On 4^th July 1776, the United States declared its independence from Great Britain and the date has remained as a big day of celebration for Americans…

If you have family or friends in the States, more than likely they’ll be celebrating 4th July with backyard BBQs and explosive fireworks. DHL helps families and friends celebrate special events, like Independence Day, regardless of the distance between them.

We make it easy to send gifts to your friends this Independence Day. With over 1,300 Service Points nationwide, we’re sure to be on a high street near you. So, once you’ve found the perfect present, just take it to your local Service Point and we’ll send it on its way!

Why not impress them with some of our favourite 4^th July facts?

• On 4^th July 1776, America declared its independence from Britain. It was the separation of 13 colonies from Great Britain.
• Each year on 4^th July, Americans celebrate that freedom and independence with barbecues, picnics and family gatherings.
• The estimated population on 4^th July 2013 is 316.2 million
• Three of America’s first five presidents died on 4^th July.
• 150 million hotdogs are consumed on 4^th July every year
• 700 million lbs of chicken is purchased in the week leading up to 4^th July
• 190 million lbs of red meat/pork is purchased in the week leading up to 4^th July
• 25 million lbs of fireworks is sold to cities for public celebrations
• 11: number of places in the US with “Independence” in their name

Sources: (CNN, The Herald Tribune, US Census Bureau as of 7.3.2012)

Whilst we can’t deliver sizzling BBQs or explosive fireworks, we can help you join your American buddies in spirit by celebrating Independence Day with a hamper full of American goodies. Click here to find out more about our new competition. But hurry, it closes tomorrow!

Following the success of the Harlequins’ Heineken Cup campaign, we’re offering you the chance for victory too!

Last week, DHL delivered over a tonne of equipment to Southern France ahead of Harlequins’ game against Biarritz. The team secured a place in the Heineken Cup quarter-final and we need your help in supporting them to victory.

There is a DHL van (as pictured above) with images of three top Harlequins players – Danny Care, Chris Robshaw and Jordan Turner-Hall – driving around the vicinity of the Harlequins’ training ground in Guildford. For your chance to win one of five signed Harlequins shirts, we just want you to snap a photograph of the van and tweet us at @dhlservicepoint using the hashtag #snapthevan.

The competition ends on Thursday 28^th February and we will announce the winners on Twitter on Friday 1^st March.

Good luck!

Keep up to date with the latest Harlequins news by following the team on Twitter at @QuinsRugbyUnion.

Please note: we encourage all participants to act safely and take reasonable precautions to ensure their safety whilst taking photographs of the van.

Terms and conditions

1. The draw is open to all @dhlservicepoint Twitter followers and DHL Service Point blog users who correctly tweet a photograph of the Harlequins branded van using the hashtag #snapthevan.

2. The Prize is one signed Harlequins Rugby shirt. This is non transferrable and cannot be exchanged for cash or any other prize of equivalent value.

3. The closing date for all entries is 23.59 GMT on Thursday 28^th February.

4. Only one entry per person is allowed.

5. The winners will be drawn at random from all eligible entries received.  The winners will be notified on Friday 1^st March by Twitter. Failure to respond within seven days of notification will result in the prize being withdrawn and a replacement winner drawn.

6. The draw is open to UK residents aged 18 and over only. Entry is free and no purchase is necessary.

7. The judges’ decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into.

8. DHL employees and agencies working on behalf of DHL and their immediate families are not eligible to enter the Draw. The winner(s) agree that DHL International (UK) Ltd their subsidiaries, affiliates, related companies and employees, and any other sponsors and Prize providers shall have no liability in connection with acceptance or use of any of the Prizes awarded in the Draw. We reserve the right to disqualify any entrant and/or winner at our absolute discretion.

9. Winners may be required to participate in publicity.

10. The details of winners can be requested by writing enclosing a stamped addressed envelope to the promoter at: Marketing Department, DHL International (UK) Limited, 178-188 Great South West Road, Hounslow, Middlesex, TW4 6JS.

11. English law applies and the exclusive jurisdiction of the English Courts shall prevail.

12. All activities are undertaken at the participant’s risk and neither DHL nor Harlequins Rugby Club will be held responsible for any damage (accidental or otherwise), personal injury or loss suffered by any participants or have any other liability at all to any party as a result of this competition.

Data Protection:

Your personal details are important to us and will be used fairly, in confidence and kept secure for no longer than necessary for the herein purpose in compliance with the Data Protection Act 1998. The Act gives you the right to access information held about you. Your right of access can be exercised in accordance with the Act. Any access request may be subject to a fee of £10 to meet our costs in providing you with details of the information we hold about you.

If at any time you wish to update or correct any personal information DHL holds about you or you no longer wish us to use the information, please write to: DHL Express Contact Centre – Customer Services Millenium House, East Midlands, Unit 5 Argosy Road, Castle Donington, Derbyshire DE74 2SA.  Tel: 08701 100 300 Email: [email protected]

Are you ready to deck the halls and hang the baubles? As the annual festivities edge ever closer, it’s time to get prepared for Christmas…

The evenings are drawing in, the shops are staying open later and that advert has hit our television screens. It can only be time for one thing: Christmas!

Yes, it’s November. But with less than 27 shopping days until the big day, it is time to get ready.

Not convinced? We’ve outlined five reasons why you should prepare early:

1. Budget

As un-festive as it sounds, budgeting is the key to a happy Christmas – there’s nothing worse than stressing about the cost of the celebrations, so spread the cost and start shopping now!

2. Offers

Take advantage of the discounts. Many retailers have pre-Christmas sales so get in there early and bag a bargain!

3. Beat the crowds

No one wants to get involved in a scramble for the last game of Scrabble on the shelf.

4. Find the perfect gift

By starting early, you’ll get people presents that they actually want.

5. Relax!

As it gets colder, darker and wetter, the last thing you want to do is rush around the high street in mid December. Stay inside, light a fire and put your feet up in front of the box. It’s a pretty good feeling when, in December, all you have to worry about is who ate the last mince pie!

Plus, with many families spread across all four corners of the globe, the earlier you start your Christmas shopping, the more likely your presents will be delivered on time.

The good news is, we’re making it even easier to send your gifts this Christmas. With over 1,300 Service Points nationwide, we’re sure to be on a high street near you. So, once you’ve found the perfect present, just take it to your local Service Point and we’ll send it on its way!

Being prepared not your strong point? No problem! Our later posting dates guarantee your gifts will be there in time to be placed under the Christmas tree.

A host of strange and surprising customs regulations limit the fashion items you can send overseas…

So you think you’re a dedicated follower of fashion? Know your prêt-a-porter from your haute couture? Want to share your cutting-edge eye for fashion with friends and relatives overseas?

Things could be trickier than you might first expect. Customs regulations can be complicated at the best of times, but when it comes to fashion there are a host of unexpected and frankly weird rules that you need to bear in mind.

As the world’s leading international delivery company, we’ve been compiling a list of some of the strangest. These include:

• You aren’t allowed to ship plastic and leather footwear into Nigeria. Handbags, belts, wallets, purses and suitcases made out of leather or plastic are also prohibited.
• Only odd pairs of shoes can be imported into Gambia. What’s more, fabric and fabric samples have to be under the value of 25 USD
• Shoes sent to India should be singles, mutilated or odd pairs if you want to avoid high duty charges. Similar rules apply for Mexico.
• Algerian customs regulations mean you can’t send more than ten samples of synthetic wool and cloth.
• Also, bear in mind that leather garments to Pakistan have no sales tax!

On a serious note, these regulations are particularly important for international fashion businesses. Small and growing businesses face an uphill struggle unless they keep such restrictions in mind when moving their products around the world.

As Phil Couchman, Chief Executive Officer at DHL Express points out “new fashion brands should thoroughly research regulations in the countries they are looking to work with. Not knowing these details could mean the difference between success or failure”.

For more information on DHL Servicepoint:www.dhlservicepoint.co.uk

With the Royal Wedding 2011 fast approaching, businesses are increasingly concerned about the possibility of Royal Mail service disruptions. But with DHL Servicepoint’s excellent track record, you can rest assured that there’s a fast and reliable alternative on your doorstep…

April 29^th 2011. It’s already a date that’s etched onto the nation’s psyche, a date of significant historical importance. And we’re not talking about World Dance Day.

Yes, The Royal Wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton is almost upon us. For the smiling couple it marks the happiest day of their lives. For their family and millions of well-wishers it’s a time to celebrate the love of an iconic young couple. And for scores of others it means a welcome day off work and a few beers down the pub.

But for businesses more concerned with ringing up their profits than the ring on Kate Middleton’s finger, the main concern is to keep things running smoothly.

As the UK comes to a standstill, we understand that it’s imperative your business continues to deliver – especially when you’re working with overseas customers not caught up in Royal Wedding-mania. Special events and bank holidays can be a genuine worry for small businesses. Traditionally associated with endless Royal Mail hold-ups and delivery backlogs, it’s no wonder businesses are starting to panic.

But with DHL Servicepoint there’s really no need: we’re always prepared because we put customers first. With a record of always staying on schedule, whatever the circumstances, we’re the perfect service for ensuring predictability and reliability over the Royal Wedding weekend. There’s really no need to put business at risk when, quite simply, you know DHL Servicepoint will deliver.

With over 1000 stores located on high streets and in branches of Staples, Safestore, Rymans and Whsmith nationwide, you can just pop in, pack your parcel (with FREE DHL Servicepoint packaging!) and know it’ll arrive on time – and in tip-top condition. Another perfect partnership: happy days indeed!

For more information on how DHL Servicepoint can make life simpler and more reliable for your business, visit https://dhlservicepoint.co.uk/.

So the shops are awash with heart shaped chocolates, cuddly teddy bears and bouquets of fresh red roses. It can mean only one thing: Valentine’s Day is fast approaching.

Whether that makes your heart swoon in anticipation or groan with despair at the commercialization of romantic love (spoilsport!), we want to mark the occasion by showing our Twitter followers and blog readers a little bit of love.

That’s why we’ve got our hands on £250 of high street vouchers to give away in our first ever Valentine’s Day competition.

So here’s the task:

We want you to tweet us to @DHLservicepoint, or post a comment here, telling us about the best present you’ve ever received from a loved one.

It can be anything – chocolates, flowers or a pair of novelty socks – but the more interesting you make it, the more chance you have of winning.

The response judged to be the most interesting, original, or laugh-out-loud hilarious, will win £250 of high street vouchers.

We’ll post our favourite comments along with the winner in another post on Valentine’s Day.

Remember: keep your entries clean. Anything unpublishable will automatically be disqualified.

Terms and conditions

1. The prize consists of one set of £250 high street vouchers.
2. The draw is open to all DHLservicepoint Twitter followers and DHL Servicepoint Blog users.
3. All entrants must be over 16 years of age.
4. Only one entry per person is allowed.
5. One winner will be picked.
6. The competition is open to UK residents only.
7. No cash or other alternative is available.
8. No purchase necessary.
9. The competition will close at noon on February 14th. The winner will be notified by email or by Twitter on February 14^th, 2011.
10. Prizes are non-transferable and no cash alternative will be given.
11. Rude or offensive entries will not be accepted.
12. The judges’ decision is final.
13. DHL employees are not eligible to enter the competition.
14. Vouchers will be despatched by the 10th working day of the date of the draw.
15. Details of the winner can be requested by writing to the promoter at:

Marketing Department, DHL International (UK) Limited, 178-188 Great South-West Road, Hounslow, Middlesex, TW4 6JS

A recent survey conducted by the Association of Consulting Actuaries (ACA), has revealed that most defined contribution pension schemes run by smaller firms are attracting combined employer and employee contributions of less than 8% of earnings.

There is also little evidence they are keeping pace with the increasing cost of building a sufficient pension as lifespans extend.

The ACA survey gathered responses from 404 smaller employers with 250 or fewer employees.  According to the Department for Business Innovation & Skills, there are over 1.2 million of these smaller firms which employ over half of the UK’s private sector employees (60%) and generate a half of all private sector turnover (49%), amounting to £1,589 billion per year.

Food for thought.

Equally worrying is the fact that at present, two thirds of the UK’s smaller firms offer no pension scheme at all despite the fact they will be required to auto-enrol their employees into a ‘qualifying workplace pension scheme’ between 2014 and early 2016 under government pension reforms.

Of the firms in the ACA survey without pension schemes, almost all (96%) said cost was the main reason they did not currently provide them.  And of those that do, they stated the reason employees did not join their schemes is also mainly because of cost (84%).

Commenting on the survey results, ACA chairman Stuart Southall said:

“Our survey has found savings by both employers and employees into defined contribution schemes generally have failed to keep pace with the cost of building a sufficient pension.  Pension contributions into most schemes reporting to this survey need to double on average to at least 15% of earnings if reasonable retirement incomes are to be achieved.”

For information on how DHL Servicepoint can help small businesses visit: www.dhlservicepoint.co.uk

Earlier this month the Prime Minister, David Cameron, announced the government’s plans to expand its New Enterprise Allowance scheme which assists those out of work who wish to set up their own business.

The initiative will be rolled out nationwide this autumn with the potential to create thousands of jobs in 2011 alone and up to 40,000 new businesses by 2013.

David Cameron said:

“It is vital that we ensure businesses, and those people who find themselves out of work but have the drive and desire to set up their own business, have all the advice, support and mentoring they need.  Together we can make the years ahead some of the most dynamic and entrepreneurial in our history.”

Those interested in the New Enterprise Allowance will be given access to a business mentor who will provide guidance and support around their business idea and through the early stages of trading.

If they can then demonstrate they have a viable business proposition with growth potential, they can claim financial support which could be worth around £2,000 to each unemployed person who wants to start their own business.

The scheme begins in January in Merseyside and will then be rolled out to the remaining target areas from April and nationally in the autumn.

Are you a budding entrepreneur?  Could you benefit from the New Enterprise Allowance?  To learn more visit: http://www.dwp.gov.uk/adviser/updates/new-enterprise-allowance/

For information on how DHL Servicepoint can help small businesses visit: www.dhlservicepoint.co.uk

Are you running your business in the most tax efficient way?

While it is important to keep the taxman happy, it is also important to ensure your tax affairs – both business and personal – are managed so as to minimise the overall financial impact on your bottom line and your own purse.

A recent Real Business article, ‘The definitive tax guide for business owners’, offers ten top tax tips covering everything from reviewing reward packages and VAT arrangements to transferring business ownership and investing for capital growth.

It also includes information on an HM Revenue & Customs facility called the Business Payment Support Service which helps businesses experiencing cashflow difficulties to agree revised tax payment terms, without incurring penalties, on most taxes and duties including income tax, corporation tax, VAT, PAYE and National Insurance.

You can read the full article here.

And remember, if you’re running your own business DHL Servicepoint is also here to help with your delivery needs.  Our destinations include 220 countries worldwide with UK deliveries starting at £5.95 and the USA and Canada at £25.95.  All parcels are guaranteed and tracked at every stage and signed for on receipt.

Just pick your nearest DHL Servicepoint, pack your parcel for free when you get there, pay and then leave the rest to us: www.dhlservicepoint.co.uk/howto.htm

Thinking of going freelance and setting up your own business?

No doubt the products, services, company name and even branding are sorted.  But what about the all important legalities such as which business model works best for you?

Accounting specialists in the freelance and small business sector, Easy Accountancy, advise you to think carefully about the two main options available – sole trader or limited company – before making the leap.

They say: “One of the key challenges when making the decision to go freelance is to choose between becoming a limited company or simply setting-up as a sole trader.  While there are benefits to going limited, many freelancers choose the sole trader option – primarily because they don’t want the hassle or the legal commitments which come with a limited company.”

Questions to consider are: what type of business is it, what will your turnover and profit be, do you have future plans to grow the business, what level of commercial risk will you be exposed to?

For the full article please click here.

lAnd don’t forget, whatever choice you make DHL Servicepoint is here to help with all your business delivery needs.  Our simple three step process couldn’t be easier: pick your nearest DHL Servicepoint, pack your parcel for free when you get there, pay and leave the rest to us: www.dhlservicepoint.co.uk/howto.htm