Oakwood Applications

Websites

Finding the right provider to design your website

A website stands or falls on the quality of its design.

Good design means that the site does what you and your customers want it to, clearly, quickly and easily.

Creating a website can range from using a basic off-the-shelf template to taking space on an existing online store such as eBay or Amazon, to a resource-intensive, bespoke project requiring an experienced technology and design professional.

Before deciding which route to go down, you need to have a clear understanding of what your business is trying to achieve and how your website can help you do this.

Once you have done this, you'll know if you need external help. Here is where we can help.

We can add value to your own ideas with some good suggestions of our own?

Your business website is your shop window to the world. People will judge your company and brand by what they see and their experience of using it.

It is worth spending some time investigating the options to make sure you get what you need.

We have our own onsite Web Designer - call us now to book a free consultation.

Alex can provide example web sites that he has produced for you to view his work.

Outsourcing

Oakwood Applications are able to offer outsourcing contracts that map the secretariat work flow requirements of a business.

Contractual points will be clear, concise and adhered to. Periodic revision of the contract and how both parties feel about it can help build a harmonious relationship.

These have to be realistic and regularly reviewed.

You can benefit by outsourcing your secretarial work to us - call now to discuss further.

Health & Safety

Health and Safety even more of a key issue

A law which has received little media attention could see recruitment managers jailed if one of their employees is hurt at work.

Company Directors and Managers are in the firing line thanks to the Health and Safety Offences Act 2008 which started in January 2009.

The new law makes employers personally accountable for the safety of their employees. Breaches could see Managers or Directors jailed or face Magistrates Court fines of up to £20,000. While an accident involving an employee can already be a disastrous event, the punishment of the leaders of the business under this new law could see the business forced to shut down.

It means that employers must carefully manage the risk from everything their employees do, including driving on company business.

With the recession biting, businesses may think that cutting down any expenditure on Health & Safety, is a good saving. But, last year, the average fine for an HSE prosecution was £12,896!

So how can we help?

We can ensure that you are doing what you should be doing, so that you can avoid any breaches of Health & Safety legislation. We can give you the support that you need at a cost that is worth every penny, if only to give you peace of mind! Our H & S Adviser can guide you in a business-like way and become your resource for all of your H & S worries.

Is it crucial to retain core competitencies in-house?

For the last few years, outsourcing has started to mature and become a more widely accepted and recognised business practice.

When deciding whether or not to outsource a process and which processes are best to outsource, firms need to assess the skills slippage that can result from outsourcing agreements.

When choosing an outsourced supplier it is vital therefore not to outsource the knowledge that gives the Company a competitive advantage.

As a result, the outsourcing of administrative processes are becoming more common as firms look to streamline their work so that they can concentrate staff on more valuable tasks.

An example of this is the surge in the outsourcing of secretarial services for many SMEs. This is an example of Business Process Outsourcing and services like secretariat has helped BPO become the second largest market in the outsourcing world after IT.

So why this growth? What does outsourcing secretariat and other non-core processes do for businesses?

Vendors are able to provide secretarial services that not only offer competitive pricing but can also add value to the business through greater skills and competencies.

This has proved to be an efficient way of reducing costs whilst maintaining high standards however, like with all outsourcing deals, it has to be done well.

Large organisations can afford to maintain secretariat workforces that focus solely on the secretariat process but SMEs will find that in-house services can eat away at their bottom line.

Outsourcing secretariat therefore fits firmly into many SME business plans and, despite there being initial set-up costs, the overall savings can be appealing. Time consuming tasks such as dictation services, repetitive typing of generic letters and data input can all be outsourced allowing staff to focus their energies on the core of the business.

By eliminating repetitive processes, companies are able to boost morale as employees will be able to focus on more creative work.

Cost savings and efficiency are always at the top of any outsourced agenda. This is no different with outsourcing secretarial processes.

The benefit of no PAYE, National Insurance and sickness costs can be significant and may free capital that can be invested in other crucial areas.

The constant hiring of temporary staff is usually an inefficient tactic used by many SMEs, especially when secretariat work fluctuates in volume.

Fire

Be Aware of Fire Hazards

Businesses have been warned about the importance of carrying out a fire risk assessment to avoid a disaster.

Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order, a responsible person should conduct an assessment.

However, firms should encourage all employees to identify any risks associated with fire.

A fire risk assessment will not only identify risks to those working within the business, but also to members of the public or visitors to the premises. Research has found that 38% of offices are unaware of the requirements with over one third failing to carry out a crucial fire risk assessment.

A fire poses great risks for any business with not only losses to stock, raw materials and buildings, but also the possibility that the future existence of the firm may be threatened.

The importance of carrying out a fire risk assessment cannot be over emphasised, no matter how large or small the business. Not only is it a legal requirement, but lives, property and business resilience depend on it. Doing nothing is not an option.

A fire risk assessment should help identify potential risks. Employers should be encouraged to tell supervisors about what has been found and what needs to be done to reduce the risk of fire.

Fire drills and exercises will also need to be practiced to ensure employees know what to do.

We can assist you with a simple fire safety assessment policy and procedure.