The countdown to Christmas has begun, and many retailers are preparing to get their orders dispatched before Christmas Eve. alldayPA has looked at what SMEs need to do in order to continue their success during the retail industry’s busiest time of the year.

According to stats provided by the “on demand” customer service provider alldayPA, over 80,000 (85,707) retail businesses launched ahead of Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and Christmas in 2020. The data analysts revealed that weeks 47-52 were the most popular time to launch an SME. To help pinpoint why the UK is starting to see a rise in small businesses launching towards the end of the year, the Manchester-based customer service company spoke to the sustainable fashion brand PrimaBerry about their experience with launching a business ahead of the festive season.

Co-Founder of PrimaBerry, Susana Tiexeira, from Sheffield commented on why she and her husband Amin launched their sustainable fashion brand before Christmas and the challenges they faced while running a small retail business online: 

“Our main goal was to create a brand where we could bring together what we love the most: fashion, travelling and people. PrimaBerry is a UK-based sustainable online clothing and accessories store for men, women and children, featuring collections inspired by the diversity and culture of multiple countries from around the globe.

“We put together a project plan of when we wanted to launch PrimaBerry, and we decided to have our website and products ready to buy ahead of December. We decided that weeks 47-49 were likely to be the most lucrative period for us, taking into consideration when people would most likely be looking to buy gifts online for friends, family and loved ones. We also considered other factors such as postal delays, which turned out to be key with the Royal Mail being overwhelmed in 2020 due to the pandemic. It was important for us that our customers got their items on time ahead of Christmas Day without any parcel issues.”

PrimaBerry spoke about the issues they had when it came to launching online without any technical assistance:

“We had several issues with our website and we started to get really worried as we didn’t want to miss this opportunity to introduce our brand to the market, especially for consumers who are becoming more aware of sustainable fashion and trying to buy ethically. We know that customers prefer to shop online, so having a functional website that answered our customers’ enquiries was essential for us along with making sure that stock and delivery information was updated frequently. We have a shop listing on Etsy and that has been great for SMEs like us to reach a broader customer base – one reason why is because Etsy not only lets you sell direct but also helps to bring greater traffic to your own website.

“The orders that we received so far vary from as little as £4.50 to £100, which means that customers are choosing more selectively when it comes to purchasing online. Ultimately, it was important to us and the brand we aimed to build that we had quality items available that matched everyone’s budget, knowing full well, especially last year, that people may not have had as much disposable income to indulge as they usually would during Christmas.”

Susana Tiexeira also commented on the importance of customer service during the Christmas period : “Customers like to feel special, which is why we always try to do something extra for ours to ensure that, when shopping for our products, they leave with an experience worth coming back for. When it comes to customer service, the competition is really high, so simple things like not taking days to answer customer emails or social media messages are key, as losing a customer is far easier than gaining one.”

Experts reveal the rise in SMEs being launched during the festive seasonFounder of alldayPA, Reuben Singh, comments on how alldayPA is on hand to help support small businesses during the Christmas and into the new year:

”Small businesses are the backbone of the British economy, with the UK being home to over 5.5 million SMEs providing around 16 million jobs. As we approach our second Covid Christmas, entrepreneurs are showing the way when it comes to innovation, flexibility and resilience in terms of looking after their customers. Moving online, businesses are more accessible than ever, embracing digital and social media channels to promote their brand and provide quality customer service.

“When it comes to Christmas and New Year, many people will be looking forward to taking a well-earned break. It’s important to maintain a healthy work-life balance, switch off the phone and spend time with family and friends, even if plans are being reined in again as a result of Omicron. Switching off doesn’t mean being out of touch – at alldayPA we’re open 24/7, ensuring that businesses have that around-the-clock support that their customers need. With us, there’s always a friendly voice to handle calls professionally, no matter the time of day and regardless of whether it’s a busier period. Staffing and recruitment are big problems generally and more so during the festive period, with this year particularly being no exception, so it’s important to have a flexible, reliable back-up plan if your ‘Plan A’ fails.

“Going forward, whatever happens in 2022, customers aren’t going to lower their expectations so it would be a dire mistake for businesses to drop the ball when it comes to ensuring their customer support isn’t lacking. If you can’t provide the service, then all you’re left with is the price and that can be the road to ruin.”

Susana Tiexira, agrees with Reuben, sharing that people interested in launching a business should take a leap of faith: “Do not give up. If this is something you really want you will make it. Don’t compare yourself with someone who has already been in the business for several years. Networking is really important and necessary if you want to engage with customers online about your products and services.”

Brighton and Hove has been revealed as the UK city closest to becoming Net Zero, according to findings by alldayPA, the UK’s leading on-demand call answering customer services company.

In order to become carbon neutral by 2030, the city, in East Sussex, committed to the agenda set out by the UN’s Paris Agreement in 2015 – and began reducing its carbon emissions through a series of initiatives targeting business and domestic outputs. Already, the city’s CO2 levels are below 3.0t (2.8t), which is in line with the UN’s net zero sitemap.

The comparison data is based on carbon emissions per capita, and Brighton and Hove is closely followed by Southampton (2.9t), and then Bristol (3.2t), Norwich (3.2t) and Reading (3.2t), in joint third place.

Next up is Nottingham (3.3t), Bournemouth (3.3t) and Plymouth (3.3t). The remaining areas that produce less than 4.0t emissions per capita, are Leicester (3.4t), Manchester (3.7t), Northampton (3.7t) and Glasgow (3.8t).

Other findings revealed that, in line with the government’s mission to ban the use of petrol and diesel cars by 2030, there has been a spike in Google search volumes (by 87.40%) for electric cars, with people in Brighton and Hove starting to research, consider or make the transition to a greener form of transport. In September 2020 people in the city searched for electric cars 64,700 times, while in September 2021, that figure shot up to 121,250.

However, while analysing the air quality in each city, Nottingham, Aberdeen, Glasgow, Manchester and Edinburgh come out on top. Businesses in these areas have also given back to nature by supporting companies like Ecologi, who are on a mission to help reduce the planet’s carbon footprint by replanting more than 25 million trees.

Brighton and Hove has the 8th best air quality rating, with the lower the figure the better, at 2,551. Nottingham, which is top of the list, has a rating of 2,342.

Air quality improved during 2020 with 46.6% of the UK’s workforce working from home. A fortunate consequence of the unfortunate pandemic has meant that fewer people were using cars, taxis and public transport to get to work. Figures released by the ONS now show that during October 2021, with hybrid working in place, 30% of the UK’s population were working from home, which means the new COVID-19 rules set by the government are also helping to combat pollution as people are still working from home to avoid transmission of the virus.

Electric leasing car companies are giving businesses the opportunity to be part of a salary sacrifice scheme that allows them to save money on leasing electric company cars via budget-friendly monthly repayment plans.

EV bikes have also seen a rise in popularity in 2020, with many people having invested in electric bikes in order to keep fit and healthy during the pandemic. Similar to EV car leasing companies, business owners who sell eBikes are also offering affordable payment methods and cycle to work schemes, in order to encourage people to reduce pollution, improve their health and save money.

CEO of Electric Car Organisation (ECO) Julia Kemp commented on what they are doing to help cities become Net Zero: “With 28% of personal emissions of CO2 coming from driving our cars, the easiest action to save the planet we can make is to move to electric vehicles. They look the same, drive the same, if not better than petrol and diesel cars, and all you really need to do is change the fuel source.

“We recognise that there are other complications of moving to an EV and the Eco App seeks to make the transition easy from “beginning to end” by offering free home chargers and consultations to business, to electrify office car parks with bookable charging points.

“As part of our discussions with companies, we clearly define the scope of the environmental improvement expected from our involvement, as well as the financial benefits for both employer and employee, which can be considerable. The environment wins, the employer wins, and the employee wins.”

The founder of Avaris eBikes, Richard Heys, added: “There is a huge, direct potential to cut carbon emissions in UK cities with the use of electric bikes. By switching from using a car to an eBike to commute to and from work, research has shown that, on average, a person can reduce their carbon footprint by 200kg (0.2t) per year.

“Not only is choosing an eBike over a car or other means of public transport better for the environment, it allows cyclists to bypass a lot of the traffic many cities suffer with, especially during peak times. Less cars on our roads means less toxic carbon emissions are polluting the environment.

“eBikes aren’t just for young people or those living in city centre apartments. Due to their massively improved battery power and range, it’s now possible for people living outside the city to use them to commute to and from as well. This is more cost effective, environmentally friendly and is good for physical and mental wellbeing.”

Customer service company alldayPA also looked at the percentage of waste recycled in each area between 2019-2020. According to the firm’s stats, Brighton and Hove is 8th on the list, with 42.1% of waste recycled during this time.

Founder of alldayPA, Reuben Singh commented: “The Net Zero Strategy published by the government has the potential to be transformative in terms of both the environment and the economy. There is understandable focus on the scale of the challenge, the technology and the costs involved, but the practical day-to-day communications are essential for businesses across the UK to run successfully.

“At alldayPA, we support businesses involved in the environmental sector, and we’re seeing growth in that area, with businesses needing additional back-office support whilst their teams are out installing and maintaining green tech. Equally important is providing support to consumers – as an example, our customers in the housing sector are responsible for over 250,000 homes, and tenants are anxious about rising energy costs and the cost of ‘going green’. We provide a vital conduit when it comes to being able to answer questions, ally fears and arrange for installations.

“Sustainability has been gaining traction in the property sector for some time, given the importance of climate change and a current focus on rising energy costs. The Chancellor’s statement means that there is now pressure on both the demand and supply side to drive the property sector towards Net Zero. Buyers and tenants are demanding greener properties whether it’s a new-build or retrofitted older property. From a developer perspective, there’ll be a requirement for real change. Greener property will be a more valuable asset, more attractive to investors and will make a significant contribution as the UK moves towards Net Zero.”

Leading “on-demand call answering customer services” business alldayPA has experienced record-breaking calls during the summer holidays. The easing of lockdown and travel restrictions, the Manchester-based call centre reveals, has had an unexpected impact on the call centre. According to data findings made by alldayPA, many business owners have taken advantage of the summer season by booking last-minute getaways which, as a result, has led to the customer services team experiencing a boom in phone calls for a range of sectors, including property, law, accounting, facilities management, e-commerce, retail and estate agents.

Other findings reveal that alldayPA is receiving over 2,000 calls a day from customers enquiring about home repairs. Many Britons look to redecorate and renovate their homes during the summer holiday increasing demand for building and allied trades. While managing these business phone lines, the alldayPA team provide customers with a one-of-a-kind service, incorporating web chat, social media and email into bespoke 24/7 service packages which ensure that each person is responded to in a timely manner. At the core of alldayPA’s vision is the end-customer, with each customer service representative trained to ensure each call or message is handled with the utmost care and professionalism.

Head of Customer Services at alldayPA, Gareth Jeffery, comments on the rise in customer engagement and the key steps they have taken to help business owners during the summer holidays: 

“We have helped support business owners across the UK by offering an exclusive short-term package that has allowed us to manage their customer service during the summer months for as little as two weeks. However, we have also seen a rise in businesses extending their contracts and opting to employ our services on a long-term basis due the unique nature of what we do and how we offer something different to the customer service market.”

“The sectors that have reached out to us the most during the summer season are specialised in trade or property with gardeners, plumbers, electricians, plasterers and glaziers reaching out due to the rise in demand of people looking to maintain or renovate their homes. However, we have also started to see an increase in recruitment agencies using our services to help them find students for temporary job roles during the summer season.”