The Small Firms Service is an information and business counselling
 service to help owners and managers of small businesses with their plans
 and problems.  It also acts as an advisory service to those thinking of
 starting their own business.  The service, which operates through a
 nation-wide network of Small Firms Centres, is designed to encourage
 business efficiency.  There is no limit to the type of business the service
 will help.


 HOW THE SERVICE CAN HELP YOU
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     Through the Small Firms Service you can get information on any business
 problem: from finance, diversification and industrial training to exporting,
 planning, technological advances, industrial relations and marketing.

     The service can put you in touch quickly with the right people in local
 authorities, government departments, the professions, libraries, chambers
 of commerce or any other body to help you with your problem.  It can also
 identify national and international sources of information that you may
 need.

     If the enquiry you have is beyond straighforward sources of
 information, it can be discussed with a Small Firms Service Counsellor, an
 experienced businessman who may well have faced a similar situation.  He
 will help by offering advice and guidance, impartially and in strict
 confidence.


 PROBLEMS THE SERVICE CAN HELP YOU WITH
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     That depends on your business, but broadly speaking any kind of
 business administration enquiry.  Maybe you own a small factory and you
 wish to find out about improving security.  Maybe you have a small shop and
 you want to find out about planning permission for an advertising sign. 
 Maybe you are a manufacturer who wants to check a patent, or break into a
 particular export market or wish to obtain additional capital to finance a
 new development.  You could be starting your own business and want to find
 out about the many aspects of getting going.  But this is just a handful of
 examples.


 HOW TO USE THE SERVICE
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     Simply contact your local Small Firms Centre - dial 100 and ask the
 operator for Freefone Enterprise.

     The Centre will proberly be able to answer you on the spot or put you
 in touch with the right source of help.  If not, you will be invited to
 meet a Business Counsellor at your local Area Counselling Office.

     If your problem cannot be settled at the initial meeting you will
 either be referred to a specialist in the field concerned, or be offered
 more detailed counselling, which will proberly take place on your premises.

     Counsellors are people of considerable business experience, chosen by
 the Department of Employment to provide advisory services to small firms. 
 Many have held senior positions in general management and have been
 successful in small or medium-sized businesses.


 THE COST OF THE SERVICE
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     The information service is FREE.  For counselling, the first three
 sessions are free.  A modest charge is made for any further sessions which
 you feel would be useful.  There is no catch.  Our job is helping you do
 yours.  The small businessman is vital to Britain's industrial strategy.

     Of course any specialist consultants or advisers you decide to engage
 after consulting your Small Firms Centre will make a professional charge
 for thier services: the fee should be agreed before they do any work for
 you.


 WHERE THE SERVICE IS AVAILABLE
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     Apart from the 13 Small Firms Centres, counselling is available at
 over 100 Area Counselling Offices arould the country - so there is no need
 to travel far.  Phone the nearest Small Firms Centre to book an appointment.
 Dial 100 and ask the operator for Freephone Enterprise.


 REMEMBER
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     Your Small Firms Centre is backed by the full resources of the
 Department of Employment, the Scottish Office and the Welsh Office.  It's
 aim is to help you find the right answers to your questions quickly.


 IMPORTANT
 ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ
     The Small Firms Service will be discussing your problems with you and
 offering advice and guidance, but it will not be telling you what to do.
 The course of action which you take will be for your own commercial
 judgement after consulting your own professional advisers.  It is a
 condition of your accepting the service that neither the Business
 Counsellor nor the government department or agency providing the service
 can be liable for any loss or liability which may incur as a result of any
 advice or inaccurate information given negligently or otherwise by a
 Business Counsellor or a member of the Small Firms Centre staff.


 NOTE
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     The Small Firms Service in Scotland is operated through the Scottish
 Development Agency.  In Wales the information service is provided by the
 Welsh Office and the counselling service is operated by the Welsh
 Development Agency.

     An information service is provided by the Department of Economic
 Development in Northern Ireland.