UK Business News

Lloyds TSB business banking customers can expect many things from their bank when opting for a small business account and many of these may go beyond what they might otherwise expect. Setting up a new project can be tricky and for this reason the bank offers a wide range of tools and guidance to help people along with some of the financial obstacles and challenges they might face.

If your company is already up and running or is in its earliest stages, the bank has a selection of business accounts that could be ideal for your needs. If you fall into the former category but are unhappy with the service you are currently getting, you may find switching banks is the right way to go. In these cases Lloyds TSB’s business banking department will do all it can to make the transition as easy as possible. Those in the latter stage however may be looking for all the help they can get and it is here they may also find they’re well catered for.

In order to help manage cashflow and resources in an effective way, Lloyds TSB has produced a selection of guides for both the experienced and novice entrepreneur. The bank has also produced a charter for small businesses which is designed to underline exactly what type of support can be offered across pledges that could provide help in the toughest of economic times.

The selection of guides also includes details on how to plan for these conditions and how changes in the market can impact your venture. Information on how to encourage customers to pay up on time is also featured, as is advice on how to monitor money flows between you, your customers, suppliers and employees. A selection of downloads, podcasts and webinars that support some of these issues are also available via the Lloyds TSB business banking website, meaning you have direct access to tips from a selection of experts once you are onboard.

The bank also has a partnership with Sage, one of the biggest suppliers of business management software in the UK, which provides users various free tools. In addition to this there is a 90-day trial version of Sage Start-up that will show you how to get to grips with some of the key issues that affect new businesses. Information available from the Institute of Credit Management is also available that covers subjects like knowing your customer, invoicing, credit insurance and treating suppliers fairly.

All of the above, in conjunction with access to a dedicated relationship manager that will help you make the most of your new business account, could mean that Lloyds TSB could be a great partner to have in getting your project where you want it to be.

Bev James & James Caan-EBA Directors

Anyone who has witnessed the aggressive nature of bosses, as depicted through television programmes such as The Apprentice, will have winced or cringed more than once at the way the panel of entrepreneurs talk to the budding business owners.

Of course without such ‘bully bosses’ the programmes would seldom be worth watching and everyone would win a place in the final if characters like Simon Cowell did not exist to tell it how it is.

So these people are invited to ’star’ in these shows to boost viewing figures by being controversial.

However, to work for such people would certainly be a nightmare and Bev James who launched the Entrepreneurs’ Business Academy (EBA) in March alongside the impeccably mannered James Caan (Dragons Den), quite laudably  launched an attack on Britain’s bully bosses yesterday.

Citing the number one reason for people leaving their jobs as being their relationship with their boss, Bev James said that there is “No place for Lord Sugar style bully bosses in the boardroom.”

“When a 20-something entrepreneur and future employer is influenced by the tough talking of Alan Sugar, Simon Cowell or Gordon Ramsey that they see on TV, they are developing a new breed of egotistical bully boss,” she explained. “It’s alienating employees and causing a lot of problems in terms of talent retention in the UK.“

“Today, where there are so many different ways to start a business – for example as an Ebay trader – many new entrepreneurs have little or no experience of working for a boss. Therefore, they have no reliable role models and can soon run into trouble when they find themselves in charge of a dozen or more employees as their enterprise grows. Young people need to know how effective leadership and people management is actually achieved. They need proper guidance and advice!“

“James and I are determined to help young entrepreneurs learn key management skills and have introduced an EBA coaching module, ‘How to Create & Retain Superstar Teams’, which will be run by successful millionaire mentors,” said Bev James.

As well as her involvement with James Caan in the EBA, Bev James is also MD of the worlds largest training agency, The Coaching Academy.

Nissan International SA have announced pricing schedules to four European countries for the innovative all electric Nissan LEAF, with reservations being taken from July 2010, for delivery in February 2011 in the UK.

The initial launch markets in Europe include the UK, along with Portugal, Netherlands and the Republic of Ireland, with all four countries offering government incentives to buyers of the eco friendly vehicle.

The price of purchasing the Nissan LEAF in the UK will be £23,350 after government incentives, putting the vehicle around the same area price wise as a similarly equipped diesel or hybrid vehicle.

The price before incentives is £28,350, and is subject to a recent UK government announcement that it would refund 25% of the purchase price of an all electric vehicle up to a ceiling of £5,000.

Further savings for UK customers will come in the form of zero vehicle excise duty and zero company car tax for five years. This is on top of the significant savings on fuel costs over a conventional engined vehicle, for average mileage motorists this would equate to just over £500 annually.

There are similar incentives available through all of the four initial European launch countries.

The Nissan LEAF is a compact, zero-emission five-passenger family car that comes fully equipped with features such as air conditioning, satellite navigation, a parking camera, a quick charge socket and innovative smart-phone connectivity.

Nissan has decided to launch in these countries first due to significant government incentives for electric cars, and the ongoing development of charging infrastructure for their successful adoption. By the end of next year, Nissan LEAF will be available in every major Western European country.

The London Organising Comittee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) has announced that Eurostar will become the 30th domestic sponsor for London 2012.

The high-speed rail company has become Official International Rail Services Provider and will be providing London 2012 with arrival and departure services at St Pancras International for those competing and working at the Games who are travelling to London on its trains.

It will also provide international rail services for London 2012’s operational requirements. Outside of its sponsorship with LOCOG, Eurostar will naturally be carrying many spectators from main land Europe to and from the Games in 2012 itself.

The cross-Channel rail operator has also acquired rights in France and Belgium and become a partner of the French and Belgian National Olympic Committees. As part of these deals, the French and Belgian Olympic teams will travel to and from the Games using Eurostar services.

As part of its sponsorship of the London 2012 Games, Eurostar will be conducting a number of activations across the UK, France and Belgium to promote London 2012 as a truly sustainable Games.

The first main Eurostar activation is the Tri-City-Athlon planned for 14 September 2010 which takes places across the three capital cities that Eurostar serves. Over one day participants will do a swim in Paris, a cycle in Brussels and a run in London.

The prosecutor in the British Airways fuel price fixing scandal has told the judge that  he would offer ‘no evidence’ at Southwark Crown Court today, following questions raised by the judge about the prosecution’s case on Friday.

Three former British Airways employees and one current employee had been charged with colluding with Virgin Atlantic to fix fuel  surcharge prices between 2004 and 2006.

The court heard on Monday that the Office of Fair Trading had failed to disclose key information to the defence, including an e mail that suggested that Virgin Atlantic had increased its fuel surcharge without consulting BA during the period in question, ending any speculation that the two companies had colluded.

William Boyce QC, defending one BA executive, said that had this e-mail come to light earlier, the case may never have come to court.

What a waste of time and money!