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 all of our 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.
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Energy Market Report January 2020
As the first energy report for 2020, the January edition explores the key insights related to the energy market, helping you to manage your energy costs as efficiently as possible.
Rather unusually for the winter season a series of factors conspired to deliver soft market conditions: mild weather, healthy gas pipeline imports, abundant LNG cargoes arriving into UK ports, high medium range gas storage levels and the last minute agreement of the new five year US$7 billion gas transit deal between Russia and Ukraine.
Download the January 2020 Energy Market Report today and protect the future success of your business.
Market Intelligence 19.4
The latest edition of Market Intelligence has been released, offering crucial insights to help you overcome the top challenges facing businesses today. As we explore changing legislation, emerging technology and market conditions, our articles provide details of what this means for you, based on the experience of the authors who are all subject matter experts.
In this edition, 19.4, we cover a wide range of topics including:
- Innovation in Financial Services
- Managing Rising Fuel Prices in 2020
- Vulnerabilities in the Legal Sector
- Waste Management and the Environment in 2020
Download the latest Market Intelligence now.
Tackling Rising Costs for Independent Schools
For independent schools, there may be turbulent times ahead. They are under increased scrutiny regarding their charitable status, which puts extra pressures on finances from increased business rates as well as other issues such as teachers’ pensions and a competitive sector.
As the landscape for independent schools shifts, both culturally and economically, it is all the more important that they are able to reduce their running costs wherever possible.
This success, however, requires a diligent assessment of individual circumstances, combined with a joined-up approach to challenging valuations of schools for business rates.
Download our insightful guide which provides detailed actions you can take within your independent school to improve profitability and put more money into the classroom.
Create a Culture of Continuous Improvement using Effective Change Management
Almost all organisations undergo change of varying degrees, complexity and magnitude, with billions of pounds being invested every year. The cost of failure can have a catastrophic effect for the organisation and its people; therefore, it is critical to understand the success factors to improve outcomes and optimise return on investment.
Success factors are management practices that, when implemented, will increase the likelihood of success of a change initiative. Their presence does not in itself guarantee success, but their absence will contribute to failure. These success factors form a framework that describes an organisational environment vital for success of change initiatives, and provide a mechanism to help organisations improve.
Understand the 6 crucial components of change management and discover the steps you can take to achieve a competitive advantage by successfully deploying effective change management in your business. Download the full guide today.
Essential Guide to Strong Customer Authentication (SCA)
Payment fraud losses have been steadily increasing for nearly a decade with little sign of easing. The European Commission has intervened by placing SCA requirements on participants to reduce fraud as one of the core components of PSD2.
With the new legislation, SCA means customers will no longer be able to checkout online using just their credit or debit card details, they will also need to provide an additional form of identification.
This has significant implications for merchants and retailers and the way their customers interact with them. It’s not just about online payments either, so it’s crucial for businesses to understand what SCA means for them.
Download our essential SCA guide which provides a detailed overview of the new rules, how they are applied and what you need to do.
Market Intelligence: Issue 19.3
Each quarter, the experts within our UK network share with us the most pressing issues facing their respective focus industries. We explore changing legislation, emerging technologies, the latest challenges and the newest opportunities, bringing you the latest insights which you can use to gain a competitive advantage.
In this issue, 19.3, you can learn about a variety of topics, including:
- Car dealers under pressure
- Why a straight contract renewal could cost your school thousands of pounds
- Why Business Consumers of IT must act now to protect their budgets
- Currency fluctuations and international payment costs present a risk to business
Download the full document now.
Understanding Benefit in Kind (BIK) Company Car Tax with our Ultimate 2020 Guide
HMRC have finally provided draft legislation regarding Benefit in Kind Tax for company cars which covers April 2021 through to April 2023 which at least provides certainty for the next 3 and a half years for company car drivers.
With WLTP due to take effective, there is yet another level of complexity being added for Benefit in Kind tax from next tax year. Cars registered prior to April 2020 will be taxed at a different rate than cars registered after this date.
Our Benefit in Kind Company Car Tax guide helps to explain the key issues facing company car drivers including a BIK calculator, helping you to understand what your costs are going to be. Download the ultimate guide and calculator today.
The Digital Transformation Game
No longer a nice to have, digital transformation is an essential step on the journey towards embracing growing technologies like Blockchain, AI, big data, virtual reality and augmented reality.
As technology evolves at such a rapid rate, companies must equip themselves for the future by delivering digital transformation as a core component of their primary strategy, especially as technology can create and protect value within your business.
Download the full white paper to discover the secrets of digital transformation and gain a competitive advantage.
Becoming Best in Class
Now more than ever, the need for organisations to develop a culture of cost reduction is paramount.
Our Becoming Best in Class white paper explores methods you can use to achieve savings from your supplier base. This includes a variety of negotiation tactics, so whether you’re dealing with existing providers or kick starting the tender process, you can ensure your business is positioned in the best possible way.
Download the white paper and discover how you can negotiation more effectively and explore how you can take advantage of your improved financial flexibility.
How to Reduce your Plastic Waste
Environmental impact concerns continue to gather pace, with mainstream national headlines frequently covering topics associated with corporate responsibility towards plastic waste.
The Blue Planet Series and the on-going efforts of Sir David Attenborough have helped to gather momentum whilst galvanizing public perceptions that businesses must do more to reduce their plastic waste.
The UK government has set out its environmental plans to address the concerns over plastic waste and our white paper explores how changing legislation will impact companies operating in the UK. We also provide a variety of short term quick wins you can implement in your own business to reduce plastic waste, as well as larger operational changes to help shape your long term environmental strategy.
Energy Market Report – September 2019
With the start of Winter just around the corner (1st October), consumers should already have started considering the impact of Winter season pricing and what this will mean for their forthcoming usage. As things stand, wholesale energy costs look quite attractive, which is a somewhat polar opposite to this time last year.
For anyone with contracts renewing in Q4 2019 or even Q1 2020, this is a good time to take advantage of low prices.
If you haven’t already determined your specific energy needs and energy strategy, download our latest energy report to gain valuable insights which can help you gain a competitive advantage.
Are you Brexit Ready?
Following on from the historic referendum, Expense Reduction Analysts created a detailed white paper explaining the implications of our exit from the European Union and what this would mean for companies operating and trading in the UK.
More than two years on from when the votes were cast, we created this follow up white paper, which explores what the Brexit situation looks like now and based on all of the latest information on the Brexit process, we provide a more thorough examination of what our departure from the EU will mean for your business.
More importantly, we provide detailed actions you can take for your business, to make sure you are Brexit ready.
Procurement and Cost Saving Solutions for Information Technology
The widespread adoption of Information Technology (or IT for short) has made a significant difference to many of our clients. It has allowed them to operate faster and more efficiently, to react more quickly to business challenges and to understand the trends in their business and the wider market, so that they are better equipped to take advantage of business opportunities.
Our expert guide provides a detailed summary of the most crucial aspects of the IT procurement process, providing practical details of where you can focus to give yourself a competitive advantage.
Author: Simon Atkinson
Freight Industry Report and Trends
The freight market, across modes of transport, remains complex and requires constant monitoring to ensure your company is following the right strategy. The complexity and constant changes are posing risks which need to be managed but also present opportunities which can be explored. Such opportunities can have a significant and positive impact on your supply chain costs.
With issues like the growing trade war between the US and China, changes in demand are becoming increasingly volatile.
Brexit continues to remain a big unknown for companies operating in and with the UK. Back logs have begun to occur, with some freight organisations charging a Brexit fee. New EU legislation has also caused a driver shortage, further increasing delays.
Download the full freight market report which explores these issues in more detail and covers the top factors in the freight sector.
Author: Hans-Henrik Hansen
The Changing Fleet Market: Key Dates
With ever growing complexities in the world of fleet management, it’s becoming increasingly challenging for organisations to maintain their fleet operations effectively.
There have been a number of high profile issues reported in 2019 already, such as the increasing fuel costs which have been further impacted by the rising tax liabilities that fleet managers are having to factor into their 2019 plans. As a result, many businesses are actively looking for alternatives and savings to help mitigate these costs.
Using helpful infographics, we provide a detailed summary of the key dates in the fleet market for 2019, covering changing legislation and other crucial events which businesses need to be aware of in order to prepare.
Is your business prepared for rising waste costs?
With global markets and local economics playing such a significant role in the cost of waste management and disposal, dealing with the requirements of your own business can be quite a volatile experience.
Time is always against us and this is particularly challenging for organisations that don’t always necessarily have a lot of dedicated resource to ensure their waste management is effectively optimised.
Many clients are turning to us for advice on what is a volatile market presently. Within our business we have a range of highly experienced waste specialists, so if you would like more information about how we could reduce costs in your business, please contact us.
Energy Market Report – August 2019
The recent declaration that the UK Government is prepared to leave the EU without a deal has seen the Pound Sterling fall to a new two-year low against the US dollar and a similar fall against the Euro making imports to the UK more expensive. Meanwhile the ongoing trade war between the US and China with its threat of mutual trade tariffs could signal a reduced demand for global energy in the event of an economic slowdown.
These are just a couple of examples of global insights which are directly effecting the energy market and in turn the money you pay for energy. Our latest energy report provides further detail on these topics and helps to explore what this can mean for your business and energy needs.
Energy Market Report – July 2019
As volatility within the energy market continues, businesses must increasingly look at their energy suppliers and expenditure to ensure they’re getting the best deal.
For example, The UK has made history of sorts by becoming the first major economy in the world to write into law the target to have net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. This has been revised from an original target of at least an 80% reduction from 1990 levels. The implication of the net zero target means that any emissions would need to be balanced by schemes to offset an equivalent volume of greenhouse gases from the atmosphere.
As warmer weather continues, it has prompted sustained demand for gas for power generation as air conditioning demand has risen. Nevertheless, a very well supplied gas system and high levels of storage saw gas prices fall during June.
Author: Richard Clayton
