⚡  "Flash Sale" New Year New You 32.5% Discount for New Clients, use code "NY2025"
Call our team
+44 (0) 207 566 3939

Uncategorized

Useful advice, tips and business news.

July 18, 2014
May 5, 2021

read

UK Cities should invest in creating their own green energy

UK cities should invest in energy product including increased green energy to help compete with main energy suppliers in the country. Find more details.

UK cities should invest in energy product including increased green energy to help compete with main energy suppliers in the UK.A think tank has suggested that cities could really benefit from renewable energy, helping to drive down costs. Energy UK, which represents energy supplies said customers would welcome more competition. More competition would result in lower prices and a more competitive market.Cities account for two thirds of the worlds total energy consumption. They also contribute over 70% of global C02 pollution emissions.Cities should invest in local power generation technologies such as solar panels and wind farms on a smaller scale. This would completely change the way the energy supply system operates. This would help smaller producers provide customers with energy ending the big power companies` dominance which can lead to higher prices.In Bristol, the local authorities have plans to setup and install a large one gigawatt of solar panels by 2020. Aberdeen is planning to run buses on hydrogen from using the local wind farms spare energy production.Britain has a long way to go, but authorities are starting to understand that they now have a role in green energy production. More competition in the energy market is great for the customers and everyone will see benefits, from cleaner air with less pollution to cheaper energy bills.If you like this business economy news blog, you can read more on our blog page. Your Virtual Office London, leaders in professional services for small businesses.

July 18, 2014
May 5, 2021

read

What will happen to my shares in my Limited Company when I die?

If you are a shareholder of Limited Company and you die, the shares will go to whoever inherits them under a will or via intestacy. Find out more in detail.

If you are a shareholder of a Limited Company and you die, the shares will go to whoever inherits them under a will or through intestacy. The deceased person`s shareholder will be administered by the executors of the will or if there is no will left, then through administrators of the estate.The Limited company will need to accept evidence of the probate of the will or letter of administration to establish that the rights of the personal representatives in respect to the shares and ownership. The representatives of the deceases are subject to the Company`s Articles of Association.Some companies have restrictions on the transfer of shares outlined in the articles, which may allow the directors of the company to refuse the registration of the shares.It is essential to make sure you have a plan in place in case one of the shareholders dies, it is essential that this process is correctly documented.

Some normal arrangements are as follows:

  1. An agreement that any shares may pass to particular people such as a shareholders partner or children.
  2. Pre-emption rights in favour of the existing shareholders
  3. A pre-arranged right to buy the deceased shareholders holding with valuation arrangements and a payment schedule.
  4. A cross option agreement, a legal contract between the shareholders and the owner of the shares with an insurance policy which will pay a pre-agreed sum which would be used to pay for the deceased shareholders holding. For example the shareholder passes the shares to his partner, the other shareholders then arrange for insurance prior to death to cover the cost of buying the shares back. Upon death, the shareholders then are given the legal right to buy the shares from the partner using the insurance pay-out.

The situation you need to avoid is whereby there is no plan, and a shareholder dies and there are conflicting issues with the will and the companies articles.If you need professional advice on the above issues, Your Virtual Office London can help discuss the option available to you. We are company formation experts, and have been forming companies since 1971.

July 18, 2014
May 5, 2021

read

Limited company director disputes and minority share holder rights

Find out what happens if limited company shareholders are in dispute where one is a minority shareholder and what rights does a minority shareholder have.

I'm a director and a minority shareholder what happens if the majority shareholder wants me out?

In this article we discuss what happens if two shareholders are in dispute where one is a minority shareholder. What rights does the minority shareholder have, and what if anything can you do?Sometimes it is necessary to remove a director from a company if a dispute arises. This is where the Company`s Articles of Association would be used, they would be used to confirm the procedure of how disputes are handles. If the Company`s Articles of Association do not provide a solution, the next solution is to understand section 994 of the Companies Act 2006.

This is a very important statute and this states:

A member of a company may apply to the court by petition for an order under this Part on the grounds that(a) The company`s affairs are being or have been conducted in a manner that is unfairly prejudicial to the interests of members generally or of some part of its members (including at least himself), or(b) An actual proposed act or omission of the company (include an act or omission on its behalf) is or would be so prejudicialThe idea behind this is to protect minority shareholder, this means shareholders with less than 50% of the shareholding in a situation where the majority shareholder seeks to act in a manner that is unfair to the minority share holder, such as removing them as a director. This statue gives the minority shareholder some power in the court if they feel they have been unfairly treated. In such circumstances a majority shareholder could try to damage the company which could result in a reduction of the value of the share.The minority shareholder would have to have a good case to show that the majority shareholder was actively trying to damage the business in order to reduce the value of the shares, simply stating the business is being badly run would not be enough. Credible proof would be needed and it could be a lengthy process.If you are in this position and need more advice, Your Virtual Office London provide company support and advice. We are happy to help you, we offer free and impartial advice and have a vast amount of experience behind us. Our team have been forming companies since 1971 and are on hand to help provide you with the knowledge you need in order make sure your company makes the right choice.We provide other professional services too, such as registered office addresses service, directors service address and mail forwarding in London. What ever the need, speak to us today.

July 16, 2014
May 5, 2021

read

Economic powerhouse China sees growth

China has been looking at ways to stimulate the economy to help boost growth with its various means to expansion in the recent times. Find more detail here.

China - the world`s second largest economy, second to the United States of America has expanded 7.5% from a year ago, up from 7.4% growth in the previous quarter. This is in direct relation to the governments stimulus that is not having an impact on the positive growth.China has been actively looking at ways to stimulate the economy to help boost growth. China has experience many years of expansion, and growth had slowed in very recent times which can relate to a global decline in demand for its manufactured products.The economic slowdown led to China trying to boost domestic demand to help increase and sustain the expansion, increasing home grown demand can also help balance the growth model.China`s national bank said it would reduce the reserve requirement ratio (RRR) – the amount of reserve money needed for a security reserve. This spare cash would then be made available for small businesses and companies. The bank also said it would encourage other banks to help make more money available to exporters.The Chinese government has also recently announced it would cut taxes on small business to help reduce red tape that can prevent new businesses forming. The government are also speeding up the construction of railway lines across the country. Further to this they are also announcing large domestic infrastructure projects such as new railways, roads and ariports along the Yangtze River.If you found this blog informative, we have many more helpful and intersest posts on our business blog page, Your Virtual Office London business experts.

July 16, 2014
May 5, 2021

read

12 top tips for excellent business writing

Effective business writing should be done using essential tools to get quality text that interests readers. Here are the 12 top tips to improve your writing.

Want to get perfectly successful texts that capture the attention of potential users or customers? Effective business writing should be done using essential tools to achieve quality texts that are not boring to readers.Writing is not a science, but it is an art to be able to apply if you want to get effective texts that are picked up and pored over by customers. The business writing should be done effectively using essential tools to achieve quality texts that are not boring to readers.The writing of any text should be clear, concise, entertaining, understandable and of course, convincing, since it is the only way to get to increase sales of your online business effectively. With copywriting you must learn how to bring value to your customers; you must get to communicate and converse with them to ensure that you understand every sentence you read.

To write for business, you have to have something to say

So, if you want to write good commercial texts, the bottom line is that you need something important to communicate to the readers. If your customers consider what you say important and believe the words of your commercial texts, you will increase your sales!Remember: The secret of good writing is in the rewriting.

So without further ado, here are the 12 secrets to make your business successful through scintillating copywriting.

1. Preparation: It's important that you carry out a summary of what you really want to say before you start writing the first word. If you're not sure what you want to convey to your customers, it is best that you clarify your ideas first.2. Titles and subtitles: The titles and subtitles are the first thing`s read by any user or customer, so they should be attractive to readers and induce the rest of the text. It is important to have the title and subtitles before starting to write the body of the business writing, and that will help you convey your idea.3. Draft: Make a first draft text in Word or whatever you prefer. Do not worry if it's not perfect.4. Don`t rush it: Do not fool yourself that you`ll have the text in a day. Rest a few days before starting to make tweaks to the first draft. A clear mind will allow you to achieve better results.5. Unnecessary words: Often we have the bad habit of adding more words than are necessary in the texts made. It`s really important to remove all the words that are unnecessary to thereby provide clear, concise and compelling texts.6. First and last paragraphs: The first and last paragraphs are the most important parts of any text, so you have to be very careful when writing them. The first paragraph should invite you to read on, while the latter should be a summary that is responsible for putting the climax in the text that encourages the purchase of products.7. Short phrases: Every idea should be expressed in a single sentence, preventing more than 17 words from spreading.8. Short words: Readers need texts in simple words to assimilate their mind. Check that about 75% of your business writing consists of words with 5 letters or less.9. Short paragraphs: Excessively long paragraphs are boring for the reader. Ideally, each paragraph should consist of a maximum of 4-5 lines.10. Truthful Promises: Do not promise your readers something you cannot prove. Your promises need to be true and demonstrable.11. One idea per sentence: Try to use one idea per sentence, thus ensuring the reader will get much clearer information.12. Standby time: Before rewriting your work, leave at least a day of relaxation and disconnection.Now that you know the secrets to effective business writing, get to work with your texts and get to increase your sales significantly with winning and successful commercial texts. Get in contact with Your Virtual Office London to see how we can help improve your business.

July 16, 2014
May 5, 2021

read

How to add more value to your business

In this article, we have given valuable suggestions and recommendations on how to make your business more profitable through adding value to your company.

Want to increase the profits of their business but find it difficult due to the strong competition that exists? You should know that to make a business add value, you must make your business competitive in the market.Value added is a feature or extra service that is given to a product or service, in order to provide greater value. It must be an unusual feature or service that differentiates your business or company from the competition.Many times we try to increase sales by making offering incentives such as discounts; however a good way to not compromise on price is to offer added value. This will make your customers feel fulfilled and satisfied to have got something more from their purchase.

Here are some suggestions and recommendations on how to make a business more profitable through adding value:

  • Try to give something to those who visit your business: keep in mind that whenever someone crosses your door and visits your company, this is a golden opportunity to make the business more profitable by adding value. You can offer gifts for visitors that needn`t be anything expensive, such as chocolates, calendars, or a simple reminder to make the visit more enjoyable.
  • Encourage your employees to uphold the proper treatment of clients: it`s good to take care to train and motivate your employees so that they always provide a smile and friendly service to customers. You can be sure they will appreciate it and increase the chances that they make purchases, return in the future and give good recommendations on your business.
  • You can provide service delivery. If this is not part of your policy, then it relates to the possibility of offering home delivery of your products. Although it is clear that the implementation of this service represent a higher cost and you should evaluate it before offering it, it could represent a significant edge over your competition.
  • Try to reduce the waiting time of your customers. If your business is such that people have to wait for treatment or for your products, you can make a business more profitable by adding value in the reduction of time. You could offer a more comfortable way of waiting by introducing coffee, a glass of water, a magazine or newspaper of the day` all to make your customers feel more relaxed when waiting to be served.
  • You can send notes or calls of thanks: a good way to add value to your products or services is to express how important it is to have customers like them and they will appreciate the confidence in your business.

Here are some examples of how to a business can be more profitable by adding value:

  • A restaurant that offers customers a special area for children, where free child care is provided and there are different games for children.
  • A supermarket supplying fruits and vegetables can be offered previously cleaned, peeled, cut, and presented in special packaging to be consumed in an easier way for customer.
  • A gift shop that not only sells but also handles wrapped goods and sends it to the person who`s made the order.
  • A machine shop that not only gives us the car repaired, but completely cleans it and undergoes basic maintenance.

Final recommendations for adding value:

Adding value in your company is not just about offering anything, making arbitrary decisions or offering it just as a giveaway, but should be a carefully planned strategy and focused purely on customer satisfaction. It should be noted that you need to handle the added value sparingly because when you offer a gift or something extra the first time, your customers will expect it as an integral part of your service every time they visit your business.Your Virtual Office London can help create your company and provide the right tools for you to manage it efficiently. We provide leading mail forwarding, an office address in London and company formation services to start up businesses. Having worked in the small business sector for over 30 years, yourvirtualofficelondon.co.uk are experts in providing advice when and where its needed. If you need help or advice please get in touch with us or please read our informative business blog.

July 15, 2014
May 5, 2021

read

6000 jobs set to be cut from Microsoft UK arm

This will be the biggest job cut from Microsoft UK history with over 6000 people to loose their role at the company. Find detailed information in this article.

Microsoft prepares to cull its largest number of employees since it began trading.The biggest Job Cull since 2009 is about to go under at Microsoft UK. This will be the biggest job cut in Microsoft history with over 6000 people to loose their role at the company. The new chief executive Satya Nadella is expected to make some radical changes and streamline the UK arm of Microsoft.Cuts are going to be across the board which may include the newly acquired Nokia division as well as marketing and engineering departments, according to news agency Bloomberg.Microsoft currently employs around 127,000 staff worldwide and has seen a rapid increase in the staff they employ since taking over Nokia. It is suggested that the UK will be one of the biggest losers.The new chief executive Satya Nadella has stated that he tends to “flatten the organisation” and that he is aiming to develop a leaner more efficient model to help reduce overheads but maintain high production.Microsoft culled jobs in 2009 with over 5800 role were lost.If you are starting a company, why don`t you speak to our experts? Your Virtual Office London are leaders in company formations and virtual office services, including registered office address in central London.

July 15, 2014
May 5, 2021

read

HMRC and Treasury owed over £22 billion in unpaid debt

The UK government departments, mainly the HMRC, Treasure and the Cabinet Office are owed £22billion. A serious plan is made to manage and collect the debt owed.

The UK government departments, mainly the Treasure and the Cabinet Office are owed £22billion. A serious plan is now being called for in order to manage and collect the debt owed. The majority of the debt is owed to HMRC through unpaid taxes, around £15 billion.Funds that were owed to HMRC has actually dropped by £5.5 billion over the pat 4 years, however some of this was due to tax credits that were written off.The Treasure and the Cabinet Office are working on a plan that involved a cross government strategic plan for debt collection which will ultimately lead to increased debt collections. However this has taken a very long time and improvements are yet forthcoming. Some authorities are suggesting we now should seriously consider the effectiveness of hiring commercial debt collectors.This informative economy and business blog post was brought to you by Your Virtual Office London leaders in Virtual Office, Company Formation and Business Services. Read our blog for more informative stories.

July 11, 2014
May 5, 2021

read

The trade deficit widens in May

The United Kingdoms trade deficit widens in May. There was a major contributing factor which as from aircraft imports, official data has shown. Find out more.

The UK`s trade deficit increased in the Month of May. The UK`s exports did increase by £0.1 billion however we imported more, this increased by £0.5 billion.There was a major contributing factor which as from aircraft imports, official data has shown.Governments are tasked with decreasing the deficit, which is no easy task. We have to export more if we are too really tackle the problem. The Office for National Statistics has said the UK`s trade deficit increased from £8.8 billion in April to £9.2 billion in May.However the UK`s service sector which is currently exporting a lot more, totalling £6.8 billion, helped to reduce the overall deficit to that of £2.4 billion.Exports to the EU have fallen by approximately 2% which makes the total about £12.2 billion, however imports from the EU increased b 1.6% to £17.4 billion. The EU is a major importer of UK goods, but there is weaker demand in the EU which has not helped the UK`s export figures.

July 11, 2014
May 5, 2021

read

Who uses our London meeting rooms?

Many businesses are using our meeting rooms in central London. If you have just started a business but don’t have money to buy a office, contact us.

There are many types of businesses who use our meeting rooms in central London. If you imagine you have just started a business from home and you dont have the capital to invest in offices, there may be times a client would like to meet with you and discuss the services you provide. Of course if you work from home its not very professional to meet clients at home, say in your lounge. This is where our meeting rooms really come into effect, they are very modern, discreet and unbranded. So when you meet your client in our City Road meeting rooms, they are given an immediate impression of professionalism and there is nothing to state this is not your office.

Unbranded meeting rooms

Some clients like to use our virtual office services, which include mail forwarding address in London. Of course the idea behind this is that the client is given the impression you are based in City Road. Our meeting rooms can really help reinforce this impression, as they are totally unbranded. This means there are no logos on the meeting rooms or on reception thus your client is not aware this is a virtual office and it could well be part of your business (in fact it is part of your business as you have paid for the service).

Central London location: Tech City and Silicone Roundabout

Our offices are based in a very prestigious area, the government are totally revamping the area invest millions of pounds into the new "silicone roundabout" and surrounding areas. The idea is to bring more investment into the city for a new sector, mainly being technology. This is excellent news for our customers as it this means the area you will be based from is really going to be state of the art and the place to be located for small businesses looking to become more successful.

Some of the features included with the meeting rooms

  • Free Fibre Optic Broadband
  • Free Refreshments, Coffee, Tea, Mineral Water
  • Free access to reception area, sofa, BBC news
  • Conference calling facility
  • Modern and unbranded
  • Air Conditioning
  • Free whiteboard use

Your Virtual Office London understands the importance of the service we provide to new businesses. Our service can really help take your business to the next level. We know that we can often be the accelerator your business needs, your clients take you more seriously and it can help clinch that important deal your company needs to make it. If you want to book a meeting room or if you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact us, we are always happy to take your calls.If you found this post helpful, why not read more posts we have created for you on our virtual office and company blog.

In a hurry and just want some advice?

Our friendly team are on hand to help, get in touch today

Call us at

+44 (0) 207 566 3939

Email us at

info@capital-office.co.uk

×
sales Banner