Burton & District Burton & District Chamber Patrons


Contact: Chris Plant T: 0845 603 6650


Feedback is key to growing a business


Businesses must be prepared to take off the rose-tinted glasses when it comes to asking customers what they think of them. That’s the view of Burton Chamber president


Simon Chapman, who added that although feedback was vital to any business, the information had to be used in the right way. Mr Chapman, who is also managing director of


Yee Group Limited, said feedback was a key part of helping businesses to develop and thrive. He said such information could be particularly


helpful to smaller businesses, as their decision makers tended to be more customer facing than they were in larger organisations.


‘Family-owned firms and SMEs are consistently regarded as performing considerably better’


He said: “Small to medium enterprises (SMEs) and smaller businesses have one big advantage. Compared to their larger publicly-listed cousins – big businesses and multi-national corporations – smaller businesses are viewed in a far more positive light, according to a survey carried out by Populus. “Family-owned firms and SMEs are consistently


regarded as performing considerably better. One reason given is that there is far less distance between the top decision-maker and the customer. “This enables the smaller business to be much


closer – and, in touch with those who are placing orders and making purchases. Our smaller company members are known to take this closer hands-on approach. They can play that singular advantage to continuing good effect.”


England boss gets a kick out of new pitch


England football manager Gareth Southgate has unveiled Burton Albion Community Trust’s (BACT) new floodlit all-weather pitch. The new facility has been built on unused land


at Burton’s Pirelli Stadium, and will be home to a number of grassroots clubs, including Burton Ladies. The pitch was funded by a £843,510 grant from the Premier League and The FA Facilities Fund. BACT, which is Burton Albion’s charitable arm,


will also use the facility to boost participation in sport via its various health and well-being initiatives.


‘It makes a massive difference in driving up participation in our national game’


Make good use of feedback: Simon Chapman


Mr Chapman said one Chamber member had


told him they received ‘significant and regular feedback’ from customers, and used it to help develop the business, particularly in terms of new products and services, and at the same time correcting any issues that had been identified. The member told him correcting and making adjustments ‘shows you have your eye on the ball’. He added: “Finding out what customers


actually think about your business, and then avoiding falling into the trap of using rose-tinted spectacles has several advantages that I can immediately appreciate. Your customers can be highly perceptive in many areas and so provide you with a competitive edge.”


Southgate said: “Throughout my career I’ve always been a big supporter of the grassroots game, and state-of-the-art facilities like this one are its lifeblood. Floodlit all-weather pitches allow football to be played all-year-round, irrespective of the weather. This means more people, more often, taking part in the sport. “As a professional, I have been lucky enough to


train, play and coach on some of the best facilities in the country. I believe that those who train, play or coach at the grassroots level should be afforded the same experience. That means building facilities like this one right across the country. “The FA, along with the Premier League and


Government deserve credit for working together to invest into improving grassroots facilities. “It makes a massive difference in driving up participation in our national game. And ultimately all future England players – whether it is the women’s teams, disability teams, youth teams or indeed in the senior men’s team – all of them will start out and develop their skills in the grassroots game, and on grassroots facilities.”


Hilary set to drive Chamber’s development


New South Staffordshire-based Chamber business development manager Hilary Cuttell can’t wait to get motoring in her new role. And that’s not surprising, as she has spent


27 years working in the motor industry, including a spell for Mitsubishi Motors UK at the company’s head office at Cirencester, where she worked on many high-profile events, including the famous Badminton Horse Trials, which the car giant sponsors. She also worked at a key Toyota dealership


in Burton, not far from the company’s UK manufacturing plant at Burnaston. This job was a return to Hilary’s roots, as


she was originally from the Burton area, and says she knows many people in and around the town.


She will now be putting this to good use in


her new role for the Chamber, which will see her covering the whole of South Staffordshire, including Burton, Lichfield and Chase. She said: “I am looking forward to joining


the Chamber’s professional sales team, and renewing some of my relationships with businesses in the region, as well as forging new ones.” Howard Blow, Chamber head of sales, said:


“I am delighted to welcome Hilary to the team and look forward to her helping businesses connect, support and grow. “She has considerable business acumen,


having been responsible for the Badminton Horse Trials for a number of years – she has particular expertise in Burton and Uttoxeter.”


Motoring ahead: Hilary Cuttell with Howard Blow April 2017 CHAMBERLINK 31


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