Did You Know…?
- Staff costs are the single highest cost borne by hospitality businesses. If you are spending more than 35% of your turnover on staff costs you should be doing something to assess the efficiency of your staffing.
- 41% of the waste from hospitality businesses is food waste. If average business could avoid just 20% of its food waste, this could result in savings of £2k on food costs and £1.7k on waste collection costs.
We all have busy lives and it is not often that we get the chance to stop and see whether what we are doing could be done better. Could we be more productive or efficient with how we do things? The result might be more sales, less costs or even simply more time available to do the things you enjoy. Check out some of the tools and advice below and see how we can help.
Here are some smaller questions and lots of links to help you get you started…
Are you sure that your business is as efficient as it could be?How Good is your Business Really?
Aimed at helping managers of small and medium-sized businesses better understand their businesses and increase profits. Based on answers to a few key questions, the tool will show you how your business stacks up against your peers and the best performers in your industry. Falling behind? No worries. “How good is your business really?” also provides proper, practical tips on how to improve in the specific areas that matter to you.
How: Online survey
Provided by: not-for-profit initiative, part of movement founded by Sir Charlie Mayfield, Chairman of the John Lewis Partnership, and has the support of a number of the country’s leading companies and industry bodies.
Digital Boost Health Check
How good are your digital skills? An easy 10 minute online survey will help you find out where technology could fit into your business and improve your performance, profits and people. Available to everyone.
How: Online survey
Provided by: Business Gateway (funded by Digital Scotland Business Excellence Partnership (DSBEP), budgets and procurement are owned by Scottish Enterprise)
Professional Specialist Advice from Scottish Tourism Alliance Partners
Sometimes you just need to ask an expert. There is no shortage of professional support available to tourism businesses. The STA relationships with a number of leading tourism specialist companies, many of which offer STA member discounts.
How: One-to-one advice
Provided by: Scottish Tourism Alliance
Green Tourism
Internationally recognised sustainable tourism accreditation scheme which will help you highlight your green activities and get advice and support to reduce the impact of your business on the environment. Costs apply.
How: One-to-One Advice through Accreditation
Provided by: Green Tourism
VisitScotland Quality Assurance
Long-established and internationally regarded quality mark which helps your guests know what to expect and you to know what to provide. Costs apply.
How: One-to-One Advice through Accreditation
Provided by: VisitScotland
The Seven Profit Monsters – where could I reduce my resource costs?
Description: Simple guide highlighting seven areas where you may able to cut your costs in your business. A useful overview and easy to understand for everyone in your organisation.
How: Online resource
Provided by: Zero Waste Scotland
Skills for Growth Programme
Create the right culture, be a good leader, motivate your staff. Advice is available which is specific to your business on how to get the most from your team. Available to businesses with between 5 and 250 employees. No cost.
How: One-to-One Support
Provided by: Skills Development Scotland
Tourism Business Improvement Academy
Exciting new 11-day programme aimed at ambitious and growing businesses that recognise the need for sustainable continuous improvement. It combines tools and techniques to highlight areas where efficiencies can be made and incorporate these with cultural and behavioural change. Available to everyone. There is a charge of £450 + VAT per person.
How: Workshops & One-to-One Support.
Provided by: Scottish Enterprise
Help to grow your Business
‘Driving Growth Support’ is a general business growth programme available to all businesses across Scotland.
How: One-to-One Support
Provided by: Business Gateway
Better Business Guides
Advice and tips on 11 different topics ranging from energy efficiency to community engagement and sustainable marketing.
How: Online resources
Provided by: VisitScotland
Digitise Your Business Processes
Could you be saving time and money by using online systems to help run your business? Here are two very accessible online guides (entry and intermediate levels) which provide advice how to take advantage of back-office systems to make your business more efficient.
How: Online, workshops and one-to-one support
Provided by: Business Gateway
Professional Specialist Advice from Scottish Tourism Alliance Partners
Sometimes you just need to ask an expert. There is no shortage of professional support available to tourism businesses. The STA relationships with a number of leading tourism specialist companies, many of which offer STA member discounts.
How: One-to-one advice
Provided by: Scottish Tourism Alliance
VisitScotland Quality Assurance
Long-established and internationally regarded quality mark which helps your guests know what to expect and you to know what to provide. Costs apply.
How: One-to-One Advice through Accreditation
Provided by: VisitScotland
Advice for Tourism Business about Resource Efficiency
Needing to be more efficient with your resources Find all the online tips, training, workshops, webinars and case studies here.
How: Online
Provided by: Zero Waste Scotland
Business Loan for Resource Efficiency
Are you looking to reduce costs through improved energy, material resource and water efficiency? Then you may be eligible for an unsecured, interest-free loan from £1,000 to £100,000. Available to small or medium enterprises only. See website for terms and conditions.
How: One-to-one support with qualifying report and loan application
Provided by: Zero Waste Scotland
Tourism Business Improvement Academy
Exciting new 11-day programme aimed at ambitious and growing businesses that recognise the need for sustainable continuous improvement. It combines tools and techniques to highlight areas where efficiencies can be made and incorporate these with cultural and behavioural change. Available to everyone. There is a charge of £450 + VAT per person.
How: Workshops & One-to-One Support.
Provided by: Scottish Enterprise
Love Food Hate Waste Campaign
Be a food waste reduction ambassador. Love Food Hate Waste are looking for businesses to add their voice to the fight against food waste. Highlight to your customers what you are doing to keep food waste down and encourage them to do the same.
How: Online advice and downloadable resources
Provided by: Zero Waste Scotland
Tourism Innovation Surgeries
Got a great new idea for your business which you’d like to explore? Speak to an innovation specialist for advice and support about getting your idea off the ground. Available to businesses based in Scottish Enterprise area only. See website for terms and conditions.
How: One-to-one advice
Provided by: Scottish Enterprise
Innovate your Business
If you’ve got a new idea to grow your business but don’t know how to make it happen, then get in touch. Available to businesses based in the Highlands & Islands Enterprise area only. See website for terms and conditions.
How: One-to-one advice
Provided by: Highlands & Islands Enterprise
Innovate your Business
If you’ve got a new idea to grow your business but don’t know how to make it happen, then get in touch. Available to businesses based in the Highlands & Islands Enterprise area only. See website for terms and conditions.
How: One-to-one advice
Provided by: Highlands & Islands Enterprise
Tourism Innovation Surgeries and Workshops
Got a great new idea for your business which you’d like to explore? Speak to an innovation specialist for advice and support about getting your idea off the ground. Or sometimes sharing ideas with others can help crystalise the next steps for your business. Join a Tourism Innovation Workshop Run throughout the year or can be run in-house. Workshops available to all. Surgeries avaiable to businesses based in Scottish Enterprise area only (Highlands & Islands businesses see below)
How: One-to-one advice
Provided by: Scottish Enterprise
Tourism Business Improvement Academy
Exciting new 11-day programme aimed at ambitious and growing businesses that recognise the need for sustainable continuous improvement. It combines tools and techniques to highlight areas where efficiencies can be made and incorporate these with cultural and behavioural change. Available to everyone. There is a charge of £450 + VAT per person.
How: Workshops & One-to-One Support.
Provided by: Scottish Enterprise
Got an Idea that a University could help you with?
Innovation Vouchers provide up to £5,000 funding to help small and medium-sized companies work with academic experts on problems which may expand their company and offer solutions which cannot be obtained commercially.
How: Grant funding and support
Provided by: Interface
Digital Tourism Scotland
Designed especially for you! This programme is aimed specifically at tourism businesses of all shapes, sizes and skills to help improve their digital skills and knowledge. Learn how to use digital technologies to provide a personalised and unique experience for your visitors and engage customers in new ways. Open to everyone, although a small charge may apply to some workshops.
How: Online resources, Workshops & One-to-One Support
Provided by: Digital Tourism Scotland (partnership of Scottish Enterprise, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, VisitScotland, Skills Development Scotland, Scottish Tourism Alliance, Business Gateway and Scottish Government).
Business Loan for Resource Efficiency
Are you looking to reduce costs through improved energy, material resource and water efficiency? Then you may be eligible for an unsecured, interest-free loan from £1,000 to £100,000. Available to small or medium enterprises only. See website for terms and conditions.
How: One-to-one support with qualifying report and loan application
Provided by: Zero Waste Scotland
Innovation Support Service
Planning an innovation project? Maybe you’re looking to develop or improve products or services? If you are, then this programme can help with free, impartial review of your project with experienced innovation advisers.
How: One-to-One Support
Provided by: Scottish Enterprise
Workplace Innovation Fund
Looking to introduce new and innovative practices into your workplace? A grant is available of up to £5,000 to support projects centred on at least two of the following three themes: People, Place or Practice.
How: Grant support
Provided by: Scottish Enterprise
Innovation – By Design
Thinking of designing a new product or service or improving the design of existing products or services? This may involve hiring a designer, updating branding and packaging as part of a larger innovation project. Or you may be thinking of commissioning external research to provide information on customer needs and wants, hire an expert to help write a design brief or prepare a design blueprint? If so then a By-Design grant of between £2,00 to £5,000 could help get you started.
How: Grant support
Provided by: Scottish Enterprise
Make It To Market Grant
The Make it to Market grant can contribute between £2,000 and £5,000 to prepare products or services for international markets. This includes external expert advice on technical feasibility or product modification, Product-based market research, including development of samples, Intellectual Property (IP), licensing and brand protection, and translation costs relating to product adaptation and launch.
How: Grant funding
Provided by: Scottish Enterprise
CASE STUDIES
Golphin Ltd
Glasgow-based Golphin Ltd design and manufacture golf clubs to make it easier and more enjoyable to learn to play golf. Their products sell in 19 countries throughout the world. MD Calum McPherson talks about how they used innovation to develop, prototype and optimise their products.
Find tourism support from Scottish Enterprise here
Two Fat Ladies Restaurant
Find out how this iconic restaurant minimises waste in all forms.
The restaurant is focused on improving resource efficiency and minimising their carbon footprint. Energy is carefully managed. Food waste is reduced by considered sourcing sourcing, ordering, preparation and menu planning.