Mothers of Innovation Conference
We’ve been alerted to this conference in London on the 19th June. And since its before our next BWN event it won’t make it in to our business ops so here’s a dedicated blog post to keep you up to date on a possible event for you and your business;
Hi BWN Business women,
I just wanted to alert you to the Mothers of Innovation conference taking place on 19 June at Microsoft in Victoria. There are some great speakers and should be some interesting ideas and it struck me that it was something that you might potentially be interested in. There’s a bit of information about it below. If you’d like a comp, do let me know – it would be great to have your input.
best wishes
Geraldine
Mothers of Innovation
Mothers of Innovation is a conference exploring and celebrating the power of mothers to change the world – in education, health, business and work. We will launch ground-breaking research looking at why it pays to invest in mothers as innovators and how mothers innovate in different and distinctive ways.
· Mariella Frostrup, founder of the Great Initiative
· Ayla Goksel: Transforming Education in Turkey
· Geraldine Bedell: Mothers of Innovation research
· Karyn McCluskey: Reducing gang violence by mobilising mothers
· Mar Alarcon: Social Car: peer-to-peer car sharing in Spain
· Julia Lalla-Maharajh: female genital cutting
· Carrie Longton, Mumsnet: Mothers as consumers
· Diane Perlman, Microsoft: Lean startups
· Karyn McCluskey: Mobilising a community
· Babou Olengha-Aaby: Mumpreneurs and the next billion dollar market
· Caroline Tomlinson: Innovation when parenting doesn’t go the way you planned
· Charles Leadbeater: New directions for innovation
· Dafna Ciechanover Bonas, Founders Forum For Good: New directions for innovation
· Kathy Dykeman, Facebook: New directions for innovation
· Kathryn Nawrockyi, Director of Opportunity Now, new directions for innovation
Mothers of Innovation will take place at Microsoft, Cardinal Place, 80-100 Victoria Street, London SW1E 5JL from 9.15am (registration and breakfast) to 4.45pm on 19 June.
There is also a reception at Google HQ from 6-8pm on 18 June at which Yvette Cooper MP will speak and to which everyone who is coming to the conference is cordially invited.
#mothersofinnovation
Thank you for the info Geraldine and business women of The BWN if you attend this event do let us know what you think and mention @BWNcouk in your #mothersofinnovation tweets!
New Regulations on Telephone Numbers
It has been brought to our attention that some business women could be effected by new regulations on telephone numbers. We are not the experts in this and so share with you content received from Windsor Telecome Plc;
There has been a lot of conflicting information recently about the impact of the Consumer Contract Regulations on 084 and 087 telephone numbers when they come into effect this week not least articles in the press stating that ³callers must not pay more than the basic rate to call an organisation² and ³after 13 June your 084/087 numbers must not be live².
I hope the following will be of some assistance to you:
The Regulations state:
Helpline charges over basic rate
41.‹(1) Where a trader operates a telephone line for the purpose of consumers contacting the trader by telephone in relation to contracts entered into with the trader, a consumer contacting the trader must not be bound to pay more than the basic rate.
(2) If in those circumstances a consumer who contacts a trader in relation to a contract is bound to pay more than the basic rate, the contract is to be treated as providing for the trader to pay to the consumer any amount by which the charge paid by the consumer for the call is more than the basic rate.
The first thing to clarify is that the provisions are concerned with ensuring that the consumer does not incur excessive phone charges when ringing a seller about an existing contract.
– A consumer is defined as ³an individual acting for purposes which are wholly or mainly outside that individual¹s trade, business, craft or profession².
– Acceptable number ranges which cost no more than basic rate include geographic numbers (01,02,03). Free to call numbers (080) can also be used, so long as an alternative geographic number is provided for callers using a mobile phone.
So, the call must relate to an existing relationship between the trader and the consumer and the call must be from an individual consumer, not a business.
This means that using an 084 or 087 number as an enquiry line for members of the public, with whom you have no relationship, is not in breach of the regulations. Nor is using these numbers for businesses to call you. Technical support lines are exempt, provided the trader makes it clear that they are a separate service, not one for post purchase problems.
BIS (Department for Business, Innovation & Skills) has published advice that confirms that where there is an equally obvious option to call a basic rate number, the provision of a non-basic rate number will not breach the Regulations, as the consumer is not ³bound² to call the 084/087 number – they have a choice.
If you feel that you need to offer your customers an alternative geographic contact number, we can get one set up quickly for you. Our 01, 02 and 03 Geo numbers come with the same call handling features as our 08 numbers.
If you have specific questions relating to your organisation, we (or our advisors) will aim to assist you.
Regards
Sue Kempton
Customer Services Manager
Tel: 0333 123 8080