NMBS
WCOBM Bursary
NMBS is playing its part in promoting training and skills development across the merchant industry by supporting the Worshipful Company of Builders’ Merchants’ Bursary scheme. The WCOBM provides bursaries of up to £2,000 per person to help young people in the industry with training, development and skills training. Working in partnership with the Rainy Day Trust, WCOBM bursaries can be used towards any course that is directly related to any work carried out at a builders’ merchant, or with a supplier to builders’ merchants.
The scheme is part of the WCOBM’s wider #BuildACareerWithoutLimits campaign, which aims to promote the construction industry to young people as the potential source of an exciting, varied career where they can develop new skills and qualifications.
NMBS is sending promotional flyers advertising the bursaries to all its members, as well as email communications reminding them of the options available for younger members of their team who may be looking to grow their skills.
Andy Hextall, NMBS Commercial Director, said: “Everyone in the merchant industry knows how important it is that we promote ourselves to young people, and that we offer those just starting out in their careers every possible opportunity for development. The bursary offered by the WCOBM and the Rainy Day Trust is a fantastic scheme that can make a real difference across the sector, and NMBS is delighted to support and promote it in any way we can.”
CMDi + eCommonSense
E-Merchant Accelerator
CMDi, the strategic brand and marketing agency, has partnered with builders’ merchant website specialists eCommonSenseto develop E-Merchant Accelerator — described as “a cost-effective digital change programme designed specifically for merchants to accelerate their digital marketing and future-proof their business”.
“Traditional builders’ merchants aren’t built to last,”says CMDi’s Managing Director, Dianne Lucas. “Today’s digital-savvy buyers demand the convenience online services bring — if merchants aren’t e-relevant they risk becoming irrelevant. E-Merchant Accelerator is the only solution in the market proven to accelerate their switch to digital trading and marketing.”
E-Merchant Accelerator is said to make it easy for builders’ merchants to make the switch by integrating two essential and complementary services: the eCommonSense eCommerce trading platform, and CMDi’s “proven e-merchant marketing strategy” to maximise investment in the platform.
The combination is said to enable merchants of any size to transform their business quickly and confidently. And because the programme is modular, it’s designed to suit their immediate digital stage-of-life requirements and budget precisely.
Andy Scothern, eCommonSense MD, said: “Whatever stage of digital transformation a merchant business may be at, E-Merchant Accelerator will get you there faster.”
www.cmdi.co.uk/services/e-merchant-accelerator
RNF
Beam Commerce Platform
MacDonald Plumbing & Heating Supplies has become the first business to take advantage of digital specialist RNF’s partnership with Sharp-aX Computer Systems. The partnership means any merchant stockist using Sharp-aX ERP System can seamlessly integrate with RNF’s Beam Commerce Platform, enabling them to offer customers 24/7 online ordering via a multi-platform app that works across desktops, tablets and mobiles.
As part of the deal, the Aberdeenshire-based independent plumbers’ merchant will also have access to RNF’s Beam customer engagement platform, giving it the ability to send out push notification campaigns to app users — a technique said to be proven to “boost basket size” — and sell advertising space within the app.
The merchant’s Paul MacDonald said: “We’ve been looking at how to maximise the digital opportunity for a while but bespoke app development was out of our reach. Mobile ordering has become essential for plumbers and heating engineers who are on-site and need to get parts ordered ‘now’. We’re really excited to see the difference our improved customer service will make to our business.”
With a leading position in the wholesale food and drink sector, RNF MD Rob Mannion said: “As one of the fastest-growing channels in wholesale, digital is a crucial space for merchants looking to develop their offer for customers and make their service more accessible. The Sharp-aX partnership means anyone using their ERP system can integrate seamlessly with our digital offer, driving sales and encouraging greater customer loyalty.”
https://rnfdigital.com/wholesale-ordering-app/
defibshop.co.uk
Defibrillators at Selco
Selco has demonstrated its commitment to customer and staff welfare by installing dozens of new defibrillators across its entire business. All 67 branches, as well as the Support Centre in Wythall near Birmingham and the new Edmonton delivery hub, will be fitted with a defibrillator in the run-up to Christmas.
In the UK, there are around 30,000 out-of-hospital sudden cardiac arrests and more than 90% of those people will die without immediate treatment. However, survival chances increase significantly if a shock is delivered within three to five minutes of collapse.
Howard Luft, the merchant’s Chief Executive, said: “All the statistics suggest that being able to administer effective treatment quickly can be the difference between life and death. It is imperative that the business made this investment and, even if we save one life over time, it is money very well spent.”
Selco purchased the equipment from defibshop.co.uk. Kerry Fairhurst, Marketing Manager, said: “We applaud the measures Selco have taken and we encourage other businesses to follow suit. Research shows that more than 52% of businesses have never considered purchasing a defib which is alarming because many of those will be customer-facing. Selco has been very proactive in its approach and the business is certainly well-prepared should any incidents happen in branches or their headquarters in the future.”
Jacksons Fencing
Securi-Mesh A1
The security solutions manufacturer has expanded its range of certified products with Securi-Mesh A1. The new product is a 358 mesh, commonly referred to as prison mesh, designed for applications that specifically demand robust and reliable security. Its small apertures and welds at each intersection make it climb resistant, prevent objects being passed through and provide effective defence against conventional hand cutting tools.
The addition of security rated Securi-Mesh to the company’s range is a response to the increasing diversity of modern-day threats, and will give specifiers more options to adapt security architecture to the situation.
The product’s launch also represents a number of milestones. It is the 16th Jacksons Fencing product to be certified by the Loss Prevention Certification Board (LPCB) and launches in tandem with LPCB’s new LPS 1175: Issue 8 classification system. Under Issue 8, Securi-Mesh’s SR1 rating is now classified as ‘A1’ which means it will reliably endure an attack time of one minute with tools such as engineer hooks, glass cutters, pliers and punches.
Suitable for light to medium security applications, the barrier provides clear visibility making it easier for occupants or CCTV to spot potential attackers.
https://www.jacksons-security.co.uk/commercial-property.aspx
Specops Software
Cyber Security
The frequency and severity of cyber-attacks/breaches has damningly increased over the last few years across a whole host of industry sectors — just last month, the Labour Party was targeted by hackers who deployed two large-scale cyber-attacks across the political party’s digital platforms — and this year alone, according to statistics from insurance provider Hiscox, some 55% of UK firms have faced a cyber-attack with losses from breaches amounting to £176,000 on average.
Darren James, a Cyber Security Expert from Specops Software, commented: “As cyber-attacks/breaches become more frequent and complex, cyber-security has to be a high priority for firms. Otherwise they face the huge risk of leaving their website and digital communication platforms exposed to devastating cyber-attacks/breaches.
“So key decision makers need to carefully understand and manage their online eco-system to ensure it consistently has the adequate defenses in place to protect against varying cyber threats. In addition to this, education as well as governance on cyber security for employees can play an essential role in protecting critical functions from being targeted or compromised.”
The company has outlined three top tips for maintaining high cyber security standards:
- Review IT Estate — Carry out a regular assessment of IT systems to identify any vulnerabilities that maybe targeted and exposed by opportunistic cyber-criminals.
- Education and Governance — Create a formal document which establishes the firm’s best practices and policies on cyber security. Within this, give employees clear guidance on what they can and cannot do on the company’s IT devices/systems/networks.
- Safeguard and Protect — Keep anti-virus software up-to-date, apply the latest security patches and periodically change passwords across IT estate.
MHR
Payroll system
Elliott Brothers reports that it is undertaking a digital transformation of its HR and payroll processes in partnership with industry experts MHR to support its future growth. The family owned Hampshire-based business, established over 175 years ago, has invested in MHR’s cloud-based HR and payroll solution iTrent as part of a project to replace outdated manual systems with new digital processes, supported by a fully managed payroll service.
The new system, which goes live in February next year, will centralise the company’s core people processes in a single integrated system, enabling Elliotts to simplify the management of its 320 employees located across 13 branches, with all tasks administered from a single source.
Significant time and cost savings are expected to be achieved through a more streamlined payroll process, with employees able to submit their timesheets via a dedicated self-service portal to their managers.
Elliotts will also adopt MHR’s HR chatbot — a virtual assistant which will empower employees to gain answers to common HR queries, make holiday requests, submit expenses, view payslips and update personal information from their smartphones.
Mates in Mind
Mental health
Following the release of the Health and Safety Executive’s (HSE) annual figures for Great Britain, Mates in Mind is urging employers to ensure that they are investing in their people rather than paying lip service to addressing mental health. This comes as the HSE reports the number of cases of work-related stress, depression or anxiety (new or longstanding) in 2018/19 has remained at 600,000 cases — the same as reported for 2017/18.
The HSE reports that in 2018/19 stress, depression or anxiety accounted for 44% of all work-related ill health cases and 54% of all working days lost due to ill health. It goes on to highlight that the total number of working days lost due to this over the period was 12.8 million days, equating to an average of 21.2 days lost per case.
James Rudoni, MD of Mates in Mind, said: “This further reinforces the importance of our charity’s aims to drive change across UK workplaces and immediately support employers to improve the mental health of their workforces. It is evident, acknowledging the rates of lost working days, that the sustainability and productivity of our businesses are being impacted by mental ill-health.
“However, in addition to highlighting the worrying business cost that poor mental health is having, we must acknowledge that the human cost of these trends cannot be ignored either. The numbers presented in HSE’s report are not simply cases, but people (and) we urge employers to invest in the health of their organisations by prioritising the mental health of their most vulnerable and most valuable asset — their people.”
James added: “We know that many employers wish they could do more, but are worried and don’t know where to start. Mates in Mind can help. We are proud to be supporting over 300 organisations across the UK and offer a unique ‘whole organisation’ approach to developing the skills, clarity and confidence to raise awareness, improve understanding and address the stigma that surrounds workplace mental health.”
