Laminating Pouches: How Do They Work?

May 15th, 2012

Laminating pouches are used with pouch laminating machines, and make for an easy and effective laminating method.

Popular in offices and for small business use, pouch laminators are relatively inexpensive, and once you have the machine you simply purchase laminating pouches as required.

Laminating Pouches

How laminating pouches work is that they are lined with an adhesive that is solid at room temperature, but which melts and seals to the document when heated in a laminating machine.

Self-adhesive pouches are also available for heat sensitive documents or items.

At Office Allsorts we stock A4, A3 and A2 laminators, and their appropriate pouches, so think carefully about the size of the documents that you are likely to need laminating before investing.

We also have a limited range of laminators that can be used for multiple sizes, as well as roll laminators which use a roll of laminate for versatility.

While roll laminators, such as the GBC Ultima 65 Roll Laminator are expensive, they are worth the investment if you’re likely to have heavy usage needs.

A2 laminators are great for posters and signage, A3 laminators are also good for notices and signage, whereas A4 laminators are good for information leaflets, menus etc.

When purchasing a machine, think about usage and the quality of finish that you need to achieve. For example, you may be happy to use a lower specification laminator on ‘in house’ documents, but need a higher quality finish on laminated items that will be used or seen by clients and customers.

Whichever size and specification of laminator and laminating pouches are suitable for your needs, Office Allsorts is sure to have them in stock at a great price. You can also get all of your office supplies on free next day delivery (over £40) so you can be laminating those important documents as early as tomorrow!

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How To Start a Company

May 10th, 2012

Setting up in business is more or less complicated, depending on which business structure you choose. Starting up as a sole trader is relatively straight forward in terms of legalities and red tape, you’re required to register as self-employed with HMRC and submit a self-assessment tax return and that, aside from ensuring that you have the relevant insurances in place, is the extent of it. You’re then good to get those business cards printed up and go!

To start up a limited company (Ltd) however, is more involved. After the initial idea and business plan, the first step is to name your company and find suitable premises. This is because you need to register your venture at Companies House.

Naming your company is not as straightforward as it may first seem. Aside from any creative difficulties that you may have in choosing the right name to represent your vision, there are also rules in place that must be heeded.How to Start a Company

Limited companies must also end their name with the suffix ‘limited’ or ‘Ltd’, must not be identical or similar to an already registered company name, must not imply a government/public authority connection and must not be offensive.

You’ll find a useful company name availability checker on the Companies House or Business Link website.

It’s important to have also found your business premises as, when registering a business at Companies House, it needs to have a name and address recorded.

In addition to start a company, you need to appoint a company director and a secretary if you wish. If you don’t wish to appoint a company secretary then the director is instead assumed responsible for the statutory obligations that need to be carried out throughout the company’s financial year.

You also need to record the share capital and shareholder details, and submit your application with the appropriate fee (£40 for a standard paper registration, £18 for a web incorporation service).

Don’t worry if this all sounds complicated. It is perfectly acceptable to be the registered company director and sole shareholder of a company – and Companies House are able to advise you on the basics.

Alternatively, there are many company formation agents that will aid you in setting up your business, for a (usually) small fee.

Once you’ve got your company registered, Office Allsorts has all kind of office supplies that you need to set up your office – at great prices and with free next day deliver – so that you can hit the ground running straight away.

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A Guide to Business Plans

May 3rd, 2012

Writing a really great business plan can seem like a daunting prospect, particularly when you’re in the early stages of setting up your business. However, get your business plan right and it will act as a fantastic business blue print and motivational tool, and could even be a critical factor in securing investment.

Follow this simple guide to writing the perfect business plan and you’ll soon have a useful document that can make making your business a success much easier.

Business PlanSummary – Short and Long

Business plans should always begin with a single sentence summary that is attention-grabbing, concise and accurately reflects your business.

This should be followed by a one page outline, which is basically an overview of what the rest of the business plan goes into in more detail. Describe your business and its purpose, the market opportunity and your marketing plan, and show potential for growth. You should also give an overview of predicted revenue and profit/loss.

Timeline

Create an easy to read timeline showing all of your major business milestones and detailing what needs to happen between points to hit each target.

Vision

Look into the future. Where do you want your business to be in three to five years?

Product/Service

Go into detail about your product/service here. What will give it the edge over its identified competitors? Who will buy what you are selling and how are you going to reach them (marketing strategy)?

Revenue and Profit/Loss

Two different things here. Revenue is the money that you generate through your business. How much will you charge for your product/services? What does your product/service cost to you to make/carry out? What, therefore, is your margin on each item sold?

Once you have this figure you can then go on to predict profit/loss by forecasting your income and expenditure for the next three to five years.

About You

Now is the time to sell yourself (and your team). Detail your relevant achievements but also keep this section personable. Any potential investors will be investing in you as a person, so make sure that you make it an easy decision for them in this section.

Return

If you are using your business plan to secure investment then you will need to detail the timescale for returns on these investments, and the predicted amount that they will get back.

Simply working through the above guide will leave you with a tangible business plan that will have a myriad of uses, and may be the very first step towards the success of your business.

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Essential Office Furniture For a Small Business

April 26th, 2012

Whether you work from a home office, rent a small office or have a small office in your business premises, space is likely to be at a premium. Choosing office furniture that works in a small space can be tricky, so here’s our handy guide to making the most of your working area.

Size Wise

Getting the size right doesn’t always mean choosing the office furniture with the smallest dimensions. Of course, any furniture that you choose has to fit within the space that you have (and you should of course measure up before you even think about furniture shopping), but it’s important to consider your working requirements.

For example, if you need an occasional work space at your business premises for doing odd bits of paper work then you can get away with going for small, budget-friendly items such as the simple Trexus Basics Budget Computer Work Station desk.

If, however, your business is desk based then you need to make sure that your purchases are going to be comfortable and practical f

Office Furniture

or everyday use.

Multi-Purpose

A desk that incorporates storage is usually a good idea for a small business owner, as it means that you can keep your business essentials contained and close to hand. If, for example, you’re setting up an office in a corner of your home or business premises then a desk with storage will enable you to stop your important work items from spreading out within your home, shop or workspace.

The Aaaaah Factor

One item that you shouldn’t compromise on is a great office chair. If you’re going to be sitting at your desk every day (and perhaps even long into the evening) then you need to be comfortable in order to work effectively.

It’s certainly worth investing in padded, management style seating to save your back and shoulders.

When shopping for office furniture there are some items that you can save on, and others that are worth investing in. Take some time to consider your requirements before you shop and you’ll be rewarded with a comfortable and practical workspace.

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What Small Business Insurance Do You Need?

April 24th, 2012

Insuring your small business can seem like a complicated matter, simply because there are several different insurances that you may need.

Here’s a quick and simple run down of small business insurance policies that could protect your business:

Premises Insurance

Just like you would protect your home and its contents with an insurance policy, if you rent or own business premises then you need adequate cover in case of fire, flood or theft.

Office AllSorts is well aware of the amount of equipment and office stationery that the average small business needs in order to function, and that investment needs to be protected.

Business Insurance

Employer’s Liability Insurance

Employer’s liability insurance is essential once you take on your first employee. The purpose of this is to protect them should they be injured or fall ill while working for you.

Motor Vehicle Insurance

Any company vehicles must have at least third party insurance.

Industry Insurances

Some industries, law for example, have certain insurances that all practicing professionals are required to hold.

Public Liability Insurance

Businesses that come into direct contact with members of the public need public liability insurance. This insurance is important to cover any claims for damages, and related legal fees, from members of the public who have been hurt or injured either on your premises or by actions related to your business.

Professional Indemnity Insurance

PI insurance offers businesses protection against any claims for damages caused by professional negligence.
Just one costly claim for damages can be enough to sink even a robust business, so don’t take chances when it comes to protecting your interests – make sure that you have the above two insurances in place if appropriate.
While we’ve managed to cover the main types of small business insurance policies available, there are many more which can be taken out. The right insurances for you will depend upon your industry and the nature of your business, so if in doubt do seek professional advice from your regulatory body, advice agencies or a financial services professional.

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How To Start A Business: A Simple Guide

April 12th, 2012

Many people dream of starting their own business, but the reality can seem quite overwhelming. It’s important to start as you mean to go on when setting up a business, as a business with strong foundations will have the strongest chances of success.

Here’s Office AllSorts’ simple guide to how to start a business, to help you to lay those first building blocks of success:

The Bright Idea

All good businesses start with a great idea, whether it’s an idea for a brand new product or service, or simply an idea of how you can do what others are doing – only better.

Business Consumable NeedsIf you have an idea that you’re passionate about, and simply can’t stop turning over in your head, then you’re off to a good start. It’s worth running your idea past a few trusted individuals to gauge their opinion, or even heading to a forum such as the one at startups.co.uk, to get the opinions of other business owners and entrepreneurs.

Research, Research, Research

A big part of starting up a business is research. You’ll need to identify and research your target market, industry, suppliers (at Office AllSorts we can take care of all your business consumable needs!) and your competitors, as well as the day to day logistics and practicalities of making your business idea work. The more research you can do during the early stages of starting a business, the smoother the start-up is likely to be.

A Shiny Business Plan

Preparing a business plan is a good idea even if you don’t need one to secure business finance, as it will help you to see clearly whether your idea for a business is a viable one.

Of course, you can only estimate incomings and outgoings at this stage, but the process of delving deeper into your business idea can throw up some questions, and hopefully solutions, to strengthen your peace of mind going forward.
Secure Finance (And Set Up a Book-Keeping System)

As soon as you earn or spend your first penny on your business you need to have a good system in place for recording such transactions. Be that a spreadsheet, accountancy software or a simple big black notebook, what’s important for now is that everything gets noted.

When it comes to securing finance to help start up a business it’s vital to shop around the banks and other financial institutions (if that is the borrowing route you decide to take) as a small difference in APR can make all the difference over a long loan term.

Get Ready To Launch!

Once you have all the building blocks for how to start a business in place you should be able to launch your business with confidence, which will in turn instil confidence in your customer base and hopefully lead you down the road of success.

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Get Nottingham Office Furniture, Wherever You Are

April 11th, 2012

You don’t need to be based locally to get great quality office furniture from a Nottingham office furniture supplier. At Office AllSorts we only trade online which means that businesses nationwide can enjoy choosing from our range of great quality, affordable office furniture.

As an independent business, we are able to offer that personal touch and exceptionally great service that large chain retailers can often lack. However, we also represent the best of both worlds, as it’s not only local businesses that can benefit from our fantastic service.

Office Furniture

Whether you’re looking to purchase chairs, desks, filing cabinets or any other items of office furniture, we will aim to have your goods delivered within one working day. All you need to do is place your order before 5pm (Monday to Friday) and we will despatch immediately for next day delivery (certainly clearly indicated exceptions apply).

Even if we receive an order after 5pm, we will still do our utmost to get it to our customer the very next day – because we’re nice like that. Orders received on a weekend or public bank holiday will be processed the next working day for next day delivery. We endeavour to get your items to you as quickly as possible because we know how important office supplies are to the smooth running of your business.

When you buy office furniture from Office AllSorts, not only will you receive your items the very next day, but you will also enjoy free delivery on orders over £40. Free next day delivery is a rarity when it comes to office furniture, but at Office AllSorts we like to stand out from the crowd.

Wherever your business is based, you can get Nottingham office furniture to suit your budget, with free next day delivery, so you will have all that you need to run your business effectively, as soon as you need it.

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Business Stationery at the Lowest Price

April 3rd, 2012

At Office AllSorts we appreciate that when you’re running a business the little expenses can quickly add up. While a good selection of business Stationery is essential for the day to day running of any company, it’s also important to get the most for your money.

Business Stationery

 

 

Whatever your business Stationery needs, we can supply you at the lowest possible price. This is because we only trade online, which means that we can keep our overheads low and pass on great savings to our customers.

 

 

 

So what essentials should you stock up your Stationery cupboard with?

Paper

If you own a printer then you need printer quality paper to feed it with. We have an exceptional selection of paper to choose from, including A4 paper, A3 paper, laser paper and inkjet paper, so you can choose the perfect type of paper for your needs.

Pens and Notepads

Even though the majority of document writing is done on a computer, there’s still no substitute for good, old-fashioned pens and notepads. Perfect for meetings, working out problems or for when inspiration strikes, there’s something about putting pen to paper that technology simply cannot imitate.

Pre-Printed Business Stationery

For Stationery of a different kind, Office AllSorts should still be your office supplier of choice. We can provide pre-printed office Stationery, including invoices and remittances, at a great price. Any items that make your business administration that little bit easier have got to be worth investing in, but when you buy from Office AllSorts you won’t need to break the bank, thanks to our fantastic discounts and low prices.
Whether you’re looking for a new filing solution, or treating yourself to some smart new desktop accessories, you can do it without blowing the business Stationery budget when you shop online at Office AllSorts. Have fun!

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Keeping It Simple: Business Loans

March 29th, 2012

Most businesses will need additional funding from time to time, whether it’s money needed to cover start up costs, cash to see the business through tough times or funds needed to expand.

It is normal however to be apprehensive about borrowing to fund your business, and it’s certainly not a decision to be taken lightly.

If you’ve decided that a business loan is necessary then it’s well worth taking some time to ensure that you understand the commitment fully, and are aware of all your options.

Head to the High Street

For many, the local high street banks are a good first port of call – particularly a financial institution that you already hold an account with, be it personal or business. But don’t be afraid to shop around in order to get your required credit as cheaply as possible. Small differences in APR can add up to a considerable amount over a five or ten year term, so don’t discount other banks out of a sense of loyalty.

Business Supplies from Office Allsorts

As well as big name banks, many supermarkets such as Sainsbury’s are now well-respected finance providers that regularly top the best buy charts such as money supermarket and money.co.uk.

Interest-ed?

You’ll have to decide whether a fixed or variable rate loan will suit your circumstances best – and there are pros and cons to both. Fixed rate loans are great for those who prefer to be able to predict their repayments – perhaps businesses on a strict budget. While a cheap variable rate may seem appealing while interest rates are low, it’s important to weigh up the possibility of the Bank of England increasing their base rate during the term of your loan.

It’s certainly worthwhile comparing the rates and deals offered on personal and business loans from different providers, in order to find the best loan for you. Once your business finance is in place, make sure that you use your cash flow wisely on the best value business supplies from Office AllSorts. Keeping overheads and outgoings low will increase your profit and subsequently increase the chances of your business venture being an exciting success.

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Green Office Week

March 20th, 2012

For the last few years, Office Supplies and Stationery, company, Avery have been really active in promoting the use of environmentally friendly office products. Each year they run a ‘Green Office Week’ and 2012 is no exception with the dates being set for 14th – 18th May 2012.

They’re not suggesting that office workers or businesses need make radical steps to ‘green’ their workspaces or not use stationery or only purchase environmentally friendly office stationery. Instead they focus on the office workers, the foot-soldiers, those people who use the office equipment and stationery on a daily basis to start taking small steps and make a few changes and more importantly, to become more environmentally aware in the workplace.

They’ve put together a great website www.greenofficeweek.eu full of information and ideas on how you can make Green Office Week fun. Each day of the week focuses on a different area and each day contains Top Tips on things that can be done to improve the Green credentials of your workplace.

 

  • Monday – Focus on Energy – Did you know that 1/3rd of office workers don’t turn their computer off when not in use.
  • Tuesday -  Focus on Transport – Did you know it’s estimated that 25% of office workers could car share.
  • Wednesday – Focus on Waste – Did You Know? More than half of office workers don’t re-use cardboard boxes.
  • Thursday – Focus on Purchasing – Did You Know? Only one fifth of office workers choose environmentally friendly office products or recycled stationery.
  • Friday – Focus on Innovation – Did You Know? One quarter of office workers highlighted lack of encouragement as the reason why they’re not greener

As well as the Top Tips each day, Avery have produced a Daily Downloads to help you promote and monitor Green Office Week in your workplace. These include a ‘Green Offices for Dummies’ guide, stickers to display round the office, downloadable email signatures to add it to your email, sample environmental policies and lots more.

There are prizes to be won as offices throughout the country compete against each other in ‘The Green League’ and the overall winner at the end of the week will win a really exciting and unique prize from top furniture designer Max McMurdo – an upcycled trolley chair.

It won’t cost you anything to sign up and any effort during the week will be a benefit and if you want to make it more competitive, the Green Office Week website offers great ideas for inter office competitions.

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