IT Support Partner JMC Passes Annual ISO 9001 Quality Audit for Seventh Year Running

IT support partner JMC has passed its annual ISO 9001 quality audit for the seventh consecutive year, the company has announced.

The company first received the accreditation in 2003, and has passed its annual quality audit every year since.  

The ISO 9001 audit assesses a company’s standard of Quality Management System (QMS), which is used by organisations to direct and control how quality policies are implemented and quality objectives are achieved.
By achieving the ISO 9001 standard and passing the annual audit, JMC is able to demonstrate to both new and existing clients that the company prides itself on delivering a high quality engagement.

Founded in 1981, JMC is a large IT support partner based in the North of England.  It offers an extensive portfolio of services including IT support, business management solutions, and bespoke software development.

With an annual turnover of over £8million, the average client has worked with them for over nine years, and 94 per cent of clients would be happy to recommend its services to others.

As you would expect from a company of JMC’s calibre, it possesses a host of industry accreditations including Microsoft Gold Certified Partner, Cisco Premier Partner, Citrix Silver Solutions Network Member, Dell Enterprise Architecture Partner, HP systems reseller, and Pegasus Strategic Partner.

It has also received many awards for its services, and consistently appears in the Sunday Times annual “Top 100 Best Small Companies to Work For” list.

For more information about JMC and its services, visit the JMC website at http://www.jmc.co.uk/.

------------------- Company Description
JMC has been providing businesses in the North of England with market leading IT solutions since 1981.  JMC makes IT make sense by delivering the necessary experience, resource and commitment to help its clients face their challenges and achieve their ambitions.
http://www.jmc.co.uk
------------------- Hit Search Contact
Press release produced and promoted by Hit Search. Find out more about us and our services at http://www.hitsearchlimited.com. Tel: 0845 643 9289

-------------------- Unique reference
JMC-HS-291110

 

IT Support Partner JMC Retains Its Investors in People Accreditation

IT support partner JMC has announced that it has retained its Investors in People (IIP) accreditation.

The renewed accreditation was confirmed following two days of interviews between IIP assessors and JMC employees.

Following the evaluation, the IIP assessor concluded that JMC had demonstrated its full commitment to delivering the IIP standards, which was evident in the positive attitudes displayed by its employees.

IIP is the leading people management improvement standard in the UK, helping thousands of organisations across the nation to improve their business performance through their employees.

Around 40 per cent of companies fail to retain their IIP accreditation, so this is an outstanding achievement for JMC, and showcases their long term commitment to improving employee relations.

Founded in 1981, JMC is a large IT support partner based in the North of England.  It offers an extensive portfolio of services including IT support, infrastructure, and Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software

With an annual turnover of over £8million, the average client has worked with them for over 10 years, and 94 per cent of clients would be happy to recommend its services to others.

As you would expect from a company of JMC’s calibre, it possesses a host of industry accreditations including Microsoft Gold Certified Partner, Cisco Premier Partner, Citrix Silver Solutions Network Member, Dell Enterprise Architecture Partner, HP systems reseller, and Pegasus Strategic Partner.

It has also received many awards for its services, and consistently appears in the Sunday Times annual “Top 100 Best Small Companies to Work For” list.

For more information about JMC and its services, visit the JMC website at http://www.jmc.co.uk/.

------------------- Company Description
JMC has been providing businesses in the North of England with market leading IT solutions since 1981.  JMC makes IT make sense by delivering the necessary experience, resource and commitment to help its clients face their challenges and achieve their ambitions.

http://www.jmc.co.uk

------------------- Hit Search Contact
Press release produced and promoted by Hit Search. Find out more about us and our services at http://www.hitsearchlimited.com. Tel: 0845 643 9289

-------------------- Unique reference
JMC-HS-291210

 

Preventing slips on snow and ice

Cold mornings, frost and the possibility of snow all come with UK winter months. Last year we saw parts of the UK come to a standstill when heavy snow fall and ice made roads unsafe to use and pavements too dangerous to set foot on.

When it comes to health & safety whose responsibility is it to reduce the risks brought by snow and ice?

The Approved Code of Practice to the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations, relating to traffic routes and pedestrian walkways, states: -

"Arrangements should be made to minimise risks from snow and ice. This may involve gritting, snow clearing and closure of some routes, particularly outside stairs, ladders and walkways on roofs".

Therefore, organisations should minimise injury from slips on snow and ice by taking the following steps: -

Planning

• identify the external areas of your premises where slippery conditions are most likely to occur for both vehicles and pedestrians, e.g. on path-ways, car parks, access roads, steps, sloped surfaces, unofficial routes regularly used as short-cuts
• monitor local weather forecasts to anticipate poor weather conditions
• keep a stock of gritting material for your premises and suitable equipment to carry out the gritting process
• where staff work out doors, make sure they have suitable footwear to reduce the risk of slipping
• where practicable, prevent access to non-essential areas where there is a higher risk of slipping and designate safer alternative routes for vehicles and pedestrians, e.g. use of barriers, cones and signs
• enforce low speed limits to reduce the risk of vehicles skidding
• provide adequate segregation between vehicles and pedestrians.

Remember, it is important to clear areas of snow and ice leading from external fire exit doors/stairs for people to use safely in an emergency.

Prevention/treatment of icy surfaces

The most common method to prevent external surfaces becoming icy is to apply rock salt early at night before a frost. This technique can be used even at very low temperatures.

Alternatively, snow or ice can be melted by applying rock salt directly after a snow fall or ice formation. However, fresh or compacted snow should be cleared before treating surfaces, in order to enable the rock salt to work most effectively. Ensure the snow removed does not create a risk elsewhere or block drainage channels.

Gritting should not be carried out during heavy rain as this will wash the rock salt away.

Rock salt is not expensive and can be obtained from most builders merchants. Where supplies of rock salt are not available then consider other sources of materials, e.g. grit, table salt.

Citation’s compliance solutions in health & safety and employment law provide SMEs with 24/7 advice and ongoing support to deal with situations like these enabling employers to easily demonstrate they have followed the necessary procedures.

For more information about Citation and the services they provide, visit the Citation website at http://www.citation.co.uk/.

ref:CHS-HS-171110

 

JMC Managing Director to Compete in 24-Hour Strathpuffer Mountain Bike Race for Help for Heroes

Andrew Burgess, managing director of IT support partner JMC, is preparing to compete in the 2011 Strathpuffer mountain bike race in order to raise money for Help for Heroes.

This extreme 24hr event, held just north of Inverness in Scotland, is open to solo riders, duos and teams of four, and annually attracts around 450 competitors from all over the world.

Andrew is no stranger to the gruelling Strathpuffer circuit, having entered the 2010 race as a duo with another rider. As part of Team JMC Andrew and his partner finished 4th having completed 23 laps of the circuit in just under 24hrs. This year however, Andrew will be taking on the ultimate challenge of racing in the gruelling event as a solo rider, with the target of raising £2,000 for Help for Heroes.

Andrew commented: “Whilst I have a fair amount of experience of racing mountain bikes I have stepped well outside my comfort zone by entering this year’s event solo! Riding for the best part of 24hrs is tough but snow, ice, freezing conditions, a challenging course with lots of climbing and some heart in the mouth descents, plus 17hrs of darkness means this is my toughest event yet. What will keep me going though is knowing that my efforts will raise a substantial amount of money for an awesome charity. All donations are greatly appreciated.”

The sixth annual Strathpuffer race will take place on 15th and 16th January 2011. Andrew has set up a fundraising website for his Strathpuffer race, where donations big or small can be made: http://www.justgiving.com/Team-JMC-Budge/.

For more information about JMC and its services, visit the JMC website at http://www.jmc.co.uk/.

 

Fined for Health and Safety Work at Height Breach

A home improvement company has been fined for breaching health and safety laws after one of their workers was spotted working on the roof of a house with nothing to prevent him falling off.

The Northwest Company pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 6(3) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005, by failing to take sufficient measures to prevent a fall from a roof.

The employee was spotted working on the roof of a house where he was standing on a temporary platform with no guardrail in place to prevent him from falling. The case was heard and the court ordered the Northwest Company to pay a £5,000 fine and £2,274 in costs.

Alastair Hall, Head of Health and Safety at Citation, said “Falls from height are one of the biggest reason for serious and fatal injuries in the workplace each year. Appropriate risk assessments must be undertaken by employers for employees who are working from height. Failure of the employer to implement the necessary safety measures can be fatal and employers need to know their responsibilities”

Citation provide all the necessary documentation, updates and support to ensure its clients are aware of their responsibility when it comes to employees who are working from height.  Citation clients have access to a 24/7 helpline where they can receive advice on any aspect of the regulations for working from height.

If you are worried that your business is not properly conforming to health and safety regulations, then a consultant from health and safety specialists Citation could help.

Operating throughout the UK since 1995, Citation provides professional advice and compliance packages to business clients. Independently endorsed at the highest level its market leading services provide guaranteed protection in the high risk areas of employment law and health & safety regulations.

For more information about Citation and the services they provide, visit the Citation website at http://www.citation.co.uk/.

This release is for guidance only.

Ref: CHS-HS-27910

------------------- Company Description
Operating throughout the UK since 1995, Citation provides professional advice on employment law and health & safety packages to business clients. Independently endorsed at the highest level and winner of The Queens Award for Enterprise, its market leading services provide guaranteed protection in the high risk areas of employment law and health & safety regulations.

http://www.citation.co.uk

------------------- Hit Search Contact
Press release produced and promoted Hit Search. Find out more about us and our services at http://www.hitsearchlimited.com/. Tel: 0845 643 9289

 

EU plans to change maternity rights could cost SMEs dearly

UK businesses could be hit with a £2.5 bn annual bill under the recent EU plans to change maternity rights.

The scheme which is due to be voted on in October, would mean employers would be required to pay new mothers 20 weeks full pay. This would almost treble the cost of maternity pay paid by UK businesses.

Women on maternity leave within the UK currently receive the first 6 weeks at 90% pay followed by 33 weeks on £124.88 a week. The increase in payments would hit small to medium sized business dearly, particularly when trading conditions are still tough.

Andrea O’Hare, Head of Personnel & Employment Law at Citation, says “This proposal could lead to a rise in discrimination in the workplace towards women of a particular child bearing age. Employers may choose against such candidates when recruiting because of the additional financial costs they would incur should the woman fall pregnant.”

Citation ensures its clients are updated should any changes in legislation (such as the EU changes to maternity rights) take place ensuring they are meeting the necessary legal requirements. Citation’s employment law compliance solutions provide SMEs with 24/7 advice relating to any issue and provide ongoing support to deal with issues they face.

For more information about Citation and the services they provide, visit the Citation website at http://www.citation.co.uk/.

This release is for guidance only.

Ref: CEL-HS-17910

 

IT Support Partner JMC Secure Lucrative Contract with The Swan Hotel and Spa

JMC, a leading IT support partner in the North of England, has announced a recent client acquisition in the form of The Swan Hotel and Spa in the Lake District.

The Manchester-based company will be working with the luxury hotel to deliver the Microsoft Dynamics GP system, as well as the appropriate support software.

Based in the Newby Bridge area of the Lake District, The Swan Hotel and Spa were looking to implement a new accounts system within the company. JMC believe the Dynamics GP product to be an ideal product for the hotelier sector, and were able to ward off stiff competition to illustrate to the Swan Hotel that the programme was the perfect fit for their business.

JMC is a leading IT support partner in the North of England. With an annual turnover of over £8million, the average client has worked with them for over nine years, and 94 per cent of clients would be happy to recommend its services to others.

As you would expect from a company of JMC’s calibre, it possesses a host of industry accreditations including Microsoft Gold Certified Partner with Nine Competencies, Cisco Premier Partner, Citrix Silver Solutions Network Member, Dell Enterprise Architecture Partner, HP systems reseller, and Pegasus Strategic Partner.

For more information about JMC and the services they provide, call on 0161 925 7777, or visit http://www.jmc.it

------------------- Company Description
JMC has been providing IT support to organisations in the North of England since 1981.  Helping to make IT make sense by delivering the necessary experience, resource and commitment to help its clients face their challenges and achieve their ambitions.
http://www.jmc.it

------------------ Hit Search Contact
Press release produced and promoted by Hit Search. Find out more about us and our services at http://www.hitsearchlimited.com. Tel: 0845 643 9289
-------------------- Unique reference
JMC-HS-21710

 

 

British Companies Failing to Protect Employees' Eyesight

A recent survey amongst HR departments across Britain has found that up to 90 per cent of businesses are failing to meet the legal obligations to protect the eyesight of their staff.

According to figures published by the Eyecare Trust, one in ten British companies does not have any form of eye care policy in place for their employees.

Alastair Hall, Head of Health & Safety at Citation said “Businesses have 6 key obligations relating to eye care, including, regular eye tests, proper analysis of work stations, and short screen breaks throughout the day. We often find that employers are unaware of the provisions they should make for employees around eye care regulations”

The Eyecare Trust estimates that absence and reduced productivity due to employees’ eyesight problems costs the British economy around £1.5bn a year.

If you are worried that your business is not properly conforming to health and safety regulations, with regards to eye care or any other areas, then a health & safety specialist from Citation could help.

Operating throughout the UK since 1995, Citation provides professional advice and health & safety compliance solutions to business clients. Independently endorsed at the highest level its market leading services provide guaranteed protection in the high risk areas of employment law and health & safety regulations.

For more information about Citation and the services they provide, visit the Citation website at http://www.citation.co.uk/.

Reference : CEL-HS-19710

 

IT Support Partner JMC Announce Welsh Slate as New Client

IT support partner JMC has secured a lucrative contract with manufacturing company Welsh Slate.

JMC will be working with the client to support their Pegasus Opera II computer system, and offer a range of comprehensive IT services through the SupportCare programme.

Welsh Slate, who are the world’s leading manufacturer of high quality slate products, were dissatisfied with the service they were receiving from their previous IT supplier. The JMC telemarketing team approached the North Wales-based company and demonstrated how they could help Welsh Slate get the best out of their business with a top quality IT support partner.

A leading Pegasus Strategic Partner, JMC are consistently named as Pegasus’ best Northern Partner, based on feedback from over 350 Pegasus clients across the country, at both corporate and individual level.

JMC is a leading IT support partner in the North of England. With an annual turnover of over £8million, the average client has worked with them for over nine years, and 94 per cent of clients would be happy to recommend its services to others.

As you would expect from a company of JMC’s calibre, it possesses a host of industry accreditations including Microsoft Gold Certified Partner with Nine Competencies, Cisco Premier Partner, Citrix Silver Solutions Network Member, Dell Enterprise Architecture Partner, HP systems reseller, and Pegasus Strategic Partner.

For more information about JMC and the services they provide, call on 0161 925 7777, or visit http://www.jmc.co.uk

------------------- Company Description
JMC has been providing IT support to organisations in the North of England since 1981.  Helping to make IT make sense by delivering the necessary experience, resource and commitment to help its clients face their challenges and achieve their ambitions.

http://www.jmc.co.uk

------------------ Hit Search Contact
Press release produced and promoted by Hit Search. Find out more about us and our services at http://www.hitsearchlimited.com. Tel: 0845 643 9289

-------------------- Unique reference
JMC-HS-18610

 

Catalyst Business Academy to Offer Discounts on Training Programmes in July and August

London based Learning and development company Catalyst are offering a range of special offers on their various training courses for the summer months of July and August.

Catalyst Business Academy has been providing learning and development courses for British companies for over 20 years. They course portfolio covers a wide range of topics, from people skills and IT, to NVQs and project management.

Their programmes are designed and tailored specifically to your company’s training needs. You choose the content of the courses, where you want them delivered, and when, and Catalyst will do the rest for you.

Courses can be offered either at your own site, or at Catalyst’s specialist training centre in central London. Catalyst also offer a coaching service to help you implement your new skills in your workplace, either with one of Catalyst’s Personal Coaches, or by training you or your managers to become a coach.

Prices for the Catalyst learning and development courses in July and August start from just £550 per course; this is based on a Software course for up to eight delegates and £850 for a softskills course for up to ten delegates. Companies interested in this offer can call Catalyst on 020 436 3636 for a free consultation.

For more information about Catalyst, and the training software and services they provide, visit the Catalyst website at http://cbduk.biz/

Ref: CLT-HS-21610

IT Support Partner JMC to Attend Stadium Business Summit in Dublin

JMC Consulting Director Rob Jones is to attend the Stadium Business Summit in Ireland next week.

The Summit will be held over two days at the venue of one of JMC’s clients Croke Park stadium, Dublin and will address important issues facing the stadium sector in 2010.  Topics including stadium marketing, the visitor experience, environmental targets, and communication technologies will be covered in sessions hosted by guest panellists.

Dublin has recently been named as 2010’s European Capital of Sport, and with Croke Park being the fourth biggest stadium in Europe, it is the ideal setting for this year’s event.

The event will bring together top executives from across Europe and the USA.  JMC’s presence is particularly relevant for those attending the ‘Joined-Up Thinking’ session, which will focus on the benefit of integrating a complex stadia setup.  As a Microsoft Gold Partner, JMC’s implementation and support of Microsoft Dynamics GP makes joined-up thinking a reality.

Rob Jones, JMC Consulting Director, stated: “The Stadium Business Summit is a rare opportunity for like minded stadia representatives to share best practice advice.  We have worked with the community now for a number of years and it will be great to be able to offer guidance, and suggest credible solutions to any queries where possible.”  

When asked how JMC specifically supports the sector Rob commented:

“We help the sports and stadia community achieve joined-up thinking by implementing and supporting Microsoft Dynamics GP.  This allows clubs to improve efficiencies and closely manage its finances as well as integrate their financial reporting with all the various cost centres across the business which - when you consider the complexity of these operations – requires comprehensive, dedicated support.”

It reseller JMC has a number of high profile sports stadia clients, including some of the top English Premiership teams (Manchester United, Liverpool, Everton, Blackburn and Aston Villa) and Irish clients Croke Park Stadium and the Gaelic Athletic Association.

For more information about JMC could help you better manage your stadia finances call us on 0161 925 7777 or email sports@jmc.it.

------------------- Company Description

JMC has been providing businesses in the North of England with market leading IT solutions since 1981.  JMC makes IT make sense by delivering the necessary experience, resource and commitment to help its clients face their challenges and achieve their ambitions.

http://www.jmc.co.uk

------------------- Hit Search Contact

Press release produced and promoted by Hit Search. Find out more about us and our services at http://www.hitsearchlimited.com. Tel: 0845 643 9289

-------------------- Unique reference

HSLP0101AA289

 

Basic Bank Accounts open up banking facilities & online shopping to all

Chancellor of the Exchequer Alistair Darling announced during his recent Budget speech last week that every adult in Britain should be entitled to open a basic bank account.

According to the British Bankers’ Association, around eight million adults in the UK currently have a basic bank account. The new plans announced in the Budget could see an extra million people opening a bank account over the next five years.

These bank accounts are aimed at people with low incomes, or those with poor credit ratings who would not meet the approval for a standard bank account. A perfect example of the kind of bank account the Government is aiming to make accessible to all, is the basic bank account from Secure Trust Bank.

These accounts have been designed to put the holder in complete control of their finances and open up facilities such as online retail, direct debit and online banking. This account comes with a prepaid MasterCard, this functions in exactly the same way as any otherwhich is accepted at over 28 million outlets worldwide. It allows the account holder to load as much cash onto the account and then spend as they wish. The nature of the account means that it is impossible for the holder to go overdrawn.

The account is ideal for those who may have been refused access to a bank account in the past. The prepaid MasterCard also acts as a quick and simple means of money transfer; for example, if the account holder has family abroad, or a child at university, they can send them an additional prepaid MasterCard loaded with the amount of money they wish to send to them. It also opens up the world on online banking, eCommerce and online retail to people who would otherwise be excluded.

JMC staff complete 487 miles for Sport Relief

IT Support Partner JMC completed 487 miles for Sport Relief during its “Do-A-Mile” challenge week.
Employees could complete as many miles as they wished, with many clocking up theirs by running and cycling to and from work, as well as by using the onsite gym during lunchtimes.

Although over 40 members of the JMC team participated there were some individuals that deserve extra recognition.

Jonathan Broadley left his car at home all week and cycled to and from work. By the time he got home on Friday night Jonathan had managed to raise £60 having cycled 60 miles over the five days.

Having been in a committed training regime since the New Year, Steve Chalkley completed an 11 mile run into work. Completing the journey in just over two hours Steve also raised an additional £165 in sponsorship money.

Tess Mayors wore a pedometer all week tracking her movements around Riverside. Due to the nature of Tess’s role within the company she clocked up an impressive 21 miles over the week.

Top performer of the week was Business Development Director Tim Maxwell who clocked up a remarkable 105 miles in just four days.

JMC is donating one pound for every mile completed which, when added to the money raised from a dress down day, takes the total raised too an impressive £572. Once with Sport Relief, the money will be sent to help turn around the lives of people in the UK and across the world’s poorest countries.

Founded in 1981, JMC is a large IT support partner based in the North of England. It offers an extensive portfolio of services including IT support, business management solutions, and bespoke software development.

With an annual turnover of over £8million, the average client has worked with them for over nine years, and 94 per cent of clients would be happy to recommend its services to others.

As you would expect from a company of JMC’s calibre, it possesses a host of industry accreditations including Microsoft Gold Certified Partner with Nine Competencies, Cisco Premier Partner, Citrix Silver Solutions Network Member, Dell Certified Partner, HP systems reseller, and Pegasus Strategic Partner.

It has also received many awards for its services, and consistently appears in the Sunday Times annual “Top 100 Best Small Companies to Work For” list.

For more information about JMC and its services, visit the JMC website at http://www.jmc.co.uk/

ref:HSLP0101AA275

 

Delivery Quote Compare: Petrol Could Rise By 15p a Litre in the UK in 2010

The price of petrol in the UK could rise by as much as 15 pence per litre within the next 12 months, it has been warned.

The Petrol Retailers’ Association (PRA) of Great Britain made the prediction based on analysis of fuel market trends and tax changes.

In its report, the PRA claims that British motorists could be paying a record 123 pence for a litre of unleaded fuel by the end of 2010.

The restoration of VAT rates to 17.5 per cent, as well as a host of confirmed and proposed tax increases, will also affect fuel prices this year.

The PRA report says: “With all of these duty and VAT factors considered, this will equate to a 5p per litre increase in fuel prices by the beginning of April 2010 with the possibility of up to a 10p per litre rise solely from UK taxation by the fourth quarter of 2010.”

The Government has stated that it will raise fuel duty by at least 1p per litre on 1^st April, while tax breaks for the production of biofuel are set to be withdrawn. It is also rumoured that VAT will increase to 20 per cent at some point in 2010, adding a further 2.5p per litre to the cost of unleaded petrol.

Paul Watters, head of public affairs at the AA, has played down these fears by branding the PRA report “pessimistic”, and partly based on speculation.

Daniel Parry of delivery price comparison site Delivery Quote Compare said: “These increasing fuel prices will put even more pressure on already tight margins. Hauliers and couriers will need to maximise their capacity, or else reduce their empty backloads in order to compensate for the higher price of fuel.

“Here at Delivery Quote Compare we search through hundreds of different delivery companies to give our customers the best deal to suit their needs. This gives hauliers the opportunity to obtain additional business, which would maximise their delivery capacity, meaning they get more value for money from their fuel consumption.”

Ref: HSLP0101AA139