Liverpool’s Luxury Retailer Tools Up With Technology

TASKERS, the Merseyside homeware store with premises in Aintree and Wavertree, has begun its second stage of major IT improvements following the £500,000 of technological investment already made since 2005.

The changes have already seen new budgeting, forecasting and accountancy software rolled out; the development of a Business Intelligence System; and the introduction of bespoke customer ordering and Customer Relations Management systems. The improvements will boost productivity and cement the retailer’s reputation for excellence.

The current phase of future proofing will include VMWare’s legendary Vsphere4 virtual data environment and further enhancements to the Electronic Point of Sale system, including the use of Pacific Retail’s Storetrader till network. Meanwhile behind the scenes forklift truck drivers and warehouse partners will be kitted out with ‘wrist watch phones’ to enable hands free communication, driving efficiency and giving customers a truly 21st Century service.

Taskers has also engaged Datel, a member of Sage’s ‘Circle of Excellence’, who will now be on hand to deliver support for software such as the acclaimed Line applications. Qlik View- the world’s fastest growing Business Intelligence Software- will also be used to dramatically reduce time spent running reports.

Customers will experience the benefits first hand, with new touch points being installed in stores, allowing users to search for stock by simply stating: ‘I want a dinner service, I want it white, I want it for £50’. Once they make their selection they will be given confirmation the item is available before being shown a map of the store detailing where the product can be found and how to get there.

The human face of the technology drive is Aled Morgan, who recently joined the retailer as IT Manager. Morgan was previously at European giant EDS, a company with a strong track record for providing IT support to Government departments and major corporations.

Speaking about the investment proposals Taskers Financial Controller Paul Schwartz said: “We saw the recession as an opportunity to invest further in our infrastructure as we could get better deals on the hardware and consultancy, as well as reducing the amount of disruption due to the quieter trading conditions.

“Our goal is not for Taskers to be the biggest company in the world but for us to be the best at what we do. For a long time Taskers has been selling the best products to the best customers via the best employees, now we are putting the finishing touches to helping us achieve our goal of having the best technology too.”

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It’s Time to Get Playful with Sadolin

Summer is on its way and with it the school holidays! Keeping the kids entertained and occupied is never far from any parents mind, and this summer, Sadolin has the answer.

Keep yourself and the kids happy by building a fun and colourful hideaway from the Wooden Kiwi, and painting it with one of Sadolin’s many brightly tinted Superdec products – the perfect remedy to keep kids busy and make a beautiful feature in your garden.

Sadolin Superdec offers a collection of 45 shades, which can be used to coat all garden timber, without the need of an undercoat. Colours are en vogue and range from pretty pastels and soft hues to more vibrant shades – the perfect complement to summer blooms! It is touch dry in just one hour, easy to apply and its incredible flexibility means it moves with the wood. Superdec is priced from £14.99 for a 750ml can and protects your wood for up to 8 years.

Put fun and colour high up on the agenda this summer with Sadolin’s Superdec.

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SureSet Launches New Range of Permeable Paving Slabs

SureSet, the UK’s leading supplier of resin-bound paving has launched a completely new range of paving slabs to complement the company’s existing resin-bound surfacing materials.

The new PermaSlab® range has been developed to provide landscape architects, developers, contractors and home owners with the opportunity to realise the benefits of resin bound paving, but in a standard 600 x 600 x 40 mm paving format.

Manufactured using the company’s proven resin bound technology, the PermaSlab® range provides a permeable surface (subject to an appropriate sub-base being prepared) which is ideal for paths, patios, steps and garden features.  The slabs are easy to cut, making laying a fast and straightforward process and enabling even more intricate designs to be achieved.

The product is highly durable, UV stable, and resistant to frost, oil and stains – ensuring that its appearance won’t fade or be compromised over time.  Initially available in Maple and Chestnut finishes, the range offers a choice of mellow golden tones and rich browns to give great design flexibility – with colours available to complement or contrast with other garden features. The surface is slip resistant and safe for children, as well as providing a smooth base for those with wheelchairs or children’s buggies.

Commenting on the launch, Kevin Weston, Contracts Director at SureSet said: “We’re absolutely delighted to be launching PermaSlab® to customers in the UK, having received a tremendous reaction at this year’s Ecobuild exhibition.  We’re confident that the product provides real benefits for both home owners and landscape professionals – a perfect combination of resin bound technology and a convenient, traditional format”.

For more information call the SureSet customer service team on 01985 841 180 or visit www.sureset.co.uk.

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77% of Public Trust Builders More Than MPs

London, UK, May 25^th 2010 – With the UK public left unsettled by the recent election chaos, politicians continue trying to win them over with promises of building a better Britain. However, recent research into trust, commissioned to launch the 10^th Master Builder of the Year Awards, found that 86% of the public have more faith in their local builder than they do in politicians to get a job done properly. A sign that it should be left to the UK’s trusted builders to fix broken Britain.

With parliament, policies and political parties the hot topic of conversation at the moment, the Federation of Master Builders (FMB), organisers of the Awards, commissioned research to measure public attitudes towards trust and uncovered some interesting truths – 65% would like to see more real people, like tradesman, become MPs and 77% trust their builder more than their local MP. The FMB works hard to maintain the reputation of its members and does everything it can to ensure that the public does not lose confidence in the trade. This includes a website offering inspiration, advice, free contracts   and tips on choosing the right builder. Perhaps the new coalition could learn a thing or two from this trade body!

To coincide with the research and to celebrate ten years of showcasing the very best in construction, FMB is working with celebrity property guru Phil Spencer to search for Britain’s best builder, in a competition that aims to continue to raise the standard of British building, in innovation, client service, skills and sustainability.

“I’ve been fortunate enough to have seen some incredible building projects in my time, as well as some fairly ordinary ones. That’s why I am delighted to be working with the FMB in a bid to help inspire tradesmen and the public to build a better Britain,” said Phil Spencer, the presenter of C4 Location, Location, Location and Relocation, Relocation.

FMB Director General, Richard Diment said: “Our research reflects public sentiment, as politicians continue to chip away at public trust, and people realise that local people, like tradesman, can be trusted. However, bricks and mortar alone are not going to build a better Britain. We need to ensure that we are working towards a more sustainable Britain with a well-skilled workforce. The FMB is dedicated to raising awareness of these issues and through these Awards, we hope to continue to inspire the public and the building industry to push the boundaries in these areas.”

The 2010 Master Builder of the Year Awards require every builder to be nominated by a satisfied customer – a client who is so pleased with their finished project that they feel their builder deserves national recognition. The awards are designed to reward both builders and their clients, which means the winning builder not only enjoys the title of Master Builder of the Year and the Nissan Light Commercial Vehicle of their choice worth up to £20,000, but their client will enjoy a £3,000 holiday!

Each of the category winning builders and their clients also win luxury weekend breaks for two at the Barceló hotel of their choice in the UK.

The awards are open to all builders and specialist tradespeople. If clients feel that their builder has excelled in the quality of their work and their professionalism, then they can enter them for the 2010 Master Builder of the Year Awards by registering online at www.fmb.org.uk/awards or by calling 020 7092 3870 and an application pack will be sent by return.

The competition has a wide range of categories to make sure it is open to as many builders as possible. Categories include New Homes, Small/Medium/Large Renovation Projects, Energy Efficient buildings, Commercial Projects (up to £3m), a special Heavenly Builder award for builders who display outstanding levels of customer service, no matter how small the job they undertake and an award for the Apprentice of the Year.

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Football’s Coming Home With Focus DIY

With the World Cup about to kick-off and fans across England gearing up for a summer of fantastic football, now’s the ideal time to make sure your home is as patriotic as you are!  Give it a red and white makeover with Focus DIY in time for the first game on 12^th June.

From wallpaper to rugs, lamps to paints, Focus has everything a dedicated England fan needs to make their home the perfect place to watch the footie.  Run out of sofa room?  Your mates will be happy sitting on the Port Red Medium Shaggy Rug (SKU: 253562, £61.19) – it’s also water-resistant for all those spilled pints!  And show your support with the Football LED Light (SKU: 195428 £13.19), which changes colour from red to blue to green.

Or why not go one step further and share your passion with the world by turning your house into a giant England flag?  Using Weathershield Smooth Masonry Pure Brilliant White 10L (SKU: 849661, £33.99) and International Brick & Tile Paint in Red (SKU: 596671, £25.49) from Focus, show your colours and get behind our boys this summer!

For more information on where to find your local store, or to shop online now, please visit www.focusdiy.co.uk

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Vote Now To Decide Winning Shed

It’s time for the nation to decide which shed should be awarded the coveted title of Shed of The Year 2010, sponsored by Cuprinol Sprayable. The search to find the most quirky, flamboyant or interestingly themed shed began in August last year. Since then 1000s of sheddies all over the country have been working hard on their sheds to make sure they are in with the best chance of winning the £1000 prize, courtesy of Cuprinol Sprayable as well as a range of shed products from the brand.

To help decide the winner, simply log on to www.readersheds.co.uk and vote for the shed you like the best. You will be allowed one vote per shed and you can vote for as many of the 1250 sheds as you like. The public voting closes on 20th June – so there’s plenty of time to browse the wall of sheds to find your favourite!

Organised by the internationally famous readersheds.co.uk and sponsored by Cuprinol Sprayable, National Shed Week (which runs from 5 July) is the national celebration of one of the cornerstones of British culture.

From pub sheds to shacks and even Tardises – not to mention increasing numbers of garden office sheds, there really are no limits!

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Make Your Goal A World Cup Clean Up With Rug Doctor!

Beer spills, muddy trainers, cigarette smoke and take-away food stains are no match for Rug Doctor’s awesome cleaning power!

Here’s a bright idea to avoid a red card over the effects on your home of any World Cup crowd pullers this year – the Rug Doctor! After the final whistle, rent one of Rug Doctor’s easy-to-use carpet cleaning machines to deep clean any walked-in dirt from the garden – or spots and stains from food and drink spills – and you’ll be a winner! There’s even an upholstery attachment included for use on soft furnishings, carpet edges and stairs.

Best of all, most people can clean their whole house for less than £40.00 – and that includes four litres of the new Rug Doctor Carpet Detergent with Spot Blok ® stain repellent, which builds up the resistance to stains every time it is used so that carpets and upholstery stay cleaner for longer.

“The World Cup always brings fun, excitement and totally spontaneous reactions from footie fans, but the penalty can be the effects that spots and stains from accidental spills can have on both carpets and upholstery – especially if you’re watching the match at home with some mates,” says Paul Fildes Marketing Manager of Rug Doctor. “Rug Doctor will help your ‘pitch’ recover from any mistreatment in no time, bringing all the freshness and softness back thanks to Rug Doctor’s easy-to-use machines and our award winning carpet and upholstery detergents .”

Consumers can now find Rug Doctor machines in every B&Q, Homebase, Focus and Johnsons the Cleaners, as well as in selected Morrisons, Tesco, Sainsbury, Somerfield, the Co Op and other quality independent stores. In fact, Rug Doctor now has nationwide availability with almost 90% of all UK consumers being within just a 10 minute drive of a rental location. Consumers are encouraged to use the store finder on the Rug Doctor website to find their nearest location.

Twenty-four hour rental costs on average £19.99 or £24.99 for the Rug Doctor Wide Track machine which, with its wider cleaning head and higher capacity detergent tank, can cut cleaning time in half. Rug Doctor Carpet Detergent costs about £9.99 a litre or £19.99 for 4 litres.

To learn how to fit a sink, make ceramic repairs and ceramic tile as well as many more bathroom projects visit lets-do-diy.com.

Flaking or Peeling Paint

Peeling paint or flaking paint is something that can happen to anyone’s bathroom, but by follow some simple steps you can resolve the problem and get your bathroom as good as new.

The Importance Of Quality When Choosing Kitchen Worktops

Most property sales experts will agree that the kitchen is the most important room in the house when prospective buyers are looking around. Subsequently updating the look of a kitchen before putting a home on the open market is highly advisable. Kitchens however can be expensive; thankfully there are ways to make the best of your kitchen without having to fork out thousands. One of the best ways to do this is to replace the worktops. New worktops can completely transform the look of a kitchen and hence make the room a far more impressive selling point.

The choice of kitchen worktops on the market is vast. There are so many different materials out there deciding which to use can be ultimately befuddling and confounding. Worktops will vary in cost depending upon the material used; this does not necessarily have to be the most important consideration however. Aesthetics should also be considered when redesigning a kitchen. Here are some of the most commonly used materials in the construction of worktops and surfaces.

An extremely en vogue material at the moment is granite. It is extremely expensive but when buying slabs of stone you are paying for quality. Predominantly its biggest benefit is strength, although as a design feature it is also appealing. As well as granite there are a variety of composite stones that have become available since manufacturing techniques have been improved. Composite worktops can be extremely attractive utilising gloss sheen, glittering sediment and vivacious colours.

Stone is not the only option however and in some kitchens can look out of place. Wood should always be considered for worktops due to its durability and beauty. In addition wooden surfaces can also be fitted easily, reducing costs further.

Oak has been used in construction for centuries, its classical look is a powerful draw for many designers and the fact that it ages so well, makes it the ideal long term material for worktops and kitchen furniture.

Walnut is a popular choice because of its immensely prominent grain. The grain of walnut is so strong that it can dominate a kitchen and ultimately should be used sparingly. For a country kitchen however, walnut can be considered perfect.

Cherry has increasingly been used in kitchen design over the last decade because of its unique colouration and sublime grain. As a dark wood it is strong but also ages well and will only add to the aesthetic appeal over time.

Beech on the other hand is a light wood that can create a contemporary, light and airy kitchen. It is warm and welcoming and once again suits those who are trying to achieve the ‘country kitchen’ look.

For the most contemporary designers however, iroko is rapidly becoming the wood of choice. Described by many as the African teak it has a sumptuous darkness about it that oozes class and style.

Naturally finding a supplier that can supply your worktops at an affordable price is advisable but care should be taken to ensure only quality materials are used. While stone has few maintenance issues, wood requires a concerted effort to keep it in good condition. After instillation stains and treatments should be applied to ensure that the wood is protected from damp and hot items. This process will most probably have to be repeated on an annual basis so wooden worktops can be considered an investment of both time and money.

Whether changing the kitchen worktops to increase the value of a property or just to update a tired looking culinary area, the choices are seemingly endless. Hopefully this information on the most popular woods and stones used should help in making a decision. Ultimately the choice is yours, but remember that quality is essential for elegant work surfaces.

Interior design expert Thomas Pretty looks into the types of materials used in the manufacture of kitchen worktops and the benefits of each.

Home Improvement Often Starts with Kitchen Renovation

You may need a basic framework on kitchen cabinet renovation before setting out to you transform your entire kitchen. The great thing about cabinet renovation is how it can make the entire kitchen look brand new. However, there are steps to take. The following are a few of those steps that you will face when tackling the cabinets.

First, you will want to make a budget. Cabinets are the largest part of a kitchen renovation, both physically and economically. What you do with the cabinetry will set off a domino effect on many other kitchen renovation decisions you will eventually make. Better said, the cabinets will set the tone for the rest of your improvements. However, because they are one of the more costly projects, you will be better served if you create a budget beforehand. Also, stick with your budget. It does you no good if you continue to break the budget and add more once the project begins.

At this planning and budgeting phase, you will determine how much you are willing to spend and come up with a kitchen floor plan. You may do it on your own, with the help of an employee at your nearest home improvement store, or through a professional decorator. Hiring a professional will cost you extra of course, but it may be the way to go if you plan on completely transforming your kitchen. If you go with a professional, then start asking around for recommendations on whom to hire. Research decorators online. The biggest piece of advice at this stage is to get informed.

Next, you will have tons of choices to make regarding the cabinets you order. This stage requires hours of research and discussion with professionals or experts at the nearest improvement store. These choices will range from wood type, cabinet brand, stain, special designs within the wood, and other unique features planned for your kitchen cabinets. Once your choices are made get the cabinets ordered, as they will take some time getting in. There is not much you can do until they come in.

The next phase will be the actual installation. It is important to have established an open, working relationship with the installer so that you are happy with the product down the road. If you are installing the cabinets yourself, then this is a moot point. However, most homeowners use professionals and therefore should consider hiring someone they trust and someone who listens to their wants and needs.

The biggest thing to watch out for is all the hidden costs association with kitchen cabinet renovation. It is such a potentially large project that you will need to stay updated and in close communication with your decorator in order to ensure the least cost to you without sacrificing quality.
Home Improvement Often Starts with Kitchen Renovation

Kitchen renovation starts with the sears kitchen department and their helpful staff. When your kitchen renovation includes new cabinets, save money and headache with sears cabinets.