Inside this issue

Latest news and views, including:

Act now on online privacy rulesAvoid the wrath of the regulator

In searchof hot-spots

Take a short-haul flight to the sun

Accident that spurred a

family businessA CEO’s story

HEADlines Up close and personal with rugby-loving city printer Neil Pretsell

Grow green

SCENEFREE!

It pays to benefit the environment

ESSENTIAL READING FOR LOCAL EXECUTIVE LEADERS

Serving 5,000 deciSion-makerS in and around Peterborough

Grow green

News – Penny Lord says the city’s one-to-one business advice service which has been hit by cutbacks couldcontinue with support from local firms

Finance expert columnist Nick Ash looks at the looming double-dip and wonders how it might be avoided

Legal Eagle Colin O’Malley calls for swift action on the forthcoming ePrivacy Directive

Drive – Tim Barnes-Clay tests a car which, he says, is ideal for both business and family use

Webwise – What’s the difference between spyware and trojans? Get the digital marketing know-how from our expert, Stan Nyokas

Clicks & Mortar – Lack of IT skills is putting a strain on firms, says Julian Holmes. PLUS, our health and safety guru looks at training

Workforce – Simon Tytherleigh tells of changes in the unfair dismissal rules. PLUS our HR expertexamines legalities surrounding the paperless office

Skillset – Engage with your customers,says Don Wiid. PLUS our life coach has tips for time-management

Off Duty – Jane Price guides you on a quick trip to less wintery hot-spots

What’s On – Dates for your diary, PLUS Neil Darwin has news of anetworking scheme promoting business across the region

Publisher Heidi SempleEditor Sally HootonSub editor Carol RandallDesign Jim CounsellAdvertising Charlotte Charlesworth

Address: Old School House, Great North Road,Wittering, Peterborough, PE8 6BX

Telephone: +44 (0)1780 783613Email: info@scenepublishing.co.ukwww.thescenemagazine.co.uk

Serving 5,000executives inand aroundPeterborough

ESSENTIAL READING FOR LOCAL EXECUTIVE LEADERS SCENE

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TheBusiness SceneTeam

19An accident at work was the catalyst for asuccessful enterprise

Greener businesses can reap the benefits, says Chas Moloney

30A personal PROfile of Peterborough Rugby Clubchairman Neil Pretsell

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Welcome

04Business confidence islow in Lincolnshire, says Simon Beardsley

CONTENTSNOVEMBER 2011 03

My daughter was fortunate enough to be able todesign her kitchen from scratch. She asked me forsome old-head advice and I said: “Build into theplan a place to hide rubbish and recycling bins.”She now has a pantry, with floor space taken upby large black, green and brown (compost) bins.How good we are getting at being green in

our homes – recycling, turning off taps and lights,lowering the thermostat – to save the planet andour pockets. But I wonder why we are less responsible at

work. How many of us disappear out of the doorwithout a thought to switching off the lights orunplugging devices – even leaving our precious,data-filled computers in ‘sleep’ mode, rather thanactually off.Our cover story in this issue (page 7) advises

companies of all sizes to take a closer look at theirenvironmental policies and to go beyond keepingtheir electricity consumption down or beingmindful of where they dispose of rubbish. Brands are now waving bright green flags at

consumers to attract their custom. Aside fromprice considerations – bargains will always lureus – companies which shout loud their CSR(Corporate Social Responsibility) strategies canstand out from the crowd in the current saturatedand cash-starved marketplace: CSR is now sexy!If your CSR policy still leaves a lot to be desired,

start by attending the water use and abuseconference in the city this month (details, page 6).

All the best,Sally Hooton.

07

04 NOVEMBER 2011NEWS

Afree, one-to-one supportfacility for businesses, which

has been operating in the areafor nearly two years, is to cease – a victim of government cuts.

But staff hope to continue toprovide the training, networkingand grant-provision service as acharity – with financial supportfrom local firms.

Penny Lord, business advisorat UK CEED (Centre for Economicand Environmental Development) – which operates from offices atthe Eco Innovation Centre in CityRoad, Peterborough – believes theBusiness Support project (a part ofUK CEED) can be continued,despite cutbacks. She said: “It'sregrettable the funding for thatpart of the charity has ceased but we now need to change it to become self-financing.

“There has been a bigdemand for the face-to-facesupport provided and we wouldlike to continue to offer this, alongwith support for the grantsourcing. Both areas have been

successful and well received and,with the radical changes takingplace at Business Link, I thinkthere will be a need, goingforward.” The city’s Business Linkface-to-face advice service hasalso been hit by cutbacks.

Penny and the BusinessSupport team are now carryingout an online poll to gauge theinterest in continuing the project.Penny explained how the groupwould operate: “We think for £125per annum, per business, wewould be able to facilitate:l 6/8 training or networkingevents per year.l Grant information in an e-newsletter with information ofother business services availablefor members to access withsupport where possible to accessgrants and any free training.l 1:1 face-to-face business

support – onesession per year of 1.5 hours as part of themembershippackage.l Option to buybusiness advice andsupport at amember’s rate as needed – weenvisage in the order of£60/session of 1.5 hours.l Discounted room hire in the EcoCentre offices in City Road.

“If there are other itemsrequired, firms should let us know.As a charity, our aim is to covercosts on this service. If there is nosupport then we will not be ableto provide this advisory service.”

Give your feedback, visit:www.surveymonkey.com/s/TNDWHWZ or contact Penny Lord, email: p.lord@ukceed.org

Help us survive, says advisor team

Nationwide, businessconfidence is low and that

gloomy outlook is currentlyreflected across Lincolnshire,according to a report from thecounty’s council and chamber of commerce.

The quarterly economicsurvey suggests there are risksfacing the region’s economy,particularly in the manufacturingsector. The Q3 results areweaker than in previousquarters, with businessconfidence decreasing and an average of 54 per cent ofbusinesses operating below full capacity.

Simon Beardsley, chiefexecutive of the LincolnshireChamber of Commerce,described the regional surveyresults as concerning, but

not entirelysurprising. Hesaid: “Many ofthe balances arein positiveterritory, but they

are not as strong as we’d like tosee. The survey shows the realrisks facing the economy and theneed for the Government to actnow in putting business growthat the heart of all its policies.

“For example, cash flowremains a real concern forbusinesses, indicating they areunder financial pressures. Manybusinesses are faced withunfavourable payment termsand a lack of access to capital.”

In the Lincolnshire servicesector, domestic sales andorders have increased thisquarter and 12 per cent ofbusinesses have upped theirstaff levels. But only five per centhave seen an improvement incash flows and just 28 per centare predicting an improvementin turnover.

In the manufacturing sector,sales and orders dropped byeight per cent on Q2. Firms arecutting back on their workforceand the increasing cost of rawmaterials is adding pressure onthem to raise prices.

Beardsley added: “The paceof the UK recovery will remainslow. We can avoid a recession,but this relies on Governmentmaking some tough policychoices. While it is imperativethat the Government persevereswith its deficit-cutting plan, theremust be significant re-allocationof priorities within the overallspending envelope. We need amuch greater focus on thosepolicies that will help businessesexpand, take on more staff,export and invest.

“Businesses need continuousreassurance that there is a planfor fiscal stability and a clearroad map to steer us towards astrong recovery.

“Government must recognisethat business is good for Britainand put in place measures tobolster confidence and supportthose companies that havepotential to grow. That includes acommitment to a Plan A+ forgrowth, with alternative pathsready, in case of further shocksfrom foreign shores.”

NEWSPrepare forthe pensions ‘time bomb’,firms urgedWith less than 12 months to

prepare for the introductionof pensions auto-enrolment,businesses are being urged to act now to get to grips with its requirements.

To help employersunderstand what steps they needto take to ensure compliance,Peterborough accountancy firmRawlinsons is staging a series offree briefings at lunchtimes onNovember 16, 17, 21 and 22.

Auto-enrolment will see allemployees automatically enrolledonto their employer’s pensionscheme. The requirement will bephased in over four years andaffects all staff aged between 22and pension age earning morethan around £7,500 a year.

Rawlinsons’partner, Ken Craig,said: “Businessesneed to be actingnow to ensure theyare aware of thechanges they willneed to make and the necessarysystems they will have to put inplace. The briefings will helpexplain the requirements andtheir implementation.”

The two-hour briefings willtake place at Rawlinsons inLincoln Road, Peterborough.

To book your place, email:Carolyn.lake@rawlinsons.co.uk orcall Carolyn on 01733 568321.

Economic recovery: risk increasingas gloom spreads across region

Penny Lord.

Ken Craig.

Business support group hit by cutscalls for back-up from companies

Franchise deals:upturn in uptakeThe franchising sector is buckingthe downward trend in Britishbusiness with record numbers offirms offering franchises, andindividuals buying opportunities.At a recent reception in

Norwich, MPs, officials from UKTrade and Industry and representatives from major banksheard how more people want tobe their own bosses – and bankshave funds available for them.Professor Roy Seaman, MD of

Franchise Development Servicesin Norwich, said there are nowmore than 1,500 franchisors in theUK and 2,500 businesses lookingto expand in this way. The sector’s turnover was £12.4bn in2010, five per cent up year on year,and employs 500,000 people.

Simon Beardsley.

NEWSNOVEMBER 2011 05

More companies need toparticipate in cross-border

online trading in order to improvecompetition and help attract moreconsumers with lower prices, anew report claims.

The online shoppingexperience has improved forconsumers, with 94 per cent ofcross-border orders beingsuccessfully delivered, says thereport by a working group of theEuropean Consumer Centres’Network (ECCN). However, thestudy highlights some concernswith businesses’ compliance withEU consumer laws and sayswebsites could do more to buildconsumer trust in cross-bordertrading. The report says: 'Themarket needs more traders who

are willing to sell online acrossborders. It seems both traders andconsumers would benefit frommore transparency in the market inthe long-term, as transparencywould contribute to minimise thedifferences for a trader to sell tothe domestic market only or to sellacross borders.

'If more traders would sellonline across borders, it would alsoprovide for a wider range of productsfor the consumers to select from.This would further make themarket more efficient and createhealthy competition in the market,which would ultimately benefit thecustomer with lower prices.'

The ECCN is made up of consumer centres in each of the27 EU member states as well ascentres in Norway and Iceland.The centres deal specifically withcomplaints from consumers aboutcross-border trade. Theorganisations are part funded bythe European Commission andindividual member countries.

The ECCN working groupemployed 17 ‘mystery shoppers’ toconduct tests on cross-bordershopping over the Internet. Theshoppers made 305 purchasesfrom websites across 28 different countries.

Most products were deliveredsuccessfully, but the shoppers werenot always given enoughinformation about whom they weretrading with, correct details oftraders’ returns policies and cost,and information on whether thesites were secure, the report said.

Under the EU’s DistanceSelling Directive, traders mustdisplay contact information,provide details of the final costconsumers can expect to pay forgoods and services, includingdelivery costs and any additionalcharges, and display informationexplaining the consumers’ rights towithdraw from the transaction andreceive a full refund if they returnthe goods received within at leastseven working days unless analternative arrangement is agreed.

Long service rewarded ‘More online traders needed’

Spending on householdessentials such as groceries

and fuel has fallen to its lowestlevel in almost a decade asfamilies become increasinglyconcerned about the UK’s frail economy.

According to the Office forNational Statistics, consumersspent £620 million less on food,

equivalent to £30 per household,during the three months to theend of June, compared with thefirst three months of the year.

Total spending on food was£18.6billion, the lowest quarterlyfigure since the spring of 2002.

Retailers say much of thedifference was due to shoppersswapping premium brands

for cheaper products and own-brand lines. Petrol sales andspending on transport slumpedto a level last seen in early 2000.At £28.1billion it was down£820million, equivalent to £35less per household.

The total spent on expensessuch as holidays, food, clothing,eating out and entertaining over the second quarter fell by £1.6billion.

The downturn in consumerspending was reflected in poorBritish sales figures from Tesco,its worst in around two decades.

With inflation running at 4.5per cent, Scott Corfe, of theCentre for Economics andBusiness Research thinktank,said: “Consumers have seen aprolonged, substantial erosion intheir living standards, which isunlikely to ease until 2012.”

A survey by Legal & Generalsaid more than a million extrahouseholds struggle to pay thebills, compared with a year ago,and 11.5 million homes (aroundhalf) risk sinking into debt.

In June, the Bank of Englandsaid consumers faced severalmore ‘uncomfortable’ years.Household disposable income inthe first three months of the yearwas 2.7 per cent lower than thesame period in 2010 – which was the biggest annual drop inspending power since 1977, the Office for National Statistics said.

Consumer spend: lowest since 2000

Supermarkets such as Tescoand Waitrose vying to win

share with cash-strappedconsumers are highlighting lowprices in marketing campaigns.

Waitrose is launching a newintegrated ad campaignfocusing on its low-costEssentials line, an offer of freehome delivery of goods orderedonline and a pledge to matchprices offered by rivals Tesco onaround a thousand products.

Tesco recently launched itsBig Price Drop initiative, whichinvolves the firm spending £500mto cut the price of 3,000 key own-label products. Ads claimedcertain Tesco lines to be 50 percent cheaper than branded rivals.

The supermarkets’ renewedfocus on value follows therelease of official figuresreporting GDP grew by just 0.1per cent in the second quarter of2011 and unemployment reached

2.51m in the three months to July. A Waitrose spokeswoman is

reported as saying: “Our positionon value has never beenstronger. This campaign has theaim of highlighting that.”

Waitrose marketing director,Rupert Thomas, added: “Ourcustomers are telling us thatvalue is now more importantthan ever.”

Announcing the Big PriceDrop, Tesco specifically cited theUK’s current economic volatilityas having informed thedevelopment of the campaign.

It claimed that around 80 percent of consumers are currentlyexperiencing an income squeeze.

Tesco UK CEO RichardBrasher said: “Across thecountry, families are telling usthe same thing – their budgetsare under real pressure.

“They want more help todayto afford every day essentials.”

Supermarkets’ price warsreflect volatile economy

Thirteen members of the CPFT –Cambridgeshire and PeterboroughNHS Foundation Trust have beenrecognised for clocking up 381years of service in the NHS.

Rosilyn Nightingale, SuzanneWest and Lynne MacDonaldreceived retirement awards after15 years’ service. Lee Brosan,Lesley Lewis, Pat Phillips, Vanaja

Permal, Henri Toh and AnnetteWilliams received awards for 25years’ service. Margaret Freyher,Nobbie Joy, Indira Ramtohul andElizabeth White received awardsfor 35 years’ service.

The CPFT employs 2,500 peopleacross 75 sites in Cambridge,Huntingdon, Peterborough and Fenland.

06 NOVEMBER 2011NEWS

Europeans gatherfor green event

Water usage is ‘the next carbon’issue that businesses,

especially in the food andagriculture sector, need to sit upand take notice of.

That’s the message from chiefexecutive of Corporate Culture andformer head of corporateresponsibility at Anglian Water,Amanda Long. In a presentationgiven to The Chartered Institute ofMarketing’s Food, Drink andAgriculture Group (CIM FDA), sheexplained how the ‘green’ CSR(Corporate Social Responsibility)debate is moving into sustainablebusiness and how water usagecould and should be a core issue.

Water usage is a moreserious issue than we may think.Take our average morningusage – adding up both the waterwe use, and the water used inmanufacturingthe products weuse, in the first15 minutes of

every day we each have a globalwater footprint of 10,000 litres. Withthese sobering statistics in mind, it’sclear that thinking about water isn’t‘wet’ but is imperative.

Long said: “Behaviouralchange is the bit that makessustainability happen. Imagine ifwe could do with water what hasbeen done with recycling; where amajor social marketingprogramme has had a meaningfulimpact not just on the environment,but also on society as a whole.”

She identified three consumer‘mega trends’ which have primedthe ground for water to be the next‘big thing’ in sustainability:•The end of age of abundance: weunderstand our resources are finite•Global citizenship: we have anincreasingly sophisticated

understanding of theglobaldominoeffect of ourbehaviour

•The rise of the ‘citizenconsumer’: we aremore willing to engage‘for’ or ‘against’ issues.

Long said: “Thereality is, oncebusiness ‘gets’ that weare all in the businessof helping consumers live moresustainable lives, then brands,products and services will beincreasingly targeted at meetingthose needs. It will contribute tobuilding a more sustainable futurefor society and more sustainablemarketplaces for business.” Longdemonstrated how companies likePepsico or Unilever – whom shesuggests are leading the way inwater issues – are taking theirstewardship roles seriously.Companies like Anglian Water, orglobal brand giants like Unilever,understand sustainable businessand effecting consumer changehave a demonstrable impact onthe bottom line, she added.

AmandaLong.

Saving water ‘can help bottom line’

Water Connect 2011 – a majorwater and wastewater

conference and matchmakingevent – is being held in theKingsgate Centre in Peterboroughon November 22, bringing togetherpeople from around Europe.

It is being run in conjunctionwith Anglian Water, British Water,the Enterprise Europe Network andthe Eco Innovation ClusterPartnership (EcoCluP), togetherwith UK CEED, and is anopportunity for businesses to meetexperts from the European waterindustry. Some 20 green businessand representatives from acrossEurope will attend and the event isan opportunity to find local andEuropean partners.

Supported by a half-dayconference looking at water usage,there is also an evening networkingsession in the Cathedral, sponsoredby Opportunity Peterborough. Formore details, email: p.lord@ukceed.org

07NOVEMBER 2011 COVER STORY

It pays to benefit the environment, says guest author Chas Moloney.

Chas Moloney is marketing director, Ricoh UK.

T he rise of environmentalregulations is heavily

impacting the way in whichcompanies choose to marketthemselves. Being seen as‘green’ is now increasinglyimportant to a brand, withmany viewing thesecredentials as a way for acompany to gain competitiveadvantage in a crowdedmarket place. Greencredentials increasinglyinfluence buying decisions,whether in the case ofconsumers buying aproduct or companieschoosing to partner withlike-minded suppliers fortheir business needs. So, let’s consider today’s

sustainability landscape,why it is crucial for long-termbusiness innovation and howimplementing greenmarketing practices reapsrewards in the long run.

Positioning the companyGreen, eco-friendly,sustainable, carbon efficient,environmentally friendly – thelist of words associated withbeing green is endless.

However, being ‘green’ nolonger means simply meetingsustainability regulatoryrequirements. Using lesspaper in the office andhaving the odd recycling binin the staff kitchen is a start,but businesses can now lookto more intuitive ways toposition their company aseco-friendly, to employeesand to stakeholders.

Fundamentally, a greenethos must be part of anorganisation’s DNA.

Why sustainability in business mattersJust as the technologyrevolution has streamlinedbusiness practices across theglobe, the drive to adopt asustainable model ispropelling businesses to takea new look at theiroperations. With technology,the step-change did nothappen overnight, asbusinesses took their time toensure the right technologywas being implemented forthe right outcomes. However, sustainability

has a more urgent feel.

Governments are forcingbusinesses in their regions tomeet tighter regulations inline with the strict standardsbeing set by the EuropeanUnion. The 2009 RenewableEnergy Directive sets a targetfor the UK to achieve 15 percent of its energyconsumption from renewablesources by 2020. Also, if theUK is to meet its long-termtarget of reducing greenhousegas emissions by 80 per centfrom 1990 levels by 2050, itwill have to make seriousprogress on its renewableenergy ambitions.

This is where responsiblebusinesses can makesignificant contributions.

Given all this, brandsneed to identify new ways tocement their credentialsamong present and futurestakeholders. As society as awhole strives to embracesustainability and millions ofconsumers actively try tomake greener lifestylechoices, green credentialsare the new status symbol fora business.

In the boardroom, in

many sectors, companies arebeginning to hire dedicatedsustainability or CSR(Corporate SocialResponsibility) directors withthe remit to re-position theirbrand through a moreresponsible lens – oftenusing this as a USP (uniqueselling point) for the company.The CSR directors will belooking for sustainabilityaware practices to beimplemented across thebusiness, including in themarketing team. Chiefmarketing officers (CMO)and marketing teams are nowbeing asked to effectivelycommunicate their company’sgreen credentials as part oftheir complete offering.

Making a green statementIn order to market themselvesas green, organisationsshould set out with the goalof taking a leadershipapproach. Companiesmaking waves with a greenapproach currently includeInnocent and the Body Shop.These brands are renowned

Continued on page 8 >

Grow greenGrow green

08 NOVEMBER 2011COVER STORY

Continued from page 7

for acting in a sustainable wayto underpin green credentialsthroughout all elements of theirbusiness. There are a numberof ways in which marketers canapproach ‘being green.’

One route is through thewebsite, the shop window forany business. Clients lookingat your website will use it toform opinions even if theyhaven’t seen your productsclose up or haven’t yet spokento a representative first hand.Company news, campaign andbusiness information uploadedto a site showcase acompany’s vision and clearlyoutline green positioning. Thiswill help to educate clients andideally should feed positivechatter in the socialstratosphere through channelslike Facebook, Twitter andLinkedIn ensuring that thoseassessing your greencapabilities get it right. This iswhere you must demonstrateyour green ethos, prove yourown adherence to your beliefsand showcase how yourofferings will help clients toachieve the same results.

Another way is in how youadvertise. For companies thatare willing to think one stepbeyond the usual sustainablemarketing tools, it helps tothink on a much bigger scale.Billboards have long beenused as a way to advertise amessage, clearly and quicklyand on a mass scale. But newstandards are now being setwith a move away from thetraditional digital boards as

the focus on energyconsumption and wastageincreases. We ourselves havedeveloped a series of ‘eco-boards’ which are powered byrenewable energy sources,most commonly, solar andwind power so they are only litwhen sufficient energy hasbeen generated. Ricoh hasinstalled eco-boards acrossthree continents, the first in

Osaka, Japan, followed byTimes Square in New York withthe most recent in June, 2011 inLondon. The London boarduses only a fifth of the energyof an LED billboard and aquarter of the energy of afluorescent light billboard.

Finally, there is also howyou package your products,sourced through your supplychain. Sometimes this can be acompelling reason for

purchase if your customersrecognise and appreciate thefact that beyond the product,all the trappings also reflectthat sustainable ethos. It maybe that marketers need tosupport any such initiativeswith an education campaign toraise awareness withaudiences that it’s not onlyabout doing these things, it’sabout why it should matter tothem that they buy from acompany which has a clear,proven green track record andan ongoing commitment.

New technology as a catalystTechnology naturally plays apart in implantingsustainability in anorganisation. The onlinerevolution has helped toreduce the amount of wastepaper generated in the UKthrough unnecessary printingand at the same time, morebroadly, technology hasencouraged us to look athealthier alternatives likedigital printing. State-of-the-artproduction print systemsensure top performance andset new standards ofproductivity, efficiency andquality, working seamlesslywith the new e-marketinginitiatives in businesses today.In digital content, analyticaltools can monitor the click-through rates of embedded

links in these, tracking thesuccess of each one helping toensure the design process canevolve with the success.Making this blended approachinto best practice is simple – marketing departments mustensure that mailing lists arecleaned up regularly, adheringto new subscriptions andmaking sure hard work doesn’tend up as junk.

Not all technology thathelps you go green isexpensive, either. Businessesshould keep up to date with thelatest trends, campaigns andgreen marketing tools that canbe quickly and easily adopted.Goals should be set to keeptrack of progress; not only doesit make you and your team feelbetter about the business, butyour clients and prospectiveclients will see you as activelyadhering to your ethos. Takingthis rounded approach willlead to true eco-friendlycompanies being able to showoff their credentials to standout from their peers.

We believe that the iconicmarketing campaigns of thefuture will feature sustainabilityor green messaging centrally.With growth for globaladvertising spend in 2012 setto increase, and with theLondon 2012 Olympics lessthan a year away, every brandwill be competing for visibilityacross traditional and digitalmarketing channels. Marketersshould lead the way and befearless in their approach,challenging their company tothink in a different andsustainable way. Those thatdon’t, will be left behind.

Ricoh recently launchedEurope’s first 100 per centsustainable ‘eco-board’ inLondon, along the M4, settinga new standard for responsibleadvertising across Europe.Powered by wind and solarpower, it only illuminates when sufficient power iscollected, demonstrating byexample the company’s long term commitment to sustainable business.

Green credentials are the newstatus symbol for a business.

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NOVEMBER 2011 09

Letters will be dropping ontoaround 1.2 million doormats

during the rest of this year,warning people they haveunderpaid their tax, with theaverage amount owed expected tobe £550.

Peterborough accountantsRawlinsons, based in LincolnRoad, is now keen to reassurepeople they won’t be required topay the amount owing as a lumpsum. Instead HMRC will, in mostcases, recover the debt by alteringtax paid in the next financial year.

The annual review of taxpayments saw HMRC refundingan average of £340 to around 3.5million tax payers who hadoverpaid in the year to April 2011.

That process was completedat the end of September and theGovernment is now contactingthose who have underpaid. FormP800s will be sent to those peopleaffected and tax codes for year 2012-2013 reduced accordingly.

This year has seen HMRC’sunderpayment write-offs reducedfrom £300 to just £50.

Tax letters:don’t panic!

10 NOVEMBER 2011LEGAL EAGLES

LEGALEAGLES

Can we avoid the double-dip?

Act now on the ePrivacy DirectiveThe ePrivacy Directive hasbeen hiding in plain sight foralmost two years now, butmarketers remain woefullyuniformed of its implications. Many have held back from

engaging with the law becausethey don’t like its requirementsand they are hoping someonewill succeed in watering the lawdown before compliancebecomes mandatory.

Others have been listeningto opposing points of view on thelaw that are so extreme andirreconcilable that they have noaction plan. Those who havebeen following the law’s pathclosely from proposal, to EU law,national law and, soon, tonational regulatory priority,have a message for everyone:the time to sit back has passed.

The ePrivacy Directive isreal; it will have an impact onthe way businesses collect anduse consumer data. Companiesthat act on this early will benefit.

In her excellent piece aboutthe Directive (Business SceneJuly 2011) a month before the

deadline for the law’simplementation, Opt-4 directorJenny Moseley said the law hadnot been passed by anyindividual country and thatstandards for complianceremained unclear. Since then,the ePrivacy Directive haspassed into law in two of the topthree display markets in Europe(the UK and France), and legalforecasters expect a full five ofthe top six markets to have thelaw on their books shortly, withGermany, the Netherlands andSpain joining in the fun. At thispoint, virtually every global andpan-European advertiser issending millions of display adsinto jurisdictions subject to theDirective and, if they aren’t now,they will be soon. We are nowapproaching the last responsiblemoment to create your proactiveePrivacy Directive strategy.

To be clear, just because wehave a law requiring consent formost online tracking, doesn’tmean we have a clearunderstanding of how regulatorsexpect us to acquire such consent.

This is one of the principlechallenges of the current phase.The law is real, but we’re stillfiguring out what it requires.Many marketers are using thisas an excuse to procrastinate,which made sense in 2010, butcould have disastrous effects oncompanies in late 2011.

What we know:•July 12, 2002: original ePrivacy Directive passed•November 25, 2009:amendments adopted to the Directive•May 25, 2011: deadline formember states to implement the Directive

The Directive applies tocookies used for third partybehavioural advertising, but italso includes cookies used for

Against a deterioratingeconomic backdrop,

speculation about the likelihoodof a ‘double-dip’ recession hasintensified. While a recession isgenerally defined as twoconsecutive quarters of negativegrowth, a double-dip recessionoccurs when an economy fallsinto recession, stages arecovery and then slips back into recession.

The UK economy has grownin every quarter since the fourthquarter of 2009, with theexception of the last threemonths of 2010, during which theeconomy shrank by 0.5 per cent(although this contraction wasattributed largely to the one-offeffect of exceptionally wintryweather). During the secondquarter of 2011, the economy

expanded by only 0.2 per cent,compared with growth of 0.5 percent during the first three monthsof the year. Corporate balancesheets have improved, butgovernment finances are in apoor condition, and inflation andunemployment remain a majorproblem. The global economyalso remains uncertain.

In a recent speech, Bank ofEngland policymaker AndrewHaldane, drew comparisonsbetween the current environmentof uncertainty and the aftermathof the Great Depression, whenPresident Franklin D Rooseveltsaid: “The only thing we have tofear is fear itself.” Following theGreat Depression, the UKeconomy did not return to its pre-crisis level for five years. Incomparison, the US took seven

years to recover, but thenexperienced a double-dip,returning to recession in 1937.

The Organisation forEconomic Co-operation andDevelopment (OECD) haspraised policymakers for theirinitial efforts to avoid a secondGreat Depression. Nevertheless,the OECD also highlighted therisk of a ‘Great Regression’ if theauthorities fail to show the samelevel of determination, warning:“Emergency, short-term actionsthat are not perceived to be part

of a medium-term strategy willonly bring short-term relief.”

Markets clearly don’t likethe uncertainty and as a resultare somewhat unpredictable atthe moment. So now is the time for strong portfoliomanagement and a diversifiedinvestment strategy.

If you need to talk aboutinvesting, inuncertain times,feel free to giveme a call.

Nick Ash is director, will and probate services, Tancreds. Email: nick.ash@tancreds.co.ukor call: 01778 341490. Details here: www.tancreds.co.uk

Financial expertise from Nick Ash

LEGAL EAGLESNOVEMBER 201111

other purposes, includinganalytics, optimisation,attribution and virtually anyother cookie used for ad-relatedpurposes. The scope is wideenough to implicate every siteand every ad delivered in the EU.

What we don’t know:The biggest challenge ininterpreting the law is learninghow to gather consent fromconsumers. The law does notspecify ‘prior consent’ and we’rein the midst of a debate betweenindustry, data protectionauthorities and sometimes withingovernments themselves, onwhether consent can be impliedor must be explicit: The ‘Implied’or ‘Explicit’ consent debate isrightfully the headliner rightnow – it has the potential toswing the market into opt-in forcookie use, with seriousconsequences for onlinemarketing as we know it. Don’tlet anyone tell you we might getaway without making changes.Statements from commissionersand the challenges faced by thecurrent self-regulatoryprogramme are proof of this.

The reality is that regulatorsin multiple important markets(the UK, the Netherlands,Germany, France, etc) havebeen clear that browser settings,in their current form, are not

sufficient. Several have saideven enhanced browser settingswould not be sufficient to cover acompany’s compliance whenusing tracking technologies.

In other words, they may ormay not force the market toexplicit consent, but they willcertainly require substantiveadvancements in the visibility ofnotice about tracking, as well asnew and more granular ways ofproviding user choice.

The time is NOW: While wedon’t yet have clarity on theminimum standard for cookies inthe EU, we know that consentwill be required in some newand more robust form and that, ifwe don’t move forward as anindustry, regulators are likely todefine it for us in detail. And no-one, certainly not consumers,will benefit from interfacesdesigned by regulators.

A creative marketer canthink of all sorts of ways to foldtransparency into a strategic setof messages that further overallbranding objectives. But thisobjective must be achieved inthe next six to 12 months beforethe Information Commisioner’sOffice begins enforcing in the UK(deadline: May 2012) and whilethe debates around consentstandards across the rest of theEU are still subject to influence.You have to find a way to take

the data conversation directly tothe consumer: make sure you ownthe message while you still can.

From an individual corporateperspective, regulators havealready said they are watchingour actions and inaction duringthis phase will be noted whenthe serious enforcement begins.

What to do:1. Understand your exposure byrequesting a cookie audit of allyour websites and an overviewof the media partners used byyour agency, including networksand data sources.2. Provide enhanced notice andchoice. If you do somethingmeaningful to advance thedialogue with consumers, to cluethem in on how and why you areusing their data, you will be in avery defensible position. Bear inmind, this almost certainlyincludes elevating the dialoguebeyond the privacy policy andbringing it forward into highlyvisible locations on ads and onpages where the tracking istaking place. This isuncomfortable territory, but agood marketer can takeadvantage of the flexibility

provided in the current phase.We have an objective to achieve(transparency to the consumeron data practices) and thefreedom to experiment withmultiple methods for achievingthat objective.3. Support Self-Regulation: Jointhe EU self-regulatoryprogramme for behaviouraladvertising, operated by thetrade body IAB EU(www.iabeurope.eu). While thescope of e-Privacy Directive goesbeyond behavioural advertising,the programme is rallyingbehind a single icon that has hadsubstantial traction in the US andis becoming the global standardfor conveying the availability ofinformation about data use to theconsumer. Companies followingthese steps will keep pace withleaders in the market and havea hand in defining standards forhow these topics are raisedwith consumers.

The current phase willreward companies that takecontrol and innovate. Those thatsleep through the next six monthswill find themselves in avulnerable position, both withconsumers and regulators.

– or face the wrath of the regulatorsBusinesses have to take control and

innovate now, says privacy expert ColinO’Malley, chief strategy officer at Evidon.

12 NOVEMBER 2011MOTORING

DRIVEDon’t worry about battling through snow late

for meetings this winter. Business Scene’smotoring correspondent TIM BARNES-CLAYhas been out and about in all weather, test

Since the Insignia hit UKshowrooms in 2009, it has

been an unquestionable salessuccess for Vauxhall.

Decent looks, the choice ofall-wheel-drive models and arange of new technology haslifted its appeal, not only to fleet customers but also retailbuyers. And with many awardsnow behind it – including thecoveted European Car of theYear – it’s no surprise that UK

buyers made it the best-selling mid-size car soon after its launch.

To further boost theInsignia’s competitive position,Vauxhall has now combined itsAdaptive 4x4 system, whichwas previously only availablewith the 2.0 and 2.8-litre petrolengines, with the 2.0-litre160PS CDTi diesel engine. Arare combination in this market

sector, the Insignia CDTi 4x4 hit British showrooms last yearand has now added toVauxhall’s reputation fortechnological innovation still further.

The 4x4 system fitted to theSRi 2.0CDTi 16v hatchbackversion, on test here, combinesthe best characteristics ofconventional mechanical and

hydraulic all-wheel drivesystems, and means that thedriven wheels don’t have tospin before correctivemeasures kick in. This allowsthe car to still maintain safetraction even if three wheelsare on sand or mud and onlyone rear wheel can find grip. In bad weather or on

Perfect for business

The Vauxhall Insignia SRi 2.0CDTi 16v (160PS) 4x4 hatchback.

MOTORINGNOVEMBER 2011 13

treacherous roads, theadvanced chassis systems aredesigned to recognise andavoid danger early enough tosupport you in tricky situations,without detracting from thecar’s dynamic appeal.

Save fuelThe 4x4 technology not onlyhelps out in critical safetysituations, it also detects whenall-wheel-drive is not required,such as on a dry, clearmotorway, and reverts to front-wheel-drive to reducefriction loss and save fuel. It also means that this

Insignia variant is perfect forhauling trailers or for anyoneliving in regions with inclementweather who has to travelregardless of the rain or snow.Indeed, if you are a big towingfan, Vauxhall offers trailerstability assist, which helpsprotect against those dreadedpendulum swings.

Inside, the Insigniaincorporates many high-qualitymaterials which blend togetherto form a classy cabin. The

effect is an interior which is notfar off the refinement levelsfound in some Germanexecutive marques. The onlydownside I could find on mytest car was that in coldweather the steering wheelsqueaked when turned. But the

noise stopped when thetemperature increased. Thisappeared to be caused byplastic materials rubbing oneach other and might just be aglitch that my particular testcar had.

Another example ofhow Vauxhall has raisedthe bar is through itsFlexRide technology. Thiscomes as standard withthe 4x4 chassis systemand gives you the choicebetween three drivingstyles. In addition to thestandard mode, youcan either opt for acomfort-orientated‘Tour’ or a ‘Sport’setting. The Sportmode makes theInsignia drivingexperience moreactive, changing theset-up of interlinked

functions, such as the steering,throttle control and even theambient lighting of thedashboard from a soft white to a fierce red.

Slightly noisyThe only thing that might putyou off the Vauxhall is itsslightly noisy diesel engine. It’snot overly raucous, but it’s notas hushed as some of theexecutive oil-burners fromGermany or Japan. That aside, the large

hatchback seems to have it all:its all-wheel drive system isone of the most sophisticatedon the market; it has a goodcabin; it’s well designed; has amassive boot and drives well. On top of all that, the

Insignia SRi 2.0CDTi 16v 4x4certainly looks credible enoughfor business use: it’ll get you tomeetings, even in the worstweather. But it will also doubleup as a large, safe, family carcapable of towing up to 1600 kg.

driving the Vauxhall Insignia SRi 2.0CDTi 16v (160PS)4x4 hatchback. He reports it is ideal for both workand play – creditable for the office, safe for home use and also capable of towing up to 1600 kg.

Tim Barnes-Clay

Fast facts l Max speed: 135 mphl 0-62 mph: 9.5 secsl Combined mpg: 46l Engine: 1956 cc 16v turbo diesel

l Max power (bhp): 158 at 4000 rpml Max torque (Ib/ft): 258 at 1750-2500 rpml Max towing weight (braked) 1600 kgl CO2: 158 g/kml Price: £26,130

Pros ’n’ consl Decent looks √l 4x4 technology √l Large boot √

l Noisy diesel engine X

and family too

Above, the Insignia’s classy cabin and, below, its spacious boot.

14 NOVEMBER 2011CLICKS&MORTAR

CLICKS&MORTARSocial media use:Brits favour Facebook

Almost three-quarters of BritishInternet users use social

network sites – about 37 millionpeople. Facebook is the mostpopular site with 64 per cent while24 per cent use Twitter. LinkedIncomes third with 21 per centpenetration. So says a surveyfrom InSites Consulting,which studied more than9,000 consumers in 35countries. Prof StevenVan Belleghem, managing partnerat InSites Consulting (pictured),said: “These numbers show socialnetwork sites have penetrated alllayers of society: 16 per cent ofFacebook users are aged 55 andabove. An analysis of the usersshows everyone is there: young,older, employed or unemployed.”

As the weakening economy continues

to dent consumer confidence, newresearch suggestsshoppers will betightening their belts across all categories of expenditure this festive season – and they willbe surfing the web for deals.

The annual YouGovSixthSense Christmas SpendingIntensions Survey says thehardest hit category will be giftsfor family and friends, with justunder a quarter of thepopulation saying they plan tospend less than last year. And itappears to be low-cost itemsthat are highest on the gift listthis year, with books registeringas the most popular, followed byclothing and CDs/DVDs. More

expensive items such aslaptops, tablets andcomputer consoles are at thebottom of the list.

James McCoy, researchdirector for YouGovSixthSense, said: “It isn’t acase of Christmas being

cancelled this year, butdowngraded slightly asconsumers struggle to afford theluxuries of the festive season.”

That cost-consciousconsumer will be flocking to theInternet to check out prices anddeals, says McCoy – the studyshows that 84 per cent ofshoppers will be buying at leastone gift online this year.Furthermore, almost a thirdintend to buy all or most of theirChristmas gifts via the Internet.

“Consumers have becomerather savvy in their bargain

hunting, particularlyat Christmas,” hesaid. “Internet dealsand last minutebargains allow fora significantsaving, even if it means a bit of extra work.”

A fifth of consumers plan tocut back on the amount theyspent last year on decorationsand cards and even food anddrink is likely to suffer, with 16per cent planning to cut spend – bad news for the UK’s largestgrocery retailers, whose saleshave suffered as shoppers turnto discounters.

However, there’s a glimmer ofhope: while half the populationwill stick a set budget, the otherhalf usually spends more thanplanned and a third admit theyplan to splash out.

James McCoy.

Shoppers tighten Santa’s belt

CLICKS&MORTARNOVEMBER 2011 15

Stanislas Nyokas is founder of iTotalMarketing, Peterscourt, City Road,Peterborough. Call 01733 294551. www.itotalmarketing.co.uk

Harmful computer programscan be very damaging to

you and your business. Becauseof misconceptionssurrounding them, we need to discuss the main differencesbetween malware and spyware, trojansand viruses.

IntrusiveSpyware is softwarethat doesn’t deliberately

harm your PC, but createsaccess paths in which a personother than the computer ownercan contact the PC. Normally,spyware records the variousInternet sites you visit, data laterutilised by web marketers toenable them to create emailsand sometimes some annoyingpop-ups. Spyware has its ownseparate executable programswhich permit the recording ofyour keystrokes, scan files inyour hard drives and check outother programs you employincluding, although notrestricted to, chat programs,social network interactions andInternet browser configurations.

The spyware then sends thedata collected to the spywareauthor. This agent will make useof the data for marketing andadvertising purposes and cansell it to parties who have avested interest in knowing theuser’s experience.Malware can seem to be a

legitimate type of free software.Advertising materials arepacked into software or aprogram and are installedinstantly once those programsare added to the computer.Some types of malware,however, download advertisedcontent – like a free applicationthat I installed inadvertentlywithout completely reading theassociated terms and conditions.

Unfortunately, the majority ofmalware programs take on the same behaviour as

spyware – that is, theytrack and report userinformation toprogram authors.

Some signs andsymptoms of spywareinfections include pop-up ads thatappear not to beassociated with thewebsite you’reviewing. Generally,

spyware pop-ups are ads aboutadult content. If your PC slowsdown and performs less wellthen usual, there is a chancespyware or other undesirableprograms have infected yourmachine. It’s best to scan yourPC for possible spyware infection.

DestructiveTrojans and viruses aredestructive types of software.These were designed for onepurpose alone: to wreak havocon your computer. They destroywhatever they are in contactwith, can initiate self-replicationand will infect as many aspectsof the device’s operating systemor network as possible. We haveseen some sophisticatedprograms that open computerfirewall doors from inside andgive control of a machine tohackers to initiate a denial ofservice attack on someone’snetwork, using your resources

Although there are solutions,they do not block all maliciousprograms. Lots of anti-virussoftware also checks forspyware and malware andsome programs destroy them.Regularly update your virus orspyware scanner to make sureyour PC remains secure. Whendownloading free software, donot be misled by ads – find aprogram which does not containmalware, which could bespyware in disguise. Also, put ahost-intrusion detection firewallsystem on your machine toincrease the safety of your PC.

A virus, spyware or trojan?Learn to spot the difference

IT expertiseby Stan Nyokas

16 NOVEMBER 2011

17NOVEMBER 2011

18 NOVEMBER 2011

Peterborough accountancyfirm Winham Hughes has

expanded and moved offices tocope with demand from new andexisting clients.

Just two years after openingfor business, and with a growingworkforce, partners SallyWinham and Paul Hughes havemoved to larger premises.

They took what they describeas a calculated risk, starting thecompany in 2009 when thecountry was in the depths ofrecession. But it was a risk thatpaid off. Their client list has more thandoubled and, bytaking on new staff,they have been ableto extend services.

Becky Thrift hasjoined the businessproviding additionalservices such as on-site payroll andbookkeeping.

The team has

also been joined by trainee ToriBradshaw – who splits her timebetween college and WinhamHughes’ new office in ForderWay, Cygnet Park, Hampton.There is also further help fromsupport staff.

Sally said: “This is anexciting move for us and willopen up new opportunities.”

The company has becomeinvolved in sponsorship ofPeterborough Regional College’sannual awards and it has alsoorganised its first seminar.

www.winhamhughes.co.uk

CLICKS&MORTAR

Ioften get asked what trainingpeople need when they join acompany and the answer couldbe: “Well, it depends.” But Ibelieve a good induction into acompany is time well spent.

The employee will settleinto the business quicker andwill start to feel some ownershiptowards the company earlier.Even a 15-minute induction onday one is better than nothing,but more structured inductioncould prove more beneficial.

It should cover more thanhealth and safety. It should giveinsight into the company’sbeliefs and aims. It should bespread over a number of daysand include a review with amanager after a few weeks.

On day one, it is importantto run through significant risksin a business and how they arecontrolled. Basic health/safetyrules should be explained andyou should get some form ofconfirmation that the employeehas been paying attention(hopefully, no snoring!). Theemployee’s direct managershould be involved in explainingthe emergency procedures.

Further days should focuson the main policies andprocesses, an introduction tokey personnel on the site,including safety representativesif they are present.

As for on-going training, thefollowing courses would begood for most organisations:l Risk assessmentl Manual handlingl Office safetyl General health and safety awareness

l COSHHl Fire safety.

With a background in engineering andmanufacturing, Colin Nottage runs Stamford and Bristol-based consultancy Safety Horizon. Email him:colin.nottage@safetyhorizon.com or callFreephone 0845 689 0075. Find out more,here: www.safetyhorizon.com

Practical advice from healthand safety expert, Colin Nottage

Training and competence

Obviously, there will be othertraining and assessment needs ifemployees are welding, drivingor operating machinery, or workat height/in confined spaces.

For more proactiveorganisations, consider these:l Employees: One-day IOSH Working Safely

l Supervisors: Two day SSSTS or three-day CIEH Health and Safety courses

l Managers: IOSH Managing Safety (four-day) or SMSTS (five-day)

l Directors: IOSH Directing Safely (one-day).You may also wish to train

an employee to become yourcompetent health and safetyadvisor. To do this consider theNEBOSH General certificate andthen a NEBOSH Diploma (thereare many other equivalentcourses on the IOSH website).

Whatever you consider, makesure people attend. If you run acourse for eight people and onlysix turn up, the course hasincreased in cost by 25 per cent.

Finally, there is a differencebetween training andcompetence. Training is whenyou receive some input from acolleague, a manager or on abespoke or accredited course.Competence is when you areable to demonstrate the learningin the workplace in a positivefashion. Make sure your trainers challenge youremployees to demonstrate thatcompetence; get them to walkthe walk.

Call me for a training matrix you can adapt for your business.

New office for growingaccountancy practice

More than 60 per cent oforganisations are

compromising their ability tomeet new business demandsbecause they lack skilled ITstaff, sparking the need for amassive recruitment drive.

That’s the finding of a UKsurvey by UPMentors, whichpolled more than 100 ITmanagers on their main focus of change this year. A further 15 per cent said they need toaddress the lack of talent andskills by ensuring existing staff were educated on new IT developments.

Despite this proposedinvestment inrecruitment,eight per cent ofIT managers arestill looking forways to cut costs

by identifying and removingwaste in IT processes andprojects. With plugging skillsgaps a priority, only two percent of managers will focus oninvestment in new technologiesthis year.

Julian Holmes, co-founder of UPMentors, said:“Maintaining a high skills level,particularly with competition fornew business at its highestsince the recession, is clearly apriority, but finding good qualitypeople may prove challengingand force employers to look tothe contract market to bolstertheir in-house capability.

Companies which areinvesting in training to raise theskills of their people will receivea double benefit of increasedcapability, loyalty and motivationfrom existing employees thatwill no doubt make a differenceto the business.”

Lack of IT skills putsstrain on companies

Julian Holmes.

Pictured below, from left, are: Paul Hughes,Becky Thrift, Tori Bradshaw and Sally Winham at the new office.

19NOVEMBER 2011

BUSINESS BREAK

BUSINESS BREAK

Accident sparked a global operationDave Watling’s father was a

hard-grafting farm labourerwith a strong work ethic heinstilled in his children. When hebroke his spine in an horrificaccident at work in 1977, his ordealspurred son Dave onto a careerpath which has since gone global.

Born in the tiny hamlet ofHope Pole, near Deeping StJames, Dave had worked in avariety of engineering andfabricator roles all around thePeterborough area . . . but he sawa gap in the market for anapproved wheelchair repairservice in the region and hisbusiness, the MobilityAids Centre, was born.

Based inStanground, the NHS-approvedcompany has aworkshop fitted withthe latest testequipment andprovides a repairsservice for customersboth local and furtherafield – Dave countstheoretical physicistStephen Hawkinamong his morefamous clients.Through its sistercompany, AmillyInternational, it alsoimports parts andproducts – fromwalking sticks toelectric scooters andceiling hoists to

stair and bath lifts – to assistthose with varying degrees of mobility problems.

A registered assessmentcentre which also holdsconferences and teaching days,Dave’s company has beenstaffed by family and friends – around 25 of them now – whohave stayed loyal to the business down the years.

That continuing loyalty isbecause, as Dave says: “We allget on really well and have agood time together; my brother,my son and all our friends. I’venever had to advertise a job!”

The companyprovides personalservice and care forits customers. Daveadds: “If someone hasa wheelchair thatgets a puncture, orthe brakes fail, wehave a gang of ladsin vans and one ofthem will go out andfix it.”

The engineersare all fully trainedand pride themselveson quality serviceand high standards ofcustomer care.

Dave adds:“Once, I drove formiles out to a ladywho was having aproblem, only to findwhen I got there thather equipment

charger had been simplyunplugged without her realising.It wasn’t a problem and wecertainly didn’t charge her forthe call-out.

“These things happen.”Dave says his business

– which has held the servicecontract with Peterboroughhospital for more than 30 years – has been weathering theongoing financial storm: “Likemost people, we have suffered abit in this economic climate, butwe are still quite busy: we servearound 24,000 disabled peoplefrom all over the area and wetravel across America andbeyond sourcing and importingnew equipment and parts,supplying customers all over the world.”

So, what began as a terribleaccident for Dave’s late father – who stoically learned to walk

The centre – which offers all kindsof mobility aids (left) – has grownover time but has always beenbased in Stanground.www.themobilityaidscentre.co.uk

David Watling (pictured aboveright) and son Jason (on the left)

received recognition from fellow healthcare industry

members when they won the 2005 Retailer of the Year Award.

again after the accident in whicha 30-foot ladder fell on him – hasresulted in an enterprise whichreally does care for both itscustomers and staff.

Dave, now 65, sums up: It’sbeen a busy life but we enjoyevery day. And that’s what Ithink is really important.

“Everyone I work with – andwork for – is actually a goodmate. We have staff parties anda lot of fun. I have really enjoyedmy business life.”

Get your enterprise featured on our Business Break page. Email your details to: info@businessscene.co.uk

20 NOVEMBER 2011WORKFORCE

WORKFORCE

Experts suggest thenumber of

discrimination claimsbought by employeeslast year could double to around half a millionthis year in light of new legislation.

Keeping up to datewith those changes isvital for employers toavoid boosting thatstatistic further. That wasthe message at thisyear’s annualEmployment LawBriefing organised byPeterborough-basedfirms Anne CorderRecruitment andHegarty LLP Solicitors.

Martin Bloom,Hegarty LLP partnerand employment lawexpert, warned there islikely to be a sharp risein the amount of claimsfrom 285,000 as a resultof the new associativeand perceptivediscrimination rules.

He said: “These newstrands of discriminationleave employers morevulnerable, soawareness is vital. Anemployer can nowclaim discrimination notjust because of their sex,race or religion, forinstance, but because ofassociated or perceived

characteristics. Forexample a mother whois discriminated againstin the workplace as aresult of her youngchild’s disability couldbring a case. Similarly,a Christian manharassed because of hiswife’s Muslim faith couldbring a case.” Martingave various examplesduring his recentpresentation to around200 HR professionals atthe East of EnglandShowground inPeterborough. He wasjoined by colleaguesTim Thompson andEmma Carter who

discussed case law andsickness absence.

The seminar is akey date in the businesscalendar for news andadvice on employment.

Anne Corder said:“These are all importantissues whichcompanies need to beup to date with.”

For future seminardiary dates, visit:www.annecorder.co.uk

Employment law briefingpresenters, from left:Emma Carter, Tim

Thompson, Martin Bloom and Anne Corder.

Keep up with changesin employment laws

Home deliveriesspark rise indays off sick

More than 1.4 million Britishworkers admit to taking a

work day as sick leave so theycan wait at home for deliveriesand service providers, a surveyshows. Field service technologyprovider Trimble andresearcher OnePoll found thathome deliveries are becominga headache for employers.

But Andrew Yeoman, MD ofTrimble Fleet Solutions inEurope, said modern fieldservice management solutionsprovide customers with ashorter time window: “If morecompanies were to make useof technology, people wouldnot have to take suchdesperate measures to taketime off work.”

WORKFORCENOVEMBER 2011 21

Legality of a paperless office

The Government has confirmedit is increasing the qualifying

period for employees to be ableto claim for unfair dismissal – from one year of employment to two years. The reform will takeeffect from April 2012.

There had been doubts thatthe increase would result in moreemployer confidence to recruit,but survey figures revealed thatraising the qualifying period wouldsee a drop in tribunal claims.

Simon Tytherleigh,Cambridge-based partner atinternational law firm Eversheds,said: “While this news willundoubtedly receive a hostilereception among the tradeunions, it will be welcomed byemployers as tangible evidence

of the Government’s stated aim ofreducing employment red tape.

“Concerns will remain thatincreasing the period mayencourage new litigation, forexample, to challenge its impacton women – a challenge that wassuccessful when the qualifyingperiod was previously set at twoyears. However, thebasis of such a claimis uncertain and woulddepend on complexstatistical evidence.Employees may seekto circumvent theperiod by submitting tribunalcomplaints on other grounds, suchas whistle-blowing ordiscrimination, for which thequalifying period does not apply.”

Unfair dismissalperiod is doubled HR expertise from

Andrew Linford

Andrew Linford is director, Cirrus:human resources

software andservices specialists.

Alocal firm will discover thismonth whether it has won

an award as the Best SmallFamily Business.Advance Performance has

stores in Peterborough andCambridge providing goods forpeople who exercise and thecompany is a finalist in the

Midlands FamilyBusinessAwards – to bepresented at a

Limbering up for awardgala event on November 17 inBirmingham. The proceeds of the gala evening are givento charities supporting young enterprise.Managing director of

Advance Performance,Samantha Hale, of Yarwell,began her career some 25years ago as a professionalgroom to an Olympic eventrider. She moved into retailand then, from her backbedroom, formed her ownsports-related retail business.

paper-free working environment.With such a solution, documentscan be electronically stored andlinked to employee records andaccessed as required.

Businesses are legallyobliged to gather and store up-to-date staff records, such as:l Hours worked and workerswho have agreed to work morethan 48 hours (to meet theworking time directive)l Pay rates, to meet the statutoryrequirement to issue workerswith pay statements and toensure the employer is payingthe minimum wagel Payroll, for HM revenue and customsl Sickness of more than fourdays and statutory sick pay paidl Accidents and injuries (to meethealth and safety requirements)l Retirement benefits scheme,notifiable events such as relatingto incapacityl Maternity, adoption andpaternity pay records.

You are more likely to leaveyourself open to security andlegislative breaches if you run apaper-based system. Perhaps acaveat in your email is not sucha bad idea.

We are all aware of the benefitsof a paper-free workplace. It

makes perfect sense to storedocumentation electronically as itis far more cost-effective thanprinting and filing hard copy. We are reminded of the

environmental benefits of goingpaperless each time we receivean email with the ‘consider theenvironment before printing thisemail’ message. But how many ofus appreciate the full legal benefitsof electronic storage?

Who would include the phrase‘consider the legal implications:don’t print and file this document’in the next email sent to HR?

Every day, HR and payrolldepartments produce and receivereams of paper documentationcomprising sensitive informationincluding employment contracts,pension details, payslips, healthand safety records and more. Allthis has to be retained, but thinkwhat the implications would be ifthis were to go missing or fall intothe wrong hands. An HR nightmare!Yet, many businesses still permitpaper-based circulation and filingof sensitive HR and payroll details.

But there are a number of HRsoftware solutions that precludethe need for paper records. Thecreation, circulation, storage andretrieval of documents and datacan all be done electronically, sothere is little need for printing,posting and filing documents.

Electronic documentmanagement technology canintegrate with an organisation’snetwork to provide a more

SimonTytherleigh.

Samantha Hale.

22 NOVEMBER 2011SKILLSET

SKILLSETEmployability: putit on curriculum

To help combat rising youthunemployment, a trainingprovider has suggestedemployability should betaught in the classroom.

Figures from the Office forNational Statistics puts youthjoblessness at just under amillion – its highest level sincethe early 1990s. In response,Mike Lee of Working Links,which delivers programmes tohelp get people back to work,says youngsters need to begiven the right skills andknow-how to find work. Hesaid: “There needs to be morecorrelation betweenmainstream further and highereducation courses and thelabour market. Young peopleare not getting the messagesabout what employers want.”

Poor foreign languageskills cost small

British businesses £21billion per year, theForum of PrivateBusiness has warned,pointing to researchfrom Cardiff University,which has showed thatUK firms lose out on contracts through lack oftranslation expertise.

Another study showed thedemand for non-English languageskills in large Europeancompanies is greater than thedemand for English – often seenby UK SMEs as the internationallingua franca, the commonlanguage of business.

To help counter the problem,the Forum has launched a newlanguage service for SMEs inconjunction with PeakTranslations. Featuring expert

translators in all majorlanguages, and withexperience in a wide rangeof industries, the service willhelp with translation oftenders, contracts, manuals,corporate literature andwebsites, localised to suitspecific markets and will

also provide face-to-face andtelephone interpreting services.

The aim is to lessen‘Anglophone complacency’ withinsmall firms. Four elements werefound to be associated withsuccessful export performance:having a language strategy,appointing native speakers, havingstaff with language skills andusing qualified interpreters.

An SME investing in these wascalculated to see an export salesproportion 44.5 per cent higherthan one without such investments.

The Forum’s chief executive,

Phil Orford, said: “Export marketscan be extremely lucrative forBritish businesses but too few aretrading internationally at present orexploring it as an option.

“The Forum(www.fpb.org) providessolutions to real businessproblems and we aredelighted to launch thislanguage service.”

Forum member MattHardman, of the Bacon Factory inBury, Greater Manchester, hasexperienced language barrierswhen exporting his products. Hesaid: “We have used web-basedtranslation services in the past andthey are often littered with errors.Once, when translating ingredientsinto French, the service suggested‘preservatives’ be translated as‘preservatifs’. Even with my poorgrasp of French, I knew that wasthe translation for condoms.”

PhilOrford.

Learn a language, SMEs told

SKILLSETNOVEMBER 2011 23

When making a purchasedecision, especially if it’s of

any substance or expense, wedo our research first. Would youbuy a car, a laptop or a TVwithout first having a look onlineto see what’s out there? The Internet has empowered

our customers, who are now ableto buy from whom they wantand, perhaps more importantly,when they want. In order tosurvive and succeed, ensureyour business is meeting theneeds of modern buyers. Thismeans changing your mindsetfrom ‘what marketing can do foryou’ to ‘what marketing can dofor your customer.’Sales professionals insist that

marketers are hoarding toomuch of company budgets,misleading customers withunrealistic offers and, ultimately,limiting their chances ofincreasing sales revenue. Theyare spectacularly missing thepoint. The focus shouldn’t be onwhether the marketingdepartment is killing sales, or ifthe sales department is killing

marketing, but on how they canutilise each other successfully.

By selling to qualifiedprospects, the salesprofessionals would not onlyboost their own conversion rates,they would also use their timemore efficiently. Achievingalignment between marketingand sales departments is thelargest opportunity for improvingbusiness performance today.

When marketing and salesteams align around a singlerevenue cycle, they can createdramatic improvements inmarketing ROI, salesproductivity and top-line growth.CRM (Customer RelationshipManagement) enables this.

EngageSoftware packages such asMicrosoft Dynamics CRM enablemarketing to build relationships,before passing qualifiedprospects over to sales. This islead nurturing – the practice ofbuilding relationships withprospects, by sending themtargeted, relevant information.

Convert Microsoft CRM allows you toscore leads easily andeffectively, with minimal timeand expense to your business.Leads can be automaticallyscored on behavioural activity,including website visits – wherevisitors are tracked.

This means prospects with astronger interest can be placedon an accelerated sales path,while communications are scaledback with less interested leads.

An effective leads-scoringpolicy means passing fewer buthigher quality leads to sales. Aten per cent increase in leadquality equals a 40 per centincrease in sales productivity. Bynot wasting their time on lowerquality leads, sales reps focustheir time on higher quality onesto produce better results.

ExpandIt is up to eight times cheaper tosell to an existing customer. Sowhy wouldn’t you? Often, thereason is you put in such a hugeinvestment to find new

customers, there is no time left toworry about existing ones. WithCRM, the heavy lifting ofmaintaining the relationship withyour customer is done for youand helps you find cross and up-selling opportunities.

The underlining message is:whether it takes days or months,you are converting leads intoclients via an automated approachtailored to the individual.

It sounds easy and, with thehelp of products such asMicrosoft CRM, it really can be.By working more closely togetherand having access to details ofthe prospect at both levels, thesales/marketing relationship issimplified. CRM is not just a toolthat enables you to look back ata client's activity but one thatcan enable you to approach theright people and drive morebusiness to your company.l Don Wiid is founder ofContact Edge CRM: www.contactedgecrm.com Learn more about how CRMcan help your business, turn topage 26.

David Grundy is managing director of Tuit Achievements and offers a free 30-minute taster session.Email: david@tuitachievements.com or telephone: O1733 210464 or 07894 705293.

Twitter: tuitdoit Facebook david@tuitachievements Web: www.tuitachievements.com

Do you have something to dothat you know is really

important, and would benefit youand your business? Do you find,somehow, you never seem to getround to it?

Be

aware that the time and energy‘vampires’ are around us all yearlong, not just at Hallowe’en! Theycome in different forms and arereal time and energy suckers, draining a valuableresource which can only be usedonce and comes at a price – your time.

These friends, colleagues orclients come in a number offorms. Some create hurdles orexcuses to prevent you changingor doing something. Others arechronic complainers, ‘pity mepeople’. Tim Smit (CEO of the

Eden Project) said: “Get rid of thenegative people in your life:surround yourself with positivepeople who believe in you andinspire you.” Radical perhaps, themessage, ‘to spend time wiselywith people who will help you andinspire you’ is likely to have amuch more positive effect on you.

Creating effective habits is acritical success factor. StephenCovey’s ‘The 7 habits of highlyeffective people’ is myrecommended reading.

So, watch out for thosevampires! Here’s my top five tips:

1. Meet peoplewho willinspire you.2. Be assertive and learn to say ‘No’.3. Eat the ugly frog. Do theunpleasant job first. 4. Don’t be a slave to your phoneand emails; you manage them! 5. Make lists and cross off taskswhen done. It feels really good.

l If you would like to improveyour business or personal performance, check out my website or contact me:

Tips for time-management andavoiding energy ‘vampires’

Skills expertise with

DavidGrundy

Until you value yourself, you will not value your time. Untilyou value your time, you will not do anything with it.

M. Scott Peck, author.❞

❝

Engage with existing customers Embrace CRM, says Don Wiid

NOVEMBER 2011TRAVEL24

OFF DUTY

In search Morocco

The ‘Arab Spring’ civil protests,which began last winter, haveaffected tourist numbers toNorth Africa and, althoughMorocco was unaffected bythe unrest, prices havebeen and are still low. Sothis would be a great

The Cape Verde Islands (map below)boast amazing beaches.

time to bag a bargain.For a relaxing beach

holiday, with temperaturespleasantly warm ratherthan sweltering, Agadir, onthe Mediterranean coast,

offers great accommodation,both on the beach and in the city,

from B+B to fullboard. I wouldrecommend theB+B option,leaving you freeto explore theremarkablefusion of worldcuisines and, asMorocco is

outside the eurozone, it offers great value for money. Agadir is a relatively new city, having been rebuilt,

beside the sea, some three miles from its originalposition after a devastating earthquake levelled it in1960. It therefore lacks the character and culture of theancient Marrakech; which is great for an inland citybreak. Like Marrakech, Agadir has a vibrant night life,with many larger hotels boasting clubs and discos.

With uninterruptedsunshine from

November to May,temperatures thataverage between 24Cand 30C year-round, andsea temperatures around20C, this still little knowngroup of ten islands offthe coast of West Africadeserves its place on ourlist of winter sundestinations. The time difference is

just one hour behindGMT – so no jet-lag!The culture blends

West Africa, Portugal andBrazil and, while most ofthe larger hotels are onthe islands of Sal andBoa Vista, it’s a

Cape Verde Islands perfect place for islandhopping, with smallerhotels available on manyother islands. The islandsrange from green andverdant to dramaticvolcanic lunar landscapeswith the most amazingand pristine sweepingwhite beaches. It’s a perfect location

for ‘fly and flop’ or, if youprefer, there is greatsailing, windsurfing,diving and sports fishingavailable. Hotelaccommodation variesfrom 5* all-inclusiveluxury to 3* budget B+B,with prices to match.

Pictured: Marrakech isan ancient, inlandalternative to thesurprisingly vibrant new city of Agadir(below), with itsrelaxing coastline; perfect for horseriders!

TRAVELNOVEMBER 2011

The Canaries

Travel correspondentJANE PRICE revealsthe best places to go this winter for aquick trip to the sun.

Take a short flight to the hot-spots

25

of winter warmersAs Britain shivers its way toward the festive season,

warmer destinations are coming into their own.With temperatures from the balmy to the downrighttoasty, these mid-haul locations will guarantee youwinter sun, without having to fly halfway round theworld! All these destinations are within a six-hourflight from UK airports and there is something forevery budget.

Perennially popularwith everyone from

celebrities to the workingman and woman, theCanaries offer year-roundsunshine, with almostunlimited hotels andholiday complexes to suitevery pocket. Choosefrom 2* self-cateringapartments to 5* luxuryhotels – and don’t forgetthe option of villas withprivate pools and carhire, suitable for couples,families and large andsmall groups of friends. With temperatures

hovering between 18Cand 24C in the wintermonths, it feels more like summer to us sun-starved Brits!

Good value for money,particularly in the all-inclusive sector,there’s an island to suiteveryone. From laid-backparty central GranCanaria, windyFuerteventura (perfect forwind and kite surfing),family-orientatedLanzarote with itsextraordinary lunarlandscape and black sandbeaches – to the moreupscale Tenerife, with itsmany 5* hotels, theCanaries have somethingfor everyone. Choose from vibrant

Playa de las Americas, orthe nearby but quieterCosta Adeje on Tenerife,or the Maspalomas areaof Gran Canaria with itsgiant sand dunes. Thanksto new flight operatorsand schedules fromvirtually all of the UK’sairports, you are nolonger limited to sevenand 14 night stays – thesedays, four or five nightsare popular, as are ten,11 and 12-night breaks. Perfect for that winter

getaway!

Picture postcard: A sunseeker’s view from Lanzarote.Below: Blooming marvellous in southern Tenerife.

For details of thebreaks featuredhere, contact: Jane Price at Hays Travel.

Tel: 08000 141 833 or01733 808330 or email: jane.price@hays-travel.co.uk

or visit the web page:www.hays-travel.co.uk/janeprice

26 NOVEMBER 2011DIARY DATES

Afree interactive workshopaimed at business owners,

marketing professionals andcompany directors, takes placeon November 17 at the OrionBusiness Centre, Stamford.

The workshop – ‘Convert,Engage and Expand: GrowingYour Customer Base withMicrosoft CRM’ – will givedelegates unique insight intohow the Microsoft DynamicsCRM software package – and other similar solutions – can help get their businessesnoticed, boost overall salesproductivity and focus theirmarketing efforts to provide aproven return on investment

(ROI). Hosted by local CRM (customerrelationshipmanagement) expertDon Wiid, ofContactEdge CRM,the four-hourworkshop will raiseawareness of the reasons whycompanies – when they get to asufficient size – would benefitfrom CRM. The workshop is freeto businesses with at least fiveemployees – but places areextremely limited. For moreabout CRM expertise, turn topage 23. Contact Don on 01780480031 or visit his website:www.contactedgecrm.com/seminar

DIARY DATESNovember 8-10 ManchesterCentral Convention Complex 2011Chartered Institute of Personnel andDevelopment (CIPD) Conferenceand Exhibition: how HR can helpyou thrive in a fast-paced culture.First keynote by Sir Terry Leahy,former CEO of Tesco. Details:www.cipd.co.uk/ace

November 16, 17, 21 & 22Peterborough, Lincoln Road,Rawlinsons accountants office Getto grips with the introduction ofpensions auto-enrolment – freetwo-hour lunchtime briefings series.See details on page 4. To book, emailCarolyn.lake@rawlinsons.co.uk orcall Carolyn on 01733 568321.

November 17 Peterborough,Embankment Road, Key TheatreBondholder Lunch (12-2pm: forbondholders; see story below right),organised by OpportunityPeterborough. Discussing the USand EU marketplaces. More detailshere: www.opportunitypeterborough.co.uk/events or telephone 01733 317417.

November 18 Kettering Park Hotel &Spa, Kettering Parkway EastNorthants Breakfast, organised bythe Leicestershire, Northants andRutland FSB – Federation of SmallBusinesses. Event is held every thirdFriday of the month (7-9am).More information is available here:www.fsb.org.uk/leics-northants-rutland

November 24 Peterborough, 7 Bridge Street, Enterprise CentreBusiness Planning Workshop – writing a business plan doesn’thave to be difficult. Practical guide;a workshop run by qualifiedexperts. To book, call 0845 6099991.

November 22 Peterborough,Kingsgate, Parnwell Water Connect2011 – European networkingopportunity plus a half-dayconference on water wastage andgreener usage. See page 6 oremail: p.lord@ukceed.org

November 30 Grantham, EastMidlands Centre for Learning,Litton House, Londonthorpe RoadLow Cost, No Cost, High GainHype – social media for smallbusinesses: what’s in it for you? Afree event (9.30am-4pm), hosted byAngle Technology. Find out more,email: innovationevents@angleplc.comor call: 0800 848 8840.

Calling all local businesses!Support is required to help

boost Peterborough’s economicgrowth and bring freshinvestment to the city.

Businesspeople can help byjoining the Bondholder scheme – which offers a programme ofhigh quality networking eventsto bring together localprofessionals to improve theregion’s business environment.

Hosted by OpportunityPeterborough, the bondholderscheme offers free networkingopportunities, free or discounted

subscriptions to member services and access to a monthly insight newsletter.

Neil Darwin, director ofeconomic development atOpportunity Peterborough, said:“With membership fastapproaching 700 businesses, thebondholder scheme offersfantastic networkingopportunities for localcompanies. It’s free to join andfree to attend our breakfast andlunch events, so I’d encourageall local businesses keen to meet new customers and

partners to sign up.”The free

bondholdermembership onlytakes a minute toregister – tocomplete theform, visit: www.opportunitypeterborough.co.uk/bondholder

Ripe for investmentPeterborough is expanding andchanging into a city ripe andready for investment andOpportunity Peterborough – a not-for-profit group workingalongside the city council – is

Don Wiid.

Neil Darwin.

Join networking scheme tohelp promote city business

aiming to work with localbusinesses, as bondholders, to make the most of their environment.

Members are asked to helpspread the word about the cityand its business opportunitiesand potential, raisingPeterborough’s profile andbringing in new investment,businesses, employees and customers.

The next bondholdernetworking lunch takes placeon November 17 at the city’sKey Theatre. More informationabout the scheme andforthcoming events areavailable on the website: www.opportunitypeterborough.co.uk/events

Grow your customer base

There was a largeturn-out of localbusinesspeople at the most recentnetworking breakfast.

NOVEMBER 201128 NOVEMBER 2011

NOVEMBER 2011 29

If you need aclue, or to checkyour answers, turn to page 30.

COFFEEBREAK

The rules of Sudokuare simple: place a digit from 1 to 9in each empty cellso every row, every column

and every 3x3 boxcontains the digits 1 to 9.

30

Business Scene gets up close and a little bitpersonal with executives around the region.Here, we put the life and times of PeterboroughRugby Union Football Club chairman, city printer Neil Pretsell, under the spotlight.

NOVEMBER 2011PROFILE

HEADLINES

Full name:Neil Stanley PretsellCard details:Director of Printing.comBiography: I was born inIpswich in 1950 but moved toPeterborough when I was five,so I feel like a Peterborian! Iwent to West Town PrimarySchool, somehow passed the 11-plus exam and completedmy education at the King’sSchool, Peterborough. All myworking life I have beeninvolved in the printingindustry, mainly in pre-press. Ihave been married to Jenny for37 years (hope I’ve got thatright) and we have two sons,Steve and Gary, and twograndsons, Jake and Harryfrom Steve’s first marriage.Steve recently remarried, toNatalie – a great girl and greataddition to our family. I havealways enjoyed playing andwatching sport and over theyears have tried my hand atfootball, rugby, tennis,basketball, golf and a fewothers but without muchsuccess (although I wasNorthants Boys Club CoarseFishing champion in 1964!).Since 1983, I have beenheavily involved withPeterborough Rugby UnionFootball Club, both on the

playing and administrationsides. We have the largestnumber of members of anysingle sports club in the areaand it has to be run as amedium-sized business.My first job was: Working in the pre-press department atthe former East Midland Allied Press (EMAP).But my dream job would be:Being part of the back-up teamfor the England rugby team. Icould be involved in the sport Ilove, get to travel but not bedirectly in the firing line so Icould just get on and enjoy the experience.Are you a technophobe or atechnophile: The print industryhas seen many changesthrough technology so I shouldsay technophile, but thosechanges have not alwaysmade my life any easier, so I’mon the fence a bit!I like to spend my time off . . .involved with sport, as youmight have gathered from myearlier comments! I also loveto spend time with my family,particularly my grandsons andI enjoy socialising andEuropean travel.Favourite brand: As I co-own afranchise with my son Steve, Iwill have to say Printing.comalthough it’s probably not a

household name, yet!My finest hour was: When I waselected chairman atPeterborough RUFC in 2008.I hate it when: You get stuckwith a highly opinionated,overbearing person at a party.I am surprisingly good at:Being a team player andgetting people to work togetherto bring ideas and projects to a conclusion.My dream dinner party guestswould be: Billy Connolly (forthe humour) Diana Ross (forthe music) and MichaelParkinson (who must be able totell some incredible stories).The food would be: Italian, asthe Italians are so passionateabout the whole mealexperience. I particularly like

antipasto and risotto. At my funeral, please play:‘Always look on the bright sideof life’. The song brings asmile to me every time I hearit, so I would like to think itwould do the same for my mourners.If I ruled the world: I woulderadicate all the ‘politicalcorrectness’ that blights oureveryday lives and get backsome of our old values.

Get into Business Scene’s CEO spotlight. Email yourHEADLINES responses to: info@businessscene.co.uk

Pictured, from the ’70s to thepresent day, Neil Pretsell.

Clockwise from left: with his wife of 37 years, Jenny; in smart

rugby club chairman mode;dressed down but minus the

whiskers; and enjoying qualitytime with one of his grandsons.

COFFEEBREAKANSWERSFROM PAGE 29