Read this ide like your views

I read this article and thought it might interest you.
Had a discussion this week which was whether social networks are enabling the world to be more humane and that the economic, 're-boot' the world is going through is a great 'ct-alt-dlt' on some of the values that had gone out of control and we would emerge from this economic period a better place, a more humane world.I don't know about you, but for me there have certainly been times in the last decade or so when I've felt like the modern world was getting out of control. At times I'd look at the world around me and wonder just how much crazier it could get. How much bigger, better, faster does life need to be? How much more stuff can we possibly consume? Isn't there something else?There are plenty of people who want to do more with their lives than slug it out in a ruthless, winner takes all kind of business environment. People who don't want to be destructive, unkind or wasteful just to reach an arbitrary goal. This was one of my most enlightening moments, when I really connected into the world of the self employed and small business and saw that business can be led with good intentions, with a win-win attitude. I can feel this every time I enter BNi, and a few other sites like LinkedIn, ecadamyCould this mean that social media is moving to the mass and we will finally see large organisations learning that social networks exist for the good of the individual and not for the promotion of their products? This will take some learning and pain for them to seriously 'plug-in' and understand the lives we are all leading now. Large organisations will need to find their heart.
Perhaps this is an opportunity for us all to reset ourselves and the values that are important, and it really is happening.If you are one of the people operating in this way, you are leading the pack. The great thing about social networking is that the positive energy you create comes back to you in spades, so I have no doubt you will achieve your goals.

Regards
Tim Clarke

Re you checking your engine oil?

This weeks usefull advice from

P D Motors (Billingshurst)

Your local independant garage ready to Service & repair, Mot your car.

‘Well oiled’ campaign launched by the Good Garage Scheme

A campaign to help motorists protect their vehicle engines and keep them on the road has been launched by the Good Garage Scheme. We have started a ‘Check Your Oil’ campaign following reports of the serious damage that can be caused to engines if nothing is done to protect them.

Recent reports on Channel 5’s Fifth Gear programme in July 2009 have suggested:

• 50 per cent of vehicles require regular oil top ups.
• One in five vehicles are low on oil.
• 25 cars a day are ruined due to lack of oil.
• 8 out of 10 cars checked recently needed oil top ups.
• New cars are as much at risk as old ones.
• No warranty covers repairs caused by lack of oil.

Motorists running into problems can take their vehicle into their nearest Good Garage Scheme member garage for assistance. Good Garage Scheme members will change the oil and add a treatment to maintain stability, prevent oil burning and ensuring proper lubrication.

Check out the campaign on the Good Garage Scheme website if you would like to be involved.

www.pdmotors.co.uk

P D motors sponser Billinghurst under 11s Football team

Billingshurst youth under 11s 2009/10

Independent garage in Billingshurst supports Youth football

P D Motors have sponsored Billingshurst under 11s youth football team with a new kit ,take a look at there new kit.

P D Motors has to agree with this

Red tape is strangling independent garages and diverting too much attention from focusing on their business just as trading conditions become even tougher in the sector.
Jonas Zambikides, managing director of Porsche service specialist JZM Machtech and Independent Garage Association (IGA) chairman, told AM: “The legislation is geared up for large global companies and not tailored for the smaller businesses such as independent garages.
“The difficulty comes with finding the time to concentrate on your business and then squeezing in all the paperwork that needs to be done.”
Zambikides wants the Government to change policies to simplify the amount of paperwork involved with things like tax and business rates to take into account the amount of manpower at a business, rather than base it on turnover.
He said: “The paperwork for a £3 million turnover business will be the same as fora global corporation.”
His comments come as the Retail Motor Industry Federation (RMIF) launched its first Independent Service and Repair Garage Survey on the sector’s views on major issues including business trends, customer relations, and parts supply.
The burden of legislation was the single largest factor discovered by the survey, with 81.5% agreeing that red tape was getting in the way. Respondents also cited the economy, public attitude and confidence as the largest contributors to change in the sector.
RMIF director Sue Robinson said that while the independent garage sector was going through tough times, there were still positive signs from the survey that showed many businesses were still looking and preparing for the future.
She said: “The overall stability of the independent market bodes well for the future, and should give businesses confidence to invest in tooling, training and equipment to take advantage of the upswing, when it comes.”
Increased overheads, lack of investment and bad dealings with banks were among main negatives.
On the positive side some independents report that they are in control of the situation by inserting better business structures.
Changing attitudes mean that some consumers are looking for cheaper ways to service their vehicles, which is leading them to the independent sector.
The survey profile ranged from smaller businesses with less than three employees to multi-outlet groups with annual turnover in excess of £3 million. The predominant group of respondents was from the service, maintenance and the MoT sector.
The survey showed that 53.3% of IGA members have seen the average job cost rise in the last six months, but 45.6% were forecasting a decrease in profits this financial year.
The survey revealed that 62.1% are seeing a trend towards repair over preventative maintenance. and over half (57.2%) of the garages polled said they were seeing younger cars coming in for work.
The tough economic climate has not put all independent garages off investing for their future, with 49.5% intending to invest in new equipment, 42.7% want to invest in training and 31% will be getting new tooling.
The IGA will be running the follow-up survey in early 2010. For details contact the IGA via email on iga@rmif.co.uk.iga@rmif.co.uk