Where we’re headed in #2021

Posted on October 21, 2020 by admin

Wow!! – 2020 – you couldn’t make it up; so where are we headed in 2021?

Working from home is now a cultural norm; whatever happens to Coronavirus this is one trend which will not be reversed. Workers who are savvy enough & technologically enabled to work remotely will continue to seek out opportunities which offer this option making its reversal impossible. Declining revenue from City Real Estate will instigate a decline in Inner City Property prices & a mass migration to the suburbs. The London property bubble is well and truly ‘popped’
eCommerce market share will continue to increase; if the High Street is not dead it’s on its last legs & is wobbling badly. This will drive eCommerce logistics where same day delivery becomes the norm.
ReCommerce sustainability will drive a mass market of re-use & hiring of products for the short term rather than as a one off purchase.This will also impact the automotive market.
Cloud storage of data will continue & there will be an even greater emphasis on the customer.
In Automotive, the current trends of increasing electrification & automation will drive a decrease in car ownership in the Western world of around 25%. As new Generation-Z drivers familiar with the cultural trends of shared ownership & reduced carbon footprint migrate away from individual ownership where cars currently spend 95% of their time sat in a parking lot. China will continue to grow driving local manufacturing capacity.
Brexit will give UK Auto companies the excuse they are looking for to slash car lines, reduce factory real estate & reduce headcount.

Chris Robinson BSc

www.amberhillassociates.com

IR35 Precipice approaches #IR35, #contractors, #tax

Posted on July 3, 2020 by admin

Recent Government legislation means that from April 2021 Medium to Large private sector companies will assume responsibility for determining how the contractors they engage with will be taxed.

The definition of a ‘Medium to Large company’ is one which meets 2 or more of the following criteria:-

Annual Turnover > £ 10.5 Million
Balance Sheet > £ 5.1 Million
More than 50 employees

So lets’ take a step back – what is IR35 ?

HMRC applies certain criteria to determine whether a contractor is within or without IR35

Within IR35 means the contractor pays tax & National Insurance contributions as if they are directly employed by the client – This is deemed to be the case if the client decides working hours, start & finish times, promises work in return for payment, depends on that individual doing the work etc etc

Outside IR35 means the contractor pays their own tax & National Insurance normally by the use of a Limited Company & is deemed to be outside IR35 because payment is on a project basis, no work is guaranteed by the client, work can be done by a ‘substitute’, hours & start & finish times are not fixed etc etc

The main change is this:-

Currently IR35 status is determined by the Contractors Limited Company – from April 2021 this will be the legal responsibility of the client.

The full consequences are yet to become apparent but some organizations have already decided to apply a sweeping classification of all contractors as being within IR35.

Following on from Covid-19 & Brexix we have to challenge if this is the best approach to meet the needs of a dynamic & flexible economy.

chris@amberhill.biz

www.amberhillassociates.com

Time for a #Change ?….

Posted on March 26, 2019 by admin

Regardless of one’s political views it is easy to see the current mire of Brexit is a classic example of how not to manage change.

By failing at every level the process has become stuck in the mud regardless of whether you were a remainer or an ardent Brexiteer; confusion reigns supreme & it is difficult to see a way out of the mess without seriously ‘cheesing off’ large portions of the population.

According to John Kotter, a Professor at Harvard Business School there are 8

key steps to change:-

Create Urgency: There needs to be a compelling case for change, and it’s up to the project leader to explain that reason clearly so people understand and are inspired to change.
Form a Powerful Coalition: One person cannot shoulder the change themselves. It requires a team, so it’s important to collect the key people to help enable that change.
Create a Vision for the Change: Make it short, clear, relevant and easy to understand by the people who are going to be affected by the change.
Communicate the Vision: Communicate the change, but don’t just talk the talk. Walk the walk of the change and have it reflected throughout the project.
Remove Obstacles: As you work towards implementing change, you will hit both physical and emotional obstacles, so you and the team need to help people overcome these blocks by listening to their concerns and seeking their feedback.
Create Short-Term Wins: By demonstrating the benefits of the change early in the process you’re more likely to get buy-in and expedite the process overall.
Build on the Change: Don’t think you’re done too early in the process. Instead, repeat the above steps for awhile and let the change settle in.
Anchor the Change: Finally, make sure the change sticks by embedding it in the organizational procedures, operating models and people’s day-to-day work

So applying these key steps to Brexit:-

1) Create Urgency – why did Brexit have to be triggered so soon after the Referendum & without a clear definition of what the destination was. Given the current debate about what Brexit actually means this was never spelt out clearly or defined to a fine enough detail.

2) Form a Powerful coalition – This clearly did not happen. Theresa May is undoubtedly a Politician of fierce determination but lacks the ability to reach out & form alliances even in her own party. She has been thwarted at every turn because she never had the character to reach out to others across the political divide & form a consensus on what Brexit was & how to achieve it.

3) Create a vision for the change – it is still a matter of conjecture whether Brexit involves a customs union, agreed access to the common market, etc etc – ask 10 different people what Brexit is & you get 11 different answers.

4) Communicate the Vision – ‘Nuff said.

5) Remove Obstacles – it seems as if the longer the process staggers on the more obstacles are thrown in its way. This is a direct result of not having a clearly defined end goal & strategy.

6) Create short term wins – difficult to see any evidence of this.

7) Build on Change – yet to see this achieved.

8) Anchor the change – Ditto.

It is incredulous to believe that a major western Democratic Government has embarked on a Change of this magnitude without adopting the very basis tenets of Change Management.

chris@amberhill.biz

www.amberhill-associates.com

10 tips for getting the best out of your supplier…………………..#pmot

Posted on October 1, 2014 by admin

Getting the most out of your supplier is a key deliverable as a project manager.

Build personal relationships by getting to know your suppliers key people – this must be done face to face.
Hold regular reviews and distribute minutes, some of these reviews should be at the suppliers site.
If you have a problem pick up the phone & call your prime contact.
Avoid pithy emails which embarass or cause unnecessary distress.
Spell out Requirements in an approriate document signed by purchasing & supplying organisations.
Ensure the supplier follows a standard Quotation process.
Document key responsibilities in a legally reviewed contract.
Ensure the supplier receives timely orders & payment within terms.
Give them regular forecasts of requirements.
Be open, honest & direct.

Follow the above tips & you won’t go far wrong with Suppliers.

chris@amberhill.biz

www.amberhill.biz

Projectsguru.co.uk

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Start your own Consultancy from scratch – practical tips

Posted on March 20, 2013 by admin

So you really want to start your own Consultancy business from scratch !?

Here are some tips I hope will help:-

Identify your key skills – if you want to sell yourself as a Consultant the first thing you need to identify is the skills you possess which people will be willing to pay for. If you can’t do this don’t give up your day job.
Develop a Business Plan – don’t put it off because you can’t be bothered or don’t think it’s necessary. If you want people to take you seriously as a Business you need to start thinking like a Business.
Identify your target market – who are you going to sell your skills to ? – your current or former employer perhaps ? Former customers or suppliers, ex colleagues, business partners etc etc
Network – Develop your contacts, LinkedIn is great for this but don’t forget about your address book & business card collection.
Have a look at the Professional Contractors Group website www.pcg.org.uk – it has a fantastic free downloadable guide for freelancers/consultants.
If you still want to take the plunge this is perhaps the hardest step of all – You will need a MINIMUM of 6 months income in the bank before you start. Do not plan to earn anything from your Consultancy business for the first six months. If you really want to succeed with your own Consultancy business you will find this money. If you see this as too big a hurdle then sorry but Consultancy is not for you.

Look out for my new book “Start your own Consultancy – Now!”

chris@projectsguru.co.uk

www.projectsguru.co.uk

Projectsguru.co.uk

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Why not start your own consultancy ?

Posted on March 19, 2013 by admin

As Chairman Mao famously said “we live in interesting times”.

Millions of people live in daily dread of redundancy, working longer & longer hours to appease the boss in an effort to avoid the dreaded 90 days notice interview and ultimate dismissal. I know, I’ve been there once or twice myself and it sucks!

However, there is an alternative, and that redundancy payment can provide a great springboard to a new successful and rewarding career.

Any professional person with a skill to sell can start their own consultancy business but it does need a set of personal attributes which not everyone has:-

Persistence – you will need this in abundance to generate leads and pursue opportunities.
Flexibility – are you willing to travel or work away from home.
Pick up things quickly – can you hit the ground running & “add value” from the start of any assignment.
Positive Outlook – do you let things grind you down or do you react by seeking solutions to problems.
Uncertainty – can you live with not knowing what you will be doing in 3 months ?
Outgoing personality – if you can get on with people from different backgrounds & talk to the cleaner as well as the CEO you will do well, if you are a shrinking violet who prefers staring at a computer screen all day you will fail.
Embrace Change – if you love ding different things in different places you will thrive. If you prefer the routine then consultancy is not for you.

For more practical advice on starting your own consultancy look out for my next post.

Extracts from my future book ” Start your own Consultancy….now!”

chris@projectsguru.co.uk

www.projectsguru.co.uk

Projectsguru.co.uk

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Who needs a #business plan ?

Posted on February 20, 2013 by admin

Every Business needs a Business Plan.

It is commonly recognized that 4 out of 5 new start ups fail in the first 12 months and a key reason for this is a lack of a proper Business Plan. Your Business Plan is not just used to gain financial support (although this is obviously a key reason) but to act as a “roadmap” for the Business by which progress can be measured and tracked.

If you are starting a new business a comprehensive Business Plan is essential. If you want help with your Business Planning get in touch for a free consultation.
chris@projectsguru.co.uk

www.projectsguru.co.uk

Projectsguru.co.uk

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Buy British because it’s British ? #business

Posted on January 15, 2013 by admin

There has been some debate in the Media recently about buying British products as a way of reducing the impact of the recession & preserving British jobs; so is this a good idea ?

We live in a Capitalist society (whether we like that or not) based on competition. The consumer has a free choice of which products to buy or not to buy & we tend to seek good value for money, regardless of origin. As a consequence we are pretty good at identifying products which deliver most “bang for the buck”.

In the 1970’s most of our Electronic products originated in Japan. Some people complained this wasn’t fair to British manufacturers but consumers continued to buy Japanese products because they were better quality and hence better value for money.

Now most of our electronic products are manufactured in China or Korea & people buy them because they are cheaper & better quality than their Japanese counterparts.

Jaguar Land Rover has been in the News recently because sales are up over 30% compared to last year, is this because these products are manufactured in Britain or because they are of exceptional quality and, though expensive, represent good value for money.

Over time products evolve and the companies which make them either grow – & their shareholders get richer or, if their products deteriorate the company shrinks, the shareholders lose money & eventually the company is bust.

So, in the long run, is the best way to preserve British jobs to buy inferior goods just because they are British or to buy the best value products whatever their origin & ensure quality increases & the fittest survive ?

chris@projectsguru.co.uk

www.projectsguru.co.uk

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Diamond geezer #business

Posted on July 3, 2012 by admin

The news today that Barclays CEO Bob Diamond has resigned has been greeted in many areas with unbridled euphoria. Those who blame “greedy bankers” for the current crisis are rubbing their hands in glee.

They may, however, be missing the point. All the talk about a culture of greed and lax morals is no more than politicians & moralist’s hot air.

If you put the kids in charge of the sweet shop then pull the blinds down and let them get on with it it’s not much of a surprise when you return much later all the sweets are gone & the shop is in disarray.

The current legislative framework is a result of persistent deregulation since the early 1980’s presided over by Labour & Tory and is the root cause of the Banking Crisis.

The system is broken & needs to be fixed.

chris@projectsguru.co.uk

www.projectsguru.co.uk