[caption id="attachment_9493" align="alignright" width="150" caption="Knowing your business rates could save you money"][/caption]
Louise Hebborn gives you an insight into the rules around business rates. If you know the ins and outs of it, you might be able to save some money.
[caption id="attachment_9356" align="alignright" width="150" caption="Chris Small"][/caption]
In a guest appearance on the CAT Council, Chris Small challenges the convenience of online catalogues.
For many, the question on their lips is which country will be the first to exit the eurozone.

Whether an existing eurozone member jumps or is pushed is irrelevant. The consequences for many businesses are likely to be severe. This is particularly so because there is no English or EU law which addresses the legal effect of a change of currency resulting from a eurozone exit. This stands in stark contrast to the situation in certain US states that have such laws.
In a special guest CAT Council appearance Adrian Hill of Morris Lubricants and Ken Clark of Rozone warn that when it comes to battery and oil products, some items in the market just don't stack up.
[caption id="attachment_8963" align="alignright" width="150" caption="Make sure you're not turning customers away"][/caption]
This is the time of year to quell any unrest and make sure your customers are staying loyal, says John Genge.
John Genge lays out his top tips for making the most from your partnerships
There is a lot of brave talk in this world. Some speak of nailing down suppliers, some of hammering down prices and only recently we heard of farmers, disgusted over the reduction of their wholesale milk prices, causing blockades outside dairies and threatening to pour milk down the drain. One way or another, there is a trend towards adversarial relationships with suppliers - but is that good?
Businesses need to get up to speed with the soon to be compulsory Real Time Information (RTI) that will overhaul the way PAYE works in the UK, says Jason Piper. Having been with us since 1944, PAYE was originally set up to aid collection of taxes during the Second World War. Changes in work patterns, payments and the sheer volume of information handled by the system have left it straining to cope, however.
This month the CAT Council has been debating oil and lubricants giant Shell's decision to launch its own online garage finder tool, which excludes independent garages. Shell's marketing material for the new tool has made a number of claims against independent garages, and the CAT Council is only too happy to set Shell straight.
When times are hard the temptation to take on work that is outside your capabilities and muddle-through can be overwhelming. The simple fact is that customers deserve better. Ability is close to the top of my list of must-haves for a garage. A simple analysis of job cards and invoices, together with shared anecdotes from technicians, quickly highlight shortfalls.
Politicians tell us the Games will bring in billions, but Richard Shortis of the Shortis Group wonders who will actually see the benefit. Here he wonders whether the effect of the games will actually damage business.