Cornwall based web developers, UKNetWeb, are to host a virtual mini-conference on the growing fears of a recession and there potential effect on the large number of small to medium enterprises (SMEs) operating in the south west.

The event, planned as part of an ongoing series of events, follows on from a successful virtual launch event hosted by the company early last month. Referred to as the UKNetWeb ‘Insight Sessions’, each new session will focus on a particular issue of importance to businesses operating within the county.
With talk of a recession forming a major concern for SMEs at this time the first session will focus on the economy, with respected economist and former chief executive of Finance Cornwall, Lord Robin Teverson taking the key note speech.

Lord Teverson will attempt to address the concerns of the small to medium enterprise, dealing with questions such as; what defines a recession, how long a recession would be likely to last and what affect a recession might have on the local economy?

UKNetWeb Managing Director, Toby Parkins says,

“After the success of our virtual launch event we saw an opportunity to use the platform to engage with businesses across the region that may not have the time or inclination to attend traditional conferences or networking events.”

“By providing a virtual space and structure for events of this type we believe we can extend our reach whilst providing businesses with access to information that would otherwise be difficult to obtain.”

The event will take place on the 2nd of September at 12.30pm. Anyone wishing to attend can log into the event by going to www.uknetweb.com anytime after 12noon on the day and following the on-screen instructions displayed.

Ends

Editors Notes:

1. Insight: Recession is the first of a series of virtual online meetings aimed at business people from any part of the world, especially Cornwall.
2. Lord Robin Teverson lives near Tregony in Cornwall and was for a time the economist of a major UK freight company.  He worked in the freight and transport industry for a number of years before becoming MEP for Cornwall and Plymouth from  1994 – 1999.  He was Chief Executive of Finance Cornwall, based in Truro, between 2002 and 2006.  He is now the Lib Dem spokesman on the environment and climate change in the House of Lords.
3. Further information can be obtained from Aren Grimshaw (aren@uknetweb.com) / Toby Parkins (toby@uknetweb.com) or by calling 01872 555933.

The innovative party was planned by the company to demonstrate how businesses can use emerging technology to cut business running costs while adding new and exciting ways of promoting their businesses.

The party began at 12.30 on Tuesday (29th July) when a link was published on the old UKNetWeb site. Guests were told to go to the company website, UKNetWeb.com and follow the on-screen instructions to enter a virtual room.

On entering the room, guests could select their own music from a selection of preloaded tracks and carry out conversations with other attendees via on screen text based chat. At 1.00pm Managing Director, Toby Parkins, made a speech to the room where he introduced the new site and recession guide.

All guests were given an opportunity to introduce themselves to the room, following a similar structure to conventional face to face networking events. Guests came from all over Cornwall and further afield, with at least one international guest signing in from an Icelandic advertising agency.

The launch of the new site and recession guide was well received with over 300 people accessing the site and over 150 downloads of the recession guide within the 24 hour period after the launch.

Toby Parkins, MD, UKNetWeb

Managing Director, Toby Parkins said, “The possibilities opened up by emerging technology offers exciting prospects for businesses that want to cut costs and attract new sales. This launch party demonstrated that there are alternatives to travel and we hope that businesses will adopt some of the ideas within the guide to help them through more difficult times.”

“Since the event we have been inundated with interest in similar events. It seems everyone who attended has been telling their friends about it and now there is a real buzz for more virtual events to be organised.” Toby continued.

The new website can be found at www.uknetweb.com with the recession guide available for download at www.uknetweb.com/recession-guide.