Williamson Square, Tuesday 27 October 2009

Liverpool is becoming the UK’s latest ‘contactless’ city, with retailers switching to new PayPass technology that allows ‘Tap & Go’ payments in a fraction of a second, providing a fast, secure and convenient alternative to cash for everyday purchases of £10 or less without the need for a signature or to enter a PIN.

To mark the start of Liverpool becoming a ‘contactless’ city, RBS WorldPay and MasterCard, would like to invite retailers to trial ‘Tap & Go’ payments at a Contactless Café which will be in Williamson Square, Liverpool on Tuesday 27th October 2009 from 8.00am.  Here they will be able to find out more from experts and will also be offered a prepaid PayPass card (on a first come, first served basis) loaded with £10 to allow them to able to experience ‘Tap & Go’ and see the technology’s benefits which include:

• Speed
• Convenience
• Cost savings
• Security

A leading national health and beauty retailer, Stagecoach buses and a number of other local businesses are already installing the technology across the city. RBS WorldPay is also offering a special six month free trial promotion to retailers interested in offering the new service to their customers.

For more information please visit www.rbsworldpay.com/contactless or email josephine.fawkes@rbs.co.uk to request a prepaid card to use on the day.

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Kirwans Solicitors has seen a significant increase in libel claims over the past year resulting from statements and remarks made by individuals through the internet.

This includes by email, blog sites or through social networking tools such as Facebook.

The claims have been in varying contexts from business, political, academic to purely social.  People are feeling very liberated by the availability of cost free, quick and flexible communication methods such as blogs and social networking.  Unfortunately, these are also a danger trap for those who wish to be too free with their views and opinions.

Unless you are absolutely sure about the content of what you are saying and can justify it with factual evidence, you should always think twice about committing anything to writing in a public forum, which can effectively be accessed and read and distributed worldwide. 

Communications via the internet can be distributed electronically instantly but may lead the author wide open to attack should the comments prove libellous of any person, business or corporate body.

Furthermore, the usual 1 year limitation period for bringing a libel claim is left wide open if the libellous comments are republished by being permanently communicated by a website or social networking group.  This means that a claim can be brought at any time without limitation if it remains constantly displayed.

Employers should also put in place by way of the contract of employment and interanal Internet Policy a strict framework on the use of the internet by the employees.  This may need to be reinforced at various stages and set out clearly on any intranet.  Employers may be vicariously liable for the actions and remarks of their employees should they cause offence and injure the reputation of another individual or business, including any derogatory comments relating to the services or products a business offers.

In conclusion, make sure all remarks posted are carefully thought about and can be substantiated or are considered as “fair comment” with no element of malice.  As an Employer, make sure a properly thought our Internet Policy is in place which places a duty of care on the Employee and shows that you (the Employer) is acting responsibly in respect of all use of Internet by the Employee.

Businesses who fail to secure their brand identity in the major social networking websites risk damaging their online reputation warns internet marketing agency CL5.

The advice comes after CL5 has seen a marked increase in the number of incidences of companies being passed-off on Facebook, Twitter or Linkedin without their knowledge.

Millions of people are unknowingly accessing wrong company information on social media profiles and groups. Users can easily be fooled into thinking they are communicating with the official company when it’s a blag. Businesses need to wise-up quickly and know how to combat actions like these claims CL5.

‘It’s surprising how many businesses just don’t get it’ commented managing director Peter Glover. ‘Not understanding the social media network technology isn’t an excuse to at least check your business out online. You should know if your business is being murdered online by a forum or ex-employee or fake Facebook profiles under your company name”.

CL5 points to local businesses like Formby Hall and the Liverpool Malmaison who actively control their social media status by managing official company profiles and communicating to fans and followers regularly.

Peter Continues, ‘Companies can easily check their brand name availability across popular social networking sites using free online tools such KnowEm (http://knowem.com), and monitor their brand reputation using TweetDeck (http://www.tweetdeck.com). Rather than implementing a ‘No Facebook’ rule, we’re advising businesses to adopt a social media policy that allows active management of social media sites by nominated individuals. We see this as a smarter way to protect their brand identity as well as a providing a valuable route to sales”.

Liverpool Chamber says - Good point well made. Keep up to date with whats happening at the Chamber via our social networking updates:

Liverpool Chamber on Twitter

Liverpool Chamber on Facebook

Liverpool Chamber on Flickr

Liverpool Chamber’s own social networking site

The Royal British Legion – Dedication of the Garden of Remembrance – St John’s Gardens, Liverpool City Centre Friday 6th November

The Royal British Legion invites you to the dedication of the Garden of Remembrance:

Each year, as part of remembrance tide on the closest Friday to the 11th November, we dedicate the memory of our Armed Services in St John’s Gardens.  This simple act of reflection takes less than an hour.  Fr Stephen Brooks will lead a quiet ceremony, and the Lord Mayor will be the first to plant a cross in memory of the brave young men and women who have paid the ultimate price for our nation.  The act of remembrance will start at 1200 and will be over by 1300.

This year is particularly sad with the loss of life in Afghanistan headlining all too regularly. Kingsman Jason Dunn-Bridgeman, a son of this City serving with The 2nd Btn the Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment was killed last week.  He, along with so many other young men and women will be remembered in St John’s Gardens on the 6th November.

This is an open invitation to you all to join with us for this time of quiet reflection and dedication.  If you could spare an hour on Friday 6th November between 1200 and 1300 I would urge you to come along and stand with us to honor our soldiers, sailors and airmen, and in particular those who have tragically died in the line of duty.

My colleagues in The Royal British Legion will supply small wooden crosses for anyone who might like to make a personal act of remembrance.  These will be readily available on the day.