A New Solution to Bank Lending Restrictions

Posted on June 9, 2011 by Tanya

According to the Bank of England’s report, the top 5 banks are failing to meet Government lending targets. Because of this, SME’s are struggling to expand their businesses due to lack of finance available from traditional sources.

This news comes as Yorkshire Forward faces closure, an organisation offering support to small and medium companies in Yorkshire. Prolific businessman Lord Digby Jones is outraged that support for SME’s is steadily decreasing; “If you are a hard-working SME and your banker turns off the credit there is a bond of trust that has been broken.”

Now, the IWP team are looking to strengthen bonds by taking the challenges of SME’s into our own hands. By developing a new key service to our ‘Transformation’ offerings we are hoping to assist those struggling to raise finance.

As intermediaries for funding, IWP are now able to assist start-up businesses and already existing businesses alike to secure finance by reviewing Business Plans, forecast Profit and Loss accounts and Cashflow projections.

With so many support networks closing their doors, it turns to the community to make a difference, if we don’t help each other, who will? IWP have developed this new service to help small and medium businesses thrive in an already challenging economy.

One in seven town centre shops empty

Posted on May 28, 2011 by Tanya

Huddersfield Examiner 26th May 2011
Click image to enlarge

Gemstones and Confusion

Posted on May 12, 2011 by Tanya

In the current economic climate, impeccable customer service is a must, colleagues on the front line have to ensure they gain the trust, mind and heart of each customer they serve. One particularly important point for me is honesty; mistakes should be owned up to, accepted and resolved. So you can understand my shock when last weekend I called into a Crystal Wholesalers and received an experience that left little to be desired.

The purpose of my trip was to top up my jewellery making stock, and also to buy a birthday present for my friend. Having studied crystals and the zodiac signs, I knew that because my friend’s birthday fell on the 6^th of May she was definitely a Taurus and that the associated crystal is Rose Quartz.

Whilst perusing the selection of Rose Quartz gifts, I noticed that the individual gift labels correctly quoted Taurus as falling between the 21^st April to 21^st May. However only a couple of feet away there was a collection of posters for sale to retailers displaying the zodiacs and their crystals, stating Taurus starting from 23^rd April.

I know that this is wrong!

After pointing this out to a customer service representative on the shop floor and the ensuing argument that led from my complaint, I was astounded that the resolution was for them to say; “Oh well, no-one else has noticed so it doesn’t matter… we have a lot of them so we will have to sell them now.”

This lack of interest in a complaint that could have easily turned into a ‘serious complaint’ has now led to hundreds of crystal retailers out there selling the wrong zodiac gifts. An aftershock obviously not realised by the wholesaler.

I have one word of advice, not only to the lady that dealt with my complaint, but to other sales assistants who would like to offer a great customer service. Follow the acronym “Learn” –

L isten to your clients complaint.

E mpathise with them and try and understand the problem.

A pologise for any inconvenience caused.

R eact by informing a manager to get the issue resolved.

N otify the client with an update following their complaint / observation and “thank them for giving you an opportunity to improve.