UK Service Industry - the only way is up

We used to be a manufacturing nation. But over the years, due to commercial realities associated with UK production costs and the demand for greener energy, manufacturing in this country has seen a sad decline.

Over the last two decades The service industry has become increasingly important to the UK, so you'd imagine wouldn't you that we'd be quite good at it. How does a country (and an economy)that relies so heavily on the service industry remain so bad at what is after all a crucial part of the customer experience!

I wonder whether you're able to relate to any of the following?

Example number !: Incorrect Gas meter reading resulting in ridiculously high gas bills of £380 per month! Not forgetting the inevitable mind numbing difficulties arranging for the energy company to straighten things out afterwards.

Example number 2: Mobile phone company's total incompetence and inability to carry out the simplest of account transfer instructions; causing the loss of a well established personal phone number despite the necessary code having been issued and processes having been complied with.

Example number 3: Water charges continually based on meter readings from a neighbouring property despite having alerted the water company and subsequently having had the correct meter manually inspected twice, not to mention having received an apology from the water company. Still, ONE YEAR later, things were just about straightened out.

Just for good measure, example number 4: New gas provider (resorted to as a result of the problems described in example number 1) decided not to transfer the gas supply from the original gas provider, but instead transferred the supply belonging to someone else. So of course the original supplier continued to charge whilst the new supplier simultaneously charged for someone else's gas! (Hope you followed that)

So these are four of my own recent challenges and experiences (in case you hadnt realised), highlighting the standards at which much of our service industry operates . I think it's safe to say that the service industry in this country has hit an all time low. It seems the UK's has no idea about service industry or in fact the customer service element of any industry.

If you relate to receiving this kind of shameful service, you should complain. You shout about it. Otherwise you'll not see an improvement. There doesn't seem to be a consequence for this level of shoddy customer service.

But on a positive note, let me also mention the opportunity here. If you're setting out in business just remember the level of service in the UK as being embarrassingly bad, and do whatever it takes to set yourself above the rest. This is a great opportunity to shine in a UK service level environment that has hit rock bottom.

Why do we want to aim at mediocrity?

David Cameron’s talking about bringing elitism into schools. Liberal minded folk that have all but banned healthy competition in schools won’t be happy. They don’t want kids to ‘win’ in school, as that will mean that someone else will inevitably ‘lose’. Instead they’d prefer it if everyone competes, but there be no winner or loser – a contradiction in terms that I haven’t yet managed to get my head around.

Perhaps they think that kids can’t cope psychologically with second place. What is it that there are some amongst us that don’t want children to experience the buzz associated with winning. Don’t they know that the only true way to become a winner is NOT to win once or twice? (Something that I’ have mentioned once or twice on the site and my blog)

Competitive spirit should be nurtured and honed in the school environment; whether it be in sport or in other more academic areas, that's how true success must be qualified. The single word definition of elitism is leadership, or to put it another way – the set of people that lead. Put this into a school setting and it refers to those that strive, excel and attain the mindset to lead(and inspire others to emulate and follow).

We learn by our mistakes and we improve on our results.

Riots

I wrote a piece some time back called the University of Life and another called Precious Metals. They've never been more relevant than they are today.


The recent riots have led to a beam of damming light clearly trained on the young in our society. By young I mean the youth, but that somehow seems straightaway to have a bad collective connotation.

There's no getting away from the fact that the rioters and looters actions were totally despicable. They did untold damage to businesses in their path and have raised peoples homes to the ground.

I would not for one minute suggest that there be any let off for the actions of those involved in the horrendous events of last week. They should be shown that their serious lack of judgement has caused them in return equally serious consequences.

But one thing's for sure, the youth, the younger section of society is definitely the hot topic. It's long been recognised that something needs to be done to address issues that affect the young. But now perhaps something positive will actually happen.

The recent riots were frightening to witness; and a damming indictment of our society. It seems always to be the case that we need to reach melt down before any serious and lasting action is taken.

I've heard sweeping statements on TV and radio stating that the kids of today are no good, have no respect, or that they all speak or dress badly. First of all that's just not true and it's totally counter productive.

What I will say is this; if [older] people see the younger generation as the enemy [and it seems that many do] then they should learn to know their enemy. That way they may start to understand them.

Apprenticeships - no substitute for experience?

The penny’s dropped. Apprenticeships are the in thing. In fact, this is the week of the apprenticeship The Government has said that there should be at least 100,000 positions readily available and offered by firms by 2014. Apprenticeships have of course been around for many years. But it’s now in the midst of a dilemma to drag this country out of recession that the Government is realising that it needs to do something; something to get the younger generation actively involved, directly and indirectly contributing to the economy (and the recovery). And so they’ve increased the budget aimed at raising awareness and helping to facilitate apprenticeships to £1.4billion for 2011/2012

Not all of us are made for University. Many don’t go. I’ve written various pieces that make reference to the talent and creativity hidden away in so many people. Unless there’s a way of mining for that talent, then unfortunately, in so many cases it stays hidden away.

The fact that not all of us go to University is a blessing. It means that we can get out there and work, that’s what the Government wants. The Government’s been doing its best to reinvent the education system by bringing in the 14-19 agenda. This aimed amongst other things, to create an agenda of activity and plans for development for young people between those ages, involving at the latter stages for example, vocational qualifications (NVQ) which would ultimately leave young people in better stead for their lives in the world of employment.

It’s great what the Government’s doing for apprenticeships, and long overdue, but it’s only half the battle. The perception of apprenticeships should be on par with University qualification. After all, if there’s no substitute for experience, let’s recognise and give apprenticeships the same degree of kudos as we have always done for academia. Let’s implant that message in all our young minds along side that of going to University, and let’s call it a choice of equal importance and equal attainment.

Cash advance for new starters

No more cash incentives for Businesses wishing to help the unemployed

Despite backing from MP's and positive endorsements from Private Enterprise, the Government scheme offering cash incentives for businesses wishing to employ and train individuals that had been out of work for over six months, has been stopped.

Personally I'm disappointed by this; as an employer I utilised the scheme, and as an employer I most definitely benefited from it.

Since the election and the subsequent switch to the Coalition, much has changed in Job Centre Plus. Government employment schemes are currently being totally overhauled. I've been reliably informed (by Job Centre plus) that some of these changes will become clear during September 2010. I do hope there's something similar in the pipeline. I think subsidising the genuine effort on the part of private enterprise to train and develop new starters with valuable job skills, is most definitely a good idea.

The Public Sector should continue to engage with private enterprise, not just in (PPP) private / public venture partnerships, but right at the heart of Job Centre Plus. Rather than waiting on organisations to supply the vacancies to the Job Centres, I'd like to see real collaboration. That's what subsidised mentoring was all about. It formed a crucial part as far as I'm concerned of the original New Deal scheme.

Let's see what they come up with next...

Life is what happens when you're busy making other plans

Sometimes just when you're really busy working on being successful, life sticks a foot out and decides to get right in the way. Whether it’s health or family related, life does have a knack of jumping in the way of the best laid plans - and the tricky so and so usually has the final say!

I, just like everyone else continue to have my share of both good and bad bits. John Lennon's line 'life is what happens when you're busy making other plans' - that's a real gem of a statement. It pretty much says it all. It doesn't matter who you are or what you've got. We're all on the same journey. Deciding to enjoy it or not is the only optional extra!

The Entrepreneur and the Accountant

Anyone earning a large salary will already be contributing more in tax than someone earning considerably less. Simple mathematics, and that's without adding ten percent on top, which of course increases the high earners tax band to half of what is earned. Not forgetting the scrapping of the tax allowance (the tax free bit) and the National Insurance contribution. That leaves you with...well I'll leave you to do the sums.

My own view has always been that you've got to earn it to pay it. That works at forty percent, but fifty percent? Why the Government prefers to alienate top earners is beyond me. A small number of the overall population, one percent is a mere mole hill set against the gigantic mountain of debt that lay before us. Surely a smaller adjustment of the tax band threshold for us all would have had a more dramatic effect on the problem.

I think that picking out the very people that already make the biggest contribution per capita is another clear example of going for the easy cash cow option.

We've evolved into a nation where entrepreneurialism is almost a qualification, yet we're governed by Old Labour which in my view has degenerated and is now more of a throw back to the 1970's. Not alot of entrepreneurialism in the 70's.

The message to aspiring young entrepreneurs will almost certainly be that if you plan on becoming a top achiever then you're going to be penalised for your efforts.

I just hope Alistair Darling's debt repayment plan can withstand the fact that our current record low interest rates will of course go back up. I'm not sure he's factored that into his forecast.

On an individual level, this however is why accountants were created. I'm sure they'll be earning their money in the coming months and years!