Are you seeking smart solutions for your business? A smart meter could be just the ticket for you. Smart meters are the new generation of gas and electricity meters which can be an invaluable asset for firms in Legal services, Accounting and bookkeeping, Marketing consultancy, Architecture, IT services, and more.
It’s no secret that a lot of small businesses have been hit hard by Covid-19. Both at TSB and through the work of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Fair Business Banking, we’ve seen the determination and sheer hard work firms have put in to adapt and survive through the toughest environment most of us can remember.
British Chambers of Commerce is hosting a significant in-person presence at COP26 in the City of Glasgow Colleges. Our programme of events features roundtables in which we will hear from industry experts across the business and net zero agenda, as well as thought leadership sessions, practical sessions for businesses and networking opportunities. Our full programme of events can be found here. We hope you can join us in Glasgow.
Running your very own restaurant, coffee shop or bar might be a dream, but you are up against huge competition, and it can be tough out there. Smart meters send your gas and electricity readings directly to your energy supplier, saving you time to focus on other jobs.
Getting to net zero requires action from governments all over the world, but small businesses have a massive part to play. This week’s blog on our net zero hub looks at what you can do now to play your part.
Energy is a key expense for hairdressers, beauty salons and other close contact services which makes it a crucial area for these businesses to save money and take control of their finances.
The outlook is tough; however here’s one simple step to control your outgoings
Much still needs to be done to improve trade flows between the UK and EU but BCC Head of Trade Policy, William Bain, sees a number of ways to make positive changes that can lead to gains for everybody.
The impacts of the pandemic will be felt well into the future but for now, businesses are taking their first steps in gradually reopening. Coffee shops and cafes are welcoming customers inside, hairdressers and beauty salons are switching on the lights and workers are starting to return to the office. Despite these first steps, trading will continue to be difficult for some time, especially for small- and medium-sized firms. These are the ones who will have seen their cash flow significantly hit and are now looking for all the help they can in trying to budget and plan for the future.
Small businesses have spent much of the past year scrambling to adapt to extraordinary circumstances. Although we have been experiencing this global pandemic since March 2020, those extraordinary circumstances still remain pretty, well, extraordinary. But although the war is not yet won, its outcome swings ever more in our favour. Global vaccination rollouts continue to gather pace, and enterprises of all shapes and sizes endure to show steely resilience and extreme agility to keep operations – and the world – moving. To help you keep on fighting the good fight, we’ve outlined some of the biggest small business trends and challenges you’re likely to encounter in the year ahead – and how best to embrace/overcome them. But above all, remember: your small business has weathered the worst of the storm, some of you have even emerged with a tan. So, keep smiling, follow our advice and one day (very soon) we’ll be happily bumping shoulders and enjoying maskless conversations about that crazy time we baked our weight in banana bread.
