Growing IT in Your Business

I’m excited to announce that we’ve been asked by Business Link East to provide another series of seminars as part of their ‘growing business’ events programme.

We’ll be developing and presenting a 2 hour briefing session for them, aimed at SME business owners, directors and managers entitled ‘Growing IT in Your Business’, in their April 2009 to March 2010 events season. There will be 6 sessions at various venues across the region.

I’m pleased to announce that the dates and venues for each of the 6 sessions are:

• 17th Jun 09 - Thurrock, Orsett Hall
• 16th Sep 09 - Hemel Hempstead, Holiday Hill
• 23rd Oct 09 - Luton, The Leaside Hotel
• 10th Nov 09 - Bury St Edmunds, Ickworth Hotel
• 24th Feb 09 - Wisbech, The Boat House
• 24th Mar 10 - Norwich, The Forum Trust

You’ll be able to book online via their Events Service.

Fight the Credit Crunch with IT

I’m pleased to announce that the ‘Fight the Credit Crunch with IT’ workshop we delivered for EEDA’s takeITon campaign has now been published as 4 online rich-media seminars!  This was acheived using a recording of the morning workshop at the prestigious Hethel Engineering Centre in Norwich.  You get to see me delivering the seminar and see the presentation alongside, plus there are links to useful content from the workshop.  You can easily jump around the sections, as required.

This means that that people who came can revist some of the information, plus anyone who missed this workshop can now see me in action and get the benefits of the workshop directly from the takeITon website!

Just use this link to watch the 4 online seminars taken from the workshop: ‘Fight the Credit Crunch With IT’ Video

How to Market Your Business Online

I ran the first two of my ‘How to Market Your Business Online’ workshops for EEDA’s TakeITon campaign yesterday at Sprowston Manor Hotel, Norwich.  With more than 60 people attending, I was delighted to see how popular the sessions were and how engaged everybody was. 

The feedback was excellent with many people taking time to tell me what a great difference the briefing made to their understanding and approach towards online marketing.

This seminar is a follow up to the earlier ‘Fight the Credit Crunch with IT’ briefing for EEDA, which also forms part of their TakeITon initiative.   However, attending the previous seminar is not a pre-requisite!

I received some great feedback from Penny Lindop at Penny Lindop Designs this morning.  She attended one of yesterday’s workshops and was very complimentary of both the content and my delivery.  She has posted a great comment on her blog, which you can view by clicking the following link:

Card Art Norfolk blog

If you would like more information or to attend one of these free workshops, please use the following link:

TakeITon website

I’m off to Bedford on Thursday to deliver another 2 of these sessions.  It’s quite hard work delivering so many seminars in such a short space of time, but very rewarding – especially when business owners like Penny are finding them so useful!!

‘How to Market Your Business Online’ Workshop

As many of you will already know, we created and delivered a series of 6 workshops for EEDA starting in November last year, as a key part of their takeITon development programme.  These FREE seminars were aimed at SME business owners and managers and entitled ‘Fight the Credit Crunch with IT’, and I’ve now delivered this workshop 8 times, with a further 2 planned for next week.  It is also available online via the takeITon tv channel.  These events all went extremely well and the feedback received has been very positive.

So, I’m delighted to say that we have now developed the second workshop for the takeITon programme, entitled ‘How to Market Your Business Online’, covering the essentials of online marketing - including the creation of a online marketing plan during the session!  So far, this workshop is being held at three venues across the region with two sessions available each day, as follows:

• 17th March  — Sprowston Manor Hotel, Norwich
• 19th March — Bedford Swan Hotel, Bedford
• 26th March — Selwyn College, Cambridge

These sessions are all fully booked.  However, there is a further event being held at our very own Basepoint Business and Innovation Centre on 30th April, which still has spaces available.  To book, contact Basepoint directly by either calling Heather Pedder on 01582 434 206 or email her at heatherpedder@basepoint.co.uk.

However, there is every chance that EEDA will be able to run this again at further venues - watch this space!

For more information about the new seminar see the takeITon website.

ICT Training in Schools

I was interested to read an article about the content of ICT lessons in schools. My daughter left school without a qualification in ICT. After studying for two years, the whole year group discovered that the practical work submitted by the school, didn’t meet the qualifying criteria. A failing on the schools and the examining bodies part. Now I find an article about how the skills taught in these lessons are failing the brighter pupils.

Technology plays such a big part in all our lives today, both working and domestic, that we should ensure that we equip the kids of today with all the information and skills available to us. After all, they are the business people of tomorrow.

To read the article in full, click the following link:

http://tech.uk.msn.com/news/article.aspx?cp-documentid=14732444

‘Fight the Credit Crunch with IT’

As many of you will already know, we created and delivered a series of 6 workshops for EEDA in November, as a key part of their TakeITon development programme.  These FREE seminars were aimed at SME business owners and managers and entitled ‘Fight the Credit Crunch with IT’.  I’m delighted to say that these events went extremely well and the feedback received was very positive

I thoroughly enjoyed delivering these workshops and was greatly encouraged by the fact that 141 delegates attended in total.  98% of the attendees were satisfied with the overall event, which is excellent news.

Due to the overwhelmingly positive feedback received, I’m pleased to announce that EEDA have asked us to run a further 6 dates for this FREE workshop, in other areas of the region.  We are planning the dates at the moment so I will post those once they are confirmed.

Also, I’m delighted to confirm that they have also asked us to develop and present a further 6 FREE workshops as a follow-up to this session, based on the feedback that was provided by delegates.  We are planning the content and dates with them at present and I will announce further details once they are confirmed.

In the meantime, I am running the ‘Fight the Credit Crunch with IT’ workshop at the Basepoint Business & Innovation Centre in Luton, where our office is based, on Thursday 29th January.  If you would like further information, or to book a place on ths FREE seminar, please contact me at the following link:

 http://www.eximium.net/contactus.asp

Alternatively, you can contact the Business Development Manager at the Centre, Heather Pedder, on the following email address: heatherpedder@basepoint.co.uk

‘Fight the Credit Crunch with IT’

Due to overwhelming demand, two extra sessions have been added to the FREE workshops I am leading for business people, in conjunction with EEDA and the TakeITon programme, entitled ‘Fight the Credit Crunch with IT’.

The interest in these workshops has been extensive and I’m very proud and excited to be leading workshops in such a topical and vital subject area.  There will now be an additional afternoon session on both the 18th and 25th of November, starting with lunch at 1pm and running until 4pm, enabling more people to discover the hidden benefits of making greater use of their existing IT systems during this difficult time.

For more information, please see the following article on the TakeITon website:

http://www.takeiton.org.uk/362.asp

To book onto one of these FREE workshops please email your details to takeiton@eeda.org.uk

Good News on Fighting the Credit Crunch

The government has announced that it will channel more funds into small businesses in order to help them through the credit crunch.  There will be £350m of funds from a pre-existing training programme diverted into training the employees of small business over the next three years. The training will be aimed at improving their business management techniques.

They have also pledged to pay any government suppliers who are small businesses within 10 days as opposed to the usual 30 days.  This is to help with cash-flow, which is the biggest cause of businesses failing in more buoyant economic climates and exacerbated by the credit crunch.

Small businesses have been hit very hard by the lack of credit available due to the crunch.  Three of the banks which accepted government assistance have given their assurance that they will continue to lend money to small businesses at the same level as 2007.  The government has said that it will be talking to other banks in an attempt to ensure the continuation of the credit and lending they had previously offered to small businesses.

The government feels that all these measures are necessary and they are designed to help small businesses survive the credit crunch, as they play such an important part in our economy and employ the majority of our work force as well as provide valuable services.  The Skills Secretary John Denham said in a statement, “Small businesses are an important engine of our economy and we must make sure that we support them during tough economic times”.

Conservative leader David Cameron has called on the government to give small businesses six months longer to pay their VAT bills.  He believes that tax breaks are an important way in which the government could be helping.

We are very aware of the credit crunch ourselves and are doing what we can to help our customers.  A great way to use your IT during this difficult time is to make sure that your systems are running as efficiently as possible.  A small change could increase your efficiency and your profit margin.  We offer a free, no obligation, evaluation of your systems - a service we call ‘IT Fact Find’.  For more information on this service, please use the following link:

http://www.eximium.net/factfind.asp

We also believe that training is a great way to improve efficiency and provide training for business people to help them get more from their IT.  For more information on the training services we provide, please see this link:

http://www.eximium.net/training.asp

Also, our MD, Derrick Cameron, is leading some workshops in November entitled ‘Fight the Credit Crunch with IT’, aimed at business owners and managers, in conjunction with EEDA and the TakeITon programme.  This session is designed to demonstrate how the IT you probably already have can help you boost your business when times are tight and you need to make the best use of your resources.

The workshop is being held at three venues across the region.

• 17th November – Peterborough Holiday Inn
• 18th November, Wyboston Lakes – Waterfront Centre (Beds/Cambs border)
• 25th November, Hethel Engineering Centre, Norwich

To book your free place on one of these workshops, you can email your request to takeiton@eeda.org.uk

IT seminars for business people in conjunction with EEDA

I’m delighted to announce that we’ve been selected by EEDA, from a list of 4 potential providers, to deliver a series of IT seminars they want to run, which will form a key part of ongoing publicity for the TakeITon development programme.

EEDA launched the TakeITon campaign across the region in November 2007.  It is aimed at helping businesses improve and increase the use of their information and communication technologies.  The campaign is driven by a recognition that a strong IT infrastructure for the region is critical to improve the productivity and efficiency both of individual businesses and the prosperity of the region as a whole.

New research suggests that businesses in the East of England are limiting their success due to poor IT.  Just 34% of businesses in the region have a website and 44% of the region’s employees feel that poor IT is stopping them from doing their job well.  Such results reinforce the need for better awareness of how IT can boost the bottom line for businesses across the region.

I’m working out the contents of the briefings with their PR people at the moment, but they will be aimed at helping SME business owners benefit from using IT more effectively, and will complement the seminar programme we are running for Business Link.

Watch this space for further details!

For more information about the excellent TakeITon programme, and how it could help you and your business, please follow this link: http://www.takeiton.org.uk/

Choosing the right IT supplier

Assessing and implementing alongside the IT requirements of any business is usually a dreaded headache which a lot of business owners put off and finally tackle reluctantly.  There are a lot of myths and confusing  jargon associated with IT, but it really doesn’t need to be as scary or confusing as you might think. 

I read a useful article recently by Mark Greatrex, who is product and services director with Lakeview.  They are a provider of bespoke software for business management, accounting and manufacturing control.  In his article, Mark sets out clear steps you should take to help you chose the right IT supplier.

I totally agree with what Mark is saying and I’m pleased to say that our approach fits well with the points that he raises.

Mark suggests you should check you’re getting the best out of the systems you already have in place.  We often find that our customers believe a system is capable of doing a specific thing for them, only to find that they need an additional module to make it work.  At other times, it is simply that the settings on the system in question are wrong.  You might find that little or no additional spend is necessary and a simple adjustment could be all you need to allow your business to become the streamlined operation you originally envisaged.

He also says that your staff may need some additional training in order to use the system in the most efficient way possible. Some software providers fall by the way side when it comes to after sales service, training and customer care. It’s worth researching the possibility of some independent training, as there’s every chance that this gap has been noticed and that training courses are available in that area.  For example, our training courses are tailored to business people who want to learn essential IT skills, but are not interested in the technological complexities behind the scenes.

He mentions that budget is always a deciding factor of any new purchase.  Be sure to set out a clear budget from the very beginning. If you do find that you need to purchase additional systems, don’t be tempted to buy new technology for the sake of it.  Only buy what you need.  Excess technology can be a hindrance, as it can make things over complicated.

Mark states that the relationship you have with your IT supplier is key.  They should listen to your requirements and advise when they feel it is necessary.  A responsible supplier will help you to fulfil your requirements in the most efficient and cost effective way for you and not bombard you with jargon or new technology.  This is part of our commitment to our customers.  With us, you are dealing with people who understand your needs, can talk to you about them in plain English, and get your IT delivering what it truly can to make your business more profitable.

For more information about us, or to contact us, please go to www.eximium.net. 

To read Mark’s full article see http://www.smeweb.com/technology/features/top-tips-on-selecting-an-it-supplier.html.

IT shares in £200m training cash allocation

The government has recognized the importance of the IT sector by announcing a big new grant.  It is believed that the sector will share in a grant of £200m to be invested in new training facilities.

The investment, to be made over the next three years, is part of a wider move, signalled over the weekend by John Denham, secretary of state for innovation, universities and skills, that the government will focus attention on developing skills in a number of strategic sectors.

Official Government research shows that UK businesses will need an extra 160,000 extra IT staff by 2014. This is in addition to the 190,000 IT professionals identified by the report, Working Futures 2004-2014, needed to replace those currently working in IT, who will retire or otherwise leave the industry over the next seven years.

The money will come from existing further education budgets rather than additional funding. IT’s slice of the pie has yet to be announced. Denham is to arrange meetings next month with the industry-led sector skills councils, including E-Skills UK, to identify how the money should be invested.

Derrick Cameron, MD of IT firm Eximium which offers IT training as well as other IT services comments “Naturally, I’m delighted that the importance of investing in the future of IT is being recognized.  The sector is clearly important and will become even more important in the future.  There will be profound implications for the economy if training for the IT sector does not match its needs. Every part of the economy depends on the expertise of the UK’s IT professionals, and these plans to allocate more funds to help address the sector’s priority skills needs will be greatly welcomed by employers”.