Why productivity matters
Productive companies get more out of what they’ve got, enabling them to increase their profits, pay higher wages and invest in their future. More productive businesses mean a more prosperous country. Discover why productivity matters below.
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Digital Readiness
Video
A quirky idea to drive up off-season demand in Cornwall
An innovative approach taken by The Olde House in Cornwall has been successful in improving off-season demand for the forward-thinking family business.
Collaborative tools & analytics
Planning
Article
Coronavirus: Your company’s legal obligations
As the coronavirus outbreak continues it's important to stay up to date with how new developments affect your legal obligations as a business owner.
People & Team
Article
Meet the businesses that pool employee evaluation
Regularly evaluating the performance of your staff can help a business better meet individual and collective targets. We talk to two companies developing new employee evaluation techniques to engage with staff about their tasks and expectations.
Performance management
Sales & Growth
Article
From the coal face: Speaking up saw one digital content executive rewrite her job spec
Realising there was an opportunity for the company she worked for to better leverage digital content, Clarissa Bloom took an idea to her boss and has now undergone a comprehensive job role overhaul off the back of it.
Marketing & Sales
Leadership & Strategy
Article
How to handle a 650 per cent surge in demand
Creative Nature founder Julianne Ponan looks back at the the surge in demand the busienss has had since the start of the coronavirus pandemic.
Digital Readiness
Article
Delighting consumers with an innovative customer service strategy
From providing a direct link to the CEO to incentivising feedback, innovative customer service approaches are worth taking the time to devise and execute – as Be the Business found out.
Digital Commerce
Planning
Article
Define your business USP so it isn’t just hypothetical jargon
The easiest place to start talking about your company is probably the business USP – what makes your product or service different? But it’s difficult to define a USP that doesn't rely on industry buzzwords or hypothetical jargon.
Ambition
Sales & Growth
Article
The businesses selling into unusual export countries
Libya, Jordan, Senegal and the Philippines – all unusual export countries British SMEs are doing business with. Be the Business looked at how each of these companies selected the right trading nations and what was crucial in de-risking the process.
Expanding & Exporting
Planning
Article
Creating a scalable and reassuring back-to-work plan
From working out its maximum safe occupancy to creating an induction document,…
People & Team
Article
Creating team leaders to maximise sales and profitability – stories from the beauty and hospitality worlds
As a business grows it gets harder and harder to stay on top of all day-to-day activities. Nurturing and empowering team leaders helps take some of the pressure off, as Be the Business found out.
Talent development
Sales & Growth
Article
Honing the company offering using customer feedback
While there have never been more ways for comments – be it positive or negative – to be given on products or services, customer feedback can be a powerful tool, if used wisely.
Marketing & Sales
Leadership & Strategy
Article
Want the best day of your career? Join an advisory board
Our interim finance director, Regina Lombard, joined our Advisory Board programme for family businesses and had one of the best days of her career.
Seek external advice
People & Team
Article
How to monitor your best performing staff and empower them
While most focus may go on dealing with members of staff not pulling their weight, business leaders must be careful to not ignore their best performing staff who are the most important assets.
Talent development
Planning
Video
A day in the life with: Ceviche founder Martin Morales
Peruvian chef and entrepreneur Martin Morales guides us through a typical day within his Ceviche Family restaurant group, explaining how little changes make all the difference.
Create a distinct offering
Sales & Growth
Article
Coronavirus: Managing your supply chain during the outbreak
The coronavirus outbreak means most businesses are facing challenges when it comes to managing supply chains – but there are some simple steps you can take.
People & Team
Article
Cancelling scheduled meetings boosts productivity and creativity
SME leaders are ditching scheduled meetings to boost productivity and creativity. We spoke to two business owners about the benefits and their advice.
Talent development
People & Team
Video
Making the employee appraisal process about personal development targets
Rather than making the appraisal process about how staff are performing by measuring them against metrics and targets, SC Group is prioritising personal development.
Talent development
Leadership & Strategy
Article
Hibernating SMEs work out how to get going again
The challenges and opportunities for SMEs hibernating since the coronavirus pandemic forced doors to close are numerous. We look at how to tackle them.
Leadership Behaviours
Planning
Article
Cash flow management: You know how to do it, but can you do it in a crisis?
Our crib sheet brought together 15 steps to cash flow management best practice. Now, we've asked some finance experts what they're saying to SME clients.
Digital Readiness
Article
Coronavirus: Protect your business from cyber attack during the outbreak
Evidence is emerging that cyber attack criminals are seeking to exploit coronavirus. However, there are a number of clever tools at the disposal of SMEs.
People & Team
Article
Implement a flat management structure
Shadow Robot’s managing director Rich Walker was so determined to develop his nascent managerial skills that he joined a business growth development course.
Talent development
Digital Readiness
Article
An opportune time to fast-track digital change
Despite causing numerous setbacks, the coronavirus crisis has given St Michaels Resort a golden opportunity to embrace digital change future-proof the business.
Digital Readiness
Video
PureGym: Dealing with 60m customer experiences a year
From a standing start in 2009 PureGym has built an estate of over 200 sites across the UK. Now led by Humphrey Cobbold, Be the Business found out how the company is learning from rivals and innovating along the way.
Collaborative tools & analytics
People & Team
Article
Successful employee evaluation schemes only work with staff buy-in
Before you look to introduce new employee evaluation schemes or to enhance existing ones you must get staff involvement explained Bertie Hubbart.
Performance management