Partner Article

Free online support as economy slows

North East businesses are being urged to make use of a free online business support tool to help them improve performance and remain competitive as they face the challenge of a slowing economy.

The interactive toolkit from Investors in People is available at www.iipne.co.uk. It is designed to give organisations a benchmark picture of their business, identify areas for improvement and provide the appropriate support, references and tips.

Robert Macleod, Managing Director of Investors in People North East, said: “Our new website is attracting a lot of attention and the IIP Interactive support tools are proving particularly popular. They are available free to any business, whether they are IIP accredited or not, and provide a really valuable and practical assessment and guide with a lot of information available.

“Organisations can do an online diagnostic that shows the current state of the business, giving an indication of where they are performing well and where there are areas for improvement. The results help to identify gaps then link through to instructions, tips, downloads, advice from other organisations and a wealth of information that helps them do that in a sustainable way. It can then be used to review and update progress. It is a really useful starting point whether a business is beginning to work with Investors in People or not.”

Around 2,000 organisations in the North are currently working with Investors in People, from engineering companies, lawyers, clothing manufacturers and building societies to house-builders, accountants, electronics companies, schools and haulage businesses.

Mr Macleod said: “Businesses are going through a challenging time at the moment so it is even more important to be able to deal with change, reduce wastage and improve skills levels to ensure quality customer service.”

Further information about IIP is available from Investors in People North East on 0191 516 6464 and at www.iipne.co.uk.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .