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Cheques set to be phased out
Jan 25th
Cheques are set to become a thing of the past by the end of October 2018, following a decision by the Payments Council.
The target date of 31 October 2018 has been set with a view to allowing sufficient time for alternative methods of payment to be put in place, and the decision will be subject to a final review in 2016.
Cheques are thought to have been in use in the UK for around 350 years, but the number of personal cheques in circulation has been in steady decline since the early 1990s.
Commenting on the decision, Paul Smee of the Payments Council said, ’There are many more efficient ways of making payments than by paper in the 21st century, and the time is ripe for the economy as a whole to reap the benefits of its replacement’.
’But the real challenge lies ahead if we are going to be comfortable to wave goodbye to the cheque, which undeniably occupies a unique place in British culture,’ he added.
Businesses and charities have given a mixed reaction to the news.
Age Concern and Help the Aged have expressed concern that the decision will encourage banks and retailers to begin the phase-out ahead of the deadline, placing many older people at a disadvantage.
Meanwhile, the Forum of Private Business has highlighted the need for practical and convenient alternatives to be put in place.
About Copernicus Consulting:
Copernicus was started in 1999 as a Manchester based International Business Consulting Service and Strategy Consultancy. Today it’s going beyond the boundaries and providing solutions to business entrepreneurs globally with offices spread across Denmark, Germany, Sweden, Netherlands, Norway, Dubai, Finland, Turkey, Canada, Poland and China. From business start up to business sale, Import or Export, Copernicus can bring energy, drive, enthusiasm and practical common business sense to guide you and your business to success. For more information on how Copernicus can improve your business prospects from India to the UK contact us at info@copernicus-consulting.com or Visit: http://www.copernicus-consulting.com
Copernicus reveals plans for USA expansion
Dec 21st
“Opening in the USA will add a new dimension to our ability to provide our clients with new business opportunities and sources for a whole variety of products and services for the UK and other European, Asian and Middle East markets where we are represented”
Manchester, England 17.12.09– Manchester based Copernicus Consulting, a strategic planning consultancy with a rapidly expanding international presence, is to recruit associate consultants as Business Evangelists to create new international trade opportunities for US companies in the various markets where Copernicus are represented, and to indentify potential trading partnerships within the US for international clients.
“This was a natural progression for the business after our success in the UK, elsewhere in Europe and the opening of our office in China. We have already created a platform across the UK, Scandinavia, The Netherlands and Germany which has opened a network of opportunities for our clients. This first phase of expansion into Southern Europe has already created new possibilities that we have been able to generate for our clients in respect of international trade” explained Colin Fell, Group Managing Director. “Already we have had approaches from interested parties which may lead to our services being available in France, Portugal and Italy in 2nd quarter 2010, along with enquiries from government bodies in North Africa and UAE to explore how we can best assist them in developing or facilitating international growth in selective target markets. This in itself is a fantastic endorsement of the growing strength of the Copernicus brand and is fair recognition of the quality of the individual consultants carrying out the tasks and projects on behalf of our clients.
“The initial response to the range of Copernicus services being introduced to “connect” international businesses, both small enterprises and larger corporations with the US for the first time has been quite staggering.”
The “Copernicus Connecting Markets” service opens doors and develops trading relationships between companies in various international markets to their mutual advantage. Once such partnerships are identified and created the unique Copernicus International Key Account Management service offers an extremely cost effective solution to the further development and increased return on investment following a new market entry.”
http://www.copernicus-consulting.com/services/international-key-account-management
The United States of opportunity
“The operation in the US will mirror the successful model operating in our other markets,” said Angela Stretford who leads the Copernicus International Training organisation which complements the main Copernicus business while also operating as a standalone entity. “We will focus on the SME sector where we can work directly with business owners and have the greatest financial impact on their business, while also looking to work closely in association with county and state economic development authorities just as we have done previously in Holland (Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency) or in Sweden ( Invest in Sweden) to name but two.
In this way we can add the commercial expertise of Copernicus to the knowledge base and extensive market data of a government organisation to the benefit of our clients, as we fast track their international market entry strategy in the most cost effective manner possible.”
With this in mind Copernicus will launch three new domains to highlight the potential for reciprocal business with the US. www.exportfromusa.com, www.exportingtousa.net and www.exporttocanada.net will all be visible in 2010 to coincide with the expansion drive. Copernicus opened in China and Spain earlier this year and has carried out several outsourcing and sourcing projects for UK and EU based companies with great success over the last few months with savings already running into tens of thousands of dollars for clients.
Offices in Turkey and Poland will open by mid-January 2010, Singapore, Dubai and a third, as yet undisclosed office, shortly afterwards. In each instance the language competencies, skills and local business knowledge are developed within the business for the benefit of Copernicus clients.
To learn more about the services Copernicus can offer to guide you and your business to success visit www.copernicus-consulting.com or for specific markets one of their 40 plus domains such as www.exporttouk.net, www.exporttoscandinavia.com, www.expottoholland.co.uk or www.exporttospain.net
About Copernicus Consulting
A dynamic, results driven consultancy represented across the UK and in a growing number of international markets. Services include restructure and reorganisation, succession planning, due diligence, acquisition identification, business unit evaluation, sales & marketing and a dedicated training division www.copernicus-training.com As such many of our services are eligible for grants and funding for qualifying companies.
For more info. Visit: http://www.copernicus-consulting.com
Copernicus opens new international business office in Valencia, Spain
Dec 7th
“This was a natural progression for the business after our success in the UK and Northern Europe. We have already created a platform across the UK, Scandinavia, The Netherlands and Germany which has opened a network of opportunities for our clients. This first phase of expansion into Southern Europe will add a further dimension to the possibilities we are able to generate for our clients in respect of international trade” explained Colin Fell, Group Managing Director. “Already we have had approaches from interested parties which may lead to our services being available in France, Portugal and Italy in 2nd quarter 2010, along with enquiries from government bodies in the USA and UAE to explore how we can best assist them in developing or facilitating international growth in selective target markets. This in itself is a fantastic endorsement of the growing strength of the Copernicus brand and is fair recognition of the quality of the individual consultants carrying out the tasks and projects on behalf of our clients.
The initial response to the range of Copernicus services being introduced to the Spanish SME sector for the first time has been quite staggering.
The “Copernicus Connecting Markets” service opens doors and develops trading relationships between companies in various international markets to their mutual advantage. Once such partnerships are identified and created the unique Copernicus International Key Account Management service offers an extremely cost effective solution to the further development and increased return on investment following a new market entry.”
Viva -España “The operation in Spain will mirror the successful model operating in the other markets ,” said country managing partner Brian Evans-Watt. “ we will focus on the SME sector where we can work directly with business owners and have the greatest financial impact on their business, while also looking to work closely in association with the inward investment agencies just as we have done previously in Holland (Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency) or in Sweden ( Invest in Sweden) to name but two.
In this way we can add the commercial expertise of Copernicus to the knowledge base and extensive market data of a government organisation to the benefit of our clients, as we fast track their international market entry strategy in the most cost effective manner possible.”
Copernicus opened in China earlier this year and has carried out several outsourcing and sourcing projects for UK and EU based companies with great success over the last few months with savings already running into tens of thousands of pounds for clients.
Offices in Turkey and Poland will open by mid-January 2010, Singapore, Dubai and a second UK office, this time in London, shortly afterwards. In each instance the language competencies, skills and local business knowledge are developed within the business for the benefit of Copernicus clients.
To learn more about the services Copernicus can offer to guide you and your business to success visit www.copernicus-consulting.com or for the specific Spanish market www.exporttospain.net