The upside to the downturn

[Greenie]

Think we all agree that the economy is slowing. If it goes into reccession is open to debate.

So trying to keep positive on a Friday afternoon in this more difficult environment what are the positive aspects of an economic downturn for the SMEs. I'll start with:

Recruitment new staff should be easier
Retaining good staff should be easier
If you can survive then there should be less competitors when it starts to pick up
Supplier maybe more receptive to renegotiation or at least value your business more

I'm already finding recruitment easier. We are getting more "unrequested" CVs from our website than a few months ago.

[anonymous-user]

Totally selfish but clears out the deadwood, all the companies that jumped on the bandwagon and do it for next to nothing. They aint smiling any more

[jamesuk28]

As you said, it will sort the men from the boys and the wheat from the chaff. Should provide massive opportunities in 1 - 3 years

[PhilLL]

Easier to compete against larger competitors with more fixed overheads.
Good time to take over a failing business and turn it around.
SME's can be more flexible to shifting markets.
Good time to provide outsourcing and contracting services to big companies looking to cut costs.

[shadowninja]

Interesting sideline opportunities in the bailiff industry, pawn industry and boarding industry.

[southgate]

On a personal level, if you're doing well, take advantage of the price of fast cars and houses dropping?

Upgrade when others are downgrading?

[Puggit]

I work for a company sselling virtualisation products in IT (consolidating many under-used physical servers in to one heavily used one, saving power and admin).

Business is booming....

[pgilc1]

Puggit said:

I work for a company sselling virtualisation products in IT (consolidating many under-used physical servers in to one heavily used one, saving power and admin).

Business is booming....

We hope to turn 90 'beige box' servers into 10 blades doing this....

[ukvoyager.info]

Greenie said:

Think we all agree that the economy is slowing.

Ermmm do we? I dont!

I agree with the other sentiments. The best time to upgrade is when everyone else is downgrading. I hope to buy the mother of houses in a few years time for about 20p.

Bring it on!

[Greenie]

ukvoyager.info said:

Greenie said:

Think we all agree that the economy is slowing.

Ermmm do we? I dont!

I agree with the other sentiments. The best time to upgrade is when everyone else is downgrading. I hope to buy the mother of houses in a few years time for about 20p.

Bring it on!

So you think the economy is going to grow at more than the 3.1 percent in 2007 do you?

[srebbe64]

Don't know who said it first: "it's only when the tide goes out that you see who's wearing a swimming costume"

[stevieb]

Greenie said:

ukvoyager.info said:

Greenie said:

Think we all agree that the economy is slowing.

Ermmm do we? I dont!

I agree with the other sentiments. The best time to upgrade is when everyone else is downgrading. I hope to buy the mother of houses in a few years time for about 20p.

Bring it on!

So you think the economy is going to grow at more than the 3.1 percent in 2007 do you?

I think it depending which industry you are in. People are queuing up at the door in my industry for us to0 work for them. to the fact that i have been poached by a rival company to work for them f0r xxk more per year!

[apguy]

srebbe64 said:

Don't know who said it first: "it's only when the tide goes out that you see who's wearing a swimming costume"

Slightly arse about face

Warren Buffet Said (in a 2007 letter to shareholders):

You only learn who has been swimming naked when the tide goes out – and what we are witnessing at some of our largest financial institutions is an ugly sight.

[sa_20v]

apguy said:

You only learn who has been swimming naked when the tide goes out – and what we are witnessing at some of our largest financial institutions is an ugly sight.

Superb!

As for the economy sliding - we are seeing our competitors cut back on advertising, for us though, business as usual.