Member News

bmi regional is the ‘easiest airline to book’ in the UK The bmi regional website is the easiest airline to book according to research undertaken by the editorial team of Daily Telegraph, based on the number of mouse clicks and time taken to book a flight.

Comparison of the online reservation processes for 12 short-haul UK airlines serving domestic and European destinations found that bmi regional customers can confirm a seat with just six mouse clicks – four fewer than the closest competitor, while the booking process takes just five minutes – one of the fastest times. Here is the original article: https://bit.ly/120cNVw

In addition, bmi regional is the UK’s most punctual scheduled airline for the eighth consecutive year, according to independent research by FlightOnTime.co.uk using Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) data.

Cathal O’Connell, CEO of bmi regional, said: “Making travel hassle-free for all of our business and leisure customers is a priority for us and that includes developing a smooth booking process. We’ll continue to seek more ways to ensure that flying with bmi regional is easy, such as thirty-minute check-in, our ‘bags fly free’ policy and serving complimentary in-flight refreshments.” bmi regional operate daily services to Aberdeen from Norwich International and passengers can enjoy complimentary in-flight food, refreshments and bar service; and 20kg hold baggage allowance at no additional cost. Please visit www.bmiregional.com for full details.

Train operator Greater Anglia is playing a pivotal role in helping achieve some of the aims in the East Anglian Rail Prospectus, which was launched a year ago to make the case for regional rail investment in East Anglia. The company, which took over the main regional franchise in February 2012, helped to coordinate and draft the prospectus and has spent the subsequent 12 months working with regional stakeholders to secure some of the upgrades targeted for the period up to 2019. Greater Anglia has prepared an update on the status of these initial objectives, which shows that significant collective progress has been achieved. Of the twenty one priorities highlighted, twelve are either agreed or already being implemented, seven have seen positive progress and two have seen limited progress and need more stakeholder work to ensure tangible upgrades are delivered by 2019.

Notable successes have included:

• Approval either secured or pending for the Bow Junction re-modelling, Ely North Junction upgrade, planned Felixstowe – Nuneaton enhancements (though some more work to be done on the Felixstowe – Ipswich section), West Anglia third track from Lea Bridge – Angel Road and Gospel Oak – Barking electrification rail infrastructure schemes
• Train service annual punctuality up to 92.8%
• Station refresh schemes delivered at over 90 stations
• Print-at-home ticketing and mobile ticketing now being trialled on a number of routes on the Greater Anglia network

Work is also underway to look at rolling stock upgrades (though these are linked more to the long term Greater Anglia franchise), more frequent services from the Lea Valley to Stratford, earlier and later trains to Stansted Airport, more frequent Cambridge – Stansted Airport and planning to fill key gaps in local services (especially Ipswich – Peterborough, though again this is linked to the long term Greater Anglia franchise).

The two schemes where limited progress has been achieved to date is on the two infrastructure schemes relating to improved journey times and capacity on the Great Eastern Main Line (GEML) between Norwich, Ipswich, Colchester, Chelmsford and London).

Today’s East Anglian Rail Summit drew together the influential and extensive alliance of MPs, local authorities, Local Enterprise Partnerships and Chambers of Commerce, who have all joined forces to highlight the importance of rail upgrades in East Anglia and campaign for the improvements set out in the East Anglian Rail Prospectus – both for the remainder of this decade and in line with a 20 year vision of rail services in the region.

Commenting on the progress made against the priorities in the prospectus Ruud Haket, Managing Director for Greater Anglia said:

“Greater Anglia remains passionate about playing its part in delivering major upgrades to train services in East Anglia in both the short and long term to meet customers and the region’s aspirations. We’ve been instrumental, alongside other stakeholders, in making real progress on a number of the aspirations and aims we set out last year, with a number of infrastructure schemes agreed, significant improvements in train performance delivered, station improvements implemented and ticket purchase made easier.

However, we have more to do to ensure tangible upgrades to capacity and line speeds on the GEML and rolling stock enhancements are delivered before the end of this decade.

All of us involved in the region-wide alliance of stakeholders (including MPs, local authorities, LEPs, Chambers of Commerce and rail user groups) need to continue to work together to ensure we achieve the aims laid out in the East Anglian Rail Prospectus. We look forward to continuing to partner with regional stakeholders and Network Rail to secure the best deal for our railways.”

bmi regional named as most punctual UK scheduled airline for first quarter 2013 5 July 2013: Data released this week by impartial website FlightOnTime (www.flightontime.info) shows that bmi regional (www.bmiregional.com), which marked its first anniversary as an independent airline this spring, is the most punctual scheduled airline in the UK. FlightOnTime provides unbiased analysis of source data from the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and calculates the percentage of flights landing within 15 minutes of their scheduled arrival time and the average length of any delays. Statistics from a total of 2,695 bmi regional flights were included in the report that showed over 92 per cent of all flights touched down within 15 minutes of the scheduled arrival time (5.7 per cent more than the airline in second place), and the average delay encountered was just 4.5 minutes . Cathal O’Connell, CEO of bmi regional, said: “On-time departures and arrivals are vital for both our business and leisure passengers and we’re determined to maintain our record as the UK’s most punctual scheduled airline, a plaudit we’ve retained for eight consecutive years, as we continue to expand. It’s testimony to the dedication and team work of the entire bmi regional staff and the efforts of our airport partners that we continue to provide unrivalled punctuality.” bmi regional operate daily services to Aberdeen from Norwich International and passengers can enjoy complimentary in-flight food, refreshments and bar service; and 20kg hold baggage allowance at no additional cost. Please visit www.bmiregional.com for full details.

We are very pleased to introduce our new Head Chef, Luke Grimbly – his first shift tonight and he has already introduced a delicious special for the Restaurant this evening so we hope you enjoy the changes Luke will be bringing over the coming weeks… Best Western Brook Hotel, Norwich To make your reservations in our restaurant call us on Norwich (01603) 741161

Visitors to our offices will know that we overlook the ‘Yellow Army’ otherwise known as Norwich City Football Club. We are passionate about our local community and actively support both financially and through mentoring young persons including avid entrepreneurs.

To support our chosen charity for 2013 – the Red Balloon Learner Centre, we will donate £1 for every entry into our competition to win two VIP tickets to see Norwich take on Aston Villa on Saturday 21st September 2013. The prize includes a three course pre match meal, luxury seating, half time refreshments and a matchday programme.

To be in with a chance to win this fantastic prize, all you need to do is email [email protected] with your name, address and telephone number. The winner will be selected at random on 13th September 2013.

The aim of Red Balloon Learner Centres is the recovery of bullied children. They provide an ‘intensive care’ full-time education for children aged between 10 and 17 who are unable to go to school because they have been severely bullied.

Thank you for your support

Simon Linstead – Director

Many companies these days are tracking their workers mostly in collaboration and agreement. The majority doing so would agree that tracking boosts productivity and provides valuable information for both administration and the end user.

Care – particularly domiciliary care, where a care worker delivers a service in a client’s home, is booming. In many cases this care is funded by the local authority, but there’s a growing area of private care companies offering alternative services.

Finding the right care giver is fraught. If you’ve even been on the research side seeking the right provision for a loved one then you’ll know the challenge. Generally considerate, dependable companies also attract similar care workers and they are keen to demonstrate that their care package meets targets.

Companies providing a worker tracking facility have much more to show the families they support. Real proof of correspondence means better piece of mind.

With data easily recordable via scanned QR codes, or NFC codes, care workers can now show that they have completed each important task on an agreed care plan.

With phone in hand they scan a code or tag set up to link to individual actions. For example, If Mrs Smith’s room needs tidying, a quick scan of the appropriate QR code or NFC tag, records its completion on the company’s software system. When Mrs. Smith is given her prescribed medication, a similar scan takes place, and again, when her care giver records that a drink has been taken.

Whatever important, daily task is required, it’s duly recorded and trackable. Time, place, worker, location and it’s quick and easy for the carer to do. Each scan takes only 2-3 seconds.

From the care company’s view this is enormously important, but it’s also becoming a valuable one in proving their service delivery, demonstrating good practice to their client’s families, and in turn, growing business. Why? Because tracking provides reassurance.

If you’re a family member you’ll want to see that your loved one is receiving the care you have paid for. If you’re far away, it’s reassuring to know they are in good hands and that required medication is delivered, nourishment given and visits undertaken.

Many are happy to pay a premium to have access to their company’s care tracking facility to check on their family’s care package as a result.

Tracking makes economic sense for care companies too. To get more information on how NFC technology can help please visit our site here

Written by Geraldine Jozefiak, Partner at Think Mobile Media.com

One of the Eastern regions longest established integrated marketing agencies, has seen a significant boost in turnover from the Asian market for the first time.

Norwich-based The Point has been responsible for delivery of a major international branding exercise for ARCADIS, the global built asset consultancy with more than 19,000 employees and over €2.3 billion in revenues. The Dutch company has acquired a number of regional consultancy specialists during recent years across the infrastructure, water, environment and construction markets. The Point was first appointed to develop the integration of their UK acquisition into their brand family. The efficiencies delivered on that project saw the agency retained by ARCADIS to oversee a similar exercise for Singapore-based Langdon Seah, the longest established and largest cost management and quantity surveying consultancy in Asia.

‘Since the beginning of 2013 we’ve engaged with ARCADIS’ global corporate brand and communication team in Amsterdam, planning how best to integrate the numerous international acquisitions in to the established brand in territories as diverse as South Korea, Brunei and Malaysia’, commented Managing Director Ian McKinnon-Evans.

In addition to adding revenue from the Asian market, the agency also recently secured new business from the $57 billion US chemical group Dow, by being appointed to work with their UK-based agrosciences division. The business win came after success in a competitive four-way pitch process.

The initial task for the agency was to conceive and create a new ‘knowledge brand’ to sit at the heart of all Dow activity within the UK arable sector. The campaign was launched earlier this month at Cereals 2013, the UKs largest arable event. The agency delivered a fully integrated campaign from event planning, social media content, a mobile and tablet site and a trade press advertising campaign. Work will develop throughout 2013 across further event presence and start to broaden across the company’s extensive product portfolio.

‘Working with major global brands like Arcadis and Dow has challenged us in a very positive way. Yet again we’ve had to raise our game, as unearthing innovative creative strategies that deliver cut through and engagement are critical for clients of this calibre who are serious about brand. But it’s what we’ve always been good at and it endorses the strength of the integrated offer we’ve built in recent years. It also proves you can be world class in Norfolk.’

Find out more about The Point at www.thepoint.co.uk

July Newsletter

Our Spring/Summer 2013 seminar series has been very well received with around 80 professionals and business owners coming along to at least one session.

We conclude this series on Friday 12th July by looking at the latest in investment research and introducing behavioural finance – the psychology that lies behind our decision-making processes.

I can’t guarantee that at the end of the session you’ll be able to make better decisions, but you’ll certainly have a clearer idea of why you don’t!

There’s no charge for the sessions but numbers are limited. A light breakfast or lunch is included.

more details and register at www.chadwicks.co.uk or call Emma on 01603 251687

Hopefully you can make it.

Traditional QR (quick response) codes have had mixed reviews since rising to fame in modern day advertising. Haunting our streets, magazines and everything in-between, some people like them, many ignore them and others mistrust them. The question is: are the 2D black and white cubes taking over our cities due for a re-think?

Customised & Colourful

Customised QR codes, a creative and colourful adaptation of the original QR code, help achieve a much better link-through rate than traditional codes. Colour and branding beats the ‘everyone’s got one’ look and gives scanners a much better indication of where the link is leading to. Customised QR codes also look a hundred times better within advertising – especially when colour and design integrates with the look and feel of a campaign.

Despite this, pitching any sort of QR codes has been a challenge in a market rife with uncertainty, mixed awareness and negative PR (widespread stories of hoax codes linking to computer viruses for example).

Better, Faster, Stronger?

In response to the QR code situation, several experts and tech-giants Samsung are paying close attention to an alternative: NFC (Near Field Communication) to rival QR codes.

Technologically superior, NFC is hot-topic right now among tech-circles and is demanding to be noticed.Superior – yes but there’s still the problem of education. In terms of consumers knowing what it does and what is can do for business.

NFC wins on so many levels.Your QR code has a number of standard mobile challenges. Not all mobiles have inbuilt scanners and your consumer may well be challenged with ‘one step too far’ by not immediately being able to scan your carefully designed custom code with their phones’ scanner. Until all smartphones have a scanner feature, sadly you will always be up against it on this one.

Enter the NFC tag. It looks like nothing else, comes with a short call to action (‘Tap Here’) and once you’ve tapped sends you to a destination associated with the original information.

From a marketing perspective it’s brilliant and for an on-going basis – a cost saver.

~ You’re reading a promotional poster and NFC takes you to a promo video ~ You’re at a meeting and NFC lets you download an event guide ~ You’re at a railway station and NFC rings the local taxi service

There are endless possibilities. The user doesn’t have to search for info. No more wasted print costs. There’s an immediate two-way gratification – information shared and received. It’s win-win.

With the technology improving by the day, NFC has the power to connect the public and for businesses to employ a quicker, more cost effective means of providing the customer with the information they are keen to share.

Whatever you want to share with your customer, NFC can make it easier, quicker and cheaper. Tap your business into the power of NFC.

For more information on how NFC can work for YOUR business, please visit our site here

It’s official – We are now a fully-fledged BEST WESTERN Hotel

You can see the signs… no literally! We now have all of our brand new signage up outside the Hotel for all to see that we are a proud member of the Best Western Group, the new signage has given a lift to the exterior of the Hotel and gives that extra sense of reassurance of the quality of our Hotel and high standards.

As you may or may not know, to become a part of the Best Western family there are lots of standards that we have to meet, quality, training and products all need to meet the BW criteria and we did it! We passed the scrupulous checks with flying colours!

You can now benefit from great things when you choose the BEST WESTERN Brook Hotel

• Free Parking
• Free Wi-Fi throughout the hotel bedrooms, conference suites and public areas
• Complimentary use of our resident gym
• Best Western Rewards – collect points each time you stay and dine to use on free breaks and meals at ANY Best Western worldwide!
• Complimentary upgrades when you sign up to Best Western Rewards
• Business Account scheme
• Corporate Rates
• Leisure Breaks – at least 10% discount when you book at least 2 nights
• Family Friendly schemes
• Fantastic, friendly staff so you will always receive a warm welcome and service with a smile!

Best Western Brook Hotel has 81 en-suite spacious bedrooms including a Luxury VIP Suite, Bar with 24 hour service for residents, Classic dining in our Brasserie Restaurant, Coffee Lounge, Bar with Sky TV and a fantastic location being just a few minutes drive from the A47, 10 minutes drive from the city centre and also Norwich International Airport.

Best Western Brook are increasing occupancy and rates for their bedroom bookings and getting more and more people coming in for meals, weddings and events which has meant increasing the staffing levels across the Hotel employing staff and there are still growths to come.

Bonding with the locals… The Hotel welcomes non-residents for drinks in the bar, meals in the restaurant and coffees in the lounge. Also developing closer working relationships with local businesses such as Lintott Control Systems, Kettle Foods and Norfolk Fire & Rescue on the business estate and across to the Airport Industrial Estate.

Whilst it seems that Summer has only just arrived we are already taking bookings for Christmas with Festive Menus available from £12.95 in our Restaurant, Classic Dinner Dances from £19.95, Corporate Party Packages from £15.00 and for a New Year’s Eve to remember celebrate in style with an arrival drink, fantastic four course meal all in our Filby Suite seeing in the New Year and beyond till the early hours.

If you would like to find out more details on the Hotel you can pop in anytime or call the team on 01603 741161, they are a friendly bunch and will be happy to assist you with anything you need, any time of the day

Specialised Management Services Ltd (SMS) announces that they have successfully delivered a topside control systems package for the Panyu Field in record time by accelerating the manufacturing time by 4 weeks to meet the client’s fast-track delivery request.

Through expert knowledge of hydraulic control systems and strong project management experience, SMS were able to decrease lead-time by increasing their pool of labour, working additional shifts and expediting suppliers for improved delivery times; this in turn guaranteed the tight schedule could be accomplished, providing the client reassurance, along with exceptional customer service.

The contract was awarded by OneSubsea GmbH (Formerly known as Cameron GmbH) in September 2012 and consisted of 2 Topside Umbilical Termination Units (TUTUs) and a production Hydraulic Power Unit (HPU) for installation on the Panyu 34-1 platform. The Panyu Field is located in the South China Sea approximately 200km south of Hong Kong in the Pearl River Basin.

Dave Howlett, General Manager of SMS, comments ‘SMS has built a strong relationship with OneSubsea and has worked with them for the past 5 years with year on year growth. The development of this relationship has been underpinned by the hard work of the SMS team and great communication between the two companies.’

SMS previously supplied the South China Sea region when OneSubsea awarded a contract for a topside controls package consisting of 2 off TUTUs a HPU and a Testing and Flushing HPU for the Liwan 3-1 platform in the Liwan field located about 300km southeast of Hong Kong in March 2011.

The systems were designed, manufactured and tested at SMS’s Great Yarmouth facilities.