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The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is due to come into effect in May 2018. It’s an EU initiative, but it’s not safe to assume that the provisions will be abandoned because of Brexit. The UK government may decide to adopt the measures, and in any case the Brexit path is not entirely clear currently.

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Basically, the GDPR says that any business that processes or stores EU citizens’ data must comply with a set of new regulations concerning data protection and privacy.

How Can You Make Sure Your Business Is Ready?

Firstly, make sure that the people who need to know about the new regulations are fully up to speed with what they involve. Next, prepare a document that lists all the personal data you hold about customers, employees and others. At the moment, when you take personal data from people, you give them a notice which explains what you’re collecting and why. You need to review this notice and make sure it complies with the new regulations.

People will need to consent to having their data collected, so make sure that you can prove that this happened.

Under the GDPR people have certain rights over their data. For example, they can ask for it to be deleted. So you need to be sure that you’re able to comply with all requests. There are time limits for doing this, so check your workflows to ensure that you can meet the the deadline.

Extra Protection for Children

Be aware that children will be given extra protection under the new regulations, particularly in relation to social media. You need to find out how old your customers or users are and ask for parental consent if necessary.

This is unlikely to apply in some businesses. It would be a canny five-year-old who tried to open an account with rackzone rivet shelving stockists, no matter how many Lego models they had or what their interest in rivet shelving was. But for some businesses, this will be a very real concern.

Appoint someone to take responsibility for data protection – that way you’ll almost certainly be less likely to have a breach to report. And remember that you need to carry out Privacy Impact Assessments – you can get guidance on this from the Information Commissioner’s Office.

An MRI scan combines strong magnetic fields with radio waves in order to create images of the inside of a person’s body. This magnetic resonance imaging scan only lasts 15 to 90 minutes in total. The length of time it takes to complete an MRI is dependent on the individual’s procedure. Factors such as the number of required images needed and the overall size of the area will contribute to the time period. (more…)

When you’re not happy with some aspect of your body, it can affect many areas of your life. This can result in feelings of depression and a lack of self-confidence. If you choose to undergo a surgical procedure, such as a tummy tuck, it can help you to build up your confidence and feel better about yourself. (more…)

If you are old enough to remember the explosive growth of the internet, you will probably have heard about ‘surfing the web’ or how ‘the internet is like a series of tubes’. When was the last time you heard the web described in this way? (more…)

When it comes to selecting a hosting package for your website there are a whole host of options available. Which one is right for you or your business depends on a number of things, here are some of the key factors to consider.

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What is it for?

The first thing to think about is the purpose of your site. If it’s just for personal use or to display details of a small business you can probably get away with a fairly basic hosting package. Be aware, however, that free hosting packages are often supported by advertising, if you don’t want your site to show these you’ll need to opt for a paid package.

At the bottom end of the hosting market there will usually be restrictions on the size of the site too. For basic sites this isn’t too much of a problem as web pages don’t take up too much space so a simple site with, say, 10 or 12 pages will be fine. If your site is likely to grow you should allow for this in the early stages as you may find it costs you more to add extras to a basic package.

If your site needs features like online shopping or interactive forums, you’ll have to look at a more sophisticated hosting package. For this type of site you may need to run scripts or other code so it’s important to check what the hosting company allows. Companies like Web design in Cardiff http://ambercouch.co.uk/ can provide web hosting in Cardiff and offer a range of different options.

Speed and reliability

A website is the shop window of your business so it’s important that it’s available when people need to see it. You need to make sure that your chosen web host offers a reliable service as if your site is down you could be losing business. Speed is important too as if your site takes too long to load people will give up and go elsewhere.

Hosting companies should be happy to give you statistics on reliability and it’s worth talking to other customers to gauge their experience. You also need to take into account bandwidth – the amount of traffic generated – as popular sites will need much more.

Site design

If you need help designing and building a website the hosting company will probably be able to help you with that too. If you’re building your site yourself or getting it done elsewhere it’s important to check what is and isn’t allowed by the host.

Many people choose to use a standard platform, WordPress being one of the most popular. Make sure your hosting company has experience of dealing with your chosen platform.

Setting up a website shouldn’t be seen as a throw-away process. It’s an important part of any modern business so you need to take it seriously. Plus, building a site and getting it online is only the start, you need to make sure it’s kept up to date. Your web host is a vital part of the process so you need to choose carefully.

Commercial dishwashing units, sometimes referred to as warewashers, are practically essential for any business in the catering and hospitality trade. These washers utilise very hot water and have huge capacities, to wash dishes much faster than domestic units. Read on for our quick guide to commercial dishwashing units.

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The benefits of commercial warewashers

Unless you plan on opening a tiny restaurant that will only serve a handful of covers a day, you’ll need a commercial dishwasher. Not only do commercial washers do the hard work for you, they reach far hotter temperatures than domestic ones, which will help your premises achieve an excellent standard of hygiene. They are also designed with commercial use in mind, so they have plenty of room for plates, cutlery or glasses. Commercial warewashers can do a wash load in just a couple of minutes, as opposed to the hour it may take a domestic unit.

Making the most from a commercial dishwasher

Commercial warewashers represent a substantial outlay for catering companies and also represent the biggest user of water and energy for most restaurants, hotels and pubs. This means it’s important to retain both its value and its efficiency by consistent maintenance such as daily log charts and cleaning. Other ways to keep the equipment’s efficiency in tip-top order is to install a pre-rinse wash valve to your sink, giving well soiled dishes and pans a good rinse first and thereby keeping the drains of your washer clearer.

Types of Commercial Warewashers

Those looking to purchase commercial dishwashers through 247cateringsupplies or a similar online stockist will find a huge amount of types to choose from. Under counter, freestanding, front loading and hood varieties all come in a range of sizes and capacity. . The best options are those with the highest water efficiency ratings, and size is not always an indicator here. Look out for features such as wash tank insulation, double wall construction, built-in booster heaters & exchangers and multi-staging systems that reuse rinse water. All of these features improve the water efficiency of a warewasher.

If you are still not sure, then speak to a customer services expert who will be able to guide you. A commercial dishwasher is a sizeable investment and it’s important to choose one that will do the job properly, last a long time and use minimal water and energy.

If you are considering adding beer to your restaurant or bar menu, draft beer could be a choice that pleases customers and is good for business. Tap beer is extremely popular and can be fresher and offer more flavour than bottled beer. It also gives patrons something the off-licence does not and creates another reason for customers to spend time in your establishment.

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Need to know

There are a number of factors to keep in mind when selecting a draft beer. It is worth thinking about what kind of beer will complement your atmosphere and how to balance the profits against the storage and maintenance of the tap beer system.

Bottom line benefits

Draft beer can be a boon for business, drawing people to your bar and turning them into devoted customers. If the draft beer menu keeps expanding, beer aficionados will return consistently to sample what is new. With commercial bottle coolers in supermarkets and off-licences offering such a big range of cheap alcohol, give your clientele a reason to come back and spend their money with you.

The practicalities

There are a number of draft beer set-ups, with the focus being on keeping the beer cold and getting it easily from keg to customer. The simplest and most common system is direct draw, whereby the keg is cooled a few feet from service and dispensed using carbon dioxide (CO2) to push the fluid through tubing.

An air-cooled system, which needs a walk-in cooler and a fan to circulate cold air, could be a good option when offering a variety of beers. Glycol cooling, a sensible choice when the keg is further than 25 feet from the bar, keeps the beer cold by circulating propylene glycol around the beer lines.

Cleanliness is vital in maintaining a draft beer system, as highlighted in a report in the Telegraph. Refrigeration is also critical and companies such as FFD supply commercial chest freezers to ensure your draft beer is kept at the correct temperature.

Gas is also important. Beer generally contains CO2, although some also contain nitrogen. CO2, and possibly nitrogen, is necessary to deliver the beer and maintain its gas content. Get to know your beer and the right pressure and mix of gas to ensure that it reaches your customers in the best possible condition.

The impact of the credit crunch has continued to be felt ever since 2008, and for the most vulnerable in society, the threat of personal debt is becoming increasingly critical. At risk groups include students, low earners, the elderly and the self-employed.

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Serious problems in society

Research carried out by the ACCA, the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants, found that ethical lending and financial education for young people were two key priorities to halt the problem.

The vulnerable are struggling

In their report, ‘Britain’s Debt’, they warn that levels of consumer credit have been rocketing since 2008, and that worrying levels of debt are now causing significant problems for Britain’s vulnerable groups, particularly where there is an over-reliance on credit cards and diminished savings.

Changing trends fuelling debt

Digital access is also making it easier to access credit – and then get into difficulty with it. Consumers need to gain financial understanding to better manage their finances, and access to reputable schemes and products to help them get out of any existing financial difficulty. Many people have no emergency savings funds for example, so they struggle if their income disappears or lessens, or bills increase.

Remedial steps

However, for those who have already experienced financial distress, there are, happily, ways of finding a solution. Those already experiencing existing serious debt are increasingly looking at options for sorting their financial problems once and for all, and getting back onto a steady footing. Customers who look at an IVA from Carrington Dean often find that it can help them to start afresh.

With this option, people with debt can consolidate everything into a single, pre-agreed monthly payment that is affordable. They can manage everything through the scheme administrator rather than individual creditors, and can avoid more serious alternatives such as bankruptcy, or dubious schemes such as payday loans. IVA’s typically last for 5 years and bring certainty, manageability and simplification back into the individual’s life. Rather than being hassled by creditors, the scheme administrator does all of the negotiating and processing – removing a significant source of stress.

If those consumers can combine debt management and consolidation programmes with financial education on basics such as budgeting and saving, then they can enjoy a brighter financial future without worry or stress.