Blog entries

Depressing Energy Price Hikes for the Winter - But There's Some Good News ....

Gordon Mowat — Sun, 25 Sep 2011 18:54:00 +0100

Despite the depressing massive hikes in energy prices announced recently by the “big six” providers, I thought I’d give you a good reason to be pleased this autumn …

Get the UK’s cheapest household services.

The Utility Warehouse has made a Price Pro...

The Value of Getting Staff Recognition Right ....

Gordon Mowat — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 20:57:19 +0100

Staff recognition is not just a nice thing to do for people. Staff recognition is a communication tool that reinforces and rewards the most important outcomes people create for your business. When you recognise your people effectively you reinforce the actions, attitudes and behaviours you most want to see people repeat. So, an effective Staff recognition system is simple, immediate, and powerfully reinforc...

Partner With Your Customers For Profit, And Build Yourself A Powerful Niche In The Process!

Gordon Mowat — Sun, 13 Mar 2011 20:06:47 +0100

One way to help you stand out from your competitors is for you to position yourself as a business partner, as someone who is always looking for ways to improve your customer's business.

Help Your Customer's Business!

When you deal with a customer, you can be fairly certain he thinks about his business day and night. It is very close to him – it’s his “baby”, so to speak, and it is close ...

Courage, An Indispensable Quality In Developing Success

Gordon Mowat — Sun, 13 Mar 2011 06:12:04 +0100

Churchill once said, "Courage is rightly considered the foremost of the virtues because upon it, all others depend." Courage is the principal characteristicsof the true leader. It is almost always visible in the leader's words and actions. It is absolutely indispensable to success, happiness and the ability to motivate other people to be the very best they can be.

Create, Then Follow Through On Your Vision

But what d...

Improving Your Time Management

Gordon Mowat — Sun, 27 Feb 2011 06:27:30 +0100

Over eighty percent of business owners are considerably time challenged. So, the chances are you are too!
Everything you are today and everything you become in the future will be determined by the way you think and the way you use your time. Your attitude about time is a critical factor in everything you do and accomplish. Here are eight thought-provoking tips to help you bec...

Skills Development Scotland Training Grants - 31 March 2011 Deadline Extended

Gordon Mowat — Sun, 13 Feb 2011 05:51:35 +0100

No new deadline yet - we'll update as soon as we have news ...

As you know, staff training provides an excellent boost to the productivity of our businesses. However, it’s not always...

Are You Avoiding the Insolvency Trap?

Gordon Mowat — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 19:57:36 +0100

In the last two years the number of UK firms suffering financial problems has risen continuously month on month, according to new research. It's estimated that corporate insolvency numbers could increase from around 21,500 in 2010 to around 23,500 in 2011 as government spending cuts start to bite.

It is therefore more imp...

Bosses Urged to Beware Rise in Tribunal Claims and Spurious Complaints By Former Staff

Gordon Mowat — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 17:10:22 +0100

Business bosses are at greater risk than ever of finding themselves facing a barrage of employment tribunals after new figures revealed a 56 per cent increase in claims in the last year.
The huge increase in cases, up from 151,000 in 2008-09 to 236,100 until the end of March this year, has been blamed on the recession as companies shed staff, change working patterns and try to cut costs without adhering to the strict rules on employment law....

PROVEN! Working On Your Company Ethos/Culture WILL Increase Business Success

Gordon Mowat — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 14:22:18 +0100

New research has revealed a growing gulf between bosses, middle-managers and employees over workplace culture and the damage it can do to business productivity if it turns negative.

A survey of hundreds of organisations across the globe found numerous managers appear oblivious to the feelings of their staff and are continuing to promote a culture which workers find ineffective or even obstructive in promoting confidence, well-being and ...

Students Rush to Climb Entrepreneurial "Ladder to Success"

Fri, 06 Aug 2010 02:55:26 +0100

A shortage of jobs for graduates combined with a growing entrepreneurial culture is helping to create a new generation of 'go-getters' willing and eager to go into business, claims new research.
Almost a third of UK students claim the difficulty in getting a job after leaving university has prompted them to consider seriously the idea of working for themselves.

New research found that...

Banks Under Pressure to Support SMEs

Gordon Mowat — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 02:12:30 +0100

Banks that refuse to increase their lending to help small businesses with cash flow could see their profits and bonuses taxed by an angry government.

It is estimated at least £50 billion of new money could be generated by the high street banks if they cut back on dividends to shareholders and limited bonuses for bosses.

UK Busin...

Business Growth Influenced by Willingness to Take Advice

Gordon Mowat — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 23:25:37 +0100

The majority of small and medium sized firms could accelerate business growth by 400 per cent if they listened more to their customers and made better use of the feedback they get, indicates new research.

Academics from Kingston University found advice from customers has the biggest positive impact on UK small business growth yet almost half of companies miss out on this valuable insight.

Most Bosses Lack Confidence in Economy to Take a Holiday

Gordon Mowat — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 18:32:34 +0100

More than two thirds of small business bosses don't feel comfortable enough with the economy to switch off and take a holiday without keeping in regular touch with staff, claims new survey.

Despite government claims that the economy is showing sign...

Rest and Play Helps Us Work All Day ...

Gordon Mowat — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 17:37:28 +0100

Our obsession with working long hours and multitasking are making British businesses and their workers less, rather than more, productive, claims new research.

A study of several hundred executives in a range of industries across the UK found most people have failed to adapt sensibly to the advent of modern technology leaving them little or no time to switch off and recharge their batteries.

The survey found that less than one in four workers leave their...

A Great Formula for Improving Your Business Results ...

Gordon Mowat — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 17:29:57 +0100

Here is a very simple but immensely powerful formula that, if properly applied and worked, is guaranteed to make a positive difference to your business results. It operates at the very heart of business success.

(P x E) x T = R

Where:
P = Planning
E = Execution
T = Trust of the Team
R = Results

Just one in 10 small businesses succeed in meeting their original goals, according to the results of new research.

A survey into how owners of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) perceive their achievements compared to their initial dreams found only 10 per cent were happy with the way things were working out.

The researched looked at vario...

"Game On" for Firms Which Let Staff Take (even more ...) Time Out?

Gordon Mowat — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 23:29:29 +0100

More than two-thirds of UK workers admit to taking time out at work to play computer games, surf the net or watch telly and experts believe it could be a good thing for increased productivity.

New research has revealed that at least 65 per cent of Brits actively engage in non-work activity during office hours with the majority of skivers admitting to taking an average of one hour a day on top ...

The Road to Success is Paved with Problems for the Unprepared

Gordon Mowat — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 23:00:35 +0100

New companies and firms launching fresh products and services need to road test ideas before finalising business plans if they want to increase chances of success, claim experts.

While there has rarely been a better time to start a business or back an idea statistics show that more than 80 per cent of new ventures will fail within five years without rigorous testing and evaluation at the o...

Prototyping – good for customers, good for business

Gordon Mowat — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 22:44:51 +0100

With thanks to Mark Coates of Mark Coates Software Solutions for contributing this article.

All software solutions providers want to provide their clients with the perfect solution (at least I hope they do). And all clients want to give their solutions providers as much help in achieving this as possible (again, or so I hope). Yet it seems that often neither of these aims is achieved.

So what can we do to maximise client happiness and the provision of perfect so...

Don't be Caught Out with the New Carbon Reduction Legislation!

Gordon Mowat — Sun, 25 Apr 2010 06:00:00 +0100

Ensure you - and where appropriate your clients - will not be among the thousands of UK companies that could well end up handing the government a windfall of more than £230 million in penalties if they fail to comply with the new Carbon Reduction legislation.

Recent surveys indicate that around sixty-six per cent of the thousands of businesses which will be affected by new regulations are unaware of their responsibilities - and the possible repercussions on their cash flow.

...