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Van & Bike Insurance

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Despatch Ass. News

Phillip Stone -
It is difficult in the current economic climate to find much upon which to comment that doesn’t either directly or surreptitiously refer to the impact that climate has on our industry. - This stands to reason, I suppose, but the evidence over the last 20 years or so suggests that the logistics industry in general and the courier sector specifically have withstood the slings and arrows of large-scale monetary policy (or lack thereof) much more robustly than have other industries.....

DA Action for the Courier Industry -
Social conscience of DA members. -
For the first time, the DA has adopted a charity for the upcoming year. Despite these tough times, members have shown remarkable generosity by contributing over £1000 so far to Richard House Children’s Hospice, a facility in East London that cares and supports life-limited and life-threatened children and their families. ..

Money News
Prompt payment code - The Code of Good Practice, recently launched by the government and developed with the Institute of Credit Management and supported by major businesses, aims to establish a clear and consistent policy in the payment of business to business bills....

Road Transport -
Commission to relax self-employed rules - The European Commission is set allow self-employed drivers to work more than the standard 48 hours laid down for employed drivers. This is in recognition that they have other administrative duties to perform, as well as driving. ....

Focus on Business
Dismissing the dismissal ‘black book’ - A government-sanctioned national blacklist of staff sacked for dishonesty is struggling to attract employers because they are too worried about the bad press.....

End Piece -
Here are two views on what attention should be paid reducing costs in a period of economic decline View One has it that when there are real pressures on margins and profits, cost reduction should be at the top of the agenda, and to be able to cut costs quickly. It is the cutting the costs of assets, .....

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From the DA Chief Executive, Phillip Stone

This time may be different – only time will tell -

It is difficult in the current economic climate to find much upon which to comment that doesn’t either directly or surreptitiously refer to the impact that climate has on our industry.

This stands to reason, I suppose, but the evidence over the last 20 years or so suggests that the logistics industry in general and the courier sector specifically have withstood the slings and arrows of large-scale monetary policy (or lack thereof) much more robustly than have other industries.

This time may be different – only time will tell – but our banana skins have been more self-inflicted than having rained down from the heavens. A neglect of marketing, poor investment in training and staff retention, lack of planning and general low standards in business acumen have caused couriers over the years to fall prey to threats like the incursion of electronic messaging in the 90’s, the resource-sapping of inflation in the 80’s and the general rapid development of technology before that time and since then.

Everybody seems to have, if not an answer, then at least a view as to what lies in store for us in today’s recession. Again, some soothsayers will prove to be visionary while others will turn out as crackpots, and the line between the two may not be wide. However, consider these words of Franklin D. Roosevelt describing the challenge he faced when becoming president of the United States in 1932. Roosevelt’s first hundred days in office were remarkable for the stream of legislation which formed the basis of his plan to break out of the great depression with what we now know as ‘The New Deal’. He said “practices of the unscrupulous money changers stand indicted in the court of public opinion, rejected by the hearts and minds of men”. Never mind the (so-called) experts – let’s do what we do well and we will be giving ourselves the best possible chance to survive and thrive.

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From the DA Chief Executive, Phillip Stone

This time may be different – only time will tell -

CREDIT CRUNCH BLUES? Fed up with the recession?

CREDIT CRUNCH BLUES?
Fed up with the recession?