Archive for the ‘London’ Category

B2B International expands its consultancy team to London

Following on from the successful opening of a London sales office last year, B2B International is delighted to today announce the opening of a new central London office, on Euston Road, to better service clients in London and the south-east of England.

Research Manager Matt Powell will head up the new office. Matt joined B2B International in 2004 and has spent time in the Manchester (UK) and Beijing offices. He has worked with numerous clients in many industry sectors, including: ADT, Ashland Chemical, Autoglym, BRUSH, Centravis, Friedland, Interxion, JLG, John Wiley, Microsoft, OCR, Travis Perkins, UK Hydrographic Office, Vodafone and a number of universities.

Posted in B2B News, London, Matt Powell |
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Small Is Beautiful – especially in today’s marketplace

In this week’s Thursday Night Insight, Nick Hague explains why, in his opinion, there will always be a place for small businesses.

Every day, when working in the office, I walk through the precinct close to where our UK office is located to go to our local deli to get my lunchtime sandwich.  I have been furrowing this same path for the last 12 years and it still fills me with joy every day as I am greeted and welcomed by the local shopkeepers as if I was part of the family.

I feel highly privileged to work in close proximity to such a thriving local community where the local precinct holds many such shops that vary from clothing, homeware, aromatherapy and shoe shops through to grocers, fishmongers and butchers (and I defy anybody to show me a better butchers than Corrys).  However, as our towns and cities are continued to be overrun with the marauding retail giants of Tesco and Walmart, I think it is refreshing to see how our local community (in the face of adversity with the current economic climate) is utilising its owner-managed enthusiasm to deliver a passion and engagement that is now lost from many of the faceless giants of the corporate world.

We have recently completed a piece of research for Business Link in London, speaking to small business owners in the UK’s capital city to find out what impact the credit crunch has had on their business and their future business plans.  As expected, a fifth of businesses have been extremely affected by the recession, with 4 in 10 respondents stating that their overall budgets and expenditures have been significantly affected, especially the adverse impact on cashflow, reduced investment and funding, and a decline in national sales.  However, even though businesses have been affected, optimism still remains high for the next 12 months with a half of business owners looking to fuel growth through ramping up marketing activity, 4 out of 10 looking to diversify into new markets, and a third looking to launch new products.

Like the local shop keepers where our office is based, I see many smaller business owners putting in superhuman efforts to make their businesses stand out and succeed against the competition in this difficult climate.  In these uncertain times, small companies do hold many advantages over larger organizations, with lower central costs and greater awareness of changing trends allowing new ideas to thrive, and flexibility to react quickly to shifting demands.

Over the last 12 years of running B2B International I have experienced the difficulties and tensions as a company rises from humble beginnings into an organization that now has a global presence on three continents.  I remember very early on, speaking to one of our research executives, and her saying “Why do want to grow?  It is nice to work for such an intimate, family run company.”  The problem is, if you always do what you always have then you always get what you have always got – if you are lucky!  From our inception through to our current position we have continually fought to be adaptable, innovative and personal as we believe that customer service prevails in today’s competitive environment and that the future belongs to the smaller company.  Of course, larger corporations will always enjoy economies of scale along with greater brand awareness and only large companies can carry out industrial production in the industries of automotive, steel, pharmaceutical and utility provision but, as typified by the example of General Motors, even with their large resources, things can still go horribly wrong.

A contrast is the John Lewis Partnership, the British department store and grocery chain. Here the staff really do own the business, and behave like enlightened capitalists rather than bloody-minded union members. It offers world-class service and a lesson in how important it is to keep the customer happy, and herein I think lies the answer.  Smaller companies are continually looking to innovate and deliver customer service.  They punch above their weight and force larger companies to up their game.  In these uncertain times, the smaller business owner will continue to succeed.

STOP THE PRESS! Calling All Small Business Owners In London

We want to know the challenges you are facing as an SME in the current market conditions. Take part in the Business Link in London SME survey and tell us your opinion.

Business Link in London along with B2B International is kicking off its second wave of surveys for its Diverse Business Confidence Index Project. This research will provide an in-depth analysis of how the recession is having an impact on London’s small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs).

This survey will be the voice of over 3,000 small businesses in London and the Index will provide a timely and statistically significant insight into how different types of SMEs continue to be affected by the recession and what actions they have taken to combat its effects.

If you are a London business owner and would like to take part in the survey of the Diverse Business Confidence Index then please e-mail dbci@b2binternational.com and include your name, company name and London borough where your business is based.

Posted in Business Confidence Index, London, Nick Hague, Recession, Small Business, SMEs, Thursday Night Insight |
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Business Confidence In London Is Growing

The findings of a survey into the confidence of business owners in London have just been released.  Conducted for Business Link in London by business-to-business market research and intelligence consultancy B2B International, the research highlights how the effect of the economic environment varies significantly by type of business, location and personal characteristics of owners.

The survey, commissioned to examine how to meet the business needs of a diverse marketplace, is the first of its kind and the ‘Diverse Business Confidence Index’ has been created to represent minority groups including women, ethnic/faith groups, the elderly, the disabled, and those of a particular sexual orientation.

B2B International director Nick Hague, in charge of the survey, says the survey uncovered perceived discrimination and prejudice in the business world.  “This diverse business confidence index for BLIL is a great step in finding out how business owners are coping during the recession.  Companies in the industry sectors of recruitment, property and construction have been hardest hit during the economic downturn, whilst least affected are in the health and beauty sector.  As a bonus to developing such a robust index, we also gained real insight into diversity issues in business which may be mirrored across the country, not just across Greater London.”

London’s SMEs Defy Recession

As London’s small businesses bear the brunt of the recession many are still looking to grow, according to Business Link in London’s new Diverse Business Confidence Index (the Index). The first of its kind, the Index surveyed over 3,000 small businesses in London and found that 84 per cent are planning on expanding and growing their business over the coming year. Nearly two thirds of entrepreneurs surveyed said that the recession is still affecting their business with 39 per cent saying the recession has significantly impacted overall budgets and expenditure.

Patrick Elliott, chief executive of Business Link in London, said: “This Index gives a significant insight into how London’s small businesses are impacted by, and responding to, the recession. These results are an encouraging sign in these turbulent times – but they don’t come as a surprise to us.  We regularly survey our clients on how they’re managing through the recession and we’re seeing a clear trend emerge of a sector that is refusing to get bogged down in the doom and gloom. But what’s telling from this index is that this confidence is across the board – many entrepreneurs across regional, industry, and demographic groups are responding to the recession by aggressively seeking out new market opportunities.”

Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, said: “It is extremely heartening and will inspire confidence in the strength of the capital’s economy that so many of London’s small and medium sized firms are planning to expand in the coming year. Making up nearly 99 per cent of our business sector, they create half of all the capital’s jobs and are therefore critical to its success. I will continue to do all I can to support these firms and ensure they get all the help they need to get through the downturn – they will, after all, be our spring board to economic growth and prosperity when the upturn comes.”

Maintaining and generating sales was identified as the single biggest challenge facing all businesses.  However, three quarters of those surveyed remain optimistic about their business over the next twelve months. Of those who are planning to grow, most planned to drive this through diversifying their business operation – 43 per cent plan to enter new markets, and 35 per cent are looking to develop new products and services.

Start-ups were more likely to have difficulties with accessing funding while established businesses tended to have more difficulties with generating new business.  A quarter of all pre-starts cited the falling value of the pound as the biggest impact and nearly half are revisiting their business plan projections as a result of the recession. However, despite being most affected by the recession, start-ups were the most optimistic about their business prospects with 89 per cent planning on growing their business over the next twelve months.

For more information on the Diverse Business Confidence Index please click here.

If you are a London business owner and would like to take part in future waves of the Diverse Business Confidence Index then please e-mail dbci@b2binternational.com and include your name, company name and London borough where your business is based.

Posted in Business, Business Confidence Index, Diversity, Economic Downturn, London, Recession, SMEs, Trends |
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Take Part In A Survey Of Diversity & Ethnic Groups

London is one of the most diverse economies in the world having been shaped over the years by a huge influx of different people and a tolerant attitude which encourages groups of all kinds to move and act freely. Did you know that Londoners speak over 300 languages and belong to at least 14 different faiths? Did you know that nearly a third of the City’s population is from black, Asian or other minority ethnic (BAME) groups and over the next 10 years they will account for 80% of the increase in London’s working age population? Did you know that at least 5% of London residents are gay – and the economic value of the ‘Pink Economy’ in the Capital is estimated to be approaching £20 billion per annum?

Sadly the cultural and ethnic diversity is not always represented in equal opportunities in the work place. Black, Asian or other minority ethnic graduates are less likely to secure good jobs compared to similarly qualified white graduates. One fifth of the working age population has a disability, yet only 11% are in employment. Women make up almost half of the workforce, but less than 10% of directors of FTSE 100 companies are women and they earn on average less than 75% of similar male incomes.

These disparities are understandably of concern to Business Link in London. BLIL has commissioned market research specialists, B2B International, to find out how it can be of more help to these important communities by setting up panels of interested parties who will report back and give their views on business confidence. This will be the first ever Business Confidence Index representing minority groups including women, ethnic/faith groups, the elderly, the disabled, and those of a particular sexual orientation. Anyone who would like to take part in the survey and is located in the Greater London Borough district is invited to contact Nick Hague at B2B International info@b2binternational.com

Posted in Business Confidence Index, Employment, ethnic diversity, London, Pink Economy |
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