Local businesses benefit from Chamber’s advice service
Almost 60 local companies were helped last year by the Small Business Advice service, operated in Tipperary by the Clonmel Chamber of Commerce.
The service offers confidential, impartial advice and mentoring for SMEs and figures released recently by the Chamber, show that Tipperary ranks as the fourth highest county in terms of assistance sought. This is something that Chameber CEO Brian Cleary regards as very positive.
“One of the greatest problems that we have seen during the downturn is that many businesses have left it too late to engage with banks, revenue, suppliers and others. The Small Business Advice service has enabled people to meet an impartial specialist for a number of sessions to tease out issues before they developed in to problems. We are delighted that we have been able to help these businesses with a quality service at no cost to them.”
The service, operated from offices in Cork and funded by Bord Gais, matches companies to experts who are experts in their sector. “The key to the success of the service in Clonmel and the wider county has been the confidential nature of the service. Once a company has approached us and we have arranged for contact from the Small Business Advice head office we step away,” explained Chamber president Tina Mulhearne.
“Because the issues that need to be discussed are often highly sensitive we have found that business owners value the confidential nature of the scheme.”
Last year, forty four per cent of the companies accessing the service had turnovers below half a million euro with a further 23 per cent of companies having a turnover of between half a million and a million euro.
The Small Business Advice service offers assistance on issues relating to finance, marketing, business development, human resources and exporting. It is open to all businesses regardless of size or sector. Tipperary companies seeking assistance should call Brian Cleary at Clonmel Chamber on 052 61 26500 for an initial confidential discussion.
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Saturday 19 May 2012
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