MEMBER ZONE


MEMBERZONE MEMBERPROFILE


Latest news from MILTON KEYNES CHAMBER MEMBERS including award wins, relocations, appointments, new contracts, member profiles, mergers, company expansion plans, sponsorship deals and business success stories


MEMBER BENEFITS


For full details of all the benefits available to chamber members, visit: www.chambermk.co.uk


AXA PPP HEALTHCARE Chamber membership gives businesses access to Personal Business Assistance and Health at Hand at no additional cost. Sign up to a Chamber Business Healthcare plan and receive up to 50% discount off Chamber membership for three years.


NAME: Marcia Gomez


COMPANY: Cotels Serviced Apartments JOB TITLE: Managing director


WHAT IS YOUR BACKGROUND? I have been in the hospitality business since 1997, initially working as a receptionist at a small hotel business in Milton Keynes and then operating Milton Keynes’ first serviced apartment business.


WHAT DOES YOUR COMPANY DO? My business now operates almost 70 apartments across three of the UK’s fastest growing business destinations; Milton Keynes, Northampton and Luton. The apartments are predominately targeted at corporate guests whose jobs bring them to the area for stays of a week or more.


HOW DID IT ALL START? The hotel owner I worked for decided to open six serviced apartments which I initially ran for him doing everything from taking bookings to cleaning the apartments. Eventually I took over the business and through years of tenacity and determination have built it into the business it is today


WHAT IS YOUR GREATEST ACHIEVEMENT SO FAR? Opening our new self-contained building, 7Zero1, in central Milton Keynes at the end of last year. It has 12 brand new apartments and is home to Cotels’ HQ.


WHAT IS THE BIGGEST RISK YOU’VE EVER TAKEN – AND DID IT WORK OUT? Borrowing the money from my Dad to buy the business – it certainly did!


WHAT HAS SURPRISED YOU MOST IN YOUR JOB? The scope of work that comes across my desk as MD; I never realised how my work load would grow as the business became bigger.


WHAT EXCITING PROJECTS IS YOUR BUSINESS WORKING ON OR OFFERING AT THE MOMENT THAT YOU WOULD LIKE OUR READERS TO KNOW MORE ABOUT? Our new building 7Zero1 only opened for business at the end of last year so that is my primary focus at the moment – in particular finding ways to encourage guests and the local MK business community to make use of our public areas The Zone and our meeting room.


WHAT MADE YOU JOIN MILTON KEYNES CHAMBER? I wanted us to be part of the business community and, of course, make contacts. We attend many networking events and also make great use of the Chamber’s HR support which is a real benefit to the business.


26 inbusiness APRIL/MAY 2018


CHAMBER FX Exclusive foreign exchange member package offering free health check, low transfer fees and free account opening. Key benefits include bank-beating exchange rates.


CHAMBER AA Chamber members can save up to 63% on roadside assistance for business vehicles in a scheme provided by The AA.


CHAMBER HEALTH PLAN Provided by Westfield Health, Chamber Primary Health Plan can give members cover from just £5.30 per employee, per month.


CHAMBER PROTECTION


This includes four services: Chamber HR, Chamber Health & Safety, Chamber Legal and Chamber Tax. They include an advice line covering HR, employment law, legal, health & safety, tax and VAT, legal and health & safety documents and legal expenses insurance cover.


PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT QUARTERLY ECONOMIC SURVEY


Our Quarterly Economic Survey (QES) is a regular independent business survey and forms part of the largest and most representative survey of its kind in the UK. Results from the online survey are fed


to the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC), along with the other 52 accredited Chambers, and then passed onto the Government and the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC), providing them with an accurate national economic overview. It is widely recognised as a key economic indicator by Government,


The Bank of England and independent economists alike. It also provides both central and local policymakers with an important source of feedback of the performance, concerns and views of businesses throughout Milton Keynes. The findings from the national QES are also widely used by the media, politicians and economists.


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