Experian Business Express Credit Reports (PAYG)
Instantly credit check a UK business online.
Staffordshire Chamber members or customers are entitled to 50% discount on one off credit checks.
Experian business credit reports enable you to instantly check a company online, allowing you to make quick and informed decisions about potential customers and suppliers. Single business credit reports give you quick and simple access to online business reports and directors information.
Know who you’re dealing with
- By checking your customers
- By checking the people behind a business
- By checking your suppliers
Get paid on time
- By knowing if a company is financially stable
- By seeing a company’s credit rating
- By finding out how quickly a business pays its invoices
- Published in Finance & Funding, Marketing & Digital Innovation
Mindful Employer Charter
Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce is delighted to announce that we have signed the Mindful Employer Charter.
The charter is a set of voluntary aspirations that encourage employers to lead from the front on issues of workplace mental health, and recognizes the employers who are working toward achieving better mental health at work.
The Chamber joins more than 1,100 signatories from up and down the country who all share the same values of championing mental health awareness and support.
“We are proud of our commitment to the charter which will help to continue conversations around mental health in the workplace”, explained Staffordshire Chamber of Commerce Chief Executive, Sara Williams.
“It’s an important time as ever to ensure that we’re providing this type of mental health support across the Chamber. Encouraging conversations around mental health is extremely important, and something that we should all engage with.
“The Chamber is absolutely committed to supporting the emotional wellbeing of everyone who works with us.”
The charter is operated by the Devon Partnership NHS Trust and provides professional workplace mental health training, information, and advice to employers.
Find out more about the charter, here. Charter Signatories | Mindful Employer (dpt.nhs.uk)
- Published in Staff & HR
Customs Declarations
Completing a customs declaration is complicated and you may need software. So you may want to get someone to deal with customs for you. At Staffordshire Chambers we have spent the last 18 months training staff to ensure that we are ready to act as Customs Agents for companies who need a reliable, trusted partner to clear their manufacturing goods through customs. Ryan Dakin.
It is anticipated that there will be an additional 400 million Customs Declarations required each year at a cost to industry of £13bn as a result of leaving the EU and the Customs Union. Many, many companies who trade solely with the EU will not have the knowledge, software or capacity to deal with the new customs regime. So with less than six months to go before the end of the Transition Period it is imperative that companies start to understand the level of complexity and what will be required to ensure that trade with the EU remains uninterrupted. We are well placed to handle all your customs declarations, but we need to start working with you now. A process has to be established. Your business needs to be ‘set up’ on the customs software and work needs to be done to ascertain the correct commodity codes are being used. This takes time so even if you do not require the service at the moment it is vital to have the process in place.
For further information please call 01782 224405
- Published in International Trade
What is an EUR1?
An EUR1, also known as a ‘movement certificate’, enables importers in certain countries to import goods at a reduced or nil rate of import duty under trade agreements between the EU and beneficiary countries.
Comprehensive information on the rules relating to EUR1s can be found in Customs Notices 827, 828 and 832.
For further clarification and to find out which countries qualify please call 01782 224405
- Published in International Trade
Counselling Services
Health and wellbeing for your staff goes beyond handling the basics of health and safety.
The Chamber Health Plan includes a range of additional benefits to support your employees in and out of the office environment. With your Chamber membership get discounted access for your employees to a 24/7 advice and counselling service as well as face-to-face counselling services provided by Westfield Health. This confidential telephone service can provide professional support for wellbeing issues like stress, anxiety, problems at work, as well as guidance and information on a wide range of health and lifestyle matters.
The telephone advice line is not limited to workplace issues, help available for topics like money management, bereavement and family problems. Additionally, there is support for legal issues including consumer disputes, landlord and tenancy questions, welfare benefits and more. The service is available 24/7 to support the health and wellbeing of your staff and is staffed by trained medical advisors, professional counsellors, and lawyers. Through Westfield Health your employees can also benefit from up to six in-person counselling sessions, including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) support.
The Counselling service also includes the complimentary online Health e-Hub, providing confidential access to wellbeing information, videos, self-help programmes, interactive tools and other resources to help. Take a proactive approach to health and wellbeing for your employees and set up your access to counselling services today. It’s a proactive tool that motivates existing employees and is a greatbenefit for recruitment – courtesy of your Chamber membership.
The 24 Hour Advice and Information line is on 0800 092 0987 or 0145 525 5123. You will need your Westfield Health scheme number to access support. Want to find out more? Contact info@staffordshirechambers.co.uk to set up your Westfield Health plan today.
- Published in Staff & HR
Health and Safety Helpline
Get help with HR when you need it with the 24 Hour HR Helpline.
We know that effectively managing HR is one of the cornerstones of a successful business. Questions about everything from recruitment, employment contracts and inductions to managing grievances, terminating employment or redundancy procedures can all take place at any time your people are working – you don’t stop needing an answer because it’s 5 PM.
If you have urgent or specific queries about HR at your business, call the 24 Hour HR Hotline on 01455 852037. This British Chambers of Commerce endorsed service is supported by Quest, an industry-leading HR and Health & Safety solutions company. Your membership benefits include unlimited, up-to-the minute advice from employment law advisors via the Helpline.
Call the 24 Hour HR Helpline on 01455 852037.
- Published in Staff & HR
Skills Hub
Are you ready to take your business to the next level? The Skills Hub can help you get there.
Our advisors can guide you through identifying training needs, developing your employees’ skills and finding funding for paid training. Whether you’re self-employed or employ up to 250 people, we’re here to support you. The Skills Hub provides support for B2B and B2C SME businesses with no restriction on your industry, as long as you’re located within Staffordshire. We’ll help you identify how specialised training can help improve your business, choose the right courses, and find funding.
Through the Skills Hub members can receive up to 48% of the cost of bespoke training courses (up to £5000). We can help fund bespoke training needs in areas that are unique to your business, like CRM or accountancy software, specialised engineering courses, or certification for specific business machinery. Get started with a free 1:21 Skills Review, where you’ll meet with an advisor to review your needs and identify training and funding options.
Call 0300 600 1066 or visit www.staffordshireskillshub.org.uk
The Skills Hub is part-funded by the European Social Funding (ESF).
- Published in Staff & HR
Start-up Programme
All the advice and practical help you need to start a business is available for free with our team of business start-up advisers. The service takes you through business planning, cash forecasting, marketing and market research, legal and financial requirements.
There is ongoing help and mentoring available as your business grows and you expand and employ staff. There are also discounted membership deals for new start-up businesses.
Call 01782 202222 to speak to an advisor, or email start@staffordshirechambers.co.uk
- Published in Start-Up & Grow
Experian B2B Prospector
Experian B2B Prospector helps you find new customers fast. Your small business marketing relies on up-to-date business marketing data. Knowing that your data is segmented and targeted to your most profitable business prospects means you can lower your marketing costs and conduct your sales campaigns with confidence.
Staffordshire Chamber members or customers are entitled to a 30% off any purchases made.
Choose exactly the kind of businesses you’re looking for, review them before you buy and start contacting them immediately – by email, phone or through the post.
Build a list of your ideal prospects with Experian B2B Prospector
- Over 5.3 million UK businesses with names, postal addresses, phone numbers and e-mail addresses
- Segment, target, and tailor your list by geography, business type, turnover, number of employees and many more
- Set a specific number of contacts to suit your budget.
- Free Data Validator to ensure you fulfil your GDPR obligations by checking data you have purchased from Experian’s B2B Prospector
Enhance data you have by adding up to 60 data variables to help you get better insight and help segment your existing portfolio. Also provides a FREE data profile report.
- Published in Marketing & Digital Innovation
Translation Services
Do you want to expand your business? Find support through the Chamber to approach new customers in new markets with support from our Department for International Trade (DIT) Advisors.
Our team can guide you through access to Department for International Trade services designed to introduce you to new markets, give you access to chambers of commerce worldwide via the Global Business Network, signpost trade missions and inward missions to Staffordshire, and provide useful information and research about markets abroad. When you’re entering new markets, or servicing existing customers, you want your message to be correct, whether it’s in English, Chinese or Spanish. Let us support your business in markets where English isn’t the primary language. Translation services can help to avoid the costly mistakes and missed opportunities that come from failure to communicate.
The Chamber can help your business can with contacting prospective customers, creating exhibitions and developing client relationships and more. Let us help your business say what it means with bespoke translation and interpretation services.
Contact the DIT Advisor service today to get started with expanding your business abroad! Email info@staffordshirechambers.co.uk
- Published in International Trade
