Elevate Programme
Description
The Elevate Programme was designed to support 84 micro/SMEs located within the Cookstown District Council area to stimulate growth and productivity, and deliver support in one or more of the following eight key business areas:
- Developing Business Plans
- Implementing quality standards compliant with industry standards
- Sales/marketing
- Effective pricing
- Information, Communication, Technology
- New or modified product/ process /service introduction or development
- Human Resource Management and,
- Financial management.
Each business received a detailed Business Audit, one-to-one business consultancy support of up to 5 or 8 days to address a range of areas identified in the Audit.
Each business received a diagnostic Business Audit, followed by up to 5 or 8 days’ expert support to address the areas identified in their Audit. The Elevate delivery was led by Cookstown Enterprise Centre and the Innotech Centre, supported by consultants from Venture i, Brilliant Red Consulting and Global Education NI Limited, a strong team possessing a vast array of experience across a range of business areas.
Findings from the recently completed independent evaluation demonstrate that ‘Elevate’ in many cases, exceeded the very ambitious targets set for it and show that it undoubtedly helped to position participating business to achieve sustained growth. Outlined below are some of Elevate’s key achievements and also how it helped one participating business grow its online sales and increase productivity.
Programme Targets:
- Average increase of 15% in turnover of business
- Average increase of 10% in business productivity
- Creation of 18 new jobs
- At least 30 products, processes or services to be introduced or improved
Results:
- 16.1% average increase in turnover achieved valued at £7,889,773
- 12.17% average increase in productivity achieved, valued at £876,707
- 27 new jobs were created at an estimated value of £525,220
- 165 new or improved products, processes or services introduced
Testimonials:
“The Elevate Programme was extremely beneficial to Killymoon Bespoke Living. We were allocated a business mentor to support and enhance our growth and development. At the time we required assistance with the design, development and launch of our company website to enhance export sales. It was imperative that we created a website that was user friendly. By optimizing the website we were in a position to attract new customers throughout NI, Republic of Ireland and the UK.
As a direct result of this programme, we have increased online sales, sustained existing jobs, and improved productivity within the business.
Overall, this was a well-managed programme run by Cookstown Enterprise Centre, and would recommend any business to get involved in these business support programmes in the future.”
Steve Wilson, Killymoon Bespoke Living
