The Regional Business View, by Ashley Rogers

THE budget is over and done and businesses will face higher costs next year through increases in the National Living Wage with another 50p per hour and potentially through higher business rates.

- Ashley Rogers

So, what can a firm do to try to offset these increases and keep its head above water?

Most are well practised at the usual methods, so shopping around for better electricity or gas pricing and pushing their main product and services suppliers to lower or at least hold pricing next year.

In the same boat, I'm trying less conventional methods this year and starting with the dictum there are no sacred cows.

So, what have we done? Three main actions where each one has had a positive impact and leads me on to the next.