Are you an expert ‘time-waster’? You might be surprised to learn just how much time is wasted by business people performing non-essential activities, which bear no resemblance to your goal of growing your business.

Research has shown that most people spend more time performing unproductive tasks than productive ones. And surprisingly it is a problem encountered by even the most organized and best focused people!

Diversions from core business growth work can be found...

Rob

The latest industry data available from the UK Government shows that average electricity prices for small and medium sized firms increased by 15-17% between the third quarter of 2008 and the same period of 2009. However, prices increased by 9-11% for large businesses and by just 5% for the UK's biggest companies.

According to the figures from the Department of Energy and Climate Change average non-domestic gas prices went up by 8% for the smallest businesses but fell by between...

Rob

Significant disparities exist between small businesses in their confidence and awareness of managing employment law, according to new research published today by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS).

The study, based on responses from over 300 small business owners, shows that:

• almost a third (32 per cent) of the total sample, report feeling confident in their understanding of employment law and their role as an employer; however...

Rob

Many small business owners simply ignore complaints, because they see them as an embarrassment and after all, what do their customers know about the business anyway?
The good small business owners, though, not only willingly complaints from customers, but they encourage them! These entrepreneurs know that if you don't listen to and seek out complaints, then it is the customers, not the problems, which will go away.

If you are one of the people who shy away from complaints here...

Rob

The latest Insolvency Index from Experian®, the global information services company, reveals a positive picture in January, with the rate of business failures falling to its lowest point since June 2007.

Businesses across the UK saw an eight per cent improvement in their combined financial strength score, from 79.46 in January 2009 to 81.16 January 2010. The rate of insolvencies fell to 0.07 per cent in January 2010, with seven in every 10,000 businesses going under. This compares...

Rob