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23 Apr 2024

This May, join the movement to create safer, more bike-friendly streets with the Bike Month Challenge and #MakeEveryRideCount!

23 Apr 2024

The number of reported e-bike thefts doubled in the space of a year in the UK, with a 103% increase in 2023 compared to 2022, according to a study by Evolve E-bikes. While the...

22 Apr 2024

Small shops have been more "agile" at fighting COVID sale slumps than chain stores, according to a new report.

22 Apr 2024

For the first time in its campaign to help the city address escalating lithium-ion battery fires, the Fire Department of New York filed criminal charges against a Brooklyn e-bike shop owner for...

22 Apr 2024

The managing director of Brompton has backed a campaign to introduce stricter e-bike battery regulations in the UK, amid "too many examples of e-bikes, e-scooters and light electric...

15 Apr 2024

The Rediscovery Centre, the National Centre for the Circular Economy in Ireland, today announced its partnership with Cytech, the internationally recognised training and accreditation scheme for...

12 Apr 2024

Just two weeks remain for the UK cycle industry to have its say on the current Government consultation to double the permissible power of e-bikes, and to remove the need for pedalling.

10 Apr 2024

Award-winning cycling business Spokes Bikes has added a new shop in Greenock to existing shop in Bridge of Weir.

9 Apr 2024

Communities across England are to be given access to £101 million of government funding for high-quality walking and cycling routes, improving the quality of local public engagement for...

9 Apr 2024

The founders of a Wirral bike recycling scheme have opened a hub across the River Mersey as part of a campaign to encourage more people into cycling.

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SMEs wasting billions on legal services

Posted on in Business News , Cycles News

Small businesses in the UK collectively spend around £60 billion per year on professional services, yet more than £12 billion of that figure is wasted on unnecessary or bad advice.

According to the research by Zeqr, SMEs in the UK admitted to wasting a grand total £12.6 billion on external assistance in professional services, which they felt failed to improve the performance of their companies.

As many as two in five respondents said they found "inefficient" fixed fees to be the main reason for dissatisfaction at the service they received. In particular they cited only needing to ask an HR specialist one or two questions, but being forced to pay an expensive fixed or ongoing fee, as contributing to this lack of value for money.

There is a particular shortfall in employment law advice for SMEs, which is leading to a growing number ending up at tribunals to settle disputes, which can be costly. The mean cost of representation for SMEs at an employment tribunal is £4379, according to the Competition & Markets Authority (CMA).

Unlimited access to legal support 24/7

To give SMEs access to low cost advice, ActSmart offer free unlimited 24/7 access to legal advice and business support helplines - as well as access to a constantly updated employment manual - through our partner DAS, as standard with ActSmart subscriptions starting from just £30 + vat per annum for cycle businesses.

Read more about the legal advice helpline or join ActSmart today to take advantage of this service. 

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