Word of the Month

Crab Insight March 2021

Posted on 9th March 2021 By Robert Briggs

Red Tape Busters Volume 8, Issue 06, `Regulatory Regimes’

Welcome to the March edition of Crab Insight

So the evenings are drawing out and the clocks spring forward soon. Spring is definitely in the air with crocuses and daffodils in bloom.

Despite this, our focus at Crimson Crab HQ is on regulatory regimes, as they affect all businesses to varying degrees.

HR management, data protection and health and safety management can be problematical so please do take a look at some of our solutions:

HR Wise

Grounded Safety

Data Protection

Claudia Crab’s March Focus

Regulatory Regimes

“Many people who try to do big bold things in the world find out it’s not about the money or the technology: It’s about the regulatory hurdles that will try and stop you.“ – Peter Diamandis, US Businessman founder and chairman of the X Prize Foundation

There are a vast array of regulators in the UK many of whom have varying impacts on business depending on the industry, from the Care Quality Commission and the Law Society to the Charity Commission and Ofqual.

However, there is a significant number such as the Information Commissioners Office (ICO), the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) and the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) which are universal.

The regulators’ purpose is to ensure there is a level playing field and protect the weaker party in any transaction (which is usually the client or customer).

If a regulator has cause to investigate a business, they will try to demonstrate insufficient control over business processes and procedures.

It makes sense to be in a position to show that you have done everything possible to comply and that you carry out checks to make sure that your procedures work.

That way the regulator will be more likely to help resolve compliance failures, rather than take enforcement action which can prove costly for a business and damaging to its reputation.

This follows Crimson Crabs strapline:

Ethical | legal | Responsible

How are you following all the rules and regulations that affect your business?

Look out for our social media posts and our blog later in the month as we will hopefully be able to flesh out your thinking.

Top tip – A great starting point is to understand the regulatory regimes that apply to your business and our Business MOT can help

Business MOT

Friday 12 March 2021

12 noon to 2 pm

WE ARE LIMITED TO 100 PLACES

FOUR PLACES ARE LEFT

TO AVOID DISSAPOINTMENT

Get your ticket on Eventbrite

Reputation Advocates

When you need a reliable and dependable expert click on the crab

Feedback

We love to receive feedback and it really helps us to improve our services for everyone.

Please write a Google review for us

Until next month look after your reputation!!

Ethical, legal, responsible trading wave

T:023 9263 7190 | E: enquiries@crimsoncrab.net | W: www.crimsoncrab.co.uk

Crab Insight October 2020

Posted on 14th October 202013th October 2020 By Robert Briggs

**Red Tape Busters Volume 8, Issue 01, Reassurance**

Welcome to the October edition of Crab Insight

Our word of the month for October is Value. As we focus on HR management throughout this month, we believe having a team who know and feel appreciated can have a huge positive impact in many areas of your company. So make sure you show your staff that you value their work.

Claudia Crab’s October Focus

“If you are taken to a Tribunal and don’t have policies in place to cover such things as grievances and disciplinary matters – it’s too late and all you can do is damage limitation.” Robert Briggs – Compliance Director Crimson Crab

Make sure you deal with your greatest asset, the people who work for you, through appropriate Human Resources policies and procedures. Our sister organisation HR Wise provides a suite of documents which create a framework to facilitate good management including:

an employment contract (statement of particulars)
a staff handbook with a full set of procedures
access to an email support line

Top tip – Visit the HR Wise website for more information

HR Wise

The next FREE

F2 Business Huddle online

is on

Friday 13 November 2020

12 noon to 2 pm

Get your ticket on Eventbrite

Reputation Advocates

When you need a reliable and dependable expert click on the crab

Feedback

We love to receive feedback and it really helps us to improve our services for everyone.

Please write a review for us on Google

Until next month look after your reputation!!

Crab Insight August 2020

Posted on 12th August 202013th August 2020 By Robert Briggs

**Red Tape Busters Volume 7, Issue 11, Protect**

Welcome to the August edition of Crab Insight

The positive relationships any business has with its clients will help it thrive and survive – but there are things you must do to protect the bond between you and your customers… That’s why PROTECT is our word of the month! Don’t forget Crimson Crab is always on your side, ready to help you rise to the challenge. Stay safe.

Claudia Crab’s August Focus

“If you deal with consumers respect their rights and comply with the standards of trading.”

If you deal with retail sales and have consumers as your customer there are a plethora of rules and regulations that apply, including:

The Consumer Rights Act 2015

The Consumer Protection from Unfair Commercial Practices Regulations 2008 – control unfair practices and create criminal offences for traders that breach the regulations.

The Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013

The Provision of Services Regulations 2009

The law covers:

What you sell:

Goods
Digital content
Services

Where you sell it:

On-premises sales
Off-premises sales
Sales made at a distance

How you sell it:

Consumer contracts
Good practice
Pricing and payment

Other key areas to consider:

Underage sales
Food & Drink
Product Safety
Animals & Agricultural Products
Weights & Measures

Whatever you do you need to respect consumers rights and comply with certain minimum standards of trading.

To fail to do this can lead to serious consequences including being prosecuted by a regulator such as Trading Standards or Environmental Health.

Top tip – A great starting point to find out where you are, is our Business MOT

Business MOT

The next FREE

F2 Business Huddle online

is on

Friday 14 August 2020

12 noon to 2 pm

It’s going to be the biggest ever

F2 Business Huddle

– so far

All the favourite features that you have come to know and love at the F2 Business Huddle – online

Get your ticket on Eventbrite

Reputation Advocates

When you need a reliable and dependable expert click on the crab

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Feedback

We love to receive feedback and it really helps us to improve our services for everyone.

Please write a review for us on Google

Until next month look after your reputation!!

Crab Insight July 2020

Posted on 8th July 20207th July 2020 By Robert Briggs

**Red Tape Busters Volume 7, Issue 10, Profile**

Welcome to the July edition of Crab Insight

What has been your biggest learning in recent weeks, and how will this change the way you present yourself to people?

Our word of the month for July is PROFILE, it’s all about how you will present yourself so as to stand out from the crowd in a digital-focused world?

Crimson Crab is on your side and ready to help you meet the challenges ahead.

Stay safe.

Claudia Crab’s July Focus

“A website is a shop window to the world – it is also a great way to showcase breaches of the law”

If you have a website you need to make sure that you comply with the law in the following areas:

Disclosure

You should identify yourself correctly and give an address at which you can be contacted, there are specific requirements for a registered business, (e.g. Ltd, PLC, LLP).

Copyright

It’s imperative that you protect your copyright effectively and make sure that you do not breach other peoples copyright. It makes sense to also have a document setting out the terms of use of the website.

Disability Discrimination

Businesses have an obligation to make reasonable adjustments to help disabled individuals access their goods, facilities and services. The Equalities Act 2010 requires that websites are accessible to disabled people including Blind people. One way of meeting this responsibility is for website owners to comply with the WCAG 2.0 standard at Level AA the UK Governments recommended best practice for accessibility.

Data Protection

You need to make sure that you comply with the Data Protection laws (including the GDPR) for all contact forms and any personal data collection. You also need to make sure that you have an appropriate Cookies policy detailing the cookies used and their purpose (and for example use a pop-up or other means to obtain ‘consent’).

Provision of Services

If you provide any services on or offline you have to make sure you comply with the Provision of Service Regulations. They require service providers to make available contact details where information requests and complaints can be sent, together with other specified information. One way of complying is to include the required information on a web page and proactively provide the link to clients when discussing your services.

E-commerce

When using a website for e-commerce purposes then you still need to comply with the law that relates to a bricks and mortar outlet along with some special rules for an online business.

So there must be for example no unfair commercial practices and suitable control of sales of age-sensitive products (e.g. alcohol, tobacco, fireworks, knives, solvents, videos & games). If any products are sold to which safety legislation applies, for example, toys, bicycles, electrical goods the rules have to be followed, as they do when food of any type is sold.

The Consumer Contracts Regulations require that you provide certain information when selling online, and also require you to tell the customer about their right to cancel the purchase within 14 days (not 7 any more). Failure in this respect can mean that the customer can enjoy a much longer cancellation period (up to 12 months)!

You also have to be careful to comply with the requirements of Card Providers and you cannot make additional charges for using such payment methods.

There are also rules around the way that complaints are dealt with and the provision of access to Alternative Dispute Resolution and the European Commissions Online Dispute Resolution Platform.