Roundtable debate: Digital business

By Lancashire Business View

31 May 2017

In association with

The digital economy is set to play an increasingly important role in the UK’s economy. But what is it and are Lancashire businesses well placed to benefit? Those were just some of the questions we asked our panel who gathered at Society1 in Preston for a roundtable hosted by Slater + Gordon.

PRESENT: Richard Slater (chair)– Lancashire Business View • Mark Alexander – Slater + Gordon • Steve Kuncewicz – Slater + Gordon • Steve Brennan – Bespoke Digital Agency • Antony Chesworth – EKM Powershop • Jeremy Coates – Magma/Digital Lancashire • Guy Cookson – Hotfoot Design • Liz Hardwick – DigiEnable • Simon Iredale – Motionlab • Tony Melling – MyMarketology • Stewart Townsend – Digital Lancashire

How do we persuade businesses that digital is part of their everyday processes and how do we arm them to make that happen?

ST: By automating day-to-day processes in the background we are allowing people to be more efficient in their jobs. The benefit comes when operational process is streamlined. It is about trying to get businesses to operationalise the backend.

JC: There is a lot of hidden digital and people don’t necessarily label it as such. You can be digital more than you imagined. Most businesses will have used Dropbox or something very similar. Most businesses have some kind of service that they buy but may not have classed as digital.

GC: It’s not a one-time switch either. It’s constantly interrogating your processes and making sure you are using the best tool out there for the job. It’s about highlighting the productivity and efficiency gains, the return on investment. Business owners speak to their peers and come to us and say ‘such and such down the road is using this, what do you think?’ That’s how it spreads and it’s spreading really quickly.

SI: We’re finding clients are more than happy to outsource because change is happening too fast and they are incapable of taking on this technology and analytical processing in-house.

TM: It’s about the pound notes at the end of the day, what they are going to get out of it. Companies need to be educated about embracing digital.

LH: Look at your standard operating procedures and at streamlining processes and look at what’s in the market to help.

MA: The important word is productivity, which is something that is very high on everyone’s agenda at the moment because it’s a national and international issue. SK: Businesses need to move away from this illusion that digital is a choice because their customers are already there; their stakeholders are already there. If you are not present on these networks you are leaving it up to your competitors to be the voice for your audience and you cannot afford to do that. To read the full debate, see Lancashire Business View edition #74

Latest news

1

Taste Lancashire Producer Awards 2026 open for applications Taste Lancashire Producers awards

Taste Lancashire Producer Awards 2026 open for applications

15 Sep 2025

2

Stuart Buckley appointed head of sales and account management at Netcentrix Stuart Buckley

Stuart Buckley appointed head of sales and account management at Netcentrix

15 Sep 2025

3

Preston City Council pushes for fair pay Coun Valerie Wise

Preston City Council pushes for fair pay

15 Sep 2025

4

University of Lancashire increases state-of-the-art dentistry teaching facilities New dental facilities at University of Lancashire

University of Lancashire increases state-of-the-art dentistry teaching facilities

15 Sep 2025

5

VARS Technology team up with debt resolution specialists to fight fuel theft David Nichol John Garnett Aydan Jones and Laura Tilley

VARS Technology team up with debt resolution specialists to fight fuel theft

12 Sep 2025

Background image for hub sign up block

LBV Hub

Leverage Lancashire Business View platforms

Post your news
Post your events
Post your offers
Build your network
Improve your SEO
Gain coverage in the magazine
Sign-up
Events
Sub36 Networking - Follow the signs
Sub36 Deaf Village Social1200
Networking
17 Sep 2025

Sub36 Networking - Follow the signs

The Deaf Village, Blackburn, BB2 5EN

10:00 - 12:00

LBV124 September/October Launch Event
MBP Arc Cinema Preston Opening 205
Networking
18 Sep 2025

LBV124 September/October Launch Event

The Arc Cinema, Preston, PR1 2BL

08:30 - 10:30

CMI Level 5 Management and Leadership Course
UCLanAerialCampus.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
21 Feb 2025 - 21 Feb 2026

CMI Level 5 Management and Leadership Course

Preston Campus, Preston , PR1 2HE

09:00 - 17:00

CMI Level 5 Project Management Course
UCLanAerialCampus.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
21 Feb 2025 - 21 Feb 2026

CMI Level 5 Project Management Course

Preston Campus, Preston, PR1 2HE

08:00 - 17:00

Preston Tech Connection - The Ultimate Tech Quiz!
Preston Tech Connection Sept 25.png.png
LBV Hub Networking
16 Sep 2025 - 16 Sep 2025

Preston Tech Connection - The Ultimate Tech Quiz!

Society1, Coworking Space, Preston, PR1 3LT

18:00 - 19:00

The Business Network Central & East Lancashire
LBV Hub Networking
17 Sep 2025 - 17 Sep 2025

The Business Network Central & East Lancashire

Stanley House, Blackburn, BB2 7NP

11:30 - 14:15

Cumbria Business Expo 2025
https---cdn.evbuc.com-images-880461633-4862066883-1-original.20241022-110415.jpeg.jpg
LBV Hub Exhibitions
19 Sep 2025 - 19 Sep 2025

Cumbria Business Expo 2025

Carlisle Racecourse, Carlisle, CA2 4TS

09:00 - 15:00

Preston Freelancer Meet-Up: September
Sept Freelancer (1).png.png
LBV Hub Networking
23 Sep 2025 - 23 Sep 2025

Preston Freelancer Meet-Up: September

Society1, Coworking Space, Preston, PR1 3LT

10:00 - 11:30

Your Business, Your Region: Making sense of devolution and Local Government Reorganisation
Chorley Council breakfast event new
LBV Hub Networking
23 Sep 2025 - 23 Sep 2025

Your Business, Your Region: Making sense of devolution and Local Government Reorganisation

Worden Hall, Leyland, PR25 3DH

08:00 - 11:00

Speed Networking with BNI
2.png.png
LBV Hub Networking
24 Sep 2025 - 24 Sep 2025

Speed Networking with BNI

Chorley Football Club, Chorley, PR7 3DU

16:00 - 19:00

The Marketing Meetup IRL: Lancashire - September
TMM Lancashire
LBV Hub Networking
25 Sep 2025 - 25 Sep 2025

The Marketing Meetup IRL: Lancashire - September

Chorley, PR7 2SL

18:00 - 20:00

Making Tax Digital for Income Tax Self Assessment (MTD for ITSA) drop-in day
MTD drop in session.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
25 Sep 2025 - 25 Sep 2025

Making Tax Digital for Income Tax Self Assessment (MTD for ITSA) drop-in day

Making Tax Digital for Income Tax Self Assessment (MTD for ITSA) drop-in day, Blackburn, BB1 5QB

10:00 - 16:00

Advertise with us

Reaching 50,000 members, our print, digital and event platforms offer a fantastic way to raise your business profile and help you grow.

Find out more LBV124 Online Graphic
Subscribe now

Weekly news bulletin