Business Link can help firms fight recession

Alan Bunce • Published 14 May 2009 12:00 0 Comments

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Leader: Here's to getting through the recession

BUSINESS Link has appealed for firms to make use of its services in the recession.

Ganesh Selvarajah, head of economic and business development at Business Link Berkshire said the service helped 1,700 firms in the last financial year including 300 start ups. But he said he believes there are many business owners who are suffering in silence when there is valuable free help available.

Mr Selvarajah says Business Link"s organisational needs analysis is designed to help identify gaps such as training requirements, then show firms where to find help.

He said: 'It"s all done on a one-to-one basis. We can look at the overall skills requirement but we can also identify specific problems. For example, if someone is using Excel and needs training, it could be that someone else could be trained up who is in a slightly different role.'

He added: 'The crucial thing we want to do is look at it from the business" perspective. It"s about where they are in the business cycle, particularly with regard to what training they need at the moment to maintain competitiveness.

'It"s become more important to use people more efficiently and effectively.'

But he said he wanted to target both businesses who don"t realise what Business Link can offer and those who used the service in the past but do not know how much it has moved on.

Business owners, he believes are often too busy to see the needs within their firms.

Call 0845 600 9 006.

This article appeared in Reading Chronicle 14 May 09

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