Whether you are taking your first steps into business, or are part of the economic fabric, you will probably come across ngb2b.
Having served the business community of South East Wales across three centuries, ngb2b's resilience is a result of constant inward investment to evolve its services to address real business needs. Here we give you an introduction to the chamber and what it could do for your business.
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Founded in 1870, the Newport and Gwent Chamber of Commerce, Enterprise and Industry has been a stalwart supporter of businesses in south east Wales. Having merged with Newport & Gwent Enterprise (NGE) in 2003, the organisation is an esteemed business support provider which can assist businesses throughout their lifecycle.
The chamber, re-branded as ngb2b in May 2000, is the only British Chambers of Commerce accredited chamber in South Wales, forming part of a business network with a regional, national and international voice.
Ngb2b is owned and directed by its membership, which means it is directly accountable to the business community. It works hard to maintain open dialogue with its membership; ensuring the services it offers are always tailored according to the evolving needs of businesses.
Perhaps the most widely used of the services it offers are the networking opportunities.
Bringing together suppliers and buyers in an informal manner is at the heart of what it does, helping members foster valuable business relationships.
Reassuringly, member-to-member business continues to grow amid the fear, uncertainty and doubt of the current economic climate.
As a subscription-funded organisation, attracting and retaining members is critical to its ongoing development and the ability to be both reactive and proactive in its service delivery. Its commitment to services which do not discriminate against businesses based on their size or profitability has seen membership grow by more than 50 per cent in the last two years alone.
Ngb2b is by no means a one-trick pony. All members can support their marketing activities by mining its significant database to target prospects and help develop a customer base.
Smaller organisations often need space which lets their employees work in an environment conducive to productivity, and where they can meet customers and suppliers in a professional setting.
The serviced offices among ngb2b's property portfolio, which are consistently more than 80 per cent let, provide these fledgling companies with the foundations on which to build a sustainable business.
Services such as insurance and legal advice are particularly popular with SME members as these arduous yet necessary tasks can sap too much resource from a growing business.
As a business support organisation, it is critical that the availability and validity of services remains constant. For this reason ngb2b has embraced the internet, and e-commerce in particular, as a means of helping its members attract customers and locate suppliers. This is an area which it will continue to develop to ensure that its services reflect the growing importance of the Internet to businesses in South Wales.
The internet, aside from being an alternative route to market and a vehicle through which to communicate with stakeholders, plays a pivotal role in blurring the geographical boundaries that a business operates within.
Tapping international markets allows a business to massively diversify its customer base, potentially cut costs, and ensure a healthy order book.
However, supplying the demand of overseas customers requires an in-depth knowledge of the export paperwork and legislation involved both in the UK and at the recipient country. Ngb2b's export division has seen a significant increase in the number of South Wales companies selling goods to international consumers. To meet this growing demand it recently strengthened its international trade services team. As well as issuing more of the export documents that it has always provided, it has recently been granted the sole authority (in South Wales) to administer Arab Certificates of Origin. Ngb2b wholly anticipates demand to continue to grow as global markets become more accessible.
As with any organisation, some of what ngb2b offers will appeal more to certain organisations than to others. But the benefits which it offers as a platform for members to promote themselves and their products and/or services, both to other members and the wider business community, really is second to none.
With an almost 140-year heritage, and a profitable business model in place, ngb2b is seeking to reaffirm people's belief in local business support. It has an open door policy for existing and would-be members to air their views, make suggestions and allow it to demonstrate the value it can bring to their businesses.
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