All Blog Posts (783)

The Financial Services Authority (FSA) is to instruct banks to charge for current accounts, according to a report by consumer group Which?.

Research found charges for going overdrawn for two days per month without permission range from £120 to £900 a year, leading to confusion for consumers.

Customers who stay in credit also lose out through punitive charges levelled on…

Exciting times! Two more gold medals Team GB this afternoon in the dressage and the boxing (not that I'm glued to the box watching the Olympics you understand :0) I promise I was out networking this morning, although my voice is a bit hoarse from shouting at the telly!

Shock news of the week in Networkland for me was the announcement that Ecademy…

Like it or not, Amazon have taken retail by storm. There are many reasons for this and I could do a whole essay on everything from their cheap prices to their superb customer service. Instead I want to talk about how they took customer research and the internet and put them together in a way that changed how businesses work forever.

Have you heard of split testing? Before you ask, no it’s not taking a single spoonful of banana and ice cream and deciding whether you want it or…

Sponsorship marketing is a gray area for many marketers. Those who've focused on traditional advertising and publicity channels may be reluctant to delve into sponsorship activities or unsure how to find opportunities that fit. Evaluating teams, athletes, events and the benefits associated with sponsorship exposure can be cumbersome, particularly if you don't have your requirements and guidelines clearly defined ahead of time.

Effective use of sponsorship marketing requires careful…

Well, I loved it... that wacky Games Opening Ceremony, complete with clips from 1960s black & white sitcoms, Mr Bean in Chariots of Fire, the ‘Baked Bean’ parachuting in with James Bond, and a good old singalong finale around the piano with Macca and Hey Jude... and millions around the globe scratching their heads and asking, ‘What’s all that about then?’ A triumph, in true British style - if you can’t beat…

Hi NiS Members!

Can you please spare a few minutes to do a survey to help out Len Goss and the University of Surrey?  Many of yo uwill know Len from his time as a Director at Surrey Chambers and from networking meetings over the years - most recently at Foxhills.  Here is Len's plea:

Dear fellow NiS Members

I could do with a favour from you - please!!

I’m working on a research…

Had an amazing day in Carshalton when the Olympic Torch came through. I acted as announcer to cheer on the crowds as the Torch passed. I also made Red White and Blue Olympic Balloon Hats for the kids in exchange for donations to the Neonatal Unit at St Helier Hospital Carshalton and managed to raise over £100. There was a fantastic atmosphere and so many people. A Day to remember.

The sun is shining, and you feel you can no longer hide your poor feet in shoes and socks.  The trouble is, you're worried about showing them off in public.  Where do you start?

The tools you'll need for some basic home foot care are some nail clippers or nippers, a nail file, a double sided foot file and some foot cream. 

Cut your toenails following the shape of your toes, and don't go too short.  File off any rough bits or sharp corners.  If taking care of…

Being remembered is never easy. Being remembered for the right thing is even harder.

It is difficult for consumers to see the gaps between global tournaments and sport event coverage because it is a central area for revenue with broadcasters.

Sponsors can look to establish both a message, proposition and market their sponsorship to defined target markets effectively. Much…

The recent interruption to the Royal Bank of Scotland’s IT systems is a lesson to us all about the importance of having appropriate Business Continuity Planning (BCP) in place. An interruption can lose you clients, damage your reputation irrevocably and cost you financially. A high percentage of companies do not recover from an interruption - and of those which do, many fail within 2 years.…

BYFLEET ROAD CLOSED FOR 2 WEEKS

If you thought the Olympic Cycling might make traffic in Weybridge and Cobham a bit sticky, you ain't seen nuthin' yet! Thanks go to NiS Member Karen Sutton and to Sony UK for passing on the following info:

Please find…

We have an electronic pass system at our Basingstoke office which means you have to swipe to get into the building beyond reception.

If I change suits between visits I might forget to put my pass in the new jacket pocket and so have to ask for a temporary pass. Of course when I go back to the original suit later on the odd occasion I have had the pleasure of finding a ten pound note in the pocket, or at least…

A round-robin email inviting people to participate in a workplace sweepstake in the run up to a popular sporting event seems like a bit of innocent fun – no need for an employer to intervene, surely?

In fact, sweepstakes, lotteries and all forms of “betting” in the workplace are regulated by the Gambling Act 2005, so you’d be well-advised to be aware of what it says, to avoid falling foul of its…

Holidays are a wonderful time when the whole family gets to spend good quality time together, relaxing and having fun. It's a perfect time of love and harmony, isn't it?

Yes, it can be and it can also be a trying time for a lot of people. It can be a time when the whole family is forced to come together with false promise of this "wonderful, mystical time" that we are all supposed to be having.…

I read the other day about a little boy who was very sad because the girl in his class turned him down to go to the school dance.

What did his Mother say:  NEXT !

I think the same is true if you are facing redundancy; it’s a time for a new challenge and it can be very exciting but frightening at the same time.

You have money in your pocket – yippee – but what to spend it on?

Paying off your credit cards, loans?

Buying a new wardrobe of…

Click on the image above to watch Jane's Video Blog on YouTube

If you have any other hints or tips for keeping your kids happy and amused (on a budget) over the summer holidays it would be lovely to hear from you.

With kind regards

Jane

Jane…

It's a wonderful time of year, looking on the internet or browsing the glossy holiday brochures for that perfect break that has been hard earned.

Yes, we can Google locations, hotels or self catering apartments and of course airfares, but wait, please don't book straight away.....   Check with a Travel Agent and ask them for a quote too- it's always worth shopping around and of course make sure that however or whoever you book with they are members of ABTA and ATOL.

Check those…

Timing is not just crucial for comedians. It’s pretty important for managers too.

In a recent Tribunal case involving the theft of stock, an employer dismissed two employees summarily, i.e. without notice or payment in lieu of notice, following an investigation which proved their involvement. The termination letter stated that the date of dismissal was 5 October 2010. The employees appealed, and after hearing their…

Surrey Networkers Evening THIS COMING THURSDAY, JULY 12th

at The LIGHTBOX in WOKING from 6pm to 9.30pm

Go to: http://surreynetworker.eventbrite.co.uk

A unique networking evening with a special emphasis on growing your business profitably whatever the economic circumstances.

What you’ll get from the evening:

• Surrey Networking has secured 2 of the UK’s best speakers who will focus on how you can win more…

Listen to this 15-minute free mini-webinar in which Keith Grover interviews  NiS+ Member Jo McHale of Talking Truly - click here to learn how to improve your personal communications skills in business…