Advice and Ideas for UK Small Businesses and SMEs
This section takes you through every important aspect of how to run a successful business. It offers expert guides and advice articles on the key elements of business management such as employing staff, finding customers, marketing and sales, pricing, people management, office and home working, business technology and everything else an entrepreneur must tackle in order to succeed.
Ask any business owner and they'll tell you time management is absolutely key. It's a fact of business life that there are never enough hours in the day to get everything done, so it's vital to make every second count. Here are some tricks to help organise your workflow and find clever ways to save time and be more productive.
Business management
Employing & managing staff
Employees who spend a lot of their day in front of computer screens can experience eyesight problems and it is the employer's responsibility, to a certain extent, to pay for eye tests and, if necessary, the spectacles themselves. This guide will explain in more detail your obligations.
Legal advice
Holiday entitlement for sole traders and the self-employed can be a tricky business. In the intance of a self-employed decorator who has worked for the same company for nearly two years, Peter Done explains why it's such a complicated issue.
Finding and selling to customers
Online auction websites such as eBay and Amazon have spawned a generation of online entrepreneurs setting up their own ecommerce sites. These top ten tips may help you follow in their footsteps.
Employing & managing staff
What's involved in hiring self-employed sales people to work for my company?
Employing & managing staff
Some of us can't wait and some of us are dreading it, but like it or not, the World Cup is almost upon us and sensible business owners will have taken some precautions to stop it turning into a nightmare. These tips may stop it all kicking off in the office.
Finding and selling to customers
One might think that the confidence, even arrogance, of the British in the pervasive nature of our mother tongue would successfully see us through the maze of overseas expansion. In fact, in the minds of many of the UK’s exporters there are no barriers. However, because of Britain’s long-standing unwillingness to communicate in foreign languages we may be offending some clients and possibly ignoring others.
Employing & managing staff
Finding skilled staff is one of the biggest problems a small business has to face, but by not making allowances for disabled applicants you could be missing out on a large number of talented candidates, not to mention running the risk of legal action.
Finding and selling to customers
One might think that the confidence, even arrogance, of the British in the pervasive nature of our mother tongue would successfully see us through the maze of overseas expansion. In fact, in the minds of many of the UK’s exporters there are no barriers. However, because of Britain’s long-standing unwillingness to communicate in foreign languages we may be offending some clients and possibly ignoring others.
Employing & managing staff
Finding skilled staff is one of the biggest problems a small business has to face, but by not making allowances for disabled applicants you could be missing out on a large number of talented candidates, not to mention running the risk of legal action.
Employing & managing staff
Dismissing an employee can be a difficult area to tackle for employers especially if the employee has worked for the company for 12 months or more because they attract Unfair Dismissal rights.
Finding and selling to customers
Winning a contract to supply central or local government can be a great way to grow your business and enhance your reputation. But be warned: it's a lot easier said than done.
Finding and selling to customers
We are in the process of opening a fruit and veg shop. We have never done it before and although we are prepared with a lot of things we don't know where to start pricing things.
Business management
Nearly half of the UK's franchisees are now solely or jointly female-operated, which does not surprise Cathryn Hayes, Head of Franchising for HSBC Bank, who believes franchising is a business model that particularly suits women.
Business Loans
Everything you need to know on what small business loans are and what types of loan are available for your business.
Partner content
Hospitality businesses have faced a number of challenges in the last couple of years. Find out what funding and support is available.
Employing & managing staff
In Aviva’s latest SME research*, 57 per cent of employers surveyed agreed that nowadays employees expect benefits to protect against loss of income or earnings. What do you offer your people?
Partner content
Business broadband offers a host of advantages over standard domestic connections, here’s why you should be considering an upgrade