< Previous30 East Midlands Business Link www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk PRODUCTIVITY AND EFFICIENCY IN MANUFACTURING restrictions that came with it, including lockdown and social distancing, businesses have found themselves facing many issues. While keeping workers safe was and still is a priority, essential industries still needed to function in order to provide people with goods. Following these times, the value of automated technologies has become very promising as it allows businesses to fully function without the need of human workers, and hence without putting workers at risk of catching the virus, while still increasing their productivity. Automation can and does improve a production line’s safety. With tougher, most challenging and dangerous tasks left in the hands of machines, there is a significantly smaller chance of incidents occurring. Hence, while human labour is kept safe, businesses do not run the risk of losing labour, or facing lawsuits that could potentially cost them a substantial amount of money. Despite the efficiency, there always is a little disadvantage to it that keeps businesses from investing completely in automation, which is the fear these technologies will take over. In a way, it is inevitable machines will replace humans. The benefits significantly outweigh the costs and automation allows companies to work more proficiently and productively without altering, and actually improving, their operations. For example, one robot can easily substitute 2 to 3 workers, and it can work in complete safety without any light or heat, and it does not need breaks and time off. This allows companies to reduce their manufacturing times and costs while increasing their efficiency. The potential of technologies like AI and robotics is incredible and impressive, and there is no doubt they will substitute humans at some point in the future, which creates an ethical dilemma for some. People argue that it would be wrong to replace human workforce with machines, as it would take jobs away from people, especially less well-educated individuals and it would create more inequality. However, it is also arguable that as research and technologies are constantly evolving and improving, society should adapt to those improvements and change with them, utilise them to its own benefit and improve the quality of our lives. While it is inevitable machines and robots will replace humans in manufacturing, this will also mean that people will not be required to perform dangerous or hazardous tasks that can have a serious impact on a person’s health and life. And if employment rates for manual labour will decrease, there will also be a higher demand for different and new jobs; as much as machines are automated and can take over tasks performed by humans, they cannot fully function without humans as 28-31.qxp_Layout 1 10/01/2022 08:45 Page 3www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk East Midlands Business Link 31 PRODUCTIVITY AND EFFICIENCY IN MANUFACTURING Cool winter air can deliver up to 80% cost savings on free cooling solutions With energy costs rising and increasing pressure on companies to reduce their carbon footprint, businesses are being challenged to increase manufacturing efficiency, whilst reducing energy consumption and operating costs. With the onset of winter introducing cooler outside air temperatures, free coolers offer an enhancement to air-cooled chillers. Using fresh air to provide partial or 100% free cooling, they offer a far more energy efficient and cost-effective way to provide chilled fluid to manufacturing processes. When ambient air temperatures are low enough, a free cooler starts to dissipate the system heat, allowing the chiller to reduce its power consumption. Free coolers reduce the annual total system energy consumption, enabling the savings made to be reinvested elsewhere into the business. Richard Metcalfe, director for temperature control and humidity experts, Newsome, explains: “Free Cooling is a fast and effective way to reduce your energy costs and carbon footprint on refrigerated, process water cooling applications. Depending on the external air temperatures and the temperature you want to achieve, chillers can typically be partially or fully offloaded for up to 90% of the year.” The ROI for implementing a Free Cooler in a traditional chiller system is truly impressive, depending on location, some companies could have a payback period of as little as 12 months. The system not only reduces the energy consumption and contributes to a greener profile for companies – but can also extend the chiller lifespan. Traditionally, free cooling systems are generally only available to purchase. However, for a limited period, Newsome is offering companies the opportunity to rent a free cooling system to allow them to evaluate the potential cost savings available, before investing in a solution that is fully tailored to meet their individual business requirements. For more information Email: enquiries@newsome.ltd.uk Call: 01422 371711 Visit: www.newsome.ltd.uk they need maintenance and managing. The increased use of machines in businesses will lead to the creation of new jobs, like maintenance, scheduling and process optimisation, system analysis and programming. Human workers will be required to learn new skills and be technologically proficient in order to evolve and adapt with the new automated work environments. It should be up to governments, businesses, companies, trade unions, and educational providers to regulate the transition to automated processes runs smoothly and make sure people get the help they need to adapt to the new production lines. With technologies getting more advanced and sophisticated by the minute, it is the businesses’ responsibility to understand the risks of transforming their work environments into automated ones, how that will affect their workers, and create new opportunities for their workforce. Automation is the future of manufacturing and there is no doubt soon most if not all companies will be moving towards fully automated production lines. The efficiency of these technologies will bring businesses to new and improved quality standards, and although it is true they might not have that unique human touch, it is also true the advancement of these technologies is inevitable and in the long run it will lead to extraordinary results. © /stock.adobe.com/ipopba 28-31.qxp_Layout 1 10/01/2022 08:45 Page 4As we enter into the shiny brand-new year of 2022, we firstly ask ourselves collectively: “Where on earth have the past two years gone?” Secondly, we start to think if we haven’t already about the year that lies ahead, pondering what is in store for us and for indeed mankind (if we want to get that deep about the pandemic). As a rule, new years promote new beginnings, the chance to start again in whichever form that takes for you. It may be the motivation you need to start that business you’ve been deliberating over for the past few years, change careers, start a family or a million other things that relate to YOU personally. ‘The new year, new me’ phrase has become a global phenomenon across social media in recent years, with people from all walks of life announcing their goals into the cloud in a bid to keep themselves accountable; you’ve said it out loud, so you must do it now – right? There is something to be said for sharing your goals with others, not least because it does indeed keep you accountable, but also hearing yourself say what you want to achieve out loud is quite a powerful thing – a commitment to yourself and those around you. What I would say given the past two years of upheaval and change however is to be kind to yourself when it comes to goal setting. I am not saying abolish any goals you have for By Fiona Duncan-Steer, founder of RSViP Business Networking Agency 32 East Midlands Business Link www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk NETWORKING New year, new goals… Fiona Duncan-Steer, RSViP www.rsvipnetwork.co.uk • www.fionaduncansteer.com or is it? fear of not meeting them, but be aware of the fact that right now it is just as acceptable to be still in operation if you are a business, to be moving forward in the right direction through taking small steps each day as both a business person and as a human being and if some days you don’t take any steps at all, that is still okay. By all means set those incredible goals by identifying what it is you actually want, after all that is basically what the end goal is – it is a result and with that comes a sense of achievement and a whole host of other positive stuff, but make that goal within reach, a challenge yes, attainable yes, but without impacting your mental health by adding unnecessary pressure to an already potentially stressful umbrella of negativity raining down from all directions in the form of this ever ongoing pandemic, change of government rulings and restrictions. The trick here is to ‘be self-aware’. Self- awareness is the key to happiness in a lot of ways and the queue jumper to becoming a better person overall, which in turn will present greater possibilities and opportunities through growth. The growth that will ultimately help you smash your goals without even realising you have! As the clock chimes midnight on 1 January 2022, ask yourself, how do I want to show up this year? 32-33.qxp_Layout 1 10/01/2022 08:46 Page 132-33.qxp_Layout 1 10/01/2022 08:46 Page 234 East Midlands Business Link www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk IT AND COMMUNICATIONS Competitive edge Competitive edge 34-37.qxp_Layout 1 10/01/2022 08:48 Page 1www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk East Midlands Business Link 35 IT AND COMMUNICATIONS Despite the removal of financial aids introduced to ease the burden of COVID-19, many businesses are still struggling. Whether that’s down to a loss of clients and customers during the last two years, or because they’re still trying to cover losses accrued during successive lockdowns, it’s no exaggeration to say that businesses are keen to cut costs. There’s a myriad of ways to reduce overheads – from making redundancies, moving to smaller premises, and outsourcing certain duties – yet one area that’s often overlooked is a company’s IT and telecoms systems. As an area where major cost savings can be had, as well as gains in security and efficiency, businesses ignore it at their own peril. Arguably the main reason why companies don’t upgrade their IT and telecoms systems is under the pretence of saving money. Not only are they allowing themselves to be beset by constant connectivity issues but, ironically, by not upgrading they risk letting costs rise as much as fifty per cent. Prices skyrocket when a company is breached by hackers, ransomware, or any other kind of malware which becomes almost an inevitability when using legacy IT. When computers reach a certain age, they become incompatible with system and security updates and fixes, making them functionally obsolete and vulnerable to data breaches. Businesses with old, out of date software are more than twice as likely to suffer a data breach. There’s no two ways around it, good cybersecurity needs to be paid for, yet it will be cheaper than the financial fallout of a ransomware attack. However, there are ways to minimise the costs of cybersecurity. It’s critical not to wait until a cyberattack. Book a consultation with a trusted, reputable provider to understand your business’s needs and what levels of protection it requires. Any company that uses a smartphone or computer is vulnerable to attacks, but different levels of protection will be required for different companies. A builder’s merchant that uses a few computers for sales and inventory won’t need the same levels of protection as, say, a digital marketing firm. As we’ve already touched on, there are understandable reasons why a company would choose not to invest in modern IT and telecoms technology. Another reason is a fear of not being able to use new systems. As business becomes increasingly digital, staying relevant, being able to connect with clients and customers more easily, and gaining a competitive edge in an increasingly crowded marketplace means moving with the times and embracing digital transformation. A McKinsey Global Survey of executives found that their companies have accelerated the digitisation of their customer and supply-chain interactions and of their internal operations by three to four years in the wake of the pandemic. As for the fear of not being able to understand and operate modern technologies – everybody can be taught new skills. Often, when these systems are installed, their use will be demonstrated, while training sessions can be booked for the whole team to take part in. With any transformational action undertaken within a business – be that organisational, management or cultural – digital transformation first needs to be defined. Digital won’t mean the same for every company and nor should it. For some, this kind of transformation will simply mean going paperless, to others it will mean utilising big data, while for others it will be about deploying augmented reality or linking up the factory floor with the Internet of Things (IoT). Certain issues, like cybersecurity, should be inherent, but defining your organisation and its digital aims is going to be a critical first step. Does your company want to streamline in-house operations and processes, automate ordering and inventory, create online sales portals, © stock.adobe.com/Photocreo Bednarek From robust cybersecurity measures to efficiency gains, East Midlands Business Link explores the many benefits of updating IT and telecoms systems. 36 Á 34-37.qxp_Layout 1 10/01/2022 08:48 Page 236 East Midlands Business Link www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk IT AND COMMUNICATIONS introduce 24/7 customer service provisions etc. Over the last two years, businesses have demonstrated their ability to quickly adapt to supply chain disruptions, radical declines in stock and inventory, and changing customer expectations. It’s no exaggeration to say that it’s been a trial by fire and, sadly, many businesses were forced to cease trading and admit defeat. The financial damage wrought by the pandemic will continue for years to come, so doubtless we’ve not seen the last corporate casualties. Nevertheless, for those that have survived, the burden has been eased by utilising IT and telecoms. In some cases, the pandemic was the first instance of companies embracing digital – whether that was launching websites, or, as staff were forced to work from home, utilising remote desktop and video conferencing technologies. Other examples of digital transformation since the pandemic include furthering the reach of customer support with the use of tools like chatbots, which take the pressure off customer service helplines and free up staff for other tasks, and increasing migration of assets in the cloud, among other things. Our region continues to enjoy roll out of full fibre broadband, which is proving especially advantageous for regional areas where businesses have historically suffered with patchy, unreliable internet, but without businesses also investing in digital technology, modern IT equipment and robust cybersecurity measures, they’re not going to fully benefit from the nation’s ever increasing internet infrastructure. Despite the emphasis on computers and mobile devices thus far in this article, companies can’t afford to shirk their telecoms systems. Integrated Service Digital Network (ISDN) was formally standardised in 1988 and, more than 34-37.qxp_Layout 1 10/01/2022 08:48 Page 3www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk East Midlands Business Link 37 IT AND COMMUNICATIONS thirty years later, there are still more than one million businesses with an ISDN connection in the UK. This despite the fact that, back in 2017, BT announced that it was switching off its ISDN and PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network) in 2025 in favour of internet protocol (IP) voice services. Businesses that want to stay ahead of the curve and remain competitive will need to move towards these more modern telecoms systems. With that in mind, businesses will need out for Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) trunking which is one of the protocols you can use for Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) communications. Essentially, it’s similar to how HTTP functions with internet pages, and provides a way to convert voice signals into data that can be decoded by devices used by a caller. Switching to a modern telecom system has a myriad of benefits for businesses, including better customer service which, at a time when customer loyalty doesn’t hold the same sway it used to – will prove increasingly valuable in the months and years to come. Moreover, modern systems can lead to greater efficiencies and budget savings – for example, expensive businesses trips can be replaced by video conferencing – as well as greater collaboration and teamwork all round. On top of the efficiency and security gains afforded by digital communications technologies, they also offer more flexibility, letting businesses communicate better both internally and externally. Not enough is said on the important efficiency gains that can be made with effective, streamlined communications technologies. Not only does it empower businesses but helps to future proof them. At a time when economic uncertainty is rife, that’s incredibly valuable indeed. © stock.adobe.com/Gorodenkoff 34-37.qxp_Layout 1 10/01/2022 08:48 Page 438 East Midlands Business Link www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk PUBLIC RELATIONS Right, January’s here and admit it, you’ve already broken half your resolutions around your personal health - bread is sooo moreish though isn’t it? I forgive you. So, that means you’ve got room for another goal, or even a whole host of them, all designed to get your PR pumping in 2022. You see, as with anything worth doing or aiming for, we need targets or good old ‘goals’ if you prefer and crucially, we need to know where we are starting from. This should be the case with your PR efforts too. You may have a resolution to make a more strategic effort with your PR campaign or perhaps you want to started but honestly, never finished? Maybe time got the better of you or the moment passed? Perhaps you lacked a decent picture or couldn’t herd the cats into place before the news angle fizzled out? This happens a lot, don’t worry. You might measure how often your pictures got used, whether your quotes were included or check out how many brand mentions you managed to squeeze in. Many people like to consider the cost/value ratio of advertising v editorial. Essentially how much you ‘paid’ in editorial resource via an agency or in- Ooh, I do LOVE a January audit - let’s find out what the press thinks about you! By Greg Simpson, founder of Press for Attention PR and the PR and Communications Ambassador for the IoD in Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire rekindle a campaign that spluttered out a little last year? Perish the thought but maybe you didn’t do ANY PR in 2021 whatsoever. It has been known. As we all know, what gets measured gets managed. So, what might you measure with regards your PR efforts this year and against what benchmarks? You might look at how many stories you published and issued and how many got used. This is what we call your ‘hit- rate’. How well did you do? For some, the figures will be reassuringly high. I pride myself on a 100 percent hit rate for my clients but that’s my job and I will only release stories I know will get covered and make a difference for my client. You may have different pressures. What about the amount of stories you 38-39.qxp_Layout 1 10/01/2022 08:49 Page 1www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk East Midlands Business Link 39 PUBLIC RELATIONS house v how much that same space would cost if bought as an advert. I do not do this, it is pretty much taboo now in PR for various reasons I won’t bore you with but it might help as ONE metric to consider. Rather than this, I’d measure the tone of the coverage. Go for quality over quantity. Does it portray your business as you would wish? Also, was the coverage in the right place? You can compare all sorts of things and even compare versus your competitors but the key thing is to go for something you can measure fairly easily that makes a difference to you and preferably you can check quarterly. That way you can address problems or embrace opportunities in a far more timely and effective manner. Finally, do you know what your target media thinks about you? Do they know you? Do they know exactly what you do? Come to think of it, do you know them? Their deadlines? Subjects? Needs? That research is incredibly powerful and will all make a huge difference if you’re planning on getting to grips with PR in the new year. Here’s to audits! A former business journalist, Greg Simpson is the author of The Small Business Guide to PR and has been recognised as one of the UK’s top 5 PR consultants, having set up Press for Attention PR in 2008. He has worked for FTSE 100 firms, charities and start-ups and conducted press conferences with Sir Richard Branson and James Caan. His background ensures a deep understanding of every facet of a successful PR campaign – from a journalist’s, client’s, and consultant’s perspective. 38-39.qxp_Layout 1 10/01/2022 08:49 Page 2Next >