We have all heard of the the Pony Express of the Wild West. But what about our very own Avon Express of Bath in the South West?

The Pony Express was part of a legend that is the American West. However, here in the wonderful South West of England we have our own legend in the making.

 

The Wild West of America

The Pony Express was a communication
and courier service operating over a 2000 mile trail across America.

The riders often travelling through very hazardous conditions. There was the real danger of an Indian attack or severe terrain and unpredictable weather.

They were operational for 19 months and eventually the tide of progress with the trains and the telegraph eventually led to their demise. In all they had 80 riders and 500 horses. A real life American legend.

 

Well that’s the Wild West of 1860. What of the South West in 2013? Well here in Bath we have riders covering the length and breadth of Britain.

“Yes Siree that’s right folks we have our very own rootin tootin riders here in Bath delivering all over the wild South West as well as every destination in the UK. Yee Ha!

At Avon Express Couriers they pride themselves in being the South West’s leading courier service. They offer a fast competitive same day or next day delivery.

Operating nationwide Avon Express Couriers of Bath will deliver any type of package, parcel or documentation to any location within the good old UK.

So what makes these guys and gals at Avon Express Couriers so damn good at what they do?

Well with over 25 years’ experience they have learnt a thing or two about getting the job done. That’s 23 years more experience than the Pony Express and they became an American legend. So just think what Avon Express can deliver.

And just like their counterparts from way back when, Avon Express Couriers provide an immediate person to person delivery through the winding countryside and in all round weather conditions.





Image Courtesy of Avon Express Couriers of Bath

The next day delivery service is available throughout the UK.

They ride to far off corners of the British Isles.

 

This includes the Scottish Highlands and all those little Scottish Isles, Northern Ireland and Ireland as well as the sunny and bright Channel Islands.




Just to think all that way from Bath to John O’Groats. A journey of just under 700 miles. Well I guess if a bunch of cowboys on horses can deliver across 2000 miles, fair to say the run to Scotland or beyond for our very own professional courier service of Bath, is a bit of a doddle.

And yes I do appreciate and realise that the logistics of even a short journey in comparison to crossing the States is one which still needs careful and organised planning as well as the reliable resources to get the job done.

And with Avon Express Couriers you don't get horses. Oh no! However, they do come fully equipped with combustible engines, gears, Sat Navs and more than enough of their own horse power thank you very much.



Avon Express Couriers

With phones being answered 24/7 these guys at Avon Express Couriers of Bath can offer you a fully insured, highly professional and amazingly competitive price for the service they provide.

Getting your bits and bobs from A to B in no time at all.

They may well be Bath based couriers, but they can collect from any UK location and then go on and deliver to any UK location. How wild South West is that partner?

Its pretty good for all you businesses or private citizens who want reliability and a swift service to get your package (or packages) collected within 24 hours and deliver it the very same day.

And they do this time and time again. No wonder they are the best in the West.



So if you want your package, parcel or documentation however big or small, to get to its destination swiftly, efficiently and on time, then all you need to do is contact those very nice people at Avon Express Couriers of Bath.

So remember:
 

Same Day

Avon Express Couriers deliver to anywhere in the UK. They deliver on the same day, from any UK destination to any UK destination and are very competitive on price
 

Next Day

Avon Express Couriers offers a next day service which is fast, efficient to any UK destination. Their team of professional couriers provide a guaranteed, person to person collection and delivery

Every Day

Avon Express Couriers are working tirelessly 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to take your call. So why not book now to arrange a fast, efficient courier delivery service to anywhere in the UK
 

Book Now

.
If you want to book a collection or get a quote from Avon Express Couriers then click on the Avon Express logo below.....

Thanks again for reading our Blog and a special big thank you to all the customers at Bath Business Web Ltd for your continuing loyalty and support.

Bingham

Blogger for Bath Business Web Ltd
Your local Internet Marketing Specialist, Business Directory and Website Design Company

Bath & Bristol Business Innovation and Development

What does it take to be a successful Innovative Business in Bath, Bristol or any other City or town in the South West for that matter?

Well one thing is for sure a business needs to develop and grow through innovation. What is innovation I hear you say? I refer to our friends at Wikipedia for a definition as follows:
 
“Innovation is the application of better solutions that meet new requirements, inarticulate needs, or existing market needs”  source Wikipedia
 

Looking for that light bulb Moment

What businesses have been innovative? Apple comes to mind with the iPhone. Microsoft continued to innovate and by doing so brought the world Windows.

If we think of Dyson and what they have achieved means we have vacuum cleaners that do not need to use bags.

How did cars or motorcycles progress from the basics of horseless carriages and bicycle to the incredible machines they are today? How did we go from the Wright brother’s first flight to landing on the moon?

The answer is Innovation, Innovation, Innovation.
Hmm! I sound like Phil Spencer.

As a business in Bath do you find the time for innovation? Or do you just get on with the job and pay little attention to progress or the future needs of your customers.


Because it doesn’t matter what the business, you will always need to be one step in front of the competition or at the least be thinking how you can.



Get your employees thinking Innovation

So how can you encourage innovation within your business?

The greatest asset to you and your business are the people who work for you or with you.

The average small or medium business in Bath will have people from a cross section of society.

These people will all have their own take on life, their own experiences and perspectives on life. T

hey will have different skills to solve different issues or to be able think outside the box. They will come with differing levels of intelligence or more importantly, common sense.

So why not utilise all those skills, all that experience or those different perspectives and get them involved in innovative ideas that could transform your business?

What makes innovation so important to your business? Because it’s the very process that will transform ideas into a business success.

It will turn those business ideas into profits for you and satisfaction for your customers

It may bring big ideas or small improvements that will in themselves create a bigger success

Its about the process of developing and not just about the products or services you sell



The best ideas often come away from the Office

This doesn’t have to take up too much time either. Just a few minutes here and there can bring out great innovative ideas.

 

It doesn’t have to be formal. Don't get your staff together and say “right I want some innovative ideas from all of you in turn” I can guarantee they will go blank.

 

Some of the best ideas have come when people are away from work. Whether taking a walk in the hills, on the loo or fishing by a lake.

So make it relaxed, make it fun and make it an enjoyable moment and you are more like to get those ideas flowing.

• Promote a culture where all ideas are important no matter how big or small the idea
• Once the seed of innovation is planted, allow employees time to just sit and think
• Encourage positive communication and participation from the employees
• Learn the various skills and ways your employees and maximise what they're good at
• Allow for things not working, as there is so much we can learn from our mistakes
• Be aware of the market you are in and encourage feedback from consumers
• Look to find solutions for what the consumer is looking, not what you think they need



Turn that thinking into Gold

You’ll be amazed how much employees will want to please you with ideas, so reward them accordingly.

Because though some may not fit with what you need, others could be the next big idea that changes everything for you and your business.

Whether you involve your employees or go it alone take time to consider the various ways you can innovate.

Get feedback from your customers and solve the problems or issues they bring.


Look at any issues that may be affecting the smooth running of the business. Improve or simplify the processes or services you provide by adapting to the feedback from customers.

Customers will let you know what is missing or what you don’t currently supply that they need. Take all this on board and get innovative to find solutions to meet those needs. Consider your advertising and marketing approach and be prepared to think outside the box or return to ways that you know have worked in the past.

Make sure you ask yourself some important questions:

“What is the future for my products or services?"

Ask yourself important questions about the Business

“What other markets are out there for us?”


“Will the turnover or profits improve?”
 

“Can the business perform better?”
 

“Do we offer what the customers want?”
 

“Do I like how my business is performing?”

 

“Am I utilising the experiences and skills of my employees?”

 

Remember this is step by step

Take small but definite steps to achieve any new goals or innovative ideas. Measure what you are doing and gain feedback on the way to monitor your progress. Be prepared to tweak or change things accordingly.

Most businesses don’t get the one big idea that changes everything overnight. Most businesses have an accumulation of ideas that they test and try before making it part of their day to day business. All these small innovations will soon mount up.

Think about where your business is right now. Now consider where you would like to see it in 5-10 years. Decide how you can promote innovative ideas which will make that future happen?

Innovative ideas J

Consider the checklist to innovation:

• Create a culture of innovation throughout the business
• Innovation will help with processes, products or services
• Involve employees
• Do something new or different
• Embrace mistakes and learn
• Allow some time to think
• Get feedback from customers
• Discover what's missing for the customer
• Be smarter than the competition
• Be better tan you are already
• Think outside the box
• Keep things simple
• Monitor progress

Turn ideas into action and take your business into a profitable future.
 

Bingham

Blogger for Bath Business Web Ltd 

Business in Bath Catching Up with Mobile Technology

Here at Bath Business Web Ltd we are always keeping an eye on current trends and future developments on the Internet. We have recognised for a while that mobile technology has been pushing ahead at a rate which surpasses the best of human innovations

It’s hard to believe that it was only 2010 when we started buying tablets. Now we can easily do on tablets that we had been doing on laptops. Just as laptops were getting smaller and less bulky to carry around, the tablet comes along and makes those laptops seem rather prehistoric and cumbersome in a very short period of time.
 
By the end of this financial year it is expected that the sale of tablets in this country will outstrip that of the conventional desktop computer. Our trusty friend the mobile phone (less a phone now and more an interactive work and play station of immense variety) will also go forth and eventually outstrip sales of both these altogether. Last year well over 30 million phones were sold in the UK. It doesn’t take a lot of imagination to work out that is a huge number of potential customers surfing the Internet, looking for websites and information on these smart devices which they carry with them 24 hours a day.

 

Sales of tablets will eclipse that of PC’s and smartphones will outsell them all

 
Global sales of the personal computer (or desktop) has fallen for the fifth quarter in a row, making it the longest duration of decline in history. By 2017 it is predicted that PC’s will be only 5% of the smart connected device market. With tablets and smartphones growing to 16.5% and 70.1% respectfully.

This decline has been brought home to the everyday consumer in news bulletins, which tell us of the struggles of the big names in computer technology from the past. The household name of  Dell having to reinvent itself due to falling sales of PC’s. The once giant of business technology IBM selling off its PC business interests. As well as other such companies such as Lenovo and Hewlett Packard seeing sales of their conventional products at an all time low.
 
The research boys and girls at IDC (International Data Corporation to you and me) have come up with some interesting findings of the world’s markets in sales of PC’s and tablets.
 
What we know is that the mobile revolution is gaining momentum, rapidly. IDC predicts that the shipment of tablets will easily top those of desktop computers and laptops in the final quarter of this year. Overall PC shipments are still expected to surpass tablet shipments for the whole of 2013.  It expects that the competition between PC’s and tablets for overall sales will be done and dusted by the end of 2015 with tablets outstripping shipments of PC’s on an annual basis from thereon in.
 


Estimated Shipments for 2013

IDC predicts the forecasts sales for 2013 of desktops will be 134.4 million, laptops 180.9 million and tablets 227.3 million.

That represents a market share of 8.6% for desktops, 11.6% for laptops and 14.6% for tablets.

Not bad for a technological wonder which no one was using four years ago.

 

A worldwide increase in shipments of tablets and smartphones markets are showing early signs of saturation. This will bring down the price of the various devices, which will change things still further



Predicted Shipments for 2017

The growing popularity of tablets and smartphones has thrown the PC industry into its longest downturn on record.

The smart device industry is in a constant state of change and development.

Wise business owners need to keep up to maximise their own marketing and online advertising on the Web.  



The pace of the industry is rapidly changing. The smartphone market has seen touch screen and voice command mobiles coming in to their own. Which may explain why the 'once upon a time everybody wants one’ Blackberry, is diminishing the hold on the market it once had a year or two ago. Even the iPhone, as good as it may be, has plenty of competition with other similar smartphones snapping at its heels, which are often just as smart and often a fair bit cheaper.
 
So here’s a wee bit of advice from Bath Business Web Ltd to all you businessmen and businesswomen in Bath and the South West. If you have a website, web presence or you are advertising your business on the internet, then get good sound advice as to whether people will see it as it should be seen. Website Designers and Social Media Marketing in Bath
 
The change of consumer technology has meant that the visibility of a website (or many other marketing mediums on the Web) can be drastically be impeded by using a platform which was created to show off your website pages on a desktop PC (on a big screen).

There are many hundreds, if not thousands of pages on the Internet which are just not that efficient, easily browsed or even visible on either a tablet or smartphone. As a business person you will need to catch up and make changes to your Internet marketing. Because if you haven’t, then it is almost guaranteed your competitors have. Then they will have the edge over you and any potential customers looking at your Internet advertising will go to them. Why? Because you didn't keep up or take notice of the tide of change in technology.

Don't be PC. Be Smart!

Bingham

Blogger for Bath Business Web Ltd - Website Designers and Social Media Marketing in Bath

Building Websites for Business Success in Bath

Bath Business Web Ltd is an Internet and Social Media Marketing Company specialising in the construction of websites and is committed to the success of all businesses in Bath and the South West.

Bath Business Web Ltd 7, Pierrepont Street Bath BA1 1LB

At Bath Business Web we run a number of successful online business directories covering Bath, Bristol, Warminster, Trowbridge, Chippenham, Frome and Calne.

The age of paper directories is coming to an end. The majority of people are now turning to the internet when looking for a tradesperson or service local to them. For nearly ten years Bath Business Web have built up a large online presence helping put people get in touch with a range of professionals to suit their needs.

Hundreds of companies across Bath and the surrounding areas have discovered the many advantages of being listed with Bath Business Web. Our Bath Business Web Directory alone receives an average of 5,000+ visits every month.

At Bath Business Web we not only run a range of online directories, we also offer a comprehensive website design and optimisation service. Having a website to represent your company has a number of advantages. Not only does it ensure that your information is available to potential customers 24 hours a day, it also allows you to advertise your business across the world's most successful resource for information, the internet.

As soon as you have a website up and running, you need to get it noticed. This is where our extensive knowledge and experience of Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) comes in.

With our fully qualified website designers who are trained in SEO, we can provide you with a website that works for your business. Not only are the websites we create fully optimised, they are also W3C compliant, a major advantage when getting your website recognised by Google.

We also have proven front page results for many businesses, throughout Bath, Bristol and the South West. You can watch a range of video testimonials left for us by companies happy to recommend Bath Business Web, by clicking here: Bath Business Web Ltd - Testimonials 

Or watch various business owners in Bath or the South West tell you about us in video testimonials here: Bath Business Web Ltd - Video Testimonials
 
You can also view a portfolio of some of the websites we have created on behalf of the businesses of Bath and the South West here: Bath Business Web Ltd - Website Portfolio
 
If  you’re not advertising or marketing your business on the internet then think again. All those hundreds, sorry I mean thousands of people with tablets or mobile phones, of which you are inevitably one, are looking on the Internet 24/7. They just reach into their pocket and get in touch with the world your business is not yet part of. A world that reaches more people than any advertising medium has ever done in the history of marketing, whether that is newspapers, radio or the telly, combined.
Business owners in Bath, Bristol or the South West, don't wait any longer, let us help you improve your company's web presence today.

Bingham

Blogger for Bath Business Web Ltd

Making a Good Impression in Business

Shop owner, architect, web designer, hypnotherapist, plumber  or one of hundreds of businesses throughout Bath & the South West - you need to promote the right impression for your business.
 
The impression you set for your business, your offices, vehicle, how you advertise, talk or how you dress, really does matter.

Where does that impression start?

Your attitude to business is the starting point. Setting the right first impression is where it starts. Keeping that positive, professional impression of you and your business has to be maintained.

What you need to consider.

It doesn't actually matter what kind of business you own. It doesn't matter if your business is working at home, from a computer, digging a garden, selling from a retail outlet, driving a lorry or deliveries in a van. Whatever your trade, setting the right impression matters.

It matters because others will judge you, whether you like it or not. People will judge you and your business on how you present yourself. How you present yourself over the phone or face to face. Potential customers will notice if your van is clean or dirty, if the work clothes you wear are smart, how tidy and organised your shop is or the cleanliness of your office.

People notice these things and will make very swift judgements as to whether they think your business fits with their expectations of your trade or industry.

Now for those Eddie Stobart fans out there, of which there seem to be many. This iconic business started delivering fertilizer and the like, way back in the 1940’s. They still deliver smelly loads and an array of consumables and retail products today. Their founder decided way back then, that there was a need to make the right impression.

So what makes Stobart stand out from other haulage contractors?

Well Stobart are very successful at keeping to the agreed time for their deliveries and doing so with due care and attention for the products they carry. Their drivers are courteous and polite and trained to a high standard. Their lorries stand out from the crowd and are recognised instantly. Their vehicles are well maintained and kept clean inside and out. The pride the staff have for the business shows itself in bucket loads, or should I say lorry loads.

Where to make an impression?

Well it all starts with you. How you present yourself, whether face to face or over the phone is the start. You also need to be thinking positively about your customers. After all, without them you have no business.

So it’s vitally important that you think well of customers, want to do the best job you can for them and give them the right impression of you and your business.

Consider what you would expect from someone in your trade, if they were there to offer you a service. How you would want to be treated? How would you expect them to speak to you? How will they present in what they wear, or what vehicle they use? 

The right impression makes you credible

Use the same thinking to decide how to organise and maintain your offices, shop or vehicle. If your office is messy and in disarray, the customer may well think that applies to the way you do business.

If you arrive in a tatty old van with a poorly sign-written business name, then they may wonder if they have Del Boys dodgy dealership, rather than a reputable business person.

Consider the job at hand. Have you estimated it at the right price or given a realistic time frame to get the job done?

Are you considering that this customer will tell people about you when you have done a good job? Because whether they do or don’t, if you get it wrong they definitely will tell people about it. Bad news travels a lot quicker and louder than good news.

Do you want customers to be pleased with your efforts and for you to be proud of your achievements? Because if you do and you can make it happen, then that impression will stick and each and every time you impress a customer with all these things you will surely see the positive results. 
 
Always have in mind the impression you want to share in all you do.

Ensure your business advertises the right impression. Make sure your website is up to date. Make sure it promotes your business in the best light and it is professionally built and correctly coded for search engine optimisation. Ensure it is compatible with mobiles, tablets and computers.  If you advertise in magazines, on billboards or posters have your adverts are professional and send the right message. Whatever you do, however you do it, always bear in mind the impression your business is making to the world around you.

Bingham

Blogger for Bath Business Web Ltd