For families that own their homes or individuals that want to start a family soon and are looking for their first home, you have another option. Applicant Mortgage Brokers is offering affordable mortgage and protection solutions that meet the specific needs of each family. Even for people with adverse credit, multiple sources of income, or do not fit the profile of the typical high street lender, Applicant Mortgage Brokers may have a solution for you.
 
Families should not need to change their lifestyle because they have a mortgage. Clients are at different stages of their journey and have different needs. Therefore mortgage and protection solutions should be suitable for the family throughout their journey. It is also prudent for families to be protected for any possible financial risk that may result from the loss of income.
 
Daniel Baskerville founded Applicant Mortgage Brokers in the autumn of 2020. The Buckinghamshire based independent mortgage and protection adviser offers whole of market mortgage advice. With their long-standing experience and expertise in the market, they seek to find the right solutions for you even if you do not fit the typical high street lending criteria. Applicant Mortgage Brokers are dedicated and passionate about meeting the family’s needs and making sure they are fully protected from unforeseen circumstances.
 
“We are really passionate about our services to families. We want them to have the right mortgage solution and protection as well. Our range of protection products - Life cover, Critical Illness, Family Income Benefit and Income Protection are options that minimize the financial burden if there is a death in the family or major changes to the family’s circumstances that affect their income.”
 
“There have been situations where families only have life cover. When a breadwinner dies, the mortgage is paid off. That is great but what of the loss of income? Will the family stop having holidays or stop the kids music lessons? Will they have to substantially change their lifestyle as there are no longer two incomes instead of one? Assuming one parent worked part-time to help with the kids at their early stage, would their work arrangements change? There are so many different scenarios.”
 
“Our clients are at the centre of everything we do. Whether a first-time buyer or a homeowner, we offer the right information. As professionals, we get to know them and understand their circumstances to propose the right solutions. It could be adverse credit, they could be struggling to find the right mortgage product or they have existing protection and their circumstances have changed. We do our best to get the right solution for them.”
 
"Applicant Mortgage Brokers offers a dedicated and professional service that helps people. The mortgage and protection industry can seem complex. There is always new information and it can be challenging to keep up. Our clients must have a smooth journey from that initial contact, through completion and throughout the period they are paying off the loan."
 
Dan took a different path to a career as a mortgage broker. “I was working in customers homes on behalf of the Flooring department of a well-known retail brand. Engaging customers and helping them make the right decision is what I enjoy. In some cases, the customers had limited knowledge of the products they wanted to purchase. Helping them make the right decision for items they will have for a long period can be rewarding.”
 
“When I considered a career change, it was always going to be about helping people make the right decisions in otherwise complex situations. I decided to become a qualified mortgage broker. Since becoming qualified, I have also worked for a Specialist Master Broker. I also knew that I wanted the flexibility of working for myself. With the changes in market and industry, I thought what better time to strike off on my own.”
 
“Our office is in the business park in High Wycombe. We are getting more recognition and enquiries in the local area but can assist clients throughout the UK. The team will expand over the coming months as we add more clients. With all the uncertainty and movement restrictions, we are still getting our message out there through videos, social media and our website. At the moment, we do short videos addressing a particular topic as a way of educating and informing the public.”
 
“Our product range also caters for a wider demographic. For example, we can also advise on lifetime mortgages for over 55’s. Through our networks and other relationships, we enjoy working with families and those thinking of starting families. We want to help them get the best possible start. Finding the right house and an affordable mortgage are important. We are here to help.”

Contact Applicant Mortgage Brokers for independent mortgage and protection solutions.

Urben Technologies Ltd (Urben Tech) offers seamless efficient solutions that enable virtual collaboration in businesses and organizations. With a suite of well-designed practical video conferencing solutions, making key business decisions is easier, faster, cost-saving with minimal disruption. These solutions are flexible and easy to install making them perfect for businesses, the education, and healthcare sectors. Herts Review had a demo session with Mike Entwistle, the founder of Urben Tech. 
 
Mike is passionate about technology and its use to make life simpler and tasks more efficient. He has successfully undertaken several key projects including designing and building meeting rooms and ideation rooms for Ford Motors in Basildon. The rooms facilitate group collaboration, sharing of ideas, and quick decision making. Ideas can be shared on screens easily, people are connected, there is more interaction and communication is simpler.
 
Some of the available tech hardware are extremely complex. It is not unusual to visit offices and see ideal video walls and audio-visual equipment abandoned either because end-users do not know how to operate them or troubleshoot when there are issues. It means that organization is not realising the real benefits of that investment. At Urben Tech, the objective is to design simple tech solutions for end-users to improve efficiency and productivity. Orders are fulfilled within 24 hours with excellent customer service and after-sales support.
 
Covid-19 pandemic and the consequent lockdowns has accelerated hybrid working (working from home and the office). It is the new normal. Workspaces, meeting rooms, and collaboration areas are being redesigned in line with social distancing requirements. Fortunately, Urben Tech had anticipated these changes and has launched a range of solutions for reception areas, huddle zones, operation centres, e-learning, and meeting areas. These solutions are flexible and can be adapted for multiple purposes. For corporates, Urben is a brand with a different proposition.
 
The Urben Lite model is a perfect and affordable fit for the needs of SMEs. They help a business adapt while working effectively without any interruption to their operations. Within this package are 4 options namely:

• All-in-one: fully bundled and pre-wired with a plug and play approach
• Divide and conquer: a great option for repurposing or partitioning wide spaces to accommodate multiple meeting rooms
• Passionate design: a multi-purpose meeting room that adds all the virtual collaboration needs
• A Lite touch: a solution where small spaces can be adapted as meeting rooms.

Installation takes 30 minutes, and the solutions are versatile and easy-to-use. All they need to work is power and data connections.
 
Urben Tech also offers after-sales support for enquiries or troubleshooting. There are also training videos, helpdesk support, and a 24-7 helpline. The versatility and the ability to use any screen are additional benefits of the solution.
 
Urben lite solutions work well for flexible shared workspaces, virtual co-working spaces, start-ups with a tight budget, universities, other tertiary institutions, and the healthcare sector. They can also be used for virtual training programmes (for gyms, yoga instructors, training centres, schools). Networking groups will also benefit from these solutions with many physical networking events called off due to lockdown. 
 
Unlike some other virtual conferencing solutions, with Urban Lite, more people can interact and see each other in real-time. To solve the affordability challenges to smaller businesses or organizations with tighter budgets, flexible financial payments are available to reduce the impact on cash flow. 
 
Presently, there is a real buzz and excitement in the video conferencing and collaborative solutions industry as there will be more demand to create flexible workspaces and meeting rooms. Board rooms and larger rooms will be divided into smaller rooms as more offices adapt to the new normal. Huddle rooms will be ideal for local businesses.
 
A key challenge for the industry is explaining to customers that the service is not complicated and expensive. For most CIOs/CTOs, monitoring, measuring, and reporting on how successful the implementation of these solutions are to their organization has not been easy. It is about understanding the way tech is used and if colleagues are making most of it. The savings on travel, carbon, time, and the ability to make quick decisions are not easy to quantify.   
 
Urben’s unique solutions improve the productivity of any business or organization. The user experience is excellent. Personalised solutions are also available for businesses or organizations that have specific needs. For enquiries, contact Urben Tech.

JPA Workspaces is an award-winning furniture solutions provider offering creative and excellent workspaces for commercial buildings, the education, and healthcare sectors. Established as a contract furniture supplier for over 40 years, JPA continues to adapt to the changing needs of its clients by delivering flexible, functional, and sustainable workspaces. The family-owned company has a track record of excellent customer service and great after-care support to a long list of satisfied customers.
 
These days, JPA is in its second generation of ownership and is one of the largest contract furniture suppliers in the South East of England. Recently, Herts Review sat down with Fiona Edwards, Sustainability Director of JPA to discuss how the business is evolving and laying down the foundation for the next phase of its growth.
 
Founded in 1974 by John Pulsford as John Pulsford Associates, the company has been providing quality furniture solutions to customers in Hertfordshire, London, and surrounding areas. He aimed to be different and do things better.  That meant offering better quality products, paying decent wages to staff, and doing good in the community. This legacy has continued to date.
 
Over time, the name of the business also evolved from John Pulsford Associates to JPA Furniture and now JPA Workspaces to better reflect its services, objectives, and the market it serves. The business is now owned and operated by John's children namely Graham Pulsford as Managing Director, Fiona Edwards, and Ian Pulsford as Directors.
 
As one of the largest contract furniture suppliers, JPA has extensive experience in the public and private sectors. It is known for its friendly, professional, and customer-focused services. The company sources its products from trusted suppliers offering a great mix of products that meets the needs of their customers. JPAs services cover furniture installation, repair, refreshing, reupholstering, and reconfiguration. Their objective is to make your workspace great while keeping your furniture lasting longer.
 
The company has successfully delivered projects at University College, London, Enfield Civic Centre, Macmillan Centre, Local NHS Trusts, and the recently completed Rothamsted’s iconic Russell Building amongst others.
 
In addition to providing great workspace solutions, having a positive impact on the community and environment is a priority for the company. JPA is committed to health and safety, sustainability, and waste reduction. Over the last decade, the company has been recognised at local and national levels for its excellent credentials in recycling, reduction in carbon use, rehoming furniture items in the community, and promoting zero waste. For JPA, sustainability is a big part of its customer proposition and influences all aspects of its service.
 
For this reason, the company is redefining how it works with clients by getting involved at the early stage of projects. That way, the team gets a better understanding of client requirements, audit existing furniture, work out what is reusable or what can be reconfigured. The objective is to always deliver long-term value by creating great environments to work in, where people flourish, build relationships, share ideas, and help the organization achieve its goals. You know the saying that ‘Furniture finishes off a house’. It is never only about the furniture although it is an important part.
 
JPA’s service also includes advising and consulting on workspace design, designing and optimising space, project management, maximizing existing resources, assisting with moves and relocations. According to Fiona, to deliver this great service you need the right people. For JPA, its people are its biggest asset. With a team of 20, the company rewards loyalty, hard work, and champions fair treatment. The average length of service is 11 years in the company. It is key to keep the expertise and experience of the team to consistently deliver that high standard of service.
 
With the covid-19 pandemic and the resulting lockdown, the company is working on innovative solutions to create better spaces for the safe return of workers in offices, commercial workspaces, education, and healthcare institutions as well as the hospitality sector. It is common knowledge that a hybrid working model (working from home and the office) has come to stay. Therefore, JPA are offering great solutions for home working as well.
 
“We are exploring options of reviving the high street by converting empty shops, unused or underused space into flexible working environments. Parents with kids, start-ups, community groups can use these spaces while abiding by social distancing measures." 
 
"This may be a good strategy for increasing footfall to local shops and gradually bring us back to normality. There has to be more flexibility from employers and employees. Reorganising how and where we work is key. We must think of the future and start laying the groundwork. We have to seize this opportunity to do better by society and community”.
 
“In 2021, we will be taking the sustainability message further. As an organisation, we will use technology to get slicker and efficient. This means updating our CRM systems, going paperless, and using automated devices within our supply process. It also means sourcing better ranges of furniture and going carbon neutral."
 
"Imagine if we had a school furniture swap in Hertfordshire. Furniture can be moved around based on demand as school admissions fluctuate from year to year. Hertfordshire has the potential for great things, and we will be playing our role in ushering that beckon of change.”
 
There is no better way of describing the heart and culture of JPA as the events over Christmas Eve last month. At 2.15pm when the company had closed for Christmas, an urgent call came through from one of their NHS Trust clients urgently requesting they get to London to help move furniture and create space for additional beds to accommodate covid-19 patients. The JPA team got to site at 6pm and completed the furniture move as needed. The client informed JPA that their prompt response had helped save the lives of 20 patients which left everyone teary-eyed and was the best Christmas present ever.  JPA also had an NHS hotline open and in place over the Christmas break for new furniture enquiries, end of year spend and emergency work.
 
As JPA Workspaces approaches its 50th anniversary in the next 4 years, the leadership are working on several plans to usher in the next phase of growth. Investment in tech, more marketing, and networking will be the engine to drive growth and profitability. The covid-19 pandemic has simply highlighted that any organization that is not efficient and fully utilizing tech will be left behind.
 
JPA Workspaces commitment to sustainability, unique after-care support, experience, and expertise means they are the preferred contract furniture solutions provider. For enquiries follow this link.
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Egnite-IT Ltd is an information technology company set up to provide enterprise-level IT business solutions to SMEs at affordable prices. The founder Raza Khan, with over 24 years’ experience in the IT industry had a long career working for global companies in the UK and Europe. With that experience, Egnite-IT can build and develop the infrastructure to keep its IT solutions affordable. Raza took out time to speak to Herts Review about the operations of the business and his aspirations.
 
Established in 2014, Egnite-IT Ltd provides managed IT services, consulting, and professional services to a wide range of clients. Its outsourced managed IT solutions include helpdesk support, co-managed IT services, computer support, network security, disaster recovery, business continuity, and cloud computing to name a few. For small businesses, Egnite-IT can take away the stress of having an in-house IT team while benefiting from high-quality support and reducing any incidents of downtime. As a business, you can focus on income-generating activities with the knowledge that your systems are secure and your data is accessible and always backed up.
 
The Hertfordshire-based company also offers IT consulting services for organizations that need immediate IT solutions but do not have the in-house capacity or have special projects that need additional resources. With access to a pool of highly skilled IT experts, they place IT Contractors in other companies where there are skills gaps. Egnite-IT offers a comprehensive suite of IT solutions to move any business forward so they can focus on growth and expansion.
 
“We adopt a practical approach to resolving IT issues. The first step is to identify and understand the problem. There is no one solution fits all. Businesses are structured in different ways, have different needs, and have their way of working. Each situation is different, so we spend some time diagnosing the problem before we come up with a solution or range of solutions. The solution must align with the customer's processes. Our objective is to become strategic partners and develop a long-term relationship.”
 
“Some businesses may not have the insurance of a strategic IT partner like us. They reach out when there is a problem. Maybe a cyberattack or data breach or they cannot access their data. Without realising, they may pay a higher price and the loss to the business due to downtime will affect their revenue targets. We are doing a lot to educate businesses to see IT support services not as a cost but as an investment that will help their business achieve their goals”
 
“We also look at a company’s IT spend and recommend efficiencies or cost reduction ideas. For instance, we help businesses save on telecom, security, and data back-ups. I have spoken to businesses that were ordering new expensive hardware (e.g., laptops). I have recommended refurbished or rebuilt systems at almost half the price which means they save money. People should not buy for the sake of it. They need to think about sustainability as well."
 
The family-owned business is targeting small businesses that have at least 10 staff for its managed IT services. There is the option of an IT expert on-site during business hours and a 24-7 support system in place. The team has successfully delivered many IT transformation and process optimization projects. The dedicated IT managed solution is for businesses located within an hour drive from its main office.
 
Egnite-IT Ltd has come a long way in the last 7 years. Starting as an IT contracting company, it evolved into IT consulting and now to offering a comprehensive suite of IT solutions for any business. Some well-known clients include DVSA, Cambridge University, Openreach, Morrison Utility Services, and Plymouth University. The team have also worked with global IT services companies like Accenture and Infosys.
 
The company is on a journey to get back to the same operational capacity it had in 2019. The covid-19 pandemic impacted a lot of businesses and has led to a cutback in IT spend across the board. “From a headcount of 15, we now have a team of 5. We expect to get back to 10 staff within the next 12 months. We are hiring people that are good at what they do, help them upskill, and offer them a competitive pay package. I am confident business will pick up and we will get back to 100% capacity and look at further expansion.”
 
An imminent move to new tech centre in Hatfield as the company’s new operational base will help with its growth plans. All 3 main divisions of the company are focused on attracting more clients to the business.
 
Whatever stage of growth your business may be in, you may need the support of the Egnite-IT team to get your business moving and growing. Send an email to info@egniteit.com.