Those concerned by climate change and the rising cost of energy will be heartened to know that a new batch of UK wind farms is generating power that costs less than that generated by coal burning. Wind farm energy now appears to be a reliable and sustainable energy source that does not need to be subsidised.

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Bountiful winds

These wind farms are driven by offshore breezes and the price of power that they are producing has decreased by around 30 per cent over the past two years. Twelve recent energy initiatives have generated energy that costs around £40 for a megawatt hour – a precedent-setting economical price.

More on how the costs of wind farm energy have dropped and driven down subsidy support can be found in this report from The Guardian.

Clean energy

The power produced by these recent energy endeavours will supply up to seven million households. This power is affordably priced and comes without the environmental baggage generally associated with nuclear energy. Just a few years ago, energy from wind power was more expensive than that generated from nuclear energy. The decrease in price of renewable energy is good news for everyone. The lack of subsidisation required means that more wind energy projects can be developed in the North Sea and these will be cost-effective and also make a valuable contribution to reducing emissions and tackling climate change.

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When it comes to installing turbines that use wind power, a davit crane is a highly versatile piece of equipment that is portable and has impressive lifting capacity. If you want to find out more about how a davit crane could support and enhance a construction project, it would be a good idea to contact experts in the field, such as https://www.gmh.co.uk/transition-piece-davit-cranes/ to get more advice and information.

Cheap renewable energy generated from offshore wind power is an excellent development as populations grow and consume more power. Cost, both in terms of what consumers pay and emissions that contribute to climate change, are both important, and renewable wind energy is a great alternative to fossil or nuclear fuels. Thanks to advances in technology, renewable energy is becoming more efficient, cheaper and easier to store. Eventually it is hoped that all sources of energy are sustainable and renewable.

It is not just in business that things move at a swifter pace these days. Modern life in general is faster than ever – a whirlwind of events to negotiate and conquer. When it comes to the work-life balance, the scales are most definitely weighed down on the work side of things. With life lived at such a rush, there seems to be little time for relaxation or enjoying leisure pursuits. Perhaps this is why stress-related illness is so widespread in modern society. Continue reading How a Rural Office Location Can Help Beat Stress →

Data security is defined as the protocols and measures that are used to prevent unauthorised access to confidential information. It is mostly concerned with digitally held data, e.g. data held on computers, websites, and databases.

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Data security is a crucial aspect of IT management for all organisations, irrespective of size.

According to research, Cybersecurity spending is expected to exceed $1 trillion for the period from 2017 to 2021.

The vast number of devices (particularly mobiles) that are now connected to central databases and servers means that data is now more vulnerable to cyber criminals, and organisations need to embed different/multiple layers of security.  If you want to update your systems then you may want to use an Equity Release Gloucestershire company found at sites including www.palmermortgages.co.uk/financial-services/equity-release-gloucestershire/ to afford the bill.  There are numerous endpoint security solutions available, so if you wish to know more about which may best suit your needs, then why not take a look at a specialist website.

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2027 v 2017?

It is likely that most cyber-security will be powered by AI (for predictive analysis/threat recognition), but this will be in tandem with validation by human operators.

AI is already used in certain business sectors such as finance to help with day-to-day processing such as credit applications, fraud prevention, and robo-advising. In the future, firm-wide security protection looks set to follow this path. Internally, AI could potentially be responsible for a business’ entire security network and also provide ICT infrastructure support. IPSoft’s ‘Amelia’ can already do much of this.

In terms of the employees in the sector, it is likely that there will be a significant number of ‘ethical’ hackers. These are highly skilled individuals who understand in detail how to find vulnerabilities in an organisation’s digital infrastructure, and how to rectify them. These people can also teach AI how to identify flaws and target certain types of malware.

Another aspect that is likely to become more prominent is cross-country and inter-company collaboration. This will help all parties to build safer and more robust networks.

GDPR

The EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) comes into force in May 2018 and represents the largest shift in data protection law for over two decades. By 2027, there are bound to have been numerous updates and additions to the initial legislation. Complying with this legislation will be at the forefront of many of the data security advances over the next decade.

You might think that there is not much to think about when choosing office chairs. Maybe the colour and whether or not it has armrests might be as far as you have pondered the issue. For a piece of furniture that workers will spend several hours every day sitting on, it’s important to get the right seating.  It’s funny if your uncomfortable because of heat, tiredness or hunger how a chair can really help your day.  If heat is an issue of course an Air conditioning Gloucester company at links like acecc.co.uk could help provide a solution to help keep your office cooler.  There are different types of chair and in case you’re not sure, let’s take a look at what the differences are.  Continue reading Taking a seat in your office →

Making a claim for mis-sold payment protection insurance (PPI) seems to have been around for ages; however, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is now putting its brakes on the issue, declaring a deadline for any outstanding complaints.

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The countdown begins

As one of the biggest financial scandals of recent years, the mis-sale of PPI prompted the FCA to make sweeping changes to the rules regarding this infamous insurance.

As part of the consultation, a campaign to raise awareness about the changes, paid for by financial services firms, is to take place. According to Insolvency News, a deadline and communications campaign will bring the PPI issue to an orderly conclusion. This will also help to reduce uncertainty for businesses about PPI liabilities while rebuilding public trust in the retail financial sector.

What will you do with the money
If you got a big PPI pay out what would you do with the money?  A lot of people would get a new car, go on holiday or have a few random purchases but the best thing to do is invest in something for example a property. If your going to buy it to rent that make you a landlord. With great power comes responsibility so make sure you check everything is working, in place and safe.  You will want to get a Property inspection app as this will allow you to keep all the info in one place ands keep an inventory.  You can find this type of app on sites including https://propertyinspect.com/

A high price to pay

Although the FCA hopes a high-profile campaign will prompt the remaining claimants into action, it comes with a hefty price tag. It is believed that around 18 financial firms, which receive 90% of all PPI complaints, will have to foot a £42m bill for the campaign.

Despite this, the FCA believes the deadline will give consumers the opportunity to pay off expensive debt and resolve their IVA issues; for example, they may choose to explore an IVA debt solutions provider.

A better process going forward

Although imposing a deadline is a positive step forward to resolving the PPI issue, some industry insiders are cautious about the upcoming process.

Consumer group Which? argues that a two-year time limit may reduce the incentive for banks to pay out compensation quickly in any similar future scenarios.

According to the Guardian, it is evident that banks should improve their PPI complaint-handling processes by making them fairer and simpler. Experts argue that the process for making a PPI claim should be made easier before a time limit is imposed. There is also a call for tighter regulation regarding claims management companies, especially those that flout the rules relating to making nuisance calls.

The FCA would also like to see information published with regard to how financial firms have handled complaints so far and how many cases are outstanding. In this way it can ascertain how successful the time limit will be in achieving the desired outcomes.

Shopping habits have changed so much over the past decade, with a noticeable shift towards online transactions. The demise of the high street has been attributed to this surge in the number of people buying via the internet.

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But the desire to interact with staff and other customers in a physical store is still alive. With that comes numerous demands on bricks and mortar stores. Customers continually seek out new experiences in store which are tailored individually to them. They want motivated staff offering a first class, professional and friendly service and in store music to provide the perfect backdrop for that visit.

1. Experience over product

The emphasis nowadays is on service over product. Professional, well-trained staff will take time to listen to their customers to gain an understanding of their needs. Often, shoppers may make the choice to purchase online using a price comparison site, so the store needs to put in that extra effort to retain them.

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2. A happy place

Important elements of the customer experience are related to the senses – smell, vision and touch. It’s important to retain the customer and to ensure they connect with the brand. Future stores will be built in an aesthetically-pleasing manner, focusing on layout, design, and that all important ambience. Shoppers will be more likely to post about their good experiences on social media, and that in itself will help spread the image. You can create this with music or perhaps regularly having flower arrangements created by a Gloucestershire Florist such as https://flowershedtewkesbury.co.uk to place in key positions in your retail outlet.

3. Staff as brand ambassadors
   
   Key to the success of a brand is to have the right kind of staff promoting it. Positive interaction with customers, possibly referring to them on a first name basis, is good for business and it can build a rapport with the customer, creating a feeling of community spirit. According to https://www.forbes.com/sites/carminegallo/2015/04/10/how-the-apple-store-creates-irresistible-customer-experiences/#2c631edf17a8, Apple demonstrates this all important customer approach.
   
   4. Shopping is rewarding

   It’s important now more than ever to reward customer loyalty, whether that’s through discounts for future purchases or points to exchange for merchandise, coupons or a sneak preview of new products.

   5. Ensuring the in-store visit is seamless

   Negative news travels fast and it’s especially important to make sure the customer’s visit is as seamless as possible. This could be by ensuring there are plenty of staff available to keep queuing at the till to a minimum.

After you have made the scary jump into self employment and sorted out your business plan and Office Space Reading way such as those you can see at https://www.arlingtonbusinesspark.co.uk/, it is time to start thinking about how you are going to keep a track of your business sales and expenses.  A significant proportion of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) aren’t using financial software, a recent survey has suggested.

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The survey, conducted by the http://www.uk200group.co.uk/, UK200 group, the association for chartered accountants and law firms, revealed that 65% of their members’ small business clients were still not using a financial software package. This is a concern, given that the government’s Making Tax Digital (MTD) programme, which starts in 2018, requires all businesses to use software that will interface with MTD.

Cost versus benefit

For smaller firms, who may not have as much disposable cash to invest in financial software, the expenditure may seem difficult to justify, especially as the benefits may seem intangible at first. For example:

Accurate accounting

With the automation of data input, simple bookkeeping and invoicing errors can be avoided, meaning fewer accounting problems and losses. This, in turn, avoids problems with HMRC later on.

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Making the best of resources

Accounting software can be integrated into existing systems, meaning it involves very little extra man-hours to work with. Investing in finance software is also a cheaper option than recruiting extra staff to manage the financial side of the business.

Tailor-made

For a little extra, a financial software package can be customised to suit every aspect of a business, from back office to sales. It is important that you ensure that this level of software is needed for your business before you embark on spending costly sums on this kind of system.

A management level overview

Designed to be easy to use, finance software can provide essential information and real-time reporting, meaning that the users have everything they need at their fingertips. With the advantages of improved efficiency and accurate efficiency, investing in finance software doesn’t just make life easier, it gives an SME the resources and room to grow.

For those very small businesses with the most straightforward of financial situations, HMRC has confirmed that free software will be available so that they can provide the barest minimum in financial reporting to meet the MTD requirements soon to be coming in.

For SMEs still considering whether investing in financial software will be cost-effective, the immediate plus is that they will be in compliance with MTD. All that remains is to find the right package that will work for their specific circumstances and requirements

As a business, how can you improve efficiency in the process of taking orders to make customers happy and increase accuracy and increase profits? Here are some tips for improving your warehouse selection processes:

1. Touch an item once: Focus to prevent errors during pickup and you won’t need to repack, or check shipping. The selected inventory must use trucks that are only touched by pickers. Also choose shipping cartons, not laptops.
2. Rely on system verification: Design your standard operating procedure to re-verify almost every step in the retrieval process. You can loosen this later as needed. For example, use the verification flag select area to scan users and verify LPN, quantity, items, etc. Recalculate or Count Near Zero can also be used to calculate the remaining inventory at a location that is in line with the take.
3. Think about different storage plans: Adjusting to using a variety of storage can increase efficiency in a warehouse. Slotting, for example can increase storage intensity, reduce accidents or product damage, reduce jams and increase pickup time. Review retention strategies regularly to keep in line with present seasonal demand.

4. Make a warehouse inside a warehouse: You can get extraordinary efficiency by grouping 20 percent of your SKUs that complete 80 percent of your orders. This saves travel time for your picker. Make sure, however, that the 80/20 area or zone is well designed to accommodate high volume activities.

Consider a different order collection method:

• Picking in zones: Every individual order picker is given a designated zone and is only to be aware of their own order collection in this zone.
• Picking in batches: Order pickers are assigned and choose several orders simultaneously, minimizing trips to each location.
• Wave picking: Variation in zone and group collection. Instead of orders moving from one zone to the next zone for collection, every zone is taken at the same time and the goods are then sorted and allocated into specific shipments or orders.

Consider flexible conveyors: These can be adjusted depending on need and can greatly speed up the process of transportation of items to the required location inside a warehouse. For more information about Flexible Conveyors, visit https://fmhconveyors.com/products/flexible-powered-conveyors/

Consider automation: Order pickers spend about 60 percent of their time running or moving products. Consider automated solutions, such as conveyances, to greatly lower their current excessive travel time. Consider placing additional powered workstations to rid the process of unnecessary steps.

Remove the need for too much walking and lessen tiredness for more accurate picking: We all make more errors when fatigued, and so do your orders for employee selection. Try to stay still, not move and you will see faster retrieval with fewer errors.

When driving around the UK’s streets, you may be surprised by the number of new registration plates you see. Whether you are in your old car and hoping it sneaks through its MOT or wondering whether to update to a new model, help may be at hand.

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New car sales are on an upward trend over the past few years, and the impact of new private buyers rather than firms has been noted by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders. What is starting to decline rather rapidly is the used car market.

Financing

Leasing options are proving increasingly popular in the UK, following their success in the USA. Company fleets led the way, but more private buyers are taking advantage of the benefits of leasing rather than taking out traditional financing. Leasing has become the go-to option for many people when it comes to thinking about a new car.

Wherever you are based, options will be available to you as a private leaser. For example, someone interested in Car Leasing Gloucestershire way should look at contacting specialists such as mphvehiclesolutions.co.uk

When buying outright, prices can vary dramatically. Different specs on otherwise identical models can add thousands to the price and confuse the situation. The option of leasing can be much more transparent.

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The idea is that your payments cover the cost to the lease operator of the car’s depreciation over the rental period plus their margin for profit. Upmarket marques tend to retain their value, and hence their leasing costs can be very attractive. Other issues affect depreciation such as fuel consumption and road tax.

Depreciation

Mileage will also impact on depreciation. This needs to be checked before you enter into a leasing agreement. If you are a low-mileage driver, then leasing may offer great opportunities.

Making a bigger down payment on your lease can reduce your monthly payments during the period of the lease.

At the end of the day you are paying for the depreciation of the vehicle but are left with the option of renewing your deal with a new car.

Another plus of leasing is the benefit of factory warranty cover, so you will not need to worry about repairs. As extended lease periods become more popular, the benefits are clear.

The traditional way of financing a new car on credit may not match the leasing option. Once you have done the maths, make the choice.

When it comes to the legal world and the world of wills in particular it can become an incredibly emotionally charged time. There are a staggering amount of people in the UK who have still not made a will and without one it can leave their family not only in turmoil at having lost their loved one but also in financial turmoil having to go through probate.

Having a will in place can help to ensure that your assets, estate and any personally significant items are passed onto your chosen loved ones. It is incredibly important to ensure that you create a will by using a trusted professional such as a Cheltenham wills and probate like https://beesandco.com/our-services/wills-writing-service-cheltenham/. This is not only to make sure that your will is legal and filed correctly but also as there has been a significant rise in the number of people who are disputing a will once a person has deceased.

A will can be disputed if a family member or beneficiary of the will does not feel that they have been adequately provided for financially from the will. An act was passed in 1975 known as the Under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependents) Act which allowed selected individuals to dispute the particulars of a will if it left them without proper financial gain. It appears that more and more people are using this act with over 150 people having brought cases to the High Court in London in the last few years.

It is thought that there are a number of reasons as to why the number of dispute claims could be steadily increasing each year. These include the fact that we are living longer which means that people often change their will in later life and this can sometimes cause concern that they were persuaded by a particular individual to submit certain requests or were perhaps not of the same mental capacity as they were at a younger age. Equally the price of the houses that we live in are also dramatically increasing. This means that the sum of money that can be left to individuals in much higher than it would have been 50 years ago. This can lead to disputes by individuals who feel they have not been fairly represented in the will. Finally the dynamic of many families is substantial different nowadays that what it used to be. Many people remarry and some have children from more than one relationship. This can make for tense situations when children feel like the have been left out of a will.

It is for these reasons that you should always consult with a professional will writer as they will be able to talk you through the most commonly seen scenarios and help to prevent disputes between your family arising in the future.