Speedy Reduces Costs with AppSense

Posted in Construction & Hire Industry, Speedy Hire PLC, Technology

Speedy Reduces Costs with AppSense

Although not a recently article it has only just be brought to my attention of a new way that Speedy Hire PLC is reducing its licensing costs.

We all know that firms usually have site licences for computer software such as Microsoft Office but when businesses like Speedy Hire grow at 25% per year it can be very difficult in managing its licence agreements.

In the article dated 2008, Speedy Hire found that 60% of its workforce  of 3500 only needed Office but they were paying for the other 40%. It also emerged that there was a lack of co-ordination in buying the licences where different areas of the company were buying them when they should have been centralised which contributed to the over licensing.

 Noticing this, Speedy now has an agreement with Microsoft where they now only pay per user that uses the Office package. This will help to save more than £2m over the next two years. (so 2010 this year).

Using the AppSense software they are able to monitor who uses the software and can block users access to it who don’t need it. Therefore reducing the costs.

Other businesses that currently use site licensing may want to conduct a similar study.

AppSense Press Release: http://appsense.files.wordpress.com/2010/01/speedyhire-_pressrelease_2-0_uk.pdf

Speedy Hire Puts Training to Good Use

Posted in Construction & Hire Industry, Internet, Power & Money, Speedy Hire PLC

I have been reading a number of articles later on how Speedy Hire is making the use out of the internet by providing staff with specific training and thought it would be a good talking point.

Many businesses such as Speedy Hire PLC has recognised that in order to survive the economic climate (recession) they must make their business lean, efficient and open up new distribution channels. As well as helping to survive the current conditions it will ensure that they will come out fighting and when the construction and hire industry do pick up again then the company will be in the right place at the right time.

Google Analytics Training

PRWD are in experts in the field of IT and offer training on a variety of topics to Businesses. In an article that I found on the PRWD blog, the company last year provided a useful presentation on how the business could make the best out of Google Analytics. For those of you not aware of this Google program – it allows you to closely monitor the traffic to your website, this allows companies such as Speedy Hire to see whose viewing their website in a whole new way. Allowing them to find trends and patterns from how users get to their website and what they view once they’re there. Speedy Hire can use this to effectively target their market segments and prove to be a good strategic tool.

Putting to Good Use

May be as a result of finding a new trend, Speedy has developed a new sales channel online. They have setup a new arm of the Speedy empire and now sell products online under ‘Speedy Retail’. This diversification will help them spread risk and potentially increase sales revenue from targeting this new target segment.

It says on their new website that if you order before a certain time you can get your goods next day delivered. Very good for businesses who need the tools tomorrow!

Almost like they’re the Play.com of Construction!

Staying Safe

With all this growth in internet technology within Speedy you’d think that problems might arise but reading another closely linked article it doesn’t seem to be the case. Speedy have been able to recognise the importance of the internet within its infrastructure and are taking steps to becoming safe.  ScanSafe in fact! – this is the new software has allowed Speedy to save on the amount of time spent on web related issues, from 10% to 1%. All signs are of an efficient Speedy Hire.

Sources:

Speedy Retail Article: http://rermag.com/trends_analysis/internationalnews/speedy-online-sales-031210/

Speedy Hire Google Training: http://blog.prwd.co.uk/news/speedy-hire-case-study-advanced-google-analytics-training

Speedy ScanSafe: http://www.sourcewire.com/releases/rel_display.php?relid=54914

Google Analytics – http://www.google.com/intl/en_uk/analytics/

Speedy Hire and B&Q Linked?

Posted in Construction & Hire Industry, Power & Money, Speedy Hire PLC

I have just written a brief article about B&Q and how over the last year they have seen their sales rise 50% and I mentioned that people these days are doing things for themselves instead of hiring a professional to do it for them.

But how might Speedy Hire and B&Q be linked?

Well my theory is that Speedy and B&Q are complimented goods. This means that products sold at B&Q could directly impact (positively) on the goods hired at Speedy.

This is because people are looking to do more things around the house themselves. Usually these are one off occasions and so it doesn’t make sense in buying equipment so they’ll hire it instead!

Just like consumers, businesses have less ‘cash’ in a recession and so may adapt and hire equipment instead of buying it.

However my theory’s flaw because one could argue that the demand for hire has just simply switched from Businesses (doing painting and decorating) to Consumers doing it themselves, so demand would stay the same.. in theory.

Speedy Share Forecast End 2009

Posted in Construction & Hire Industry, Speedy Hire PLC

Speedy Share Forecast End 2009

Stock level will remain around 38p unless future news comes out…

At the moment they reckon trading is down 29% compared to last year.. now when they release results if it’s better than expected (29%) then share price will go up a few pence… if worse then go down a couple of pence…

People move home at Christmas and so hire equipment to do out houses…

Speedy sales pick up over xmas and new year… they’ll announce this and see the share price above 50p (unless something bad is said then will go back down to around 40s…

End of next year if the industry picks up, could be on for 70-90p a share, when results get announced at start of 2011, could hit £1+

Obviously this is just a guess…