Author Archives for ER Grove WordPress Admin User

automation

The Rise of Automation after Covid-19

June 10, 2020 10:30 am Published by Comments Off on The Rise of Automation after Covid-19

The business world has been preparing for increasing use of automation for decades now. As technology advances at a rate unseen in any other century, the potential to automate processes and even entire roles, offers an opportunity for businesses to cut costs and save time. While the Covid-19 crisis has stopped many businesses present and future plans in their tracks, the one thing that hasn’t been negatively affected is automation planning. In fact, with the need for social distancing and hygiene, and the prospect of a recession on the horizon, many businesses are bringing their automation plans forward. Pre-pandemic, the... Read more


package holiday

Package Holidays after Covid-19

June 1, 2020 3:29 pm Published by Comments Off on Package Holidays after Covid-19

For many of us, a cheap and cheerful getaway to sunnier climes is a major highlight of our year. Unfortunately with non-essential travel currently banned, a week or two of all-inclusive fun with no worries except nabbing the best positioned sun lounger doesn’t seem to be on the cards any time soon. Travel operators are currently planning towards restarting operations in July, but even then a holiday would be followed by a 14 day quarantine period when arriving back in the UK. Some countries such as Spain have also introduced quarantine for overseas visitors, meaning that you could need 6... Read more


E R Grove & Co named Mayor’s Community Champions

May 30, 2020 1:40 pm Published by Comments Off on E R Grove & Co named Mayor’s Community Champions

The West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) Mayor’s Community Champions initiative recognises individuals and organisations who have acted as ‘community heroes’ during the Covid-19 crisis. We at E R Grove & Co are delighted to have been recognised for our work keeping the business community informed about government support systems for businesses and individuals feeling the impact of coronavirus. You can read more about why we were chosen as Mayor’s Community Champions here.


marketing strategy

Creating a marketing strategy for your business

May 26, 2020 8:52 am Published by Comments Off on Creating a marketing strategy for your business

Marketing is much more than the shiny, branding side of your business. When done right, it can help to drive you forwards towards your business goals, becoming money well spent. That’s why it’s so important to have a long-term strategy for your marketing, rather than creating campaigns and adverts on the fly. Below we look at the key processes for creating an effective marketing strategy. The main thing to remember is that your marketing strategy should not be created in isolation. It should be firmly rooted in your overall company goals for the year, so that it is effective, strategic,... Read more


market research

Drive your business forward with Market Research

May 19, 2020 8:36 am Published by Comments Off on Drive your business forward with Market Research

As business leaders, we often think we know our market really well. Sometimes that is true, but things change and it’s always good to spend some time now and again researching our market. This prevents us from making assumptions that unintentionally undermine our business. It also helps us to identify new opportunities to grow and expand our business.   Competitor Research You may think you know everything about your competitors. However, the real information you need is how your customers view your competitors! Once you’ve identified all your competitors, and their competitive edge (USP) then it is really worthwhile spending... Read more


risk

Creating a Risk & Contingency Strategy

May 11, 2020 8:29 am Published by Comments Off on Creating a Risk & Contingency Strategy

If recent times have taught us anything, it’s how quickly our normal way of life can change! For businesses, the need to have spent some serious thought on risk analysis and contingency planning has never been more important. While it’s never possible to completely risk-proof your business, as navigating the extreme measures of the COVID-19 global lockdown have shown us, it is always worthwhile coming up with a plan to mitigate for risks that might derail our businesses in the future.   Risk Analysis Risk analysis is the process of identifying and analyzing potential issues that could negatively impact businesses,... Read more


Pivoting & Repurposing a Business

May 6, 2020 5:49 pm Published by Comments Off on Pivoting & Repurposing a Business

It is no secret that Covid-19 has had a big impact on many SMEs in the UK. A recent study by the Office for National Statistics showed that nearly 40% of businesses in the UK had a substantially lower turnover. With the current level of disruption likely to remain for some time, many businesses are adapting their practices to continue trading in some form. For businesses which have been negatively impacted by Covid-19 and are considering how to adapt, they have two main choices: Continue trading – providing the same product / service in broadly the same way to the... Read more


How will coronavirus change working practices?

April 27, 2020 3:43 pm Published by Comments Off on How will coronavirus change working practices?

After almost 6 weeks of lockdown, companies and employees are used to the ‘new normal’ of remote working. But what will the lasting impact of coronavirus be on the way businesses are run?   Business Travel  With travel restrictions likely to remain in place long after lockdown has eased, companies are facing a long period of using video conferencing technology to keep in touch with clients, suppliers, and colleagues across the world. While these technologies are no substitute for building relationships face-to-face, businesses are likely to see that they can save money and time by taking at least some of... Read more


homeschool

Be a Homeschool Hero!

April 21, 2020 7:58 am Published by Comments Off on Be a Homeschool Hero!

Many of us are now in the position of supervising our children’s home learning whilst also trying to do our own jobs. This is no easy task, but fortunately Liz from our Marketing Department used to be a Primary School Teacher, and is on hand with some advice for those of you who are taking on the challenge to become homeschool heroes!   Stick to a structure It can be tempting to try and be flexible about when and how your children learn at home, however children actually find routines helpful to their learning. Having a routine that in some... Read more


films

For your viewing pleasure: films about accountants!

April 14, 2020 8:53 am Published by Comments Off on For your viewing pleasure: films about accountants!

As we enter our fourth week of lockdown, you might be struggling for entertainment. Luckily for you we have compiled a definitive list of the best films about accountants for your viewing pleasure!   1. The Shawshank Redemption Undoubtedly the greatest film ever to feature an accountant in a lead role, The Shawshank Redemption is a sweeping, dramatic tour-de-force which everyone should watch at least once in their lifetime. And given that we’re all in lockdown, we’re in the perfect state of mind to empathise with a prison drama…   2. The Producers If you’re more into comedy films then... Read more