Paul Joseph

Read the latest article written by Jessica Winfield a Senior Assurance Consultant here at Acutest (Part of Trustmarque)👇

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COMPUTER WEEKLY: IR35 public sector reforms: HS2 finalises £6.2m settlement with HMRC over compliance failings Reporting by Caroline Donnelly at Computer Weekly. A complete waste of money. When HMRC investigates one of its own (other government bodies), then the Treasury loses money. HMRC created a non-mandatory "status radar gun" (i.e. CEST), made all the Gov bodies use it, who discovered it didn't work - and were then issued with tax bills, which, they can't then fight at appeals tribunal - because why would they. It's a complete farce. Private sector firms can learn a few things from this farce: 1. Do not use CEST. It's faulty and a trap. 2. Don't read anything into the fact so many were "caught" - HMRC have made the public sector pretty much blanket ban contractors, and didn't let them appeal. 3. Follow the statute and case law, and you will be ok. #ir35 #offpayroll

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Small Businesses have a big mission! Which will be made easier by technology. A government lead digital adoption plan would help the UK’s small businesses catch up with the investments made by their peers in the rest of the G7 #smallbusiness #digital #digitialadoption

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Is your team looking for detailed, qualified UK loan decline data feeds? We now offer comprehensive access to these feeds, providing all essential connected numbers and metrics. Our data is carefully sourced and qualified to give you the insights you need for a competitive edge. What’s Included? - Qualified criteria-based loan decline data - All connected numbers and pertinent information - Designed for precision-driven decisions and insights Get in touch at +91 7439445404 to learn more about how this data can optimize your strategic planning. Let’s turn data into actionable results! #LoanData #UKMarket #LoanDeclineFeeds #FinancialData #DecisionMaking

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Today sees the launch of ‘The Willow Review’ a new government back initiative chaired by the Minister for Small Business, Gareth Thomas MP, alonside Nick Stace OBE of Barclays and Michelle Ovens CBE of Small Business Britain. I’m really excited to be joining the steering board representing BT Group The review will highlight the financial benefits of sustainability for small businesses. Although SMEs account for around 50% of business-driven emissions, many hesitate to adopt sustainable practices due to cost concerns and uncertainty about financial gains. Running for six months, the initiative aims to show that sustainability can enhance profitability, innovation, and long-term growth. While only 24% of small businesses currently recognize these benefits, many are motivated by environmental values. I really looking forward to seeing where the review takes us and supporting small business to help lead the UK into a greener future :) #smallbusiness #sustainability Caribe Coffee Co

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The attempts to polarise flexible working is unhelpful. The problem is we have more opinion than data. It should be a decision that finds the optimum solution for both employee and employer and the way to that is through data. Which is why smart employers use Time and Attendance systems and the market is growing. MultiTime has the solutions you need, talk to them. #flexibleworking #productivity #workforcemanagement #hybrid

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So, the BT Group report was released yesterday, and it had some rather interesting insights. But the big stand out one for me is…. The big ole "Switch Off" formally gets pushed back till January 2027. And... Openreache's build rate currently sits at 78,000 new properties per WEEK! Add in the Altnet build to this and it’s fair to say the UK move to full fibre is building pace. News of the switch-off, has been and was always coming, the big positive is that the switch off is front and centre for everyone now… in both B2C and the B2B space…… There is a demand for growth specialist company to help drive potentially the biggest switch that will ever be done in the Broadband sector….. Want to know how Intelling can support in growing/servicing/ retaining your customer base please reach out….. it could be your competitive advantage…. #BPO #growth #switchoff #fullfibre Gareth Edwards Min Bonugli Sanya Ilyas

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It was an absolute joy to launch the BT Group & Small Business Britain ‘Small Business, Green Growth’ report at The Royal Society this morning with Michelle Ovens CBE and Bim Afolami MP. The report, produced in conjunction with Oxford Brookes Business School, shines a light on the challenges and opportunities small business owners face on their journey to becoming more sustainable. Crucially, the report shows that despite 80% of entrepreneurs wanting to reduce their emissions, a lack of leadership and access to finance is preventing them from slashing their carbon footprint. Our report calls for greater leadership and more transparency across the government and private sector, to help smaller business cut their emissions and help the nation achieve Net Zero by 2050. And to help with this, we are launching a new free, six week ‘Sustainability for Small Business’ training programme to empower small businesses to understand their environmental impact and implement more sustainable practices. You can view the newly launched report here: https://lnkd.in/eQPgau-M #sustainability #BTMeansBusiness #netzero Bas Burger BT Business

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An insightful testimonial on how we are transforming our customers with digital solutions. If you are using paperless forms let's have a conversation about how we can help you. Find out more about how we have been taking our customers on a digital journey including large construction companies, farms across Kent, hotels and car dealerships. https://lnkd.in/e_Eiqj6W #digitaltransformation #digital #paperlessforms #ilgforms #journey #digitaljourney Richard Groves Jo Wimble-Groves Ben Mortimer Dan Walter Pavel Helfer

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You gotta be kidding me! When will these disaster stories stop. There has got to be some accountability for organisations releasing poor quality software. We launched the The Quality Engineering Charter today to address these very issues. I promise we aint creating the problems! If you know you have underinvested in quality in the last 12 months, then reach out and we at Roq - Quality Engineering like no other - can do a healthcheck and help identify all your risk areas before your customers feel the pain. #oneplaceleftinleeds #keepyourcustomers

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We are thrilled to announce a successful go-live at Cyngor Sir Ynys Môn | Isle of Anglesey County Council, with 100 NICE CXone Essentials Agents across 9 teams and 500 non-contact centre users on Microsoft Teams. This is a significant step towards enhancing their customer service and communication capabilities.   We are particularly proud of the ‘Welsh First’ and dual language setup, ensuring both Welsh and English-speaking citizens receive excellent service. Our team went above and beyond in supporting complex number porting, ensuring a seamless transition.   One of the key challenges in this project was number porting, but after rigorous planning we received the following praise from the Anglesey team “The FourNet team went above and beyond in supporting complex number porting, ensuring a seamless transition’.   Phase two of this project is set to launch in July, where we'll add further digital channels such as email and quality management. These additions will further empower Isle of Anglesey Council to provide omnichannel support, ensuring that citizens can reach out through their preferred channels. Quality management will help maintain high service standards by providing tools for monitoring, evaluating, and improving agent performance continuously. At FourNet, we're proud to support Anglesey Council in this digital transformation journey. #DigitalTransformation #CustomerExperience #NICECXone #MSTeams #FourNet #GoLive

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It’s great to be part of initiatives which help support the UK’s SMEs and create opportunities for the UK’s talent. Big Win-Win here 🏆. Digital adoption will boost the UK’s productivity. A one percent increase in SME productivity can create up to £94bn for the UK and reskilling our workforce is one of the key unlocks.

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Today marks World Environment Day; a reminder of the power of collective action to make a difference. In our research with Small Business Britain we’ve discovered the great appetite small businesses have to become more sustainable - and the support they need to help lay the right foundations. Here’s how we at BT Business are helping:   ✅ ‘Sustainability for Small Business’: A free six-week online training programme, empowering small businesses across the UK to better understand their environmental impact and embrace more sustainable practices and opportunities for change. Sign up here: https://lnkd.in/ebGyGp_X ✅7 steps to sustainability: we’ve partnered up with UK Business Climate Hub to put together seven easy-to-follow steps that businesses can adopt to start their journey towards #NetZero. Learn more here: https://lnkd.in/eJDhWear Sustainability is a team sport. Even one small change like focussing on energy efficiency in your business can make a positive impact. Check out the great resources above and let this World Environment Day mark your first step. 🌍 🌳 #WorldEnvironmentDay #Sustainability #WeGotYourBack 🌳🌍

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GOOD TO GET THAT ONE OUT OF THE WAY ... Allison Kirkby, said she loves to “squeeze the shorts and prove them wrong” as she laid out plans to turn around the UK telecoms group. Her announcement sent shares up over 17 percent. Investors had placed a record £300 million bet against BT, but Kirkby revealed plans to cut another £3 billion in costs and increase dividends. She believes shorting was encouraged by vague strategies from the previous leadership. “I’m hoping our transparent, multiyear plan will reduce short positions,” Kirkby told the Financial Times. Kirkby said BT hit a £3 billion cost-saving target a year early and set a new goal of the same size by 2029. BT shares closed up 17.2 percent to 132.60p on Thursday. BT’s operating costs were £18.6 billion in the year to March 31. Kirkby said the new cost-saving program would focus on shutting down legacy networks, migrating customers to next-gen networks, simplifying products, and using new digital and AI platforms. She confirmed no change to the plan to cut up to 42 percent of the workforce by decade's end. BT reported results for the year to March, declaring a final dividend of 5.69p per share. Kirkby said BT had “reached the inflection point” in its long-term strategy, focusing on the UK and exploring options for its global business. BT has passed peak capital expenditure on full-fibre broadband, boosting its cash flow guidance. The group expects normalised free cash flow of about £1.5 billion in 2025 and around £3 billion by decade's end. It forecasts adjusted revenue growth of 0-1 percent and EBITDA of £8.2 billion in the current year. Karen Egan of Enders Analysis said increasing the dividend and defining cash flow expectations boosted confidence. Yet, BT warned of more potential broadband losses to competitors after losing a whopping 491,000 customers last year. BT’s business division, formed from a 2022 merger, saw a decline in annual adjusted revenue and EBITDA, with a £488 million goodwill impairment charge contributing to a 31 percent fall in pre-tax profits to £1.2 billion. So, lots of scope for Allison to showcase her talent ... #telecoms #bt #vmo2 #cityfibre #transformation #openreach

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Some exciting news from the Digital team at Barkers - Procurement & Commercial Practitioners – today we’re launching a service that accelerates the integration of Coupa Software with a client’s existing ERP system, leveraging proven technology that speeds up the process and facilitates integration confidence. Take a look #ERPIntegration #DigitalProcurement #IntegrationMadeEasy 

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Wakey-Wakey... We have been talking about this for way too long. According to the asa.org.uk website "We respond to concerns and complaints from consumers and businesses and take action to ban ads which are misleading, harmful, offensive or irresponsible." How can we stand by and permit "misleading" fibre branding of copper based broadband products to continue. The evidence is abundant, this practice is confusing, lowering adoption, and placing FTTP investment at risk. #fullfibre #fibre

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We’re thrilled to announce that Calleo Software is now approved to sell software test tools on over 80 Government Framework Agreements. This milestone significantly enhances our ability to serve public sector customers across the UK, reaffirming our commitment to driving up quality and driving down costs for government organisations. As a public sector organisation, you can now expect: ✅ Easier Procurement: Our extensive framework approvals, including an extensive range of frameworks for CCS, CPC, KCS, NHS, G-Cloud and many other specialised frameworks, make it simpler than ever to buy the OpenText software you need from Calleo. You can be confident that we meet the high standards required for public sector procurement. ✅ Expertise in OpenText Software: With years of experience serving the public sector, we bring a deep understanding of your unique challenges and requirements. Our software tools and expertise meet the needs of government organisations. ✅ Cost-Effective Solutions: We understand the budgetary constraints facing public sector bodies. We provide flexible licensing options, including on-premises and SaaS, subscription/term and perpetual, helping you maximise your resources while ensuring high-quality software. ✅ Commitment to Customer Service: As an SME with a long history of public sector collaboration, we pride ourselves on our personalised approach. You can expect responsive, dedicated support throughout our partnership. Our Approach to UK Public Sector Projects When working with Calleo, you can expect: 1. User-Centric Focus: Our processes ensure your software meets the needs of both your staff and the public. We’re not just order takers; we help you define what you need. 2. Transparency: We believe in open and honest communication. You’ll always have a clear view of our processes and progress. 3. Agile and Flexible Solutions: Most of our solutions offer SaaS and on-premise options, allowing your team to work efficiently regardless of location. Why Choose Calleo? By choosing Calleo, you’re not just getting a software provider – you’re gaining a partner committed to your success. We understand the unique challenges and opportunities in the public sector and are here to help you navigate them. Whether you’re a long-standing customer or a new customer looking for software solutions, our framework approvals make it easier than ever to work with us. Let us quote for your next software requirement or renewal—we’ll show you how we can deliver value for you and help you provide better and cheaper services for the public. Get in touch today! - https://lnkd.in/epBT5Z4H

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Entrepreneurs have a critical role to play to help us achieve a more sustainable future - but in the UK at least, they aren’t getting the support they need. For context, Small Businesses form 99% of all Businesses in the UK and account for more than half of our GDP. But as revealed by the ‘Green Growth’ research that BT Business and Small Business Britain have carried out with 2,000 small businesses, 67% feel that the UK Government is having a limited influence in helping them to understand and achieve its 2050 Net Zero Commitments. The findings from this research underscore the need for action to tackle sustainability challenges and provide more support for small businesses looking to reduce their carbon footprint. This research is free to downlaad here: https://bit.ly/3yeIp18 I’m very proud of and grateful to my BT colleagues Chris Sims and Beth Mitchell for their work with Small Business Britain to drive this important mission and to create transparency on the issues at hand. #smallbusiness #entrepreneurs #sustainability #netzero

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