As more and more consumers look for tailored products and services, so the need to move away from the cookie-cutter approach for branding becomes necessary. In response to this the large chains and supermarkets are moving away from ‘generic’ and ‘corporate’ and taking into account their surroundings and locations in a new way and identifying that they need to serve different communities with...
Here at The Plum Consultancy, we are big fans of the well known saying, ‘a picture is worth a thousand words’, and our love for visuals has naturally made us fans of the visually-driven App Pinterest. Pinterest enables users to search through images (‘Pins’) and collect them by Re-pinning them onto boards, or by Pinning them directly from Pinterest-abled websites when browsing the internet....
The CBI has raised its growth forecasts for 2013 and 2014 from 1.0% to 1.2%. But the UK's leading business lobbying organisation says the rebalancing away from consumption towards investment and trade is taking longer than expected.
The CBI says it has increased the figure from its May forecast, after a better than expected second quarter and signs of a pick-up in confidence across a...
Haines Watts Rural Business LLP, sister firm to Bideford-based Chartered Accountants Haines Watts North Devon LLP announce the appointment of Lucy Thomas as a farming consultant. Rural Business LLP agricultural consultants assist with decision making in response to ever-changing agricultural market conditions and cover all aspects of farm business management with clients across the South West...
We are always surprised by the proportion of businesses that don’t open their emails or respond to voicemail or telephone messages on a regular basis and we wonder what level of business is being lost by this apathetic approach? In the last week alone we know of several approaches made to businesses to make enquiries or to place orders for products or services where no-one has responded....
A new policy which outlines discretionary rate relief (DRR) for businesses is to be created as Plymouth City Council is given more powers by Government.
Registered charities can currently claim 80 per cent mandatory relief from the Government, in addition the Council can offer discretionary top up relief. However, due to changes in government funding arrangements the Council will be...
The UK economy has seen a £9.9bn trade and investment boost from the London Olympic and Paralympic Games, one year into a four-year programme of activity and events.
The boost comes from businesses securing contract wins, additional sales and new foreign investment in the last year, since UKTI’s British Business Embassy at Lancaster House hosted a Global Investment Conference and a...
Bideford-based chartered accountants, Haines Watts North Devon LLP, announce the promotion of 34 year old Matthew Melksham to partner bringing the firm to a seven-strong partnership. Matthew started his career in his home City of Bath working in the catering and hospitality trade which provided him with real hands-on experience in business and a strong customer focused approach. Six years...
No matter where you are based throughout the country there is a wealth of talent just waiting to be tapped into and it has never been as readily accessible as it is now!
Just in the last couple of weeks we have attended exhibitions, business gatherings and breakfast meetings highlighting the resources available to businesses, many of which are free to the employer and could serve as a...
Businesses in Plymouth are being invited to attend a free working breakfast to understand the true cost to them of road safety.
The Better Business breakfast workshop on Tuesday 23 July 2013 at Jurys Inn, Exeter Street, Plymouth between 7.30am to 9.30am will highlight the issue of road safety to local businesses.
It is estimated that a third of all road traffic collisions...
