Souter RMC

Christmas Parties - Before the event

2010-12-16T04:30:00.001-08:00

Is it me, or are office Christmas parties just not the same as they used to be? I can remember one great do when I worked for Thomson Holidays, where Stan Boardman was the stage act, there were 200 or so of us at the hotel in Manchester, a free bar and many hangovers the next morning. I recall talking to a colleague of mine and watching her gradually slide down the wall in a drunken haze!

Tonight is our Christmas 'austerity' do. Because there are rather less than 200 of us, we'll be one of many small groups eating in a Didsbury restaurant, followed by a bevvy or two in the Metropolitan. I've no doubt we'll have a great time and learn more about each other as the atmosphere and alcohol loosens peoples' lips! We're sharing a car journey there and taxis home, eating two courses not three, and the company will make a fair contribution to the night out. Altogether less frivolous but hopefully just as enjoyable a night out. Watch this space!

Roger

How to enhance your reputation - a short story

2010-11-15T04:23:00.000-08:00

I took our B-Class Mercedes to the local dealer in Stockport, not once but three times in the past month. The vehicle developed a clunking noise under the bonnet. It's 3 1/2 years old and I had bought what proved to be a useless extended warranty from Warranty Direct. It took the mechanics at Mercedes Benz in Stockport three attempts to discover the cause of the noise. This wasn't their fault, it was down to that strange phenomenon where you take your car to the garage, report a fault, and then they can't hear or find anything! Things like this happen to me all the time - I make an appointment to go to the dentist, and by the time I get there my toothache's gone!
The car ultimately had new shock absorber mountings fitted and is now running smoothly again.
Well done to the receptionist, service manager and mechanics at MB Stockport. They welcomed me, took out my car to listen/experience the (sporadic) noise, found the cause and replaced the parts.
The main point of this story is yet to come: I was invoiced over £600 for the job, and duly contacted my warranty people. Then I was told this specific problem wasn't covered (although of course you don't find out what the problem is until half the engine's out of the bonnet and the mechanics need to put it all back together again). I raised the point with Mercedes Stockport, whose manager there contacted the powers that be at MB head office, wherever that is. They agreed that because of the low mileage (36000 after 3 1/2 years) that the fee would be reduced by a good 60%.
The reputation of the dealer in Stockport and Mercedes Benz UK in general has been enhanced. They obviously need to sell the benefits of their extended warranty product more strongly. Price isn't everything, and a layman like me doesn't understand the implications of 'mountings' not being covered in a cheaper policy.
Roger

My favourite people?

2010-07-16T05:29:00.000-07:00

I'm sure Recruitment Agencies are the scourge of more business owners than just in our PR world. As employers running a SME we occasionally have a need to find a new employee. The most successful means of doing this (and the cheapest) is word of mouth. However, there are times when we pay on-line and print media companies to advertise positions.
We are always up against a sea of recruitment agency ads - and they sometimes aren't even on behalf of another PR agency looking to fill a vacant position! Often they'll be looking for consultants to sign up to their books, and then they'll do the searching. Even our own trade body, the CIPR, is happy to take recruitment agency money to advertise, to the detriment of their members in the business!
What does this say about the recruitment agency? They create unrest in the minds of employees, some of whom may think the grass is greener, others may be perfectly happy where they are. They add to the already stretched recruitment costs an employer faces, especially during recession. Typically that's 20% of the starting salary. We've had two instances in the past three years where we've been let down by agencies. The first one was an employee who we realised after 7 or 8 months was not right. We'd already paid £4k to the recruitment people and there was no part or full refund after this period. Secondly, we were going to offer someone a job who we'd interviewed via an agency, and she had found somewhere privately and eventually left her agency with red faces.
I'd like to know what these agency people have done to become 'professionals'? Do they all have to wear cowboy hats?
Looking at this from another angle, and this is the key point of this rant, how do employers like us compare an applicant via a recruitment agency with one who has approached us direct? Usually the latter has not just responded to our ad, they've visited our website, phoned to discuss the job, and even sent us their portfolios. Ultimately they've demonstrated initiative and intelligence, which of course are usually attributes an employer is looking for. In contrast, the applicant with the agency probably has only done their research after prompting from 'above', and has taken what I consider to be the lazy option by getting someone else to do the searching for them.
If you're a professional PR consultant and you read this, get in touch with us! Even if we've no vacancies, and you're happy in your current position, you're putting yourself in a strong position when one of us is looking at a later date. Even when we say 'no agencies please' on our recruitment ads, they still contact us!! That's like the double glazing salesman turning up at your door when you're just having your tea!
Roger

My Bike Ride

2010-06-09T05:58:00.000-07:00

Occasionally I cycle to work. Mainly in the name of keeping fit, but also with half a thought for the environment. If I haven't got a meeting during the day and the weather's fair, I get on my bike and I'm not starting up the car and driving at stop-start pace to the office. I've no idea what this small contribution makes to preserving our world, but I do have to comment on the state of our foot/cycle paths and roads, which surely need to be in such good condition to make cyclists feel like hitting the roads (metaphorically not literally!) and walkers taking to the paths.
The only time you find a decent cycle path on the main roads in this country is when that road is already wide enough to accommodate a bicycle alongside a bus anyway. Even then, you have to veer out to avoid cars parked in the cycle lane! Usually we're left to the narrow strip between the kerb and the first hint of smooth tarmac. This encompasses litter strewn gutters, bone-shaking grids and loose gravel to test the best from Belle Vue Aces speedway team.
Our countryside cycle/footpaths are little better. At this time of the year, much bramble, nettles and low-hanging trees make many a rural walk or cycle almost impassable (or should that be impossible?).
Today I arrived at the office with ferns dangling from my bicycle gear mechanism! I'm not sure which is best - asking the council to send a small tractor down the local paths to cut back the foliage (thus leaving a carbon footprint) or me leaving the bike at home and hopping into my motor instead?
Roger

In which country is Serengeti?

2010-02-12T04:31:00.000-08:00

I went to a Quiz Night at Stockport County FC yesterday. Around 60 teams all brought together by Booth Ainsworth Accountants in their annual charity event. Beechwood House (cancer care) was the beneficiary, and their representative did a great job explaining the ravages of cancer from a very personal level. The night raised £4800 - Fantastic.
Our team did pretty well, mainly because we brought a 20-year-old into our team of forty-somethings. He knew what Lady Gaga looked like, who Hannah Montana's Dad was, and even objected when 'mass which light can't pass through' should have been 'dark matter' and not a 'Black Hole'. Don't ask me!
I now know that the first Butlins was built in Skegness, William II came before Edward II and that Gay people can now get married in Portugal.
It was great to be amongst 300 folk all as equally enamoured by trivia as I am! Shame that the attendance almost matched the numbers at the ailing football club on a Saturday.
Roger
By the way - Serengeti is in Tanzania!

The English Disease

2009-12-15T03:38:00.000-08:00

I used to work and live in Italy, and whilst I was there in the early eighties I watched the Sunday football coverage on TV.
Twenty Five years on and I'm reading a great book about Italian football called 'Calcio' (Italian for football). It's by a chap called Foot. Can't remember his Christian name although I'm fairly sure it's not the donkey-jacketed Michael.
I've read about those exotic names I remember when I was a child watching the World Cup in Mexico 1970 - Facchetti, Mazzola and Boninsegna. Even a Capello crops up from time to time. I am reminded of the dour defensive catenaccio methods the Milan teams used with such success in the sixties, the influx of foreigners (especially the Dutch triumvirate of Gullit, Rijkjaard and van Basten at Milan in the eighties), and sadly the continued violence and scandals afflicting the game even today.
It took the Heysel tragedy (Italians tagged all English football fans as hooligans after that -'The English Disease') and Hillsborough to force British football to clean up its act. Not only is the Premier League the most attractive to watch, it is also one of the safest to watch. All-seater stadia, better policing, CCTV cameras and alcohol bans have greatly improved the safety at games.
Back in Italy, outside football grounds and at motorway service stations the violence is far worse than in England. Let's be thankful for what has improved over here, and hope that our national team's support does us proud in South Africa next Summer.
Roger

Stop whingeing about wind farms

2009-09-11T01:44:00.000-07:00

In this month's National Geographic magazine, there is an article explaining the great resource the world has in the sun's energy. You would think that sunnier countries like the US and southern Europe would lead the way in the development of solar power, and whilst Spain is up there, it is in fact Germany that is the world leader in using this form of energy.
Germany is not the sunniest place in the world, and yet its successive Governments have created incentives to companies and private households which make installing and using solar power competitive against fossil fuels.
Unfortunately until Mr Obama arrived on the scene, the US in particular had neglected opportunities to use the Sun 's power to help save the planet. Apparently the new administration is trying to reduce use of fossil fuels by 25% over the next 20 years.
Here in the UK we have a different challenge. Whilst Germany has its share of rainfall, it is also a large country with vast areas away from the coast enjoying good sunshine in the Summer months. I don't think Britain would be able to harness enough solar energy to make it a viable proposition.
Which brings me to the title of this blog! We are an island nation sat (with Ireland) alongside the Atlantic Ocean. It is often windy and of course there is potential to use tidal and wave power too. Let's embrace the idea of wind farms! They may be a little unsightly, and I presume there is a good deal of disturbance on the ground when a 'farm' is being built. However, I would imagine the impact on fauna and flora is minimal thereafter. We can site farms on hillsides and off the coast. There is plenty of space to go at. If we don't adapt to change, the coast may meet the hillside sooner than we think!
Roger

Bullish attitude

2009-09-10T09:07:00.001-07:00

All good bloggers take regular holidays - ours was four months - so apologies for that.

Now back and reading today about Red Bull's 'clipped wings' by the Environment Agency for failing to recover or recycle packaging waste. Their public pilloring is a timely reminder that compliant you must be and even if you 'give yourself up' to the environmental police, not taking this stuff seriously in good time will be harshly viewed. It is especially damning as we ordinary people are trying so hard to recycle. The brand's significantly invested strapline also gets used against them in a gift to headline writers and compounds the injury. These are testing times for the brand. Hopefully there will be enough goodwill in the bank to draw down on and some brains around head office to work out the quickest recovery route. Mea culpa will not get them off the hook that easily - it shows a wider disregard for one of the world's hottest topics. Get your act together Red Bull.
Sue

Manchester - Weekend destination

2009-05-12T01:30:00.000-07:00

I used to live in Edinburgh. Years before that I worked for American Express in London handling bookings for tourists arriving in the UK from far-off places like Japan, Taiwan and the US. I would book these travellers in to top hotels in London, York, Chester, Stratford and Edinburgh, and off they would go to get a real taste of life in Britain. Or would they?

There is no doubt that the cities I mention should always be included in a tour of our island.

However, I've travelled a lot around the country in the past 20 years, and it is clear that other cities have 'grown up'. They may not feature the narrow Tudor streets, olde worlde pubs and Norman castles, but they are in fact a better representation of life in Britain today.

Since I'm from Manchester, I've obviously witnessed the improvements in my city more than anywhere else. Especially since I lived in Edinburgh at the time of the IRA bomb in 1996, and came home several years later to see the great facelift after that, followed by the sprucing up for the Commonwealth Games.

However, I could also be singing the praises of Liverpool, Glasgow or Bristol. All great cities in which to spend some time.

To those who have had a say in the re-shaping of the City of Manchester - its architecture, shopping, vibrant nightlife, excellent airport and Piccadilly station, galleries and museums, plus its (red!!) football team, I say congratulations. Let's take pride in the nature of our city and its people. It won't be long before American Express come knocking on our door!

Roger

2009-03-30T04:21:00.001-07:00

Admirable effort by Mr King to get himself up to Manchester and address business people himself. Sounds a whole lot better that the speech I listened to at the IOD Convention a week ago - their Chief Economist left us as bemused as when he started and used the word 'uncertain' so often that he actually undermined his own credibility. So good luck Mr King.
Sue

Mervyn's visit to Manchester

2009-03-30T01:07:00.000-07:00

I went to a lunch in Manchester last week. The Governor of the Bank of England, Mervyn King, spoke to around 200 business professionals about the state of the economy; how we had got ourselves into this situation, and what he thought the Bank and the Government should be (and is) doing about it. We were all reminded that the content of Mr King's speech was not to be divulged to the press.
In the event, we were not the recipients of some radical financial thinking which was going to change the world overnight. Much of what I heard had already been documented in the national press in the past few months.
However, what came across was probably more significant than the theories and proposed actions. There seems to be a contrast between how the Bank thinks the economy can be turned around, and how Mr Brown intends addressing the situation. After last week's presentation I am firmly of the opinion that Mr King and his staff have the right philosophy to drive us along the road to improvement.
Mervyn King is an excellent speaker, and he has this ability to convince listeners that his 'boring' (his words) approach and persona are actually what the economy needs to recover.
I'll be following developments in both camps with great interest over the next few months. There's no great prediction of immediate recovery, and there could still be rough times ahead. We are of course not the only nation facing this crisis. But I came away thinking that Britain has a good chance if we follow the path advocated by the Bank of England.
Roger

Calling all Bramhall mums...

2009-03-18T05:52:00.000-07:00

This is a cheeky way of winning some skin rejuvenation for those hard worn working hands and reminding your off-spring of Mother's Day also - I know we don't want to make a fuss but let's not kid ourselves we are dying for others to this Sunday........anyway get your son or daughter (or do it yourself if you are totally desperate) to take a picture of those hands and in a couple of lines describe why they (and by definition you) are most deserving of a pamper. I am going to get my daughters to do it. Sad I know. Send the pic and the lines to admin.loved@tiscali.co.uk by 12 noon on Saturday and give yourself a chance to win something really relaxing on Mum's day.....

Sue

Business Rates - A fair game?

2009-02-24T03:16:00.000-08:00

A couple of weeks ago I got a call from a Chartered Surveyor, who rang I think to try to get me interested in property to let. During our conversation he had access to what Business Rates we were paying Stockport MBC for our current office. He advised me that we should qualify for 'Small Business Rate Relief', and whom I should contact at the Council.
This is a piece of advice I shall remember. Not because it ended up saving us nearly £1000 off our next annual bill, and getting us a refund of a similar amount, but because this chap had passed on his professional knowledge free of charge. He may never gain from this personally, but it was heart warming to be on the receiving end of such good advice. Too often people like me are plagued with emails and calls suggesting that the latest IT gizmo, telecoms package, recruitment or business coaching service are just what we need. Prioritising is one of the biggest tasks facing small business owners today.
When I approached the council to get the form to apply for Small Business Rate Relief, I was told that I could only apply for the tax year we are currently in, and not the previous year (our first in our current office). Yet, when we originally had our rates assessed by the same council, the lady who measured up our premises and car parking spaces advised us that we wouldn't qualify for the relief.
My advice is this: Ignore any word of mouth comment and apply in writing for Relief. In 2010 there is apparently a need to re-apply for the discount (certainly in Stockport), so be ready to fill in new paperwork this time next year.
Finally - In private sector business, if we were due a refund for something going back 12 months, I would still expect to get it. In public sector, once a financial year has ended, you've no chance. Is this fair?!
Roger Souter

Join the Dance - T-Mobile

2009-01-28T02:38:00.000-08:00

I am one of the many millions that has flocked to You Tube this week to view T- mobile’s latest execution, ‘Life’s for Sharing’.

The mass dance off, created by Saatchi and Saatchi at Liverpool Street station on 15th January in my opinion is pure genius and I wish I had been there to witness it first hand!

Some marketeers are criticising the campaign, saying the flash-mobbing is nothing new, whilst I agree it’s not – I think we should be taking our hats off to the mobile phone giant as its timing on this integrated campaign was simply impeccable and without doubt influenced its success - including the column inches it has generated both off and on-line.

As economic doom and gloom sweeps the nation, we are all crying out for a giggle and I find it hard to believe that the spontaneous reactions of the general public to T-mobile’s dancing troupe could fail to raise a smile with UK consumers!

Just brilliant – it underpins the brand’s key messages and values and product benefits!

Emma.

Going Greener

2009-01-20T04:05:00.000-08:00

We had an audit of our office processes last week. The aim was principally to educate us about recycling, how we travel, heat and light up our office, and how we can ensure that our suppliers and clients are operating ethically, and that they adhere to similar guidelines to ours.
I have to say, there will not be a great cost saving made by changing some of our policies. However, we are determined to make an impact in this area, however small.
We will either be purchasing recycled paper or taking the option to buy paper (and furniture for that matter) sourced from sustainable forests.
Our fuel supply is pretty much dictated to us by our Landlords, although perhaps we can reduce consumption at times.
We are now looking at paperless invoicing, photocopying on both sides of paper, and recycling plastic and glass in addition to the current paper and cardboard.
All of us drive to work in cars with no passengers, either because we live too far away or for flexibility during the day's business demands. The only time we may be able to reduce energy use for traveling is when we go to city-centre meetings where we use the train, or by conducting telephone conference calls with clients and fellow suppliers.
Do you have any ideas for improving your office culture?
Roger Souter

Growing a 'Business'

2009-01-13T03:31:00.001-08:00

In the 1980's I used to play football for a few local clubs in the Bramhall area. We would drive in about 4 cars to away games, get changed in a damp concrete cell with one grated window above head height. Amble out onto a very muddy pitch, and play a game of football which must have been of the lowest quality to any passing dog-walker. The only shouts you could hear would be the players: 'Quick! Stop the ball before it runs into the river' or 'Come on lads, 8-0 down, we can do better in the second half''. At the end of the game, some poor soul would collect our sodden kits for washing, and we'd retire to the Ladybrook for a swift half or two.
Fast forward 30 years or so. I went to the home of the English, European and World champions last week. The biggest league stadium in the UK, and now proud owners (at least until the summer) of Ronaldo, the World Player of the Year. Old Trafford, home of Manchester United FC could not be further from Woodford Rec, and yet it's only 15 miles away!
I was not at the Chelsea game. I was in fact invited to view the hospitality packages at the ground earlier that same week. There are 800 employees at United, one of whom showed me what the club had to offer, and took me to the features in the stadium I really wanted to see - the players' tunnel, changing rooms, Manager's office etc.
The whole set up at Manchester United explains why they are still the team to beat around the world. They are professional in every aspect. Alright, they can't retain the small, family club feel at which clubs like Stockport County do so well. But, they exhibit a fantastic example of how a growing business has accepted change, and challenges from elsewhere.
The people who work there appeared to be personable. The club has recognised that the UK doesn't offer opportunities to greatly expand customer income, so they 'export' the product by touring (and winning) in far-flung soccer hot-beds like Japan.
They've also encountered a new phenomenon, and taken it on. The Billionaire clubs like Chelsea and now Manchester City, have what appears to be the main requirement for instant success. Sir Alex Ferguson, with the backing of the most sound Directors and owners, has chosen to spend big only on key players. In addition, he has developed a youth development process which still produces players capable of combating the best elsewhere. Whilst Arsenal look to France for this, United seem to mix local recruits with foreign imports to great effect.
A few years ago I gave up my season ticket at United. I didn't like the way the club distanced itself from the supporter. It will always have a problem in this area due to its size. But, having re-visited the stadium recently, seen how the club has used great business acumen to take on the world, I can't help but admire how they appear to overcome so many challenges, even in today's economic climate.
Roger Souter

2008-12-16T01:43:00.000-08:00

What is your opinion of Japanese food?
Mine was all about an array of 'tapas' like titbits featuring the likes of seaweed, raw fish and cold rice. Whether you've occasionally tasted it, or have never been to a Japanese restaurant, I think there's a big challenge to educate the western palate to accept the tastes of eastern (especially Japanese) cuisine.
That's the name of the game for Samantha Gore who runs the Samsi Japanese restaurants in Manchester. Sue and I met her recently, and her chefs are adept at combining ideas from the east and west, to create a Japanese experience which is a pleasure for us Mancunians to behold.
We've been asked to promote the Samsi restaurants and retail outlets through 2009, and we're looking forward to trying lots of things Japanese to introduce local diners to the Samsi philosophy.
After all, Japanese is more nutritious and healthier than European food, and their people live longer than we do......
Roger Souter

A Happy Christmas from all at Souter RMC

2008-12-12T09:09:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the new Souter blog and Seasons Greetings to you all.

We are looking forward to keeping you updated with all the news from Souter, so make sure you keep an eye on the blog once the new year starts!