Get the tax break that actually helps

Jonathan Bowers, December 1st 2008, 3:16PM

The Government is trying to counter the recession (and falling voter numbers) by offering short term tax incentives. The headline cut is the 2.5% on VAT that supposedly will have us all scurrying straight out to the shops. Additionally, Alistair Darling has announced a one year tax exemption for certain empty properties as an aid to embattled UK businesses.

The problem is that these measures don’t look as great when scrutinised. The VAT cut will apparently be funded by a hike in a few years time, while the business community says the property tax provision is too little, too late. So are these tax moves really to help British people and industry or just political spin?

Either way, there are measures businesses in the UK can take that will truly help to reduce the financial burden during the recession.

As UKFast reported in early September, there is a little known piece of Government legislation which offers business rate reductions for qualifying small companies. Businesses using a property with a rateable value of less then £10,000 are eligible and could save thousands.

In conjunction with rate relief campaigners leaseholdersunited.com, UKFast launched a major PR push in early September to alert small businesses in the Manchester area to the £16m of unclaimed tax rebates available.

At the time we urged rapid action as the deadline for backdated claims ran out at the end of September 2008. However, I am delighted to say that this deadline has been extended to September 2010. So as the recession bites hard for some, small businesses should make sure that they claim now to get the rate relief that they are entitled to.

To find out if you are eligible to make a claim or to get details on how to claim, visit leaseholdersunited.com.

Tags: business_policy, manchester_businesses, workplace
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The Power of Change

Jonathan Bowers, November 17th 2008, 5:04PM

So in the end the US Presidential contest was less of a battle than the preceding Democratic nomination process. But Why? Well it seems as though the message of change resonated powerfully with the US people.

Either Obama or Clinton would have represented change and as a result the Democratic nomination was a very close run thing. However, after 8 years of Bush’s brand of Republicanism, the American people were ready to embrace a fresh approach and so Obama v McCain virtually became a non-contest.

In fact, never before in US political history has the handing over of the Presidential baton represented such a launching pad for change. Political analysts are already hotly speculating the impact of Obama’s new direction.

For example, stem cell research, such a promising branch of medical science, is expected to be freed from its religious shackles. The US is also expected to front up to its environmental responsibilities and to work on improving its international standing.

If Obama does succeed with these policies, the US electorate will have used their power to invoke change to benefit all of us.

Scaled down a bit, the message of looking to change for a better deal can be equally applied to the business world. We are now familiar with the idea of ‘shopping around’ for our car insurance or phone provider but the same can be true for our hosting provider.

Not every ISP offers the same hardware and they certainly do not offer the same level of support. To get your hosting right you need the best of both. So don’t feel as though you have to stick with a bad choice. If you need dedicated, 100% reliable server hosting and your current supplier cannot deliver this, make the change.

Changing to the right hosting company can be the catalyst to success. Just like changing to a visionary new leader.

Tags: motivational speakers, business_policy, internet, politics, websites
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established businesses and web technologies

Jonathan Bowers, January 8th 2008, 12:03PM

A new survey headed up by KPMG adds further weight to the argument that B2B companies are not embracing many of the webs potent communication technologies because they do not fit in with traditional company procedures.

The survey, which draws its conclusions from answers provided by 472 executives worldwide actually pinpoints security and governance issues as the main reasons for the slow adoption of tools such as blogging, podcasting and wikis. However, combining this with many meetings I have had with executives over the last year or so, I would say that the fears about changing company policy and transferring trust and responsibility are at the heart of the decision.

A large number of executives in decision making positions at long established organisations simply do not feel equipped to give the go ahead. This is why the areas of the business community that have exploded onto the web 2.0 scene have been driven by the SME community. Smaller machines have less key decision makers and arguably less policy and red tape, allowing them to move with the times much more successfully.

What's the solution? I guess it's education. One executive pointed out to me recently that people simply don't know where to go to start acquiring good technology services and many CTOs have let their knowledge slip over the years and find it hard to admit that they need to refresh their skills and move forward.

What businesses need is to be presented with substantial proof that changing their working model and including web 2.0 techniques will bring tangible economic benefits? I believe this information is available but also think that a psychological shift has to occur for many decision makers to be ready to consider the options seriously.

Tags: business_policy, web2.0
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