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Your EnterQuest Bulletin - Issue 209
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| Thought for the week: "In all affairs it's a healthy thing now and then to hang a question mark on the things you have long taken for granted." Bertrand Russell |
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In this week's issue:
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More red tape please, says small business owner
A matchmaking small business owner says the time has come to introduce more red tape to the dating agency sector.
Lesley Brewer, who set up The Introduction Company dating agency at the start of last year, admits it is a "controversial" move for a small enterprise to call for additional bureaucracy.
Growth in the online dating sector means it is time clients were better protected, according to Lesley, whose "one-man band" is based in Brawby near Malton, North Yorkshire. She wants to see similar regulation to that which governs financial services and estate agents.
Lesley said: "When I first looked online and started my research I found a lot of 'tacky' sites on the Internet.
"I wanted to get as far and away from that as possible to make sure I was working with some sort of standard or ethical code. All the other organisations that exist, they've all got red tape to work to."
Currently, there's no legal requirement for dating agencies to abide by a code of conduct, even though the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) instigated the creation of the Association of British Introduction Agencies (ABIA) back in 1981.
Lesley is a full ABIA member, a process that took more than a year.
She said: "The ABIA provides clients with the assurance that an introduction company is reputable and ethical, and provides the highest level of service.
"However, compared with the number of agencies in existence, there are relatively few ABIA members."
Lesley plans to double her workforce to two this summer and is aiming to open a branch in the south east. She believes her personal touch is behind her success.
She added: "I am my business. Lesley Brewer is The Introduction Company. It's very, very personal.
"It's such a rewarding sort of thing I do. I want my legacy to be love."
For more information about starting up a dating agency, see our practical factsheet. You can also view the ABIA's codes of practice for both bricks-and-mortar and online dating agencies.
Dealing with returns and requests for refunds
When you sell goods they must, under the Sale of Goods Act 1979, be 'fit for purpose', 'of satisfactory quality' and correspond to their description.
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'Fit for purpose' means the item must do what it's supposed to do. A cigarette lighter, for instance, must be capable of producing a flame. This means that if a consumer tells you they want an item for a particular purpose, you must say if you have doubts about its suitability.
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To be 'of satisfactory quality', goods must be durable, safe and free from minor, as well as major, defects. Shoes that lose their heels within the first half-mile of use are not of satisfactory quality. In less extreme cases, what constitutes satisfactory quality may be influenced by the price paid for the goods. 'Quality' includes the appearance and finish of goods.
Consumers can claim a refund if goods aren't up to scratch, as long as they haven't 'accepted' them. Consumers can 'accept' goods by telling you they've accepted them, or by conduct - for instance, if they alter the goods or keep them for a reasonable length of time.
Consumers are not entitled to reject goods simply because they've decided they don't want them after all (although you may think it's worth your while to be generous in this case).
You can't make the excuse, as consumers are occasionally told, that you bought the goods from the manufacturer in an unfit or unsatisfactory condition. If that's true, you may have a claim against the maker, but your customer still has rights against you.
Trading Standards offers guidance on returns policies for retailers, and you can also see the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) site for a general guide to consumer legislation.
See our practical factsheet on dealing with returns and requests for refunds for more information.
Each week we provide you with summaries of some popular or emerging business ideas in the UK and elsewhere around the world.
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Children's cookery party organisers co-ordinate cooking parties for children and teenagers. Parties may be themed around a particular type of cuisine and will normally incorporate elements of food preparation, such as hand washing and use of utensils.
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Gourmet burger bars. A London chain is expanding north with its gourmet burger restaurants. The burgers are made with fresh ingredients, making them appealing to health-conscious customers. The Gourmet Burger Kitchen's ingredients and toppings include cranberries, avocado and Camembert.
Regularly improving your vocabulary is not just about learning a new word and its meaning. It will improve your general knowledge and make you feel and act smarter in all sorts of personal and business situations.
Do you know the meaning of the word 'insuperable'?
a) a know-it-all type of person
b) being unpleasant or obnoxious
c) something that cannot be overcome
d) a very large number
Answer at the end of the Bulletin.
The following topical business issues have been recently reported in the media. Did your radar pick them up?
1) The Forum of Private Business (FPB) has just said that which of the following pieces of red tape should not apply to small food businesses?
a) The requirement to register with their local authority
b) The requirement to trace all ingredients used back to their original source
c) The requirement to list all ingredients on food packaging
d) The Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) hygiene requirement
2) At which point are small businesses most likely to encounter problems with their bank, according to new research?
a) When setting up or cancelling direct debit payments
b) When migrating from telephone to online banking
c) When requesting an overdraft extension
d) When switching accounts
3) A new computer virus is being spread through messages via which popular application?
a) Skype
b) MySpace
c) Facebook
d) del.icio.us
Answers at the end of the Bulletin.
Web optimisation trends, reports and rankings
URLTrends enables search engine optimisers to gauge the ranking of a particular website or web page in various search engines and directories, such as Yahoo! or Google. The site is still in beta (test) format, but there are News and Help sections available. Registered users can get access to features that can help them use the tool more efficiently.
Search for topic trends on Google
Google Trends, from Google Labs, enables users to type in any search term and view its popularity in different countries. Up to five topics can be entered at any one time and using the Cities, Regions and Languages tabs during a search enables users to determine broader trends on a relative basis.
New incident guidance for food sector
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has issued new guidance to help with the prevention of major food incidents and to ensure a better response to them from the sector as a whole. The Food Incidents Task Force has put together the guidance to help strengthen controls in the food chain, including step-by-step advice to help identify potential hazards. A summary version of the guidance has been created for small businesses.
The rise of the 'care economy'
'Soft' skills such as communication will be a key currency in years to come. That's according to an expert whose job is predicting the future. Ian Pearson is a 'futureologist' for BT and he reckons we'll soon be entering the 'care economy' where emotional skills will be a major force. These are things that machines can't do, but skills that women generally have in abundance, according to Mr Pearson's research.
This book aims to help the reader become more persuasive in all sorts of situations but places a special emphasis on business occasions. The ability to sell and write in a persuasive manner is covered and the importance of preparation before presentations is brought to the fore, to encourage readers to perform better. Check out:
Just one word answer
The answer is c).
'Insuperable' means something that cannot be surmounted or overcome.
Small shop owners can face insuperable competition if they are located close to a large supermarket. |
How's your business radar? The answers
1) The answer is d). The FPB has welcomed a proposal from Brussels that HACCP should no longer apply to small food businesses that employ fewer than ten people.
2) The answer is d). The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) found that while most small firms are happy with their bank, most problems occur when switching to a new provider.
3) The answer is a). A virus is being spread via the instant messaging service on the Skype Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) telephone system. |
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Good luck
The EnterQuest Team
This information is meant as a starting point only. Whilst all reasonable efforts have been made, the publisher makes no warranties that the information is accurate and up-to-date and will not be responsible for any errors or omissions in the information nor any consequences of any errors or omissions. Professional advice should be sought where appropriate. |
