January Newsletter

As the Christmas and the New Year festivities recede, our thoughts naturally turn to the future. For some this just means making a few New Year resolutions, however for others it is an important opportunity to reflect and start planning what will be driving the business for lasting success in the New Year.

Please feel free to send in anything that you think may be of interest to other members to

Dates for your Diary

25^th January 2008 - Gala Dinner & Awards Ceremony - Get your tickets now!

Time: 6:30pm Drink Reception
Venue: University of Glamorgan Business Centre, Treforest
The RCT Business Club Gala Dinner & Awards Ceremony 2008 will be held on Friday 25^th January 2008 Compered By Carolyn Hitt and with our very special guest speaker Gareth Edwards MBE. The RCT Business Club awards are now in their second year and continue to acknowledge outstanding achievement. Don't miss the highlight of the Year click here.

To book a place at any of the RCT Business Club events, please contact Claire Curtis on 01443 424109, e-mail or register via the website at rctbusinessclub.co.uk If you have any suggestion/comments about the events, please Contact us.

Club Membership

Introduce a member to the Club and get a free place at one of our breakfast events contact us if you would like to take up this offer.

RCT Business Club Welcomes our new members

• Advasign
• AlphaTherapy
• Amber Electricals Ltd
• Ategi (Centre for Professional Development)
• Brookmans Electrical Wholesalers
• Commercial Legal Solutions
• Costcutter
• Cydradd Cymru - Equalities Wales
• DMG Technical Services
• Apex Taylor
• Flocon Valves and Fittings Ltd
• Folio Graphics
• Hawthorn Accountancy Solutions Ltd
• KTG Catering Limited
• Melloy Limited
• Miskin Manor Hotel
• mjpdeliveries
• Nail Training Academy
• Paramount Recruitment Wales
• Presstec Tooling Limited
• ProtectaGroup
• PT Training + Consultancy Ltd
• Sigma Quality 42 Ltd
• Silicon Edge
• The Real Leather Company
• Therapyworks Ltd (Pontypridd)
• University of Glamorgan/GTi+ Project
• Vivo International Ltd
• www.charlineevans.co.uk
• Zenith Media

LightAge offers the 4th in their series of tips and advice

Put In Place An IT Strategy for 2008 !

Business growth can put pressure on your IT systems if you haven’t planned for it.

If your company’s IT usage tends to grow and expand in response to immediate requirements rather than by design – you’re not on your own. However if you can commit some time to planning your future IT requirements rather than letting everything grow ad-hoc, your company will benefit and will be better prepared to take advantages of new technologies as they become available and as your business develops.

To help get you on the right road with your company’s planning for the year, consider the following:

• What are your business activities today? Does your I.T. support them?
• Consider your usage of Hardware, Software, Telephony, Mobile and Internet Services. Could they be better utilised?
• What do your employee’s spend most of their time doing? Are there technologies that would help them perform their tasks better?
• Do you have Home Workers? Online Sales and Purchasing? Staff on the road? Remote buildings and offices?
• Are you planning to expand your business or services? If so, what may your business require in the future?
• Would it be beneficial to consider outsourcing your IT? Renting services or equipment?
• Do your staff need extra training to help them develop their skills to make better use of the software/hardware that you have already, or of new/planned resources?

Remember, – great IT decisions are based on working out what you want to do first and then applying the technology available, not the other way around. In our experience, unfortunately some companies invest unwisely by making the mistake of buying new technology because either they are bowled over by its snazzy design or because they think they need it because it’s the latest thing. Thinking about the points bulleted above should help you avoid that pitfall and enable you to make IT a strategic part of your business and use it to your advantage in 2008 and beyond.

And lastly LightAge would like to wish all RCT Business Club Members a Happy and Prosperous New Year !

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