Talking to my friends and colleagues about eating out never fails to surprise me, as people can have such enormously varied views on issues such as cost and quality. Some people are appalled at the idea of paying more than £10 for a main course, thinking that it’s elitist; while others are cautious about going [...]
Monthly Archives: February 2012
Good customer service
Posted by admin on February 21, 2012
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Maybe I’m old-fashioned, but I think a lot of companies really underestimate the importance of decent customer service. In my view, it’s not any harder to be polite, helpful and efficient than it is to be abrupt, awkward and disorganised – and the rewards are worth it, as you’re so much more likely to get [...]
Would you work a night shift for no wages?
Posted by admin on February 16, 2012
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Taking advantage of people’s desire to find work is a particularly touchy subject at present, with millions unemployed and seeking opportunities – so you’d think huge national brands would be very careful with public messages about recruitment. Leading supermarket Tesco has waded into a furore by advertising a job for a night shift worker… with [...]
Online PR – getting it right
Posted by admin on February 11, 2012
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There is so much information on the internet that it’s easy for commercial messages to get lost. I find it really interesting seeing who manages to break through – and who effectively communicates what their business does. The latter sounds obvious, but many people get it wrong. Starting with the most basic point, ‘PR’ means [...]
Valentine’s Day 2012
Posted by admin on February 7, 2012
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I feel a bit old when I think about celebrating Valentine’s Day, as it seems to be a young person’s novelty. The sentiment is a worthwhile one, of course, but it does somehow seem to get lost underneath all the tacky red and pink branding all over the place. As I mentioned in a previous [...]
Jamie’s Italian in Manchester opens soon
Posted by admin on February 5, 2012
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Exciting news for the area’s foodies and business people, this week, as Jamie’s Italian is opening in Manchester on 20 February. I usually tend to eat closer to home, around the Wilmslow area, but business and friends alike often take me into Manchester city centre and it’s always handy to know good places to go [...]
In-house or outsource?
Posted by admin on February 2, 2012
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A common question for people running a business is whether to carry out all operations under one roof, or delegate some tasks to contractors and specialist organisations. A lot of companies are fearful of giving tasks to people outside their central business because they associate it with a loss of control… or perhaps even with [...]
Support your local restaurants
Posted by admin on February 1, 2012
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As those of you who read my blog regularly will know, my wife Wendy and I are rather fond of eating out – both locally and further afield. In a way, we feel it’s more important to eat out at this time of year than at any other, as the post-Christmas slump always hits the [...]