Penzance Chamber of Commerce

Policing for Protection

A serious issue was raised at the December meeting which raises questions of police policy in the district and a wider issue about how business can be protected from illegal activities.

The issue was raised by one member (who we'll not name here to avoid legal complications) who suffered the nightmare of a pilfering employee. The individual concerned was identified by a set trap and owned up to stealing, over a period, more than £1000! Despite the admission our local police decided to proceed by means of a caution rather than troubling the courts.

Of course we cannot use this column to try an individual case - the matter has been raised by letter from the Chamber to the police and, at the time of writing, we have not received a reply. What's more we all recognise that the Crown Prosecution Service tends to err on the side of not prosecuting when there might be technical reasons that make conviction problematic. Indeed our police service are increasingly let down by a legal bureaucracy that takes too long to prosecute and can fail thanks to poorly framed prosecution cases.

However this specific case raises an important policy issue. This individual is now at liberty to seek employment elsewhere without the inconvenience of a recorded criminal conviction. If one is to assume that this experience is not unique it can be seen that employers are at risk. How can we be sure that the people who approach us for jobs are honest enough to be trusted with the business's money (and by extension the jobs of other employees) unless such serious breaches are matters of public record? Even those enlightened employers who are willing to give past offenders a second chance are entitled to know the facts about the applicant.

Zero tolerance policing has been discussed at great length in the media but there is a deep distrust of it by its detractors in this country - from the political left over civil liberty issues and from the police over the requirements in manpower and swamping the courts with petty offences. Indeed the only area in which both seem to agree on zero tolerance is against speeding motorists - those caught on camera tend to pay their fine without claiming their day in court.

Both however miss the point. The reason zero tolerance has worked is because it gets offenders into the system early. Applied carefully by police on the ground it is a way to give would-be offenders the sense that they won't get away with anything and so deters not only petty crime but more serious offences. It also eliminates much of the anti-social behaviour that exacerbates the fear of crime among the general populace. It doesn't require vast increases in police numbers - merely that existing laws are applied in a targeted way to protect the community.

Policing a free society is a difficult balancing act and nobody wants to see victimisation of any group (even motorists). But we should all be concerned that the police can pursue genuine offenders without having to second guess the likelihood of success in the courts. As a Chamber we will continue to press for the rigorous prosecution of offenders to the full extent of the law.

An Old-Fashioned Approach to High-Tech Marketing

Marketing sometimes gets a bad press. It's thought of as the root of a lot of the problems in our society, encouraging avarice. According to one local practitioner, the truth is rather different. "Marketing can be all the things it's not supposed to be," says Mark Curtis. "It can be ethical, it should be comprehensible and transparent, and it can even be relatively inexpensive."

Originally trained as a photojournalist before working in PR and promotions and with the PA Management Consulting group, Mark has been in business as a freelance since 1990. He has serviced clients (directly and as a contractor to agencies) such as Cable and Wireless, Royal Mail, Alliance Insurance Management, BAA, Kodak, Nortel, and many small to medium businesses. He has carried out concept design, graphic design and branding, copywriting, press relations and events organisation as well as overall consultancy. His editorial writing and photography has appeared in UK national and international newspapers and magazines.

Emandem Limited is the company formed to encompass the consultancy services offered by Mark, along with wife Karen. Based locally for a little over two years, the company's principal contact has had little contact with local business directly save through the Chamber itself - for the past year Mark has been the voluntary press officer responsible for assembling the editorial content of these pages. "I felt the Chamber was a great way to make contacts in the area and to contribute to the district." As a pair of Emmetts who first fell in love with Penwith in the mid 1980s, the realisation that so many of Mark's existing clients were being dealt with remotely made the decision to relocate from London an easy one.

Karen specialises in legal, administrative and contract consultancy to the Offshore oil and gas industry and is currently on a long-term contract up country. "We didn't set out to work with local business," says Mark, "But Karen's away three days each week and all my existing clients seem to be invisible e-mail entities dotted around the world so I thought I'd better spend a little more time in touch with real human beings for the sake of my sanity!" he jokes. "Also there is a great business landscape in these parts and I'd like to think I can help some firms make the most of their marketing budgets."

As regular readers of these pages will know, Mark is not short of opinions and is happy to hold forth on his specialist subject - promoting businesses. "There's a clue in the name - 'marketing' just means going to market with something to sell. At its simplest all businesses are trying to achieve the same as a mediaeval trader setting up a stall in a town square. If you lose sight of that fact and get bogged down in clever theories it just becomes a bottomless pit into which you toss your money."

"Part of the problem is with who you can go to for advice. Too many businesses rely on agencies or even media for marketing advice but both these groups are trying to sell you something. I take an unbiased look at marketing and marketing communications needs. There's a bewildering array of techniques available. My job is to match the right methods to your business circumstances."

Among the innovations Mark hopes to bring to bear is designing and producing low-cost publicity materials - leaflets, brochures and the like - for businesses seeking a fully professional approach to marketing communications on a budget. New technology such as digital printing makes shorter run, top-quality printing more accessible and cost effective. For larger businesses considering taking on a full service agency in advertising, promotions or PR, Mark will help design the right mix of options and prepare briefs for suppliers that will ensure that the business gets the service it needs. He'll even consult on the agency pitch stage itself. "I've no desire to run a full-scale agency, or to compete with my own agency clients," he says, "but I'm very keen to help keep them honest!"

Mark sees technology as a tool with exciting possibilities. Recent developments mean that businesses can expand their reach beyond geography and can enjoy top-quality materials at a fraction of traditional costs. "But technology is only a tool, the rules still apply. You still need to build a brand and a reputation. You still need to create a compelling proposition. That's where the dot-coms failed. The Internet offers great marketing opportunities - perhaps the biggest step forward since the printing press - but it's not the licence to print money some seemed to think."

"Equally, you don't need to be a high-tech company to use high-tech methods, any more than you need to be a printer to use paper. Technology is making geography irrelevant and putting quality communications within the reach of every business."

It remains to be seen how much this old-fashioned approach to modern marketing appeals to the businesses of this district. Mark Curtis, Emandem Limited, can be contacted on 01736-731277, or e-mail markcurtis@emandemltd.com.

What is the Chamber For?

As another year draws to a close and we look forward to the Chamber AGM in February, it's a healthy time to question of the purpose and aims of the Chamber of Commerce.

We currently have just under 200 members in the district - that is 200 businesses that pay their annual subscription and are listed as being represented by the Chamber council - but a far smaller hard core of active members who regularly attend and participate in the meetings.

At its simplest, the Chamber is the principal forum for discussion and exchange of ideas between members of the district's business community. It also allows that community to have a collective voice, expressing an opinion on matters of public policy as they affect the commercial life of the town.

The problem is that the effectiveness of either role is predicated not only on the membership figures but on the active participation of the membership. The more people who come to meetings and offer their views and experience the more weight the Chamber's voice has and the greater the value of the meetings for everyone in attendance.

More than this, there is a raft of possible activities with which the Chamber could engage, both of its own instigation and in terms of engagement with other bodies and events. The problem, as ever is one of time. The few people who regularly attend meetings are spread thinly already - new blood would mean more capacity to do more and so to be more effective as a Chamber.

The AGM is an ideal opportunity to kick off a new era in the Chamber's long history. As well as electing the council and officers, new impetus will be given to the Chamber's activities and debate invited on the aims and activities All members are welcome and the more willing you are to provoke controversy and discussion the better for the future of your chamber.

The AGM will take place immediately following the regular monthly meeting in February - Tuesday 3rd February from 7.30 pm. Let's make this the rebirth of our Chamber and provide a definitive answer to the question - what is the Chamber for?

Guest Speaker at January Meeting

At the next meeting of the Chamber - the first of 2004 - another aspiring Cornish media mogul will present his proposition for the new broadcast landscape.

Graham Gilbert, launch director of Kernow FM will make a half-hour presentation outlining his company's proposal for the new commercial radio licence to be awarded next year and to begin broadcasting in 2005. This will be your opportunity to express the views of business on what could be a new conduit for your marketing messages.

To be prepared, you can learn more on the company's website - www.kernowfm.com. The meeting takes place at The Pirates' Rugby Club, on the evening of Tuesday 6th January 2004 kicking off at 7.30 pm.

New Member Welcomed

A familiar face was welcomed as a signed-up member of the Chamber at the December Meeting. Arnaud Ruetsch of the Blue Seas Hotel has attended several meetings in the past and witnessed the Chamber's deliberations yet decided to become a member anyway!

Seriously, you don't have to be a Chamber member to attend and contribute to the debate at meetings. All those concerned with the commercial life of the district are welcome. Arnaud's details are as follows:_

Mr Arnaud Ruetsch, Blue Seas Hotel, 13, Regent Terrace, TR18 4DW Tel:01736 364744. Email: blueseas@ukonline.co.uk. Web Site: www.blueseashotel-penzance.co.uk

Man in Red Takes to the Streets

Kris Kringle, Father Christmas, St Nicholas or plain old Santa Claus- whatever you like to call him, he's sure to greet you with a jolly and hearty chuckle as the scarlet clad spirit of Christmas takes to Penzance's Streets on Tuesday 22nd December.

Once again, the great bearded one is here at the invitation of his close friends Jan and John Garrison and will be seeking out especially well-behaved children, to whom he will pass on a gift and his blessing in person. Be quick - his busy schedule means that Santa can only visit our town from ten until noon on that day.

Christmas Boom in Store

Economic indicators appear to promise a record Christmas spending spree and an even better than usual January sales spree - good news for a retail-heavy local economy such as ours. The whole Chamber hopes that the season is one of extraordinary good cheer for all sectors.

The driver for all this is a sense of financial well-being drawn from soaring house prices. More and more people see the value of the equity in their homes climbing unabated and this makes them feel flush and more willing to load up the credit cards. Even those yet to join the market are more likely to spend. Paradoxically, people who see the point at which they can become home owners receding into the distance often give up saving and start spending.

At the risk of being something of a doomsayer, businesses must take steps to safeguard against the possible (some say inevitable) crash that may follow this boom. The problem is one of debt. People feel happy to borrow against the value of their property but any concerted increase in interest rates could bring the edifice of debt crashing down.

The wise business will use these good times to invest in measures to improve resilience. These will include better systems and efficiency, greater marketing reach (the only way to maintain or grow a business in a contracting market is to improve your share) and diversification into less volatile markets - if they can be found.

Ironically, the intrinsic weakness of our local economy could safeguard us against the worst excesses of any future downturn. The graph of activity here has less steep climbs and descents than more "successful" performers. However, cast your mind back to the early nineties and you'll remember an economic place we'd rather not revisit.

The downturn might not come, if the Chancellor of the Exchequer is to be believed, growth is to continue. However, none of the steps businesses can take to invest in security has a downside - they're all things that reap rewards rain or shine. Should the economy take a severe chill, however, they'll make the difference between survival and oblivion.

Join the Chamber

The Chamber of Commerce represents the interests of local business with the County, District and Town Councils, Government agencies and public bodies. It actively campaigns on issues affecting the business community as well as issues affecting the community as a whole. This requires finances and direct involvement by committed people, and deserves the support of every business in the region.

Our Chairman is coordinator of the West Cornwall Group of Chambers and the Cornwall Business Partnership. He is a member of the Priority Management Group 3, which approves Objective One funding in the area of Learning and Skills development He is also a member of the Penzance Regeneration Steering Group that has worked on the submission of an Objective One bid to greatly enhance the prosperity of the town and its inhabitants. Other members represent the Chamber on such bodies as the Police Consultative Committee and Tourism Committee.

All businesses have problems from time to time, and it has been proved that representation from a Chamber Officer on behalf of the member concerned can greatly enhance the prospect of a satisfactory conclusion. With major issues, such as the Penzance Regeneration Project, West Cornwall Hospital, Objective One and so on needing input from the business community there has never been a better reason for all businesses to become Chamber members - the greater our membership, the bigger our voice. JOIN NOW!

We invite membership applications from individuals and businesses large or small. For further information, visit the Membership Enquiry or Membership Application pages on this site.

Forthcoming Meetings

The next monthly Chamber Meeting will be held on Tuesday, January 6th at 7.30pm at the Pirates Rugby Club, Alexandra Road, Penzance.

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PENZANCE - THE PLACE TO BE

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