This is where facilities management can come in, and benefit a growing business. You’ll find that a growing business picks up an accumulation of assets, and these don’t just include the employees and the building. The grounds on the building, the meeting rooms, the computer equipment etc. all costs money, and these need to be properly maintained. Facilities management can offer the first and foremost, basic solution, of cleaning of any offices. An integrated service will be able to look after every issue associated with your business premises and assets. Integrated solutions are advisable to save time and money, because one company can look after everything. So what is covered by an integrated facilities management solution?

• Office Cleaning
• Pest Control
• Catering
• Security
• Grounds Maintenance
• Window Cleaning

These are just some of the examples of services offered, and straight away you can see the vast number of different business services that you make have overlooked. These types of services are often disregarded in effort to save costs, but this is unwise and there are a number of benefits to having them.

Firstly, they help prevent rapid depreciation of your assets, by keeping them well maintained and clean. Cleaning of office and computer equipment can prevent dust build ups that lead to the equipment failing. There are other health benefits from cleaning, including a reduction in the number of sick days for employees and a higher rate of productivity throughout the day.

Security and catering services are also good for a business that look after sensitive information and want to restrict access to only those who are authorised to be on their grounds. This is common for a lot of businesses and it also sets a good impression to visits, and helps employees feel safe and motivated. Catering requirements can also vary, and if you regularly have business meetings, then a great way of impressing them is by having food available for them during breaks.

Well maintained grounds also look good to potential clients, visitors and partners if you want to set the right impression. Services like window cleaning can be hard to set up, but an integrate solution will cover these sorts of things, in order for your premises to remain as attractive and safety orientated as possible. If you haven’t thought about having these types of integrated solutions put in place through your business, then it’s probably a good time to look into a bespoke quote that fits your needs.

Steve loves films, and was inspired to write this after watching a film review on New Film Reviews.

Copyright © 2009 Small Business Resource

The Benefits of Facilities Management to Businesses

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Here, my focus is on creating a list for the top 5 office supplies needed for the normal and smooth functioning of every business. Do you have these top 5 groups of items in your business premises?

Even though the convenience and versatility advantages brought by mobile technology are undeniable, the truth is that no business could go about without paper (at least not yet). Paper is indispensable, useful and a handy resource that can accommodate your every need, regardless of whether you want to write down some notes by hand or print important documents. While ignored by most employees, the importance of paper becomes evident only when the stock is running low or is depleted. And to make matters worse, it seems all printers start to malfunction when you are almost out of paper. In conclusion, paper is the first must-have supply to acquire for the office.

The second place in the top of vital supplies goes to pens, printers and printer ink. Essentially, all of the aforementioned office supplies are used to inscribe hard copies of documents, fliers, contracts, important announcements and other papers needed in the office. With regards to the pens and pencils it is necessary to point out that they provide a high level of handiness when it comes to taking down fast notes or ideas. At the same time, pens and pencils are mandatory for signing contracts, documents or official memos.

Paperclips and staples occupy the third place in the list of supplies that are important to have in an office. Because it is very likely that office paperwork contains more than one sheet of paper, both staples and paperclips are useful in keeping the pages of the documents together. The general belief is that staples are more secure than paperclips. Even though some employees do not find paperclips as efficient as staples, keep in mind that they are cheaper, reusable and come in a variety of colors and styles. In addition, paperclips (the larger models) are more effective in holding together documents with an extensive number of pages.

As businesses will inevitable accumulate numerous documents in a short time frame, the filing cabinets and labels are essential for keeping the papers organized and accessible. The cabinets ensure you have a storage space for all the documents you might need at one point or another in order to conduct business. In addition, by setting a filling system (with the help of labels), you will simplify things even further because you will know exactly where you should put (and where you can retrieve from) all your documents.

As mentioned in the beginning of the article, mobile devices have become an integral part of businesses nowadays. Therefore, smartphones, tablets, notebooks, laptops and desktop computers occupy the fifth position in the top of mandatory office supplies. The importance of these devices cannot be stressed enough these days, taking into account that they constitute the main means of communication (within and outside of the office). However, in order to enjoy the full benefits brought by the tech gadgets (saving time, effort and permitting better communication between employees, customers and business partners), an internet connection is required. Besides, the computer essentially permits you to backup the critical data of the company in a more secure manner.

Gerard Lee is a businessman and a blogger who has a keen interest in collecting different office supplies for his office. Through his blog he tries to explain every detail regarding the use and purchase of office supplies.

Copyright © 2009 Small Business Resource

The Top 5 Office Supplies That Every Office Ought To Have

Copyright © 2009 Small Business Resource

Ideal Finance for Your Business

If you are the mortgage holder of your business premises, it is likely that your mortgage provider will already require you to have some kind of building insurance to protect the investment. A professional surveyor should be used to assess the value of the property so that you know you are paying the right amount – if you do not cover the property adequately, you may not be able to claim enough from your insurer to restore it to its original state if it gets damaged.

Business owners should also consider the value of contents insurance for their enterprise, as so many firms now depend on office equipment such as laptops, printers and scanners. If these damaged or stolen while they are uninsured, it could take weeks just to build up enough cash to replace them, during which time your ability to do business could be severely limited.

Any building insurance policy may be accompanied by conditions from the insurer, such as having adequate protection against fires or security measures to prevent break-ins. Although these may require a little more expense at the outset, it makes good business sense to protect your premises in this way and you may be able to negotiate a cheaper policy if you can show you have taken steps to stop damage occurring in the first place.

You will also need to notify your insurer if you make any structural alterations to the property, and it is even a good idea to contact them if the premises are undergoing redecorations or renovations. Your insurer will also need to know if you are leaving the property unattended for more than 30 days.

Copyright © 2009 Small Business Resource

Building insurance for small businesses

Cutting costs doesn’t mean that your product or service offering has to be affected or suffer as a result. It is possible to reduce the operating costs of your business without impacting the quality of products and services that customers receive.

Raw Materials
First and foremost, if your business requires raw materials to function then compare the prices of different suppliers to ensure you are getting the best deal.

For a printer this could involve liaising with paper merchants or ink suppliers whereas a cafe owner may want to check with their food providers. Whatever the material, the principle remains the same.

You may find that buying in bulk helps to reduce costs or committing to a long term contract with one supplier can lead to discounted prices. If you pay shipping or postage costs, see if there is any room for negotiation on these.

Office Space
If you’re rattling around in an office space that’s too large for your requirements then downsize. Looking for cheaper office space in another area is also an option. Depending on the nature of your business, you could consider having staff work from home so you can cut the cost of renting business premises altogether as well as saving employee’s money and time spent on travel

If you do need to operate from a physical office location, look at the possibility of sharing space with another business to drive costs down.

Virtual offices are also becoming more and more popular and offer a cost effective way to have a physical office address without actually renting the space.

Settle Invoices Early
This may seem like a small point but some suppliers offer an incentive to settle invoices early, often up to 2%. Investigate this with your suppliers and if they don’t already offer an early payment discount, enquire about whether they would be willing to consider it.

Review Staff Costs
Cutting employee salaries is likely to have a negative effect on your business but there are some other staff costs that can be assessed. If your employees use business mobile phones then review the cost of the contract. Placing all of the handsets under a single business tariff can often help you save money for your business.

If staff need to commute for business meetings and events, encourage use of the most cost-effective means of travel. If accommodation needs to be booked then have a look around for the most competitive deals. Simple tactics like this can help to drive business costs down significantly and the larger your workforce, the larger the saving.

Reduce Energy Use
Cut your business electricity costs by encouraging employees to switch off their computers every night and ensuring office lights and equipment are all powered down before everyone goes home.

Jennifer is a part of the digital blogging team at cashzilla.co.uk who work with a growing number of finance brands. For more information about me, or to keep up to date with the latest in finance news, check out my posts at cashzilla.co.uk or visit my Twitter account, @cashzilla.

Copyright © 2009 Small Business Resource

Cut Business Costs: Some Helpful Tips

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