Benchmarking: Not just a large company concern
It is not only large businesses that need to apply benchmarking techniques.
The expectations of the global consumer are such that businesses now have to compete on standards of service and price, regardless of their size.
Research has indicated that many companies are missing out on significant profit opportunities by not implementing best practices.
The benchmark index
The Benchmark Index, created by the UK's Small Business Service, allows you to compare your business against over 2,000 benchmark results.
Benchmarking can help to improve productivity and competitiveness, and can reveal new business opportunities.
If you think your business has room for improvement in performance and profitability you might start by completing the free online 'healthcheck'.
This will help you gauge the performance of your business in the areas of finance (including R&D and marketing expenditure, turnover, and loans), customer service, innovation and suppliers, and employees.
- Business
- Personal
- Tax
- Budget 2012
- Year end tax planning
- Paying less income tax
- Financial planning guide
- Minimising capital taxes
- Tax rates and allowances
- VAT
- PAYE and NI
- IR35 Centre
- Tax and business calendar
- Autumn Statement 2011
- Budget archive
- Finance Bill 2012
- The Finance Bill 2011
- 2011 PAYE Update
- Regulation changes from April 2012
- Links
- Calculators
Business finance
- Business growth and development
- Dealing with fraud
- Financial accounting
- Improve your profitability
- Can we help you improve your profitability?
- Hiring winning sales staff
- Increasing your cashflow
- Manufacturers need smart stock management
- No business is an island unto itself
- Profit sharing is investing in your bottom line
- Remunerating for profitability
- Protect your business against a downturn
- Small players - take advantage of your market share
- Strategic alliances - help your business grow
- Three steps to cheaper financing
- Managing costs
- Can you cut your interest payments?
- Credit and tough economic times
- Protect your business when your customers go under
- Improve your debt collections
- Improving productivity
- Outsourcing delivers a range of solutions
- Reduce your utility costs
- Dealing with employee absence
- Protect your business when your customers go under
- Buy, HP, or lease?
- Reduce your wage bill
- Managing business budgets and finances
- Cashflow forecasting
- How to go about choosing reliable suppliers
- Setting out the right payment terms
- Operations and processes
- Raising finance
- How to present a request for finance to your bank
- Raising finance for your business
- Business plans: the foundation for success
- Finding the money to develop your business
- Annual financial planning
- Alternative ways of extracting profit
- Business debit and credit cards - pros and cons
- Government grants and loan schemes
- Staying competitive
