Newsletter 1: August 2006
Buyers and Sellers 4 business
In a little over two months of operation, people4business.com has attracted over 1,100 registered Sellers, with more than 2,600 individual skills between them.
As you might expect, our first registrations were from IT specialists and traditional media-based freelancers, but we’re now seeing a rapid expansion of skills and registrations across a much wider range of sectors.
Buyers are now registering in unprecedented numbers – attracted they say by the simplicity of the proposition, the functionality of the search facility and the complete financial transparency.
If you belong to a professional body or trade association that you think could benefit from people4business, do let us know and we will do our best to develop a relationship with them:
affiliates@people4business.com | 0870 389 3244
New 4 Buyers
• Customer service: Our rates may be industry-beating, but we still want to provide our Buyers with the highest level of customer service support. If you need any help at all to set up a new Project – or simply want to know more about people4business – please contact us:
buyer@people4business.com | 0870 389 3244
• Site Update 1: We’ve improved our Buyer functionality – there’s easier Contract Management and clearer processes to set up a new Project. Please take a look and let us know what you think.
• Site Update 2: We’ve made some small changes to our terms and conditions, so next time you sign in we’ll ask you to agree to them – if you haven’t already.
New 4 Sellers
• Site Update 1: Now you can get a people4business Rating with our new Retrospective Ratings facility. Simply click on My Ratings from your home page and you can contact previous employers to give you a Rating for past work. We’ll contact all employers who give Retrospective Ratings, to make sure that our Ratings are consistent.
Remember: Buyers can sort Sellers by their Ratings, so it’s well worth five minutes of your time to update your profile!
• Site Update 2: We’ve released a slightly amended version of our terms and conditions, so next time you sign in we’ll ask you to agree to them – if you haven’t already.
• Keeping current: Please make sure that you keep your details up to date:
• review your skills regularly… and let us know if we need to add any more skills;
• keep your availability details current;
• Buyers will use CV information to make their final decision on a Project shortlist. If you haven’t entered your CV details yet, we are happy to do it for you:
The Trend 4 Self-employment
Figures recently released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) confirm the growing trend in the UK towards shorter employment contracts and self-employment.
Of the 98,000 jobs created in the last three months, self-employment accounted for over half the increase while three quarters of new jobs for employees were temporary, reflecting some uncertainty among employers over the economy.
In the UK, there are now more than 3.7 million people working as freelance specialists, providing a vital role for companies who supplement their full-time employees with extra skills when they need them.
All this makes for a much more flexible workforce than was the case even 10 years ago – and is good news for people4business-registered Sellers.
Introducing us… the founders of people4business
Managing Director Duncan Taylor, 43, has 20 years of management experience, four of these at Director level. Recent employment included being Technical Director of two operations owned by Reed Business Information. Prior to this Duncan was Circulation Systems Manager at Guardian Newspapers Limited.
Recent experience in setting up his own consultancy led Duncan to the conclusion that there was a gap in the market for an online contractor and consultant website… and here it is!
Chairman Phil Lowe, 43, spent 17 years providing advertising, editorial, circulation, distribution and finance software and services to the newspaper industry across many regions and languages. He has led a series of mergers and acquisitions and was Corporate Commercial Officer for a leading international software house, with responsibility for operations generating $55m turnover through 200 staff across the Americas, Europe, Middle East and Africa, Asia and Australasia.
In 2005 Phil was retained by one of Brazil’s largest media groups, Associados, to advise them on their future e-commerce strategy.
Last updated 14.11.08
