Businesses get a chance to win three days with an expert

9:43am Tuesday 22nd April 2008

A BUSINESS from the North-East can win an advice package worth £1,200 as Business Echo joins forces with one of the region's leading consultancy services.

Smartspeed Consulting has worked with many of the region's high-profile companies to help them achieve greater productivity and increase profit margins.

Now, managing director Giles Johnston is offering his services to a business in the region to help it improve its operations.

Mr Johnston - whose areas of expertise are in production engineering, manufacturing engineering, project engineering and management, production planning and management, and IT planning systems - will spend three days with the selected company to identify areas that could benefit from change.

"It will be a great challenge for us personally but, I'm very confident that three days within an organisation will allow me to see exactly where changes can be made for longterm success in profitability and productivity," he said.

As well as looking at a company's finances, Tyneside-based Smartspeed also helps businesses to improve levels of customer satisfaction, increase their on-time delivery, and reduce their spiralling operating costs.

One recent recipient of Smartspeed's services was Meldrum Construction, who appointed Mr Johnston to help it achieve the ISO 9001 standard mark.

David Meldrum, managing director of the firm, based in Birtley, County Durham, said: "Achieving ISO 9001 status is the incentive, but the fact that Giles is already helping us to improve our operations considerably means we are all the more confident in our roles and in a much stronger position to offer an even better service to our clients."

To win an advice session with Mr Johnston, tell us why your business needs Smartspeed's help and why it could benefit.

Send your answers to Smartspeed Competition, Business Desk, The Northern Echo, Priestgate, Darlington, DL1 1NF by Tuesday, May 13.

Please include your name, position within the business, company name and address and full daytime contact details.

Newsquest competition rules apply.

■ Smartspeed Consulting also offer free business reviews - go to smart speed.co.uk for details.