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Business Information : Information Services
Q. How can AGCC help me access information sources?
A. Our team of information professionals at Business Gateway can locate relevant information on your behalf. They have considerable local expertise and can assist you in numerous ways
The Chamber can provide access to a wide range of business information sources. We particularly have information on our Chamber membership and there are a number of ways in which we can present this. Please contact us to see how best we can help you or for that matter where we suggest that you might find the information you need. For information call Gary Boyd on 01224 343904 or email him at gary.boyd@agcc.co.uk
We also maintain some general information about the region’s economy and key sectors. You can also get access to this type of information through the ACSEF web site at www.acsef.co.uk, at the Aberdeen City and Shire web portal at www.aberdeencityandshire.com and also on the North East Scotland Economic Research website at www.neser.org.uk. The two local council web sites also host specific information to their areas at www.aberdeencity.gov.uk and www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk. The Scottish Enterprise site provides access into the Enterprise network information at www.scottish-enterprise.com.
For specific types of information relating to the Chamber’s international activity and in particular the Oil and Gas sector then please contact our International Business team through our web site. Another excellent source of information for this sector is Oil & Gas UK at www.oilandgasuk.co.uk
For more generic statistical information and to find out more about what help might be available for business please contact the Business Gateway on www.bgateway.com or call 0845 609 6611.
businessgateway@scotent.co.uk
Assistance available
They have considerable local expertise and can assist you by:
Putting you in touch with business support services in Scotland
Telling you about the range of Business Gateway services on offer
Making an appointment for you to see a Business Adviser, if appropriate
Assessing your needs and referring you to other help, such as the Euro Info Centre or our Partner Organisations
Provide information from a range of specialist resources such as company directories, factsheets and market research reports
Book you a place on a training event, seminar or workshop
Assess whether you qualify for any special services, such as high growth start up, or Prince's Scottish Youth Business Trust
Whatever stage your business is at the Business Information Centre can help by:
Identifying business opportunities
Targeting customers
Monitoring the competition
Creating mailing lists
Locating local premises
Checking the financial status of suppliers or customers
Locating overseas trade fairs and worldwide business partners
Searching for funding
Establishing business procedures
Understanding existing and proposed UK and European legislation
Identifying key contacts in public sector and industry organisations
These are just examples and we welcome the opportunity to discuss your particular requirements and to identify if we can assist you in developing your business. Most services are free and we are usually able to respond to simple queries immediately. For a fast and confidential service call us on 0845 609 6611 or email your enquiry to bg-grampian@scotent.co.uk
Information Resources
Our team of information professionals have considerable local expertise and access to a wealth of specialist resources including:
Company databases - to locate local, national or international companies we have a range of sources such as Hoover's and Kompass UK
Business Information Factsheets - hundreds of guides/checklists to help answer the most common business questions from preparing a business plan to getting insurance cover
Business Opportunity Profiles - practical information on over 400 start up ideas from couriering to web design
Market research databases - reports from Mintel, Keynote and Euromonitor covering a wide range of industry sectors. Typically reports include market size, trends/forecasts, purchasing habits, supply structure and more
Newspapers/trade press - local/national newspapers and trade press
Scottish Property Network - to locate commercial and industrial properties meeting your specifications
Local Factsheets - have been prepared by the team, to respond to a diverse range of frequently asked questions from lists of training rooms to top companies in Aberdeen
European Information Officer - to assist with identification of tenders, legislation, business partners and funding opportunities in Europe
How we could help you - sample enquiries
Client re-locating to Aberdeen
A large international company is looking to re-locate to Aberdeen. We could help find information about available premises, transport availability, economic indicators - including salaries, housing costs and more.
Going Online
A local retailer is considering selling their golfing merchandise to consumers over the internet. An important first step would be to analyse the market conditions - we can help by providing key data such as market size, likely growth, competitor's activities, consumer purchasing preferences by consulting market research databases, statistical reports and researching the internet. Attaining E-commerce skills would also be vital and we can help by providing latest guides on good practice, or lists of local companies that the E-business might be outsourced to. We'd also put the business in touch with one of the Business Gateway's e-Business Advisors - who will assist with identifying this and other opportunities to develop the business.
Business Start Up
Considering various ideas and options not sure which are most viable or suited to your skills? Initially we'll send you details of the next Business Gateway 'Introduction to Business' course and provide a 'start up pack' with factsheets about business regulations, choosing the legal status of your business, tax/national insurance and more. At a later stage you can use the Information Centre to investigate which of your business ideas is most viable by exploring potential markets, customers and local factors.
Call 0845 609 6611 or email your enquiry to businessgateway@scotent.co.uk
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