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Bringing up baby

Martine Firth knew exactly what business she wanted to start up but she didn’t have the first idea how to go about it.

‘ I wanted to launch a parenting lifestyle magazine,’ explains Martine who is now based in Berkshire. ‘But, as I’m French, I just didn’t know how to go about it in the UK. I searched the Internet and quickly found Duport’s website. It was just so clear and seemed very competitive.’
So Martine emailed Duport.

Insight # 1: ‘Derrick Phillips in Duport’s frontline team contacted me very quickly. He explained the services he could offer but there was no hard sell – that was very important to me. He gave me plenty of time to think. When you start up, you don’t know who to listen to, but Derrick was very fair. He told me they weren’t necessarily the cheapest but explained all the options and what they could provide.’
Martine quickly decided to use Duport to register her company, County Child.

Insight # 2: ‘I felt I could trust Derrick. I asked him for advice because I felt very naïve but he never patronised my naivety. I often had to ask the same question several times before I was sure I knew all the implications. But he helped me understand, even if he had to repeat things, and he never once made me feel I was being awkward. He never told me what to do. He’d just say things like “in my experience, this is good” and leave me to decide. He was very fair and a very nice chap.’
Once the company was registered, Martine began to think about her website, where the bi-monthly magazine can be viewed.

Insight # 3: ‘Derrick registered domain names for me and then helped me decide which was the best to use. Once again, I needed his advice. He then talked to the guys I used to build my website. I never had to get involved; Duport took care of everything for me.’
Martine recently had a problem with her emails and once again turned to Duport for help.

Insight # 4: ‘Derrick solved the problem the same evening. He even called me back later to let me know how many emails would now be coming through.’
Such customer service is important to Martine.

Insight # 5: ‘They are very consistent in their customer services. Almost every time I called, I could talk to Derrick. If I left a message, it was always Derrick himself who called back. It’s nice to speak to the same person every time – it’s very important to me. Others in the company have also been very efficient. Everyone’s treated me well and never patronised me.’
At the moment, Martine’s magazine is aimed at parents in Berkshire but she has plans to extend it to neighbouring counties and further afield.

Insight # 6: ‘I would return to Duport for more help. There are cheaper companies but Duport are very fair and I’m very happy I used them. Even though everything’s done for now, I feel I can still call them. They provide that vital personal touch.’

Contact details
County Child, PO Box 2841, Ascot, SL5 7ZJ.
Tel: 01344 874494
www.countychild.co.uk

If you would like information on setting up a company or a website for your business, click here or contact the Admin team on 0117 330 8910.

How to work with a lawyer

Solicitors have a reputation for being expensive, yet their services are indispensable for certain specialised services. If you are starting a business, you need legal advice about property leases and contracts of employment. You also need help with things such as legal advice before firing someone, terms and conditions of sale and contracts. So how do you find a good and affordable solicitor?

Choosing a solicitor

• Personal recommendation is the usual, and often the best, way to choose a solicitor. Ask for recommendations from people in the same size and field of business as yourself who need similar commercial services.
• Visit more than one firm. You are looking for someone you can get on with and who talks in language you can understand.
• Find out what areas they specialise in.
• Ask about the fee structure for services, but don’t judge on price alone. The personal rapport is more important (providing fees are affordable, of course).
Be aware that in a small legal practice, while you get a more personal service, staff may be too stretched to help if you need advice in a hurry. A larger firm may be able to pass you to another solicitor/specialist if your own adviser is tied up, and will probably offer a wider range of experience.
Know when to consult a solicitor
Solicitors will guide you through any aspect of the legal system. They can also draw up legal documents such as property agreements and transfers. Their advice includes:
• Personal guarantees and assistance enforcing your legal rights with debt collection, issuing writs and winding-up orders;
• All aspects of employment law;
• Contracts and settling disputes;
• Terms and conditions of the sale or acquisition of businesses, franchises and property;
• Registering a trademark or applying for a patent (hire a specialist for this).
Fee structure

Since solicitors usually charge by the hour, always ask for an estimate of what the work in question will cost. If they can’t be precise, ask for their hourly or daily rate so you have some indication.

It is worth asking whether you can negotiate a fixed fee, especially if it is for an assignment such as reviewing contracts of employment. Ask for a written statement of what the fee covers, and ask what is not included, since you can’t be expected to know this. For example, expenses (known as disbursements) will probably not be included, so ask for an itemised list of these and the likely charges.

Only once you have all this information, and are happy about the cost (you may want to compare it with the charges made by another solicitor, for instance), are you ready to go ahead. This is known as ‘instructing’ your solicitor.
The advantage of a fixed fee is that you can call your solicitor to see how things are progressing and this will not be counted as an extra. If, however, you are paying by the hour, every phone call and meeting is regarded as chargeable time.

Whatever system you agree, ask your solicitor to brief you on progress at regular intervals. Many do not do this, but you need to know what is going on and what stage matters have reached.

When you take advice from a solicitor for a particular task, such as drawing up a contract, there may be elements that you can easily take care of yourself, such as filling in forms with basic details about your own company. It saves time and therefore money if you do this.

The bill

Make sure you understand what you are paying for and that everything is accounted for to your satisfaction. For instance, is it made clear what ‘disbursements’ covers?
Solicitors’ fees must be ‘fair and re
asonable’ so if you do not understand your bill when you get it, ask how it is made up.

If you disagree that the bill is ‘fair and reasonable’, you are entitled to challenge it and the solicitor must then get a certificate from the Law Society endorsing its validity. But if you have found a reliable and helpful solicitor to work with, you won’t need to query the bills.
Minimising costs

You can minimise legal costs by:
• Choosing the right solicitor for your size and type of business;
• Knowing when to consult a solicitor;
• Being clear about the fee structure from the outset;
• Minimising the number of calls to and meetings with your solicitor;
• Not using a senior partner when the work is low level or routine;
• Doing as much of the basic groundwork yourself as possible.
Finally, always take legal advice before you act. Picking up the pieces afterwards is much more expensive.

Useful contact

Lawyers for Your Business, run by the Law Society, has 1700 participating members in England and Wales who will give you a free half hour consultation on legal issues and pitfalls to avoid when starting a business or growing one. T: 020-7242 1222. www.lfyb.lawsociety.org.uk

Translate your website in a Blink

Three young entrepreneurs from Leeds have joined forces to help firms bridge the language barrier.

Blink is a website translation service launched by Bella Lingua, a young, dynamic translation agency that is fast establishing a national reputation.
The pals already worked in the same building and became friends after meeting at a networking event.

Blink has over 87 languages on call. ‘We have translators all over the world, including the USA, Canada, India, Japan, Egypt, Thailand and Estonia,’ says Cassandra Oliver, director of Bella Lingua.
‘ Localisation is set to become the heart of international trade and we intend to lead the way.’

For more information visit www.blinkglobal.com .

Small businesses ‘driving blind’

Despite the best advice of business support agencies, accountants and banks, almost half of the UK’s small businesses put their futures at risk by not following an up-to-date business plan.

Poor management and financial planning are often cited as the main reasons why small businesses fail – both of which are the main benefits of an updated and comprehensive business plan.

However, a survey by Croner, a leading provider of business advice and information, has shown that business plans are often ignored.

An amazing 44% admitted that, despite its importance, they did not have an updated plan, while 56% did ensure theirs moved with the business.

Victoria Harris, editor of small business products at Croner says: ‘This is a worrying result. Small business is vital to the UK economy but it appears that almost half of the sector are ignoring one of the key drivers of success.

‘ Business plans can take up a lot of time and effort but they condense the past, present and future of the business into one living document and ensure the financial, managerial and operational necessities are in place to achieve future growth.

‘ Without a strong, contemporary business plan, small business people are driving blind.’

Fly-tipping risk over new hazardous waste rules

Plans to reduce the number of council tips that take hazardous waste – and to increase the types of rubbish defined as hazardous – could result in a huge increase in fly-tipping.

That is the claim by the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), who say the new regulations will cause huge practical difficulties for small firms.

From July this year, a wide range of everyday items such as computers, televisions, and fluorescent lights will be re-classified as hazardous under new EU rules.

At the same time the number of landfill sites licensed to deal with such waste is set to be slashed from 182 to 14.

FSB Environment Chairman, John Holbrow, says: ‘With fewer landfill sites and higher transportation costs, the cost of disposing of hazardous waste is set to rocket.

‘ The vast majority of businesses will be affected because they all produce rubbish that will soon be re-classified as hazardous.’

Another change will require hazardous waste to be separated from other rubbish, requiring extra storage facilities. If small firms fail to segregate their rubbish, they will be charged for the disposal of all their waste at the higher price.

‘White van man’ gets a break

The much-maligned menace of UK roads has been given a break by insurance specialists Quoteline Direct.

The new service could save van drivers up to 69% of the cost of normal premiums.

‘ The so-called “white van man” has a bad reputation on the UK’s roads. Accordingly, there are a lot of business owners that pay high insurance premiums, even though they have an exemplary driving record,’ says Graham Higgins from Quoteline Direct.

‘ The new service will benefit thousands of van drivers in the UK arranging insurance for the first time. If they have earned a bonus on their private car, we will give them credit for their good record on the business vehicle.’
Firms could also cut their insurance premiums by displaying their company logo on their van.

‘ The number of years the business has been in existence, whether “racking” is fitted in the vehicle, and the displaying of the company logo are all signs that the business is well run. If a business is well run, we’re prepared to offer lower insurance premiums,’ says Graham Higgins.

Quoteline can be contacted on 0870 444 4844 or www.quoteline.co.uk .

Firms reward good work

Most small firms reward employees for good work simply by saying ‘thank you’, rather than splashing out on presents or bonuses.

A new survey shows that small businesses, conscious of tight profit margins, usually prefer to reward high-flying employees with non-financial incentives.

However, in the current climate of low unemployment, managers are having to step up their approach in order to recruit and retain the best job candidates.
A surprisingly high number of respondents say they are happy to offer pricier perks, including holidays, nights out, promotions and other gifts.

Dan Matthews, of business publishers BusinessEurope.com, says: ‘In the current, highly competitive environment, employers are having to come up with novel ways of rewarding staff without upsetting profit levels.

‘ Showing your appreciation is vitally important in maintaining high levels of motivation and morale, but this does not necessarily mean breaking the bank.’