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Delivering Value Through Insight™ with our Industry Insights

One of the core benefits of Expense Reduction Analysts is our global network of experts, many of whom have developed practical knowledge, experience and insight from extensive careers in relevant industries.

To provide further value, we’ve incorporated this real-world knowledge and insight into a range of downloadable white papers, which are available for free and can help you learn more and gain a competitive advantage on a variety of topics.

Since our launch in 1992, we’ve also developed numerous professional relationships with recognized professional bodies and organisations whose insights we’ve also been able to integrate into our white papers.

Explore our latest industry insights and resources below

Explore our latest industry insights and discover practical knowledge and actions you can take to help improve your business. If you’d like to learn more about any of our downloadable white papers or how we can help your business, contact us today.

People are living longer than ever before. On the face of it, that’s positive news. Of course, it is. In 1800 the global average life expectancy was just 30 years old. Today that’s risen to 73.

But as they navigate their twilight years, our older generations are experiencing a proportionally similar rate of chronic illnesses, such as type 2 diabetes, arthritis and asthma.

What do an increased life expectancy and an increase in people living with chronic health conditions mean for the healthcare sector?

They mean that the healthcare sector is under enormous pressure to provide long-term care.

But there is another concern that is becoming increasingly important in every sector and every area of our private and public lives.

Sustainability

So, the question that you might be asking yourself as a chief procurement officer or chief financial officer of a healthcare facility is this:

Can you optimise procurement to enhance your bottom line and help the planet without sacrificing patient care?

The answer to that question, in the eyes of our specialists, is a collective and resounding yes.

Where do you start? Download our latest insights to find out.

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Risk has been and always will be a key consideration when doing business.

As the world around us changes, its evolution brings challenges, sometimes predictable, often not.

Those challenges can expose businesses to risk.

But it is how they solve those challenges and deal with the risk that businesses can set themselves apart from their competitors, taking the opportunity to innovate or fall by the wayside as a result of not adapting quickly enough.

As we navigate the tail-end of a pandemic, come to terms with a European conflict, attempt to solve climate change and navigate a squeezed economy, many companies are becoming overwhelmed by risk.

Our consultants help businesses to navigate and capitalise on risk.

They’ve been doing exactly that for 30 years.

Download our latest insights today.

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From insurance to retail banking, pension specialists to accountancy firms, most businesses operating under the umbrella of financial services are looking at ways to simply survive these turbulent times. For many, the instinctive knee-jerk reaction might be to put cutting-edge ideas on the back burner and focus on what has proved profitable in the past.

Are they right to do so? Not always.

In fact, the opposite is often true. By adopting bold new ideas, your company may fair better than one that shies away from them.

Organisations that maintained their focus on innovation throughout the 2008 financial crisis, for example, emerged stronger than those who didn’t.¹

Your goal should be long-term thriving, rather than short-term surviving.

But to adopt those ideas and change your strategy for the future, you need capital.

This is where Expense Reduction Analysts can help. Download our insights today.

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Right now, most sectors are experiencing turbulence.

Whether it’s a shortfall in labour caused by the pandemic, a steep rise in packaging prices, interrupted supply chains or skyrocketing fuel costs, 63% of companies are navigating some form of disruption.

The agrifood sector, however, is different.

That’s because it’s experiencing all these challenges and more, simultaneously.

Decisions and events on one side of the world can have significant impacts on the food production of the other. They can influence dramatic price increases, squeezing a company’s profit margins.

What’s being done to help?

Well, for member states, the EU is proposing a lump sum payment to farmers, who regularly bear the brunt of agrifood’s pain.

In the UK, however, the government has not yet confirmed plans to offer a similar lifeline.

Whatever action governments are taking, your business should be prepared to weather the ongoing storm.

What can you do?

One method is to optimise the procurement within your most significant areas of spend.

Download our latest insights today to find out how.

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How many of you know how to run your business in a recession?

Grab a coffee and have a proper read of this, because whilst a recession is not guaranteed, the lessons of the past give stark reminders between those businesses that failed and those that thrived.

Will your business be one that fails or thrives?

Interest rates have been increased to slow inflation, but this also increases the probability of a recession.

The economy shrank 0.1% in March and 0.3% in April. Two or more consecutive quarters of falling GDP is a recession.

The hope is that any recession will be brief and shallow.

History tells us that the average length of a recession is one and a half years with the average fall in GDP 1.7% per annum.

Household disposable income is predicted to fall 2% this year, a large fall in the context of the last 200 years and one that is typically only observed during recessions and financial crises. As you will see below history suggests watching for the warning signs of recession.

Download the full whitepaper today.

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Why look at Financial Services now?

• The Covid and Ukraine crises-induced inflation spurred Central Banks to increase interest rates. We see no end to this policy yet.
• Facing a period of stagflation, credit risk premiums will rise, not only for sovereign debt but also for corporate debt. As a consequence, funding will become more expensive and harder to get.
• Supply chain disruptions cast a shadow on payment terms, impacting cash flow and liquidity.
• Growing tensions on international trade, trend towards protectionism, impact on investment decisions.
• The traditional banking model is in motion, new financing models appear, professional crowdfunding, digital solutions, and financial engineering.

Written by Danny Decupere and Marc Beyens, this whitepaper explores Financial Services as a cost category and how ERA can support you.

Download the full publication today.

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Sustainability is the buzzword of our modern age.

It’s shouted from political podiums, mentioned as an objective in company boardrooms and underlined in bold on marketing material.

In the past 24 hours, you’ve probably been told by at least three different businesses that they’re going carbon neutral, reducing their plastic or some combination of the two, with good reason.

Why Does It Matter?

Aside from the cost-of-living crisis that’s bubbling away across Europe, environmental issues are at the forefront of consumers’ minds.

After all, they’re surrounded by sobering statistics highlighting the steep decline of nature and the dangers that its destruction poses.

Does the manufacturing sector have a part to play in reversing these worrying trends?

Absolutely it does. In fact, it may have a bigger part to play than almost any other industry.

Download the publication today.

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Facing the fallout of a global pandemic against the backdrop of war in Europe, what does the rest of 2022 have in store for your business?

Our latest edition of Market Intelligence is home to a wide range of detailed discussions which explore some of the most crucial challenges facing business leaders today.

Download the publication today.

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There is a storm brewing. One that threatens to squeeze our beloved high streets during their crucial period of recovery.

The gradual uptake of online sales, proportional to physical ones, was accelerated by the pandemic. During this period, shops closed their doors, and consumers avoided contact with anyone outside their own households.

It was a turbulent time, to say the least.

But as the world entered 2022 and the final restrictions were lifted – following a successful vaccination programme – Europe looked as if it could finally begin the long path to recovery.

Today, the picture is not so optimistic. People’s money simply won’t go as far as it did three years ago.

So, which cost areas of your business could be optimised to ensure your retail business isn’t left out in the rain?

Expense Reduction Analysts is happy to suggest a few.

Download our latest insights today.

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We won’t be the first to tell you that these are unprecedented times.

For more than two years, the pandemic has changed how we live and work, challenging financial institutions to keep pace with and adapt to a brave new world.

These recent events have led to unprecedented challenges for the financial services industry, creating new disruptions and dramatically accelerating others already underway. Depending on your perspective, the future of the industry will either be perilous or promising.

We choose to focus on the latter.

So, which future trends should you look out for as we move through the second quarter of 2022 and beyond?

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How to maintain a competitive edge over your competition

The past three years have provided international supply chains with enough disruption to last a lifetime.

We don’t see that disruption going anywhere overnight.

In 2019, 3,700 British manufacturing, wholesale and retail businesses reported supply chain disruption. That figure tripled in 2021.

To deal with – and take advantage of – the existing supply chain disruption, exacerbated by Covid-19, many suppliers and manufacturers are bypassing wholesalers and going directly to their customers.

Companies within the sector need to stand out and adapt to avoid elimination in such a competitive arena.

Download our four-point survival guide to help trade and wholesale businesses thrive.

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The year ahead is set to be a turbulent one.

Geopolitical infractions, climate change, and the pandemic have all helped shape the first quarter, and decisions – no matter their size – made on one side of the world have had a noticeable impact on the other.

Few sectors feel that impact more strongly than agriculture and food manufacturing.

With every challenging trend comes an opportunity to sidestep the difficulties and future-proof your business.

By doing so, you can contribute towards a sustainable, socially responsible future. One where the consumer has peace of mind that, from crop to table, their food has had a positive impact on the planet.

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The far-reaching effect of the pandemic had a devastating impact on the economic growth of the hospitality and leisure sectors.

Like many other sectors at the start of the pandemic, decision-makers in hospitality and leisure prioritised survival.

They steered their attention away from strategic planning and innovation towards resilience and recovery.

Today, with restaurants and hotels seeing greater footfall once more, stadiums welcoming fans back, and staff providing a warm welcome to their patrons, that mindset can return to long-term planning for the years to come.

With that in mind, we’re serving up three ways that the hospitality and leisure sectors can thrive in 2022.

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Manufacturing organisations are facing a huge range of pressures as we enter 2022. Some of these are a result of COVID, whereas others come from emerging opportunities in technology.

In an increasingly cost-driven world, the amount you’re spending in these cost areas can make the difference between having a tough 2022 or making it your most successful year yet.

Significant improvements can be made to your bottom line by reducing Supply Chain costs by only 10%. Download our full whitepaper which provides tangible actions you can take to reduce costs throughout your supply chain whilst also protecting your business from external challenges.

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With problems with Global Supply Chains, Inflation and Labour Shortages, ERA market experts reveal actions you can take now to mitigate risk in 2022.

Our Market Intel publication is back with a brand new collection of articles to help you understand and overcome the most pressing issues challenging today’s business leaders.

This edition is not to be missed, as we focus on ways to reduce costs and save money while maximising your time, with detailed insights and recommendations from our global network of specialists explaining how you can safeguard your future success.

Download the full publication today.

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It is estimated that about 20,000 producers and importers of plastic packaging are to be impacted by the Plastic Tax from April 2022.

As of April 2022, UK manufacturers of plastic packaging, any businesses that buy plastic packaging, those that im-port plastic packaging, and consumers who purchase goods in plastic packaging will be taxed if the plastic packaging contains less than 30% recycled plastic. Filled and unfilled packaging will both be taxed.

Explore more information which explains the key features of the new legislation and what it means for your business.

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2021 has certainly been a challenging year for most businesses – Covid 19, supply chain issues, labour shortages and of course, Brexit. Unfortunately for any business trading with the EU it’s about to get more complicated, with more customs controls and procedures being introduced from 1st January 2022.

Rules of Origin – Under the terms of the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) agreement goods moving between the UK and EU could do so tariff-free provided they are classed as being of ‘UK’ or ‘EU’ origin. Origin being defined as where the goods have been produced or manufactured, not where they have been shipped from or to.

With further customs procedures coming into effect shortly, businesses need to ensure they are prepared and ready for the changes – both in terms of compliance and the disruption the changes are likely to cause.

If you need help understanding the new legislation, and the implications for your business, explore our full guide.

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Undeniably, the retail sector has been one of the industry’s most severely affected by the recent health and economic crisis. As health and safety concerns became a key factor in the decision-making process, consumer behaviour and habits have changed at record pace and technological adoption – originally predicted to evolve over years – took place just in few months.

Download our full whitepaper today which explores the future of the retail industry, offering recommendations for key elements like digitization, automation and the evolving role of Bricks and Mortar companies. You will also find lots of detail about the “Phygital” world, with additional recommendations for improving your combined physical and digital customer journey.

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