New campaign launched to help SMEs make savings

The Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs) have unveiled a new initiative that aims to encourage small businesses to avail of a range of supports to help them save time, money and energy.

Launched by Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment Neale Richmond, the new All in a Day's Work campaign is focused on highlighting the supports that will enable small businesses to make significant changes to the way they work.

The supports include the LEOs' Lean, Green and Digital programmes, which all help small businesses to become more competitive and productive in how they work.

LEO figures show that the Lean for Business programme, running since 2015 with Enterprise Ireland, has helped save businesses an average of €34,000 by helping them work more efficiently and improving their processes. It is free to all SMEs through their LEOs.

According to John Magee, chair of the network of the LEOs, the ongoing challenges that businesses face means they should be looking to make themselves more efficient, more productive and more sustainable for now and the future.

“The figures speak for themselves on the impact these supports can have,” he said. “We hope that this campaign will emphasise those benefits and encourage more small businesses to look at how their businesses can save time, money and energy by becoming more efficient and more sustainable. These are choices that will impact them positively both now and in the years ahead.”

Minister Redmond encouraged SMEs to reach out to their local LEOs to avail of supports. “While starting a business is an exciting time, without mentorship and advice, it can also be very hectic,” he noted. “LEOs offer both the financial supports and mentorship programmes that help businesses to save time and money by being more efficient.”