Panorama Consultancy

26/05/2023

Check out my blog post

These remain challenging times for businesses and communities across Scotland, with the cost of living crisis continuing to significantly impact people’s lives and livelihoods. Against this backdrop, it is understandable that the drive towards creating a more sustainable society may not always be ...

14/03/2015

Just for the record, the pathetic document posted through your letter box, published by HM Govt. was not produced by the Scottish Office, indeed Scottish Office objected to the project.

14/03/2015

Back down south for a 2 week stretch :('

22/02/2015

Been back home in Scotland since Thursday, settleing back in quite nicely ... keeping fingers crossed for at least a 3 week stay.

14/12/2014

Back in Dover House, Whitehall tomorrow.

04/12/2014

On my home tomorrow for the 1st time in a month. So tired and still a bit 'flu riddled' Will be quite tearful when I see the welcome to Scotland sign on the M74.

04/09/2014

http://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/top-stories/scottish-independence-1-trillion-oil-claim-1-3529183

04/09/2014

" ... of course Scotland could be an independent country. "

David Cameron. The Today Program. BBC Radio Four. 04/09/14

Why would he say that?

A quick review of the financial argument for the independence of Scotland.

HMRC calculates in the tax year 2011-2012 revenue raised in Scotland was £45,056,000,000, Scotland’s block grant funding was 26,984,660,000 so last year, we contributed a little over £18bn to the union.

Looking at welfare. Benefits (includes; tax credits, pensions, as well as JSA and ESA and PIP and DLA and carer's allowance) spending in Scotland were £17.2bn. Hence just under a £billion in the black.

Factoring in un-attributed economic activity of conservative estimates of between £2-4bn, Scotland is between £3-5bn in budget surplus.

It has to be noted, however that Scotland’s block grant figures INCLUDE our share of UK debt repayments - £4.5bn per annum. The UK would need to seriously consider a currency union with Scotland or risk seeing Scotland retain this amount, putting us somewhere between £7.5 and £9.5bn in surplus.

Now look at defence. Scotland’s block grant figures include our share of the defence budget Scotland’s contribution to UK defence budget is £1.9bn non of which is specifically spent on Scotland with the exception of the Royal Marines stationed in Arbroath. It is fair to say that the nuclear arsenal at Faslane is not really for Scotland’s benefit, so now we’re looking at a surplus in excess of £11bn.

Turning now to Scotland’s ‘share’ of UK responsibility projects such as; HS2, the Westminster sewer upgrades, Westminster refurbishments and the London subway upgrades, conservatively another £0.6bn to £1.3bn a year. Let’s assume the lower estimate of £0.6bn, Scotland is £10 to £12bn a year in surplus (assuming Scotland would continue to fund projects that benefit England only). That’s not far off the block grant allocation.

A fairly healthy surplus in world terms and we haven’t even looked at ‘The elephant in the room’ - Oil.

In the tax year 2011-12, the UK North Sea oil/gas revenue was £469,777,000,000. Under international maritime law, it's estimated that 80-90% of UK oil is within what would be Scottish territory/territorial waters.

Taking the lower estimate of 80%, that's £375,821,600,000.

Now remember - Scotland operates on less than 45 billion pounds a year, oil revenue for Scotland, is over 8.3 times our national operating budget on an annual basis.

Better Together, however, like to claim oil revenue is in decline. HMRC's own figures, on the other hand, show, almost every year since the 1999-2000 tax year, oil revenues have risen (sole exceptions were tax years 2008-2009, and 2009-2010).

Oil is a bonus, Scotland does not need it to be a financially healthy nation, but it’s nice to have it all the same.

Lets assume that Scotland takes on a population-proportionate share of UK’s debt, in order to secure a currency union. The current expectation is that by tax year 2016-2017, our population share of the UK debt, would be £126bn.

Scotland’s oil revenue alone is £375bn, an independent Scotland could take our share of the UK's debt in order to secure a currency union, PAY IT OFF within a year, WITHOUT even affecting our operating budget.

Indeed without having our overall revenue ceded to Westminster, Scotland would start building a sovereign wealth fund with a conservatively estimated pot of £250bn.

That’s just year one, once all the dust has settled from Scotland becoming independent.

Tertiary Education, The NHS, Industry subsidies, The Police and Military, Social reform including pensions, infrastructure development and expansion, all perfectly affordable.

That’s why ‘Just call me Dave’ admits Scotland could be independent.

Source(s);

HMRC data.

https://www.gov.uk/.../atta.../file/246077/disagg-method.pdf

Oil revenue data

http://i.imgur.com/e3DJHV0.jpg

table comparison of revenue raised vs. block grant allocation: http://i.imgur.com/lwVGUSX.jpg

21/08/2014

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14/08/2014

Every day, account managers are dealing with new emerging competitors, downsizing prospects, and enlarged sales quotas. Success requires special sales training methods and a company-wide process where all departments are responsible for company revenue.

Today, the key to success is premeditated, outbound business development.

In traditional firms (start-ups and Fortune 1000 firms included), vice presidents of sales live or die by the success of monthly revenue plans that were forecasted twelve months earlier. They are the hero or the goat depending on how the revenue numbers hit that month. This evaluation process is an immature method used to determine revenue success (or failure). Often used by investors, it ignores the fact that corporate revenue (or lack of it) can be a symptom of a greater problem with the firm's business development program.

To succeed today, firms need to focus on the integration of all of their revenue elements of business development. When one singular department fails to contribute, it directly affects all corporate sales opportunities. At that point, it is not the sales department's failure to generate revenue, it is the company's failure.

The four current IT business development elements are:

Sales
Strategic Partners/Alliances
Marketing
Strategy and Product/Service Development

To succeed, we need all of these departments to be positioned equally in responsibility as partners in revenue generation. In this economy, there can be no silos.

That means senior managers of marketing, strategy, and alliances need to be assigned a line position with the appropriate responsibilities and compensation.

The result is that sales, strategy and marketing all have a sales quota. Working in concert, being paid as a team, their decisions and responsibilities will be centered on helping account managers sell more.

If your firm has not aligned these elements with equal compensation based on total revenue, assigned milestones based on a group performance, or implemented weekly goals for each manager based on revenue producing expectations, then it is time to change.

Today, companies can no longer afford high-priced sales executives or support departments who don't carry revenue goals. Instead, line managers are needed to represent all departments working in concert to generate revenue.

Remember, it is not the sales department's responsibility for revenue; it is the company's responsibility.

5 Common Mistakes in IT Sales

Mistake No. 1 - Most salespeople shoot from the hip. Let's be honest. Sales is a premeditated sport. To be successful, you need to prepare every step of sales cycle. Amateur salespeople wing it. When meeting clients for the first time, presenting to CEOs, or negotiating contracts, always sit down and plan your actions, talking points, and methodology in order to win business. Many salespeople become lazy and interact with customers based on the salesperson's previous experience with a particular kind of client. Professional salespeople know that every client is different and in this competitive economy, preparation wins business.

Mistake No. 2 - Salespeople do not cold call. No, it's not the favorite playtime of salespeople, but if you wait for your marketing department or your inside sales force to find qualified leads, your competition may already be locking down a big deal in your territory and you will be too late to join the game. To increase your quota success, add cold calling to your schedule every day.

Mistake No. 3 - Salespeople underestimate the importance of the client presentation. Fifty percent of all sales are won through the presentation. It is the only time when most of the decision makers are in the room and can be educated as a team about the unique characteristics of your product or service. To increase closing ratios, focus on the content and process of your presentation. Prepare to present.

Mistake No. 4 - Salespeople do not stay in touch with their prospects. Selling is also a contact sport. You need to interact with your prospect on a timely basis. You should touch the client every week with some communication device (email, letter, brochure) prodding them to move their buy cycle closer to your sales cycle. Prospects have short memories. Don't let a more ambitious competitor steal your prospect because they are more visible in their communication.

Mistake No. 5 - Salespeople underestimate the competition. In sales, it is kill or be killed. When selling a client, always assume that there is competition until you see a signed contract or purchase order. Several years ago, a study revealed that Fortune 1000 companies were negotiating with an average of four companies on the last step of a purchase. Simultaneously, only half of the time did the buying companies tell the vendors how many players had made the short list. Never assume you got the deal, until it is signed.