Union members are being asked by Royal Mail to call off all planned postal strikes, with the proposal to include conciliation service Acas in discussions over modernisation.

Talks are back on course between the Communication Workers Union (CWU) and Royal Mail in a desperate attempt to resolve all problems without the need for strikes.

Talks resumed following the Royal Mail’s decision to take on 30,000 temporary staff, an action condemned by the CWU as a “stupid move.” However, Royal Mail management see this as a reduction to the potential “unjustified and irresponsible” industrial action.

The 24-hour strikes were called by the CWU over pay, conditions and postal reforms. Mail centre staff and drivers will strike on Thursday 22 October, with delivery and collection staff striking the following day.

However, the UK’s largest private mail firm, TNT, have announced that they may be capable of delivering the “final mile” to people’s letterboxes. Royal Mail currently delivers 99% of all mail under 350 grams.

In an attempt to get their workers to the street, TNT has been lobbying the government.

Nick Wells, Chief Executive at TNT Mail UK believes that changes need to be made by central government.

“We need the market and regulatory barriers moving before we can put orange postmen on the street.”

“We have an alternative potentially for the future but not for the moment. Royal Mail has a de facto monopoly on the final mile delivery.”

A huge backlog is expected as a result of the Christmas rush, and Royal Mail are looking to keep on top of it by hiring 15,000 more temporary workers than last year.

Under the current employment law, the hiring of staff to do the work of employees on strike is illegal.

Royal Mail has justified its actions by stating that any backlogs would need to be cleared in the event of strike action and the Christmas rush.

Peter Mandelson suggested the use of conciliation service Acas; a move welcomed by CWU General Secretary Billy Hayes.

Hayes stated, “what I’d sooner Royal Mail be doing is negotiating seriously about trying to find a resolution to this dispute.”

The government has responded by warning that there are other alternatives to the postal system, with City minister, Lord Myners, commenting that “technology is providing new ways of communicating.”

The leader of the Liberal Democrats, Nick Clegg, appeared unhappy at the prospect of strike action. Speaking with the BBC, he declared “I think the people who are calling for a strike are wrong, which isn’t to say they don’t have legitimate concerns. But taking the whole country hostage like this is the wrong thing to do.”

Google has revealed their biggest 3-month profit to date, implying that internet marketing is recovering from the recession.

During the three-month period from July to September, Google unveiled a net profit of $1.64bn (£1bn), a 27% increase on last years July-September figures.

Eric Schmidt, Google’s chief executive, feels that “the worst of the recession is clearly behind us.”

Substantial profits weren’t just limited to Google’s prowess. Computing colossus IBM took a healthy $3.2bn in profits for the same period; an increase of 14% on last year’s figures.

They also provided encouraging figures for their predicted full-year profits, with members of management revealing that they expected to see the economic environment settling down.

Advertising Revenue

Quarterly revenue for Google far surpassed expert analysts’ predictions of $1.29bn, when they announced revenues of $4.38bn.

A spokesman for Google admitted that “because of what we have seen, we now have the confidence to be optimistic about our future.”

Two further advances have recently been made by Google. They will put themselves in competition with Amazon and Apple when they begin to sell electronic books via a new e-books service.

The second advancement was made when Channel 4 reached an agreement to show its programmes through Google’s YouTube website.

Robert Scoble, the highly-respected Technology blogger, believes that “people think of online video when they think of YouTube, but now YouTube is trying to bring in movies and longer-form content, which will let [Google] bring in new advertising that is going to be very profitable for them.”

Big-Brand Advertisers are Back

The recession doesn’t appear to have hit Google quite like other companies that solely deal in advertising, with many analysts predicting that they would one of the first to bounce back from the economic crisis.

Google saw a sharp 3.1% rise of $16.44 to $546.35 on Thursday, a sign that the markets are impressed by Google’s current and future prospects.

Coin Gillis, a senior analyst with Brigantine Advisors, is confident of Google’s strength, stating that “Google has no competition. Yahoo is withering on the vine and [Microsoft's] Bing is too tiny now.”

“They did great on every single metric. We think this is sustainable.”

He went on to state that Google’s current message is very clear and concise; “big brand advertisers are back and they are spending money.”

The following will look at some simple ways to generate the most interest when displaying at a trade show. These tips and tricks come from some of the most experienced trade show users.

Set a realistic goal: this is one of the first steps that you need to take when considering setting up a trade show booth. All members of your company need to agree on the goals before setting foot in the trade show, from marketing to product development and even the CEO. Often, just visiting a trade show can benefit your business and help you to learn from others at the show. Some benefits include: developing leads, clients and relationships; understanding brand management; helping others to understand your company and product; to become a known part of your industry; to help your team to bond for the good of your company; to recruit and to seek investors. Giving equal weight to all goals is most likely to result in all your goals failing. Speak to other members of your team and ask each member to provide you with a percentage weighting of the three most important goals. Remember, be realistic, not overambitious.

Forming a strategy: once equipped with goals and targets, it’s important to settle on a timeline for events. Focus on pre, during and post event, and create a checklist to prevent forgetting any vital parts. Acquiring clients, developing your product or generating leads is crucial at such events, and your company should focus on making one of these a priority. If generating leads is your main goal, set your most sociable team members with the task of socialising with those at the event and getting your brand heard. If you’re directing your attention towards achieving clients, you will need your sales people at the forefront. Developing your product may be most important for your company. In which case, you should task your developers with seeking out other developers and seeking ideas.

Create a budget: trade show booths will be between a third and two-thirds of all your financing for an event. The total costing should be looked at before booking the event, as extra costs could take you by surprise, such as travel, hotels, display material, staffing and food. If you’re breaking the budget by just paying for your stall, it may not be the right time to attend a trade show as you will end up cutting corners or leaving things out. Displaying at a trade show is a great opportunity to display your product and the professionalism of your company.

Approximately a third of UK employees dispose of sensitive data in the bin without shredding it, according to a recent study.

Research conducted as a part of National Identity Fraud Prevention week found that three-quarters of workers believed that their employers weren’t doing enough to protect their customers’ sensitive information.

The UK currently spends more than £1.2bn on identity fraud each year with approximately 60,000 people already targeted this year.

Theives use peoples sensitive information to apply for credit or benefits in their victims’ names and gangs are even selling peoples personal information on the black market.

As a part of a survey of 1000 people, 36% were unaware of any policies that their company had in place for handing and disposing of sensitive information.

The survey also found that 64% of people fail to shred their personal documents before disposing of them at home.

Approximately 12% of people questioned failed to use any security software whilst surfing the net at home and a mere 21% checked their credit report to see if anybody had been making applications for credit in their name.

Less than 50% of people questioned, chased up mail that was expected but hadn’t arrived.

Tyron Hill, a spokesman for National Identity Fraud Prevention Week, stated that the threat of identity fraud was “real and current.”

“People are either naive or they continue to ignore the advice that could keep their identity, their finances and their reputation safe,” he said.

“Even simple steps, like thoroughly shredding any documents with your name and address on them, will help to minimise your exposure.”

Identity fraud is continuing to rise rapidly, with experts believing it is no coincidence that we are currently in a recession.

The act of taking over an account rather than creating a new one has tripled in the past two years.

The fraud prevention service, CIFAS, have reported that 81% of us are concerned that we will be targeted by identity theives.

The two most common places for identity theft in the UK are South east London and Birmingham, 2,680 and 2,111 cases so far this year, respectively. Wales has the lowest number of identity fraud cases with the south-east England having the highest.

CIFAS Chief Executive Peter Hurst is extremely concerned, stating that ”fraud is an insidious crime. Not only does it affect consumers and businesses financially, but its impact in terms of reputation, trust and time are unquantifiable.”

The National Identity Fraud Prevention Week takes place from the 12 to 19 October.

Not everyone is going to agree with everything your business sells, its service etc. So it’s inevitable that from time to time you’re going to be faced with some complaints. So how can you handle complaints in a way that means you gain customers and retain staff?

Customer complaints aren’t usually welcomed by small business owners who have to get on with the running of their firm. But even matters that seem trivial to you can provide vital feedback to an aspect of your business that may be putting other customers off buying from you.

If enough customers experience the same problems, and tell their friends and colleagues something negative about you, poor customer service could become a serious problem.

Bending Over Backwards

John Tschohl – customer service guru – says companies should go out of their way to apologise for any mistakes and correct them as soon as they can.

He advises: “When a customer complains, you should be grateful. Research shows that only about 4% of customers will tell you when they have a problem. The other 96% simply won’t do business with you again. Instead, they quietly fume and take their business-and their money-elsewhere. They also will tell an average of 10 other people about the problem they had with your organisation.

“Handling customer complaints is a critical element in providing exceptional service, it’s also one aspect of any job that employees fear and, consequently, mishandle. They take complaints personally, and they haven’t been trained in how to deal with irate customers.”

He adds: “When employees are trained to deal with complaints, the organisation wins on two fronts. It not only retains its customers; it also retains its employees. When employees are trained to deal with complaints, the organisation wins on two fronts. It not only retains its customers; it also retains its employees.”

Six Steps

Tschohl suggests six steps to win customers loyalty:

1) Listen carefully and interestedly. Don’t be defensive. Remember the customer isn’t attacking you personally, just describing the problem he wants you to solve. Keep on topic so you can solve the problem, not find more.

2) Imagine being in the customers shoes. Respond so they know you care. Showing empathy diffuses the situation and has a calming influence on customers. Never challenge them directly, even if they are wrong, don’t try to prove it, solve it.

3) Ask questions caringly and sounding concerned. The more information you have the better armed you will be to solve it satisfactorily.

4) Suggest at least one alternative. Ask what they feel is an appropriate solution, then make your own solutions. Solve the problem together.

5) Apologise without blame. A sincere apology can diffuse a potentially volatile situation. If a customer hears an apology, they are likely to respond in a similar manner. Don’t shift the blame to another person or department.

6) Solve the problem, or find someone who can. Quickly solved complaints saves you money and makes customers happy.

What Do You Think? Comment here.

Sun, Sea & Sandy Laptops

Finding it difficult to tear yourself away from the office for a summer break? Apparently, it’s not as uncommon as you may have originally thought!

Euroffice.co.uk – the UKs leading supplier of discount stationary – found in a recent survey of small and medium sized businesses that 35% of us are still contacting the office while we are on holiday this summer.

Of this 35% that will be checking-in with the office, 38% admitted that they would be in-touch with work ‘a few times’ while working on their tans, while 22% believe they will be in contact once a day, and 8% even believing they would have to stay in phone or email contact several times a day.

So, why the constant need for communication?

56% of people said they would be contacting the office simply because ‘staying on top of things makes returning from holiday easier’. 21% of people admitted that even though they are meant to be on holiday, they find they just ‘can’t disconnect completely from work.’

However, if you’re one of the ones looking forward to a week in the sun without worrying about what’s going on at work, the survey showed that 41% of people think technology – there to make our lives easier – is making it harder for us to take time off work, even for just a day without alerting the boss.

The next question may have produced a biased response from employees worried about alerting the boss, but of only 37% of people that admitted they had skived off work from time-to-time, many said they would do a lot less bunking off this summer because they have ‘too many deadlines’ or ‘too heavy workload’.

What Do The Surveyors Have To Say?

CEO of Euroffice, Simon Drakeford commented on the results of the survey: “During the summer, it’s very tempting to skip work for a day or two to enjoy the sunshine or get an early start on a holiday.

“However, with things still pretty tough out there, employees are questioning their job security and prospects.  Understandably, many see it as being in their best interest to work harder and put in the extra effort instead of bunking off.

“What’s unfortunate, though, is that our survey reveals that many diligent office workers are finding it increasingly difficult to leave their work behind and relax while taking their annual leave.  Ultimately, the extra stress will begin to take its toll – and this can negatively affect employees as well as the business.”

Euroffice is a small, multiple award winning, web-based company that offers over 35,000 office products and services for small businesses. Products include discount stationary, computer supplies, printers and faxes, ink toners and cartridges and office furniture.

What Do You Think?

Do you find it difficult to take time off work too, even when on annual leave? Is it just technology making it harder to break away from the office, or is there more to it? Leave your comments here.

Experiential marketing allows customers to engage with and interact with your brand, products and services, using one or more of the senses in some sort of emotional or tangible way.

Experiential marketing is often known as the difference between telling people about your product and letting them experience the benefits for themselves so that they are able to make an informed decision about purchasing the item. This is also a way of increasing your brand awareness and customer loyalty without having to do promotions or give-aways as well as allowing you to establish highly-qualified leads and enhance your customer database.

How It Works

Experiential marketing can be carried out in many different forms, such as exhibitions, roadshows, ambient and in-store advertising, free product sampling and sponsorship. It is used very frequently when it comes to marketing drinks, retail brands and fast-moving consumer goods.

What Do You Need To Know?

If you want to give experiential marketing a go, there are several different agencies you can look at to help you set up live events, product sampling, roadshows and ambient activity. The Experiential Marketing Committee has been set up by the Direct Marketing Association in order to provide best practice and research.

Things To Bear In Mind

When thinking about trying experiential marketing, you should think firstly about what you have to say? Like all marketing techniques, there’s not much point if there’s no message.

You also need to make sure you choose the right location and attract the right crowd. This means appealing to your existing customers and prospective ones. Make profiles of potential age ranges, gender and other key influences that may make your product appeal to certain people.

Make it fun. You could combine entertainment with a product roadshow, which could lift your marketing activity from promotional sampling to experiential marketing.

Finally, make sure the size of your event is also manageable so as to maximise personal interaction with potential customers.

What Do You Think?

We would love to know your thoughts and opinions. Leave your comments here.

Important?

A government study shows that higher education is still important, as most college leavers believe their course played an important role in their getting a job.

The survey questioned 4,800 people who completed further education and were out of work when they began their studies. 41% said they graduated within two years of completing further studies, compared to 34% the previous year.

When asked if they felt education helped their job prospects after completing a college course in 2005/6, 62% of people replied that their course was either vital or helpful to getting a job afterwards.

For those still seeking employment, 64% also said their college courser improved their chances of finding work. Courses are also seen to be a booster for job security and promotion.

Minister of Further Education, Kevin Brennan said:

 “Further Education colleges are at the frontline of helping those out of work, back into jobs.   This research is especially important as it is testament to the benefits of further education felt by those who have actually undertaken a course or training. 

I am delighted such a large majority of learners feel their further education experience has enhanced their jobs prospects and skills.  The Government is committed to building on the work of the sector to help people gain the skills the need to get a job or set up their own business which is why we have increased spending on further education to nearly £5 billion in 2009-10.” 

Lasting Benefits

The report also shows a significant decrease in those seeking unemployment benefits from the beginning to the end of their course.

93% also felt lasting benefits as a result of their course. The report also suggests that under 25s were most likely to report increased knowledge and skills. Those with long-term disabilities report an increase in confidence; and many older learners say it improved their IT skills.

73% of people surveyed are more likely to undertake higher education or training within the next two years. 26% have already obtained further qualifications since 2005/6.

Maggie Scott, Association of Colleges’ Director of Policy, said:

“Many Colleges place a strong emphasis on helping people back into work through quality training, so it is pleasing to see from this research the positive influence that learners feel colleges and other further education providers are having on job prospects and progression into further learning. There have been real lasting benefits for the thousands of respondents who took part in the study.”

“There is obviously still much more work to be done to help people affected by the current economic climate and we would anticipate greater demand for training by Colleges and other providers and that they will build on the successes indicated by this new research.”

What Do You Think?

We would love to know your thoughts and opinions. Leave your comments here.