< Previous10Business Link www.blmforum.netNEWSWordsandSpacesLtdtel:01724 352156 mob:07736 952885 fax: 0871 989 5784 email: stuart@wordsman.co.uk twitter:@stuartpearcey Armstrong House, Armstrong Street, Grimsby, North East Lincolnshire, DN31 2QEI’ll write blogs, websites, ads, articles, leaflets, news releases and newspapers; I’ll design print and buy it. I’m Stuart Pearcey. How can Imake your life better today?www.wordsman.co.ukWhere goodcopywritingmeans business£43k grant sees Yorktech firm find foodwastesolutionYork tech firm BakePlanSoftware has been awardeda grant of £43,600 by theUK’s innovation agency,Innovate UK.The funding, which part-matches its own investment,was awarded to the firmafter participating inInnovate UK’s Emerging andEnabling Technologiesprogramme.The grant will be invested in machine learning and AItechnologies to develop a new system that can see food products,count them and record data about them autonomously.BakePlan Software specialises in demand-forecasting software thatadvises supermarket bakers and other in-store food production staff onthe right products to make at the best times of the day.This improves product availability, freshness and sales. It also reduceswaste.BakePlan Software’s project aims to eliminate the manual datainputting needed by food retail staff to control waste, thus acceleratingthe adoption of its solutions. Peratech raises £9m toscale tunnelling techRichmond-based PeratechHoldco has raised £9.2 millionto scale and commercialiseforce-sensing solutions with itsproprietary Quantum TunnellingComposite technology.Peratech QTC-based sensorsoffer intuitive touch sensing fornext generation user interfacesin a range of mobile,automotive, industrial andvirtual/augmented realityproducts.The investment has beenmade by Merck Ventures, ArieCapital and existing investors. Itwill enable Peratech tocommercialise its QTCtechnology by scaling up customer support and manufacturing.Finance Yorkshire invested £1.4 million in the company from its EquityLinked Fund to finance an asset purchase and development of QTCtechnology in North Yorkshire with Northern Powerhouse talent so that itcould reach its current commercialisation stage.Peratech CEO Jon Stark said: “Finance Yorkshire’s early-stageinvestment enabled us to complete our technology development,demonstrate it in several product applications, exciting global customers,receive multiple industry awards, and attract strategic manufacturingpartners.”© Shutterstock / SpeedKingzPeratech CEOJon Stark06-10_Layout 1 01/12/2017 09:35 Page 5readers’www.blmforum.netBusiness Link 11Scam alertDear Business Link,Is it me getting old, or are online fraudsters and cybercriminals getting smarter? Just the other day, I received amessage from my bank stating they had received my PPIclaim and were looking into it - which didn’t seem odd as Ihad indeed submitted a letter regarding PPI. A week or twolater I received an updated message about some fraudulentactivity on my account and was given a number to call,which I almost did until It occurred to me it could be a trick. Sure enough, on checking the number provided throughBarclays on line number checker it was indeed a scam. A few days later I received a message stating I had beencaught on camera speeding in a certain area – yet again Ihad indeed visited the area in question and opened themessage to see if I had erred. The document looked realenough but then it occurred to that the DVLA wouldn’t haveaccess to my email address. I consider myself pretty astute when it comes to spottingsuch scams, but two near misses in a matter of weeks, isfrankly a bit too close for comfort and I hope my lettermight help alert other Business Link readers to such scams.T Leary, HullIt’s Christmas timeDear Sir,It’s Christmas! Or it soon will be. I actually thoughtto send a quick email in response to one of your recentarticles which suggested that the end-of-year party isimportant in reminding staff why they should be happyto work where they do, and that failing to have onemight lead to employees considering work elsewhere.Well, I’m proud to say our company has perhapsfound a way around that – by not only giving our staffthe last day of work off, but also by hosting our partyin February, instead. It’s cheaper, everywhere is lessbooked up, and the employees know that if they leaveover the Christmas break, they’ll miss it. Genius.Samantha L, HarrogateSomething to say? Write to:Business Link Magazine, Armstrong House,Armstrong Street, Grimsby,North East Lincolnshire DN31 2QE or email:letters@blmgroup.co.ukPHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK.COM/NIKODASH / I AM WAYDivorce paperssignedDear Sir,I was amazed and vaguely confused this week tofind that our Government had been abducted byaliens and replaced with people who actuallywanted to get stuff done. As such, our newoverlords – praise be unto them – have decided toactually agree a Brexit divorce bill and allownegotiations to move onwards.All joking aside, this is a wonderful Christmaspresent for the business community, and we canonly hope the nationalists don’t start trying tosabotage the issue by claiming the UK shouldn’thave to pay anything. While £50 billion is no smallamount, it is a necessary price to pay and I doubt Ispeak only for myself when I say the economyneeds this to get moving.G Miles, Leeds© Shutterstock / nito11_Layout 1 01/12/2017 09:27 Page 1PROPERTY12Business Link www.blmforum.net© Shutterstock / LI CHAOSHU The new age of business is dawning, with 3Dtechnology, the Internet of Things and artificialintelligence all touted to have massive benefits on thecorporate world as we know it. As well as the promisedboost to efficiency, these technologies are also on aplotted course to improve safety, satisfaction andoutlooks for workers. But there’s one solution thattends to get forgotten about when considering thesefactors – namely, the workplace itself. Tomorrow’sworkplacetodayTomorrow’sworkplacetoday12-15_Layout 1 01/12/2017 09:37 Page 1www.blmforum.netPROPERTYBusiness Link 13Workers should be at the heart ofa business’ operations, andprioritising those workers meansproviding a suitable workplace. Noemployer wants a workforce madeup of people who feelunderappreciated, unfulfilled andwho count down the seconds untilthey can clock off. Yet creating aninviting and open workplace culturecan prove vexing for company headslooking to motivate staff and makethem feel like a crucial part of theteam. Working from the ground up isa fitting solution and designing aworkplace around the needs of thepeople that inhabit it is a sure-fireway to involve staff. Our commercial property pagesexplore the market from all mannerof angles every month, from pickingapart the financial fallout of Brexit, toexploring some of the key dealsacross our region. Of late, theemphasis has been on the digitalboom taking place in Yorkshire andLincolnshire, with Leeds, inparticular, hailed as a tech hub. Partof this evolution has seen companiesthinking outside the box when itcomes to their workplaces. Manycompanies are doing away with thetraditional office setting of a salesfloor and orbiting offices andembracing something a little moredisruptive. Perhaps inspired by the folks overat Google – or myriad other SiliconValley giants, for that matter –today’s offices are prioritising health,wellbeing and satisfaction. In orderto create such a space, a companymust first find the right building,business park or office block, with allmanner of pitfalls to avoid. One ofthe most common complaints,though admittedly one which israrely discussed, is sick buildingsyndrome. Simply put, this describesa phenomenon in which the airquality, light distribution or any otherfactors of a building are affecting thehealth and wellbeing of those inside.Older buildings can be some of theworst offenders here, butregeneration schemes andrefurbishments across our regionhave helped ensure that listed15 Á12-15_Layout 1 01/12/2017 09:38 Page 2ArmstronghouseOffering a prime position in Grimsby, Armstrong House onArmstrong Street is ideally located. Close to the ports ofGrimsby and Immingham, motorway links and the town centre,off-street parking is also available for all staff and visitors,meaning it’s convenient too. Our spacious, welcoming officesare located on the ground floor and are both secure and CCTV-monitored, giving you the ultimate peace of mind.At Armstrong House, the flexible in/out terms of contractmean confidence when it comes to affordability and with a rangeof office sizes there are opportunities for all types of business. Ifyou require virtual office services, prices start from just £15 permonth. For more information, or to discuss your office requirements,give Scotts Property a call today on 01472 267000 and askabout Armstrong House.Last remaining office suitesPrime location in GrimsbySuperb Location -- Close to the ports of Grimsby &Immingham- Great motorwaylinks- Close to the town centreSecure off street parkingHigh speed internet availabilityEasy in/out termsA range of affordable office sizes33333Armstrong House, Armstrong Street,Grimsby DN31 2QETel: (01472) 310301 • Email: s.fisher@blmgroup.co.ukwww.shutterstock.com/terekhov igorwww.shutterstock.com/Yentafern12-15_Layout 1 01/12/2017 09:38 Page 3www.shutterstock.com/Yentafernwww.blmforum.netPROPERTYBusiness Link 15buildings and beloved working placesremain up-to-date with the wants andneeds of the modern business. Contemporary offices and businessparks are typified by their vast andnumerous windows. Not only does thisallow more natural light into a buildingand curtail the use of electric lights, butprovides a massive health benefit toworkers. This time of year, seasonalaffective disorder is especially rife, socutting workers off from natural lightcan be detrimental to mental andphysical health. Mental health nolonger has the stigma it once had, andbosses are more understanding ofthese unseen addictions that staffmight be suffering with. It’s in theboardroom’s best interest to ensurestaff remain healthy, and part of thebattle lies in the building in which theyinhabit. More and more workplaces areproviding cycling initiatives andinfrastructure, including facilities to lockup bikes, both indoor and out. It’s notuncommon for an office to have ashower so workers who decide to cyclein can freshen up before they sit downat their desk. Although games roomsand relaxation spaces have becomemore popular options to help staffunwind and relax – a kind of homeaway from home – exercise spaces areequally as important. Though the boonto worker health and wellbeing is abenefit unto itself, the knock-on effect toproductivity and efficiency will bewelcomed. A happy worker is aproductive worker, as the adage goes,so ensuring staff have the means oftheir own happiness at their disposalwill help to ensure a productiveworkplace. Though the skills gap is a complexand multi-faceted issue, one of the keycauses is a failure to entice the youngergeneration into vacant or soon-to-bevacant roles. Part of having millennialsis about appealing to their sensibilitiesand lifestyles. This is the generationthat wants flexible working; that haslargely cast aside the 9-to-5 in favour ofa work life they can weave aroundfamily, friends and their social lives.This too is the generation that has bidfarewell to the traditional office, so thatenvironment will feel like a step backfor younger workers. But there willalways be a place for the officeenvironment; it just needs to evolveinto a space that better serves workersand their needs. The commercial property market isresponsive to the changing economictide, but also reflects the evolvingneeds of businesses and their staff.New builds, refurbishments and officerebuilds are increasingly emphasisingworker health and wellbeing and theassociated benefits that brings tobusinesses. Though this can be assimple as providing workers withspaces to unwind, factoring natural lightinto the build, and a move away frombeiges and greys to a more vibrantcolour scheme, the rewards tobusinesses can be rich indeed. © Shutterstock / pisaphotography 12-15_Layout 1 01/12/2017 09:38 Page 416Business Link www.blmforum.netAUTUMN STATEMENTInitial post Budget comment seems tohave focused on the abolition of stampduty land tax for first time buyers onhomes up to £300,000. Whilst undoubtedlythis is more than welcome for thoselooking to get on the property ladder, will itmake buying your first home moreachievable? Perhaps not – why? For most,the challenge seems to be more about theability to earn enough to service amortgage rather than to buy a property.Therein lies the message to take away fromthe first Budget since the general election.We did however hear from theChancellor a vision for a vibrant anddynamic world class Britain post Brexit, aneconomy which leads in terms ofinnovation, productivity and skills and thatis a great place to live and work. It istherefore not surprising to have heardannouncements that included a widening ofthe tax relief for businesses in terms ofresearch and development (R&D), alongwith increased scope for investment indigital and technology through use of theEnterprise Investment Scheme (EIS).Certainly for the workforce of the futurethere was a vision for a highly skilled andhighly paid workforce. To achieve thisthough may require greater investment interms of addressing the skills gap in ourworkforce, whether it is for those leavingschool and entering tertiary education or anaging workforce that needs to re-train.Even pre Brexit, the UK with an agingpopulation and increasing job vacancies,AutumnStatementStreets Chartered Accountants on the Autumn Statement: An English man’s home is his castleJames Pinchbeck,Marketing Partner StreetsChartered Accountants16-17_Layout 1 01/12/2017 09:39 Page 1www.blmforum.netBusiness Link 17AUTUMN STATEMENTwas experiencing workforce shortages.Post Brexit it seems addressing or fillingthe gap has become even morechallenging. Whilst incentives andsupport in terms of developing andusing new labour saving or replacingtechnologies may help address thisissue in part, more needs to be done toensure we are training and developingthe workforce of the future. Ideally anapproach which focuses more onincreasing the value workers generateand therefore the earning they receive –a move which could help to ensuremore people can afford to buy their firsthouse.The good news for many must be thecontinued freeze of the fuel taxescalator and the excise on perhapsyour favour tipple as we approachChristmas. For the vast number ofdiesel powered car drivers though therewas a shot across the bows with anincrease in vehicle excise duty aimed atencouraging us to move to moreenvironmentally friendly vehicles.For house builders, the Chancellor’sefforts to address the barriers tobuilding enough houses each year mustbe welcome, whilst funding and publicsector spending is helping this to comeabout, realising the vision of building300,000 houses a year by 2020 mightbe a big ask.Whilst perhaps a bit of non news, theaccountancy profession welcomes thedeferral of the intent to look at the VATthreshold. With Making Tax Digital(MTD) for VAT purposes coming intoeffect in April 2019, it seems more thantimely to leave any thoughts of lookingat VAT thresholds until then.In terms of public spending we surelymust welcome any increase inspending for our NHS, andinfrastructure projects which benefitother areas of the country and not justLondon and the South East.Should we have expected more fromthe Chancellor? Perhaps not, he seemsto have been consistent with hismessage and direction of travel, re-affirming the steady and sustainedcourse of action for ensuring theeconomic stability and sustainability forthe UK.Streets Chartered Accountants is atop 40 UK accountancy firm.Telephone 0845 8800320, email info@streetsweb.co.uk orvisit www.streetsweb.co.uk© Shutterstock / Sovastock 16-17_Layout 1 01/12/2017 09:39 Page 218Business Link www.blmforum.netINVOICE AND FINANCE SOLUTIONSLate payments are one of the keyreasons why so many businessesstruggle with cash flow, witherratic payments wreaking havoc withfinances and records. Research fromNucleus Commercial Finance found thatinvoices dated in November 2017, arenot likely to be paid until early Februaryin the New Year – over 40 days longerthan the typical 30 day payment terms. The research explored 96 sectors fora thorough dissection of this mostcommon of financial bugbears. Onlyone sector – specifically employmentagencies – was found to pay theirinvoices within 30 days on average.Further, just 12 sectors, includingeducation and construction, were foundto pay invoices in less than 45 days.The rest, however, took on average 74days. After analysing 129,000 invoices, theresearch concluded that the worstperforming sector is, surprisingly,membership organisations – includingtrade bodies and other subscription-based organisations. On average,businesses in this industry, or thoseselling it goods or services, areexpected to wait, on average, morethan 137 days – or over four months.Delays of this kind can affect quarterlyfinancial results, leading to uncertainand unreliable forecasts andprojections. Though this issue plaguesbusinesses across the board, it’s smallbusinesses that are worse affected. The latest statistics puts the UK’s totalSMEs at 5.4 million – or 99 per cent ofall businesses – meaning that almost allof the nation’s businesses are sufferingin one way or another from latepayments. It’s perhaps symptomatic ofthe current business climate, theuncertain economy, and poor outlooksoverall for businesses. Doubtless,businesses that are failing to payinvoices during the agreed uponperiods are themselves dealing with latepayments, and so the vicious economiccircle perpetuates itself. To contend with this issue, smallbusinesses often find themselveschasing invoices daily, much to chagrinof those on the receiving end of calls oremails. This can put tremendous strainon business relationships, andendanger any future dealings. For theoffending party, they won’t appreciatehaving late payments chased every day,while the affected company might forgodoing businesses with a client orcustomer that will likely result in latepayments again. Growth plans can also be put inserious jeopardy by a mounting tide oflate payments. In order to executegrowth plans, a company requires ahealthy cash flow. Often these plans willbe months or years in the making, butdelayed invoices can mean they remainconceptual. Sporadic and unpredictablepayments can leave a business using itscash flow just to cover overheads andoperating costs. In the political quagmire of 2016, oneof the hottest buzzwords was ‘JustAbout Managing’ or ‘JAMs’. ThisChasingpaymentsOn the surface of it, business operations present a seeminglysimple flow chart of events. A company is hired by a customer,client or individual to deliver a product or service. The businessthen fulfils the service and invoices for the amount agreed. Yetthis crucial invoicing stage is where the straightforward systembreaks down, with some companies across our region sufferingfrom late invoice payments.18-20_Layout 1 01/12/2017 09:40 Page 1www.blmforum.netBusiness Link 19INVOICE AND FINANCE SOLUTIONSdescribed families who were, financiallyspeaking, just about managing to feedthemselves and pay their rent, tax andutilities. This same categorisation canabsolutely be applied to the businessworld, with many small companies justabout managing to cover overheadcosts and keep the machine moving foranother month. This is hardly aconducive environment for growth, asfar as a company is concerned, but alsofor the overall wellbeing of the Britisheconomy. SMEs are often claimed to bethe backbone of Britain, but they’remore like the entire skeletal system andif this support system is weakened, then© Shutterstock / Olivier Le Moal Leeds investment firmhits £100m milestonesix months earlyMyddleton Croft,the Leeds boutiqueinvestment house,has reached itstarget of £100million of assetsunder managementsix months earlierthan planned.The firm wasable to achieve thisgoal via an 18%year-on-yeargrowth in FundsUnderManagement.Last year itachieved a turnover of £1 million and is continuing to grow based on the performance ofits discretionary portfolios and the growing number of independent financial adviserfirms and individuals using its investment services.Managing Director Julie Jones, pictured, said: “One of our key aims when I becamemanaging director in summer 2015 was to build up the firm’s £70 million of Funds UnderManagement and to have achieved the growth so quickly is a great testament to ourability to attract new clients, increase our clients’ asset values and to the team’sunswerving commitment to providing the very highest levels of service.”20 Á18-20_Layout 1 01/12/2017 09:40 Page 2Next >