Author Archives: Thomas Pollard

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Brexit dominated the headlines for a good portion of 2016, with many people worried about the negative impact it would have on many facets of day-to-day life. Business owners were amongst those who were worried about Brexit and although the full consequences of the UK's decision to leave the European Union are yet to be felt; there have been reasons for optimism.

Figures obtained through a  Freedom of Information request from Companies House show that a record number of recruitment agencies were opened in 2016 in the UK. There were 4,529 recruitment agencies that opened between January and December 2016. This is a significant increase on the numbers from 2015, which were 13.7% lower (3,984).

The recruitment sector has grown significantly over the last 5 years and it is now worth £35.1 billion in the UK. This figure is even more impressive when you consider that in 2012/13 it was £26.5 billion. Positive trading conditions have helped the industry to thrive in the UK and things don't look set to slow down in 2017.

Despite the incredible growth of recruitment firms in 2016, Brexit did have some effect. For example, the number of recruitment firms leading up to the vote was quite low. However after the decision to leave the EU had been announced, the number of recruitment firms being opened began to soar, with more than a thousand businesses being opened in July and August alone.

This number continued to rise towards the end of the year, with 1,315 new recruitment firms registered in November and December.

It's still uncertain how much of an impact Brexit will have on recruitment firms and business as a whole in the UK, however these figures give reason for optimism going forward.

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In 2017, digital skills aren't a luxury for small businesses but a must. Almost every type of business can benefit from being able to use the internet to their advantage.

The most recent Bank of Scotland Business Digital Index found that Scotland is leading the way when it comes to digital skills, with fewer than a third of businesses there lacking the basic skills needed to get the most out of being online.

Despite the prevalence of the internet, there are still a surprising number of businesses that are resistant to embracing it. For example, in the UK, the average number of businesses that lack basic digital skills is at 38%. The only part of the UK that can rival Scotland in this regard is London, which also has roughly 30% of businesses that lack basic digital skills.

These numbers might seem surprising but there are reasons why some businesses are reluctant to fully embrace the internet. Cyber security, for example is one of the fastest rising reasons why small businesses don't conduct more business online.

When it comes to cyber security, Scotland is also ahead of the rest of the UK, with 57% of Scottish businesses saying they need to invest in cyber security, compared to the UK average of 69%.

Head of accountants and business advisers BDO LLP in Scotland, Martin Gill had the following to say -

"British businesses are feeling pretty confident at the moment, helped by the impact of the currency depreciation on export competitiveness.

"There's also a feeling out there that the world economy is picking up again as we go into 2017.

"Brexit may mean gloomy news in the press and, at times, chaos in government. But our business community is getting on with it on the basis that opportunities for growth are there to be grabbed."

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  • 17million UK drivers admit to road rage tendencies

Britain’s roads are rife with bad, and often dangerous, driving habits, that’s according to a study by business driving expert, The Fuelcard Company, which has identified the top ten driving faux pas being committed on the nation’s roads.

The study questioned 1,000 drivers across the UK and discovered that more than half of Brits (52%) have picked up some potentially dangerous driving habits, with the following found to be the most common:

  1. Going too fast (64%)
  2. Texting while driving (60%)
  3. Using the phone or hands-free (57%)
  4. Eating at the wheel (54%)
  5. Driving too close to other vehicles (52%)
  6. Throwing rubbish out of the window (51%)
  7. Going too slow (50%)
  8. Smoking behind the wheel (48%)
  9. Hogging the middle lane (47%)
  10. Checking phone notifications (46%)

Interestingly, more than a third of drivers claim to only practise these bad habits when they are in their car alone. However, despite confessing to exhibiting some of these bad behaviours, more than one-in-four (27%) of UK drivers claim to be the best driver they know and 37% say they are a better driver than their partner.

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The report also asked drivers about road rage with 38% admitting they felt they suffered from it, the DVLA currently lists 45.5 million drivers in Great Britain equating to 17million drivers suffering from road rage. Almost a third of the drivers said they had seen a vehicle being cut up, more than a fifth (20.2%) stated they had seen someone get out of a car to threaten another driver and worse still 7% had actually witnessed a car ‘ram’ another vehicle.

Other bad practices identified in the study include driving without shoes (13%), singing while driving (31%) and shockingly, committing sexual acts (8%). Ranging from the seemingly innocent to the downright dangerous, many of the behaviours uncovered are actually illegal too.

Richard Brown, Commercial Director at The Fuelcard Company said: “Driving is something us Brits do every single day and it’s certainly something which becomes second nature to us. Learning to drive and passing your test may seem like a lifetime ago, especially if you’re clocking a lot of hours behind the wheel during the working day, but picking up nasty habits could potentially have serious consequences. Whether you’re driving for personal or business reasons, bad habits can take a driver’s attention off the road meaning they can miss potential hazards.

“Some of the habits we identified seem relatively innocent, but we’d urge people to pay attention next time they’re behind the wheel to see exactly how many of these habits they’re guilty of without even realising it – they may be surprised. We’ve conducted this study to stress the importance of paying proper attention when you’re driving, to ultimately make sure our roads are a safe place to be.”

As part of this driver awareness campaign, The Fuelcard Company has also created a fun interactive online calculator which generates an individual’s driving statistics since they got their license and identifies their driving persona. Try it out here: www.fuelcards.co.uk/what-type-of-driver

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Designed in collaboration with leading automotive manufacturers

BRACKNELL, UK. 13th September 2016 Designed by Panasonic Global Design Solutions following close consultation with leading industry manufacturers, Panasonic has launched its next generation in-line testing solution for the automotive industry at Automechanika in Frankfurt, Germany. The Panasonic Automotive Mobile Test Solution (AMTS) combines the technology requested by the automotive industry for efficient vehicle production and initialisation with enterprise features for seamless integration into a corporate IT environment.

 AMTS device

Designed with user and processes in mind
The device has been developed with both ease of use and automotive production processes at the forefront of the design. The AMTS, based on the market-leading fully rugged Panasonic Toughpad FZ-M1 tablet, incorporates a 7 inch capacitive multi-touchscreen display, an NFC contactless card reader, integrated high power infrared, and a 2D barcode reader which are situated within the specially designed handle of the AMTS which aids mobility in the production environment.

The solution is designed to be positioned on the steering wheel or the dashboard of the vehicle being tested due to its interchangeable, protective mounting insert. The AMTS also includes four programmable hot keys for one-touch access to important applications and functionality.

Specialised connectivity
The AMTS is built with the connectivity requirements of the automotive manufacturers in mind with dual rugged connectors that allow USB communication plus protected ODB in-vehicle charging from a VCI device. This means that the solution is ergonomic for both left and right hand drive vehicles.

The power for testing applications
To meet the processing and efficiency requirements for automotive testing, the Panasonic AMTS is powered by the Intel® Core™ m5-6Y57 vPro processor (1.1GHz up to 2.8 GHz with Intel® Turbo Boost Technology and a 4MB Intel cache) and Intel® HD graphics. It comes with the latest Windows 10 Pro operating system, which can be downgraded to Windows 7 Professional. For storage there is a 128GB Solid State Drive with 256GB optional.

For communications, the AMTS is equipped with Bluetooth™ v4.1+EDR Class 1 and an Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8260 WLAN capability with optional 4G mobile broadband (Gobi 5000, compatible to 3G) connectivity.

A decade of design history
“Panasonic has near a decade of experience collaborating with some of the world’s leading automotive manufacturers to create rugged mobile devices designed for the industry’s requirements,” said Robert Blowers, Head of R&D and General Manager at Panasonic Computer Products Europe. “As a result of our relationship and collaborative approach with these manufacturers, The Automotive Mobile Test Solution is the next generation of mobile device to help deliver ever more efficient and cost effective vehicle production for our customers.”

The Panasonic AMTS will be available from October 2016 and is priced from £3,490.

For further information visit: www.toughbook.eu

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If you currently work, or have worked, in the truck industry then there's a good chance you've considered starting your own business at some point. Starting your own business gives you the freedom to operate as you choose and to become self-reliant.

If you are planning to start your own trucking business then below are some of the key things that you must consider.

Choosing the right industry

The right industry is usually one that you have the most experience in. There are a lot similarities from one industry to the next where trucking is concerned but if you have years' of experience working as a recovery truck driver then it's probably better to stick to this rather than opting for an industry you have less experience in, such as refrigerated trucks.

Choosing the right industry at the start can be the difference between success and failure so this is certainly something you should think about carefully.

Hiring the right drivers

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Hiring the best drivers for your business is absolutely key. Self-driving trucks are still a long way in the future so for now you want to hire drivers with a lot of skill and experience and who you're confident will be able to do the job safely and effectively.

Some things to consider when hiring drivers are -

  • Their age - Age is extremely important when hiring drivers for your business. Most truck insurance providers will not offer cover for truck drivers who are under 25 years of age so you should ensure you hire experienced drivers who you'll be able to get cover for on your truck insurance policy.
  • Their experience - Experience is also key when hiring drivers. Just because a driver is over 25 doesn't mean they're necessarily experienced in driving a truck. You'll want to be sure that any drivers you hire have plenty of experience driving the particular trucks that your business operates and that they hold the right licences and have done adequate training.
  • Their driving history - In addition to hiring drivers who are over 25 and have plenty of experience driving a truck, you also want to check their driving histroy, including any points on their licence and their claims history. This will make a big difference when it comes to getting cover.

Getting cover at the best price

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When you're looking for cover for your trucking business, you want to go to specialist providers. Specialist providers of truck insurance will offer the best prices and be able to provide comprehensive cover for every aspect of your business. You should get quotes from several different providers so you can easily compare them and choose the one that offers the best value for money.

For more information on truck insurance for all kinds of trucks go to https://www.cleangreencars.co.uk/truck-insurance/… Read more

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#Discovery

  • New Land Rover Discovery shows its unrivalled capability on Guinness World Record-breaking LEGO structure
  • Show-stopping reveal features Land Rover customers Bear Grylls, Sir Ben Ainslie and Zara Phillips MBE
  • Full-size seven-seat versatility demonstrated by Sir Ben Ainslie and Land Rover BAR sailing team, the British challenger for the 35th America’s Cup
  • London’s Tower Bridge made from 5,805,846 LEGO bricks, beating previous record by 470,646 pieces
  • For full details on the New Land Rover Discovery visit www.media.landrover.com

Solihull, UK, 28 September 2016: Land Rover has revealed the New Discovery seven-seat SUV by breaking a Guinness World Record for the largest LEGO structure ever built.

Long-term Land Rover Discovery owners Bear Grylls, Sir Ben Ainslie and Zara Phillips took part in the dynamic live reveal of Land Rover’s most versatile model around a 13-metre high LEGO version of London’s Tower Bridge.

Land Rover unveils the New Discovery at launch event at Packington Hall, Solihull UK, alongside world record breaking LEGO structure of London's Tower Bridge

The New Discovery embodies Land Rover’s drive to go Above and Beyond, combining British desirability with an unstoppable spirit of adventure. It is highly desirable with unrivalled capability and technology like no other.

Gerry McGovern, Land Rover’s Chief Design Officer, said: “New Discovery redefines the large SUV. Land Rover’s design and engineering teams have revolutionised the Discovery DNA to create a highly desirable, extremely versatile and hugely capable premium SUV.”

Everyday ingenuity has been at the heart of the Discovery for the last 27 years, with more than 1.2 million customers to date. The new Discovery is for the digital age. Ingenious technology keeps your family safe, connected and confident on all surfaces, all terrains and in all weathers to ensure your destination is reached.

The fifth-generation model benefits from Land Rover’s strong, safe and light full-size SUV architecture, delivering comfort and adaptability like no other.

The reveal set was made from 5,805,846 individual LEGO bricks, breaking the previous Guinness World Record by 470,646 pieces. Laid end to end, the bricks would stretch for almost 200 miles, or from Tower Bridge in London to Paris.

Led by the UK’s only LEGO Certified Professional, Duncan Titmarsh, it took five months for expert LEGO Master Builders in the UK to construct the incredible Tower Bridge structure. It was erected in the grounds of Packington Hall, Warwickshire, UK – close to Land Rover’s Solihull plant, where New Discovery will be produced.

As part of the dramatic reveal sequence, British adventurer Bear Grylls appeared in typically exciting fashion by abseiling from the top of the huge Tower Bridge installation, through the open drawbridge and onto the stage beside the New Discovery.

The finale was Land Rover BAR Team Principal Sir Ben Ainslie driving his sailing team through 900mm-deep water under the bridge – demonstrating the unrivalled capability and versatility of Land Rover’s new SUV. Sir Ben towed a LEGO replica of the Land Rover BAR boat, a 186,500-brick meticulous model of the boat that will challenge for next year’s America’s Cup.

The model of Tower Bridge was flanked by two LEGO ‘Discovery Zones’ celebrating 27 years of Land Rover Discovery heritage. An Equestrian Zone, hosted by accomplished rider Zara Phillips, featured a typically British picnic scene made entirely from LEGO bricks. The Bear Grylls Adventure Zone included a LEGO fire and boulders to represent a scene from a typical mountain exploration.

New Discovery represents the next step in Land Rover’s journey of transformation from cogs to code and is designed, engineered and manufactured with the help of some of the 1,300 talented young engineers currently on the … Read more

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October 7, 2016 – Teknosell has secured a major contract with commercial vehicle manufacturer Scania to expand training of their global salesforce in connection with the Next Generation Scania Truck Range, which was officially launched on Tuesday, August 23rd.

Teknosell is a professional coaching and training organisation, founded in Sweden, specializing in sales, customer service and product launch training programs using a newly developed method. With Scania having invested 20 billion SEK in the Next Generation Scania Truck Range, the biggest launch in the truck manufacturer’s 125-year history, Teknosell’s CEO Kristian Rosvall looks forward to expanding the cooperation.

“We have been coaching Scania’s sales force across the globe for the past year to prepare them for the big launch. By preparing every individual salesperson in this way, Scania is truly breaking new ground in how new products and services are launched to the global market. With the extension of the program that now becomes official, we will continue coaching Scania´s staff after the actual launch and expand the scope to cover 26 languages in 69 markets.”

Traditional product and sales training typically involves group and in-class sessions, which are costly and logistically challenging when it comes to large-scale businesses such as Scania. To overcome these challenges, Teknosell coaches staff using an innovative and unique training solution developed in close collaboration with Scania over the last several years.

“We knew that we had to employ an individual approach to bring up the skills of sales staff to a desired level and prepare them to sell something completely new. It was a challenge to design a training program that would reach out to each participant while being scalable on a global level. Today we are able to simultaneously train thousands of participants in different languages all over the world. We can do all this while giving individual feedback on a weekly basis, carefully pacing our programs and maintaining management commitment. This way we manage to gradually align staff training objectives with the company’s vision, in a very down-to-earth way.” said Kristian Rosvall.

”For a global enterprise, it is certainly a challenge to coordinate training to ensure that a large target group of employees receive uniform training. Teknosell accomplishes this through coaching our salesforce in local languages which is a prerequisite for results. Their method enables us to reach thousands of sales representatives around the world on a weekly basis and to measure results and progress on an individual level. This is something we value”, said Eric Ljunggren, Sales Development Manager at Scania.

The method has been validated through cooperation with Scania in a gradually increasing number of markets over several years, and feedback from markets has been encouraging. In Spain, one of the markets running the program for the longest time, 94% of surveyed sales managers were positive towards the program in an evaluation after completing 18 months.

“We believe that our method is simply a smarter way of training people in large corporations. For years I have seen that managers are fed up with one-off training events that do nothing to change every day behaviour of their staff. Scania saw the need of a more efficient way of training their sales and service organization, and I think our international cooperation with them is a great example of how our method can help global businesses achieve their goals.”

According to Rosvall, expansion and establishing a strategic position in the global market are two main objectives for Teknosell in the near future.

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