The blog for smart businesspeople
Wednesday, 19 August 2026
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Saturday, 15 August 2026
The Website From Hell: Is Your Online Shop Driving Customers Away?
My wife and I recently experienced what I can only describe as the website from hell.
We needed a replacement part for a piece of domestic equipment. Generic versions were readily available online, and we could probably have ordered one within minutes.
But we decided to do the sensible thing. We'd go directly to the internationally recognised manufacturer, buy the genuine replacement part and have the reassurance that we were getting exactly the right item.
How difficult could that possibly be?
The answer was: over an hour of astonishingly unnecessary difficulty.
Welcome Back to the 1990s
The manufacturer's official retail website looked and behaved as though it had been designed during the early days of the World Wide Web and subsequently forgotten about.
Finding the correct replacement part became an exercise in detective work.
There were no obvious part numbers to help identify what we needed. Even more remarkably, many of the replacement parts didn't have photographs.
This is 2026. Almost every member of staff presumably has a perfectly serviceable camera in their pocket in the form of a smartphone. Surely somebody could spend an afternoon photographing the spare parts?
Instead, customers are apparently expected to look at vague descriptions and hope for the best.
Was this the part we needed?
Possibly.
Did it look like the existing part?
Who knows? There wasn't a photograph.
And Then the Website Threw Me Out
As frustrating as identifying the part was, things became considerably worse.
The website repeatedly threw me out of the search process, forcing me to go back and begin again.
And again.
And again.
I estimate that I had to restart my search at least ten times.
At this point, buying the generic replacement elsewhere was beginning to look extremely attractive. But stubbornness had taken over. I was determined to discover whether it was actually possible to give this company my money.
Eventually, somehow, I reached the checkout.
Surely the nightmare was nearly over?
Not quite.
Apparently I Don't Live at My Own Address
The checkout system decided that I didn't live at my address.
I do.
I've lived there for quite some time.
Nevertheless, the website and I had a fundamental disagreement about the matter.
Then it refused to recognise my telephone number as a valid telephone number.
So, after spending more than an hour trying to purchase a replacement part directly from the manufacturer, I found myself battling an online checkout seemingly determined to prevent the transaction from taking place.
I won't name the company. It is an internationally recognised brand and, frankly, I'll spare its blushes.
But the experience raises a serious business question.
CEOs: When Did You Last Try to Buy Something From Your Own Website?
If you're a managing director, CEO or senior executive of a company selling products online, here's a simple challenge.
Go onto your website as an ordinary customer and try to buy something.
Don't ask the IT department whether the website works.
Don't rely solely on conversion statistics, reports or dashboards.
Actually sit down and use it. Or better yet, get several friends and relatives do also do this.
Search for a product. Find the information you need. Add it to your basket. Enter your address and telephone number. Get all the way to the point where a genuine customer would pay.
You might be surprised by what you discover.
Every unnecessary click, broken search, missing photograph, incomprehensible product description and rejected address is another opportunity for a customer to say: "Forget it."
And unlike us, many of them will.
They'll open another browser tab, visit a competitor and spend their money there.
Your Homegrown System Isn't Sacred
There's sometimes a temptation for businesses to persist with ageing, homegrown e-commerce systems because they've invested years developing them.
But that investment doesn't make a bad customer experience good.
If your online retail operation has evolved into a Byzantine nightmare that only your own staff understand, perhaps it's time to ask whether you really need to keep reinventing the wheel.
Platforms such as Shopify and other established e-commerce providers exist precisely because creating reliable product catalogues, searches, baskets, checkouts and payment systems is difficult.
That doesn't necessarily mean every business should immediately abandon its bespoke platform. It does mean companies should be prepared to question whether their existing technology is actually serving their customers.
Because there's an important point here.
We wanted to buy the company's product.
The marketing had already worked. Brand recognition had worked. Customer loyalty had worked. We had deliberately rejected cheaper generic alternatives because we wanted the manufacturer's genuine replacement.
The company had effectively won the sale.
Then its website did everything it could to lose it.
That's not merely a website problem.
That's a business problem.
And before you ask, yes, writing this post was cathartic!
Friday, 14 August 2026
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AI? Customers Still Want a Human Voice in an Increasingly Automated World
According to exclusive YouGov research commissioned by Answer4u, 90% of UK adults prefer speaking to a real person when contacting a business. Almost three quarters, 74%, strongly favour human interaction, while just 2% would rather deal with an AI-powered chatbot, virtual assistant or automated telephone service.
The survey of 2,046 adults reveals a sizeable gap between the rapid adoption of AI by businesses and what customers actually want or need from their service experience. The preference for human contact was particularly strong among people aged 55 and over, reaching 95%.
This does not mean companies should reject AI. Used well, automation can deliver immediate answers to straightforward questions, process appointment bookings, provide information outside normal working hours and reduce waiting times.
The problem begins when businesses use technology to create barriers rather than remove them.
Customers quickly become frustrated when chatbots fail to understand a question, automated telephone menus offer no suitable option or there is no clear way to reach a real person. What may appear to be an efficient, money-saving system from inside the business can feel impersonal and obstructive to the customer.
“Businesses often assume the conversation is about choosing between AI and people. Our experience tells us it’s a much more practical decision than that,” Mark Menhennet, co-founder of Answer4u told That's Business.
“Customers want quick answers when their enquiry is straightforward, but they also want confidence that a knowledgeable person is available when the conversation becomes more complex.”
That distinction should guide future investment. AI is well suited to repetitive, predictable enquiries, but situations involving complaints, unusual circumstances, vulnerable customers or emotionally sensitive subjects require understanding, flexibility and judgement.
For businesses, the strongest strategy is therefore likely to be a hybrid one. Automation can handle routine work while trained employees concentrate on conversations where their expertise adds genuine value. Crucially, customers should always be given a simple and visible route to human assistance.
Answer4u’s director of operations, Stuart Wilson, said the challenge was not whether businesses should adopt AI, but where it improved the customer experience and where a skilled person delivered greater value.
The findings offer a timely warning: efficiency should not be confused with good service. AI can help businesses answer more enquiries, but customer loyalty is built through trust, reassurance and feeling heard.
The future of customer service will undoubtedly involve more artificial intelligence. Successful businesses, however, will use it to support human relationships, not to avoid them.
Vodafone Business and Tata Join Forces to Accelerate UK Digital Transformation
The agreement sees TCS join Vodafone Business’ expanding strategic partner ecosystem. By combining their respective strengths, the companies aim to give customers access to a broad range of connectivity, cloud, artificial intelligence and digital transformation services.
Vodafone Business, the enterprise division of VodafoneThree, contributes considerable expertise in connectivity, cyber security, cloud computing and digital services. TCS brings global experience in technology consulting, systems integration, sovereign cloud solutions, AI and large-scale business transformation.
Together, the companies will support organisations in sectors including healthcare, education, financial services, manufacturing and retail. The partnership will also work with businesses operating within critical national infrastructure, where secure, resilient and scalable digital systems are particularly important.
The collaboration forms part of VodafoneThree’s £11 billion investment programme, which is intended to create what it describes as the UK’s best network for business. This investment should provide organisations with stronger digital foundations from which to modernise their operations, introduce new services and pursue sustainable growth.
TCS also has substantial experience within the British market, having supported UK enterprises for 50 years. According to the company, its activities have helped create approximately 42,000 jobs directly and indirectly across the country.
Nick Gliddon, Business Director at VodafoneThree, said that many British companies possess the ambition to modernise but face challenges when attempting to put their plans into practice.
“The challenge for many organisations is not ambition, it is execution: making the right technology choices, integrating them properly and turning investment into measurable impact,” he explained to That's Business.
The partnership is expected to concentrate on several priority areas. These include cloud migration, AI and automation, cyber security, network modernisation, data analytics, connected business applications, the Internet of Things, managed services and operational transformation.
Vinay Singvi, Head of UK and Ireland at TCS, said the combination of AI, digital transformation, industry knowledge and technological expertise could unlock greater value for Vodafone Business, TCS and their customers.
For UK enterprises, this partnership promises more than simply access to new technology. By offering integrated expertise and practical support, Vodafone Business and TCS hope to reduce complexity, accelerate transformation and help organisations turn their technology investments into measurable commercial improvements.
Thursday, 13 August 2026
Could AI Be Misrepresenting Your Business?
However, new research suggests the information they provide isn't always accurate.
The State of AI Business Accuracy Report 2026, published by AI visibility specialist LLM Listed, examined how ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude and Perplexity represented 250 businesses across 20 industries.
Although the platforms correctly identified the basic purpose of a business in 92% of responses, their answers became less dependable when commercially important details were requested.
The study found 28% of responses omitted significant products, services or specialist capabilities. Five per cent confused a company with an entirely different business, while only 46% of companies received broadly consistent recommendations across all four platforms.
Local businesses appeared particularly vulnerable, being four times more likely than nationally recognised brands to be materially misunderstood.
Other findings included company founders being identified correctly in 70% of responses and headquarters in 85%. Some 23% of pricing answers contained specific figures, many of which appeared speculative or could not be linked confidently to authoritative sources.
Companies’ own websites appeared as sources in 40% of recommendation responses, while Reddit appeared in 35%.
This matters because customers may use an AI assistant’s answer to eliminate a business before visiting its website. Incorrect information about prices, services, geographic coverage, accreditations, leadership, security or product compatibility could quietly cost companies enquiries and sales.
“There is no single definitive AI answer about a company,” explained LLM Listed founder Ben Harper. “ChatGPT may represent it accurately while Gemini relies on older information, or Perplexity may emphasise a source that produces a completely different conclusion.”
In response, LLM Listed has launched its AI Brand Protection service. Its initial 30-to-60-day programme creates a verified company fact base, tests multiple AI platforms, identifies repeatable inaccuracies and investigates conflicting or missing sources. Correction work is then prioritised before the original questions are tested again.
The company stresses that it cannot control answers generated by independent AI platforms. Instead, the service aims to improve the authoritative information available to those systems and establish ongoing monitoring procedures.
For businesses, this highlights an emerging form of brand governance. Companies already monitor press coverage, search results, reviews and social media. They may now need to scrutinise what AI assistants tell potential customers, especially following a rebrand, acquisition, price change, executive appointment, new certification or product launch.
Being absent from an AI answer may represent a missed opportunity. Being confidently misrepresented could pose a much more immediate commercial and reputational risk.
You can read the report here https://llmlisted.com/research/ai-business-accuracy-report-2026
Wednesday, 12 August 2026
Cafédirect Unveils Its Biggest Out-of-Home Refresh Yet
The updated proposition has been designed around the practical needs of hospitality and workplace operators. Cafédirect says it recognised that businesses require coffee ranges that are easy to understand and purchase, while still delivering the consistent quality increasingly expected by customers.
The out-of-home coffee market has changed dramatically over the past decade. Consumers now expect an enjoyable, high-quality cup of coffee in almost every setting, from cafés and hotels to workplaces, universities, bars and transport hubs.
At the same time, ethical consumerism has moved closer to the mainstream. Customers are not simply interested in how coffee tastes; many also want to know where it came from and whether the people who grew it were treated fairly.
Cafédirect has spent over 30 years championing responsible coffee sourcing. Its refreshed packaging will make those ethical credentials more visible, helping operators communicate the story behind the coffee they serve.
Eleanor Morris, Cafédirect’s Out-of-Home Trade Marketing Manager, told That's Business that customers now expect exceptional coffee wherever they are and want “quality without compromise”.
She added operators need coffee that is consistently delicious and which they can feel proud to serve. Cafédirect believes long-term partnerships with farmers can help farming communities build more prosperous and resilient futures while securing supplies of quality coffee for future generations.
The simplified portfolio includes House Espresso, supplied as a 1kg blend and developed specifically for bean-to-cup machines. It is intended to provide a consistent, high-quality espresso in venues where convenience and reliability are essential.
House Blend Filter Coffee is available in 60g and 180g sachets, recognising the needs of high-volume outlets wanting to serve dependable filter coffee efficiently.
A 100% Arabica Espresso Blend, supplied in 1kg packs, has been created for businesses operating traditional espresso machines. Meanwhile, the Single Origin Colombian Filter Coffee offers a more premium brewed coffee option for operators wishing to broaden their menu.
For hospitality businesses, choosing a streamlined coffee range can simplify staff training, stock management and purchasing decisions. Cafédirect’s refresh also gives operators an opportunity to respond to growing customer interest in provenance and social responsibility.
In an increasingly competitive marketplace, a good cup of coffee is no longer merely an extra. It can be an important part of the customer experience, and the values behind it may be almost as important as the flavour.
To learn more please visit https://www.cafedirect.co.uk
Tuesday, 11 August 2026
Clean Plates, Clean Reputation: Why Hygiene Matters in Every Eating Establishment
My wife and I recently witnessed a particularly worrying example.
We had already ordered and finished our meals and drinks when we noticed a member of staff washing used cups, plates and glasses under a running cold-water tap, using the same sponge-on-a-stick for everything.
What made the situation even more extraordinary was that she was standing next to a modern commercial dishwashing machine.
Whatever the explanation, from a customer's perspective it immediately raises questions about hygiene, and once customers start wondering whether the crockery and glasses are properly clean, confidence in the entire establishment can disappear remarkably quickly.
Hygiene Is a Business Issue
Cleanliness isn't simply something for the kitchen staff to worry about. It is fundamental to running a successful hospitality business.
Customers reasonably expect the plate beneath their sandwich, the cup containing their coffee and the glass holding their drink to have been properly cleaned.
Commercial dishwashers exist for a reason. Correctly operated and maintained, they provide a controlled and repeatable cleaning process. Handwashing items under running cold water with the same cleaning implement does not inspire anything like the same confidence.
There is another important consideration: cross-contamination.
Using the same sponge or brush repeatedly on different dirty items can potentially transfer contamination from one surface to another. Cleaning equipment itself therefore needs appropriate cleaning, replacement and management.
Customers Notice More Than You Think
Business owners sometimes underestimate just how observant customers can be.
People notice sticky tables, dirty menus, stained cutlery, overflowing bins, unpleasant toilets and staff handling food without appropriate attention to hygiene. They also notice what happens behind the counter.
And today, one customer's observation can quickly become everybody's observation.
A poor hygiene experience can result in negative reviews on Google, Tripadvisor and social media. A photograph or video can spread even further.
Years of work building a good local reputation can be undermined surprisingly quickly.
Why Wasn't the Dishwasher Being Used?
The incident we witnessed also raises an important management question.
Why would an employee wash crockery and glasses in this fashion when a commercial dishwasher was immediately beside her?
Perhaps the machine was temporarily faulty. Perhaps the employee hadn't been trained to operate it. Perhaps someone was trying to save electricity. Or perhaps poor practices had simply become normalised.
Whatever the reason, management needs to know.
Installing expensive commercial equipment achieves very little if employees aren't trained to use it properly or managers don't ensure agreed hygiene procedures are actually followed.
Training Should Never Be Assumed
Hospitality businesses often experience high staff turnover, which makes good induction and refresher training particularly important.
Managers should ensure employees understand not merely what they are expected to do, but why the procedures matter.
That includes appropriate procedures for washing crockery and utensils, hand hygiene, cleaning food-contact surfaces, preventing cross-contamination, waste disposal and cleaning toilets and customer areas.
Managers should also periodically observe what is happening during an ordinary working day rather than assuming written procedures are being followed.
Cleanliness Builds Customer Confidence
There's also a positive business case for excellent hygiene.
Walking into a spotless café or restaurant immediately creates confidence. Clean tables, sparkling glasses, properly presented cutlery and well-maintained toilets quietly tell customers: we care about standards here.
That impression extends to the food.
Customers cannot see everything happening inside a kitchen, so the cleanliness they can see becomes an important indicator of the standards they cannot.
And don't underestimate toilets. Customers often judge the cleanliness of an entire establishment by the condition of its lavatories. If they're dirty, some diners inevitably wonder what the kitchen looks like.
The Cost of Getting It Wrong
Poor hygiene can ultimately cost considerably more than the few minutes supposedly saved by taking shortcuts.
There are potential complaints, refunds, negative reviews, lost repeat business and reputational damage. More serious failures can involve foodborne illness and intervention from environmental health authorities.
For independent cafés and restaurants in particular, reputation is immensely valuable.
One unhappy customer might represent considerably more than the loss of one meal. If that customer would otherwise have visited every fortnight for several years, the lifetime value of their business could run into hundreds or thousands of pounds.
Managers Need to Look Through Customers' Eyes
Every hospitality manager should occasionally walk through their establishment pretending they are visiting for the first time.
Look at the entrance. Look underneath tables. Pick up a menu. Examine the glasses. Visit the toilets. Watch how tables are cleared and cleaned. Observe how crockery is handled.
And, importantly, watch what staff do when they don't realise management is watching.
The café incident my wife and I witnessed demonstrates why this matters.
A commercial dishwasher was sitting right beside the employee, yet cups, glasses and plates were being washed under running cold water with the same sponge-on-a-stick.
Whether that represented a one-off mistake or established practice, as customers we couldn't possibly know.
And that is precisely the problem.
In hospitality, customers shouldn't have to wonder whether something is clean.
They should be able to take it for granted.
For café, pub and restaurant owners, cleanliness isn't merely good hygiene. It's good management, good customer service and, ultimately, good business.
Saturday, 8 August 2026
Should Prize Draw Advertising Be More Transparent? Loud! OOH Calls for New Standards
Independent out-of-home advertising agency Loud! OOH is calling on UK media owners to introduce voluntary disclosure standards for prize draw and competition advertising, particularly as the company expects outdoor advertising expenditure from the sector to increase substantially.
Loud! OOH has proposed four measures that it believes should become standard practice.
The agency wants the free entry route to be clearly legible on the advertisement itself, rather than hidden away in terms and conditions. It also wants either the odds of winning or the total number of permitted entries displayed alongside the advertised prize.
Where an expensive physical prize such as a house or car is promoted, any available cash alternative should also be disclosed.
Finally, Loud! OOH wants advertising sites to be screened for their proximity to schools and colleges, effectively applying similar precautions to those governing gambling advertising.
The debate comes as the rapidly expanding prize draw industry begins to formalise.
The Government's Voluntary Code of Good Practice for Prize Draw Operators came into force on 20 May 2026, while around 50 operators subsequently formed the Prize Competition Council in July.
Research commissioned by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport found that approximately 7.4 million UK adults had entered a prize draw or competition during the preceding year, collectively spending an estimated £1.3 billion.
Loud! OOH founder Jamie Roberts believes outdoor advertising could be particularly valuable to operators because one of the industry's biggest challenges is consumer trust.
Unlike an advertisement appearing privately on someone's phone, a billboard exists conspicuously in public. It is sold through an identifiable media owner, can be seen by thousands of people and can be independently checked.
However, Roberts argues that this visibility brings responsibilities.
“If the free entry route is the only reason a prize draw poster is legal, it should be readable from the top deck of a bus, not buried three clicks into a terms page,” he told That's Business.
Perhaps significantly, Roberts acknowledges that the proposed restrictions could potentially limit business available to his own agency.
His argument is that the out-of-home industry has an opportunity to establish sensible standards before regulation is imposed upon it.
For media owners, advertising agencies and competition operators, that could prove an important point.
The prize draw industry represents a potentially valuable new advertising category. But if greater transparency helps strengthen consumer confidence, responsible advertising standards could ultimately be good for the businesses involved as well as their customers.
For an industry built around the tantalising possibility of winning something extraordinary, trust may turn out to be the most valuable prize of all.
Friday, 7 August 2026
Why Good Alcohol-Free Beer Is Now Good Business for the Hospitality Industry
It is a business opportunity.
Customers increasingly expect to find good-quality alcohol-free alternatives when they go out, and establishments that still offer little more than cola, orange juice or a solitary uninspiring alcohol-free lager risk losing customers – sometimes an entire group of them.
The alcohol-free customer still has money to spend
One of the biggest mistakes a hospitality business can make is assuming that someone who isn't drinking alcohol isn't particularly valuable as a customer.
They may be the designated driver accompanying four other people. They may be having a business lunch. They might be staying in a hotel, eating a three-course dinner or meeting friends for an evening out.
They could also be somebody who drinks alcohol but has simply decided not to drink it on that particular occasion.
Whatever the reason, they're still a paying customer.
If you make them feel that they're an inconvenience, they may persuade their entire party to go elsewhere next time.
That potentially turns one disappointing £5 drinks sale into the loss of a table worth £50, £100 or considerably more.
Don't confuse alcohol-free with cheap
Another mistake is treating alcohol-free beer as a grudging concession rather than a proper part of the drinks range.
The quality of alcohol-free brewing has improved dramatically, with lagers, ales, IPAs and stouts now available that provide genuine flavour and drinking enjoyment.
Customers know this because they're buying these products in supermarkets and drinking them at home.
Consequently, when they visit a pub or restaurant and discover the only alcohol-free beer available is something they don't particularly enjoy, the establishment can appear behind the times.
Hospitality businesses should consider stocking at least two contrasting choices where demand justifies it – perhaps a lager alongside a stout, pale ale or IPA.
Larger venues could offer an even broader selection.
Make your alcohol-free range visible
There's little point stocking good products if customers don't know they're there.
Alcohol-free beers should appear clearly on drinks menus, websites and table ordering systems.
Staff should also know what the establishment stocks.
A customer asking, "What alcohol-free beers do you have?" should receive a confident answer rather than watching a member of staff disappear to investigate the contents of three refrigerators.
Product knowledge matters just as much here as it does when recommending wine, spirits or traditional beers.
Think about the group, not just the individual
This is where the commercial argument becomes particularly important.
Hospitality is often a group activity.
Imagine six friends deciding where to spend Saturday evening. Five drink alcohol, but the sixth is driving and enjoys good alcohol-free beer.
Venue A offers that person cola or a mediocre alcohol-free lager.
Venue B offers a choice of two or three quality alcohol-free beers.
Which venue is the group likely to choose?
Winning the alcohol-free customer could therefore mean winning the other five customers as well.
Don't forget presentation
Alcohol-free doesn't have to mean second-class.
Serve the drink properly chilled where appropriate, use a clean suitable glass and present it with exactly the same care given to its alcoholic equivalent.
Presentation communicates something important: we value your custom.
And that message helps turn occasional visitors into regular customers.
Ask customers what they want
There's also no need for managers to guess which products will sell.
Ask.
Social media polls, conversations at the bar and simple customer feedback can identify which alcohol-free brands and styles local customers would like to see.
Businesses can then test several products, monitor sales and adjust the range accordingly.
That is basic retail intelligence applied to the drinks menu.
Alcohol-free is part of modern hospitality
A good hospitality business tries to remove reasons for customers to go elsewhere.
Providing a worthwhile alcohol-free beer selection is one relatively inexpensive way of doing precisely that.
It can help establishments attract drivers, business customers, health-conscious consumers, people reducing their alcohol intake and ordinary beer drinkers who simply fancy taking a night off.
And perhaps most importantly, it ensures that someone choosing not to drink alcohol can remain part of the occasion rather than feeling they have been given the consolation prize.
For hospitality operators, the message is straightforward.
Good alcohol-free beer isn't merely about offering greater choice. It's about customer service, retention, additional sales and ensuring your business remains relevant to changing consumer expectations.
In other words, stocking decent alcohol-free beer isn't just good hospitality.
It's good business.
Friday, 31 July 2026
HMRC urges customers not to ignore Simple Assessment letters
The letters are sent to those who have tax to pay on income that has not been taxed through Pay As You Earn (PAYE) or Self Assessment.
HMRC is encouraging recipients to not ignore the letters.
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is encouraging people who receive a Simple Assessment letter this summer to not ignore it, and to check the details and pay any tax owed.
Every year HMRC writes to people who need to pay tax on income which has not been collected through PAYE or Self Assessment.
The letters - known officially as PA302 - set out exactly how much tax is owed and why.
Customers may receive a Simple Assessment tax calculation letter if they have tax to pay that HMRC cannot collect automatically, for example:
there is tax to pay on interest on savings or dividends
a second income has not been taxed
tax is due on pension income
received more tax-free allowance than they were entitled to
the tax cannot be collected through a tax code (for example, larger amounts owed, typically £3,000 or more)
Myrtle Lloyd, HMRC’s Chief Customer Officer told That's Business: “If you receive a Simple Assessment letter and have tax to pay, please don’t ignore it. It is quick and easy to pay any tax owed via the HMRC app.
“If you need extra support, or want to find out more, search ‘Simple Assessment’ on GOV.UK.”
HMRC will issue around 1.8 million Simple Assessment letters. People should check the figures in their letter against their own records and pay any tax owed by 31 January 2027, unless a different date is shown. Payments can be made in full or in instalments before the deadline and do not require a tax return.
Customers can pay using the free and secure HMRC app, online via GOV.UK, by bank transfer or by cheque. Visit GOV.UK for a full list of payment methods.
Detailed guidance on Simple Assessment - including a dedicated guide for pensioners - is available on GOV.UK. HMRC's new Tax Confident website also offers clear, simple resources to help people understand their tax affairs with confidence.
The letters are official and arrive by post or appear in a customer's Personal Tax Account online. Customers can check if a letter from HMRC is genuine on GOV.UK.
More information about Simple Assessment.
Simple Assessment (PA302) letters are automatically generated when HMRC receives data from employers, The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and financial institutions confirming that tax is due. This is a routine annual process.
Working-age customers began receiving letters from 30 June 2026. Pensioners will begin receiving letters from 12 August 2026. A second tranche of letters will be sent between October and December 2026, relating to Bank and Building Society Interest (BBSI) data.
That's Business recommends that if you receive a Simple Assessment letter that you ask your accountant/financial advisor to help you deal with it.
Thursday, 30 July 2026
Got Something Festive to Promote? Our Sister Blog That’s Christmas 365 Would Love to Hear From You!
If your company offers products or services with a Christmas connection, our sister blog, That’s Christmas 365, would be delighted to hear from you.
That’s Christmas 365 celebrates everything that makes the festive season special, from thoughtful presents and tempting food and drink to decorations, experiences, events and practical services. The blog publishes Christmas-related content throughout the year, helping readers discover interesting businesses and begin planning well before December arrives.
We would particularly like to hear from businesses offering:
Christmas gifts and stocking fillers
Festive food, drinks and hampers
Toys, books, games and gadgets
Decorations, lights and Christmas trees
Clothing, jewellery and beauty products
Pet gifts and treats
Sustainable and handmade presents
Christmas events, markets and experiences
Hospitality, catering and party services
Charity gifts and community initiatives
Business services that help companies prepare for Christmas
Independent makers, family firms, start-ups, charities and established brands are all welcome to get in touch.
Unlike many publications, That’s Christmas 365 does not usually charge businesses for editorial promotional coverage. If we believe your product, service, event or story will interest our readers, we may be able to feature it in a dedicated article, seasonal guide or festive round-up.
To help us consider your story, please send clear information about your business, suitable photographs, relevant website links, prices and details of where your products or services are available. Please also mention any important ordering dates, delivery deadlines or geographical restrictions.
Editorial coverage is considered on its merits and cannot be guaranteed. Submitted photographs should be high-resolution and cleared for publication.
For businesses, early festive publicity can be especially valuable. Shoppers increasingly research presents, plan celebrations and compare services well before the traditional Christmas rush. Appearing on a dedicated Christmas blog can help your story reach readers who are already interested in festive ideas.
So, if your business has something special planned for Christmas 2026, or an evergreen festive product available throughout the year, don’t keep it wrapped up!
Visit That’s Christmas 365 and get in touch with your news, product information or festive proposal.
We look forward to discovering what your business will be placing beneath the Christmas tree this year.
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Wednesday, 29 July 2026
New Report Says Heritage Should Be Treated as Essential Infrastructure to Boost Local Economies
The report, What's Past is Prologue – Unlocking the Value of Heritage for Local Economies, argues heritage has a far greater role to play in economic development than is often recognised.
It calls for a major shift in government policy so that historic environments are treated as drivers of investment, employment, tourism and community wellbeing.
Using the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust and Stratford-upon-Avon as its principal case study, the report highlights the significant contribution the heritage sector already makes to the UK economy. Heritage generates an estimated £15.3 billion in Gross Value Added (GVA) each year, outperforming the domestic sports sector, while also contributing around £29 billion annually in wellbeing benefits for local communities.
However, Localis warns a range of structural challenges is preventing heritage from reaching its full potential. These include a shortage of specialist conservation officers within local authorities, declining traditional building and restoration skills, and a complicated funding system that can make heritage projects difficult to deliver.
The report follows recent findings from the Culture, Heritage and Sport Select Committee, which suggested that refurbishing vacant and under-used historic buildings could provide around 670,000 homes, almost half of the Government's 1.5 million homebuilding target.
To help unlock the sector's full value, Localis recommends introducing heritage-specific guidance within HM Treasury's Green Book so that cultural assets are properly valued in public investment decisions. It also calls for heritage strategies to be embedded within regional growth plans, procurement reforms that strengthen local retrofit businesses, and greater opportunities for communities to take ownership of heritage assets.
Callin McLinden, Head of Research at Localis, said the report was designed to recognise the complexity of heritage policy while producing practical recommendations that support heritage-led economic growth.
Rachael North, Chief Executive of the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, welcomed the report, saying heritage should be recognised as enabling infrastructure capable of driving economic growth while strengthening wellbeing, civic pride and social prosperity.
Tony Perks, Deputy Chief Executive of Stratford-on-Avon District Council, added that Stratford's internationally recognised heritage demonstrates how well-managed historic assets can attract visitors, create employment, improve wellbeing and foster a strong sense of pride in place.
The report makes the case that investing in heritage is not simply about preserving the past, it's about creating stronger local economies and more prosperous communities for the future.
Please download the entire report here https://www.localis.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Localis-Whats-Past-is-Prologue-A5-Report-July2026-PRF01a.pdf
Wednesday, 22 July 2026
Young Cumbrian Entrepreneurs Showcase Innovative Businesses Through Positive Enterprise Programme
A new generation of young entrepreneurs in Cumbria is proving that great business ideas can come from anywhere, with ventures ranging from AI-powered technology and sustainable furniture restoration to authentic Nigerian cuisine and creative fashion design.
Fifteen aspiring business owners aged between 14 and 25 from Furness and West Cumbria celebrated the success of the Positive Enterprise programme this week after spending the past six months developing their businesses with expert mentoring, practical training and financial support.
Run by Cumbria Community Foundation in partnership with the Centre for Leadership Performance (CforLP), the programme was designed to help young people transform promising ideas into viable businesses. Each participant received a £1,000 start-up grant earlier this year, enabling them to launch or expand ventures as diverse as pet photography, mobile make-up services, fragrances inspired by the scents of Cumbria, gutter cleaning, AI virtual assistants and specialist food businesses.
The programme culminated in celebration events at the Carnegie Theatre in Workington and The Bridge in Barrow, where participants presented their business journeys, sharing both their achievements and the challenges they had overcome.
In West Cumbria, 21-year-old Maria Ferreira from Workington impressed judges with her business, Ferrocious Furniture, which restores and reupholsters unwanted furniture. She received an additional £1,000 investment, which she plans to use to run workshops teaching others how to upcycle household items instead of throwing them away.
Maria said she hopes to inspire more people to see creative careers as a genuine possibility, particularly in areas where opportunities can feel limited. Her mentor, Rachel Stewart, praised her determination and described the mentoring experience as a rewarding team effort.
Runner-up Holly Chamberlain, 20, from Cockermouth, received £500 for her sewing and knitting pattern business, Un Petit Rêve, where she designs clothing, creates knitting patterns and hosts workshops encouraging others to develop crafting skills.
Meanwhile, the programme expanded into Furness for the first time this year. Barrow entrepreneur Travis Drake secured the top award of £1,000 for Buzz Trackers, an innovative device designed to help people locate frequently misplaced items such as television remote controls. Travis credited both the funding and the guidance of his mentor, James Batchelor, with helping him refine his business ideas.
The Furness runner-up was 18-year-old Rukky Jokoh, whose business Rukky's Naija Hub brings authentic Nigerian food to local customers. She said the programme had enabled her to transform a personal passion into a sustainable business.
The Positive Enterprise initiative is now in its fourth year in West Cumbria and made its Furness debut in 2026. Funding has come from organisations including Sellafield Ltd, the Printers Inc Social Mobility Fund, Thomas Graham & Sons Ltd, private donors and supporters committed to improving opportunities for young people across the region.
Beyond financial backing, participants benefited from experienced business mentors, leadership training and practical workshops covering essential entrepreneurial skills including negotiation, time management and business planning.
Organisers believe the programme continues to grow in both quality and impact, helping ambitious young people gain the confidence, networks and experience needed to build successful futures.
Applications for the 2027 Positive Enterprise programme will open later this year, with opportunities available for both aspiring entrepreneurs and volunteer business mentors.
For readers interested in taking part or volunteering as a mentor, more information about the Positive Enterprise programme is available from Cumbria Community Foundation. https://www.cumbriafoundation.org/fund/positiveenterprise
Volunteer pilots provide vital wildfire early warning during UK's hot weather
Civil Air Support, a UK charity that provides aerial assistance to emergency services and partner organisations, has revealed how its volunteer pilots have recently helped identify potential wildfire incidents before they had the chance to escalate.
Although most of the charity's flights are carried out in response to planned requests, pilots are encouraged to remain alert during every journey for anything that could pose a risk to people, wildlife, infrastructure or the environment.
That vigilance has already paid dividends during the current spell of exceptionally dry weather.
Within the past week, pilots flying separate missions over Hampshire and Cornwall spotted suspicious fires burning in remote rural areas.
From a safe distance, they monitored the situations, photographed the incidents to assist emergency responders and immediately reported what they had seen to Air Traffic Control. The information was then relayed directly to the relevant Fire and Rescue Services, enabling crews to respond quickly.
With vegetation across much of Britain tinder dry, small ignition sources such as discarded cigarettes, disposable barbecues and fireworks can rapidly develop into serious wildfires. Fires that begin in isolated woodland, heathland or moorland may go unnoticed for some time, allowing them to spread before anyone on the ground raises the alarm.
Rapid detection can make a huge difference. The earlier firefighters are alerted, the greater the chance of containing a blaze before it threatens homes, businesses, transport infrastructure, wildlife habitats and agricultural land. Early intervention can also reduce the significant financial and operational resources needed to tackle large-scale fires.
Civil Air Support currently has around 120 active volunteer pilots operating across the UK. Working within strict operating procedures and supported by a central coordination team, the charity ensures that any observations are reported safely, consistently and through the correct official channels.
A spokesperson for Civil Air Support told That's Business: "We're not replacing the emergency services. Our role is simply to be another pair of eyes in the sky. When our pilots happen to spot something unusual during a flight, they know exactly how to report it through the proper channels. If that helps firefighters arrive even a few minutes earlier, it can make a significant difference to the outcome."
The organisation emphasises that its pilots never fly low to investigate incidents or interfere with emergency operations, instead maintaining safe separation while complying fully with Civil Aviation Authority regulations and Air Traffic Control instructions.
Anyone who spots signs of a wildfire should call 999 immediately and ask for the Fire and Rescue Service. During periods of prolonged dry weather, the public is also urged to avoid lighting fires or disposable barbecues in the countryside and to dispose of cigarettes safely.
Thursday, 16 July 2026
Birmingham's Crimson expands AI apprenticeship opportunities as West Midlands tech sector continues to grow
Digital transformation consultancy Crimson has opened applications for the latest intake of its apprenticeship Academy, offering aspiring technology specialists the chance to launch careers in AI, automation and data engineering while working on real-world projects.
Since the Academy was launched in 2019, Crimson has supported 33 apprentices through structured training programmes that combine recognised qualifications with practical experience. Many of those apprentices have gone on to secure consulting, technical and client-facing roles within the business, demonstrating how apprenticeships can provide an effective alternative to the traditional university route.
The timing is significant. The West Midlands has become one of the UK's leading technology regions, boasting the fastest-growing and highest concentration of digital companies outside London. As organisations continue investing in artificial intelligence, automation and advanced data solutions, demand for skilled professionals is increasing rapidly.
Crimson's Academy has been designed to help meet that demand by giving apprentices the opportunity to work alongside experienced Microsoft specialists on AI-powered transformation projects for both public and private sector clients. Participants gain valuable hands-on experience while developing the technical and professional skills needed for long-term careers in one of Britain's fastest-growing industries.
Cat Halstead, Change and Transformation Director at Crimson, believes investing in local talent has never been more important.
Cat told That's Business: "The technology sector is evolving rapidly, particularly with the growth of AI and data-driven services, and we need to ensure people have opportunities to develop the skills required for these careers.
"Through the Crimson Academy, we're helping people gain practical experience, earn recognised qualifications and build successful careers in technology while contributing to meaningful transformation projects."
The Academy is currently recruiting for two apprenticeship pathways: Data Engineer Apprentice – Digital Native and AI Automation Apprentice – Digital Native. Both programmes are aimed at people taking their first steps into the technology sector, regardless of whether they have chosen not to attend university or are looking for a more practical route into employment.
Former apprentice Loren Thomas, who joined the Academy in 2020 as a Software Testing Apprentice, credits the programme with transforming both personal confidence and career prospects.
"My apprenticeship gave me the opportunity to grow both personally and professionally," Loren said. "It opened doors, broadened my experience and gave me the confidence to pursue a career I'm passionate about."
With applications now open, Crimson hopes to attract talented people from across Birmingham and the wider West Midlands who are eager to play a part in the region's thriving digital economy. As businesses continue embracing AI and automation, initiatives like the Crimson Academy are helping ensure the workforce develops alongside the technology itself.
Tuesday, 14 July 2026
AI Licences Alone Won't Transform Your Business, Says New Consultancy
Boxtree Consulting has launched with a clear message for UK businesses: simply purchasing AI tools such as Microsoft Copilot is not the same as having an AI strategy.
According to the Birmingham-based consultancy, the biggest opportunities lie in transforming everyday business processes rather than simply improving individual productivity.
Founded by operational transformation specialist Max Pardo-Roques,(PICTURED) Boxtree combines Lean principles, originally developed through Toyota's renowned production system, with modern AI technology to identify repetitive manual tasks that can be automated.
These include activities such as invoice processing, data entry, scheduling, compliance checks and other administrative work that quietly consumes thousands of staff hours each year.
The company argues that many organisations have embraced AI on the surface, using it to draft emails or improve marketing content, while leaving their most time-consuming and expensive workflows untouched.
Pardo-Roques believes this is where businesses are overlooking substantial savings.
He told That's Business that many chief executives, finance directors and operations leaders believe they have implemented AI because staff have access to AI assistants. In reality, he argues, true transformation only begins when organisations redesign the processes where most operational costs occur.
Recent research suggests many UK businesses still have some way to go. Analysis of Office for National Statistics data found that fewer than three in ten UK businesses employing under 50 people were using AI in 2025, compared with 44 per cent of organisations employing more than 250 staff. Meanwhile, the Government's AI Champion for Advanced Manufacturing has warned that many firms remain stuck in a "pilot trap", experimenting with AI without deploying it at scale.
Boxtree's approach is deliberately practical. Every client engagement begins with a Lean diagnostic that maps business processes and identifies waste in financial terms. Projects only move forward if they are expected to generate savings that exceed implementation costs during the first year.
The consultancy is confident enough in its approach to guarantee every project will be cost-neutral within its first year, with an overall target of delivering a five-to-one return on investment.
Rather than replacing existing software, Boxtree focuses on embedding AI into the systems businesses already use, reducing disruption while improving efficiency.
Serving organisations across manufacturing, logistics, professional services and other operations-intensive sectors, Boxtree believes the next stage of the UK's AI journey will not be driven by software licences alone, but by businesses willing to rethink how work gets done.
RentDocs Launches All-in-One Compliance Platform for UK Landlords
With major changes to rental legislation on the horizon, UK landlords are facing increasing pressure to keep up with compliance requirements while managing their day-to-day responsibilities.
A new British software platform, RentDocs.co.uk, aims to make that task significantly easier by bringing every aspect of rental administration together in one secure, cloud-based system.
Launched this month, RentDocs has been designed specifically for the UK rental market and provides landlords with a single platform to manage tenancy documents, compliance, rent administration and tenant communications.
As the Renters' Rights Act introduces new legal obligations across the private rented sector, the software offers a practical way for landlords to stay organised and compliant.
Rather than relying on multiple spreadsheets, document folders and separate applications, landlords can use RentDocs to oversee their entire portfolio from one central dashboard.
Among its key features is the ability to generate tenancy agreements that comply with current 2026 legislation. The platform also securely stores essential statutory documents, including Gas Safety Certificates, Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) and Electrical Installation Condition Reports (EICRs), while automatically reminding landlords when certificates are approaching their expiry dates.
RentDocs also allows landlords to create and distribute complete tenancy packs by email or SMS, ensuring tenants receive all the legally required documentation. Every document sent is recorded, creating a comprehensive audit trail that confirms both delivery and access—an increasingly important safeguard should disputes arise.
A live Property Health Score gives landlords an instant overview of the compliance status of each property, while integrated rent reminders help monitor payments and reduce overdue accounts.
According to founder C. Loui Yilmaz, the platform was developed in response to the growing administrative burden placed on landlords.
"Landlords are expected to comply with an increasing number of legal requirements while managing properties, tenants and documentation," he told That's Business.
"Our aim was to build software that removes complexity. Instead of using multiple apps, spreadsheets and folders, landlords can manage everything from one secure platform."
The software has been built around UK legislation and is designed to evolve alongside future regulatory changes, helping landlords remain compliant as new rules are introduced.
Looking ahead, RentDocs plans to introduce additional features including AI-powered landlord assistance, electronic signatures, maintenance management tools, contractor portals and accounting integrations.
Available across England, Wales and Scotland, RentDocs supports the different tenancy agreement requirements that apply in each nation, making it a flexible solution for landlords managing portfolios of any size.
Friday, 10 July 2026
How to Run a Mini Beer Festival in Your Pub, Hotel or Bar
For many pubs, hotels and bars, a beer festival conjures up images of marquees, dozens of casks, live bands and months of planning.
In reality, a successful beer festival can be much smaller, easier to organise and far more profitable than many licensees realise.
A well-planned mini beer festival can attract new customers, encourage repeat visits and generate additional food and drink sales, all without requiring a huge investment.
Why a mini beer festival works
Customers increasingly enjoy trying something different. While many drinkers have their favourite pint, they are often happy to sample limited edition ales, local craft beers, ciders or speciality lagers when given the opportunity.
By offering a carefully selected range of guest beers over a weekend or even a single evening, venues can create a genuine event that gives customers a reason to visit.
It also provides excellent opportunities to promote local breweries and support independent producers.
Keep it simple
Rather than attempting to offer 30 or 40 beers, consider stocking between six and twelve carefully chosen drinks.
These could include:
Local cask ales
Craft IPAs
Golden ales
Stouts and porters
Fruit beers
Premium lagers
Traditional ciders
Having a balanced selection ensures there is something for experienced beer enthusiasts as well as casual drinkers.
Work with breweries
Many independent breweries are keen to support local events.
They may be able to provide:
Branded glasses
Pump clips
Promotional materials
Tasting notes
Brewery representatives for meet-the-brewer sessions
Some breweries may even help promote the event through their own social media channels, increasing its reach.
Offer tasting flights
Not everyone wants to drink several full pints.
Serving tasting paddles or third-pint flights allows customers to sample several beers responsibly while increasing overall sales.
Providing tasting cards describing each beer's style, strength and flavour profile also enhances the customer experience.
Pair beer with food
One of the biggest opportunities is linking the festival with your kitchen.
Simple pairings might include:
Steak pie with a rich porter
Fish and chips with a golden ale
Burgers with an American IPA
Cheese boards matched with local bitters
Chocolate desserts paired with stouts
Food and drink pairings can significantly increase average spend per customer.
Create a festival atmosphere
A mini beer festival doesn't need expensive entertainment.
Consider:
Live acoustic music
Quiz nights
Brewery talks
Beer tasting sessions
Homebrew demonstrations
Charity raffles
These activities encourage customers to stay longer and create a memorable experience.
Promote early
Begin promoting the festival several weeks beforehand using:
Facebook and Instagram
Posters inside the venue
Local community groups
Email newsletters
Local newspapers and bloggers
Your own website
Regular updates introducing individual beers can build anticipation.
Encourage responsible drinking
Beer festivals should always promote sensible alcohol consumption.
Offer plenty of soft drinks, alcohol-free beers and food throughout the event. Ensure staff understand responsible retailing and provide information about public transport or local taxi services where appropriate.
Make it an annual event
If your first mini beer festival proves successful, consider making it a regular feature.
Seasonal festivals focusing on spring ales, summer craft beers, autumn harvest brews or winter stouts give customers something to look forward to each year while strengthening your venue's reputation.
The best beer festivals are not necessarily the biggest. With careful planning, good promotion and a welcoming atmosphere, even a modest event can become a highlight of the local calendar, attracting new customers, supporting local breweries and delivering a healthy boost to wet and food sales.
Thursday, 9 July 2026
KeySIM Launches Flexible Pay-As-You-Go IoT SIM Pricing for UK Businesses
UK-based IoT connectivity provider KeySIM has introduced a new pricing structure aimed at businesses deploying more than 100 Internet of Things (IoT) SIM cards, offering a flexible pay-as-you-go alternative to traditional connectivity contracts.
The new tariffs are designed to help organisations reduce unnecessary costs while providing reliable multi-network connectivity for everything from CCTV systems and industrial automation to environmental monitoring and remote networking.
Under the new commercial offering, UK businesses can access multi-network IoT SIM cards for a monthly rental of just £1.50 per SIM. Mobile data is charged at £0.0025 per megabyte on a true pay-as-you-go basis, ensuring customers only pay for the data they actually consume.
Businesses requiring connectivity across both the UK and Europe can opt for KeySIM's UK and European service, priced at £3.25 per SIM per month, with European data charged at £0.008 per megabyte.
Unlike many traditional IoT connectivity packages, KeySIM imposes no minimum contract terms, allowing customers to cancel SIMs whenever required. UK voice calls and SMS messages are both charged at £0.05 per minute or message.
A key feature of the service is its multi-network capability. KeySIM's IoT SIM cards connect to all four major UK mobile networks, Vodafone, O2, EE and Three, helping businesses maintain connectivity by automatically selecting the strongest available signal.
The company says its unsteered SIM technology provides an important advantage over many conventional IoT SIMs, which often prioritise a preferred network and can experience unnecessary disconnections. For organisations that require greater control, customers also have the option to manually steer SIMs to a preferred network during planned maintenance, local outages or service disruptions.
KeySIM also offers optional fixed IP addresses, enabling secure remote access to CCTV installations, telemetry systems, industrial equipment, routers and other connected devices.
Founder Graham Robinson said the new pricing reflects the company's continued growth and commitment to transparent, technically robust IoT connectivity.
He told That's Business: "The launch of these new tariffs comes at an exciting time for KeySIM," he said. "The business now supports more than 500 customers and, during June 2026 alone, transited more than 10 million megabytes of data across our platform. These milestones reinforce our commitment to delivering transparent, flexible and technically robust IoT SIM connectivity for businesses throughout the UK and Europe."
The financial benefits of the model are already being realised by customers. Irish security specialist CSC Security Consultants switched from a pooled data arrangement to KeySIM in 2022 after discovering that around 27 per cent of the mobile data it had been purchasing was never actually used.
Managing Director Declan Cassin said the move had significantly reduced unnecessary expenditure while also delivering excellent technical support. He added that KeySIM successfully integrated the firm's CCTV connectivity into its RE Monitoring Centre, providing secure monitoring capabilities for its camera systems.
As businesses continue to expand their use of connected devices across multiple sectors, demand for flexible, usage-based connectivity is increasing rapidly. KeySIM's latest pricing is aimed squarely at organisations looking to scale their IoT deployments without being tied into long-term contracts or paying for unused data.
That's Technology: Infinigate Appoints Kai Grunwitz as Chief Growth O...
That's Technology: Infinigate Appoints Kai Grunwitz as Chief Growth O...: The Infinigate Group has strengthened its executive leadership team with the appointment of Kai Grunwitz (PICTURED) as Chief Growth Officer ...
LendingCrowd Recognised Among Scotland's Fastest Growing Businesses
The Edinburgh-based financial technology (fintech) lender earned its place alongside some of the country's most innovative companies after demonstrating exceptional growth over the past two years. To qualify for the list, businesses were required to achieve average annual revenue growth of at least 20%, before a judging panel selected the final 50 companies.
The recognition follows another milestone for LendingCrowd, which was recently named Scotland's fastest growing technology company in The Sunday Times 100 Tech 2026. Together, the awards underline the company's continued expansion as it strengthens its position in the UK's SME lending market.
Founder and Chief Executive Stuart Lunn welcomed the latest recognition, telling That's Buisiness: "This is a fantastic result for LendingCrowd as we continue on our mission to be the trusted source of affordable finance for SMEs across Britain."
LendingCrowd has built its reputation by providing straightforward, affordable finance to established small and medium-sized enterprises that can often struggle to secure funding through traditional high street banks. By combining modern financial technology with experienced credit decision-making, the company aims to make business borrowing faster, simpler and more accessible.
Since its launch in 2014, the lender has expanded significantly. Originally established as a peer-to-peer lending platform, LendingCrowd completed its transition to institutional funding in 2022. The move enabled the business to increase its lending capacity and support a greater number of growing companies across Britain.
Today, LendingCrowd offers business loans ranging from £75,000 to £500,000, with repayment terms of up to five years. Fixed interest rates and the flexibility to make early repayments or overpayments without penalties are designed to provide businesses with a more predictable and affordable alternative to short-term borrowing.
The company has now delivered more than £600 million in loans to British SMEs, highlighting both the scale of its operations and its long-term commitment to supporting business growth.
Recognition in the Sunday Times Scotland Fast 50 also builds on LendingCrowd's impressive track record in other industry rankings.
The company has appeared several times in the annual Deloitte UK Technology Fast 50, most recently in 2025 when it was named Scotland's fastest growing technology business.
It also secured 28th place in Deloitte's EMEA Technology Fast 500, ranking it among the fastest growing technology companies across Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
For Britain's SMEs, the continued success of companies such as LendingCrowd demonstrates how fintech innovation is helping to broaden access to business finance while supporting economic growth across the UK.
Build Beyond Referrals: New Workshop Helps Businesses Create a Reliable Client Pipeline
A recommendation from a satisfied client often comes with built-in trust, making it easier to secure new work.
However, relying too heavily on referrals can also leave businesses vulnerable.
When recommendations slow down, so can the sales pipeline.
A new one-day workshop from Maverrik aims to help expert-led businesses change that by providing a practical framework for generating new clients consistently, without abandoning the benefits of referrals.
The Build Beyond Referrals One-Day Intensive has been created for executive coaches, business coaches, boutique consultants and expert-led businesses across sectors including professional services, financial services and technology.
Rather than encouraging businesses to replace referrals, the programme focuses on building a structured client acquisition system that works alongside them, giving organisations greater control over future growth.
Dean Seddon, Founder of Maverrik and author of Get Growing, believes many businesses leave business development until it's too late.
He told That's Business: "Referrals are valuable, but they leave too much to chance. When referrals become the main route to new business, your pipeline can become vulnerable, and business development often only gets attention once things have already started to slow down."
He went on to tell us that the workshop is designed to give business owners a repeatable process for generating opportunities, helping them feel more confident about winning new work regardless of referral levels.
Unlike traditional seminars, the intensive is designed as a hands-on working session. Delegates spend the day developing their own client acquisition framework, leaving with practical tools that can be implemented immediately rather than simply taking away ideas and notes.
The workshop is built around three key areas:
Proposition: Identifying the right audience, refining messaging and creating compelling offers.
Pre-selling: Building credibility, trust and visibility before sales conversations begin.
Pipeline: Creating a repeatable process for generating leads, booking meetings, presenting offers and following up effectively.
Together, these elements aim to provide a sustainable approach to business development that reduces dependence on unpredictable referral activity.
The Build Beyond Referrals One-Day Intensive will be held at three UK locations during September 2026:
Bristol – Tuesday 22 September
London – Wednesday 23 September
Manchester – Thursday 24 September
Attendance is limited to just 25 delegates at each event, allowing participants to receive tailored guidance while working alongside fellow business owners facing similar growth challenges.
Dean Seddon brings over 14 years of experience in social selling and client acquisition. During that time he has trained over 150,000 professionals, worked with organisations including Microsoft, Salesforce and BT, and helped clients generate more than $100 million in new business revenue.
Standard and Premium attendance options are available, with the Premium package including additional implementation resources, AI coaching and a one-to-one strategy session to help businesses put their new client acquisition systems into practice.
To learn more or to book places please visit https://maverrik.io
Wednesday, 8 July 2026
Axians UK launches Enterprise Architecture as a Service to simplify digital transformation
Many organisations invest heavily in digital transformation, only to find that ambitious boardroom strategies fail to translate into practical technology solutions.
Axians UK believes it has the answer with the launch of its new Enterprise Architecture as a Service (EAaaS), a flexible consultancy offering designed to align business objectives with technical delivery without the cost of employing a full-time Enterprise Architect.
The London-based technology services provider says many businesses experience what it describes as a "boardroom vision gap". Senior leaders define the commercial goals, while technical teams independently develop solutions that can become overly complex, inconsistent and difficult to maintain.
EAaaS aims to close that gap by providing an architectural framework that connects business strategy with technology implementation, ensuring digital investments support long-term growth rather than creating fragmented systems.
Ian Parker, Enterprise Architect at Axians UK, explained to That's Business that organisations without a dedicated architectural approach often end up with disconnected technology estates.
He compared the situation to building a street where every house has different foundations and construction methods, making future maintenance unnecessarily difficult. By introducing common standards and governance, he said businesses can ensure that infrastructure remains consistent, scalable and easier to manage, regardless of whether operations span London, New York or Singapore.
The service is also designed with today's biggest technology challenges in mind. Rather than treating cybersecurity as an afterthought, Axians has adopted a Secure by Design approach that builds protection into infrastructure from the outset. Sustainability considerations are also incorporated into the architecture, helping organisations create technology environments that are efficient as well as resilient.
Dan Barton, Head of Consultancy at Axians UK, said businesses are operating in an increasingly complex digital landscape where cloud computing, artificial intelligence and hybrid working continue to reshape technology requirements.
He said establishing the right architectural foundations from the beginning enables organisations to embrace innovation while maintaining strong security and governance.
Another major advantage of the service is its potential to reduce technical debt. By eliminating duplicated tools, simplifying infrastructure and creating standardised designs, businesses can reduce operational costs while improving efficiency and making future technology projects easier to deliver.
Instead of hiring an expensive full-time Enterprise Architect, organisations can access specialist expertise on demand, allowing them to benefit from strategic guidance that scales alongside their business.
As digital transformation continues to accelerate, services such as EAaaS could prove increasingly valuable for organisations looking to build secure, efficient and future-ready technology foundations while keeping costs under control.
Tuesday, 7 July 2026
Apprenticeships and Internships Gain Ground as Employers Prioritise Skills Over Degrees
The latest research into early careers recruitment suggests that employers are placing less emphasis on academic qualifications alone and giving greater weight to practical skills, adaptability and real-world experience.
For young people entering the jobs market, that could mean apprenticeships and internships are becoming more valuable than ever before.
According to the newly published 2026 Best Practice Early Careers Guide from TST, organisations are increasingly creating multiple routes into employment rather than relying solely on traditional graduate recruitment.
The report found that companies with well-developed internship-to-graduate programmes retain significantly more employees over the long term.
After three years, 73% of graduates who came through strong internship pipelines were still with their employer, compared with 62% at organisations without similar programmes.
Internships also attracted around 20% more applications than graduate schemes and an impressive 80% more than apprenticeship vacancies, highlighting the growing appeal of gaining workplace experience before committing to a permanent role.
The findings are based on recruitment and retention data from 30 global organisations employing more than 2.75 million people. They paint a picture of employers becoming increasingly interested in what candidates can demonstrate rather than simply what qualifications they hold.
Dr Khairunnisa Mohamedali, (PICTURED) Managing Director and Chief Innovation Officer at TST, believes businesses are looking for people who can adapt quickly to changing workplaces. She told That's Business that it is her argument that skills, attitude and potential are now sitting alongside formal qualifications when employers make recruitment decisions.
Supporting this trend, research from the National Association of Colleges and Employers suggests that 70% of employers now use skills-based hiring for entry-level positions, while nearly half of middle-skill jobs have removed formal degree requirements altogether.
The report also highlights another interesting development: the return of face-to-face learning. Organisations with the strongest long-term retention rates delivered almost two-thirds of their induction programmes in person, compared with just over a quarter among lower-performing employers.
Building personal relationships, company culture and workplace confidence during those early weeks appears to have a lasting impact on employee loyalty.
Artificial intelligence is also reshaping graduate development. As AI increasingly takes over routine tasks that once helped new recruits gain confidence and experience, employers are placing even greater value on qualities such as curiosity, resilience, communication and a willingness to learn. Rather than replacing early careers programmes, AI is changing what successful development looks like.
For businesses competing for tomorrow's workforce, the message is clear. Investing in apprenticeships, internships, meaningful in-person training and skills-based recruitment could prove to be one of the smartest talent strategies of the decade.
https://www.wearetst.com/insight/insight-article.html?slug=best-practice-early-careers-guide-2026
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