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Whether you’re a small, medium or large sized business, you’ll have a number of operating costs to account for throughout the financial year. Most of these will be fixed costs, whilst others you’ll be able to alter to an extent. There are many different steps that businesses can take to reduce their expenditure, however some of these will have a knock-on effect on areas such as output and customer service. One of the best ways to cut costs is by becoming more energy efficient.

There are a number of different steps you can take to reduce your commercial energy bills, however, one of the smartest ways is to compare business electricity prices with Utility Saving Expert. Using their free online comparison tool, it’s quick and easy to compare quotes from leading suppliers within minutes. In this guide we’ll be exploring a variety of ways your business can reduce its energy usage and potentially save thousands of pounds each year.

Conduct a business electricity audit

Carrying out an energy audit is a really helpful way to understand how your company makes use of gas and electricity. These audits will give you an insight into how much energy each area of the business is utilising. The purpose of this is to pinpoint what measures must be taken to improve energy efficiency on your premises. Carrying this out annually will help you review your progress and make any changes that are necessary.

Purchase energy efficient equipment

When you’re ordering new electrical equipment through your office supplier, look for equipment with a higher energy star rating, this will indicate how efficient it is.

Power down your equipment and lights

All employees should be powering down any equipment and ensuring the lights are turned off before leaving the workplace. Unless of course, having these running is fundamental to your business operation. Primarily, anything that is not in use should be turned off. You could ask your employees to power down computers once their shift has ended, this also applies to monitors and printers too. Don’t forget kitchen equipment such as coffee machines and microwaves.

Although a very simple step, remember that devices that haven’t been turned off still consume electricity. Some office equipment will come with built in standby features that can drastically reduce power usage. The larger your business is, the more effective this strategy will be because of the combined total amount of electricity you can save.

A regular AC service is a way to help ensure you don’t have to deal with the not-so-great weather we have been having!  AC systems can be very expensive to repair and it is best to keep them running smoothly and efficiently.  Fujitsu Air conditioning offer a wide variety of service for your AC needs, including repair, maintenance, and servicing.  Whether you need a repair, maintenance, or servicing, a Fujitsu Air con service is a good way to ensure your AC is running how it should be. When the weather heats up, you need to make sure you have working air conditioning to keep your house’s temperature in check. But, if the system breaks down, you can’t just do nothing. Finding the right expert to help you out is the key.

Take advantage of natural sunlight

Before you turn the lights on, see how much natural light is available by opening blinds and curtains. Natural daylight can have a tremendous impact on the office environment. Aside from helping you lower your electricity bills; your workers will appreciate the positive effects on their overall health and wellbeing. While you’re at it, why not try to locate areas in the office that have too many artificial lights and see if you can lower this amount.

Install energy efficient lighting

Installing compact fluorescent light (CFL) and light-emitting diode (LED) bulbs can reduce your business’ electricity usage immediately. Through the audit carried out earlier, try to find as many old and inefficient lights in your office and replace them with modern energy efficient alternatives. Lights in an office environment are normally switched on for a minimum of 9 hours per day. This means that over a 12-month period, your business could save an enormous amount on commercial electricity by making the switch to an energy efficient solution. These modern lights are also rated to be long lasting, meaning they won’t need to be replaced as often.

Automation through sensors

Using motion detecting sensors and dimmers can help you also save money on business electricity. Essentially, these motion detectors will be able to sense when no one is present in a room or hallway and automatically dim the lights or turn them off completely. To use this smart technology in the most effective way, consider installing them in places that are not in constant use such as boardrooms and meeting spaces. Some sensors can measure the amount of light in a room and automatically adjust the brightness level too. Sensors aren’t just for light though; you can also install a smart thermostat that monitors and adjusts the room temperature.

Make the jump to renewable energy

Many business energy suppliers offer renewable energy tariffs that are competitive with traditional plans. Renewable energy, sometimes referred to as ‘green energy’ is energy that is sourced through solar, wind, hydro and tidal to name just a few. Making the switch can help your business reduce its overall carbon footprint and help in the ongoing fight against climate change.

Hopefully you’re able to reduce your business electricity costs by following some or all of these tips. Each and every one of these strategies can help you become more energy efficient, save money and take the necessary steps towards a more sustainable future.

Personalised workwear has become a common thing as more and more businesses realise that it can make their brands stand out from the crowd. Taking care of your staff is imperative in keeping the business running and making sure they are happy and comfortable working for you. The best personalised workwear has its advantages for both clients as well as employees and it is an investment that many companies around the world are taking advantage of.

Of course, for it to be effective, custom workwear has to be tailored to your business needs. It can offer positivity and consistency for your company and have a constructive effect on your brand as you grow. That being said, here are a few distinct advantages of bespoke workwear.

More Efficiency

Having your company’s logo and name on your clothing gives the staff a sense of responsibility. Wearing the business’ logo with pride is one thing, but it ideally implies more accountability, and thus, working in an efficient manner is a further by-product. Since there’s visual proof of the company that your employees work for, they will be less inclined to be seen slacking off in front of the customers.

More Visibility

Branded clothing like hospitality uniforms makes your staff clear to the clients. With the logo present on their workwear, your staff can be easily picked out by clients with ease. Being visible to clients is imperative when they have inquiries or want advice before choosing one of your products/services.

Brand Promotion

Another benefit of having your logo displayed on all staff clothing is making it easier for potential clients to notice and even get in touch. Potential clients will see your information wherever the staff is out and about and this makes it a form of free advertising. Your business’ name will become lodged in the minds of people out there in a subconscious manner and in time, you will be able to reap the benefits of more leads and business.

More Rapport

When employees wear custom workwear, it will be easier for them to build up a rapport as well as nurture relationships with other members of the team. There is a reason why many schools have uniforms. Wearing the firm’s logo as a part of a team substantially increases the affinity between team members and also subconsciously helps develop team player skills.

Easier to Contact

Apart from your logo, you can ideally choose to have your business phone number included in the workwear. This ideally works as a marketing tool and people out there can easily take and save your phone number on the go. Your potential clients will no longer need to search for your contact online as you will have made it particularly easy to reach.

Branded workwear is not something that every company needs, but there are numerous niches where it can make a world of a difference. Whether you want to promote your business while on the go or nurture better team relationships, branded workwear is certainly beneficial.

In today’s world of hyper-competitiveness what can the small or medium sized business do to make themselves more attractive to the consumer? they certainly cannot compete with the marketing budgets of larger companies.

One of the ways to do this is through word of mouth – and the best way to get that word of mouth marketing going is to have a highly visible market presence.

That might be more easily said than done. How does a company with a limited marketing budget get the word out that they have that market leading product or service?

One of the most cost-effective ways is display stands. They are easy to set up at events such as trade shows, or even inside the retail environment.

The materials used to construct the stands are almost infinite in variety and will suit the many company budgets. There are materials such as aluminum and various types of plastics that can allow for endless creativity as far as the finished display type is concerned.

The idea behind having a display stand is very simple – it provides the potential (and current) client with the opportunity to view physical products – and if designed correctly also allows those salespeople who are manning that display unit the opportunity to take a product and allow the potential client to interact with it. But it is not only the new business that is part of the attraction of a well-designed display stand – it is also existing clients.

Human psychology dictates that we are all programmed to require reinforcement. A well-designed display stand will entice not only those potential clients but also existing clients who want to have the reassurance that the company that they are doing business with has the reputation that they will by proxy enjoy. The fact of the matter is that if you have a great display stand then everyone wins. Your reputation is enhanced, your clients enjoy seeing that you have a position in the marketplace and potential new sales are made so much easier.

A great display stand is one of the marketing tools that even the most hard-nosed accountant or corporate adviser will not argue against. They represent excellent value for money and therefore a wonderful return on investment. They serve a two-fold purpose – which every accountant or financial person loves – they are a way for the company to showcase their expertise in an increasingly challenging market and they also allow for the company’s brand to be showcased. Both of these may be intangible assets – but as has been shown on balance sheets across the globe – they have enormous intrinsic value.

In short, investing in exhibition stands is good sense -it is one of those decisions that marketers dream of. It makes sense to management.it makes sense to the marketers themselves and it makes sense to current and potential future clients. It is one of those tools that really should not be ignored.