Technology & Supply Chain Relationships with Customers & Suppliers

Further Help and Advice

Achieving best practice in your business is a key theme within DTI's approach to business support, providing ideas and insights into how to improve performance across your business. By showing what works in other businesses, will help you see which approaches can help you, and then support you in implementation.

To access free information and publications on best practice:

• Visit website at www.dti.gov.uk/bestpractice
• Call the DTI Publications Orderline on 0870 150 2500 or visit www.dti.gov.uk/publications.

Support to implement best business practice

To get help bringing best practice to your business, contact Business Link - the national business advice service. Backed by the DTI, Business Link is an easy-to-use business support and information service, which can put you in touch with one of its network of experienced business advisers.

• Visit the Business Link website at www.businesslink.gov.uk
• Call Business Link on 0845 600 9 006.

Guidance on specific processes

Product development

• Visit www.dti.gov.uk/bestpractice/innovation/product-dev.htm
• Contact your ISP (Internet Service Provider) for more information about ADSL and your telecom services provider forinformation about phone and video conferencing.
• Sites like www.searchtechtarget.com and www.computer.howstuffworks.com have e-collaboration guides and updates.

Purchasing

• Visit www.dti.gov.uk/bestpractice/operations/purchasing.htm
• Chartered Institute of Supply and Purchasing www.cips.org

Stocks

• Visit www.dti.gov.uk/bestpractice/operations/stocks.htm
• The European Foundation for Quality Management tools can be obtained from www.efqm.org
• Sites like www.techtarget, www.theregister.co.uk and www.bitpipe.com have reviews of CAD/CAM technology.

Orders

• Visit www.dti.gov.uk/bestpractice/operations/purchasing.htm

Delivery and logistics

• Visit www.dti.gov.uk/bestpractice/operations/delivery.htm
• Sites like www.techtarget, www.theregister.co.uk and www.bitpipe.com have information on ERP.

Customer services

• Visit www.dti.gov.uk/bestpractice/ communications/customers-suppliers.htm

GENERAL BUSINESS ADVICE

You can also get a range of general business advice from the following organisations:

• England Call Business Link on 0845 600 9 006
• Visit the website at www.businesslink.gov.uk
• Scotland Call Business Gateway on 0845 609 6611
• Visit the website at www.bgateway.com Wales
• WalesCall Business Eye/Llygad Busnes on 08457 96 97 98
• Visit the website at www.businesseye.org.uk Northern Ireland
• Northern Ireland Call Invest Northern Ireland on 028 9023 9090
• Visit the website at www.investni.com

Examples of products and companies included in this document do not in any way imply endorsement or recommendation by is4profit. Bear in mind that prices quoted are indicative at the time it was published.

This document is based on Crown Copyright © 2004