Membership Benefits - Scotland Food and Drink

Making the most of your membershipBUSINESS SERVICESFree Access to the Buying Support Agency ConsortiumThe BSA has identified 13 categories of overheads thatthey can offer savings in:Stationery Supplies (15% saving min)Utilities (Gas and Electricity)Cleaning suppliesPrint & packagingCatering suppliesTelecomsVending servicesWork wearFranking servicesArchiving servicesCredit card processingTraining servicesCourier servicesFree Website Compliance Audit – essential for online tradingLaw firm Harper Macleod is keen to help with our collectivestrategic aim of growth and improvement of brand awarenessacross all markets. As part of this growth, it is crucial thatorganisations ensure their websites are legally compliant. Manycompanies, especially those which trade online, could potentiallybe breaching key legal requirements and as such would benefitenormously from an audit of their websites.Harper Macleod, therefore, offers a Website ComplianceAudit. The service involves reviewing websites againstthe laws relating to your operation and identifying anynon-compliance issues that may require remedial work.This represents a free service of £1,300 per membercompany – an enormous financial saving.In addition, Harper Macleod also offers a discount of 20%off its standard hourly rates etc to Scotland Food & Drinkmembers.They have a pre-audited range of suppliers in each category thatare constantly monitored in relation to pricing and service levels.Members are required to select whichever of the abovecategories they would like to make savings on and to submit threemonths’ worth of copy invoices – this is the only work required bymembers and all information exchanged is kept confidential.The BSA extracts information from the invoices to put into ananonymous tender document (excluding their current costs)and puts it out as a competitive tender.Once all bids in a specific category have been submitted the BSAinvites the most competitive supplier to contact the member.There is no obligation for the member and if they do proceedthey are tied in only with gas/electricity/telecommunicationssuppliers as is the norm.The BSA will then periodically contact the member on a 3/6/9-month basis to ensure they are happy with their new supplier.Members benefit from free access to this service that usuallycosts £495+VAT.Economies of scale that the BSA consortium benefits frommeans cost-savings range from 10% to as much as 58%.Free Legal AdviceAll members of Scotland Food & Drink are entitled to onehour’s free legal advice (worth £250) with top legal firmMaclay Murray & Spens. This service is offered from anyof MMS’ offices (located in Aberdeen, Glasgow, Edinburghor London) and can also be conducted via telephoneconversations if these locations are inconvenient. Thisoffering covers advice on any legal matters that are ofconcern to a member. Common issues within the foodand drink sector are as follows:Obtaining advice on your supplier/ customer terms andconditions and distribution arrangements.Considering the impact of the ever changing employmentlegislation whether it be around the minimum wage, workingtime legislation or rights of migrant workers.