A new business networking organisation has just launched specialising in creating local online communities. Word Of Mouse, created by one of the former founders of the BRE Network is hoping to capitalise on the current boom in online social networking with sites like Facebook, Ecademy and Linked In.
Year: 2008
Chinese corporate tax reforms
UK companies residing in China are set to have their tax bills increased following the introduction of corporate tax reforms by the Chinese Government.
The new regulations, aimed at levelling the playing field between domestic and overseas companies, also encourage hi-tech and environmentally friendly industries into China.
Stephen Weatherseed, Head of the Grant Thornton UK China Group, which advises UK companies conducting business in China, says that in most case a new 25% corporate tax rate now applies across the board for both international and domestic companies.
Your email address might stop business
4 in 10 potential customers in London and South East are put off using firms that don’t use business email addresses
Image counts as research shows 95% of people check a company’s website before making a purchase, with over 40% admitting to avoiding a business if it doesn’t use business email
A professional business image is what counts when attracting customers, reveals new research by Loudhouse, commissioned by Microsoft UK. 81% of people think it is more important than ever that a local business appears professional with 84% believing a professional image conveys a good quality service, and 69% stating that it gives a sense of honesty and trustworthiness.
Student entrepreneurs praised
A Kingston student who started his own security business has won a place in the national final of a competition for entrepreneurs.
Hotel Review: Langham Hotel Boston
What’s it like? In a city with over 350 years of history, the Langham plays its part, being a conversion of the granite and limestone 1922 Federal Reserve Bank of Boston. Opened originally as a Le Meridien in 1981, the Langham has an old-world charm that sets it apart from new five-star rivals such as the recently opened Westin Boston Waterfront and the Intercontinental.
The Langham is spotless and everything works perfectly well, but there are big plans for an interior renovation. First up is a new and larger gym on the third floor; an improvement of the stately lift system; a new bar on the ground floor; and a spa in the basement.
When it comes to service, it is as good as you would expect from this five-star group. A request for a jogging map from the concierge early one morning elicited a detailed description of the route I should take along the river and the views I would enjoy on the return leg, and he was right in every respect.
Employee Lateness
The rail regulator has announced that almost 400,000 passengers face daily delays in their journeys. Rail commuters have been hit hard by various problems, including flooding last summer, regular train and tube strikes, and the inevitable ‘leaves on the line’ in autumn.; Those who travel to work by road have their own problems.
When enough really is enough
There are a whole number of reason for stopping a business. I’ve frequently heard Directors say ‘if only I’d sold the business five years ago, we were doing so well’ So if you are reading this and things are really good at the moment, bear in mind that what goes up has a tendency to go down.
Seizing opportunities
It is one of life’s certainties that life is full of uncertainties and business life in particular has a habit of presenting us with all kinds of uncertainties – through situations and circumstances, both good and bad, which arise completely unexpectedly.
We all welcome the unforeseen opportunities. They’re one of the things that make business exciting. Usually we need to act on them quickly because it’s unlikely they’ll recur again. And if we don’t make the most of the opportunity, someone else will. It could be the chance to buy a competitor’s business or acquire a property that has tremendous future potential.
Time for a review
For many businesses, agreeing marketing budgets is an area fraught with difficulty as marketing departments struggle to justify and quantify the return on investment.
This is a particular issue for small enterprises, where margins are tight and ‘the bottom line’ is of utmost importance. It is possible for such businesses to look at large companies and bemoan the vast sums of money they can plunge into promoting their products and services and the lavish advertising campaigns that are beyond the reach of most organisations. However, there are valuable lessons small businesses can learn from their larger counterparts which aren’t reliant on breaking the bank.
Sustainability is a matter of business
The environment is changing. The IPCC’s (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) 4th assessment report was released in February warning that climate change poses the single biggest threat to businesses and societies.
The effects of global climate change and the exhaustion of natural resources are becoming increasingly evident, with consequences for human well-being. In the world of marketing these global changes are shifting consumers’ expectations of brands and companies. Consumers are becoming increasingly aware of the power held in their purchase choices. Businesses have a new obligation not just to make money but also to ‘do good’ and embed a sense of global citizenship, social responsibility and environmental responsibility in their brand.
Trading in China
As the Chinese economy continues to grow at over 10 per cent each year, an increasing number of SMEs are looking to set up a presence in China to take advantage of this growth. Although there are several forms of corporate vehicle available to SMEs, the two most popular are the equity joint venture (EJV) and the wholly foreign-owned enterprise (WFOE).
The Right Formula for Data Leak Protection
Whether on the race track, on the web or in the boardroom, data leaks are invariably bad news. Just ask Ferrari and McLaren, the F1 giants embroiled in controversy over allegedly stolen technical documents. Or Facebook, who mistakenly exposed a slice of their own source code recently, and thereby possibly their own users. Or Monster.com, who made the monster mistake of losing over a million customer records to expert “phishers.”
No doubting Thomas’s appeal
It’s not unusual for a change in life circumstances to fire up an individual’s entrepreneurial spirit. It is undoubtedly unusual, however, when that catalytic event is triple bypass surgery.
But that’s exactly what led to Steve Hardin from Shropshire opening his online shop. At the age of 51 he was diagnosed with a heart problem that culminated in the surgery, prompting him to give up a successful career as an auditor and turn his passion for trains into a web business.
In 1999, he and his wife Rita had taken over what was a run-down and closed miniature railway in the park in Chester.
What women want
What drew you to your current bank in the first place? Was it the excellent services it offered, the lure of a free iPod or possibly the promise of vouchers off your next holiday abroad? There’s no doubt that banks will offer the world to secure your custom these days. But are they maximising their potential and catering for everyone?
Well, no apparently not. New research suggests that banks are totally failing to cash in on the potential riches that could be gained from having more female customers. But why target women?
A tax on retirement
When is a u-turn not a u-turn? Many members of the Forum of Private Business (FPB) would argue that the Government’s suggested £100,000 in tax relief when they sell up and retire certainly fits the bill, following, as it does, the much-vaunted proposals to change the Capital Gains Tax system.
