Harvey & Hugo, www.harveyandhugo.com

Listen to your gut! There’s been times I’ve let my head overrule when making a decision, but gut instinct has usually been right. Charlotte Nichols, MD

Listen to your gut!

Inspection & Engineeering Services Ltdwww.iesinspection.com

If you believe you can achieve it and it’s possible - Do it!

Trevor Forsyth, Director

Do youbelieve it?


Joyce Matthews Ltd, www.joycematthewsportfolio.com

Lots of people will want to give you advice and tell you what to do and what not to do. Let them talk and then listen to yourself. You will know what is right for your business. Learn to listen to your gut instinct and take action on it.

Joyce Matthews, MD

You know what’s right for your business

Always take appropriate measurements and collect data about your current business environment before making important management and business decisions. “Data-driven decisions” are based on real-time facts and root-cause-analysis of the facts rather than gut-feelings, assumptions or previous experiences. This is a basic requirement of a Six Sigma organisation.

John Dennis, Lead Trainer

Make data driven decisions

Lean Six Sigma Training Ltd, www.Lean6sigmatraining.co.uk


NE Language Project, www.nelanguageproject.co.uk

As a business leader, always be prepared to take time out to think and reflect, be it a few minutes or a few days. There is nothing more powerful than the human mind to think up solutions to the business problems we all have.

Ed O’Neill, Academic Director

Take time out to think

Newcastle International Airportwww.newcastleinternational.co.uk

You need to paddle your own canoe or someone else will do it for you.

David Laws, Chief Executive

Take control

Northumbria Universitywww.northumbria.ac.uk

Bebold

Don’t be frightened to make bold decisions about your career - be bold. I sometimes ask myself what is the worst that will happen if I make this particular choice...will anyone die? The answer is no! Having made the decision, embrace it and make it work for you.

Lucy Winskell OBE, Pro Vice-Chancellor


Opus Essence, www.opusessence.com

Victoria Lee, Director

Never be afraid to deviate


Real Results Marketingwww.realresultsmarketing.co.uk

Forget about the money. Do what you love. You will do it brilliantly and everything else will follow.

Patrick Masheder, MD

Forget about the

money

Revolution Power, www.revolutionpower.co.uk

Follow your instinct not the crowd.

Wayne Richardson, MD

Follow your instinct


South Tyneside College, www.stc.ac.uk

Don’t believe anything anybody tells you, because they tell you it - look at the evidence. You need to love problems

because when you get to the top role inevitably most of your day will be problem solving.

Lindsey Whiterod, CEO & Principal

Love problems

SSI UK, www.ssi-steel.co.uk

Learn lessons from the

tough timesJohn Baker, Communications Director

In the good times remember the lessons of the difficult times.


Stockton Sixth Form Collegewww.stocktonsfc.ac.uk

Before making changes or spending money ask one question: how will this benefit my clients and improve my business? Placing our clients (students) at the centre of decisions about their education ensures that we are focused and responsive, with no money, or valuable resources, wasted.

Joanna Bailey, Principal

Put your customer at

the centre

Sunderland City Council, www.sunderland.gov.uk

Do not be afraid of failure. Just be prepared to fail fast and fail forward, learning from mistakes made and building on knowledge gained.

Andrea Winders, Executive Director of Enterprise Development

Be prepared to fail fast

and fail forward


The County Hotel – Thistle Newcastlewww.thistle.co.uk/newcastle

I believe that you should never rest on your laurels.

Anna Wadcock, General Manager

Don’t get complacent

The Stottie Companywww.thestottiecompany.com

Running your business shouldn’t feel like work, it should feel like a hobby. This is what sustains you if things are ever difficult.

Dave Chapman, Director

It shouldn’t feel like work


Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums, www.twmuseums.org.uk

No one individual or group of people within an organisation has all the answers. It’s really important to listen to and work with people from right across your organisation as well as your users/customers, volunteers and suppliers to help shape and move your organisation forward.

Iain Watson, Director

No one has all the answers

Veterans at Easewww.veteransatease.org

Never be afraid to ask, someone somewhere will know the answer. Remember you are not alone in business, the relationships you build now will help shape how you move forward. Always look for 50/50 opportunities and think it’s about respecting each other. Everyone loves a win-win situation.

John Taylor, NLP Master Practitioner

Never be afraid to ask


Virtual Book-Keeping Servicewww.virtualbookkeepingservice.co.uk

When the going gets tough, stop panicking. There’s always someone ‘out there’ that you can reach out to for help and

guidance. That help could simply be someone who can take a burden from you and allow you to do what you do best –

create and innovate.

Philip Penaluna, Proprietor

Stop panicking

Watson Burton LLP, www.watsonburton.com

Take risks: You can be the smartest person in the world, but you will always be outdone by someone who is braver than you.

Patrick Harwood, CEO

Be braver


Zine Limited, www.zineuk.co.uk

The key to working in business is to realise there are no secrets to success. It is simply the result of your own individual preparation, hard work, perseverance and learning from failure.

Lorna Hinch, PR & Communications Lead

There are no secrets to success

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Financial & Performance Management

F I N A N C I A L & P E R FO R M A N C E M A N AG E M E N T

Allied Irish Bank (GB), www.aibgb.co.uk

Maintain a regular dialogue with your bank - let them partner your business - together you will deliver real value to your business and realise sustainable growth.

Andrew Love, Senior Branch Manager

Maintain a regular dialogue

with your bank

Enviro UK Consultantswww.enviroukconsultants.co.uk

Ensure maximum benefits and sustainability for your company by saving energy. Investing in energy efficiency equipment such as LED lighting and renewable energy technologies including solar panels and heat pumps can help to keep costs down while also earning a valuable income from government incentives such as the Feed in Tariff and the Renewable Heat Incentive.

Sharon Lashley, Director

Invest in renewables


Firman Financial Solutionswww.firmanfinancial.co.uk

Don’t underestimate the importance of cash management. Ask any business person what they believe is the most important area of their business and they might say sales and marketing! They are right, because without sales there is no business. Equally though, without available cash, the business cannot be sustained. Effective systems of financial control and cash management are critical.

Michael Firman, MD

Implement robust financial control systems

Green Energy Consultingwww.greenenergyconsulting.co.uk

By re-engineering the way you manage energy, consumption will directly translate into lower overhead costs and increased profits. As energy costs continue to rise, reducing consumption and switching to renewable energy will reduce your energy bills by up to 20%, as well as potentially cost free.

Keith Hargrave, Head of Partner Relations

Re-engineer the way you manage energy

North East Chamber of Commercewww.necc.co.uk

People always do what you inspect not what you expect.

James Ramsbotham, CEO

People always do what you

inspect…


PSP Architectural, www.pspuk.com

Don’t be afraid to take risks, always with integrity and never ever take your eye off the cash flow!

Heath Hindmarch, MD

Never ever take your eye

off the cash flow!


Rivers Capital Partners, www.riverscap.com / www.riversloan.com

Jonathan Gold, Director

Choose investors carefully

If you seek investment equity or loans choose the investor as you would choose a partner.

Santander Corporate & Commercial Bankwww.santander.co.uk/uk/corporate-and-commercial

Never be afraid to contact your bank early if you need support. It is always better for them to be involved at the start of any issues than when it has reached critical stage.

Maureen Armstrong, Business Development Director

Contact your bank early


TADEA UK www.tadea.com/energymanagementservice

Energy is vital to businesses, but if you cannot measure it you cannot manage it. Energy management can benchmark improvements to your business – boosting your competitiveness. For example, Solar PV can provide a ROI of 8+% over 20 years, and new lighting can pay for itself inside two years.

Steve Hunter, MD

Measure and manage your energy

Geoff Thompson, CEO

Utilitywise Plc, www.utilitywise.com

It’s essential to have a plan, a clear set of objectives and KPIs. While this may seem obvious, in my experience, unless you focus monthly, weekly, hourly on these KPIs you run the risk of losing track. This also means you need robust processes and flexible IT systems to ensure you can monitor performance and identify variances quickly.Geoff Thompson, CEO

Monitor performance and identify

variances quickly

T EC H N O LO GY, P R O C E S S & I N N OVAT I O N

???

Technology, Process & Innovation

CCS Mobile, www.ccsmobile.co.uk

Organisations are taking advantage of the current wave of technologies and superfast connectivity happening in the UK. We have all entered an era of seamless connectivity. Truly unified communications allows us to work anywhere, anytime and from almost any device. Businesses should embrace these commercially beneficial changes which enable flexibility, allowing staff the freedom and functionality to work effectively anywhere - an ‘office without walls’.

Chris Lee, MD

Embrace superfast technologies


Elddis Transport (Consett) Ltd, www.elddis.net

The business world is always changing, today’s best practice will certainly not be tomorrow’s. Businesses need to be dynamic and not be frightened to change as the market changes. The best businesses will innovate and

create tomorrow’s best practice today.

Nigel Cook, MD

Be dynamic and adapt as the market changes

E-Max Systems Limited, www.emax-systems.co.uk

Nigel Cook, MD

If you have outgrown your spreadsheets and are selecting business software such as CRM, MRP, ERP, etc. do the usual and evaluate functionality, flexibility, cost, etc. Ensure the solution can grow as you grow and the provider is capable of providing a tailored and scalable solution; not just software. This will help you get your niche, get volume and growth!Zeynel Badak, Commercial Director

Ensure IT solutions

are flexible to grow as you grow


Esh Group, www.esh.uk.com

To avoid growing pains it’s important to develop the systems and process a bit earlier to support the people as the business grows.

Brian Manning, Chief Executive

Develop your systems and process early

Metro Radio Arena, www.metroradioarena.co.uk

Adapt to change; from technology to marketing. Move with the market place and ensure you keep offering your customers what they want.

Nichola McKenna, Marketing & Commercial Manager

Keep offering your customers what they want

Nicholson Consultancy Limitedwww.nicholsonconsultancy.com


Think “Lean”: engage your employees in improving the business, find ways to add more value for your customers and eliminate

wasted time, effort and money. Result: happier customers, happier employees, and more profit with less effort.

Andrew Nicholson, MD

Think “Lean”

Remote HR Solutions, www.remotehrsolutions.co.uk

page 209

It is important to take a realistic approach in business, whatever stage you find yourself at as plans will change, people around you will change, technology will change and your target market will change - make sure you change with it.

Jo Cameron, HR Consultant

Be realistic


Take 10 minutes out of your day to ask your staff what IT things bug them, or what problems they “just put up with”. You will always find something that can be done that will not only be beneficial to your bottom line, but will increase office productivity and office happiness.

Andrew Read, MD

Fix employees’ IT niggles

Resilient Business Systems Limited, www.resilientsystems.co.uk

???

Contracts & Supplier Management

C O N T R AC T S & S U P P L I E R M A N AG E M E N T

Clive Owen LLP, www.cliveowen.com

Choose a good accountant. Your choice of accountant can be crucial to your business’ development. A good accountant should understand your business sector, give strategic advice, consider all options to legally reduce tax and be approachable. While cost is important, don’t let this be the ultimate deciding factor in your decision making.

Chris Beaumont, Partner

Choose a good accountant

Colley Enterprises, www.colleyenterprises.com

Peter Colley, MD

Outsourcingis not for beginners

Outsourcing is not for beginners. If you don’t use a proven process to set up an outsourcing contract and don’t run it with proper governance then it should be no surprise when it fails.


Event 167, www.event167.co.uk

Katherine Blakey, Co-owner

Pay your suppliers on time

Always pay your suppliers on time, you never know when you might need some flexibility in the future. Happy suppliers can sometimes lead to a slight increase in your profit margins and you can be one of the first to find out about new products and offers before anyone else.

Eversheds LLP, www.eversheds.com

Have you read it...understood it...and does it, honestly, feel the right thing for the business to be doing?

Charles Reynard, Partner

Ask: “Does it feel right?”

page 215


Ensure you have a long-term strategy. Advisers can then help you plan your affairs to meet your goals effectively.

Joanne Regan, Associate Member

Have a long-term strategy

Evolution Business and Tax Advisors LLPwww.evolutionllp.com

Nortelco, www.pronetvip.co.uk

It is easy to be drawn in by cheap deals, but these often represent a false economy with costs appearing in the form of time wasted looking for support or lengthy calls to premium rate numbers. It is always worth paying a little extra to secure a service worth having.Stuart Ross, Business Development Manager

It is always worth paying

a little extra to secure a service

worth having


Primary Times in Tees Valley, www.primarytimes.net/teesside

Russel Warnock, Director & Publisher

The lowest price is not the most important factor

The lowest price is not the most important factor. The level of service and reliability is.

Punch Robson Solicitorswww.punchrobson.co.uk

Keep on top of all of your contracts and get them properly checked by an expert solicitor. Things change quickly in business and even small-scale contracts that are not adaptable or fit for purpose can create big hurdles.

Elaine McLaine, Partner & Head of Corporate & Commercial

Keep on top of all of your contracts


TTA Tony Turner Accountants, www.tonyturner.biz

Don’t shy away from taking advice, but choose your advisers carefully and learn to differentiate between those who have something to say and those who have to say something.

Tony Turner, Owner

Don’t shy away from taking advice

V&A Vigar & Co (Darlington) LLP, www.vigargroup.com

Amanda Vigar, Managing Partner

Read the small print

It’s very easy to unwittingly agree to things you didn’t realise you were signing up for, particularly if you are a small business owner who has to juggle every aspect of the business. So, whether it’s business or personal, read the small print - or it could cost you dear.

NECC is calling on businesses to join together to celebrate everything that makes our region great, as well as looking forward to the next 200 years of North East business.

Since the first meeting of the Newcastle Chamber of Commerce on January 5, 1815 at the Guildhall in Newcastle the Chamber has been a catalyst of positive change for North East business, from the dredging and straightening of the Tyne in 1834 to improvements to

the region’s motorway network and the arrival of aviation to the region in the middle of the 20th Century.

For 200 years the Chamber has been demonstrating the power of our business community coming together through shared knowledge, contacts and collective influence and working together to achieve more than we can on our own. This handy little book provides a taste of the wealth of expertise within our network.

CELEBRATING 200 YEARS OF NORTH EAST BUSINESS

For more on NECC’s 200th anniversary celebrations, including events across the region, go to www.necc.co.uk or use #NECC200 on Twitter

C E L E B R AT I N G 2 0 0 Y E A R S O F N O RT H E A S T B U S I N E S S

S P O N S O R P R O F I L E

We live and breathe business technology. In fact we ‘speak technology’ so you don’t have to. That’s our job. Activ are an award winning independent technology and communications provider based here in the North East of England.

Being independent means we’re not tied to any one network or provider. Our team of industry experts search high and low for impartial solutions tailored to your business.

Day-to-day office and mobile communications, hardware, maintenance, cloud adoption services such as Microsoft Office 365 and much, much more. We’re confident we can help any business get more from their technology for less. Get in touch today and find out how we can help you.

www.helloactiv.co.uk

Over the last three decades, Microsoft has consistently transformed the way that people live, work, play and connect through great technology. We are inspired every day by the genuine belief that we can change the world for the better. We are driving advances in cloud computing, developing new ways for people to interact with technology at home, at work and on the move, while transforming education and public services and supporting the UK economy.

Microsoft is still a young company. We’ve been at the centre of the revolutionary changes that technology has brought to every aspect of our lives and we’ll be at the centre of tomorrow’s transformations. The best is yet to come.

www.microsoft.com

Thank you

T H A N K YO U

We are grateful to our sponsors, Activ Technology and Microsoft, in helping us to produce this publication.

We would also like to thank all of our members who have kindly contributed their business tips and advice.

The quotes, tips and information contained within this publication are not necessarily all original quotes from NECC members. Some of the content includes quotes of others that NECC members apply in their own lives.

The information published within this publication is just that - information and not legal advice. You must not rely on the information as an alternative to legal advice from your lawyer or other professional legal services provider. No warranties or representations are given in relation to the information. NECC and its members accept no liabilities that may arise out of the use or misuse of the information.

Be Part Of It#NECC200

North East Chamber of Commerce (NECC), Aykley Heads

Business Centre Aykley Heads, Durham, England DH1 5TS

tel 0300 303 6322, email [email protected]

To join us or to find out more about the benefits of being an NECC member visit www.necc.co.uk

NECC - The little book of 200 business tips

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