Clear Learning

MindLeaders Courses now available on multiple browsers

noreply@blogger.com (Greer Garnham) — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 09:10:00 +0000

MindLeaders have been working hard to update their courses so that they are now available to run on the following browsers:

Internet Explorer (Version 6 and above)
Mozilla Firefox
Safari (for a Mac)

This is great for all MindLeaders users, especially those who use a Macintosh. You can read more at the MindLeaders blog or contact us for further info.

Happy learning!

2009 CompTIA A+ and Oracle 11g Courses Released

noreply@blogger.com (Greer Garnham) — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 13:30:00 +0000

MindLeaders and Clear Learning are proud to release the following courses for all of our customers, as part of our General Technical package:

CompTIA A+ 2009 Essentials 220-701

This is the first of two exams required towards earning CompTIA A+ 2009 certification. Vendor neutral, the CompTIA A+ certification confirms a technician's ability to understand the fundamentals of computer technology, networking, and security. Additionally, certification ensures an understanding of the basic functionality of the operating system and basic troubleshooting methodology along with the ability to effectively interact with customers and peers.

CompTIA A+ 2009 Practical Application 220-702

The second of two exams required towards earning CompTIA A+ 2009 certification. Vendor neutral, the CompTIA A+ certification confirms a technician's ability to install, configure, upgrade, and maintain PC workstations, the Windows OS and SOHO networks. Additionally, certification ensures an understanding of troubleshooting techniques and tools to effectively and efficiently resolve PC, OS, and network connectivity issues and implement security practices.

Oracle Database 11g Administration I 1Z0-052

The Oracle Database 11g: Administration I study guide will prepare you to become certified as an Oracle Database 11g Administrator Certified Associate as well as laying the foundation for the Oracle Database 11g Administrator Certified Professional certification. This series will cover some of the more in-depth database administration topics, such as configuration, security, backups, and recovery. These topics, along with a strong emphasis on database management, will prepare you for the exam.

Oracle Databse 11g SQL Fundamentals I 1Z0-051

The Oracle Database 11g: Fundamentals I study guide will prepare you to become certified as an Oracle Database 11g Administrator Certified Associate. This series will cover both basic and in-depth database administration topics, such as using SQL to retrieve, restrict, and sort data, along with using functions, subqueries, and reporting.

We also offer the following course as part of our Desktop Computing package:

PC Applications

This series is designed for computer users who have limited or no computer experience. The series of courses provides an overview of computer hardware, storage, software, and security and copyright considerations. This series also provides introductory instruction on using a personal computer and various PC applications including word processing, spreadsheet, database, presentation, browser, as well as electronic mail applications.

CompTIA Network + 2009 and Managing within the Law released

noreply@blogger.com (Greer Garnham) — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 14:40:00 +0000

It has come to that time of year again and our latest quarter has produced the following new courses:

CompTIA Network+ 2009 (N10-004)
This highly sought-after and interactive series utilizes the new Classroom of 1 format with increased interactivity and video. It will prepare the user for CompTIA Network+ certification, which ensures that a technician is proficient in configuring, installing, maintaining, troubleshooting, and managing basic network infrastructure.

Managing Within the Law
There are a myriad of laws and regulations governing workplace issues such as discrimination, harassment and the hiring and dismissal of employees. Our managing within the law programs will help protect you and your employees by educating you about the law that must guide policy and behaviour in the workplace.

Please visit Clear Learning to see a full list of courses available to you.

What Claudia Did Next

noreply@blogger.com (Jacki Dalton) — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 15:11:00 +0000

What Claudia Did Next

It’s been 5 months since Claudia went on the Success Online course and she’s meeting her sister Sarah for a catch up.

When she arrives-late as usual!-Sarah is already sat waiting at table.

Claudia greets her sister and hands her a card that she made earlier.

‘Its just to say thank you for helping me get my website up and running’

Sarah thanked Claudia but protested that it was Claudia who had done all the hard work and made the fantastic cards.

‘If it wasn’t for you though Sarah I wouldn’t have a website. I hadn’t even thought about selling my cards online until you mentioned it. It was you who told me about the business workshop that Clear Learning ran on Success Online which got me started in the first place.’

Sarah asks how the business is going now she’s got the website up and running.

‘Well, as you know,’ replied Claudia. ‘After I came back from the course I started selling things on EBay whilst I had time to think about what I wanted from my website and how I wanted it to look. That’s going really well and I’ve had positive feedback from customers which shows against my name so potential customers know I have a good reputation and are more likely to order from me’

‘I was going to try and put the site together myself but as I was going to be taking payments and I’m not that technically minded I decided to get the experts in!’

Claudia paused for breath and then was off again telling Sarah about her website, her passion clear for anyone to see.

‘One of the people I met on the Success Online course had given me contact details of a web designer he’d used and strongly recommended him, so its all up and running now.

And you know how disorganised I am so I’ve got timescales and procedures in place in terms of when I’m on holiday, customer service and maintenance of the site.

I got some stats through the other day and its amazing what you can find out about how people move through the site and where they’ve come from and where they go after visiting my site. Due to that and customer queries I’m going to branch out and do other products. I’ve already started on my Christmas line aswell!’ Claudia enthused.

‘So I just wanted to thank you for opening my eyes up to a whole new way of running and promoting my business.’

‘That’s great,’ replied Sarah. ‘It’s not just me who you should be thanking. It’s the Success Online course you went on that turned things around, so it’s also Clear Learning you should be thanking.’

‘You know what, I think I’ll do just that’ Claudia said with a twinkle in her eyes. ‘After all I really have had Success Online!’

New online courses added for June 2009

noreply@blogger.com (Greer Garnham) — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 08:13:00 +0000

We have recently added a selection of courses to our ever-growing catalogue.

Doing Business in China: A Cultural Approach - This media-rich course provides the fundamentals of Chinese business etiquette. It discusses a variety of social situations, such as business meetings and meals, that might come up on a business trip to China. This course also describes a cultural intelligence approach to working with the Chinese.

Doing Business in India: A Cultural Approach - This media-rich course provides the fundamentals of Indian business etiquette from a cultural perspective. It addresses typical situations that occur while doing business in India.

Project Management Professional Certification 2009 (7 courses) - Yet another media-rich, interactive series! These courses have already been approved by the Project Management Institute for PDUs and will prepare users for the latest PMP exam. This series will prepare users to initiate, plan, execute, monitor, control, and close a project using project quality standards as laid out in the fourth edition of the Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK).

Visio 2007 (7 courses) - Yet another media-rich, interactive series! If you need to explain a complicated process, flowchart, organizational chart, or other diagram, Visio is the tool to help you. This series will walk you through using Visio to build visual information that easily communicates complex topics.

CompTIA Security+ 2008 (SY0-201) (17 courses) - This series, comprised of Practice Exams and Classroom of 1 courseware types, provides students with the proficiencies needed to pursue the CompTIA Security+ certification. This new certification series has been highly anticipated.

Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Maintenance MCTS 70-432 (4 courses) - This series of practice exams will prepare the user for the Microsoft SQL Server 2008, Implementation and Maintenance exam and are a precursor to the Classroom of 1 courseware that will release in the future.

Lotus Notes 8.5 and More Course Updates

noreply@blogger.com (Greer Garnham) — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 11:40:00 +0000

We have now updated our course for the latest version of Lotus Notes, which is available for you to use online. Lotus Notes 8.5 will integrate your e-mail, calendar and schedules into a managable and organised format.

We have also added some more modules to two of our existing courses, Innovation in the Workplace and Problem Solving through Productive Thinking.

Our Innovation in the Workplace course now includes modules that cover areas such as harnessing energy and measuring success, and our Problem Solving course includes putting productive thinking into practise.

Learn more at www.clearlearning.co.uk

New LEARN Package - General Technical

noreply@blogger.com (Greer Garnham) — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 10:52:00 +0000

Clear Learning have just added a new package to their LEARN series, called General Technical. This package includes:

C
Cisco Related Series by Mindleaders BCMSN 642-811
Cisco Related Series by Mindleaders BCMSN 642-812
Cisco Related Series by Mindleaders BCRAN 642-821
Cisco Related Series by Mindleaders BSCI 642-801
Cisco Related Series by Mindleaders BSCI 642-901
Cisco Related Series by Mindleaders CCDA 640-441
Cisco Related Series by Mindleaders CCDA 640-863
Cisco Related Series by Mindleaders CCNA 640-801
Cisco Related Series by Mindleaders CCNA 640-802
Cisco Related Series by Mindleaders CIT 642-831
Cisco Related Series by Mindleaders ICND1 640-822
Cisco Related Series by Mindleaders ICND2 640-816
Cisco Related Series by Mindleaders ISCW 642-825
Cisco Related Series by Mindleaders ONT 642-845
CISSP Security Professional
Client/Server Technology for Managers
CompTIA A+ Depot Technician 220-604
CompTIA A+ Essentials 220-601
CompTIA A+ IT Technician 220-602
CompTIA A+ Remote Support Technician 220-603
CompTIA Network + 2005 (N10-003)
CompTIA Server + 2005 (SK0-002)
Data Warehousing
DB2
DB2 Universal Database
FOCUS
ITIL Version 2 Foundation Certificate EX0-100
Java 2 Developer SCJD CX-310-252A/CX-310-027
Java 2 5.0 Programmer Certification 310-055
Linux
Linux Red Hat Technician RHCT RH202
Notes 5 Programming
Novell 560 CNE
Novell 570 CNE Advanced Administration
OOP Using C++
Oracle
Oracle 10g Administration
Oracle 10g Database Administration II 1Z0-033
Oracle 8
Oracle9i Database Fundamentals 1Z0-031
Oracle9i Database Fundamentals II 1Z0-032
Oracle9i Database Performance Tuning 1Z0-033
Oracle9i SQL 1Z0-007
PowerBuilder 9 Advanced Development
Rational Unified Process
RPG IV Programming
SAS
SAS 8
Security +
Solaris 8 System Administrator 310-011
Solaris 9 System Administrator 310-014/310-015
Sybase
UML 2.0
UNIX Systems

Please visit our website at www.learnaccess.co.uk for more information.

Claudias New Website

noreply@blogger.com (Jacki Dalton) — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 13:38:00 +0000

Claudia is bubbling over with excitement as she sits down with her sister Sarah at the coffee shop.

As Sarah had suggested she had attended the Success Online course ran by Clear Learning and once she had her coffee in place Claudia launched into what she had learnt the previous day on the course.

During the course the trainer had discussed with each person what would be the best web presence for their business and looked at who everyone’s potential customers were. Claudia told Sarah how she felt at ease in the course as it didn’t require any previous experience and there was a mix of people like her who had just started out but also a couple of people who already had websites and were unsure how to market and manage them.

Claudia had decided to sell her products via her website so there were regulations that needed to be considered and more importantly for her decide how she was going to accept payments.

‘Did you know’ continued Claudia, ‘that the 2 biggest online retailers are eBay.co.uk and Amazon.co.uk and I can start selling my gifts on there first whilst I work on getting my website up and running, plus Mothers Day and Easter is coming soon so I can captailise on that.’

‘Speaking of my website on the course the trainer looked at different websites and we had all discussed the pros and cons of each site, so I already have an idea of what mine will look like.’

Claudia went on to explain to Sarah how the trainer also went through some hints and tips on how to increase chances of being picked up. ‘I had no idea how websites were picked up or why they appeared in the order they do when you type something in Google and it was interesting to learn how that works.’ In addition to that Claudia learnt that she can actually track how people move through the site and where they came from, which gives insight into the customers.

‘Plus look at this,’ Claudia said as she pulled a bright orange book from her bag. ‘We got a workbook that’s full of things to consider, help resources and helpful hints. I’ve attached a list at the back of all the things I now need to do.’

‘I know it’s not going to happen overnight but I know now where to start and how to maximise and market my website- I don’t know why I didn’t do it earlier!’

Let’s leave Claudia to it and revisit her in a few months time to see how her website is going.

Free Training Resources

noreply@blogger.com (Greer Garnham) — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 15:56:00 +0000

We are noticing a huge trend on our training courses of small business owners needing to learn new skills to cover job roles once dealt with by staff that have recently been made redundant. It is a very sad time for employer and employee alike.

Cutting costs by taking on the extra job load and having to understand new tasks just seems to add to the stress of running your own business. This is where it becomes extremely important to understand the ins and outs of running a small business.

Skills such as managing your finances, getting paid on time, and marketing your services can increase cash flow and bring in the customers that are desperately needed at the moment.

There are lots of different places you can go to get the training you need and the internet opens up a plethora of free resources, available at your fingertips.

Online Training

The Open University
The Open University offers a large selection of courses that any business owner would find useful, including Project Planning and Creating an Ethical Organisation.

Microsoft Office Training
Microsoft offer a free 60 day trial of training on their Office products. This training comes straight from the horses mouth so is very indepth.

Podcasts

iTunes
Through iTunes you can access various University lectures throughout the world, who can train you on anything from Understanding the Financial Crisis to Business Decision Making.

Free Demos

Clear Learning
We offer free demos to the following courses through our website:

Excel 2007
Introduction to PCs
Web Publishing and Design with HTML 4.01 and XHTML
Communication (Video)

If you are looking for training in a particular area and you can’t seem to find it anywhere, please visit us at Clear Learning to see what we can do for you.

Christmas Shopping-nightmare on the high street or a breeze online?

noreply@blogger.com (Jacki Dalton) — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 11:06:00 +0000

Claudia fell through her front door and dropped all her bags on the floor, immediately feeling the relief in her aching shoulders and hands. Her shoes are kicked off and she curses herself for the hundredth time that day for wearing heels to go Christmas shopping. A glance at her watch tells her that shes already late for meeting her sister Sarah for lunch and groans at the thought of going back out in the traffic.

5 minutes later the shopping bags are still taking up room in the middle of the hallway, Claudia has managed a change of clothes but a quick look in the mirror reveals her hair is in need of a brush and her cheeks are red from the after effects of tackling the high street, but as shes already late there's no time to sort herself out and she hurries out of the door.

When Claudia finally reaches the restaurant her sister is sat looking relaxed drinking a coffee and watching with mild amusement at the madness of the Christmas shopping going on around her.

Claudia apologises for being late and launches into a story about getting elbowed in the chest in a clothes shop, having trolleys rammed into her ankles in the supermarket and being hit on the head by an unidentified flying object in a toy store!

Sarah says that she too has done all her Christmas shopping that day. Claudia looks at her with disbelief and asks how she can look so relaxed whereas she looks and feels as though she’s been dragged through a hedge backwards! Sarah smiles and says simply ‘I did all my shopping online, no queues, no crowds or traffic jams, just me in the comfort of my own home, plus you can get fantastic bargains online, I read an article last week that said a YouGov survey estimated that 71% of Britain's will shop online this Christmas’

After lunch Claudia begins to think about what her sister said, and her own small business selling handmade cards and gifts, which were currently being sold in various tanning salons and hairdressers in her village. Her mind again flashes back to the chaos and misery she experienced on the high street and thought about the other shoppers she saw huffing and puffing their way through the shops. If so many people were deciding that online shopping was a better alternative then there was a whole world of opportunity for her to sell her products to.

Excited by this prospect she picks up the phone to discuss it with Sarah, who agrees it’s a fantastic idea. ‘The only problem Ive got is that I just don’t know where on earth to start!’ Claudia moans. ‘Ah’ says Sarah, ‘that’s where I can help, I know of someone who delivers a training course designed specifically to help people like you….’

See what happens next month after Claudia has attended the course and started to put into practice the things that shes learnt

December 2008 New e-Learning Courses just added

noreply@blogger.com (Greer Garnham) — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 11:35:00 +0000

Clear Learning have just added 8 new courses to their e-Learning repertoire. Though most of the courses are aimed at small business skills, there are some new Microsoft courses as well.
The new courses are as follows:

Emailing your Way to the Top
Lotus Notes 8.5
Innovation in the Workplace
Problem Solving through Productive Thinking
Time Management for Maximum Productivity
Windows Server 2008 Active Directory MCTS 70-640
Windows Server 2008 Applications MCTS 70-643
Windows Server 2008 Networking MCTS 70-642

Please visit the Clear Learning website for further information.

Accessible LEARNing

noreply@blogger.com (Greer Garnham) — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 15:07:00 +0000

Clear Learning is launching a new way to purchase online courses. We now have packages available through selected retailers throughout the United Kingdom.

Our LEARN series is made up of five unique packages, that encorporate both business and personal training courses.

The packages available are:

Microsoft Technical – includes Microsoft courses such as MCSA, MCSD, and MCSE.
Business Skills – including Business Ethics, Customer Service, Fundamentals of Business Management, Negotiating, and Stress Management.
ECDL – The European Computer Driving Licence has 7 modules, including: IT Concepts, Word Processing, Spreadsheets and Databases.
Desktop Computing – this features Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint and Word, along with Lotus Notes and Quickbooks.
Web Development – with DreamWeaver, Flash, Java, Photoshop, PHP, and XML.

We want our courses to be accessible to everyone, including the High Street shopper and LEARN is the perfect way to do this. Visit Clear Learning for more info.

A Whole New World

noreply@blogger.com (Greer Garnham) — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 15:21:00 +0000

Your online alter-ego or Avatar attends an in-world educational seminar where the setup is just like a real lecture theatre, with an actual lecturer (or Avatar) standing at the font of the room, peers sitting around you writing notes on their in-world virtual notepads, and conversations going on between students and yourself regarding the lecture content.

Does this sound like some bizarre dream reminiscent of misused college years or just the next inevitable step in your learning schedule?

After reading an article in the latest Learning Magazine called “It’s Learning Jim but not as we know it,” where David Wortley talks about the effectiveness of games and virtual worlds in learning environments, I got into a discussion about it with some of my colleagues , with mixed reactions.

It became apparent very quickly that there were two very different ideas on how learning should work; those who adhere to the “I need a real teacher” mentality and those who feel comfortable with online alternatives.

Myself, being an avid supporter of e-Learning, have always found interactive methods of learning far more stimulating than the traditional classroom atmosphere and with the introduction of online in-world learning to the mainstream, the likelihood of me appearing as an Avatar in the near future is almost a definite. I have already started searching around for the most popular virtual worlds in search of some online content that interests me. Due to the amazing amount of response to sites like Second Life for the inclusion of academic content, it looks like I’m not the only one who sees a future in virtual learning.

The main reasons that I can see this type of training working are:
- Virtual learning opens up a classroom arena to all students, not just the most outspoken ones. With an Avatar as your voice, anonymity is secure and inhibitions go out the door.
- Opportunities arise for users who may not have access to classroom-based training, due to geographical or physical restrictions.
- The variety of training available online will cater to everyone’s taste.
- Chances are that you will be able to record the content to replay at a later time for future clarification.
- Online environments work on the premise that users will be from all over the world and therefore content will be available variable times, to cater to average working hours.

I am interested in hearing your thought on this? Are you currently a member of a virtual site with an online alter-ego? Do you participate in any form of online training? Would you attend an online seminar?

What can you do?

noreply@blogger.com (Greer Garnham) — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 15:40:00 +0000

Today is Blog Action Day, the one day of the year that bloggers get together to unite for a worthwhile cause – Poverty.
At Clear Learning we wanted to get behind the cause by letting our readers know some poverty facts they may not be aware of. Here are a few things to consider:

1. Almost half the world — over three billion people — live on less than $2.50 (U.S Dollars) a day.
2. Nearly a billion people entered the 21st century unable to read a book or sign their names.
3. Less than one per cent of what the world spent every year on weapons was needed to put every child into school by the year 2000 and yet it didn’t happen.
4. Number of children in the world = 2.2 billion
Number in poverty = 1 billion (every second child)
5. Approximately half the world’s population now live in cities and towns. In 2005, one out of three urban dwellers (approximately 1 billion people) was living in slum conditions.
6. 1.6 billion people — a quarter of humanity — live without electricity
7. A mere 12 percent of the world’s population uses 85 percent of its water, and these 12 percent do not live in the Third World.
8. Around the world, some 26,500 children die every day.

Please help wherever you can by donating to a worthwhile cause. Heal our world by doing your bit.

Time To Get Online

noreply@blogger.com (Michael Henry) — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 16:18:00 +0000

When was the last time you used the Yellow Pages to find a restaurant?

...or trekked down to your local tour operator to book a flight?

Most likely you searched online for these by using Yell.com or another online directory. It didn’t cost you any money, it was easy and most importantly, the results were immediate! Last year 53% of UK adults said they used the internet at some time in their lives to buy goods or services, with 78% of these purchasing online in the previous 3 months (National Statistics Omnibus Survey 2007).

If your business does not yet have a web presence, it’s time to get online…the web is more than 20 years old now! According to the Computer Industry Almanac, the worldwide internet has now reached more than 1 billion users, with the UK now ranking Number 6 for internet usage with over 35 million users. No matter how small your business is, the web has levelled the playing field. As long as you have the business support and processes in place, the potential is enormous.

Consider these benefits:

- A web presence will give your business visibility and exposure to potential customers
whenever it’s convenient for them
- Customers expect to find you online; it is seen as a sign of professionalism
- You can demonstrate your products and services online through photos and testimonials
- Promoting your site online will give you 24/7 marketing, all year round
- Retaining your customers is made easier through online marketing: informing them of
discounts, special offers and new products / services

Still not convinced? Think about it...by lowering your costs and making workflows more efficient, the web could actually save you money! Lots of businesses use the internet to source new suppliers, order materials. Others use their websites to take bookings and raise awareness, saving on staff and marketing costs.

Visit us next week for some tips to help you determine the best way for your company to establish their web presence!

Get Paid, On Time

noreply@blogger.com (Greer Garnham) — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 09:42:00 +0000

We are noticing an increase in the amount of small business owners attending our Getting Paid workshops recently and it doesn’t really come as a surprise considering current financial trends in the UK.

All businesses are feeling the effects of the credit crunch and want to make sure that any credit they decide to offer is going to be honoured, in the time specified.
This goes for suppliers to; how do they know that your company is going to pay them on time?

There are a few simple things that companies can do to increase your status as a reliable customer, including:

-Making sure you file your accounts on time at Companies House (if you are a limited company)
-Maintaining a good payment performance by paying invoices on time, especially those owed to large utility companies.

A company’s credit score is greatly influenced by the two variables above and credit scores are one of the most common methods of selection used by businesses when deciding credit limits for customers.

Companies such as leading provider Experian calculate credit scores by using sophisticated scoring methodologies to derive a single score and there are many different factors taken into account (as many as fifty factors in some cases), such as:

-Size and age of a business
-Legal status
-Business sector and location
-CCJs’ and bankruptcies
-Companies House filings
-Track record of proprietors
-Payment performance.

For start-up companies, getting paid by customers will be the difference between success or failure in the first couple of years for business.

To learn more about our workshops, please visit our website or call us on 0845 880 9500.

The King of Cash - part 2

noreply@blogger.com (Kathryn Priest) — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 12:38:00 +0000

Gemma rolled her eyes and walked backwards out of Nick’s office as he answered his ridiculous red telephone. She still hadn’t got an answer out of him, and she could hear her own phone ringing ominously again, no doubt another fretting debtor on the line.

Her holiday had been more than needed; it had been recommended by her doctor. She had been getting worse over the past few months, and had only managed a strained ‘Hello’ before bursting into tears on the poor young GP once again. And she couldn’t blame her family life- they had been really supportive as things deteriorated at work. But she knew how much the company needed her, how much they relied on her to sort out difficult customers. Having two weeks off, she saw now, was only half a solution, as no one had been covering her essential work properly while she was away. How could they? There was no standard policy to follow, though she had tried to instigate it many times. If she was honest with herself, she didn’t know where to start.

She struggled round the desks and reached for her phone, cringing all the while because she had a strong feeling about who was at the end of it.
‘Good morning, please could I speak to the person in charge of the accounts? I believe it is a Mrs Gemma Dodds?’
Gemma was slightly taken aback by the cool voice, the almost pleasant manner of the lady. ‘Speaking’ she squeaked.
‘My name is Helen Ross, and I am calling with regards to invoice number 44521, dated 1st July 2008?’ Gemma closed her eyes, knowing all too well what was coming next – that invoice number had been competing for brain space all holiday. ‘Would you be able to have that invoice to hand just now?’ the voice soothed.
She had expected a launch into a rant, had expected the voice to raise her hackles and start a row, but found herself sitting down and pulling the invoice from the bottom of her ‘to do’ tray. ‘Yes, I have it here. See, we’ve just been having a few problems, I’ve only just got back today to start sorting through the pile…’
‘That’s fine, I do understand. You see, we are having similar problems, it’s always tough to pay your suppliers when your customers are struggling isn’t it?’ Gemma felt a pang of guilt- she realised she wasn’t the only one in this situation. She used to talk to her suppliers and her customers – they used to have a great relationship. When did all that get lost?
‘Could you tell me, were there any problems with the products and the service you received from us?’ She couldn’t honestly say that there had been. The usual faultless service, and though her customers might claim otherwise to get out of paying their bills, the products had been of excellent quality too. ‘No,’ she murmured, ‘no, they were fine. Sorry, I know we should have paid this a while ago…’
‘Don’t worry, that’s why I’m calling you today- to work out a solution that is best for all of us’. Gemma could have wept. A solution? This was the call she had been praying for!
‘Could you tell me what is standing in your way at the moment?’ Helen queried, gently and persuasively. Gemma blinked – she honestly wasn’t sure. She had seen the figures, there was enough money in the bank to pay this bill, though she wasn’t convinced that there would be enough for all the bills… she realised in a flash that this was what Nick was most afraid of – running out of cash. Perhaps if she had been a little gentler with her own customers, like Helen was being to her now, they might be more willing to boost Nick’s coffers. Her shoulders sagged. ‘We are just a bit behind I’m afraid. I need to find out, well, I should really know, if we are able to pay you right now. I know it’s overdue, but I’m the only one who deals with this kind of thing, so it’s not been done as I’ve been away on holiday. I am sorry about this.’
‘Sounds like you need some support from within your own team,’ Helen mused. ‘Have you tried teaching others what you know? Sharing a bit of the responsibility?’ Gemma had certainly thought about it, but again, where should she start? She didn’t feel confident enough herself, let alone teaching others.
‘Don’t worry about this bill anyway. Could you give me a date you think you could get it paid to us by? Don’t worry if it’s a week or so, I’d just like you to give us a time so you’re not struggling, but also so we know when to realistically expect the money’. Helen sounded so reasonable, it was hard to resist replying ‘Well, actually, seeing as it’s right here infront of me, I can get the boss to sign the cheque today, if that’s ok with you?’ It made perfect sense to start getting rid of the problem, and as Helen had said, start finding solutions.
‘That would be fantastic, Gemma, thanks ever so much for prioritising us, and we’re really glad there were no problems with our service. So could I just confirm – if you pop it in the post today, it should get to us by the end of this week?’
‘Yes, the end of this week, and I’ll definitely get it sent today’ Gemma said, with far more conviction than she had felt five minutes ago.
‘Brilliant,’ Gemma could almost feel Helen smiling down the phone – and not a raised voice in the place. ‘I’ll drop you a line just to let you know we’ve received it, if that’s ok with you? Speak to you soon then.’
‘Ok, speak to you then.’ Gemma replied, trying to remember how Helen had got her to agree to this so gently and calmly.
‘Oh, and just one more thing’ said Helen, in a conspiratorial fashion, ‘if you’d be interested, I went on a fantastic course recently that really helped me with my credit management calls……’

Gemma’s situation shows why planning is so important. An old Chinese proverb states ‘only when the water is still can you see through it clearly’. Too many businesses find themselves in a web of difficult customers, late payments, demanding suppliers and emotional turmoil as their dream life seems to be edging away. It is almost impossible to drag yourself up when there is so much pressure on. By planning ahead for difficult times while things are stable, (while the water is clear) you are almost reaching out to a troubled ‘future you’ and providing them with a set of rules and processes to obey. It’s not just a rope, but a ladder: specific steps you can take to climb out of the difficulties.

Visit us next week to find out how Gemma’s course affects the rest of the business, and helps make Nick the King of Cash!

The King of Cash

noreply@blogger.com (Kathryn Priest) — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 12:19:00 +0000

Nick’s secretary Gemma has finally come back from her two week holiday, and bursts into his office just when he was beginning his second, much needed cup of coffee, brandishing red bills from suppliers. ‘These bills are due ages ago! They need paying or I’ll get them yelling at me down the phone. How come my cover didn’t organise this?’ she whines. Nick can feel his lips tightening slightly – surely the suppliers can wait another few days? He thinks to himself - ‘It’s not like we haven’t spent enough money with them recently. Though a cheque does take 5 days to clear, so perhaps it’ll be ok. That big customer who wasn’t in last time I called is supposed to be paying us tomorrow’.

He open his now rather parched mouth to placate her and tell her he’ll sign some cheques today, could she please just go and find the chequebook? But the telephone rings. Nick’s long suffering wife bought him a telephone in pillarbox red, which flashes when it rings. At the time he found it hilarious, and she had just smiled knowingly. Unfortunately these days it is worryingly appropriate, and he has a better idea of what that smile meant.

‘Good morning mate!’ says the voice on the other end of the line. Nick relaxes and leans back in his chair – it’s Vic, his long-term business pal, who has been a great customer for over ten years. After the morning he’s had so far, it’ll be great to have a moan about the industry for a bit. Nick pick up a pen and starts twirling it around his fingers absent-mindedly.

‘Sorry I’ve not been in touch for ages- you know how things are at the moment- busy running around in circles after my creditors!’ Nick nods and agrees, rolling his chair from side to side, pleased that he is warming up to what must be a good bit of gossip to make him feel a little better, perhaps something juicy on how badly the competiton is doing?

‘Tell me about it mate’ he enthuses, ‘Chasing customers eh? I’ve had two weeks of trying to get hold of people, and everyone seems to be on holiday, including my Gemma who normally does the calling. She’s so much better on the phone than I am. I can’t do the tough-guy act on my customers – it’d ruin the image I’m trying to build!’

‘Too true’ Vic commiserates. ‘you’re too nice to some of them. Has anything happened with that big contract that made up that ridiculous dispute to get out of paying you?’

Nick’s pen-twirling hits a knuckle and flips onto the floor and skids to a halt in the dust underneath the filing cabinet. The business mobile phone starts ringing, setting off a ringtone of his children laughing and singing their favourite TV tune. ‘Er, er, hang on a minute,’ he stutters, ‘good to hear from you mate – can I call you back?’

Vic suddenly has a tone of urgency in his voice, and begins talking uncharacteristically fast. ‘Well actually I was just really quickly phoning to ask a little favour…. You know how I’ve been chasing my customers, well, I’m having a bit of a cash flow struggle at the moment… would it be ok to put off our payment for another week or so?’

Nick blinks as the mobile phone stops ringing, but there is shouting in the office – Gemma’s probably on the phone to the suppliers again to sort out the bills. She doesn’t half give them some. He cringes slightly, imagining their faces the next time he places an order – he wishes sometimes she wasn’t quite so assertive!

‘Mate, I’ll have to get back to you, that was the bank. I’ll check out my figures and let you know- you know I’ll do whatever I can, but things are getting a bit tight here too’.

‘No probs mate, I’ll call you later then’ and Vic hangs up, before Nick can tell him he’ll be in meetings all afternoon.

A timid knock on the door brings Nick back to the moment, and the new lad pokes his head round the door. What was his name again? ‘Two people have just come into the showroom, boss. They want to talk to you about setting up credit terms? They’re going on about a big contract. Are there any forms I can give them until you’re ready to speak to them?’ Knowing that he meant to create those forms ages ago – it certainly would have made things simpler!- Nick hurriedly leaves his comfy chair and still steaming coffee and grabs his suit jacket. ‘Nope, don’t worry, thanks for the tip off, I’ll go and talk to them now’. He sweeps out of his office in an entirely contrived air of authority, leaving the new boy still proffering a notepad and pen in his wake, wondering what the bank wanted and if he can afford extending credit to any more customers……

Ever felt like events are out of your control? Be they economic factors or finding how much your business partner has spent on the company credit card, money matters often take on a life of their own. So much so that over a third of small- to medium- sized businesses claim problems with cash flow are the main reason for their business failing in the first 3 years.

All too often, a business story can end up more like a Lewis Carroll story: "No, no!" said the Queen. "Sentence first - verdict afterwards!". (Alice in Wonderland). So many businesses look back and can see exactly where they went wrong, but had no idea at the time. By the time it has become clear they are already paying their penance, be it bad debt, huge loans, or even a failed business.

If any of this sounds familiar, the constant pressures, worries and confidence around managing your customers and cash flow, log in to the next instalment to see how Nick gets himself out of it!

Jenny needs a holiday

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah Cockeram) — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 08:10:00 +0000

Scenario:
Jenny has been running her business for the last 5 years. In those first years of trading her business has significantly grown, she is now providing a wide range goods and services to her customers, increased her staff force and most importantly made a great profit.

However with the success there has been some set backs. Due to public demand Jenny extended her opening hours which has meant that she is now working even harder, her manual bookkeeping and administration is behind, she is working late into the evenings and feels that she is unable to take a holiday.

Jenny is making great profits however feels that she has no work life balance.

In fact Jenny is not alone. The Bank of Scotland completed a survey of 1000 entrepreneurs and found that on average they are working 50 hour weeks.

The survey found a number of small business owners are neglecting holiday and a further 26% think they will work even longer because of the economic climate.

The survey found that 71% of small business owners claim to be stressed, up from 54% last year. The main reason for working 50 hour weeks was down to dealing with administration and regulations.

Jenny knows that it is not productive to be working that amount of hours. Therefore she changes her bookkeeping and administration from paper to computer, examines her existing workforces and identifies members of staff that she could train and delegate additional duties too.

Jenny now feels that she can take a holiday.

Jenny Does Business Part 4: How to Retain Valuable Staff

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah Cockeram) — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 15:20:00 +0000

Scenario:
Previously Jenny offered Nicholas a new role within her business. Nicholas was recruited to replace Larry. Previously Larry had been poached by one of Jenny’s local competitors. Her existing staff did not have the right skills and experience to replace Larry at this time.

Before Nicholas joins her business, Jenny completes a number of employment checks to ensure that Nicholas is eligible to work in the UK and that the information he has provided is correct. Jenny is aware that there can be potential larges fines if she does not carry this out successfully.

On Nicholas’s first day, Jenny ensures that the existing staff give him a warm welcome. Jenny then completes a full induction and personal development plan with Nicholas to make sure that he is aware of his training plan and objectives.

When Larry advised that he was leaving, Jenny looked at her existing staff to see whether any of them could replace him. At that time they did not have the right skills and experience.

Jenny therefore needs to ask herself the following questions

1) What training does her existing staff require?
2) When should this training be completed?
3) What effect will this training have on her business?

The Leitch Review set out a number of goals for employers training their existing work force. Many employers need to increase their existing staff skill levels while also ensuring their career aspirations and goals are achieved. By employeers completing this, they can then be expected to improve and retain existing staff.

Therefore Jenny completes full appraisals with her existing staff to evaluate the progress they are making and also provide a framework to guide her existing staff to where they need to be.

Three months on, Jenny has a successful and happy work force. Nicholas is settled into his new role and has already improved her business performance. Danny, who only started six months ago, has completed his training plan and is now taking on new and exciting responsibilities.

Jenny is happy with her business and continues to support and train her staff. The last six months have been challenging for Jenny, however she now understands how crucial the planning behind recruiting, training and retaining her staff is to the success of her business.

Jenny Does Business Part 3: How to Identify Valuable Staff

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah Cockeram) — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 08:31:00 +0000

Scenario:
Previously, Jenny has advertised Larry’s role in the local paper and also on a number of online websites. Two weeks ago Larry was poached by one of Jenny’s local competitors. Her existing staff did not have the right skills and experience to replace Larry. Therefore Jenny is looking outside of her workforce to find a suitable replacement for him.

Since Jenny has advertised Larry’s role, a total of 10 individuals applied for the job. Due to time and cost Jenny decided that it would not be wise to interview all 10 individuals. Therefore she used her Job description and Person specification to shortlist her candidates from 10 to 4.

Jenny then had to make the decision of what interview format she would use to identify which of the candidates would be best suited for the role. Jenny looked at the various interview methods, ranging from standard questioning to presentations and even a practical exercise.

Once Jenny had decided what interview method to use, she then needs to ask herself the following questions;

1) What information do I need to find out from my interview candidates?
2) Which questions should I prepare before the interview?
3) Are any of my questions illegal under discrimination laws?

Which? Consumer group advised in their CV and interview handbook which was published in 2008 that many businesses are still confused about what interview questions they can and cannot ask.

Many businesses are still asking inappropriate questions in job interviews. As a result their companies risk being taken to employment tribunals where they can face unlimited fines.

Potential employees are protected by legislation including the Age and Sex discrimination Act, the Race Relations Act, the Employment Equality Regulations and the Disability Discrimination Act.
As a result, employers are not allowed to discriminate against job candidates on the grounds of race, beliefs, gender, religion, sexuality or disability.
Therefore the following questions are not allowed to be asked
How old are you?
Are you married?
Are you gay?
Are you planning to start a family soon?
What political party do you support?

So what does Jenny do?

Jenny puts together a detailed interview script with pre-prepared questions that do not break any discrimination laws. She interviews the four candidates and based on their interviews offers the role to Nicholas. Nicholas is highly qualified and experienced and would be a great asset to Jenny’s team.

Find out soon how Nicholas settles into his new role….

Jenny does Business Part 2: How to Replace Valuable Staff

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah Cockeram) — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 12:22:00 +0000

Scenario:
Since last week, Jenny has decided to look for suitable replacements for Larry. Larry who was her most senior and experienced member of staff was unexpectedly poached by her main competitor. Therefore Jenny only has four remaining members of staff, they range in various ability and include her new recruit Danny.

Jenny is concerned that she is unable to train and develop the existing staff in time for when Larry leaves. Therefore she has made the decision to look outside her current workforce and find a suitable individual to replace Larry.

Before Jenny looks for suitable replacements for Larry she needs to ask herself the following questions.

1) What skills and qualifications do I need my new member of staff to have?
2) Where and how will I advertise my Job?
3) How will I decide which candidates I need to interview?

In a recent survey by CIPD (Recruitment, Retention and Turnover 2008), it was found that the average direct cost of recruiting a replacement member of staff is £4667. This can rise to £5800 if recruiting, inducting and training is taken into account.

There are many hidden costs in association with recruiting a new employee. Therefore Jenny needs to accurately plan exactly how she will recruit her member of staff.

So what is Jenny to do?

Jenny decides that to find her new member of staff, she puts together a detailed job description and person specification to help her identify what skills and experience her new member of staff needs to have. She puts together a job advert which she advertises in the local newspaper and online job web sites.

Find out soon how many individuals apply for Larry’s job and how the interviews go….

Jenny does Business: Replacing Valuable Staff

noreply@blogger.com (Greer Garnham) — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 09:17:00 +0000

Scenario:
Jenny runs a small business with five fulltime employees. Her most senior and seemingly happy, staff member Larry, has just been poached by your largest competitor, conveniently located across the street. Jenny’s four remaining staff members have various levels of ability with the newest recruit Danny showing the most promise within the business. She starts to panic because the likelihood of having someone trained to the same standard as Larry by the time he leaves, seems impossible.

Here are some questions Jenny needs to ask herself:

1. Do I have the talent available in-house to replace Larry?
If so, what training needs to be completed before Larry leaves?
If no, how am I going to go about employing a suitable candidate?
2. What happens if this situation arises again?
3. Do I have a suitable training plan in place to avoid a skill gap?

Jenny has a problem that needs to be resolved quickly. She is not on her own though, these are the problems faced by small businesses on a day to day basis.

Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu’s study, Aligned at the Top: Technology, Media & Telelecommunications Sector, shows that retaining critical talent is ranked the most important when dealing with the scope of management. Deloitte’s study also suggests that companies are most likely to find their most valuable employees from developing and training existing ones.

As seen with the scenario above and the views of the polled companies in the study, skill gaps in training and recruitment are the greatest challenges faced.

So what is Jenny to do?
Jenny decides that, in this situation, she is going to recruit someone new to replace Larry but is determined to not be placed in the same position again.
Jenny wants to make sure that all her existing and newly recruited staff members are adequately trained for

Jenny now just needs to find her new staff member and have a training plan in place to make sure this doesn’t happen again.
Stay tuned to see how she gets on……

The Perfect Sitemap

noreply@blogger.com (Greer Garnham) — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 12:00:00 +0000

I wanted to add a brief comment about a training course I went to last week hosted by Mark P. Summers of Monkey Design House. The course was on how to optimise small business websites and he was great at explaining the ins and outs of getting the most out of small scale websites. I don't want to go into detail and give away all of his trade secrets but a great point he made was that every site should have a Sitemap, so I researched this and found a great site on Adding A Google Sitemap To Your Blog, for Blogger sites. The steps are very straightforward and will ensure that you create a great sitemap for your site.
Feel free to comment if you have any questions.

ECDL - A Case Study

noreply@blogger.com (Greer Garnham) — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 10:55:00 +0000

The European Computer Driving Licence (ECDL) is an internationally recognised qualification, available in over 125 countries. ECDL is designed to give anyone a chance to improve competency and confidence across a range of IT skills.

ECDL is motivational, flexible, and fun, and is suitable for any learning level - you could be a computer novice and still be able to build neccessary skills and gain a qualification. ECDL works as a stepping stone towards your career path by improving computer speed and efficiency and by providing vital IT skills.

Case Study
A study by the Trinity College ECDL Foundation in an article called “The Costs for Europe of the Lack of Recognition of Certification” by Dudley Dolan, of Manchester NHS Agency with 18,500 staff of different literacy levels, using a blended learning solution including ECDL, showed the following results:

Staff morale increased from 65% to 83% after ECDL.
The average time saved by staff was 38 minutes a day, equalling 3 hours per week.
The Agency had a return on investment of 162%, based on the time saved by employees with an average annual salary of £15,000.
Before using ECDL, 44% of staff asked for help several times a week - after, less than 10% asked for help at all.